bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An adhesion code ensures robust pattern formation during tissue morphogenesis
Authors: Tsai Tony Y.-C. , Sikora Mateusz , Xia Peng , Colak-Champollion Tugba , Knaut Holger , Heisenberg Carl-Philipp , Megason Sean G.
Published: October 2019

An outstanding question in embryo development is how spatial patterns are formed robustly. In the zebrafish spinal cord, neural progenitors form stereotypic stripe-like patterns despite noisy morphogen signaling and large-scale cellular rearrangement required for tissue growth and morphogenesis. We set out to understand the mechanisms underlying this patterning robustness. Our adhesion assays revealed a preference for three neural progenitor types to stabilize contacts with cells of the same type. Genetic analysis uncovered a three-molecule adhesion code, composed of N-cadherin, Cadherin 11, and Protocadherin 19, with unique gene expression profiles for each cell type. Perturbation of the adhesion code results in loss of homotypic preferenceex vivoand patterning errorsin vivo. Both the cell fate and adhesion code are co-regulated by the common upstream morphogen signal Shh. We propose that robust patterning in tissues undergoing morphogenesis results from a previously unappreciated interplay between morphogen gradient-based patterning and adhesion-based self-organization.
Dissecting the initiation of female meiosis in the mouse at single-cell resolution
Authors: Ge Wei , Wang Jun-Jie , Zhang Rui-Qian , Tan Shao-Jing , Zhang Fa-Li , Liu Wen-Xiang , Li Lan , Sun Xiao-Feng , Cheng Shun-Feng , Dyce Paul W. , De Felici Massimo , Shen Wei
Published: October 2019

Germ cell meiosis is one of the most finely orchestrated events during gametogenesis with distinct developmental patterns in males and females. However, in mammals, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain not well known. Here, we report detailed transcriptome analyses of cell populations present in the mouse female gonadal ridges (E11.5) and the embryonic ovaries from E12.5 to E14.5 using single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA seq). These periods correspond with the initiation and progression of meiosis throughout the first stage of prophase I. We identified 13 transcriptionally distinct cell populations and 7 transcriptionally distinct germ cell subclusters that correspond to mitotic (3 clusters) and meiotic (4 clusters) germ cells. By comparing the signature gene expression pattern of 4 meiotic germ cell clusters, we found that the 4 cell clusters correspond to different cell status en route to meiosis progression, and therefore, our research here characterized detailed transcriptome dynamics during meiotic prophase I. Reconstructing the progression of meiosis along pseudotime, we identified several new genes and molecular pathways with potential critical roles in the mitosis/meiosis transition and early meiotic progression. Last, the heterogeneity within somatic cell populations was also discussed and different cellular states were identified. Our scRNA seq analysis here represents a new important resource for deciphering the molecular pathways driving meiosis initiation and progression in female germ cells and ovarian somatic cells.
Orientation to polarized light in tethered flying honeybees
Authors: Kobayashi Norihiro , Okada Ryuichi , Sakura Midori
Published: October 2019

Behavioral responses of honeybees to a zenithal polarized light stimulus were observed using a tethered animal in a flight simulator. Flight direction of the bee was recorded by monitoring the horizontal movement of its abdomen, which was strongly anti-correlated with its torque. When the e-vector orientation of the polarized light was rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, the bee responded with periodic right-and-left abdominal movements; however, the bee did not show any clear periodic movement under the static e-vector or depolarized stimulus. The steering frequency of the bee was well coordinated with the e-vector rotation frequency of the stimulus, indicating that the flying bee oriented itself to a certain e-vector orientation, i.e., exhibited polarotaxis. The percentage of bees exhibiting clear polarotaxis was much smaller under the fast stimulus (3.6 ° s-1) compared with that of the slow stimulus (0.9 or 1.8 ° s-1). The bee did not demonstrate any polarotactic behavior after the dorsal rim region of its eyes, which mediates insect polarization vision in general, was bilaterally covered with black paint. The bees demonstrated a high preference for e-vector orientations between 120 to 180°. Each bee exhibited similar e-vector preferences under clockwise and counterclockwise stimuli, indicating that each bee has its own e-vector preference, which probably depends on the bee’s previous foraging experience. Our results strongly suggest that the flying honeybees utilize the e-vector information from the skylight to deduce their heading orientation for navigation.

Summary statement

Tethered flying bees exhibited polarotaxis under a zenithal rotating e-vector stimulus, in which their right-and-left abdominal movements were coincident with the rotation of the stimulus.
Argonaute-mediated system for supersensitive and multiplexed detection of rare mutations
Authors: Liu Qian , Guo Xiang , Xun Guanhua , Li Zhonglei , Chong Yuesheng , Yang Litao , Wang Hongxia , Zhang Fengchun , Luo Shukun , Deng Zixin , Li Kai , Feng Yan
Published: October 2019

The ability to detect rare mutations has revolutionized diagnosis and monitoring of tumors, but is limited by the shortage of sensitive, cost-effective and high coverage methods for identification of extremely low abundant mutations. Here, we establish a single-tube multiplex PCR system by employing thermophilic Argonaute-derived DNA-guided nuclease for highly efficient rare mutation detection, referred to as A-Star (Argonaute-directed specific target enrichment and detection), that combines the selective cleavage of the wild type DNA in the DNA denaturation step and the followed amplification of mutant DNA during PCR. A-Star enables easy detection and quantitation of rare mutations originally as low as 0.01% in allele frequency with a ⩾ 5500-fold efficiency. We also demonstrate the feasibility of A-Star for detecting oncogenic mutations in complex biological systems such as solid tumors tissues and blood samples. Remarkably, A-Star could achieve the detection of multiple oncogenic genes simultaneously through a simple single-tube reaction. Taken together, our work illustrates a supersensitive and rapid nucleic acid detection system, thereby extending the utility for both research and therapeutic applications.
Balance Control Mechanisms Do Not Benefit From Successive Stimulation Of Different Sensory Systems
Authors: Cyr Jean-Philippe , Anctil Noémie , Simoneau Martin
Published: October 2019

In humans, to reduce deviations from a perfect upright position, information from various sensory cues is combined and continuously weighted based on its reliability. Combining noisy sensory information to produce a coherent and accurate estimate of body sway is a central problem in human balance control. In this study, we first compared the ability of the sensorimotor control mechanisms to deal with altered ankle proprioception or vestibular information (i.e., the single sensory condition). Then, we evaluated whether successive stimulation of difference sensory systems (e.g., Achilles tendon vibration followed by electrical vestibular stimulation, or vice versa) produced a greater alteration of balance control (i.e., the mix sensory condition). Electrical vestibular stimulation (head turned ∼90°) and Achilles tendon vibration induced backward body sways. We calculated the root mean square value of the scalar distance between the center of pressure and the center of gravity as well as the time needed to regain balance (i.e., stabilization time). Furthermore, the peak ground reaction force along the anteroposterior axis, immediately following stimulation offset, was determined to compare the balance destabilization across the different conditions. In single conditions, during vestibular or Achilles tendon vibration, no difference in balance control was observed. When sensory information returned to normal, balance control was worse following Achilles tendon vibration. Compared to that of the single sensory condition, successive stimulation of different sensory systems (i.e., mix conditions) increased stabilization time. Overall, the present results reveal that single and successive sensory stimulation challenges the sensorimotor control mechanisms differently.
GABA-ergic dynamics in human frontotemporal networks confirmed by pharmaco-magnetoencephalography
Authors: Adams Natalie E. , Hughes Laura E. , Phillips Holly N. , Shaw Alexander D. , Murley Alexander G. , Cope Thomas E. , Bevan-Jones W. Richard , Passamonti Luca , Rowe James B.
Published: October 2019

To bridge the gap between preclinical cellular models of disease and in vivo imaging of human cognitive network dynamics, there is a pressing need for informative biophysical models. Here we assess dynamic causal models (DCM) of cortical network responses, inverted to magnetoencephalographic observations during an auditory oddball roving paradigm in healthy adults. This paradigm induces robust perturbations that permeate frontotemporal networks, including an evoked ‘mismatch negativity’ response and transiently induced oscillations. Here, we probe GABAergic influences of the networks using double-blind placebo-controlled randomised-crossover administration of the GABA re-uptake inhibitor, tiagabine (oral, 10mg) in healthy older adults. We demonstrate the facility of conductance-based neural mass mean-field models, incorporating local synaptic connectivity, to investigate laminar-specific and GABAergic mechanisms of the auditory response. The neuronal model accurately recapitulated the observed magnetoencephalographic data. Using parametric empirical Bayes for optimal model inversion across both sessions, we identify the effect of tiagabine on GABAergic modulation of deep pyramidal and interneuronal cell populations. Moreover, in keeping with the hierarchical coding of beliefs and sensory evidence, we found a transition of the main GABAergic drug effects from auditory cortex in standard trials to prefrontal cortex in deviant trials. The successful integration of pharmaco-magnetoencephalography with dynamic causal models of frontotemporal networks provides a potential platform on which to evaluate the effects of disease and pharmacological interventions.

Significance Statement

Understanding human brain function and developing new treatments require good models of brain function. We tested a detailed generative model of cortical microcircuits that accurately reproduced human magnetoencephalography, to quantify network dynamics and connectivity in frontotemporal cortex. This approach correctly identified the effect of a test drug (tiagabine) on neuronal function (GABA-ergic dynamics), opening the way for psychopharmacological studies in health and disease with the mechanistic precision afforded by generative models of the brain.
Antifungal susceptibility testing ofAspergillus nigeron silicon microwells by intensity-based reflectometric interference spectroscopy
Authors: Heuer Christopher , Leonard Heidi , Nitzan Nadav , Lavy-Alperovitch Ariella , Massad-Ivanir Naama , Segal Ester
Published: October 2019

The increasing number of invasive fungal infections among immunocompromised patients and the emergence of antifungal resistant pathogens has resulted in the need for rapid and reliable antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST). Accelerating antifungal susceptibility testing allows for advanced treatment decisions and the reduction in future instances of antifungal resistance. In this work, we demonstrate the application of a silicon phase grating as sensor for the detection of growth ofAspergillus niger(A. niger) by intensity-based reflectometric interference spectroscopy and its use as an antifungal susceptibility test. The silicon gratings provide a solid-liquid interface to capture micron-sizedAspergillusconidia within microwell arrays. Fungal growth is optically tracked and detected by the reduction in the intensity of reflected light from the silicon grating. The growth ofA. nigerin the presence of various concentrations of the antifungal agents voriconazole and amphotericin B is investigated by intensity-based reflectometric interference spectroscopy and used for the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC), which are compared to standard broth microdilution testing. This assay allows for expedited detection of fungal growth and provides a label-free alternative to standard antifungal susceptibility testing methods, such as broth microdilution and agar diffusion methods.
Genetic regulators of mineral amount in Nelore cattle muscle predicted by a new co-expression and regulatory impact factor approach
Authors: Afonso Juliana , Fortes Marina Rufino Salinas , Reverter Antonio , da Silva Diniz Wellison Jarles , Cesar Aline Silva Mello , de Lima Andressa Oliveira , Petrini Juliana , de Souza Marcela M. , Coutinho Luiz Lehmann , Mourão Gerson Barreto , Zerlotini Adhemar , Gromboni Caio Fernando , Nogueira Ana Rita Araújo , de Almeida Regitano Luciana Correia
Published: October 2019

Mineral amount in bovine muscle affect meat quality, growth, health and reproductive traits in beef cattle. To better understand the genetic basis of this phenotype, we implemented new applications of use for two complementary algorithms: the partial correlation and information theory (PCIT) and the regulatory impact factor (RIF), by including GEBVs as part of the input. We used PCIT to determine putative regulatory relationships based on significant associations between gene expression and mineral amount. Then, RIF was used to determine the regulatory impact of genes and miRNA expression over mineral amount. We also investigated over-represented pathways, as well as evidences from previous studies carried in the same population, to determine regulatory genes for mineral amounte.g. NOX1, whose expression was positively correlated to Zn and was described as regulated by this mineral in humans. With this methodology, we were able to identify genes, miRNAs and pathways not yet described as important for mineral amount. The results support the hypothesis that extracellular matrix interactions are the core regulator of mineral amount in muscle cells. Putative regulators described here add information to this hypothesis, expanding the molecular relationships between gene expression and minerals.
XTRACT - Standardised protocols for automated tractography in the human and macaque brain
Authors: Warrington S , Bryant KL , Khrapitchev AA , Sallet J , Charquero-Ballester M , Douaud G , Jbabdi S , Mars RB , Sotiropoulos SN
Published: October 2019

We present a new software package with a library of standardised tractography protocols devised for the robust automated extraction of white matter tracts both in the human and the macaque brain. Using in vivo data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and the UK Biobank and ex vivo data for the macaque brain datasets, we obtain white matter atlases, as well as atlases for tract endpoints on the white-grey matter boundary, for both species. We illustrate that our protocols are robust against data quality, generalisable across two species and reflect the known anatomy. We further demonstrate that they capture inter-subject variability by preserving tract lateralisation in humans and tract similarities stemming from twinship in the HCP cohort. Our results demonstrate that the presented toolbox will be useful for generating imaging-derived features in large cohorts, and in facilitating comparative neuroanatomy studies. The software, tractography protocols, and atlases are publicly released through FSL, allowing users to define their own tractography protocols in a standardised manner, further contributing to open science.
Same same but different: a web-based deep learning application for the histopathologic distinction of cortical malformations
Authors: Kubach J. , Muehlebner-Farngruber A. , Soylemezoglu F. , Miyata H. , Niehusmann P. , Honavar M. , Rogerio F. , Kim S-H. , Aronica E. , Garbelli R. , Vilz S. , Popp A. , Walcher S. , Neuner C. , Scholz M. , Kuerten S. , Schropp V. , Roeder S. , Eichhorn P. , Eckstein M. , Brehmer A. , Kobow K. , Coras R. , Bluemcke I. , Jabari S.
Published: October 2019

We trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify H.E. stained microscopic images of focal cortical dysplasia type IIb (FCD IIb) and cortical tuber of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Both entities are distinct subtypes of human malformations of cortical development that share histopathological features consisting of neuronal dyslamination with dysmorphic neurons and balloon cells. The microscopic review of routine stainings of such surgical specimens remains challenging. A digital processing pipeline was developed for a series of 56 FCD IIb and TSC cases to obtain 4000 regions of interest and 200.000 sub-samples with different zoom and rotation angles to train a CNN. Our best performing network achieved 91% accuracy and 0.88 AUCROC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) on a hold-out test-set. Guided gradient-weighted class activation maps visualized morphological features used by the CNN to distinguish both entities. We then developed a web application, which combined the visualization of whole slide images (WSI) with the possibility for classification between FCD IIb and TSC on demand by our pretrained and build-in CNN classifier. This approach might help to introduce deep learning applications for the histopathologic diagnosis of rare and difficult-to-classify brain lesions.
In silicoidentification of potential inhibitors against human 2’-5’-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) proteins
Authors: Gonzalez Karen J. , Moncada-Giraldo Diego , Gutierrez Juan B.
Published: October 2019

As part of the type I IFN signaling, the 2’-5’- oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) proteins have been involved in the progression of several non-viral diseases. Notably, OAS has been correlated with immune-modulatory functions that promote chronic inflammatory conditions, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and infectious diseases. In spite of this, OAS enzymes have been ignored as drug targets, and to date, there are no reports of compounds that can inhibit their activity. In this study, we have used homology modeling and virtual high-throughput screening to identify potential inhibitors of the human proteins OAS1, OAS2, and OAS3. Altogether, we have found 37 molecules that could exert a competitive inhibition in the ATP binding sites of OAS proteins, independently of the activation state of the enzyme. This latter characteristic, which might be crucial for a versatile inhibitor, was observed in compounds interacting with the residues Asp75, Asp77, Gln229, and Tyr230 in OAS1, and their equivalents in OAS2 and OAS3. Although there was little correlation between specific chemical fragments and particular interactions, intermolecular contacts with OAS catalytic triad and other critical amino acids were mainly promoted by heterocycles with π electrons and hydrogen bond acceptors. In conclusion, this study provides a potential set of OAS inhibitors as well as valuable information for their design, development, and optimization.
Estimating relative CWD susceptibility and disease progression in farmed whitetail deer with rare PRNP alleles
Authors: Haley NJ , Merrett K , Buros Stein A , Simpson D , Carlton A , Mitchell G , Staskevicius A , Nichols T , Lehmkuhl AD , Thomsen BV
Published: October 2019

Chronic wasting disease is a prion disease affecting both free-ranging and farmed cervids in North America and Scandinavia. A range of cervid species have been found to be susceptible, each with variations in the gene for the normal prion protein, PRNP, reportedly influencing both disease susceptibility and progression in the respective hosts. Despite the finding of several different PRNP alleles in whitetail deer, the majority of past research has focused on two of the more common alleles identified – the 96G and 96S alleles. In the present study, we evaluate both infection status and disease stage in nearly 2100 farmed deer depopulated in the United States and Canada, including 714 CWD-positive deer and correlate our findings with PRNP genotype, including the more rare 95H, 116G, and 226K alleles. We found significant differences in either likelihood of being found infected or disease stage (and in many cases both) at the time of depopulation in all genotypes present, relative to the most common 96GG genotype. Despite high prevalence in many of the herds examined, infection was not found in several of the reported genotypes. These findings suggest that additional research is necessary to more properly define the role that these genotypes may play in managing CWD in both farmed and free-ranging whitetail deer, with consideration for factors including relative fitness levels, incubation periods, and the kinetics of shedding in animals with these rare genotypes.
Cryo-EM structure of the potassium-chloride cotransporter KCC4 in lipid nanodiscs
Authors: Reid Michelle S. , Kern David M. , Brohawn Stephen G.
Published: October 2019

Cation-chloride-cotransporters (CCCs) catalyze transport of Cl− with K+ and/or Na+ across cellular membranes. CCCs play roles in volume regulation, neural development and function, audition, blood pressure regulation, and renal function. CCCs are targets of drugs including loop diuretics and their disruption is implicated in pathophysiologies including epilepsy, hearing loss, and the genetic disorders Andermann, Gitelman, and Bartter syndromes. Here we present the cryo-EM structure of a CCC, the Mus musculus K+-Cl− cotransporter KCC4, in lipid nanodiscs. The structure, captured in an inside-open conformation, reveals the architecture of KCCs including an extracellular domain poised to regulate transport activity through an outer gate. We further identify substrate K+ and Cl− binding sites and provide a structural explanation for differences in substrate specificity and transport ratio between CCCs. These results provide mechanistic insight into the function and regulation of a physiologically important transporter family.
pydca v1.0: a comprehensive software for Direct Coupling Analysis of RNA and Protein Sequences
Authors: Zerihun Mehari B. , Pucci Fabrizio , Peter Emanuel Karl , Schug Alexander
Published: October 2019

The ongoing advances in sequencing technologies have provided a massive increase in the availability of sequence data. This made it possible to study the patterns of correlated substitution between residues in families of homologous proteins or RNAs and to retrieve structural and stability information. Direct coupling Analysis (DCA) infers coevolutionary couplings between pairs of residues indicating their spatial proximity, making such information a valuable input for subsequent structure prediction. Here we present pydca, a standalone Python-based software package for the DCA of protein- and RNA-homologous families. It is based on two popular inverse statistical approaches, namely, the mean-field and the pseudo-likelihood maximization and is equipped with a series of functionalities that range from multiple sequence alignment trimming to contact map visualization. Thanks to its efficient implementation, features and user-friendly command line interface, pydca is a modular and easy-to-use tool that can be used by researchers with a wide range of backgrounds.

Availability

https://github.com/KIT-MBS/pydca
IL2 enhances ex-vivo expanded regulatory T cell persistence after adoptive transfer
Authors: Furlan Scott N , Singh Karnail , Lopez Christina , Tkachev Victor , Hunt Daniel , Hibbard James , Betz Kayla M , Blazar Bruce R. , Trapnell Cole , Kean Leslie S
Published: October 2019

As regulatory T cell (Treg) adoptive therapy continues to develop clinically, there is a need to determine which immunomodulatory agents pair most compatibly with Tregs to enable persistence and stabilize suppressor function. Prior work has shown that mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition can increase stability of thymic Tregs. In this study we investigated the transcriptomic signatures of ex-vivo expanded Tregs after adoptive transfer in the setting of clinically relevant immunosuppression using a non-human primate (NHP) model as a prelude to future transplant studies. Here, we found that adding interleukin-2 (IL2) to rapamycin in vivo supported a logarithmic increase in the half-life of adoptively transferred CFSE-labeled, autologous NHP Tregs, effectively doubling the number of cells in the peripheral blood Treg compartment compared to Treg infusion with rapamycin alone. Using single cell transcriptomics, we found that transferred ex-vivo expanded Tregs initially exhibit a gene expression signature consistent with an activated state. Moreover, those cells with the highest levels of activation also expressed genes associated with p53-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, transferred Tregs interrogated at Day +20 post-transfer demonstrated a gene signature more similar to published profiles of resting Tregs. Together, these preclinical data further support combining IL2 and rapamycin in vivo as adjunctive therapy for ex-vivo expanded adoptively transferred Tregs and suggest that the activation status of ex-vivo expanded Tregs is critical to their persistence.
Developmental changes in plasticity, synaptic, glia, and connectivity protein levels in rat basolateral amygdala
Authors: Bessières Benjamin , Jia Margaret , Travaglia Alessio , Alberini Cristina M.
Published: October 2019

The basolateral complex of amygdala (BLA) processes emotionally arousing aversive and rewarding experiences. The BLA is critical for acquisition and storage of threat-based memories and the modulation of the consolidation of arousing explicit memories, that is, the memories that are encoded and stored by the medial temporal lobe. In addition, in conjunction with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the BLA plays an important role in fear memory extinction. The BLA develops relatively early in life, but little is known about the molecular changes that accompany its development. Here, we quantified relative basal expression levels of sets of plasticity, synaptic, glia, and connectivity proteins in the rat BLA at various developmental ages: postnatal day 17 (PN17, infants), PN24 (juveniles), and PN80 (young adults). We found that the levels of activation markers of brain plasticity, including phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133, CamKIIα at Thr286, pERK1/pERK2 at Thr202/Tyr204, and GluA1 at Ser831 and Ser845, were significantly higher in infant and juvenile compared with adult brain. In contrast, age increase was accompanied by a significant augmentation in the levels of proteins that mark synaptogenesis and synapse maturation, such as synaptophysin, PSD95, SynCAM, GAD65, GAD67, and GluN2A/GluN2B ratio. Finally, we observed significant age-associated changes in structural markers, including MAP2, MBP, and MAG, suggesting that the structural connectivity of the BLA increases over time. The biological differences in the BLA between developmental ages compared with adulthood suggest the need for caution in extrapolating conclusions based on BLA-related brain plasticity and behavioral studies conducted at different developmental stages.
Comparison of the ionic currents modulated during activity-dependent and normal presynaptic facilitation
Authors: Hawkins Robert D. , Kandel Eric R.
Published: October 2019

One of the major questions in psychology is whether associative and nonassociative learning are fundamentally different or whether they involve similar processes and mechanisms. We have addressed this question by comparing mechanisms of a nonassociative form of learning, sensitization, and an associative form of learning, classical conditioning of the siphon-withdrawal reflex of hermaphroditic Aplysia. In an analog of differential conditioning, action potentials in one siphon sensory neuron (SN) were paired with shock to the pedal nerves, producing activity-dependent presynaptic facilitation, and action potentials in another SN were unpaired with the shock as a control. The difference between paired and unpaired training is a measure of associative plasticity. Before and after this training, we voltage clamped each SN and measured the outward current during depolarizing pulses. There was a significantly greater decrease in the net outward current in the paired SN than in the unpaired SN. We obtained similar results when we substituted the depolarizing voltage clamp pulse for action potentials during training. We then bathed the ganglion in serotonin as a measure of nonassociative plasticity. The current that was modulated differentially (paired−unpaired) had time and voltage dependencies similar to the current that was modulated by serotonin (Is). These results suggest that an associative form of plasticity, activity-dependent presynaptic facilitation underlying conditioning, involves enhanced modulation of the same ionic current as a nonassociative form, normal presynaptic facilitation underlying sensitization.
A prototype for continuous improvement of processes and their results in the field of higher education
Authors: Kahloun Fouzia , Ayachi-Ghannouchi Sonia
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The concept of business process (BP) management plays a major role in information systems with several applications. Modeling languages and tools can be used by domain experts to help in the business process model (BPM) design. The purpose of this paper is to focus on quality improvement for BPMs through the proposition of a novel prototype and apply it on real case for BPMs in the field of higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed a prototype named Business Process Model Quality Assess (BPMoQualAssess) that works in two steps. In the first step, it allows designing and verifying the quality of BPMs in the field of higher education. Second, it focuses on evaluating process results through a set of criteria and specific measures for each process. Both steps are based on three main key concepts: measures, threshold values and guidelines in order to guide the modeler in assessing his/her model and also to get good results from the latter.

Findings

The authors implemented the BPMoQualAssess prototype to evaluate the quality of BPMs as well as its results. Furthermore, the authors have conducted a case study with a process in the field of higher education. Indeed, first, the authors obtained an improved BPM with a high-quality level. Second, the authors then evaluated the results by focusing on measures, threshold values and appropriate quality guidelines in order to obtain better results.

Originality/value

In the context of this study, the authors aim to make a significant contribution to the knowledge on the subject of the quality for higher education sector processes, on one hand on the models and on the other hand the results of processes. All these concepts are fully nested within a new quality prototype for process model evaluation and validated on real BPMs in the field of higher education. There are many publications focusing on BP quality in the literature, but only a few approaches combine the main keys thresholds, measures and guidelines. In fact, the principal contribution of this research consists in linking measures and threshold values to the resulting guidelines as they have been presented separately in the literature. Furthermore, the authors elaborate for each measure its own recommendation to guide the modeler in redesigning his/her model. Also, the authors define threshold values of process results in higher education and also took into account the opinion of domain experts. To sum up, the originality of this work appears in the application of BPM in the field of higher education given the lack of work in the literature for this direction, and it will pave a way for research in BP innovation areas.
Multiple banking relationships, agency costs and firm value: evidence from India
Authors: Jadiyappa Nemiraja , Sireesha Bhanu , Hickman L. Emily , Jyothi Pavana
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Prior literature demonstrates that the effectiveness of bank monitoring decreases when multiple banks are involved, due to a free rider problem, leading to lower firm value. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether this free rider problem exists in an emerging market context, and whether the relationship between multiple banking relationships and firm value is conditioned on bankers’ incentives to monitor.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use multivariate panel regression to examine the hypotheses. The conditioning effect of the incentive to govern (the amount of average bank lending) is modeled using an interaction variable. Based on the result of the Hausman test, the authors employ two-way fixed effects estimator to estimate the coefficients.

Findings

First, the negative relationship between multiple banking relationships and firm value holds true among Indian firms. Second, the authors show that this negative relationship is lessened for firms with high average bank debt or higher free cash flows. The analyses suggest that these moderating effects are related to a reduction in the free rider problem rather than a decrease in financial constraints. However, these results are only significant among larger firms.

Originality/value

Prior literature has not considered the conditioning impact of the “incentives to govern” when examining the free rider problem, inherent in situations where multiple actors are involved. The authors show in this study that the free rider problem disappears when the incentives to govern are considered in the overall research framework.
The dark side of digital technology to overtourism: the case of Barcelona
Authors: Bourliataux-Lajoinie Stéphane , Dosquet Frederic , del Olmo Arriaga Josep Lluís
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study aims to offer a three-pronged reflection on overtourism in large cities such as Barcelona. The objective is to outline how technology can impact on overtourism and eventually, how to tackle the problem using technology.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design is based on secondary data (literature and online reviews) and a case study of Barcelona.

Findings

The most significant aspect is the rapid spread of comments and reviews about attractions and venues. Despite the interest in ICT generalisation, these new technologies have a dark side. Closely linked to fashion trends, some tourist destinations find themselves rapidly overbooked.

Originality/value

Unlike other studies, this paper reveals a dark side of technology and attempts to use technology to mitigate the impacts of overtourism.
Conclusion: local communities’ quality of life: what strategy to address overtourism?
Authors: Gowreesunkar Vanessa , Seraphin Hugues
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This concluding paper filters out smart and sustainable strategies drawn from a rich variety of articles presented throughout the theme issue. This paper aims to provide a summary of the key points related to the perverse impacts of overtourism and smart and sustainable strategies to overcome the phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological design is based on empirical evidence and case studies analysed by practitioners and academics.

Findings

The overall findings unpack different types of strategies based on collaborative input from tourists, locals, government, NGOs, DMOs and service providers. Based on the realities of today’s tourism environment, the outcome reveals that it is possible to address overtourism, but smart strategies are required as both tourists and residents (including relevant stakeholders) are sophisticated, emancipated and connected enough to understand the dynamism of overtourism.

Originality/value

The articles in this theme issue address a theoretical and practical gap while proposing innovative strategies to tackle overtourism in an era of “connected tourism.” The value of this paper lies in the fact that it draws from a variety of original case studies, each unique in their own right and proposes smart strategies that may be sustained in the future.
Linking land use and the nutritional ecology of herbivores: A case study with the Senegalese locust
Authors: Le Gall Marion , Word Mira L. , Thompson Natalia , Manneh Balanding , Beye Alioune , Cease Arianne J.
Published: October 2019

Access to high‐quality food is a main driver of population dynamics. For herbivores, protein and carbohydrates are key nutrients that are notoriously variable in plants and are affected by land use. However, few studies have linked foraging decisions and performance in the laboratory to the nutritional landscape available in the field.

Oedaleus senegalensis is a non‐model locust, a grass‐feeder, and the main pest of millet, a subsistence crop in the Sahel. In this study, we examined dietary preference and locust performance across a range of protein:carbohydrate ratios using the Geometric Framework methodology. We then applied a fitness landscape approach to visualize these results with the plant nutrient contents available across four land‐use types: millet, groundnut, fallow, and grazed fields. Finally, we contrasted our results with locust distribution in the field. Several locust species (O. senegalensis included) exhibit density‐dependent colour polymorphism; thus, we also reported individual coloration (brown or green).

We found that O. senegalensis preferred moderately carbohydrate‐biased food 1:1.6 protein:carbohydrate ratio. All traits recorded (mass gain, development time, growth rate, moult success and performance index) were best near that ratio and declined on either side presenting a ‘hump‐shape’. Fallow fields contained more plants, particularly grasses, that were both abundant and closer to the optimal protein:carbohydrate ratio recorded from the laboratory experiments.

When we surveyed O. senegalensis abundance and proportion, we found that they were more numerous in the fallow fields. Brown morph individuals, the ones associated with high density, were proportionally more abundant in fallow fields than green individuals.

Our study provides evidence that variation in nutritional landscapes – relative to an herbivore's optimal nutrient balance – is a key driver of herbivore population distribution and abundance, and can be used to predict bottom‐up effects on herbivore species.
Carcass predictability but not domestic pet introduction affects functional response of scavenger assemblage in urbanized habitats
Authors: Welti Nora , Scherler Patrick , Grüebler Martin U.
Published: October 2019

Urbanization alters species richness and composition, but studies of urbanization effects on ecological functions have often quantified variation in functional traits and changes in functional diversity rather than measuring directly how ecological functions vary between rural and urban assemblages.

Consuming dead animal matter and recycling its nutrients stabilizes and structures food webs and therefore represents a key component of ecosystem functioning. Introduction of free‐ranging domestic pet animals adds additional scavenger species to urban habitats, and increased predictability of carcass resources produced by human activities characterizes urban habitats.

Here, we investigate the effect of urbanization on the composition of diurnal and nocturnal scavenger assemblages and on the ecological function of carcass removal by using a carcass placement experiment in Swiss urban and adjacent rural habitats.

While diurnal and nocturnal scavenger assemblages changed considerably from rural to urban areas by comprising particularly more domestic cats in the latter, carrion consumption rate did not differ between the two habitats. Predictability of carcass occurrence increased carrion consumption rate in both urban and rural habitats but mainly native scavengers and not introduced domestic pets responded to the repeated placements.

These results suggest that urbanization shapes scavenger assemblage compositions without affecting their ecological function. The mechanism is likely due to a behavioural change of native scavengers in response to the occurrence of domestic pets resulting in functional plasticity of urban scavenger assemblages. The functional plasticity might be facilitated by the increased carcass predictability and additional anthropogenic food resources in urban habitats exploited by nutritionally flexible native scavenger species.

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If I'll win it, I want it: The role of instrumental considerations in explaining public support for referendums
Authors: WERNER HANNAH
Published: October 2019

Across established democracies, citizens express high levels of support for decision making via referendums. What drives these preferences remains yet unclear. In this article it is argued that, first, process preferences are less stable than previously assumed but vary substantially across policy proposals. Second, it is suggested that instrumental considerations play an important role in shaping citizens’ preferences for referendums. Specifically, citizens who favour the policy proposal or believe that they hold a majority opinion are expected to express more support for the use of referendums. An original survey was designed and conducted in the Netherlands (N = 1,289) that contains both between and within respondent variation across a range of policy proposals. The findings support these arguments: Both the desire for a specific policy change and the perception of being in the majority with one's policy preference relate to support for the use of referendums across policy proposals, levels of governance, and between and within respondents. This study contributes to a better understanding of process preferences by showing that these preferences have a non‐stable component and that instrumental considerations play an important role in citizens’ support for referendums.
Economic hardship and social capital in Europe: A comparative analysis of 27 democracies
Authors: BUNDI PIRMIN , FREITAG MARKUS
Published: October 2019

This article evaluates whether economic hardship affects social capital in Europe. Comparing 27 European countries, it evaluates the impact of personal experiences of economic hardship on engagement in voluntary associations as a cornerstone of civic and democratic life. Empirical analyses of the Eurobarometer data indicate that individual economic hardship has indeed a negative effect on associational volunteering in Europe. However, the result is qualified in two respects. First, it is found that the effect of individual economic hardship is contingent upon education. Second, this effect mostly refers to volunteering for associations providing solidarity goods (Putnam groups). These results have broader implications for understanding how economic hardship shapes the social capital within democratic societies.
Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce: What, Where, and How?
Authors: Machado‐Moreira Bernardino , Richards Karl , Brennan Fiona , Abram Florence , Burgess Catherine M.
Published: October 2019

Promotion of healthier lifestyles has led to an increase in consumption of fresh produce. Such foodstuffs may expose consumers to increased risk of foodborne disease, as often they are not subjected to processing steps to ensure effective removal or inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms before consumption. Consequently, reports of ready‐to‐eat fruit and vegetable related disease outbreak occurrences have increased substantially in recent years, and information regarding these events is often not readily available. Identifying the nature and source of microbial contamination of these foodstuffs is critical for developing appropriate mitigation measures to be implemented by food producers. This review aimed to identify the foodstuffs most susceptible to microbial contamination and the microorganisms responsible for disease outbreaks from information available in peer‐reviewed scientific publications. A total of 571 outbreaks were identified from 1980 to 2016, accounting for 72,855 infections and 173 deaths. Contaminated leafy green vegetables were responsible for 51.7% of reported outbreaks. Contaminated soft fruits caused 27.8% of infections. Pathogenic strains ofEscherichia coliandSalmonella, norovirus, and hepatitis A accounted for the majority of cases. Large outbreaks resulted in particular biases such as the observation that contaminated sprouted plants caused 31.8% of deaths. Where known, contamination mainly occurred via contaminated seeds, water, and contaminated food handlers. There is a critical need for standardized datasets regarding all aspects of disease outbreaks, including how foodstuffs are contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Providing food business operators with this knowledge will allow them to implement better strategies to improve safety and quality of fresh produce.
Recent Advances in Microalgal Bioactives for Food, Feed, and Healthcare Products: Commercial Potential, Market Space, and Sustainability
Authors: M. U. Nethravathy , Mehar Jitendra G. , Mudliar Sandeep N. , Shekh Ajam Y.
Published: October 2019

To combat food scarcity as well as to ensure nutritional food supply for sustainable living of increasing population, microalgae are considered as innovative sources for adequate nutrition. Currently, the dried biomass, various carotenoids, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, omega fatty acids, and enzymes are being used as food additives, food coloring agents, and food supplements. Apart from nutritional importance, microalgae are finding the place in the market as “functional foods.” When compared to the total market size of food and feed products derived from all the possible sources, the market portfolio of microalgae‐based products is still smaller, but increasing steadily. On the other hand, the genetic modification of microalgae for enhanced production of commercially important metabolites holds a great potential. However, the success of commercial application of genetically modified (GM) algae will be defined by their safety to human health and environment. In view of this, the present study attempts to highlight the industrially important microalgal metabolites, their production, and application in food, feed, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. The current and future market trends for microalgal products have been thoroughly discussed. Importantly, the safety pertaining to microalgae cultivation and consumption, and regulatory issues for GM microalgae have also been covered.
Interaction of Protein Isolate with Anthocyanin Extracted from Black Soybean and Its Effect on the Anthocyanin Stability
Authors: Wang Chen , Xie Yanli
Published: October 2019

The interactions between black soybean protein isolate (B‐SPI) and cyanidin 3‐O‐glucoside (C3G), anthocyanin extracted from black soybean coat was investigated under neutral conditions. The fluorescence spectra showed that C3G had fluorescence quenching effects on B‐SPI. Thermodynamic parameters showed that ∆G < 0, which demonstrated that the binding was a spontaneous reaction. Since ΔH > 0 and ΔS > 0, the interactions between C3G and B‐SPI was mainly hydrophobic interactions. Fourier infrared spectroscopy results suggested that the contents of α‐helix and β‐sheet structure showed an increasing trend, whereas the β‐angle content displayed a decreasing trend. The degradation of C3G followed first‐order kinetics at 85 °C and 100 °C. After the interactions with B‐SPI, the degradation rate constant was decreased and the half‐life of C3G was prolonged from 70.25 ± 0.90 min to 175.64 ± 38.04 min at 85 °C, from 62.68 ± 1.1 min to 72.51 ± 2.5 min at 100 °C (p < 0.05). The results indicated that the interactions of B‐SPI and C3G improved the thermal stability of C3G under heating conditions.