bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Du participe passé en français
Authors: Bres Jacques , Le Bellec Christel
Published: February 2018

Résumés

Du participe passé en français : fonctionnements, valeur en langue et effets de sens en discours

Qu’est-ce qui fait que le participe passé en emploi nu peut être incident au prime actant des intransitifs-être (à l’exception de aller), de quelques rares intransitifs-avoir, de certains pronominaux, ainsi qu’au second actant des transitifs ? Mais qu’il ne peut être incident au prime actant ni des intransitifs-avoir (dans leur grande majorité) ni des transitifs ? Il apparaît que les paramètres de l’agentivité et de la transitionnalité permettent de décrire ce fonctionnement. L’hypothèse que nous développons propose l’aspect détensif du participe passé comme étant la clé explicative. Nous testons cette hypothèse en analysant les différents effets de sens en discours du participe passé en fonction de l’aspect lexical du procès.
On the length spectrum Teichmüller spaces of Riemann surfaces of infinite type
Authors: Kinjo Erina
Published: February 2018

On the Teichmüller space

T
(

R
0

)

T(R_0)

of a hyperbolic Riemann surface

R
0

R_0

, we consider the length spectrum metric

d
L

d_L

, which measures the difference of hyperbolic structures of Riemann surfaces. It is known that if

R
0

R_0

is of finite type, then

d
L

d_L

defines the same topology as that of Teichmüller metric

d
T

d_T

on

T
(

R
0

)

T(R_0)

. In 2003, H. Shiga extended the discussion to the Teichmüller spaces of Riemann surfaces of infinite type and proved that the two metrics define the same topology on

T
(

R
0

)

T(R_0)

if

R
0

R_0

satisfies some geometric condition. After that, Alessandrini-Liu-Papadopoulos-Su proved that for the Riemann surface satisfying Shiga’s condition, the identity map between the two metric spaces is locally bi-Lipschitz.

In this paper, we extend their results; that is, we show that if

R
0

R_0

has bounded geometry, then the identity map
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="left-parenthesis upper T left-parenthesis upper R 0 right-parenthesis comma d Subscript upper L Baseline right-parenthesis right-arrow left-parenthesis upper T left-parenthesis upper R 0 right-parenthesis comma d Subscript upper T Baseline right-parenthesis">

(
T
(

R
0

)
,

d
L

)
→
(
T
(

R
0

)
,

d
T

)

(T(R_0),d_L) \to (T(R_0),d_T)

is locally bi-Lipschitz.
Optimal Schedule for Assessing Home BP Variability: The Finn-Home Study
Authors: Juhanoja Eeva P , Johansson Jouni K , Puukka Pauli J , Jula Antti M , Niiranen Teemu J
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines make no recommendations on the optimal timing or number of measurements for assessing home blood pressure variability (HBPV). Our aim was to elucidate the optimal schedule for measuring HBPV in relation to cardiovascular risk.

METHODS

In total, 1,706 Finnish adults (56.5 ± 8.5 years; 54% women) self-measured their home blood pressure (HBP) twice in the morning and evening during 7 consecutive days. The participants were followed up for cardiovascular events. We examined the association between HBPV (coefficient of variation based on 2 through 7 measurement days) and cardiovascular events using Cox regression models adjusted for HBP and other cardiovascular risk factors.

RESULTS

During a follow-up of 11.8 ± 3.1 years, 216 cardiovascular events occurred. Systolic morning HBPV based on three (hazard ratio [HR], 1.039; 95% confidence interval, 1.006–1.074, model c statistic 0.737) through seven (HR, 1.057; 95% confidence interval, 1.012–1.104, model c statistic 0.737) measurement days was significantly associated with cardiovascular events. Agreement in classification to normal vs. increased morning day-to-day HBPV between consecutive measurement days became substantial (κ = 0.69 for systolic and κ = 0.68 for diastolic) after the fourth measurement day. The associations of diastolic HBPV, evening HBPV, all-day HBPV, and variability based on first measurements of each measurement occasion, with cardiovascular outcomes were nonsignificant or remained significant only after the sixth measurement day.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest systolic HBP should be measured twice in the morning for at least 3 days when assessing HBPV. Increasing the number of measurement days from 3 to 7 results in marginal improvement in prognostic accuracy.
ShinyKGode: an interactive application for ODE parameter inference using gradient matching
Authors: Wandy Joe , Niu Mu , Giurghita Diana , Daly Rónán , Rogers Simon , Husmeier Dirk
Published: February 2018

Motivation

Mathematical modelling based on ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is widely used to describe the dynamics of biological systems, particularly in systems and pathway biology. Often the kinetic parameters of these ODE systems are unknown and have to be inferred from the data. Approximate parameter inference methods based on gradient matching (which do not require performing computationally expensive numerical integration of the ODEs) have been getting popular in recent years, but many implementations are difficult to run without expert knowledge. Here, we introduce ShinyKGode, an interactive web application to perform fast parameter inference on ODEs using gradient matching.

Results

ShinyKGode can be used to infer ODE parameters on simulated and observed data using gradient matching. Users can easily load their own models in Systems Biology Markup Language format, and a set of pre-defined ODE benchmark models are provided in the application. Inferred parameters are visualized alongside diagnostic plots to assess convergence.

Availability and implementation

The R package for ShinyKGode can be installed through the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN). Installation instructions, as well as tutorial videos and source code are available at https://joewandy.github.io/shinyKGode.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Draft genome of the protandrous Chinese black porgy, Acanthopagrus schlegelii
Authors: Zhang Zhiyong , Zhang Kai , Chen Shuyin , Zhang Zhiwei , Zhang Jinyong , You Xinxin , Bian Chao , Xu Jin , Jia Chaofeng , Qiang Jun , Zhu Fei , Li Hongxia , Liu Hailin , Shen Dehua , Ren Zhonghong , Chen Jieming , Li Jia , Gao Tianheng , Gu Ruobo , Xu Junmin , Shi Qiong , Xu Pao
Published: February 2018

Background

As one of the most popular and valuable commercial marine fishes in China and East Asian countries, the Chinese black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii), also known as the blackhead seabream, has some attractive characteristics such as fast growth rate, good meat quality, resistance to diseases, and excellent adaptability to various environments. Furthermore, the black porgy is a good model for investigating sex changes in fish due to its protandrous hermaphroditism. Here, we obtained a high-quality genome assembly of this interesting teleost species and performed a genomic survey on potential genes associated with the sex-change phenomenon.

Findings

We generated 175.4 gigabases (Gb) of clean sequence reads using a whole-genome shotgun sequencing strategy. The final genome assembly is approximately 688.1 megabases (Mb), accounting for 93% of the estimated genome size (739.6 Mb). The achieved scaffold N50 is 7.6 Mb, reaching a relatively high level among sequenced fish species. We identified 19 465 protein-coding genes, which had an average transcript length of 17.3 kb. By performing a comparative genomic analysis, we found 3 types of genes potentially associated with sex change, which are useful for studying the genetic basis of the protandrous hermaphroditism.

Conclusions

We provide a draft genome assembly of the Chinese black porgy and discuss the potential genetic mechanisms of sex change. These data are also an important resource for studying the biology and for facilitating breeding of this economically important fish.
The Burden of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: A Prospective Cohort Study of 20 000 Infants in Finland
Authors: Puhakka Laura , Lappalainen Maija , Lönnqvist Tuula , Niemensivu Riina , Lindahl Päivi , Nieminen Tea , Seuri Raija , Nupponen Irmeli , Pati Sunil , Boppana Suresh , Saxen Harri
Published: February 2018

In our population-based screening study, the burden of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection was low; the prevalence was only 0.2%, and neurodevelopmental, ophthalmological, and hearing outcomes in the CMV-positive infants did not differ from those of matched healthy controls at 18 months of age.
Rapid M1 Hemoclips Arteriotomy Repair After Emergency Coil Embolectomy
Authors: Saad Hassan , Krisht Khaled M , Yang Wei-hsun , Aboud Emad , Krisht Ali F
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

The vascular closure staple clips have been studied in animal models and shown to have comparable results with sutured repair when it comes to the healing process, degree of vessel narrowing, and risk of thrombosis. However, they are clearly superior when the speed of application is taken into account, and they were clinically used in many vascular repair processes. Nevertheless, their usefulness in intracranial vascular surgery has not been described.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the usefulness of hemoclips in fast and efficient repair of medium-sized and large intracranial vessels.

METHODS

Two female patients diagnosed with giant symptomatic cavernous sinus aneurysms were undergoing elective endovascular procedures that were complicated by the dislodgement of coils into the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. Both patients were treated performing M1 arteriotomies and coil embolectomy. To avoid prolonged temporary occlusion in the M1 perforator's territory, the arteriotomies were repaired using microhemoclips in less than 10 min with re-establishment of flow.

RESULTS

In both patients, flow was re-established in the M1 segments. In 1 patient, the coils extended to the temporal M2 causing intimal injury and leading to diminished flow. M1 segments in both patients were patent on later angiographic studies.

CONCLUSION

We describe the advantage of emergent cerebrovascular arteriotomy and embolectomy in a rapid repair process that helped avoid massive ischemic injury. We believe this technique should be added to the armamentarium of neurosurgical cerebrovascular options.
Cas-CLIP: a method for customizing pooled CRISPR libraries
Authors: Kweon Jiyeon , Kim Da-eun , Jang An-Hee , Kim Yongsub
Published: February 2018

ABSCTRACT

Although pooled CRISPR libraries are widely used in high-throughput screening to study various biological processes, library construction for researcher’s own study is a time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive process. In this study, we develop a simple, scalable method, called Cas-CLIP, to customize conventional pooled CRISPR libraries using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We show that conventional pooled CRISPR libraries can be modified by eliminating gRNAs that target positive genes, enabling the identification of unknown target genes in CRISPR screening. Cas-CLIP is a precise method for customizing conventional pooled CRISPR libraries and will broaden the scope of high-throughput screening technology.
A linear mixed model approach to study multivariate gene-environment interactions
Authors: Moore Rachel , Casale Francesco Paolo , Bonder Marc Jan , Horta Danilo ,   BIOS Consortium, Franke Lude , Barroso Inês , Stegle Oliver
Published: February 2018

Different environmental factors, including diet, physical activity, or external conditions can contribute to genotype-environment interactions (GxE). Although high-dimensional environmental data are increasingly available, and multiple environments have been implicated with GxE at the same loci, multi-environment tests for GxE are not established. Such joint analyses can increase power to detect GxE and improve the interpretation of these effects. Here, we propose the structured linear mixed model (StructLMM), a computationally efficient method to test for and characterize loci that interact with multiple environments. After validating our model using simulations, we apply StructLMM to body mass index in UK Biobank, where our method detects previously known and novel GxE signals. Finally, in an application to a large blood eQTL dataset, we demonstrate that StructLMM can be used to study interactions with hundreds of environmental variables.
Directed Conservative Causal Core Gene Networks
Authors: Altay Gokmen
Published: February 2018

Motivation:

Inferring large scale directional networks with higher accuracy has important applications such as gene regulatory network or finance.

Results:

We modified a well-established conservative causal core network inference algorithm, C3NET, to be able to infer very large scale networks with direction information. This advanced version is called Ac3net. We demonstrate that Ac3net outperforms C3NET and many other popular algorithms when considering the directional interaction information of gene/protein networks. We provide and R package and present performance results that are reproducible via the Supplementary file.

Availability:

Ac3net is available on CRAN and at github.com/altayg/Ac3net

Contact:

altay@lji.org

Supplementary information:

Supplementary file is available online.
Membrane proteins with high N-glycosylation, high expression, and multiple interaction partners were preferred by mammalian viruses as receptors
Authors: Zhang Zheng , Zhu Zhaozhong , Chen Wenjun , Cai Zena , Xu Beibei , Tan Zhiying , Wu Aiping , Ge Xingyi , Guo Xinhong , Tan Zhongyang , Xia Zanxian , Zhu Haizhen , Jiang Taijiao , Peng Yousong
Published: February 2018

Receptor mediated entry is the first step for viral infection. However, the relationship between viruses and receptors is still obscure. Here, by manually curating a high-quality database of 268 pairs of mammalian virus-host receptor interaction, which included 128 unique viral species or sub-species and 119 virus receptors, we found the viral receptors were structurally and functionally diverse, yet they had several common features when compared to other cell membrane proteins: more protein domains, higher level of N-glycosylation, higher ratio of self-interaction and more interaction partners, and higher expression in most tissues of the host. Additionally, the receptors used by the same virus tended to co-evolve. Further correlation analysis between viral receptors and the tissue and host specificity of the virus shows that the virus receptor similarity was a significant predictor for mammalian virus cross-species. This work could deepen our understanding towards the viral receptor selection and help evaluate the risk of viral zoonotic diseases.
Generating retinal flow maps from structural optical coherence tomography with artificial intelligence
Authors: Lee Cecilia S. , Tyring Ariel J. , Wu Yue , Xiao Sa , Rokem Ariel S. , Deruyter Nicolaas P. , Zhang Qinqin , Tufail Adnan , Wang Ruikang K. , Lee Aaron Y.
Published: February 2018

Despite advances in artificial intelligence (AI), its application in medical imaging has been burdened and limited by expert-generated labels. We used images from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), a relatively new imaging modality that measures retinal blood flow, to train an AI algorithm to generate flow maps from standard optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, exceeding the ability and bypassing the need for expert labeling. Deep learning was able to infer flow from single structural OCT images with similar fidelity to OCTA and significantly better than expert clinicians (P < 0.00001). Our model allows generating flow maps from large volumes of previously collected OCT data in existing clinical trials and clinical practice. This finding demonstrates a novel application of AI to medical imaging, whereby subtle regularities between different modalities are used to image the same body part and AI is used to generate detailed inferences of tissue function from structure imaging.
Animal learning in a multidimensional discrimination task as explained by dimension-specific allocation of attention
Authors: Aluisi Flavia , Rubinchik Anna , Morris Genela
Published: February 2018

Reinforcement learning describes the process by which during a series of trial-and-error attempts, actions that culminate in reward are strengthened. When the actions are based on sensory stimuli, an association is formed between the stimulus, the action and the reward. Computational, behavioral and neurobiological accounts of this process successfully explain simple stimulus-response learning. However, if the cue is multi-dimensional, identifying which of its features are relevant for the reward is not trivial, and the underlying cognitive process is poorly understood. To study this we adapted an intra-dimensional/ extra-dimensional set-shifting paradigm to train rodents on a multidimensional sensory discrimination task. In our setup, stimuli of different modalities (spatial, olfactory and visual) are combined into complex cues and manipulated independently. In each set, only a single stimulus dimension is relevant for reward. To distinguish between learning and decision-making we suggest a weighted attention model (WAM). It combines a learning model where each feature-dimension is reinforced separately with a decision rule that chooses an alternative according to a weighted average of learnt values, in which weight is associated with each dimension. We estimated the parameters of the WAM (decision weights, learning rate and noise) and demonstrated that is outperforms an alternative model in which a value learnt is assigned to each combination of features, or every state. Estimated decision weights of WAM reveal an experience-based bias in learning. The intra-dimensional set shift separated the decision weights. While in the first phase of the experiment the weights were roughly the same, in the second phase the weight on the dimension that was key to finding the reward became higher than others. After the extra-dimensional shift this dimension became irrelevant, however its decision weight remained high for the early learning stage in this last phase, providing an explanation for the poor performance of the animals. By the end of the phase when the rats performance improved, the weights for the two dimensions converged. Thus, estimated weights can be viewed as a possible way to quantify the experience-based bias.
High-resolution structure of the Influenza A virus PB2cap binding domain illuminates the changes induced by ligand binding
Authors: Constantinides Amanda , Gumpper Ryan , Severin Chelsea , Luo Ming
Published: February 2018

In the face of increasing drug resistance and the rapidly increasing necessity for practicality in clinical settings, drugs targeting different viral proteins are needed in order to control influenza A and B. A small molecule that tenaciously adheres to the PB2cap binding domain, part of the heterotrimeric RNA polymerase machinery of influenza A virus and influenza B virus, is a promising drug candidate. Understanding the anatomic behavior of PB2cap upon ligand binding will aid in the development of a more robust inhibitor. In this report, the anatomic behavior of the influenza A virus PB2cap domain is established by solving the crystal structure of native influenza A virus PB2cap at 1.52 Å resolution. By comparing it with the ligand-bound structure, the dissociation and rotation of the ligand-binding domain in PB2cap from the C-terminal domain is identified. This domain movement is present in many PB2cap structures, suggesting its functional relevance for polymerase activity.
The first crystal structure of manganese superoxide dismutase from the genusStaphylococcus
Authors: Retnoningrum Debbie S. , Yoshida Hiromi , Arumsari Sekar , Kamitori Shigehiro , Ismaya Wangsa T.
Published: February 2018

A recombinantStaphylococcus equorummanganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) with an Asp13Arg substitution displays activity over a wide range of pH, at high temperature and in the presence of chaotropic agents, and retains 50% of its activity after irradiation with UVC for up to 45 min. Interestingly,Bacillus subtilisMnSOD does not have the same stability, despite having a closely similar primary structure and thus presumably also tertiary structure. Here, the crystal structure ofS. equorumMnSOD at 1.4 Å resolution is reported that may explain these differences. The crystal belonged to space groupP3221, with unit-cell parametersa= 57.36,b= 57.36,c= 105.76 Å, and contained one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The symmetry operation indicates that the enzyme has a dimeric structure, as found in nature and inB. subtilisMnSOD. As expected, their overall structures are nearly identical. However, the loop connecting the helical and α/β domains ofS. equorumMnSOD is shorter than that inB. subtilisMnSOD, and adopts a conformation that allows more direct water-mediated hydrogen-bond interactions between the amino-acid side chains of the first and last α-helices in the latter domain. Furthermore,S. equorumMnSOD has a slightly larger buried area compared with the dimer surface area than that inB. subtilisMnSOD, while the residues that form the interaction in the dimer-interface region are highly conserved. Thus, the stability ofS. equorumMnSOD may not originate from the dimeric form alone. Furthermore, an additional water molecule was found in the active site. This allows an alternative geometry for the coordination of the Mn atom in the active site of the apo form. This is the first structure of MnSOD from the genusStaphylococcusand may provide a template for the structural study of other MnSODs from this genus.
Cloning, purification and structure determination of the HIV integrase-binding domain of lens epithelium-derived growth factor
Authors: Hannon Clare , Cruz-Migoni Abimael , Platonova Olga , Owen Robin L. , Nettleship Joanne E. , Miller Ami , Carr Stephen B. , Harris Gemma , Rabbitts Terence H. , Phillips Simon E. V.
Published: February 2018

Lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF)/p75 is the dominant binding partner of HIV-1 integrase in human cells. The crystal structure of the HIV integrase-binding domain (IBD) of LEDGF has been determined in the absence of ligand. IBD was overexpressed inEscherichia coli, purified and crystallized by sitting-drop vapour diffusion. X-ray diffraction data were collected at Diamond Light Source to a resolution of 2.05 Å. The crystals belonged to space groupP21, with eight polypeptide chains in the asymmetric unit arranged as an unusual octamer composed of four domain-swapped IBD dimers. IBD exists as a mixture of monomers and dimers in concentrated solutions, but the dimers are unlikely to be biologically relevant.
Enhancement of the thermostability of mouse claudin-3 on complex formation with the carboxyl-terminal region ofClostridium perfringensenterotoxin improves crystal quality
Authors: Nakamura Shun , Fujiyoshi Yoshinori , Irie Katsumasa
Published: February 2018

Tight junctions regulate substance permeation through intercellular spaces as a physical barrier or a paracellular pathway, and play an important role in maintaining the internal environment. Claudins, which are tetraspan-transmembrane proteins, are pivotal components of tight junctions. In mammals 27 claudin subtypes have been identified, each of which interacts with specific subtypes. Although the crystal structures of several subtypes have been determined, the molecular mechanisms underlying subtype specificity remain unclear. Here, mouse claudin-3 (mCldn3) was crystallized in complex with the C-terminal region ofClostridium perfringensenterotoxin (C-CPE) for the structural analysis of an additional claudin subtype. mCldn3 alone was difficult to crystallize, but complex formation with C-CPE enhanced the thermostability of mCldn3 and facilitated its crystallization. The introduction of an S313A mutation into C-CPE further improved its thermostability, and the resolution limits of the diffraction data sets improved from 8 Å for the wild-type complex to 4.7 Å for the S313A mutant complex.
Crystal structure of theMSMEG_4306gene product fromMycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Kumar Adarsh , Karthikeyan Subramanian
Published: February 2018

TheMSMEG_4306gene fromMycobacterium smegmatisencodes a protein of unknown function with 242 amino-acid residues that contains a conserved zinc-ribbon domain at its C-terminus. Here, the crystal structure of MSMEG_4306 determined by the single-wavelength anomalous dispersion method using just one zinc ion co-purified with the protein is reported. The crystal structure of MSMEG_4306 shows a coiled-coil helix domain in the N-terminal region and a zinc-ribbon domain in the C-terminal region. A structural similarity search against the Protein Data Bank using MSMEG_4306 as a query revealed two similar structures, namely CT398 fromChlamydia trachomatisand HP0958 fromHelicobacter pylori, although they share only ∼15% sequence identity with MSMEG_4306. Based on comparative analysis, it is predicted that MSMEG_4306 may be involved in secretion systems, possibly by interacting with multiple proteins or nucleic acids.
Crystal structure of an inferred ancestral bacterial pyruvate decarboxylase
Authors: Buddrus Lisa , Andrews Emma S. V. , Leak David J. , Danson Michael J. , Arcus Vickery L. , Crennell Susan J.
Published: February 2018

Pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC; EC 4.1.1.1) is a key enzyme in homofermentative metabolism where ethanol is the major product. PDCs are thiamine pyrophosphate- and Mg2+ion-dependent enzymes that catalyse the non-oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetaldehyde and carbon dioxide. As this enzyme class is rare in bacteria, current knowledge of bacterial PDCs is extremely limited. One approach to further the understanding of bacterial PDCs is to exploit the diversity provided by evolution. Ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) is a method of computational molecular evolution to infer extinct ancestral protein sequences, which can then be synthesized and experimentally characterized. Through ASR a novel PDC was generated, designated ANC27, that shares only 78% amino-acid sequence identity with its closest extant homologue (Komagataeibacter medellinensisPDC, GenBank accession No. WP_014105323.1), yet is fully functional. Crystals of this PDC diffracted to 3.5 Å resolution. The data were merged in space groupP3221, with unit-cell parametersa=b =108.33,c= 322.65 Å, and contained two dimers (two tetramer halves) in the asymmetric unit. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using PDB entry 2wvg as a model, and the finalRvalues wereRwork= 0.246 (0.3671 in the highest resolution bin) andRfree= 0.319 (0.4482 in the highest resolution bin). Comparison with extant bacterial PDCs supports the previously observed correlation between decreased tetramer interface area (and number of interactions) and decreased thermostability.
What drives organic food purchasing? – evidence from Croatia
Authors: Ham Marija , Pap Ana , Stanic Marina
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the direction and strength of the influence of inherent factors of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and to extend a model with the variable “uniqueness-seeking lifestyle” to better explain the variance in the intention to purchase organic food and the referent actual behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors empirically investigated what drives consumers to purchase organic food using structural equation modelling in AMOS. The research was based on an in-person survey carried out on a convenient sample of 411 primary household shoppers in Croatia.

Findings

The study was able to capture not only the influence of inherent factors in TPB and the extension variable (all proposed constructs were shown to have a significant positive influence on intention, and intention had a significant positive influence on actual behaviour), but also the indirect and mediation effects of the variables within the model, which explain 87 per cent of the variance in intention and 21 per cent of the variance in actual behaviour.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence of the role that desired uniqueness plays in a situation involving the purchase of organic food and responds to the requests of many researchers to investigate beyond intention and to try to identify what influences actual behaviour. This study proposes a new way of measuring actual purchases by asking a respondent to consider their actual purchase in different product categories. Furthermore, this research proposes measuring intention as a latent variable that consists of the variable “willingness to pay more” as well as the “commitment” to the decision regardless of any perceived obstacles.
Passive body touch and perceived intensity of spice: softer means spicier
Authors: Tu Yangjun , Ma Chaoqun , Wu Yueyan , Yang Zhi
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Active touch experienced by the hand and mouth can influence the evaluation of the taste of food. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of a passive body touch experience on the perceived intensity of spiciness.

Design/methodology/approach

This study includes three experiments. In Experiment 1, 32 college students tasted half of one piece of spicy bean curd while sitting on either a hard wooden chair or a soft padded chair. Experiment 2 was conducted using the blindfold method to avoid the influence of visual cues on taste, keeping the other details the same as in Experiment 1. Experiment 3 was performed with two changes from Experiment 2: the participants were blindfolded immediately before entering the lab from the waiting room to completely block all visual cues for the experimental materials, and armless stools were used to eliminate the passive touch on the participants’ backs.

Findings

All three experiments consistently found that the participants sitting on the soft padded chair or the soft armless stool perceived the spicy bean curd as significantly spicier than those sitting on the hard wooden chair or the hard armless stool.

Originality/value

These results preliminarily support the hypothesis that a crossmodal correspondence exists between passive body touch and sense of taste (especially spiciness, as in this study), demonstrating the importance of passive body touch and, more generally, of the touchable features in places where food is consumed, such as hotels, restaurants and bars.
Real fruit substitution: the case of at-risk American families
Authors: Maher Jill K. , Crawley Daria , Potter Jodi
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Children’s fruit intake is a part of healthy nutrition. Several children’s food products “look like” fruit; hence potentially fruit substitutes. Packaging includes brand names, indicators, and health claims related to fruit. These packaging cues may potentially lead to misperceptions of the products. The purpose of this paper is to examine at-risk parents’ substitutions of children’s fruit-branded products for real fruit. At-risk parents are of particular interest as they are a vulnerable segment when it comes to nutrition.

Design/methodology/approach

At-risk families (n=149) completed a survey of their perceptions of children’s nutritional needs, fruit product substitutions, and brand purchase behavior.

Findings

At-risk parents report erroneous perceptions of children’s nutritional fruit intake needs. The results suggest that parents believe fruit-branded products are equivalent to real fruit. Parents’ knowledge and beliefs of fruit equivalency impact purchase decisions.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include potential self-reporting and convenience sampling bias. The study did not attend to the complete product nutritional profile; only on fruit content. Future research should investigate other factors affecting food purchase decisions.

Practical implications

Industry and policy implications include the balance between governmental regulation of food marketing, voluntary corporate responsibility, and the need for education.

Originality/value

This study provides insights into children’s food product packaging on at-risk family perceptions of real fruit substitutes and purchase behaviors. With the market for these products increasing, there is limited research investigating the impact of these products on children’s nutritional intake.
Older adults’ involvement in developing satisfactory pasta sauces with healthy ingredients
Authors: Predieri Stefano , Sotis Gianluca , Rodinò Paola , Gatti Edoardo , Magli Massimiliano , Rossi Federica , Daniele Giulia Maria , Cianciabella Marta , Volpe Roberto
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The third age can be a period of major food consumption changes. Either voluntary or imposed by health issues, they may be accompanied by alterations in sensory acuity. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how lifelong food habits and health-age issues affect food choice at a later age, with the aim of developing strategies to direct aged people toward healthier food habits.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey, aimed to investigate differences between current and past food habits, was carried out in a group of 170 Italian older adults. Questions focused on the composition of the main meal, asking participants to describe its actual structure and to highlight differences in previous years’ food habits. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was planned, during which participants were asked to help formulating innovative pasta sauces with healthy ingredients.

Findings

This survey clearly illustrated gender-related differences: women were characterized by a higher consumption of vegetables, while men revealed a more frequent use of wine, pasta and meat. The DCE technique suited older adults’ abilities and enabled the development of innovative sauces, indicating a clear preference for extra virgin olive oil, as compared to cream or butter. Gender-related differences were confirmed: women mainly chose a vegetarian sauce, while men expressed an inclination for red meat.

Originality/value

This is the first report of a successful application of the DCE technique to investigate older adults’ dietary choices. The outspoken preference for olive oil as fat in sauce composition is a positive finding for future actions aimed at directing older adults toward healthier food habits.
Food fraud detection by Czech Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority in retail market
Authors: Koubová Jana , Samková Eva , Hasonová Lucie
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate food fraud detection in the Czech food retail market based on the findings of the Czech Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA).

Design/methodology/approach

The outcomes of administrative proceedings from 2009 and 2013 were used. Data were collected from e-databases of the CAFIA and sorted by the current valid qualification for food fraud following Article 16, Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Findings

Food fraud was detected, almost to the same extent, in both selected years by laboratory testing as well as on the basis of “on the spot” controls in retail establishments. The meat products were a food group with the most fraudulent tendency in both selected years.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the overview of food fraud and could help to detect ways of food deception for the competent authorities and consumers.
Measuring the performance efficiency of banks in a developing economy
Authors: Chaluvadi Sashank , Raut Rakesh , Gardas Bhaskar B.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure and evaluate the performance efficiency of 44 Indian commercial banks, out of which 26 banks belong to the public sector, and 18 banks are from the private sector for the period of 2008-2013.

Design/methodology/approach

The two-stage network data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach (i.e. variable return to scale and constant return to scale) is used for the measurement of performance in the Indian banking sector. To verify the robustness of the proposed study, sensitivity analysis is also performed.

Findings

A comparative study between public sector banks (PSBs) and private sector banks (PVBs) showed that latter being more productive compared to the former. The investigation highlighted that two banks are most efficient among the PSBs, and eight banks from PVBs are found to be most effective. On the other side, the performance of State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur and Lakshmi Vilas Bank is discovered to be less significant from PSB and PVB category, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

This study will guide the Indian banks to improve upon the factors in which they are lagging, for the improvement of their overall performance. The quality category parameters, i.e. quality of service, quality of equipment, are not considered due to unavailability of information in the output measures, and the methodology used for the study does not identify the causes or remedies for the inefficiency of the banks.

Originality/value

The developed DEA model would help the decision maker to take decisions on the issues related to the performance of the banks. This paper discusses very practical issues in an analytic manner.
Achieving consumers’ attention through emerging technologies
Authors: Waheed Abdul , Jianhua Yang
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between e-marketing (eM) and consumers’ buying behavior particularly exploratory buying behavior tendencies (EBBT) with moderating effect of a gender in the context of China.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling using SPSS/AMOS was majorly applied to ascertain the relationship and hypotheses testing. First, the correlation of eM toward EBBT is examined using five factors: internet marketing (IM), e-mail marketing (EMa), intranet marketing (IMa), extranet marketing (EM), and mobile marketing (MM). Second, the relationship of each dimension of the eM model is determined autonomously to ensure the importance of such emerging technologies in marketing communications. Third, the effect of gender as a moderator is measured. To this end, primary data were collected through random distribution of the questionnaires among 1,600 consumers particularly students of the universities between February 2016 and August 2016 within North China.

Findings

The findings revealed that eM has a significant correlation on consumers’ EBBT. The comprehensive analysis of each factor of eM, i.e., IM, EMa, IMa, EM, and MM is positively correlated to EBBT. The present study revealed that gender did not moderate among the relationships of eM and EBBT. Additionally, study furnishes practical directions on how managers can utilize such emerging and revolutionary technologies in marketing activities to probe, understand, and reinforce consumers’ buying behavior.

Research limitations/implications

The research has limitations related to geographical location and sample size which thus limits the widespread generalization.

Practical implications

This study affirmed that organizations must engage the consumers using such technologies that are more likely acceptable by consumers in the present customer-oriented and digital era. The marketers must engage consumers the way they wish to be engaged by developing appropriate promotional strategies. The study provides possible implications both theoretical and managerial along with a contribution to the literature of eM and consumers’ buying behavior.

Social implications

Understanding the emerging technologies may furnish valuable insights for individuals to work well within Chinese SMEs.

Originality/value

The topic of eM has acknowledged as an evolving concept which is gaining an intense concern of both academician and practitioners. Therefore, more research mainly empirical work is still needed to probe the insights of eM across the globe. This study attempts to fulfill such need with empirical evidence together with an in-depth examination of eM determinants, collectively and autonomously.
Managers’ psychological challenges in implementing corporate responsibility in supply chains
Authors: Eriksson David , Svensson Göran
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to conceptualize managers’ psychological challenges with respect to implementing corporate responsibility throughout supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

Four areas of psychological theory are introduced to expand the understanding of the challenges involved in implementing corporate responsibility in supply chains, namely, relationship and humanization theory; the number-of-people-suffering theory; superficial-identification theory; and the bystander effect theory.

Findings

The common denominator between the introduced areas of psychological theory is that all consider the expected degree of corporate responsibility in supply chains to extend beyond managers’ ability to cope so that failure is probable.

Research limitations/implications

Supply chain management research needs to consider various psychological challenges to effectively address corporate responsibility in supply chains. This research shows that it is important to include theory from psychology to truly understand the challenges faced by managers, although only a few theories are presented here. More comprehensive reviews are needed in the future.

Practical implications

Managers require guidelines based on psychological theory to assist them in overcoming their inabilities in this context.

Originality/value

SCM research advocates responsibility for all those affected by this phenomenon, but the lack of theoretical grounding to meet the prevailing psychological challenges hampers the efficacy of putting the current recommendations into business practice. The paper is one of only a few to address managers’ psychological challenges in dealing with corporate responsibility across organizational borders and judicial boundaries in supply chains.
Virtual training environments for major incident response planning in UK gas infrastructure
Authors: Rogage Kay
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate a virtual training environment for testing UK gas pipeline emergency response plans.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews, observations and desk research were used to identify current methods for testing plans. A virtual training environment was developed and evaluated with industry experts by using participatory design techniques. Key themes relating to both the current methods for testing plans and for a virtual training environment were identified using thematic analysis.

Findings

Improved training performance, remote participation and evidence of decision testing are benefits a virtual training environment can bring to current practice. It is suggested that a virtual training environment can enhance, rather than replace, the current process of testing emergency response plans.

Research limitations/implications

Analysis of the virtual training environment being used to test plans in a live context would give further ecological validity to the findings. A study of the prototype used to test plans for incidents involving sectors outside the gas industry would further validate the findings.

Originality/value

The application of a virtual training environment to facilitate testing plans and the decision-making processes for major incidents involving high-pressure gas pipelines and storage sites is yet to be documented. This paper contributes to the literature by documenting the decision-making process and evaluation of a virtual training environment for testing plans in this context.
Seeking an interoperability of disaster resilience and transformative adaptation in humanitarian design
Authors: Keenan Jesse M.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the conceptual, tactical and institutional tensions between short-term and long-term engagement of humanitarian actors in the built environment, as framed through disaster resilience and transformative adaptation, respectively. The paper seeks to synthesize a more resolute understanding of the limits and challenges associated with each concept in the advancement of analytical and practical clarity.

Design/methodology/approach

This commentary paper is based, in part, on a literature review in disaster resilience, humanitarian design and planning and climate change adaptation scholarship.

Findings

This commentary paper highlights some of the critical weaknesses associated with a disaster resilience framing of humanitarian design and planning in the built environment.

Originality/value

The value of this viewpoint paper is to challenge the short-term, single equilibrium applications of disaster resilience in favor of longer-term perspectives associated with transformative adaptation. The intent is not to highlight a conceptual inferiority but to position these concepts as point and counter-point with the potential for complimentary and conflicting applications.
Gentrification in (re)construction: Talca’s neighbourhoods post 2010 earthquake
Authors: Inzulza Contardo Jorge , Boano Camillo , Wirsching Camila
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This study aims to explore the complex relationship between post-earthquake reconstruction processes and gentrification in neighbourhoods of intermediate cities, calling on the critical role of recovery strategies in altering neighbourhoods physical and social urban structure identities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a case study; the reconstruction process of the neighbourhoods post-2010 earthquake in Talca, Chile, and analyses in a six-year timeline its socio-spatial changes. The latter based on mixed methods, primary data from strategic interviews with key stakeholders, cadastres of land value and real estate housing projects and neighbourhood polls, and secondary data from official documents such as plans and policies.

Findings

The findings suggest that patterns of incipient gentrification are an outcome of the reconstruction strategies. Acknowledging the intricate interplay amongst urban neoliberal conditions, historical heritage and identities and post-disaster recovery, inadequate housing subsidies and normative plans are causing the displacement of hundreds of historical residents and resistance, arrival of newcomers with higher debt capacity in new housing typologies and increasing land value. Process related to neoliberal politics of state led to new-build gentrification.

Originality/value

Gentrification and reconstruction are both processes that modify urban structures, society and perceptions, and yet their socio spatial effects have never been studied in a cumulative and integrated manner, even more, in intermediate cities. The value is to rethink the critical role of recovery strategies in halting and containing gentrification in fast transforming secondary cities.
Gap assessment towards strengthening early warning systems
Authors: Dutta Rishiraj , Basnayake Senaka
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the gap assessment carried out in the existing early warning systems (EWSs) in Southeast Asia as a means to address such gaps in terms of communication and information dissemination.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper was based on the surveys conducted in some of the Southeast Asian countries through interviews, group discussions and consultation to get an understanding about people’s knowledge towards EWSs and their awareness towards warning information.

Findings

The conclusions showed that there exist gaps in the existing systems which need to be strengthened to increase its efficiency for providing reliable, timely and accurate information.

Research limitations/implications

Limitation of finding more references to support the work.

Originality/value

This paper is based on the gap assessment carried out in different countries of Southeast Asia for strengthening EWSs. This paper is the original research and has never been published in any other journal.