bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two distinct transcription termination modes dictated by promoters
Authors: Miki Takashi S. , Carl Sarah H. , Großhans Helge
Published: October 2017

Transcription termination determines the ends of transcriptional units and thereby ensures the integrity of the transcriptome and faithful gene regulation. Studies in yeast and human cells have identified the exoribonuclease XRN2 as a key termination factor for protein-coding genes. Here we performed a genome-wide investigation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription termination in XRN2-deficient Caenorhabditis elegans and observed two distinct modes of termination. Although a subset of genes requires XRN2, termination of other genes appears both independent of, and refractory to, XRN2. XRN2 independence is not merely a consequence of failure to recruit XRN2, since XRN2 is present on—and promotes Pol II accumulation near the polyadenylation sites of—both gene classes. Unexpectedly, promoters instruct the choice of termination mode, but XRN2-independent termination additionally requires a compatible region downstream from the 3′ end cleavage site. Hence, different termination mechanisms may work with different configurations of Pol II complexes dictated by promoters.
The governance of geographical indications
Authors: Kizos Thanasis , Kohsaka Ryo , Penker Marianne , Piatti Cinzia , Vogl Christian Reinhard , Uchiyama Yuta
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Place-based foodstuffs have gained salience in markets worldwide and geographical indication (GI) products are prominent examples. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the governance (formal and informal institutions) of the European and Japanese GI schemes, discuss the variety of procedures of implementing the features of the governance system (inclusion and exclusion of actors) for six GI cases and reflect on future GI governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The criteria for assessing the six cases were descriptive and analytical and the information and data come from official documents, literature (scientific and “grey”), interviews, observations and personal communications with key-informants of the GI systems. Three of the cases are categorized as “failures” and are included to provide more insights on the diverse dynamics of GI systems.

Findings

Registration of GIs seems to be a process rather than a single step, requesting coordination and consensus and an interplay between internal and external actors. “Success” and “failure” are relative and related to self-governance processes and the openness of the social system of the GI to establish transparency on inclusion and exclusion. GI systems require constant management and re-definition of production quality or geographical boundaries to adapt to market, climate or technological change.

Originality/value

The paper introduces GI systems categorized as “failures” (either products that did not register as GIs in the end or did register but failed to keep the registration) which provides more insights on how to design and manage complex GI systems.
‘Waste not, want not’
Authors: McCarthy Breda , Liu Hong-Bo
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Scholarly research on food waste is growing, but it tends to focus on households in general. The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes of green consumers towards food waste, reasons for wasting edible food and acceptance of policy actions that could help address the food waste challenge.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a quantitative survey of 346 respondents, frequency distributions, cross tabulations and non-parametric tests were performed.

Findings

This study finds that there is inconsistency between attitudes and behaviours. Green consumers, including those who value organic food and vegetarianism, waste quite a lot of edible food. Food is thrown away mainly due to spoilage, short shelf life, being forgotten in the fridge and eating outside the home. Hence, consumers, even those with the best of intentions, face behavioural constraints when it comes to reducing food waste. A surprising finding is that some consumers lack awareness of the environmental burden posed by food waste. Several policy measures to reduce food waste are acceptable to the respondents

Research limitations/implications

Reliance on self-reported data for food waste.

Practical implications

The research identifies actions that local governments could undertake to reduce consumer-related food waste. An environmental awareness campaign targeting green consumers could correct information deficits.

Originality/value

The focus on the green segment has practical implications for reducing the economic and environmental burden of food waste
Assessment of milk consumer preferences
Authors: Lanfranchi Maurizio , Zirilli Agata , Passantino Annamaria , Alibrandi Angela , Giannetto Carlo
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report a survey in random-selected supermarkets in Italy in order to identify the attitudes and perceptions of consumers toward milk and in particular toward donkey milk.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis was conducted through Google Forms platform of docs.google interviews with a sample of 705 consumers who were given a questionnaire to collect information about their economic status and their attitudes toward milk and special milk consumption.

Findings

The results were analyzed in order to identify the socio-economic and behavioral characteristics of homogeneous groups of consumers. They consume milk mainly because it is not expensive and it is possible to easily buy it in the supermarket. They consume special milk mainly because of food allergies or intolerances. They would like to buy special milk at large-scale retail trade outlets; they underline difficulties in finding and purchasing it. They think that the price of special milk is very high.

Originality/value

The results showed that those who occasionally consume special milk choose it because it is more nourishing or for health reasons; there is also a significant association between the judgment on prices of special milk and the frequency of purchase. The estimation of a generalized linear model allowed to highlight that only age and the presence of health problems/intolerances are significant predictors of special milk consumption.
Adolescents’ trust in food messages and their sources
Authors: Rendahl Jenny , Korp Peter , Ekström Marianne Pipping , Berg Christina
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The authors used role-playing with subsequent focus group interviews in order to explore how adolescents negotiate conflicting food messages they encounter in their everyday lives. The purpose of this paper is to describe adolescents’ perceptions about different messages and their sources and to explore the trust they place in such sources.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 31 adolescents aged 15-16 years participated in role-playing with subsequent focus group interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data.

Findings

The adolescents depicted an everyday life with multiple and different messages about food and eating. In addition, they stated that these messages were conveyed by a wide range of sources at different levels, for example, by parents, teachers, sports coaches and media. The messages from different sources were conflicting and covered many different perspectives on food and eating. When negotiating food choices in the role-playing and in the focus group discussing how to handle different and conflicting messages, trust became visible. The trustworthiness of messages and trust in their sources were associated with several important aspects in regard to whether or not the messages were based on knowledge about food and nutrition, care for the person receiving the messages, and/or commercial interest. In addition, the results indicate that the situation and the social relationship to the person providing the message were of importance for trustworthiness.

Originality/value

This study is novel as it uses role-playing as a research method and describes the trust adolescents place on food messages and their sources. To understand the factors that enhance such trust is important for the development and provision of education, information, and other health-promotion activities related to food in order to support and strengthen adolescents’ critical reflections on food messages from different sources.
The history of conspicuous consumption in the United Kingdom: 1945-2000
Authors: Patsiaouras Georgios
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This study aims to provide a historical understanding of conspicuous consumption phenomena in the context of the UK, between 1945 and 2000. It considers how status-driven consumption has been shaped by economic, technological and cultural factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a periodization scheme, concerning two time structures between 1945 and 2000, this paper is based on research stemming from a wide range of data such as academic studies, research articles, narrative history books, past advertisements, novels and biographies. Rich interdisciplinary data from the realms of political economy, sociology, cultural geography and consumption studies have been synthesized so as to provide a marketing-oriented historical outlook on conspicuous consumption phenomena.

Findings

Status-driven consumption in the UK has been heavily influenced by economic policies, cultural changes and public perceptions towards wealth during the second half of the twentieth century. Post-war rationing, youth-driven fashion, free-market economics and technological advances have played a crucial role in forming consumers’ tastes and engagement with ostentatious economic display.

Originality/value

Although the vast majority of marketing studies have approached luxury consumption through a psychological angle, this examination identifies the capacity of historical research to uncover and highlight the interrelationships between socio-economic factors and status-motivated consumption.
A quiet revolution
Authors: Pressey Andrew
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The study aims examine the popular master narrative that marketing education in Britain first appeared in the 1960s and understand if its origins can in fact be traced to an earlier period. This is undertaken through an examination of the courses taught from 1902 to 1969 at the Faculty of Commerce, University of Birmingham, Great Britain.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on a number of primary source materials held at the archives at the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham, that are related to the Faculty of Commerce.

Findings

The study identifies that marketing courses were being taught in Britain long before the 1960s by the new business schools; we can trace its origins to the beginning of the twentieth century at Birmingham. From 1902 onwards, marketing was consistently part of the syllabus of the undergraduate programme and it became part of the core syllabus of the post-graduate programme.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study require marketing education scholars and scholars of the emergence of marketing thought to revise their beliefs concerning the emergence of marketing education in Great Britain and situate this in an earlier period.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the historical value of studying early commerce syllabi and the manner in which marketing-themed content was delivered to students.
“Is it essential that a steamship company’s poster must have a ship?”
Authors: Clampin David , White Nicholas J.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of marketing communications of British shipping lines in the period from c.1840 to c.1970 to establish the extent to which these outputs reflect extant scholarship which points to the lack of innovation as a key reason for the demise of these lines.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is built on a survey of >450 posters plotting the shifting nature of advertising messages over this long period in response to the market. This is supported by reading trade press contemporary to the period to establish broader trends in marketing and whether this product sector was aberrant.

Findings

What is revealed is a generally static response in the promotion of British shipping lines throughout the timeframe, at odds with trends elsewhere. What stands out is the widespread criticism of the time singling out the shipping poster. This suggests an advanced appreciation of the role of the poster and the effectiveness of promotional messages focussing on emotions- versus a product-centred approach.

Originality/value

Whilst there is an established literature which suggests that the British merchant marine was hamstrung by a pattern of family ownership making adaptation slow, no research to date has expressly read marketing as a window onto that culture. This paper shows that whilst there may have been change within the sector which these British shipping lines responded to, when it came to presenting themselves in public via their communications strategy, they adopted a staid, conservative approach. British shipping lines, throughout the period, had a very fixed idea about who they were and what best represented their business irrespective of dramatic shifts in attitudes concerning how best to reach consumers. Interrogating promotional material, and particularly the ubiquitous shipping poster, provides another insight into the conservative and debilitating corporate culture of British shipping.
The history of advertising trust archive
Authors: Moir Alistair , Read Eve , Towne Sophie
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the archival holdings of the History of Advertising Trust Archives as a potential resource for marketing historians.

Findings

This paper provides a description of the History of Advertising Trust Archives and their value for marketing historians.

Originality/value

The paper introduces the History of Advertising Trust Archives to the readers of the Journal of Historical Research in Marketing.
The relationship of personality to cognitive characteristics and SME performance in Tanzania
Authors: Isaga Nsubili
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Focussing on the relationship between personality traits and small and medium enterprise (SME) performance in Tanzania’s furniture sector, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of cognitive characteristics as a mediating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 300 SMEs in furniture sectors from four different regions in Tanzania were involved in this study. Structural equation modelling approach was used to test simultaneously the direct and the indirect effects of the characteristics of the entrepreneurs on the SMEs performance.

Findings

The findings show that personality traits have a significant influence on SMEs performance through cognitive characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s data were collected from businesses in only one industry (furniture) in Tanzania. Future research may extend the approach to other business sectors.

Practical implications

Since entrepreneurial characteristics are considered an important driver of a country’s economic development and performance, it is hoped that governments and sector associations implement suitable policies and incentives to develop an entrepreneurial culture among citizens.

Originality/value

Current knowledge about entrepreneurial characteristics and their relationship with SME performance in developing countries, especially Tanzania, is very limited. The present study suggests that cognitive characteristics are necessary mediators of the link between personality traits and SME performance.
A contingency model of “Face” loss in service encounters: an Eastern cultural context
Authors: Akkawanitcha Chuanchuen , Patterson Paul G.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a loss of face on the psychological well-being of frontline employees (FLEs) in an Eastern cultural context (Thailand) when subjected to customer aggression. Importantly, it adopts a contingency approach and examines moderating effects by which social status, a “customer is always right” organisational philosophy and a public/private context impact the nature of the association between customer aggression and loss of face. Finally, it examines the moderating effect of regulation of emotion on the association between loss of face on psychological well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey, administered to 319 FLEs in retail stores in Thailand, asked them to recall a recent experience dealing with customer aggression. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling and a moderator regression.

Findings

Customer aggression expressions are associated with FLEs’ loss of face, which in turn affects FLEs’ emotional exhaustion and anxiety. FLEs social status and a “customer is always right” organisational philosophy moderate the association between customer aggression and loss of face, and FLEs’ loss of face is greater when their physical well-being is threatened publicly rather than in private. In addition, regulation of emotion was found to increase the negative impact of loss of face on emotional exhaustion.

Practical implications

The way FLEs respond to customer aggression during service encounters, as well as the FLEs’ status and the context, can intensify their loss of face and psychological well-being. This has implications for the extent to which organisations impose a “customer is always right” dictum on FLE, as well as the need for counselling and peer support immediately following customer aggression incidents.

Originality/value

This study is the first to investigate the moderating effects of social status, a “customer is always right” philosophy and public/private context on the expression of customer aggression and FLEs’ accompanying loss of face. In other words, rather than simply examining what causes face loss, the authors shift the focus from the “Is” question to “When” – i.e., under what contingency condition is there more or less face loss?
Identifying objectives for mega-event leveraging: a non-host city case
Authors: Chien P. Monica , Kelly Sarah J. , Gill Chelsea
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify strategic objectives that can be utilized by non-host communities to leverage the opportunities provided by mega sport events. The unique context and timing of this study facilitates discussion surrounding a particular non-host community and how it can plan relevant objectives to best identify appropriate leveraging mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a qualitative approach, drawing upon a case study of Kobe City, Japan, a non-host city of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Data were collected using diverse sources such as site visits, field notes, newspaper articles, destination marketing materials, archival data from sport and tourism facilities, and workshop with key stakeholders.

Findings

The within-case analysis identified four key objectives a non-host city could utilize to leverage mega sport events, namely, enhancing destination brand equity, integrating leveraging strategies with the existing event portfolio, fostering social capital, and strengthening corporate networks.

Originality/value

Research on event leveraging has typically focused on host cities, while there has been limited research attention on non-host cities. This paper highlights the importance of formulating shared objectives so as to provide a strong focus for relevant stakeholders, guide the deployment of resources, and create effective leveraging strategies. Few studies have focused on the planning of leveraging initiatives.
HRM practices that support the employment and social inclusion of workers with an intellectual disability
Authors: Meacham Hannah , Cavanagh Jillian , Shaw Amie , Bartram Timothy
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how HRM practices enhance and/or impede the employment, participation, and well-being of workers with intellectual disabilities in three hotels located in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a case study methodology, including interviews with three HR managers, three department managers, 17 workers with intellectual disabilities, and focus groups of 16 supervisors and 24 work colleagues.

Findings

The research found that the opportunities to participate in work are driven primarily by developing a social climate that enables social cohesion through the altruistic motives of managers/supervisors and reciprocal relationships.

Originality/value

The findings lend support for the importance of both formal and informal HR practices, such as inclusive recruitment and selection, mentoring, and training and development, as well as individualised day-to-day support provided by supervisors and colleagues, to improve the participation and well-being of workers with an intellectual disability.
Understanding turnover intention in cross-country business management
Authors: Lin Chieh-Peng , Tsai Yuan-Hui , Mahatma Ferdinandus
Published: October 2017

Purpose

To deepen our understanding about the development of turnover intention, the purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model based on the stress theory to explain cross-country differences in the formation of turnover intention, complementing previous literature that mainly emphasizes the effect of monetary compensation on turnover intention without taking into account anxiety and pressure.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical testing of this model by investigating personnel across Taiwan’s and Indonesia’s banks confirms the applicability of stress theory in cross-cultural business management. Of the 161 Chinese-language questionnaires distributed to the employees from the three large banks in Taiwan, 137 usable questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 85 percent. At the same time, of the 234 Indonesian-language questionnaires distributed to the employees from the two large banks in Indonesia, 219 usable questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 93.6 percent.

Findings

This research reveals that mental disengagement fully mediates the indirect relationship between performance-related anxiety and turnover intention, while positive reinterpretation fully mediates the indirect relationship between work pressure and turnover intention. Furthermore, the effects of performance-related anxiety and work pressure on turnover intention are moderated by cross-country differences.

Originality/value

First, the finding concerning the full mediating role of mental disengagement complements prior justifications of the conservation of resources theory. Second, the finding of this study regarding the full mediating role of positive reinterpretation complements the previous findings of Taylor’s (1983) theory of cognitive adaptation, which conceptualizes employees as active agents in restoring the psychological equilibrium in the aftermath of a competitive pressurized event.
The joint effects of promotion and prevention focus on performance, exhaustion and sickness absence among managers and non-managers
Authors: Petrou Paraskevas , Van den Heuvel Machteld , Schaufeli Wilmar
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the main and interaction effects of self-rated promotion and prevention regulatory focus on self-rated work performance, emotional exhaustion and sickness absence for managers and non-managers separately. The authors expected that promotion focus relates positively to performance and negatively to sickness absence, while prevention focus relates positively to exhaustion and sickness absence, both for managers and non-managers. Furthermore, the authors expected that promotion focus relates positively to performance but also to exhaustion and sickness absence when prevention focus is high, only for managers (i.e. a manager’s dual regulatory focus can be an effective but also exhausting leadership strategy).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors tested the hypotheses via moderated regression analyses among two independent groups, managers (n=241) and non-managers (n=415).

Findings

Promotion focus was positively related to managers’ and non-managers’ performance and negatively to non-managers’ sickness absence, while prevention focus did not have any main effects. As expected, managers’ promotion focus was positively related to managers’ sickness absence when managers’ prevention focus was high (i.e. dual regulatory focus). Furthermore, managers’ promotion focus negatively related to managers’ performance when managers’ prevention was high, failing to support the hypothesis.

Practical implications

Promotion focus should be enhanced by organizations among leaders and employees. The authors also cautiously discuss the possibility of interventions comparing a promotion focus with dual-focus training.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the literature by examining the joint (rather than main) effects of promotion and prevention focus on work behavior and the authors address these links among managers and non-managers.
The moderating role of individual variables in the relationship between organizational justice and organizational commitment
Authors: Minibas-Poussard Jale , Le Roy Jeanne , Erkmen Turhan
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of individual variables (organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) and work locus of control (WLOC)) that have been suspected to intervene as moderators on the relationship between organizational justice and organizational commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Self-administered survey was completed by 272 bank employees in Istanbul, Turkey.

Findings

The results of moderation analyses clearly indicated a significant effect of OBSE and WLOC on the link between justice perceptions and organizational commitment. People are more committed to organizations when they have high OBSE. WLOC together with OBSE moderated the relationship between procedural justice and organizational commitment: people engaged less in their organizations when they perceived low procedural justice and reported lower OBSE. This relationship was revealed only when external WLOC scores were high.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in Istanbul, Turkey and the sample was limited to 272 participants. These results show that managers should not only hire personnel with high OBSE but they also should provide a participative work atmosphere where employees can perform with all their potential and capacity that may help them reveal their internal WLOC. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed in the end.

Originality/value

The study provides some valuable contributions to the existing body of literature by exhibiting the role of individual variables in the strong relationship between organizational justice and organizational commitment. The findings of the study also contribute to banking sector that has been critical and popular in Turkey since 2001.
Genetic characterization of an avian H4N6 influenza virus isolated from the Izumi plain, Japan
Authors: Okuya Kosuke , Kanazawa Norihiro , Kanda Takehiro , Kuwahara Masakazu , Matsuu Aya , Horie Masayuki , Masatani Tatsunori , Toda Shigehisa , Ozawa Makoto
Published: October 2017

An influenza A virus of H4N6 subtype was isolated from the Izumi plain, Japan, in 2013. Genetic analyses revealed that two viral genes (M and NS gene segments) of this isolate were genetically distinct from those of the H4N6 virus isolated from the same place in 2012. Furthermore, three viral genes (PB2, PB1 and M gene segments) of this isolate share high similarity with those of the North American isolates of 2014. These results suggest a high frequency of genetic reassortment of avian influenza viruses in Asian waterfowl and intercontinental movements of avian influenza viruses via migratory waterfowl.
Characterization of new microsatellite loci in Pieris amamioshimensis (Ericaceae), a species nearly extinct in the wild
Authors: Mitsui Yuki , Nagasawa Junichi , Maeda Yoshiyuki , Setoguchi Hiroaki
Published: October 2017

A set of 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers has been developed and characterized for the critically endangered species Pieris amamioshimensis. Fifty‐nine individuals of an ex‐situ population were used to identify these markers. The total number of alleles for each locus ranged from 3 to 9, with an average of 5.4. The expected heterozygosities (HS) and observed heterozygosities (HO) ranged from 0.47 to 0.77 and 0.22 to 0.88, respectively. In total, four loci exhibited significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium: two loci showed significant heterozygosity excess and the other two loci showed significant heterozygosity deficit. The polymorphism information content (0.43 ≤ PIC ≤ 0.73), the probability of exclusions (PE1 = 0.9565, PE2 = 0.9969 and PE3 = 0.9999) and probabilities for identity (PI = 3.78 × 10−9 and PI‐Sib = 2.35 × 10−4) suggest that these markers are useful for estimating not only genetic diversity but also parentage, for the ex‐situ conservation management of populations.
Assessing the Impact of Parliamentary Design: The Case of the Danish Committee on Gender Equality
Authors: Harder Mette Marie Stæhr
Published: October 2017

This article contributes to the literature on parliamentary design in general and the pioneer literature on parliamentary bodies specialized in gender equality in particular. It does so by establishing a frame for the critical assessment of the impacts of such an institutional design. Moreover, by using interviews and data on the behavior of committee members, it demonstrates the advantages of applying a mixed method within a field that has mostly relied on participant interviews. A systematic analysis of the impact of the Danish Committee on Gender Equality shows that although this particular committee has not succeeded in adding the perspective of gender equality to legislation, it has increased parliamentary control with the government. Furthermore, it has enabled much better interaction between parliament and civil society organizations.
Role of esophagogastroduodenoscopy in detecting distal duodenal lesions: A single‐center pilot study in Southern China
Authors: Qiao Wei Guang , Han Ze Min , Ren Yu Tang , Xing Tong Yin , Tan Wen Xin , De Liu Si , Zhi Fa Chao
Published: October 2017

OBJECTIVE

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a standard instrument for detecting upper gastrointestinal lesions. However, the distal duodenum is often missed. This study aimed to clarify the diagnostic role of EGD in the distal duodenum.

METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled patients with distal duodenal lesions who underwent EGD between January 2004 and July 2016 at our center. The rate of missed diagnosis using EGD examination was calculated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with the missed diagnoses.

RESULTS

Sixty‐three patients were included in the study. The overall diagnostic rate of distal duodenal lesions on EGD was 58.7%. After excluding the patients in whom the EGD did not reach the distal duodenum, this rate rose to 82.2%. In univariate analysis, intravenous sedation (26.8% vs 68.2%, odds ratio [OR] 0.171, P = 0.002), signs of lesions adjacent to the stomach (19.4% vs 62.5%, OR 0.099, P = 0.001), prior enteroscopy experience (15.0% vs 87.0%, OR 0.026, P < 0.001), and endoscopists with experiences of over 10 years (13.8% vs 64.7%, OR 0.087, P = 0.000) were associated with a decreased risk of missed diagnosis. In multivariate analysis, signs of lesions adjacent to the stomach (OR 0.167, P = 0.039) and prior enteroscopy experience (OR 0.035, P < 0.001) were significant independent protective factors.

CONCLUSION

EGD may be important in diagnosing distal duodenal lesions. Patients with gastric retention, blood in the stomach or erosion in the proximal duodenum may benefit from the deep insertion of EGD.
How do political connections cause SOEs and non‐SOEs to make different M&A decisions/performance? Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Qigui , Luo Tianpei , Tian Gary Gang
Published: October 2017

This study examines the impact that political connections have on Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) performance and the decisions of Chinese listed firms. We find that political connections destroy (create) value in SOEs (non‐SOEs). Our findings show that connected SOEs are more likely to acquire local targets, especially when the local unemployment rate is high and when the firms are controlled by the local government, and they are less likely to conduct vertical mergers. M&A decisions of connected non‐SOEs are less influenced by the government; instead, political connections in non‐SOEs help bidders to integrate vertically and obtain external financing support.
Beyond the Right to the City: Territorial Autogestion and the Take over the City Movement in 1970s Italy
Authors: Gray Neil
Published: October 2017

The cry and demand for the Right to the City (RttC) risks becoming a cliché, merely signifying urban rebellion rather than proving its practical content on the ground. I explore the limits of the thesis via its fraught entanglement with private property rights and the state‐form; and through Lefebvre's radical critique of the state, political economy and rights elsewhere. Rights claims, I contend, unintentionally reify the uneven power relations they aim to overcome, while routinely cauterising the hard‐fought collective social force that forces social gains. As a counter to the RttC thesis, I explore the autonomous Take over the City (TotC) movements of 1970s Italy, arguing that these largely neglected eminently immanent forms of territorial community activism, brought here into dialogue with Lefebvre's conception of territorial autogestion, surpassed the RttC thesis in praxis. The experience of “Laboratory Italy” thus provides highly suggestive lessons for a contemporary politics of urban space.
Effects of fire regime on plant species richness and composition differ among forest, woodland and heath vegetation
Authors: Foster Claire N. , Barton Philip S. , MacGregor Christopher I. , Catford Jane A. , Blanchard Wade , Lindenmayer David B.
Published: October 2017

Question

Do the effects of fire regimes on plant species richness and composition differ among floristically similar vegetation types?

Location

Booderee National Park, south‐eastern Australia.

Methods

We completed floristic surveys of 87 sites in Sydney Coastal dry sclerophyll vegetation, where fire history records have been maintained for over 55 years. We tested for associations between different aspects of the recent fire history and plant species richness and composition, and whether these relationships were consistent among structurally defined forest, woodland and heath vegetation types.

Results

The relationship between fire regime variables and plant species richness and composition differed among vegetation types, despite the three vegetation types having similar species pools. Fire frequency was positively related to species richness in woodland, negatively related to species richness in heath, and unrelated to species richness in forest. These different relationships were explained by differences in the associations between fire history and species traits among vegetation types. The negative relationship between fire frequency and species richness in heath vegetation was underpinned by reduced occurrence of resprouting species at high fire frequency sites (more than four fires in 55 years). However, in forest and woodland vegetation, resprouting species were not negatively associated with fire frequency.

Conclusions

We hypothesize that differing relationships among vegetation types were underpinned by differences in fire behaviour, and/or biotic and abiotic conditions, leading to differences in plant species mortality and post‐fire recovery among vegetation types. Our findings suggest that even when there is a high proportion of shared species between vegetation types, fires can have very different effects on vegetation communities, depending on the structural vegetation type. Both research and management of fire regimes may therefore benefit from considering vegetation types as separate management units.
Lag and mixing during sediment transfer across the Tian Shan piedmont caused by climate‐driven aggradation–incision cycles
Authors: Malatesta Luca C. , Avouac Jean‐Philippe , Brown Nathan D. , Breitenbach Sebastian F. M. , Pan Jiawei , Chevalier Marie‐Luce , Rhodes Edward , Saint‐Carlier Dimitri , Zhang Wenjing , Charreau Julien , Lavé Jérôme , Blard Pierre‐Henri
Published: October 2017

Transient sediment storage and mixing of deposits of various ages during transport across alluvial piedmonts alter the clastic sedimentary record. We quantify buffering and mixing during cycles of aggradation–incision in the north piedmont of the Eastern Tian Shan. We complement existing chronologic data with 20 new luminescence ages and one cosmogenic radionuclide age of terrace abandonment and alluvial aggradation. Over the last 0.5 Myr, the piedmont deeply incised and aggraded many times per 100 kyr. Aggradation is driven by an increased flux of glacial sediment accumulated in the high range and flushed onto the piedmont by greater water discharge at stadial–interstadial transitions. After this sediment is evacuated from the high range, the reduced input sediment flux results in fluvial incision of the piedmont as fast as 9 cm year−1and to depths up to 330 m. The timing of incision onset is different in each river and does not directly reflect climate forcing but the necessary time for the evacuation of glacial sediment from the high range. A significant fraction of sediments evacuated from the high range is temporarily stored on the piedmont before a later incision phase delivers it to the basin. Coarse sediments arrive in the basin with a lag of at least 7–14 kyrs between the first evacuation from the mountain and later basinward transport. The modern output flux of coarse sediments from the piedmont contains a significant amount of recycled material that was deposited on the piedmont as early as the Middle Pleistocene. Variations in temperature and moisture delivered by the Westerlies are the likely cause of repeated aggradation–incision cycles in the north piedmont instead of monsoonal precipitation. The arrival of the gravel front into the proximal basin is delayed relative to the fine‐grained load and both are separated by a hiatus. This work shows, based on field observations and data, how sedimentary systems respond to climatic perturbations, and how sediment recycling and mixing can ensue.
Extreme weather events in northeastern New Brunswick (Canada) for the period 1950–2012: Comparison of newspaper archive and weather station data
Authors: Mallet Julie , Fortin Guillaume , Germain Daniel
Published: October 2017

Key Messages

Extreme weather events observed since the mid‐20th century have had major impacts on coastal regions in northeastern New Brunswick.

Joint use of data from newspaper archives and meteorological stations make it possible to better quantify the number, frequency, and impacts of major extreme events.

Results could inform and help land‐use planning and management efforts to reduce societal vulnerabilities facing extreme events in coastal regions.
Discrimination and Ethnic–Racial Identity: Understanding Direction of Effects Using Within‐ and Between‐Person Analyses
Authors: Zeiders Katharine H. , Bayless Sara D. , Derlan Chelsea L. , Umaña‐Taylor Adriana J. , Updegraff Kimberly A. , Jahromi Laudan B.
Published: October 2017

Ethnic–racial identity (ERI) development and ethnic–racial discrimination are two salient experiences among adolescents in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the costs and benefits of these experiences individually, we know little about how they may influence one another. The current study examined competing hypotheses relating discrimination and components of ERI (i.e., exploration, resolution, affirmation) among a sample of Mexican‐origin adolescent mothers (N = 181; Mage at Wave 1 = 16.83, SD = 1.01) across six waves of data. Findings revealed that within‐person changes in discrimination predicted subsequent ERI resolution and affirmation; however, ERI did not predict subsequent discrimination. Between‐person effects of discrimination on affirmation were significant. Our findings underscore the importance of discrimination experiences in shaping Mexican‐origin adolescent mothers’ normative developmental competencies.
Antibiotics, gut microbiome and obesity
Authors: Leong Karen S. W. , Derraik José G. B. , Hofman Paul L. , Cutfield Wayne S.
Published: October 2017

Antibiotics have been hailed by many as “miracle drugs” that have been effectively treating infectious diseases for over a century, leading to a marked reduction in morbidity and mortality. However, with the increasing use of antibiotics, we are now faced not only with the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance, but also with a rising concern about potential long‐term effects of antibiotics on human health, including the development of obesity. The obesity pandemic continues to increase, a problem that affects both adults and children alike. Disruptions to the gut microbiome have been linked to a multitude of adverse conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, anxiety, autism, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. This review focuses on the association between antibiotics and obesity, and the role of the gut microbiome. There is strong evidence supporting the role of antibiotics in the development of obesity in well‐controlled animal models. However, evidence for this link in humans is still inconclusive, and we need further well‐designed clinical trials to clarify this association.
The influence of crown‐to‐implant ratio on marginal bone levels around splinted short dental implants: A radiological and clincial short term analysis
Authors: Hingsammer Lukas , Watzek Georg , Pommer Bernhard
Published: October 2017

Background

The amount of marginal bone resorption around dental implants is considered to have a significant impact on implant stability as well as implant survival rates.

Purpose

The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the influence of prosthetic as well as patient specific factors on marginal bone loss around short dental implants.

Materials and methods

Seventy‐six implants, which supported splinted crowns were included for investigation. All implants were from the same type and had an intraosseous length of 6.5 mm and a diameter of 4.0 mm. Twenty implants were additionally splinted onto longer ones. Measurements of marginal bone loss were performed at a mean of 12.38 months after prosthetic loading and the mean follow‐up for clinical evaluation was 20.52 months.

Results

Overall two implant failures were recorded, revealing a survival rate of 97.3%. Marginal bone resorption around 72 short implants measured 0.71 mm (SD: 0.74 mm) and was found to have a strong correlation with calculated Crown‐to‐Implant ratio (r = .71; P < .001). Age, gender, insertion torque, implant surface area, location, position, bone quality, and insertion torque did not influence peri‐implant bone loss after one year of loading.

Conclusion

Within the limitations of the study, it is suggested that Crown‐to‐Implant ratios should not exceed 1.7 to avoid increased early marginal bone loss.
Genetic diversity and population structure of Anastrepha obliqua in southwestern Colombia
Authors: Aguirre‐Ramirez Elkin J. , Velasco‐Cuervo Sandra M. , Gallo‐Franco Jenny J. , Gonzáles Ranulfo , Carrejo Nancy S. , Toro‐Perea Nelson
Published: October 2017

The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a quarantine pest in Colombia that infests economically important plants, although little is known about its population dynamics. In this study, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (ND6) mitochondrial genes were concatenated to characterise the genetic diversity and population structure of A. obliqua, associated with two factors: (1) ecosystem differences in two geographical regions of southwestern Colombia (the inter‐Andean valley of the Cauca River and the mountain region), and (2) the host plants present in the area. Additionally, a first approach was made at understanding the species demographic history. Seven haplotypes were found with Kimura 2‐parameter (K2P) genetic distances between 0.1 and 4%. Haplotype genealogies and demographic analyses suggest that the population of A. obliqua in southwestern Colombia is the result of introductory events of multiple populations of A. obliqua. However, the data indicate that the population genetic structure could be related to the ecological differences of the two regions being studied. Significant differences were also found among the distribution of haplotype frequencies of A. obliqua with regard to the diversity of host plants. This study is the first to provide an understanding of the population dynamics of A. obliqua in Colombia, which may ultimately contribute to strategies, such as sterile insect technique (SIT), for the management of the pest.
Deuterium‐reinforced polyunsaturated fatty acids improve cognition in a mouse model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Elharram Ahmed , Czegledy Nicole M. , Golod Michael , Milne Ginger L. , Pollock Erik , Bennett Brian M. , Shchepinov Mikhail S.
Published: October 2017

Oxidative damage resulting from increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) is considered an important factor in the development of late onset/age‐related Alzheimer's disease (AD). Deuterium‐reinforced polyunsaturated fatty acids (D‐PUFAs) are more resistant to the reactive oxygen species‐initiated chain reaction of LPO than regular hydrogenated (H‐) PUFAs. We investigated the effect of D‐PUFA treatment on LPO and cognitive performance in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (Aldh2) null mice, an established model of oxidative stress‐related cognitive impairment that exhibits AD‐like pathologies. Mice were fed a Western‐type diet containing either D‐ or H‐PUFAs for 18 weeks. D‐PUFA treatment markedly decreased cortex and hippocampus F2‐isoprostanes by approximately 55% and prostaglandin F2α by 20–25% as compared to H‐PUFA treatment. D‐PUFAs consistently improved performance in cognitive/memory tests, essentially resetting performance of the D‐PUFA‐fed Aldh2−/− mice to that of wild‐type mice fed a typical laboratory diet. D‐PUFAs therefore represent a promising new strategy to broadly reduce rates of LPO, and combat cognitive decline in AD.
Financial Institutions Network and the Certification Value of Bank Loans
Authors: Godlewski Christophe J. , Sanditov Bulat
Published: October 2017

Social networks play an important role in mitigating informational frictions related to financial intermediation, especially bank lending. We investigate the effect of the network of financial institutions on the certification value of bank loans using data on syndicated loans to European companies. We find that the presence of more central leaders in a syndicate substantially increases the stock market's reaction to loan announcements. This certification value is reinforced when informational frictions are more important but vanishes when there are severe disruptions in the functioning of financial markets, such as during the financial crisis of 2008.