bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multicellular group formation in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Fisher R. M. , Regenberg B.
Published: September 2019

Understanding how and why cells cooperate to form multicellular organisms is a central aim of evolutionary biology. Multicellular groups can form through clonal development (where daughter cells stick to mother cells after division) or by aggregation (where cells aggregate to form groups). These different ways of forming groups directly affect relatedness between individual cells, which in turn can influence the degree of cooperation and conflict within the multicellular group. It is hard to study the evolution of multicellularity by focusing only on obligately multicellular organisms, like complex animals and plants, because the factors that favour multicellular cooperation cannot be disentangled, as cells cannot survive and reproduce independently. We support the use of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
as an ideal model for studying the very first stages of the evolution of multicellularity. This is because it can form multicellular groups both clonally and through aggregation and uses a family of proteins called ‘flocculins’ that determine the way in which groups form, making it particularly amenable to laboratory experiments. We briefly review current knowledge about multicellularity in
S. cerevisiae
and then propose a framework for making predictions about the evolution of multicellular phenotypes in yeast based on social evolution theory. We finish by explaining how
S. cerevisiae
is a particularly useful experimental model for the analysis of open questions concerning multicellularity.
Understanding and eliminating the detrimental effect of endogenous thiamine auxotrophy on metabolism of the oleaginous yeastYarrowia lipolytica
Authors: Walker Caleb , Ryu Seunghyun , Giannone Richard J. , Garcia Sergio , Trinh Cong T.
Published: September 2019

Thiamine is an essential vitamin that functions as a cofactor for key enzymes in carbon and energy metabolism for all living cells. While most plants, fungi and bacteria can synthesize thiaminede novo, the oleaginous yeast,Yarrowia lipolytica, cannot. In this study, we used proteomics together with physiological characterization to understand key metabolic processes influenced and regulated by thiamine availability and identified the genetic basis of thiamine auxotrophy inY. lipolytica. Specifically, we found thiamine depletion results in decreased protein abundance of the lipid biosynthesis pathways and energy metabolism (i.e., ATP synthase), attributing to the negligible growth and poor sugar assimilation observed in our study. Using comparative genomics, we identified the missing gene scTHI13, encoding the 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine phosphate synthase for thede novothiamine synthesis inY. lipolytica,and discovered an exceptional promoter, P3, that exhibits strong activation or tight repression by low and high thiamine concentrations, respectively. Capitalizing on the strength of our thiamine-regulated promoter (P3) to express the missing gene, we engineered the first thiamine-prototrophicY. lipolyticareported to date. By comparing this engineered strain to the wildtype, we unveiled the tight relationship linking thiamine availability to lipid biosynthesis and demonstrated enhanced lipid production with thiamine supplementation in the engineered thiamine-prototrophicY. lipolytica.

IMPORTANCE

Thiamine plays a crucial role as an essential cofactor for enzymes in carbon and energy metabolism of all living cells. Thiamine deficiency has detrimental consequences on cellular health.Yarrowia lipolytica, a non-conventional oleaginous yeast with broad biotechnological applications, is a native thiamine auxotroph, whose effects on cellular metabolism are not well understood. Therefore,Y. lipolyticais an ideal eukaryotic host to study thiamine metabolism, especially as mammalian cells are also thiamine-auxotrophic and thiamine deficiency is implicated in several human diseases. This study elucidates the fundamentals of thiamine deficiency on cellular metabolism ofY. lipolyticaand identifies genes and novel thiamine-regulated elements that eliminate thiamine auxotrophy inY. lipolytica. Furthermore, discovery of thiamine-regulated elements enables development of thiamine biosensors with useful applications in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
Recruitment orders underlying binocular coordination of eye position and velocity in the larval zebrafish hindbrain
Authors: Brysch Christian , Leyden Claire , Arrenberg Aristides B.
Published: September 2019

Background

The oculomotor integrator (OI) in the vertebrate hindbrain transforms eye velocity input into persistent position coding output, which plays a crucial role in retinal image stability. For a mechanistic understanding of the integrator function and eye position control, knowledge about the tuning of the OI and other oculomotor nuclei is needed. Zebrafish are increasingly used to study integrator function and sensorimotor circuits, yet the precise neuronal tuning to motor variables remains uncharacterized.

Results

Here, we recorded cellular calcium signals while evoking monocular and binocular optokinetic eye movements at different slow-phase eye velocities. Our analysis reveals the anatomical distributions of motoneurons and internuclear neurons in the nucleus abducens as well as those of oculomotor neurons in caudally adjacent hindbrain volumes. Each neuron is tuned to eye position and/or velocity to variable extents and is only activated after surpassing particular eye position and velocity thresholds. While the abducens (rhombomeres 5/6) mainly codes for eye position, in rhombomeres 7/8 a velocity-to-position coding gradient exists along the rostro-caudal axis, which likely corresponds to the velocity and position storage mechanisms. Position encoding neurons are recruited at eye position thresholds distributed across the behavioral dynamic range, while velocity encoding neurons have more centered firing thresholds for velocity. In the abducens, neurons coding exclusively for one eye intermingle with neurons coding for both eyes. Many of these binocular neurons are preferentially active during conjugate eye movements, which represents a functional diversification in the final common motor pathway.

Conclusions

We localized and functionally characterized the repertoire of oculomotor neurons in the zebrafish hindbrain. Our findings provide evidence for a mixed but task-specific binocular code and suggest that generation of persistent activity is organized along the rostro-caudal axis in the hindbrain.
Size-dependent increase in RNA Polymerase II initiation rates mediates gene expression scaling with cell size
Authors: Sun Xi-Ming , Bowman Anthony , Priestman Miles , Bertaux Francois , Martinez-Segura Amalia , Tang Wenhao , Dormann Dirk , Shahrezaei Vahid , Marguerat Samuel
Published: September 2019

Cell size varies during the cell cycle and in response to external stimuli. This requires the tight coordination, or “scaling”, of mRNA and protein quantities with the cell volume in order to maintain biomolecules concentrations and cell density. Evidence in cell populations and single cells indicates that scaling relies on the coordination of mRNA transcription rates with cell size. Here we use a combination of single-molecule fluorescencein situhybridisation (smFISH), time-lapse microscopy and mathematical modelling in single fission yeast cells to uncover the precise molecular mechanisms that control transcription rates scaling with cell size. Linear scaling of mRNA quantities is apparent in single fission yeast cells during a normal cell cycle. Transcription rates of both constitutive and regulated genes scale with cell size without evidence for transcriptional bursting. Modelling and experimental data indicate that scaling relies on the coordination of RNAPII transcription initiation rates with cell size and that RNAPII is a limiting factor. We show using real-time quantitative imaging that size increase is accompanied by a rapid concentration independent recruitment of RNAPII onto chromatin. Finally, we find that in multinucleated cells, scaling is set at the level of single nuclei and not the entire cell, making the nucleus the transcriptional scaling unit. Integrating our observations in a mechanistic model of RNAPII mediated transcription, we propose that scaling of gene expression with cell size is the consequence of competition between genes for limiting RNAPII.
Network analysis of mesoscale mouse brain structural connectome yields modular structure that aligns with anatomical regions and sensory pathways
Authors: Pailthorpe Bernard A.
Published: September 2019

The Allen mesoscale mouse brain structural connectome is analysed using standard network methods combined with 3D visualizations. The full region-to-region connectivity data is used, with a focus on the strongest structural links. The spatial embedding of links and time evolution of signalling is incorporated, with two-step links included. Modular decomposition using the Infomap method produces 8 network modules that correspond approximately to major brain anatomical regions and system functions. These modules align with the anterior and posterior primary sensory systems and association areas. 3D visualization of network links is facilitated by using a set of simplified schematic coordinates that reduces visual complexity. Selection of key nodes and links, such as sensory pathways and cortical association areas together reveal structural features of the mouse structural connectome consistent with biological functions in the sensory-motor systems, and selective roles of the anterior and posterior cortical association areas of the mouse brain. Time progression of signals along sensory pathways reveals that close links are to local cortical association areas and cross modal, while longer links provide anterior-posterior coordination and inputs to non cortical regions. The fabric of weaker links generally are longer range with some having brain-wide reach. Cortical gradients are evident along sensory pathways within the structural network.

Author’s Summary

Network models incorporating spatial embedding and signalling delays are used to investigate the mouse structural connectome. Network models that include time respecting paths are used to trace signaling pathways and reveal separate roles of shorter vs. longer links. Here computational methods work like experimental probes to uncover biologically relevant features. I use the Infomap method, which follows random walks on the network, to decompose the directed, weighted network into 8 modules that align with classical brain anatomical regions and system functions. Primary sensory pathways and cortical association areas are separated into individual modules. Strong, short range links form the sensory-motor paths while weaker links spread brain-wide, possibly coordinating many regions.
Epithelial colonies in vitro elongate through collective effects
Authors: Comelles Jordi , Soumya SS , Lu Linjie , Maout Emilie Le , Anvitha S. , Salbreux Guillaume , Jülicher Frank , Inamdar Mandar M. , Riveline Daniel
Published: September 2019

Epithelial tissues of the developing embryos elongate by different mechanisms, such as neighbor exchange, cell elongation, and oriented cell division. Since autonomous tissue self-organization is influenced by external cues such as morphogen gradients or neighboring tissues, it is difficult to distinguish intrinsic from directed tissue behavior. The mesoscopic processes leading to the different mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we study the spontaneous elongation behavior of spreading circular epithelial colonies in vitro. By quantifying deformation kinematics at multiple scales, we report that global elongation happens primarily due to cell elongations, and its direction correlates with the anisotropy of the average cell elongation. By imposing an external time-periodic stretch, the axis of this global symmetry breaking can be modified and elongation occurs primarily due to orientated neighbor exchange. These different behaviors are confirmed using a vertex model for collective cell behavior, providing a framework for understanding autonomous tissue elongation and its origins.
Integrated annotations and analyses of small RNA-producing loci from 47 diverse plants
Authors: Lunardon Alice , Johnson Nathan R. , Hagerott Emily , Phifer Tamia , Polydore Seth , Coruh Ceyda , Axtell Michael J.
Published: September 2019

Plant endogenous small RNAs (sRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression. There are two broad categories of plant sRNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). MicroRNA loci are relatively well-annotated but comprise only a small minority of the total sRNA pool; siRNA locus annotations have lagged far behind. Here, we used a large dataset of published and newly generated sRNA sequencing data (1,333 sRNA-seq libraries containing over 20 billion reads) and a uniform bioinformatic pipeline to produce comprehensive sRNA locus annotations of 47 diverse plants, yielding over 2.7 million sRNA loci. The two most numerous classes of siRNA loci produced mainly 24 nucleotide and 21 nucleotide siRNAs, respectively. 24 nucleotide-dominated siRNA loci usually occurred in intergenic regions, especially at the 5’-flanking regions of protein-coding genes. In contrast, 21 nucleotide-dominated siRNA loci were most often derived from double-stranded RNA precursors copied from spliced mRNAs. Genic 21 nucleotide-dominated loci were especially common from disease resistance genes, including from a large number of monocots. Individual siRNA sequences of all types showed very little conservation across species, while mature miRNAs were more likely to be conserved. We developed a web server where our data and several search and analysis tools are freely accessible athttp://plantsmallrnagenes.science.psu.edu.
Long story short: finding health advice with informative summaries on health social media
Authors: Liu Yi-Hung , Song Xiaolong , Chen Sheng-Fong
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Whether automatically generated summaries of health social media can aid users in managing their diseases appropriately is an important question. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel text summarization approach for acquiring the most informative summaries from online patient posts accurately and effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

The data set regarding diabetes and HIV posts was, respectively, collected from two online disease forums. The proposed summarizer is based on the graph-based method to generate summaries by considering social network features, text sentiment and sentence features. Representative health-related summaries were identified and summarization performance as well as user judgments were analyzed.

Findings

The findings show that awarding sentences without using all the incorporating features decreases summarization performance compared with the classic summarization method and comparison approaches. The proposed summarizer significantly outperformed the comparison baseline.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on health knowledge management by analyzing patients’ experiences and opinions through the health summarization model. The research additionally develops a new mindset to design abstractive summarization weighting schemes from the health user-generated content.
Thermal comfort practices in non-domestic buildings within the organisational context
Authors: Zapata-Lancaster Gabriela
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the thermal comfort practices in four non-domestic buildings and explores how the organisational context affects the actions and practices of occupants and facilities managers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied qualitative methods and post-occupancy evaluation methodologies to investigate the thermal practices in four case studies. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies was deployed, namely, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, observation and monitoring studies of building performance.

Findings

The concept “distributed agency” was applied to analyse the thermal comfort practices in non-domestic buildings. This concept helped to illustrate everyday actions by occupants and facilities managers in relation to the organisational context. Occupants’ actions and building management practices could be affected by the organisation norms and context leading to problems and dissatisfaction with indoor thermal conditions.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on a small number of case studies and it is exploratory. Extensive monitoring data were not available. However, the research identified the thermal conditions and occupants’ satisfaction levels as background where actions to achieve thermal comfort and facilities manager’s practices took place.

Practical implications

The study suggests the need to examine in greater depth how the organisational goals and individual goals could be linked to support specific building performance targets.

Social implications

The paper advocates for the application of multidisciplinary approaches to study the occupant dimension of building performance. It suggests the need to develop a nuanced understanding of how occupants pursue comfort as active agents who interact with the built environment.

Originality/value

The study has applied social practice theory to consider the influence of the organisation on thermal comfort practices in non-domestic buildings; considering the perspectives of building occupants and facilities managements within the organisational context.
Geodetic deformation forecasting based on multi-variable grey prediction model and regression model
Authors: Kose Erkan , Tasci Levent
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of the multivariable grey prediction model in deformation forecasting.

Design/methodology/approach

Deformation in a dam can be seen because of many factors but without any doubt, the most influential factor is the water level. In this study, the deformation level of a point in the Keban Dam crest has been tried to be forecasted depending on the water level by the multivariable grey model GM(1,N). Regression analysis was used to test the accuracy of the prediction results obtained using the grey prediction model.

Findings

The results show that there is a great consistency between the grey prediction values and the actual values, and that the GM(1,N) produces more reliable results than the regression analysis. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the GM(1,N) is a very reliable estimation model for limited data conditions.

Originality/value

Different from the other studies in the literature, this study investigates deformation in a dam subject to the water level in the dam reservoir. The main contribution of the study to the literature is to suggest a relatively new procedure for estimating the deformation in the dams based on the water level.
Automated brain tumor segmentation from multimodal MRI data based on Tamura texture feature and an ensemble SVM classifier
Authors: Na Li , Zhiyong Xiong , Tianqi Deng , Kai Ren
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The precise segmentation of brain tumors is the most important and crucial step in their diagnosis and treatment. Due to the presence of noise, uneven gray levels, blurred boundaries and edema around the brain tumor region, the brain tumor image has indistinct features in the tumor region, which pose a problem for diagnostics. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors propose an original solution for segmentation using Tamura Texture and ensemble Support Vector Machine (SVM) structure. In the proposed technique, 124 features of each voxel are extracted, including Tamura texture features and grayscale features. Then, these features are ranked using the SVM-Recursive Feature Elimination method, which is also adopted to optimize the parameters of the Radial Basis Function kernel of SVMs. Finally, the bagging random sampling method is utilized to construct the ensemble SVM classifier based on a weighted voting mechanism to classify the types of voxel.

Findings

The experiments are conducted over a sample data set to be called BraTS2015. The experiments demonstrate that Tamura texture is very useful in the segmentation of brain tumors, especially the feature of line-likeness. The superior performance of the proposed ensemble SVM classifier is demonstrated by comparison with single SVM classifiers as well as other methods.

Originality/value

The authors propose an original solution for segmentation using Tamura Texture and ensemble SVM structure.
Business succession from an Islamic accounting perspective
Authors: Umar Umar Habibu , Kurawa Junaidu Muhammad
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the inheritance of a business from the Islamic accounting perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adapts the relevant provisions of conventional accounting standards and practices that conform to Sharīʿah (Islamic law). In addition, the provisions of the Islamic accounting standard for musharakah (AAOIFI’s FAS No. 4) found to be relevant are also adapted.

Findings

The study shows that the assets of an inherited business should be measured at their fair values and that liabilities and legacies must be deducted therefrom with the view to arriving at the equity (or residue). The equity is then distributed among the heirs based on the sharing ratio established according to the Noble Qurʾān, the Sunnah (the Prophet’s way) and Muslim jurists’ views. Therefore, the inherited business becomes a family business as each heir is admitted into it. By extension, Islam emphasizes that the business should remain a going concern to generate income to sustain the welfare of the heirs.

Research limitations/implications

The discussion of the paper is limited to the inheritance of a business and its going concern in line with the Sharīʿah.

Practical implications

Special attention should be paid to the inherited business to ensure not only its continuity to generate income for the heirs but also that each heir gets a correct share of the equity of the business as regulated by the Sharīʿah.

Originality/value

This study links Islamic inheritance to the going concern of the business, which from all indications has not been given full consideration by previous studies.
The effects of length of service and ethical ideologies on moral development and behavioral intentions
Authors: Malagueño Ricardo , Pillalamarri Sudarshan , Rezende Amaury José , Moraes Marcelo Botelho da Costa
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of length of service and ethical ideologies on cognitive moral development (CMD) and ethical behavioral intentions among public sector tax auditors in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

The research data were collected via survey questionnaires from a sample of 625 auditors who work for the Brazilian tax authority. Participants voluntarily complete an online instrument which included three scenarios with context-specific moral dilemmas, questions about the specific scenarios and an ethics position questionnaire. Multinomial logistic and ordinary least squares regressions were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The findings reveal that public sector tax auditors with shorter length of service are more likely to be at higher stages of moral development; relativistic ideology among public sector auditors is positively associated with more lenient ethical behavioral intention; idealistic ideology among public sector auditors is positively associated with stricter ethical behavioral intention; public sector auditors classified as absolutists are stricter in their ethical behavioral intentions; and public sector auditors classified as absolutists with length of service between 5 and 15 years are more likely to be at higher stages of moral development when compared to public sector tax auditors with longer length of service.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study is one of the first studies that attempt to understand the effects of length of service and ethical ideology on CMD and ethical behavioral intention among public sector auditors. Additionally, it examines these issues in the context of Latin America.
Effects of the use of quality cost information on quality-related learning
Authors: Novas Jorge , Saraiva Margarida
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects on quality-related learning resulting from the use of the quality cost information (QCI). Specifically, this paper analyzes to what extent the diagnostic and interactive uses of QCI contribute to improve quality-related learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model was tested using a structural equation modeling procedure with AMOS and the data were collected through a questionnaire survey conducted on a sample of Portuguese certified companies.

Findings

The results shed light on expected relationships since the interactive style of use of QCI, unlike the diagnostic style of use, has a positive effect on quality-related learning. However, the diagnostic use of QCI was found to be a predecessor of the interactive use of QCI, in line with previous studies. Finally, diagnostic use of QCI exerts an indirect positive impact on quality-related learning through the interactive use of QCI.

Research limitations/implications

This paper contributes to the body of research on the use of interactive and diagnostic systems, providing evidence that a balance between those systems improves quality-related learning.

Practical implications

The results show that the use of QCI to promote participation, dialogue and involvement of all participants (according to an interactive style of use), and not just to control the accomplishment of predetermined objectives (according to a diagnostic style of use), is a necessary condition for quality-related learning.

Originality/value

Despite the wide-ranging literature focused on the identification, measurement and reporting of QCI, less attention has been paid to how this information is used in the management process. The way in which the use of QCI can contribute to the improvement in quality-related learning is also an unexplored topic in the literature.
Does the business model influence income smoothing? Evidence from European banks
Authors: Di Fabio Costanza
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the business model (BM) influences bank income smoothing by considering two competing perspectives, the opportunistic and the information enhancement one. Additionally, the paper addresses the role of auditors’ involvement in national supervision and external governance.

Design/methodology/approach

Income smoothing is measured by regressing loan loss provisions on unmanaged earnings, and the moderating role of country-level factors is tested employing three-way interactions. The sample consists of European banks observed from 2004 to 2015.

Findings

Results indicate that the BM affects smoothing and that retail-funded banks exhibit smoother earnings due to informative reasons. National supervisors’ emphasis on audit is positively associated with smoothing by market-oriented banks, whereas external governance constrains smoothing in diversified-retail banks.

Research limitations/implications

European reforms strengthening monitoring bodies could bring the unintended effect of inducing opportunistic behaviours in market-oriented BMs. However, this study employs indirect proxies for institutional factors and does not consider internal-governance issues.

Practical implications

Evidence sustains the IASB choice of the expected-loss approach for estimating credit losses as it could enhance the informativeness of retail-funded banks’ accounting numbers.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the income smoothing literature by addressing the role of the BM as a whole in explaining smoothing propensity, not limiting the observation to partial features of the balance sheet. Moreover, it supports a counterintuitive argument, thepenalty hypothesis, assuming that stronger supervision increases bank incentives to manage earnings to avoid penalties.
Uncertainty in emotion recognition
Authors: Landowska Agnieszka
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore uncertainty inherent in emotion recognition technologies and the consequences resulting from that phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a general overview of the concept; however, it is based on a meta-analysis of multiple experimental and observational studies performed over the past couple of years.

Findings

The main finding of the paper might be summarized as follows: there is uncertainty inherent in emotion recognition technologies, and the phenomenon is not expressed enough, not addressed enough and unknown by the users of the technology.

Practical implications

Practical implications of the study are formulated as postulates for the developers, users and researchers dealing with the technologies of automatic emotion recognition.

Social implications

As technologies that recognize emotions are becoming more and more common, and perhaps more decisions influencing people lives are to come in the next decades, the trustworthiness of the technology is important from a scientific, practical and ethical point of view.

Originality/value

Studying uncertainty of emotion recognition technologies is a novel approach and is not explored from such a broad perspective before.
Design, process and commercial benefits gained from AMT
Authors: Díaz-Reza José Roberto , García-Alcaraz Jorge Luis , Gil-López Alfonso Jesus , Blanco-Fernández Julio , Jimenez-Macias Emilio
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the relationships between advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) categories (stand-alone, intermediated and integrated systems) implementation and design, process and commercial benefits obtained.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey is designed with benefits gained from AMT implementation as well as its categories, which is applied to the maquiladora industry. A structural equation model with data from 383 responses is used to measure the relationship between AMT categories and benefits gained using nine hypotheses that are tested statistically significant using partial least squares. Also, using conditional probabilities, a sensitivity analysis reports how low and high levels from AMT implementation influence on the obtained benefits.

Findings

Integrated systems are the most important AMT for maquiladoras and have the strongest impact on design, processes and commercial benefits.

Research limitations/implications

Data obtained support the model, but results may be different in another industrial sector and countries with different labor culture and technological level.

Practical implications

Managers in maquiladora industry must focus their attention on integrated manufacturing systems, because high implementation levels guarantee the biggest probability to gain benefits in design, production process and commercial.

Originality/value

The relationship between AMT and their benefits has not been measured in depth, and this paper contributes to understand that problem. In addition, this paper is the first to report a sensitivity analysis that enables managers to acknowledge the probability of obtaining certain benefits.
Revenue and yield management: a perspective article
Authors: Viglia Giampaolo , Abrate Graziano
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This study aims to explain briefly the history and the future of revenue and yield management, offering a graphical visual model to identify the main internal and external elements to be faced by revenue managers.

Design/methodology/approach

Stemming from what happened in the past, the authors predict the key elements in revenue management moving forward.

Findings

The authors discuss four notable emerging themes for a fertile revenue management application: organizational culture; dynamic pricing, both in terms of intertemporal price discrimination and inventory controls; personalized pricing; and distribution channels.

Originality/value

The paper offers informative knowledge to revenue managers and academics working in the area of strategic yield and revenue management.
Telecommunication and tourism development: an island perspective
Authors: Seetanah Boopen
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the availability and contribution of destinations’ telecommunication structure and development on tourism development for the case of the small island economy of Mauritius.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses annual data from 1992 to 2017 in a dynamic econometric setting, namely, an autoregressive distributed lag model to take into account the time series properties of the data.

Findings

Analysis of the results showed that telecommunication has contributed positively, albeit to a lesser extent as compared to other classical determinants, to tourist development in both the short and long run. In addition, the relatively high income elasticity also suggests that Mauritius is considered as a luxurious destination. Tourists were found to be sensitive to the relative prices and cost of the destination, tourism infrastructure and the island’s development level. Finally, the study confirms the presence repeat tourism on the island.

Practical implications

The result clearly provides support to the Government’s strategy to pursue an accelerated investment in telecommunication infrastructure and also to give further incentives to private operators to promote innovation and enhanced connectivity. It is recognised that the positive effect of telecommunication on the tourism industry relies on a national enabling telecommunication environment which is multi facet in nature, relying on to a large extent on infrastructure, access, capacity building and the legal framework among others.

Originality/value

The study is believed to supplement the literature by analysing the telecommunication–tourism link in a direct way as existing studies have largely discussed the link indirectly. Moreover, it uses a classical international demand for tourism model, augmented with a measure of telecommunication, and uses recent dynamic time series econometric framework to account for the existence of dynamism in tourism modelling. Finally, the research brings additional evidences from an island economy perspective (heavily tourist dependent and geographically remote), often neglected by the related literature which has focused mainly on developed countries.
Analyzing FG shells with large deformations and finite rotations
Authors: Rezaiee-Pajand Mohammad , Masoodi Amir R.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is dedicated to use an efficient mixed strain finite element approach to develop a three-node triangular shell element. Moreover, large deformation analysis of the functionally graded material shells is the main contribution of this research. These target structures include thin or moderately thick panels.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to reach these goals, Green–Lagrange strain formulation with respect to small strains and large deformations with finite rotations is used. First, an efficient three-node triangular degenerated shell element is formulated using tensorial components of two-dimensional shell theory. Then, the variation of Young’s modulus through the thickness of shell is formulated by using power function. Note that the change of Poisson’s ratio is ignored. Finally, the governing linearized incremental relation was iteratively solved using a high potential nonlinear solution method entitled generalized displacement control.

Findings

Some well-known problems are solved to validate the proposed formulations. The suggested triangular shell element can obtain the exact responses of functionally graded (FG) shell structures, without any shear locking, instabilities and ill-conditioning, even by using fewer numbers of the elements. The obtained outcomes are compared with the other reference solutions. All findings demonstrate the accuracy and capability of authors’ element for analyzing FG shell structures.

Research limitations/implications

A mixed strain finite element approach is used for nonlinear analysis of FG shells. These structures are curved thin and moderately thick shells. Small strains and large deformations with finite rotations are assumed.

Practical implications

FG shells are mostly made curved thin or moderately thick, and these structures have a lot of applications in the civil and mechanical engineering.

Social implications

The social implication of this study is concerned with how technology impacts the world. In short, the presented scheme can improve structural analysis ways.

Originality/value

Developing an efficient three-node triangular element, for geometrically nonlinear analysis of FG doubly-curved thin and moderately thick shells, is the main contribution of the current research. Finite rotations are considered by using the Taylor’s expansion of the rotation matrix. Mixed interpolation of strain fields is used to alleviate the locking phenomena. Using fewer numbers of shell elements with fewer numbers of degrees of freedom can reduce the computational costs and errors significantly.
Mismatches between the resources for adult herbivores and their offspring suggest invasive Spartina alterniflora is an ecological trap
Authors: Sun Ke‐Ke , Yu Wen‐Sheng , Jiang Jia‐Jia , Richards Christina , Siemann Evan , Ma Jun , Li Bo , Ju Rui‐Ting
Published: September 2019

Plant invasions can alter the behaviour and performance of native herbivorous insects because the insects are evolutionarily naïve to the novel plants. An ecological trap results when native insects prefer invasive plants over their native hosts but suffer reduced fitness on the invaders. Although such traps are predicted to occur frequently, given the prevalence of invasive plants, empirical support for ecological traps and their underlying mechanisms remains sparse.

We examined the potential for the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora to act as an ecological trap for the native moth Laelia coenosa, which previously fed mainly on the indigenous plant Phragmites australis in a Chinese saltmarsh. We surveyed Laelia egg densities on Spartina and Phragmites in the field, and determined adult oviposition preference and offspring development on the two plant species. To investigate the causes of adult preference and offspring performance patterns, we compared resource abundance in the field, plant‐odour attractiveness and leaf nutritional and defensive traits between Spartina and Phragmites.

We found that Laelia egg density and female preference for ovipositing were higher on Spartina than Phragmites. However, performance of offspring was poorer on Spartina than Phragmites. Spartina dominated a larger area and had greater leaf biomass than Phragmites in the field, and volatile odours released by Spartina were more attractive to Laelia females than those released by Phragmites. Although leaf C, C:P ratio and terpenoid content did not differ significantly between the two plant species, Spartina leaves were tougher and more waxy, had lower N and had higher concentrations of alkaloids and phenolics than Phragmites leaves.

Synthesis. Our data suggest that invasive Spartina can create an ecological trap for the native insect Laelia. This trap appears to result from environmental cues (resource availability and leaf odours) that attract the herbivore to the plant, but do not reliably predict the dietary qualities (nutrition and defences) that negatively affect herbivore offspring performance. These findings reveal an important negative effect of plant invasions on resident herbivores and highlight the roles of resource availability and plant traits at different life stages of the insect.
O, The Roast Beef of Old England! Brexit and Gastronationalism
Authors: Edwards Jason
Published: September 2019

‘Gastronationalism’ is the idea that there are distinctive and authentic national food cultures that are threatened by the forces of globalisation. It is a myth: there are no unique or authentically distinctive national culinary cultures. But the idea of gastronationalism is a powerful one that can have important political effects, as Brexit shows. In this article, I chart the rise of British food with regard to Britain’s historical relationship with Europe and the EU. I consider how different understandings of British food culture—one more nativist, one more cosmopolitan—have played a symbolic role in the debate on Brexit, before considering the broader relationship between contemporary populist nationalism and gastronationalism.
Testing an Age‐old Adage: Can Autopsy Findings be of Assistance in Differentiating Opioid Versus Cardiac Deaths?
Authors: Molina D. Kimberley , Vance Kathryn , Coleman Maci L. , Hargrove Veronica M.
Published: September 2019

Given the common occurrence of both opioid and cardiovascular deaths, and the concomitant use of opioids in those with cardiac disease, the present study was undertaken to see whether the old adage of using the triad of cerebral and pulmonary edema and bladder fullness to suggest an opioid death could be used to differentiate deaths due to opioid toxicity from deaths due to cardiac disease. Brain weight, lung weight, and bladder fullness were compared among opioid‐related deaths, cardiac deaths, and a control population. It was found that opioid‐related deaths were more likely to have heavy lungs, a heavy brain, and a full bladder, while cardiac‐related deaths had smaller volumes of urine in the bladder and heavier hearts. In conjunction with a thorough investigation, these findings may be useful to forensic pathologists when determining whether a death is opioid‐related, especially in the setting of concomitant cardiac disease.
Evaluation of the Enhanced Computational Methods of Estimating Age‐at‐Death Using the Pubic Symphyses of a White South African Population
Authors: Joubert Laurette C. , Briers Nanette , Meyer Anja
Published: September 2019

To address problems of reproducibility related to current age estimation methods, the enhanced computational Methods (ECM) were previously developed using a sample of white North American male pubic symphyses and showed promise in improving current techniques. However, given the evidence of sex and population differences in the onset of age markers, this study set out to test the ECM on a white South African sample. The sample consisted of 184 well‐preserved os coxae from individuals of known age and sex. Pubic symphyseal surfaces were scanned using the Artec Spider 3D scanner, processed using Artec Studio 10 and analyzed using forAge. Point estimates of age were then compared to the true age of each individual. Results indicate that the ECM performed poorly in a white South African population, with consistent underestimation of age‐at‐death and weak positive correlations with true age. Despite the low correlations, the ECM did, however, reduce observer error.
Recent clinical applications of external beam radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma according to guidelines, major trials and meta‐analyses
Authors: Rim Chai Hong , Yim Hyung Joon , Park Sunmin , Seong Jinsil
Published: September 2019

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been widely used due to lack of high‐level evidence, despite its potent local therapeutic effect. While clinical evidence has accumulated and meta‐analyses of observational studies have provided integrated information to help in clinical decision‐making, a recent randomized trial demonstrated the benefit of EBRT in cases of HCC with major vessel invasion. Based on these trends, the efficacy of EBRT has been better recognized, and EBRT has been more frequently recommended in several international treatment guidelines newly updated in 2018. This review examined the key issues of EBRT in the guidelines updated in 2018 as well as recently published noteworthy randomized trials and meta‐analyses. Ongoing trials to identify the trends and direction of future research on EBRT for HCC were also reviewed.
Multiscale resistant kernel surfaces derived from inferred gene flow: An application with vernal pool breeding salamanders
Authors: Winiarski Kristopher J. , Peterman William E. , Whiteley Andrew R. , McGarigal Kevin
Published: September 2019

The importance of assessing spatial data at multiple scales when modelling species–environment relationships has been highlighted by several empirical studies. However, no landscape genetics studies have optimized landscape resistance surfaces by evaluating relevant spatial predictors at multiple spatial scales. Here, we model multiscale/layer landscape resistance surfaces to estimate resistance to inferred gene flow for two vernal pool breeding salamander species, spotted (Ambystoma maculatum) and marbled (A. opacum) salamanders. Multiscale resistance surface models outperformed spatial layers modelled at their original spatial scale. A resistance surface with forest land cover at a 500‐m Gaussian kernel bandwidth and normalized vegetation index at a 100‐m Gaussian kernel bandwidth was the top optimized resistance surface for A. maculatum, while a resistance surface with traffic rate and topographic curvature, both at a 500‐m Gaussian kernel bandwidth, was the top optimized resistance surface for A. opacum. Species‐specific resistant kernels were fit at all vernal pools in our study area with the optimized multiscale/layer resistance surface controlling kernel spread. Vernal pools were then evaluated and scored based on surrounding upland habitat (local score) and connectivity with other vernal pools on the landscape, with resistant kernels driving vernal pool connectivity scores. As expected, vernal pools that scored highest were in areas within forested habitats and with high vernal pool densities and low species‐specific landscape resistance. Our findings highlight the success of using a novel analytical approach in a multiscale framework with applications beyond vernal pool amphibian conservation.
Struggles for Environmental Justice in US Prisons and Jails
Authors: Pellow David N.
Published: September 2019

In this paper I ask how might environmental justice studies scholarship be recast if we consider the phenomenon of environmental injustice as a form of criminalisation? In other words, since environmental injustice is frequently a product of state‐sanctioned violence against communities of colour, then what are the implications of reframing it as a practice of treating those populations as criminally suspect and as deserving of state punishment? Moreover, how are the targets and survivors of environmental injustice/racism enlisted in generative ways that resist that criminalisation and support abolition? I answer these questions through a consideration of how struggles inside and outside of carceral spaces represent urgent and timely opportunities to rethink the possibilities of environmental justice theory and politics by linking them to practices and visions of abolition ecology and critical environmental justice.