bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assembly of chromosome-scale contigs by efficiently resolving repetitive sequences with long reads
Authors: Du Huilong , Liang Chengzhi
Published: June 2018

Due to the large number of repetitive sequences in complex eukaryotic genomes, fragmented and incompletely assembled genomes lose value as reference sequences, often due to short contigs that cannot be anchored or mispositioned onto chromosomes. Here we report a novel method Highly Efficient Repeat Assembly (HERA), which includes a new concept called a connection graph as well as algorithms for constructing the graph. HERA resolves repeats at high efficiency with single-molecule sequencing data, and enables the assembly of chromosome-scale contigs by further integrating genome maps and Hi-C data. We tested HERA with the genomes of rice R498, maize B73, human HX1 and Tartary buckwheat Pinku1. HERA can correctly assemble most of the tandemly repetitive sequences in rice using single-molecule sequencing data only. Using the same maize and human sequencing data published by Jiao et al. (2017) and Shi et al. (2016), respectively, we dramatically improved on the sequence contiguity compared with the published assemblies, increasing the contig N50 from 1.3 Mb to 61.2 Mb in maize B73 assembly and from 8.3 Mb to 54.4 Mb in human HX1 assembly with HERA. We provided a high-quality maize reference genome with 96.9% of the gaps filled (only 76 gaps left) and several incorrectly positioned sequences fixed compared with the B73 RefGen_v4 assembly. Comparisons between the HERA assembly of HX1 and the human GRCh38 reference genome showed that many gaps in GRCh38 could be filled, and that GRCh38 contained some potential errors that could be fixed. We assembled the Pinku1 genome into 12 scaffolds with a contig N50 size of 27.85 Mb. HERA serves as a new genome assembly/phasing method to generate high quality sequences for complex genomes and as a curation tool to improve the contiguity and completeness of existing reference genomes, including the correction of assembly errors in repetitive regions.
Time dependent response of daunorubicin on cytotoxicity, cell cycle and DNA repair in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Al-Aamri Hussain Mubarak , Ku Heng , Irving Helen R , Tucci Joseph , Meehan-Andrews Terri , Bradley Christopher
Published: June 2018

Daunorubicin is commonly used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Various mechanisms of action for daunorubicin have been proposed and its action is likely to be multi-modal. The aim of this study was to explore the kinetics of double strand break (DSB) formation of three ALL cell lines following exposure to daunorubicin and to investigate the effects of daunorubicin on the cell cycle and the protein kinases involved in specific checkpoints following DNA damage and recovery periods. Three ALL cell lines CCRF-CEM and MOLT-4 derived from T lymphocytes and SUP-B15 derived from B lymphocytes were examined following 4 hours treatment with daunorubicin chemotherapy and varying recovery periods. Daunorubicin induced different degrees of toxicity in all cell lines and consistently generated reactive oxygen species. Daunorubicin was more potent at inducing DSB in MOLT-4 and CCRF-CEM cell lines while SUP-B15 cells showed delays in DSB repair and significantly more resistance to daunorubicin compared to the other cell lines as measured by γH2AX assay. Daunorubicin also causes cell cycle arrest in all three cell lines at different checkpoints at different times. These effects were not due to mutations in Ataxia–telangiectasia mutated (ATM) as sequencing revealed none in any of the three cell lines. However, p53 was phosphorylated at serine 15 only in CCRF-CEM and MOLT-4 but not in SUP-B15 cells. The lack of active p53 may be correlated to the increase of SOD2 in SUP-B15 cells. The delay in DSB repair and lower sensitivity to daunorubicin seen in the B lymphocyte derived SUP-B15 cells could be due to loss of function of p53 thus causing variations in the DNA repair pathways.
Outcomes of early NIH-funded investigators: Experience of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Authors: Haggerty Patricia A. , Fenton Matthew J.
Published: June 2018

Survival of junior scientists in academic biomedical research is difficult in today’s highly competitive funding climate. National Institute of Health (NIH) data on first-time R01 grantees indicate the rate at which early investigators drop out from a NIH-supported research career is most rapid 4 to 5 years from the first R01 award. The factors associated with a high risk of dropping out, and whether these factors impact all junior investigators equally, are unclear. We identified a cohort of 1,496 investigators who received their first R01-equivalent (R01-e) awards from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases between 2003 and 2010, and studied all their subsequent NIH grant applications through 2016. Ultimately, 57% of the cohort were successful in obtaining new R01-e funding, despite highly competitive conditions. Among those investigators who failed to compete successfully for new funding (43%), the average time to dropping out was 5 years. Investigators who successfully obtained new grants showed remarkable within-person consistency across multiple grant submission behaviors, including submitting more applications per year, more renewal applications, and more applications to multiple NIH Institutes. Funded investigators appeared to have two advantages over their unfunded peers at the outset: they had better scores on their first R01-e grants and they demonstrated an early ability to write applications that would be scored, not triaged. The cohort rapidly segregated into two very different groups on the basis of PI consistency in the quality and frequency of applications submitted after their first R01-e award. Lastly, we identified a number of specific demographic factors, intitutional characteristics, and grant submission behaviors that were associated with successful outcomes, and assessed their predictive value and relative importance for the likelihood of obtaining additional NIH funding.
A comparative analysis of label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry liver proteomic profiles highlights metabolic differences between pig breeds
Authors: Bovo Samuele , Luca Alessio Di , Galimberti Giuliano , Dall’Olio Stefania , Fontanesi Luca
Published: June 2018

Liver is a complex organ governing several physiological processes that define biological mechanisms affecting growth, feed efficiency and performance traits in all livestock species, including the pig. Proteomics may contribute to better understand the relationship between liver functions and complex production traits in pigs and to characterize this specie as biomedical model. This study applied, for the first time, a label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteomic approach to compare the liver proteome profiles of two important heavy pig breeds, Italian Duroc (IDU) and Italian Large White (ILW). Liver specimens were collected (after slaughtering) from performance tested pigs of these two breeds, raised in standard conditions. The label-free LC-MS method captured a total of 501 proteins of which 200 were subsequently considered in the between breeds comparison. A statistical pipeline based on the sparse Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (sPLS-DA), coupled with stability and significance tests, was applied for the identification of up or down regulated proteins between breeds. Analyses revealed a total of 25 proteins clearly separating IDU and ILW pigs. Among the top proteins differentiating the two breeds ACAA2 and CES3 were up-regulated in ILW and HIST2H2BF and KHK were up-regulated in IDU. FASN, involved in fatty acid metabolism and encoded by a gene located in a QTL region for fatty acid composition, was up-regulated in ILW. Protein interaction analysis showed that 16 of these proteins were connected in one big module. Functional analyses indicated that differentially expressed proteins were involved in several biological processes related to the metabolism of lipids, amino-acids, carbohydrates, cofactors and antibiotics/drugs, supporting that these functions might distinguish IDU and ILW pigs. This comparative proteomic analysis of the porcine liver highlighted several biological factors that could determine the peculiar production potentials of these two heavy pig breeds, derived by their different genetic backgrounds.
A framework for translation of genomic responses from mouse models to human inflammatory disease contexts
Authors: Brubaker Douglas K. , Proctor Elizabeth A. , Haigis Kevin M. , Lauffenburger Douglas A.
Published: June 2018

The high failure rate of therapeutics showing promise in mouse disease models to translate to patients is a pressing challenge in biomedical science. However, mouse models are a useful tool for evaluating mechanisms of disease and prioritizing novel therapeutic agents for clinical trials. Though retrospective studies have examined the fidelity of mouse models of inflammatory disease to their respective human in vivo conditions, approaches for prospective translation of insights from mouse models to patients remain relatively unexplored. Here, we develop a semi-supervised learning approach for prospective inference of disease-associated human in vivo differentially expressed genes and pathways from mouse model experiments. We examined 36 transcriptomic case studies where comparable phenotypes were available for mouse and human inflammatory diseases and assessed multiple computational approaches for inferring human in vivo biology from mouse model datasets. We found that a semi-supervised artificial neural network identified significantly more true human in vivo associations than interpreting mouse experiments directly (95% CI on F-score for mouse experiments [0.090, 0.175], neural network [0.278, 0.375], p = 0.00013). Our study shows that when prospectively evaluating biological associations in mouse studies, semi-supervised learning approaches combining mouse and human data for biological inference provides the most accurate assessment of human in vivo disease and therapeutic mechanisms. The task of translating insights from model systems to human disease contexts may therefore be better accomplished by the use of systems modeling driven approaches.

Author Summary

Comparison of genomic responses in mouse models and human disease contexts is not sufficient for addressing the challenge of prospective translation from mouse models to human disease contexts. Here, we address this challenge by developing a semi-supervised machine learning approach that combines supervised modeling of mouse experiment datasets with unsupervised modeling of human disease-context datasets to predict human in vivo differentially expressed genes and pathways as if the model system experiment had been run in the human cohort. A semi-supervised version of a feed forward artificial neural network was the most efficacious model for translating experimentally derived mouse molecule-phenotype associations to the human in vivo disease context. We find that computational generalization of signaling insights from mouse to human contexts substantially improves upon direct generalization of mouse experimental insights and argue that such approaches can facilitate more clinically impactful translation of insights from preclinical studies in model systems to patients.
Reconstruction of post-synaptic potentials by reverse modeling of local field potentials
Authors: Yochum Maxime , Modolo Julien , Benquet Pascal , Wendling Fabrice
Published: June 2018

Among electrophysiological signals, Local Field Potentials (LFPs) are extensively used to study brain activity, either in vivo or in vitro. LFPs are recorded with extracellular electrodes implanted in brain tissue. They reflect intermingled excitatory and inhibitory processes in neuronal assemblies. In cortical structures, LFPs mainly originate from the summation of post-synaptic potentials (PSPs), either excitatory (ePSPs) and inhibitory (iPSPs) generated at the level of pyramidal cells. The challenging issue, addressed in this paper, is to estimate, from a single extracellularly-recorded signal, both ePSP and iPSP components of the LFP. The proposed method is based on a model-based reverse engineering approach in which the measured LFP is fed into a physiologically-grounded neural mass model (mesoscopic level) in order to estimate the synaptic activity of a sub-population of pyramidal cells interacting with local GABAergic interneurons. The method was first validated using simulated LFPs for which excitatory and inhibitory components are known a priori and can thus serve as a ground truth. It was then evaluated on in vivo data (PTZ-induced seizures, rat; PTZ-induced excitability increase, mouse; epileptiform discharges, mouse) and on in clinico data (human seizures recorded with depth-EEG electrodes). Under these various conditions, results showed that the proposed reverse engineering method provides a reliable estimation of the average excitatory and inhibitory post-synaptic potentials at the origin of the measured LFPs. They also indicated that the method allows for monitoring of the excitation/inhibition ratio. The method has potential for multiple applications in neuroscience, typically when a time tracking of local excitability changes is required.
Lysophosphatidic acid produced by Autotaxin acts as an allosteric modulator of its catalytic efficiency
Authors: Salgado-Polo Fernando , Fish Alex , Matsoukas Minos-Timotheos , Heidebrecht Tatjana , Keune Willem-Jan , Perrakis Anastassis
Published: June 2018

Autotaxin is a secreted phosphodiesterase that converts lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) into lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA controls key cellular responses such as migration, proliferation and survival, implicating ATX-LPA signalling in various (patho)physiological processes and establishing it as a drug target. ATX structural and functional studies have revealed an orthosteric and an allosteric site, the “pocket” and the “tunnel”. Here, we revisit the kinetics of the ATX catalytic cycle in light of allosteric regulation, dissecting the different steps and pathways that lead to LPC hydrolysis. Consolidating all experimental kinetics data to a comprehensive catalytic model supported by molecular modelling simulations, suggests a positive feedback mechanism, regulated by the abundance of the LPA products activating hydrolysis of different LPC species. Our results complement and extend current understanding of ATX hydrolysis in light of the allosteric regulation by produced LPA species, and have implications for the design and application of orthosteric and allosteric ATX inhibitors.
ERK1/2-dependent activation of FCHSD2 drives cancer cell-selective regulation of clathrin-mediated endocytosis
Authors: Xiao Guan-Yu , Mohanakrishnan Aparna , Schmid Sandra L.
Published: June 2018

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) regulates the uptake of cell surface receptors, as well as their downstream signaling activities. We recently reported that signaling reciprocally regulates CME in cancer cells and that the crosstalk can contribute to cancer progression. To further explore the nature and extent of the crosstalk between signaling and CME in cancer cell biology, we analyzed a panel of oncogenic signaling kinase inhibitors for their effects on CME. Inhibition of several kinases selectively affected CME function in cancer cells. Among these, ERK1/2 inhibition selectively inhibited CME in cancer cells by decreasing the rate of CCP initiation. We identified an ERK1/2 substrate, the FCH/F-BAR and SH3 domain-containing protein, FCHSD2, as being essential for the ERK1/2-dependent effects on CME and CCP initiation. ERK1/2 phosphorylation activates FCHSD2 and regulates EGFR endocytic trafficking as well as downstream signaling activities. Loss of FCHSD2 activity in non-small-cell lung cancer cells leads to increased cell surface expression and altered signaling downstream of EGFR, resulting in enhanced cell proliferation and migration. The expression level of FCHSD2 is positively correlated with higher cancer patient survival rate, suggesting that FCHSD2 negatively affects cancer progression. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms and consequences of the reciprocal regulation of signaling and CME in cancer cells.

Significance

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) determines the internalization of receptors and their downstream signaling. We discovered that CME is differentially regulated by specific signaling kinases in cancer cells. In particular, ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation of the FCH/F-BAR and double SH3 domains-containing protein 2 (FCHSD2) regulates CME, and the trafficking and signaling activities of EGF receptors. This reciprocal interaction negatively regulates cancer proliferation and migration. The expression level of FCHSD2 is positively correlated with higher cancer patient survival rates. This study identifies signaling pathways that impinge on the endocytic machinery and reveals a molecular nexus for crosstalk between intracellular signaling and CME. Cancer cells specifically adapt this crosstalk as a determinant for tumor progression, which has implications for novel therapeutics against cancers.
Effects of Human Sex Chromosome Dosage on Spatial Chromosome Organization
Authors: Jowhar Ziad , Shachar Sigal , Gudla Prabhakar R. , Wangsa Darawalee , Torres Erin , Russ Jill L. , Pegoraro Gianluca , Ried Thomas , Raznahan Armin , Misteli Tom
Published: June 2018

Sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) are common genetic syndromes characterized by the presence of an aberrant number of X and Y chromosomes due to meiotic defects. These conditions impact structure and function of diverse tissues, but the proximal effects of SCA on genome organization are unknown. Here, to determine the consequences of SCAs on global genome organization, we have analyzed multiple architectural features of chromosome organization in a comprehensive set of primary cells from SCA patients with various ratios of X and Y chromosomes by use of imaging-based high-throughput Chromosome Territory Mapping (HiCTMap). We find that X chromosome supernumeracy does not affect the size, volume or nuclear position of the Y chromosome or an autosomal chromosome. In contrast, the active X chromosome undergoes architectural changes as a function of increasing X copy number, as measured by a decrease in size and an increase in circularity, which is indicative of chromatin compaction. With Y chromosome supernumeracy, Y chromosome size is reduced suggesting higher chromatin condensation. The radial positioning of chromosomes is unaffected in SCA karyotypes. Taken together, these observations document changes in genome architecture in response to alterations in sex chromosome numbers and point to trans-effects of dosage compensation on chromosome organization.
Elucidation of the Mechanisms of Long-Distance mRNA Movement in aNicotiana benthamiana/Tomato Heterograft System
Authors: Xia Chao , Zheng Yi , Huang Jing , Zhou Xiangjun , Li Rui , Zha Manrong , Wang Shujuan , Huang Zhiqiang , Lan Hai , Turgeon Robert , Fei Zhangjun , Zhang Cankui
Published: June 2018

Recent heterograft analyses showed that large-scale messenger RNA (mRNA) movement takes place in the phloem, but the number of mobile transcripts reported varies widely. However, our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying large-scale mRNA movement remains limited. In this study, using a Nicotiana benthamiana/tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) heterograft system and a transgenic approach involving potato (Solanum tuberosum), we found that: (1) the overall mRNA abundance in the leaf is not a good indicator of transcript mobility to the root; (2) increasing the expression levels of nonmobile mRNAs in the companion cells does not promote their mobility; (3) mobile mRNAs undergo degradation during their movement; and (4) some mRNAs arriving in roots move back to shoots. These results indicate that mRNA movement has both regulated and unregulated components. The cellular origins of mobile mRNAs may differ between herbaceous and woody species. Taken together, these findings suggest that the long-distance movement of mRNAs is a complex process and that elucidating the physiological roles associated with this movement is challenging but remains an important task for future research.
It is not always bad news
Authors: McNally Mary-Anne , Maroun Warren
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to challenge the notion that non-financial reporting is mainly about impression management or is only a superficial response to the hegemonic challenges posed by the sustainability movement. It focuses on the most recent development in sustainability reporting (integrated reporting) as an example of how accounting for financial and non-financial information has the potential to expand the scope of accounting systems, promote meaningful changes to reporting processes and provide a broader perspective on value creation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research focuses on an African eco-tourism company which has its head office in South Africa. A case study method is used to highlight differences in the presentation of an integrated business model according to the case entity’s integrated reports and how individual preparers interpret the requirement to prepare those reports. Data are collected using detailed interviews with all staff members involved in the preparation process. These are complemented by a review of the minutes of the company’s sustainability workshops and integrated reports.

Findings

A decision by the case organisation to prepare an integrated report gives rise to different forms of resistance which limits the change potential of the integrated reporting initiative. Resistance does not, however, preclude reform. Even when individual preparers are critical of the changes to the corporate reporting environment, accounting for financial and non-financial information expands the scope of the conventional accounting system which facilitates broader management control and promotes a more integrated conception of “value”.

Research limitations/implications

Integrated reporting should not be dismissed as only an exercise in corporate reporting and disclosure; it has a transformative potential which, given time, can enable new ways of managing business processes and articulating value creation.

Originality/value

This study answers the calls for primary evidence on how the requirement or recommendation to prepare an integrated report is being interpreted and applied by individual preparers. The findings add to the limited body of interpretive research on the change potential of new reporting frameworks. In doing so, the research provides theoretical support for developing arguments which challenge the conventional position that integrated reporting is little more than an exercise in impression management.
“Integrated reporting is like God: no one has met Him, but everybody talks about Him”
Authors: Gibassier Delphine , Rodrigue Michelle , Arjaliès Diane-Laure
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process through which an International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) pilot company adopted “integrated reporting” (IR), a management innovation that merges financial and non-financial reporting.

Design/methodology/approach

A seven-year longitudinal ethnographic study based on semi-structured interviews, observations, and documentary evidence is used to analyze this multinational company’s IR adoption process from its decision to become an IIRC pilot organization to the publication of its first integrated report.

Findings

Findings demonstrate that the company envisioned IR as a “rational myth” (Hatchuel, 1998; Hatchuel and Weil, 1992). This conceptualization acted as a springboard for IR adoption, with the mythical dimension residing in the promise that IR had the potential to portray global performance in light of the company’s own foundational myth. The company challenged the vision of IR suggested by the IIRC to stay true to its conceptualization of IR and eventually chose to implement its own version of an integrated report.

Originality/value

The study enriches previous research on IR and management innovations by showing how important it is for organizations to acknowledge the mythical dimension of the management innovations they pursue to support their adoption processes. These findings, suggest that myths can play a productive role in transforming business (reporting) practices. Some transition conditions that make this transformation possible are identified and the implications of these results for the future of IR, sustainability, and accounting more broadly are discussed.
The role of CEO transformational leadership and innovation climate in exploration and exploitation
Authors: Zuraik Abdelrahman , Kelly Louise
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship among CEO transformational leadership, innovation climate and organizational innovation through exploration and exploitation.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire, designed as a self-reported survey, was distributed to individuals working in teams in US-based corporations, with a collected sample size of 215 organizations.

Findings

Results show that CEO transformational leadership has a direct positive effect on organizational innovation and an indirect effect through innovation climate. CEO leadership is more impactful for exploitation, compared to innovation climate, which has more influence on exploration.

Research limitations/implications

This study is the first to integrate CEO transformational leadership and innovation climate with exploration and exploitation outcomes. A research limitation is that there is a higher percentage of female than male respondents and a lower of percentage of female CEOs in this study. A further limitation is self-report which can lead to common method bias.

Practical implications

The close connection among CEO transformational leadership, innovation climate and organizational innovation suggests that evaluating, supporting and training CEO transformational leadership becomes a vital activity for boards, investors and managers. If management wants to increase exploration, they should pay particular attention to creating a climate that is supportive of innovation. Organizations should recruit and train CEOs for transformational leadership and regularly assess climate to ensure innovation results.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this study is highlighting the role of innovation climate as a mediator between CEO transformational leadership and the outcome of organizational innovation which is measured by exploration and exploitation activities.
Understanding collaborative innovation from a dynamic capabilities perspective
Authors: Alford Philip , Duan Yanqing
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the key factors affecting collaborative innovation in a destination management organisation from a dynamic capability perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

An in-depth case study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with the CEO and Chairman of the destination management organisation (DMO) and internal DMO documents from 2011 to 2016. Thematic analysis was carried out on the data both deductively, with generic themes identified and informed by theory, and inductively, where detailed subthemes were developed from the data.

Findings

The success of innovation in the context of a DMO depends on having a strong base of microfoundations that underpin the DMO’s capabilities to sense and seize opportunities and reconfigure its assets for competitive advantage. Collaboration with the key players in the sector has been the essential elements of these microfoundations.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been conducted within a single DMO case study. Future research should test the proposed models in different types of organisations and collaborative contexts.

Practical implications

The proposed dynamic capability framework helps managers achieve collaborative innovation, leading to competitive advantage through better development of relevant capabilities.

Originality/value

The study represents a first attempt to understand the key factors enabling successful collaborative innovation in the context of DMOs, from a dynamic capability perspective. The unique opportunity of accessing information and witnessing the changes in a DMO over a period of five years enabled the authors to gain in-depth insights and comprehensive understanding as to why and how a UK DMO has been successful in enhancing its business performance through a successful collaborative innovation.
Peacefulness at home: impacts on international travel
Authors: Seabra Cláudia , Kastenholz Elisabeth , Abrantes José Luís , Reis Manuel
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of peacefulness in the tourists’ country of origin in their main decisions and behaviours when travelling internationally.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 600 international tourists from 49 countries was divided into five groups according to each respondent’s belonging to a country with a specific level of peacefulness, assessed by the Global Peace Index, to test differences in international travel decision and behaviour patterns.

Findings

Travel safety is a critical issue to most tourists, while the peacefulness level of travellers’ country of origin is an important key factor for understanding different travel behaviours and safety perceptions held when going on an international trip, namely, regarding involvement, risk and safety/insecurity perceptions.

Research limitations/implications

This is one of the few studies investigating the impact of peacefulness in the tourist’s country of origin on travel decisions and behaviours, based on the Global Peace Index. Additionally, this study responds to the call of the Prospect Theory regarding general consumption contexts, and adds to the Experiential Consumer Perspective, here applied to tourism consumption.

Practical implications

This study provides guidance to destination and tourism industry managers to attract and segment their market according to tourists’ country of origin, in accordance with its respective level of peacefulness as defined by the Global Peace Index, especially in destinations more affected by terrorism, war, political turmoil, crime and other safety risks.

Originality/value

No published study has tested the impact of peacefulness at home on tourists’ international travel behaviours and decisions yet.
Transforming self-driven learning using action research
Authors: Newman Eamonn , Farren Margaret
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This purpose of this paper is to use autoethnographic methods to enable an individual to reflect on their learning practices and habits in their professional role in computing and data science.

Design/methodology/approach

Action reflection cycles with autoethnographic methods are used in this enquiry to examine and transform the self-driven learning in the role of a professional in the context of computing and data science. Data are collected using personal thoughts and emotions in order to determine to what degree the changes that are brought about are improving their learning practice.

Findings

An incongruity between espoused theory and theory-in-use is identified. In this paper the authors explore how engaging in reflection within the structure of an action research framework can change the learning behaviour of an individual, motivating them to engage more positively and consistently with self-directed learning in their workplace environment.

Research limitations/implications

Through analysis of reflective journals key aspects of personal and professional life that influences the individual’s approach to the learning tasks is identified. In addition, activity logs are maintained which collect information on the tasks that are undertaken. These activity logs are automatically generated using specific task-tracking software. Double-loop learning (Argyris and Schön, 1974) helps to identify the values that underpin the learning practice.

Practical implications

By resolving the tension created due to the incongruity of values, the individual has been able to find more motivation for learning and thus become more engaged in the learning process.

Social implications

Participation in the knowledge economy requires individuals to engage in continuous learning. Organisations that support individuals in continuous learning are best adapted to take advantage of emergent and evolving knowledge and skill requirements.

Originality/value

This paper examined the behaviour of an individual engaging in self-directed learning and showed how through engagement with reflection and critical self-analysis, he increased his motivation and efficiency for self-directed learning. The authors show how this skill becomes increasingly important in modern knowledge economy workplaces.
Transformational classroom leadership and workplace engagement
Authors: Pounder James S. , Stoffell Peter , Choi Edward
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore whether the transformational classroom leadership concept could describe the notion of the inspiring professor that the Gallup–Purdue survey (2014) found to be a major factor in enhancing college and university graduates’ workplace engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys of existing students and alumni of Lingnan University in Hong Kong were conducted to ascertain whether transformational classroom leadership is a proxy for the inspiring professor notion and to gauge the possible effect that transformational classroom leadership has on alumni workplace engagement.

Findings

The results of the study suggested a potential link between the experience of transformational classroom leadership and alumni subsequent levels of workplace engagement.

Research limitations/implications

The results should be treated as indicative only, given that the Hong Kong study was limited to one university, and the sample sizes were similarly limited.

Practical implications

Should further investigations confirm the Hong Kong results, this could trigger a shift in emphasis and resources in higher education from research to teaching. Furthermore, the nature of transformational classroom leadership provides tremendous scope for establishing a professional development framework based on the model.

Originality/value

This is the first study that has explored the link between transformational classroom leadership and alumni levels of workplace engagement.
Challenges faced by Malaysian private HLIs in providing quality education: a thematic analysis
Authors: Anis Azilah , Islam Rafikul , Abdullah Nur Anisah
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The paper aims to identify the emerging themes on the challenges faced by the Malaysian private higher learning institutions (HLIs) in the provision of providing quality education.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were purposively conducted with 29 of the Malaysian private HLI internal and external stakeholders ranging from the relevant personnel of the institutions (the quality director, administrators and senior academics), regulatory agencies, prospective employer, students and parents. Thematic analysis was then applied to analyze the participants’ responses in determining and clarifying the challenges faced by the Malaysian private HLIs in the issue of providing quality education.

Findings

Eight overarching themes were identified, namely, Academics, Facilities, Students, Programs and curriculum, Competition, Accreditation, Finance and Research. Academics represent the most frequent challenge raised by the participants, whereas Research emerged as the least mentioned challenge during the interview sessions.

Research limitations/implications

The present paper focused solely on Malaysian private HLIs, and thus, the findings may not be applicable to the foreign private HLIs that are operating in Malaysia as well as to the public HLIs.

Originality/value

The findings are expected to provide valuable guidelines to the Malaysian Private HLIs in areas where resources need to be critically disbursed. To the regulatory agencies and policy-makers, the findings could enlighten them on the difficulties faced by these privately funded institutions so that further policies can be designed and implemented to assist these institutions in their operations and long-term survival.
Impact of chronic urticaria on quality of life and work in Japan: Results of a real‐world study
Authors: Itakura Asako , Tani Yumiko , Kaneko Naoko , Hide Michihiro
Published: June 2018

Little attention has been given to the burden of chronic urticaria (CU) in Japan compared with other skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis. The primary objective of the RELEASE study was to evaluate the real‐life quality‐of‐life impairment in CU patients in Japan. Data were collected from 1443 urticaria, 1668 AD and 435 psoriatic patients; 552 urticaria patients who presented urticaria symptoms for over 6 weeks were defined as CU. The mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) total score was 4.8, 6.1 and 4.8 in CU, AD and psoriatic patients, respectively. Disease control of urticaria evaluated by the Urticaria Control Test (UCT) and DLQI exhibited a strong correlation with a Spearman's rank correlation coefficient of −0.7158. CU and AD patients had relatively higher scores in all Work Productivity and Activity Impairment – General Health subscales except for absenteeism. At the time of the survey, approximately 64% of CU patients reported UCT scores of <12 and demonstrated higher work productivity loss and activity impairment versus patients with UCT scores of ≥12. Patients with lower UCT scores also displayed a higher percentage of dissatisfaction with their health state and the treatment they received. Approximately 85% of patients with CU had visited dermatology clinics, and less than 20% had visited hospital, indicating existence of a highly burdened population outside specialized centers. These results highlight the unmet medical needs of CU patients, suggesting the need to increase awareness of CU burden among both physicians and patients and to pursue improved real‐life patient care.
Three decades of productivity change in French beef production: a Färe‐Primont index decomposition
Authors: Dakpo K Hervé , Jeanneaux Philippe , Latruffe Laure , Mosnier Claire , Veysset Patrick
Published: June 2018

The Färe‐Primont index is used to evaluate total factor productivity (TFP) change and its components for a sample of French suckler cow farms in grassland areas in 1985–2014. The results reveal an increase in TFP of 6.6 per cent over the whole observation period, with technological progress being the major source of productivity growth. Meanwhile, efficiency decreased. Farms experienced great technological progress from 1991 to 2000. From a methodological point of view, the comparison with results obtained with Malmquist indexes shows similar trends but different magnitudes, with the Malmquist index overestimating the TFP and technological changes compared to the Färe‐Primont index. In addition, the use of a sequential approach that restricts technological change to being positive or null allows for the precise calculation of technology changes, disregarding the effects of external conditions that are captured in efficiency changes. Finally, the estimation of full dimensional efficient facets (FDEFs) that guarantees the positivity of all shadow prices used to assess the mix efficiency component of TFP change is promising.
Prenatal exposures and birth indices, and subsequent risk of polycystic ovary syndrome: a national registry‐based cohort study
Authors: Valgeirsdottir H , Vanky E , Sundström‐Poromaa I , Roos N , Løvvik TS , Stephansson O , Wikström A‐K
Published: June 2018

Objective

To study the associations between prenatal exposures and risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design

National registry‐based cohort study.

Setting

Sweden.

Population

Girls born in Sweden during the years 1982–1995 (n = 681 123).

Methods

The girls were followed until the year 2010 for a diagnosis of PCOS. We estimated the associations between maternal body mass index (BMI), smoking, and size at birth with the risk of developing a PCOS diagnosis. Risks were calculated by adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Main outcome measures

A diagnosis of PCOS at 15 years of age or later.

Results

During the follow‐up period 3738 girls were diagnosed with PCOS (0.54%). Girls with mothers who were overweight or obese had 1.5–2.0 times higher risk of PCOS (aHR 1.52, 95% CI 1.36–1.70; aHR 1.97, 95% CI 1.61–2.41, respectively), compared with girls born to mothers of normal weight. The risk of PCOS was increased if the mother smoked during pregnancy (1–9 cigarettes/day, aHR 1.31, 95% CI 1.18–1.47; ≥10 cigarettes/day, aHR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27–1.64). Being born small for gestational age (SGA) was associated with a later diagnosis of PCOS in crude estimates, but the association was not significant after adjusting for maternal factors.

Conclusions

Maternal smoking and increased BMI appear to increase the risk of PCOS in offspring. The association between SGA and the development of PCOS appears to be mediated by maternal factors.

Tweetable abstract

Smoking during pregnancy and high maternal BMI are associated with PCOS diagnosis in the offspring.
A character strength intervention in 11 inclusive Finnish classrooms to promote social participation of students with special educational needs
Authors: Vuorinen Kaisa , Erikivi Anne , Uusitalo‐Malmivaara Lotta
Published: June 2018

Positive education aims at making strengths visible in every learner. This paper presents one of the few structured positive education interventions in Finnish inclusive classrooms. Our controlled 16‐week intervention in 11 inclusive classes (from 4th to 6th graders, age 10–13 years, Ninterv = 175 including 17 students with SEN having a variety of learning challenges, Ncontr = 78) focused on explicit teaching of strengths in character and their usage in order to promote social skills, well‐being and learning skills. Seven quantitative self‐report measures, Social competence (Empathy and Anti‐Aggression subscales), Strength usage, Grit (Consistency of Interest and Perseverance of Effort subscales), Global happiness, School‐related happiness, Schoolwork Engagement Inventory (EDA, energy, dedication, absorption) and Mindset comprised the students’ pre‐test–post‐test battery. In addition, seven teachers were interviewed. The intervention group of students with SEN advanced over the other groups in Grit Consistency of interest subscale and in EDA. In teacher interviews, increased group cohesion and classroom spirit were documented. Interviews revealed six dominant discourses, praise, well‐being, good interaction, the significance of encounters, the need for additional education and the discourse of doubt and challenges. In particular, being able to name strengths in others and support one another had grown during the intervention.
Medicaid Incentives for Preventing Chronic Disease: Effects of Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation
Authors: Witman Allison , Acquah Joseph , Alva Maria , Hoerger Thomas , Romaire Melissa
Published: June 2018

Objective

To test the effectiveness of financial incentives for smoking cessation in the Medicaid population.

Data Sources

Secondary data from the Medicaid Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Disease (MIPCD) program and Medicaid claims/encounter data from 2010 to 2015 for five states.

Study Design

Beneficiaries were randomized into receipt or no receipt of financial incentives. We ran multivariate regression models testing the impact of financial incentives on the use of counseling services, smoking behavior, and Medicaid expenditures and utilization.

Data Extraction

Participating states provided Medicaid eligibility, claims and encounters, program enrollment, and incentivized service use data.

Principal Findings

Participants who received incentives were more likely to call the Quitline and complete counseling sessions. Incentive receipt was positively associated with self‐reported quit attempts, self‐reported quits, or passing cotinine tests of smoking cessation in most programs, although results were only statistically significant in a subset. There was no systematic evidence that incentives affected health care use or spending.

Conclusions

Financial incentives are a promising policy lever to motivate behavioral change in the Medicaid population, but more evidence is needed regarding optimal incentive size, effectiveness of process‐versus outcome‐based incentives, targeting of incentives, and long‐run cost‐effectiveness.
Current and Future Demand for Health Services Researchers: Perspectives from Diverse Research Organizations
Authors: Rich Eugene , Collins Anna
Published: June 2018

Objective

The Affordable Care Act and Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act are changing access to, and delivery of, health care in the United States, with potential implications for the field of health services research (HSR). We therefore investigated employers' perceptions of demand for individuals to conduct HSR, the competencies required for success, and implications for HSR training programs.

Data Source

Interviews conducted in August 2016 with 21 key informants at a range of U.S.‐based HSR organizations.

Study Design

We conducted a semistructured, qualitative, telephone interview study to explore relevant topics.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Interviews with respondents were transcribed from recordings and then synthesized by respondent organization type and topic area.

Principal Findings

Most respondents reported recently hiring health services researchers, and most anticipated hiring additional such researchers in the future. Most respondents emphasized the abilities to analyze data, work in teams, and engage with stakeholders. Finally, most respondents recommended that potential recruits gain real‐world experience during their academic training.

Conclusions

Our interviews indicated that current and future demand for health services researchers is strong. They also suggested that, as a field, HSR will continue to draw together individuals from a variety of backgrounds to inform a diverse array of decision makers.
Reservoir Sedimentation Rates in the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed, Oklahoma: Measurement and Controlling Factors
Authors: Moriasi Daniel N. , Steiner Jean L. , Duke Sara E. , Starks Patrick J. , Verser Alan J.
Published: June 2018

Forty‐five flood control reservoirs, authorized in the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act 1954, were installed by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) between 1969 and 1982 in the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed (LWREW), located in central Oklahoma. Over time, these reservoirs have lost sediment and flood storage capacity due to sedimentation, with rates dependent on upstream land use and climate variability. In this study, sedimentation rates for 12 reservoirs representing three major land use categories within LWREW were measured based on bathymetric surveys that used acoustic profiling system. Physiographic and climate attributes of drainage area of surveyed reservoirs were extracted from publicly available data sources including topographic maps, digital elevation models, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service soils, and weather station databases. Correlation, principal component analysis, and stepwise regression were utilized to analyze the relationship between normalized reservoir sedimentation rates (ReSRa) and the drainage area characteristics to determine the major variables controlling sedimentation within the LWREW. Percent of drainage area with extreme slopes, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and maximum daily rainfall event recorded in spring explained most of the variability in ReSRa. It was also found that percent reduction in reservoir surface area can be used as a surrogate for estimating ReSRa. The implications of the results are discussed.