bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deciphering the transcriptomic landscape of tumor-infiltrating CD8 lymphocytes in B16 melanoma tumors with single-cell RNA-Seq
Authors: Carmona Santiago J. , Siddiqui Imran , Bilous Mariia , Held Werner , Gfeller David
Published: October 2019

Recent studies have proposed that tumor-specific tumor-infiltrating CD8+T lymphocytes (CD8 TIL) can be classified into two main groups: “exhausted” TILs, characterized by high expression of the inhibitory receptors PD-1 and TIM-3 and lack of transcription factor 1 (Tcf1); and “memory-like” TILs, with self-renewal capacity and co-expressing Tcf1 and PD-1. However, a comprehensive definition of the heterogeneity existing within both tumor-specific and total CD8 TILs has yet to be clearly established.

To investigate this heterogeneity at the transcriptomic level, we performed paired single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing of CD8 T cells infiltrating B16 murine melanoma tumors, including cells of known tumor specificity. Unsupervised clustering and gene signature analysis revealed four distinct CD8 TIL states - exhausted, memory-like, naïve and effector memory-like (EM-like) - and predicted novel markers, including Ly6C for the EM-like cells, that were validated by flow cytometry. Tumor-specific PMEL T cells were predominantly found within the exhausted and memory-like states but also within the EM-like state. Further, TCR repertoire sequencing revealed a large clonal expansion of exhausted, memory-like and EM-like cells with partial clonal relatedness between them. Finally, meta-analyses of public bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data suggested that anti-PD-1 treatment induces expansion of EM-like cells.

Our reference map of the transcriptomic landscape of murine CD8 TILs will help interpreting future bulk and single-cell transcriptomic studies and may guide the analysis of CD8 TIL subpopulations in response to therapeutic interventions.
Neurodevelopmental shifts in learned value transfer on cognitive control during adolescence
Authors: Insel Catherine , Charifson Mia , Somerville Leah H.
Published: October 2019

Value-associated cues in the environment often enhance subsequent goal-directed behaviors in adults, a phenomenon supported by integration of motivational and cognitive neural systems. Given the interactions among these systems change throughout adolescence, we tested when beneficial effects of value associations on subsequent cognitive control performance emerge during adolescence. Participants (N=81) aged 13-20 completed a reinforcement learning task with four cue-incentive pairings that could yield high gain, low gain, high loss, or low loss outcomes. Next, participants completed a Go/NoGo task during fMRI where the NoGo targets comprised the previously learned cues, which tested how prior value associations influence cognitive control performance. Improved accuracy for previously learned high gain relative to low gain cues emerged with age. Older adolescents exhibited enhanced recruitment of the dorsal striatum and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex during cognitive control execution to previously learned high gain relative to low gain cues. Older adolescents also expressed increased coupling between the dorsal striatum and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for high gain cues, whereas younger adolescents expressed increased coupling between the striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These findings reveal that learned high value cue-incentive associations enhance cognitive control in late adolescence in parallel with value-selective recruitment of corticostriatal systems.
A high-content screen identifies the vulnerability of MYC-overexpressing cells to dimethylfasudil
Authors: Zhang Jing , Zhang Shenqiu , Shi Qiong , Allen Thaddeus D. , You Fengming , Yang Dun
Published: October 2019

A synthetic lethal effect arises when a cancer-associated change introduces a unique vulnerability to cancer cells that makes them unusually susceptible to a drug’s inhibitory activity. The synthetic lethal approach is attractive because it enables targeting of cancers harboring specific genomic alterations, the products of which may have proven refractory to direct targeting. An example is cancer driven by overexpression of MYC. Here, we conducted a high-content screen for compounds that are synthetic lethal to elevated MYC using a small-molecule library to identify compounds that are closely related to, or are themselves, regulatory-approved drugs. The screen identified dimethylfasudil, a potent and reversible inhibitor of Rho-associated kinases ROCK1 and ROCK2. Close analogs of dimethylfasudil are used clinically to treat neurologic and cardiovascular disorders. The synthetic lethal interaction was conserved in rodent and human cell lines and could be observed with activation of either MYC or its paralog MYCN. The synthetic lethality seems specific to MYC overexpressing cells as it could not be substituted by a variety of oncogenic manipulations and synthetic lethality was diminished by RNAi-mediated depletion of MYC in human cancer cell lines. Collectively, these data support investigation of the use of dimethylfasudil as a drug that is synthetic lethal for malignancies that specifically overexpress MYC.

Significance Statement

Synthetic lethal targeting of tumors overexpressing MYC holds promise for attacking aggressive malignancies. Here we describe a synthetic lethal interaction between dimethylfasudil and overexpression of MYC. Uniquely, this novel synthetic lethal interaction points toward an opportunity for synthetic lethality with a molecule likely to harbor favorable drug-like properties that enable systemic use.
A G-protein-coupled receptor mediates neuropeptide-induced oocyte maturation in the jellyfish Clytia
Authors: Quiroga Artigas Gonzalo , Lapébie Pascal , Leclère Lucas , Bauknecht Philip , Uveira Julie , Chevalier Sandra , Jékely Gáspár , Momose Tsuyoshi , Houliston Evelyn
Published: October 2019

The reproductive hormones that trigger oocyte meiotic maturation and release from the ovary vary greatly between animal species. Identification of receptors for these Maturation Inducing Hormones (MIHs), and understanding how they initiate the largely conserved maturation process, remain important challenges. In hydrozoan cnidarians including the jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica, MIH comprises neuropeptides released from somatic cells of the gonad. We identified the receptor (MIHR) for these MIH neuropeptides in Clytia using cell culture-based “deorphanization” of candidate oocyte-expressed GPCRs. MIHR mutant jellyfish generated using CRISPR-Cas9 had severe defects in gamete development or in spawning both in males and females. Female gonads, or oocytes isolated from MIHR mutants, failed to respond to synthetic MIH. Treatment with the cAMP analogue 5’Br-cAMP to mimic cAMP rise at maturation onset rescued meiotic maturation and spawning. Injection of inhibitory antibodies to GαS into wild type oocytes phenocopied the MIHR mutants. These results provide the molecular links between MIH stimulation and meiosis initiation in hydrozoan oocytes. Molecular phylogeny grouped Clytia MIHR with a subset of bilaterian neuropeptide receptors including Neuropeptide Y, Gonadotropin Inhibitory Hormone, pyroglutamylated RFamide and Luqin, all upstream regulators of sexual reproduction. This identification and functional characterisation of a cnidarian peptide GPCR advances our understanding of oocyte maturation initiation and sheds light on the evolution of neuropeptide-hormone systems.
Single-cell Transcriptomics Identify Extensive Heterogeneity in the Cellular Composition of Mouse Achilles Tendons
Authors: De Micheli Andrea J , Swanson Jacob B , Disser Nathaniel P , Martinez Leandro M , Walker Nicholas R , Oliver David J , Cosgrove Benjamin D , Mendias Christopher L
Published: October 2019

Tendon is a connective tissue that transmits forces between muscles and bones. Cellular heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the biological basis of tissue homeostasis and disease, but little is known about the diversity of cells that populate tendon. Our objective was to explore the heterogeneity of cells in mouse Achilles tendons using single-cell RNA sequencing. We assembled a transcriptomic atlas and identified 11 distinct cell types in tendons, including 3 previously undescribed populations of fibroblasts. Using trajectory inference analysis, we provide additional support for the notion that pericytes are progenitor cells for the fibroblasts that compose adult tendons. We also modeled cell-interactions and identified ligand-receptor pairs involved in tendon homeostasis. Our findings highlight notable heterogeneity between and within tendon cell populations, which may contribute to our understanding of tendon extracellular matrix assembly and maintenance, and inform the design of therapies to treat tendinopathies.
Does researcher activity affect Dromiciops gliroides capture rates? A test in two contrasting forest habitats
Authors: Salazar Daniela A. , Fontúrbel Francisco E.
Published: October 2019

Aiming to understand the low D. gliroides capture rates at the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, we disposed camera-traps at two contrasting forest habitats: a native forest habitat and a transformed habitat composed by a Eucalyptus globulus plantation with native understory vegetation. Camera-trap survey was conducted before and during live-trap operation. We found a large number of photographic records at the pre-bait period (41 photos at the native habitat and 22 at the transformed habitat). Then, when we conducted the live-trapping survey, photographic records decrease to 7 at the native habitat and 5 at the transformed habitat. Compared to similar locations in southern Chile, our study site shows low sampling effectiveness and capture success values, which could be explained by the disturbance generated by the researcher by checking the trap grid in a daily basis in a remote place where human presence is sporadic.
A Distinctive Pattern of Hippocampal-Prefrontal Cortical Network Activity during Stress Predicts Learned Resistance
Authors: Marques Danilo Benette , Ruggiero Rafael Naime , Bueno-Junior Lezio Soares , Rossignoli Matheus Teixeira , Leite João Pereira
Published: October 2019

The perception of control over a stressful experience may determine its impacts and generate resistance against future stressors. Although the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus are implicated in the encoding of stressor controllability, the neural dynamics underlying this process are unknown. Here, we recorded CA1 and mPFC neural activities in rats during the exposure to controllable, uncontrollable, or no shocks, and investigated electrophysiological predictors of escape performance upon exposure to subsequent uncontrollable shocks. We were able to accurately discriminate stressed from non-stressed animals and predict resistant or helpless individuals based on neural oscillatory dynamics. We identified a pattern of enhanced CA1-mPFC theta power, synchrony, cross-frequency interaction, and neuronal coupling that strongly predicted learned resistance, and that was lacking in helpless individuals. Our findings suggest that hippocampal-prefrontal network theta activity supports cognitive mechanisms of stress coping, and its impairment may underlie vulnerability to stress-related disorders.
MRPC (Missing Regions in Polypeptide Chains): a knowledgebase
Authors: Santhosh Rajendran , Bankoti Namrata , Padmashri Adgonda Malgonnavar , Michael Daliah , Jeyakanthan Jeyaraman , Sekar Kanagaraj
Published: October 2019

Missing regions in protein crystal structures are those regions that cannot be resolved, mainly owing to poor electron density (if the three-dimensional structure was solved using X-ray crystallography). These missing regions are known to have high B factors and could represent loops with a possibility of being part of an active site of the protein molecule. Thus, they are likely to provide valuable information and play a crucial role in the design of inhibitors and drugs and in protein structure analysis. In view of this, an online database, Missing Regions in Polypeptide Chains (MRPC), has been developed which provides information about the missing regions in protein structures available in the Protein Data Bank. In addition, the new database has an option for users to obtain the above data for non-homologous protein structures (25 and 90%). A user-friendly graphical interface with various options has been incorporated, with a provision to view the three-dimensional structure of the protein along with the missing regions using JSmol. The MRPC database is updated regularly (currently once every three months) and can be accessed freely at the URL http://cluster.physics.iisc.ac.in/mrpc.
High-throughput structures of protein–ligand complexes at room temperature using serial femtosecond crystallography
Authors: Moreno-Chicano Tadeo , Ebrahim Ali , Axford Danny , Appleby Martin V. , Beale John H. , Chaplin Amanda K. , Duyvesteyn Helen M. E. , Ghiladi Reza A. , Owada Shigeki , Sherrell Darren A. , Strange Richard W. , Sugimoto Hiroshi , Tono Kensuke , Worrall Jonathan A. R. , Owen Robin L. , Hough Michael A.
Published: October 2019

High-throughput X-ray crystal structures of protein–ligand complexes are critical to pharmaceutical drug development. However, cryocooling of crystals and X-ray radiation damage may distort the observed ligand binding. Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) can produce radiation-damage-free room-temperature structures. Ligand-binding studies using SFX have received only modest attention, partly owing to limited beamtime availability and the large quantity of sample that is required per structure determination. Here, a high-throughput approach to determine room-temperature damage-free structures with excellent sample and time efficiency is demonstrated, allowing complexes to be characterized rapidly and without prohibitive sample requirements. This yields high-quality difference density maps allowing unambiguous ligand placement. Crucially, it is demonstrated that ligands similar in size or smaller than those used in fragment-based drug design may be clearly identified in data sets obtained from <1000 diffraction images. This efficiency in both sample and XFEL beamtime opens the door to true high-throughput screening of protein–ligand complexes using SFX.
Surveying the music playback experience of museum audiences based on perceived quality and perceived value
Authors: Chen Xuan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The improvement of museum service quality and efficiency is a hot issue in recent years. This paper aims to explore the influencing factors of museum audience satisfaction with music playing experience and provide empirical support for the improvement of museum service quality.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, first, the basic theory of customer satisfaction and the basic theory of structural equation model are introduced. Different types of music have different effects on audience experience. At the same time, for different types of museums, different exhibition halls in the same museum and different types of exhibitions, the use of music should be tailored to local conditions. Then, a questionnaire survey is conducted to investigate the satisfaction of the audience of Hunan Museum with their music playing experience, and the survey data are collected and sorted out. Structural equation model (SEM) is used to study the customer satisfaction of Museum audiences' music playing experience, so as to find out the factors that have the greatest impact on the satisfaction and put forward corresponding improvement suggestions.

Findings

The results show that perceived value and perceived quality have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Museum audience satisfaction model involves many variables and has complex relationships. Therefore, there are still many shortcomings in this study.

Practical implications

Therefore, this study has important practical significance for museums to serve the society, improve the level of exhibition and realize their own value. By improving the exhibition environment and paying attention to the complaints of the audience, the satisfaction of the audience can be improved.

Originality/value

The structural equation model is applied to the study of museum customer satisfaction.
A privacy protection approach for XML-based archives management in a cloud environment
Authors: Wu Zongda , Xie Jian , Lian Xinze , Pan Jun
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The security of archival privacy data in the cloud has become the main obstacle to the application of cloud computing in archives management. To this end, aiming at XML archives, this paper aims to present a privacy protection approach that can ensure the security of privacy data in the untrusted cloud, without compromising the system availability.

Design/methodology/approach

The basic idea of the approach is as follows. First, the privacy data before being submitted to the cloud should be strictly encrypted on a trusted client to ensure the security. Then, to query the encrypted data efficiently, the approach constructs some key feature data for the encrypted data, so that each XML query defined on the privacy data can be executed correctly in the cloud.

Findings

Finally, both theoretical analysis and experimental evaluation demonstrate the overall performance of the approach in terms of security, efficiency and accuracy.

Originality/value

This paper presents a valuable study attempting to protect privacy for the management of XML archives in a cloud environment, so it has a positive significance to promote the application of cloud computing in a digital archive system.
Industry level analysis of productivity growth under market imperfections
Authors: Arun Kumar Ramaa , Paul Mahua
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study aims to estimate total factor productivity (TFP) growth for the post-2008 period for selected industries in the manufacturing sector at NIC 3-digit. Total factor productivity growth (TFPG) estimates are based on the theoretical framework provided by studies such Hall (1988), Abraham et al. (2009) and Crepon et al. (2005) that incorporate market imperfection in labour and product market, thereby modifying the traditional TFP estimation as Solow Residual.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the theoretical model that incorporates market imperfections in labour as well as product market in modifying the TFP estimates using the Levinsohn–Petrin framework of empirical estimation, the authors have calculated industry wise TFPG for 62 industries at NIC 3-digit level.

Findings

The study finds three distinct trends: first, there are considerable industrial disparities in productivity growth in terms of TFP. The estimates have been found to be higher than the conventional Solow Residual for most industries, indicating the role played by market imperfections in affecting the conventional measure of productivity growth. Second, estimates of bargaining power are found to be lower than those compared to the earlier estimates in Maiti (2013) for the Indian organised manufacturing case for 1998-2005. This observation is commensurate with the observation in recent years of a falling share in labour wage in total output in organised manufacturing sector. Finally, the study also found a statistically significant contribution of greater mechanisation on TFPG while an adverse effect of the rising dependence of organised manufacturing on contractual labour.

Originality/value

The role of market imperfections in measuring TFPG has been undertaken, and it has been found to be an important factor, as the estimated measures vary from the conventional measures of TFPG. Moreover, the study has considered a very recent period from 2008-2015 in estimating TFPG, as well as analysing the factors behind the trends in TFPG at industrial level.
Building internal heat dissipation of special shaped columns composed of concrete-filled square steel tubes based on thermal bridge models
Authors: Wang Zijing
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Special shaped columns composed of concrete-filled square steel tubes have broad application prospects in steel structure residential buildings. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the thermal bridge problem of special-shaped column structures is studied, T-shaped column composed of concrete-filled square steel tubes is taken as an example, the finite element thermal bridge model is established by ANSYS software, the heat treatment is calculated by the software and the results are output.

Findings

According to the finite element results, it can be found that in the thermal bridge model, the temperature distribution is uniform, the heat flux density is small and the heat dissipation where the steel plate locates is serious. The lowest temperature of the thermal bridge is greater than the air condensation temperature, and the affected area is about 0.2 m, which is larger than the thickness of the wall and will not cause too much impact on the wall. It will help to suppress heat dissipation and achieve energy-saving and heat preservation inside the buildings.

Originality/value

The experimental results prove the effectiveness of the special-shaped column structure for building energy-saving buildings. This study provides some theoretical basis for further application of special-shaped column structures in architecture.
Post-occupancy evaluation of research and academic laboratory facilities
Authors: Hassanain Mohammad A. , Sanni-Anibire Muizz O. , Mahmoud Abubakar Sadiq , Ahmed Wahhaj
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of academic and research laboratory facilities. This is based on the premise that the performance of such facilities is directly connected to the productivity, health and wellbeing of its users.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper was carried out in two phases, first, the performance requirements for academic and laboratory facilities were identified through the extant literature. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was developed to carry out a POE of existing academic and research laboratory facilities in a university campus in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed using a Likert scale of one to five. Finally, the satisfaction index was computed, and rates of satisfaction with the various performance requirements were determined.

Findings

The paper resulted into 74 performance requirements grouped into three categories. The respondents showed general satisfaction with most of the performance requirements. However, dissatisfaction was observed in performance requirements related to technical features and the availability of sustainability features. Such findings suggest the growing importance of such technical and sustainable features in modern-day laboratories.

Originality/value

Though few studies have employed POE in assessing the performance of academic facilities, there is still a gap regarding its application to the laboratory facilities. Thus, the originality of this study is evident in its presentation of a set of performance requirements and its further application as a case study.
Prosociality as a mediator between teacher collaboration and turnover intention
Authors: Yada Takumi , Räikkönen Eija , Imai-Matsumura Kyoko , Shimada Hiroshi , Koike Rihei , Jäppinen Aini-Kristiina
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of prosociality, which is defined in terms of helping and benefitting others, between teacher collaboration and their turnover intentions. Prosociality was measured as prosocial impact and prosocial motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted through a cross-sectional survey of 260 elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan. A structural equational model was employed to examine the mediating roles of prosocial impact and prosocial motivation in the relationships between teacher collaboration and their turnover intention.

Findings

The results, first, supported the hypotheses: the high perception of teacher collaboration in school predicted high perceived prosocial impact; high perceived prosocial impact predicted high perceived prosocial motivation; and high perceived prosocial motivation predicted decreased turnover intention. Second, results supported partial mediating roles of prosocial impact and prosocial motivation between teacher collaboration and turnover intention.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of this study include cross-sectional data that may limit the potential for causal inferences, and self-report data. Future studies should incorporate alternative designs.

Practical implications

Results indicate that teacher collaboration contributes to less teacher turnover intention via prosociality. Thus, to enhance teachers’ prosocial impact, more opportunities to realise their collaboration should be considered.

Originality/value

This is the first study to explore the relationships between teacher collaboration and turnover intention in educational organisations with prosociality, which resides as core goals and objectives of teachers.
The relationship between housing prices and inflation rate in Turkey
Authors: Korkmaz Özge
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Human beings need shelter as the beginning of their existence. Same holds true for people who live in Turkey as it is a cultural and traditional reason to be the host and endeavor to buy a home even if one has to pay the debt for years. Another factor that is important for individuals and even for countries is the inflation rate. In this context, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether the 26 regions of Turkey are affected by the inflationary pressure, specifically in the housing price index (HPI).

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, data from 2010:01 to 2019:01 and the consumer price index (CPI), as well as HPI have been used. The causal relationship between the variables is analyzed by Konya Causality (2006) test.

Findings

The key results suggest that HPI causes inflationary pressures in some regions.

Research limitations/implications

The study has some limitations in terms of data set and scope. These are as follows: although there are many variables affecting housing prices, this study aims to investigate the causal link between inflation and housing prices. In addition, only the CPI and HPI variables were provided on a monthly basis in the 2010-2019 period for 26 regions due to the aim of making regional propositions in the investigation of this relationship. For these reasons, different macroeconomic variables could not be studied.

Originality/value

This study makes the following contribution to the literature. While the majority of existing literature investigates the relationship between housing prices and inflation from an empirical perspective for country, very few studies have been for the sub-regions and also these studies have focused on only some sub-regions. In other words, in the literature review, a study has observed that Turkey has to examine the relationship between the housing price and inflation variables for all sub-regions in particular. To overcome this deficiency in the literature, this study aims to investigate the relationship between housing price and inflation for 26 regions.
The employment conditions of social care personal assistants in England
Authors: Woolham John , Norrie Caroline , Samsi Kritika , Manthorpe Jill
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the employment conditions of social care personal assistants (PAs) in England. In England, disabled adults have been able to directly employ people to meet their care or support needs for a number of years, little is known about the employment conditions of people who are directly employed.

Design/methodology/approach

PAs were recruited mainly through third sector and user led organisations. A total of 105 social care PAs took part in a semi-structured telephone interview, which on average was an hour long. Interviews were fully transcribed. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (v.24) and qualitative data by NVIVO software.

Findings

The paper focuses on employment conditions: contracts, pay, pensions, national insurance, overtime, holiday and sick pay, etc. Access to training and support are also described. Though PAs enjoyed considerable job satisfaction, many did not enjoy good employment conditions. Though employer abuse was uncommon, many PAs could arguably be described as exploited. Occupational isolation and lack of support to resolve disputes was striking.

Research limitations/implications

Though this may be currently the largest qualitative study of PAs in the UK, it is nonetheless relatively small and no claims for generalisability are made, though the geographical spread of the sample was wide and recruited from multiple sites.

Practical implications

PAs are an effective way of establishing relationship-based care, and confer direct control to disabled employers. Many PAs experienced high job satisfaction. However, lack of regulation and oversight creates considerable potential for exploitation or abuse. This may make the role less attractive to potential PAs in the medium term.

Social implications

Social care PAs may be a very effective means of achieving genuinely person-centred care or support for many people. However, PAs do not always appear to enjoy satisfactory conditions of employment and their role is largely unregulated. Growth and long-term sustainability of this emergent role may be jeopardised by these employment conditions.

Originality/value

Little is known about PA working conditions. This study suggests that much more needs to be done to improve these.
Consumer response to fake news about brands on social media: the effects of self-efficacy, media trust, and persuasion knowledge on brand trust
Authors: Chen Zifei Fay , Cheng Yang
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Drawing on theoretical insights from the persuasion knowledge model (PKM), this study aims to propose and test a model that maps out the antecedents, process and consequences to explain how consumers process and respond to fake news about brands on Facebook.

Design/methodology/approach

Contextualizing the fake news about Coca-Cola’s recall of Dasani water, an online survey was conducted via Qualtrics with consumers in the USA (N  =  468). Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results showed that self-efficacy and media trust significantly predicted consumers’ persuasion knowledge of the fake news. Persuasion knowledge of the fake news significantly influenced consumers’ perceived diagnosticity of the fake news and subsequent brand trust. Furthermore, persuasion knowledge of the fake news mediated the effects from self-efficacy on perceived diagnosticity of the fake news and brand trust, respectively.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature of brand management by examining how consumers process and respond to fake news about a brand. It also extends the persuasion knowledge model by applying it to the context of fake news about brands on social media, and incorporating antecedents (self-efficacy and media trust) and consequences (perceived diagnosticity and brand trust) of persuasion knowledge in this particular context. Practically, this study provides insights to key stakeholders of brands to better understand consumers’ information processing of fake news about brands on social media.
Factors of successful client co-production in knowledge-intensive business services
Authors: Zieba Malgorzata , Kończyński Paweł
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the topic of client co-production in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS). The paper first sketches a theoretical background and reviews previous studies on factors affecting successful client co-production in such companies and then examines these factors via case study research among a small KIBS company and its five customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an in-depth analysis of literature devoted to client co-production in KIBS firms and on the results of case studies analysis. The authors explore theoretically and empirically the perception of factors behind a successful client co-production process of a KIBS company from the point of view of both customers and service provider. The examination resulted in the clarification of what a successful client-KIBS firm cooperation should look like and what kind of actions KIBS firms should undertake to provide it.

Findings

As the analysis shows, to perceive client-KIBS firm cooperation as successful, customers desire on hand immediate effects that would justify and compensate their time and money investments (e.g. new clients or brand recognition) and on the other hand, some of them desire positive changes in longer-term, which tangible form is associated with the newly obtained knowledge and more importantly, freshly developed and written strategy. Among the factors that influence the co-production process one can list teamwork, trust, communication and knowledge flows.

Research limitations/implications

Research results are limited to one KIBS company operating in Poland and its five customers. As such, they are not conclusive for the whole KIBS sector. The findings of both literature review and case study analysis indicate that there are several outcomes that are expected from the point of view of a KIBS customer when selecting the service of a KIBS company. The paper examines important aspect of service co-production and provides practical guidelines how cooperation between KIBS firms and their customers should look like.

Practical implications

The paper examines the relationship between a client and a KIBS company and explores the factors influencing the successful outcome of this relation. The paper provides guidelines on how this type of relation should be handled by managers or owners of KIBS firms.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature on KIBS firms, especially in the scarce area of practical mechanics of their cooperation with customers. The paper also suggests further research possibilities in this area.
Venture investments into digital education in the conditions of industry 4.0: problems of attraction and directions of usage
Authors: Dobrosotskiy Viktor I. , Semenova Galina N. , Kazarinova Elena B. , Falina Natalya V.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to develop a perspective mechanism of the investment and innovative activities of university in the conditions of industry 4.0, which allows supporting its high investment attractiveness and high effectiveness of usage of venture investments in digital education.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is performed by the example of modern Russia with application of the methods of trend analysis and regression analysis in two consecutive stages. The authors determine regression dependence of the efficiency of digital modernization of universities (on the basis of the indicator of fixed assets implementation) on the volume of investments into fixed assets. Dependence of the indicator of digital competitiveness of education (“training and education”), calculated within the part “knowledge” of the IMD rating “world digital competitiveness ranking,” on commissioning of fixed assets by universities is determined. For the purpose of representativeness of the selection of statistical data, which initial period is 2012, not only factual data for 2012-2018 are used but also forecast data for 2019-2024 (as the national program “digital economy of the Russian Federation” is due until 2024).

Findings

Low effectiveness of usage of venture investments in digital education in Russia is substantiated. As investments are provided in the form of target state financing, universities cannot independently determine the directions of their usage and have to use them for purchasing digital equipment and technologies. Other necessary measures for digital modernization of education, namely, training of digital personnel for university, access to digital infrastructure, development of new educational programs, conduct of research and development and marketing, are not implemented.

Originality/value

It is determined that attraction of private venture investments faces the problem of their large volume and high risk. Both problems could be solved by the developed mechanism of investment and innovative activities of a university in the conditions of industry 4.0. It shifts the initiative from university to digital business, which independently initiates the process of venture investing.
Priorities of training of digital personnel for industry 4.0: social competencies vs technical competencies
Authors: Popkova Elena G. , Zmiyak Kristina V.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the priorities of formation of competencies during training of digital personnel for industry 4.0.

Design/methodology/approach

The author performs two experiments for determining the scenario according to which industry 4.0 develops and will develop: the first experiment is aimed at determining the influence of the number of robots at unemployment level in 2019 and 2022 with the help of regression and correlation analysis (regression curves are built). The second experiment is connected to evaluation of the ratio of the number of robots to the number of population in 2019 and 2022. The research objects are countries with the highest number of robots in the world – i.e. with the highest level of development of industry 4.0; the information and empirical basis is materials of the International Federation of Robotics and the International Monetary Fund for 2019 and their forecasts for 2022.

Findings

The results of the performed experiments showed that in 2019 and 2022 the level of robotization of socio-economic systems of the countries of the world will be very low, and robotization will not cause growth of unemployment. Based on this, it is concluded that industry 4.0 will be developing according to the scenario of moderate automatization and robotization with preservation of domination of human labor in most business processes and spheres of economy. Communications with people will constitute the basis of the activities of digital personnel, and social competencies (with obvious significance of technical competencies) will be of top priority for them.

Originality/value

It is substantiated that technical competencies, with their large importance, will move to the background, while the key task will be society’s adaptation to the new technological mode and making social competencies the highest priority. The social and technical competencies of digital personnel in view of the performed tasks for industry 4.0 are determined.
Dimensional accuracy of FDM-printed polymer parts
Authors: Akbaş Oğuzhan Emre , Hıra Onur , Hervan Sahar Zhiani , Samankan Shahrad , Altınkaynak Atakan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze experimentally and numerically the effect of the nozzle temperature and feed rates on the dimensions of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) polymer parts.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 30 strips per sample were printed with the same width as the nozzle diameter. The strips were printed with one vertical movement of the nozzle head. The width of the strips was measured with a caliper at five locations. A linear regression model was created based on the experimental data to understand the correlation between the strip width deviation and the parameters of interest. Numerical simulations were performed to predict the swell of the polymer exiting the nozzle using finite element method combined with level set method. The experimental results were then used to validate the models.

Findings

The average accuracy of polylactic acid (PLA) samples was better than that of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) samples. The average strip width had a tendency to increase with increasing temperature for PLA samples, whereas ABS samples showed mixed behavior. The strip width decreased with increasing feed rate for most cases. The measurement positions had a major effect on strip width when compared to nozzle temperature and feed rate. The numerical model predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data. A few discrepancies were observed at high feed rates and nozzle temperatures.

Originality/value

This study will contribute to gaps in knowledge regarding the effect of processing conditions on dimensional accuracy of FDM-printed parts. The developed numerical model can be efficiently used to predict the dimensional accuracy of FDM-printed parts.
Experimental investigation on the performance and mesostructure of multi-material composite 3D-printed sand mold
Authors: Guo Zhi , Shan Zhongde , Liu Feng , Du Dong , Zhao Mengmeng
Published: October 2019

Purpose

In this paper, the effects of the adhesive and curing agent contents on the tensile strength, bending strength, gas evolution and gas permeability of three-dimensional printed sand molds are studied. A strength model of the three-dimensional printed sand molds is proposed. The multi-material composite sand mold forming test is carried out. In addition, the mesostructure of the sand mold is studied.

Design/methodology/approach

The performances of three-dimensional printed sand mold such as tensile strength, bending strength, gas evolution and gas permeability are studied using the standard test methods. The mesostructure of the sand mold is studied by digital core technology.

Findings

A sand mold strength model based on the resin adhesive content, curing agent content and sand mold compactness are obtained. Two types of multi-material composite three-dimensional printed sand molds are proposed. An increase in the curing agent content in the sand mold widens the mesoscopic characteristic size distribution of the sand mold, and large-sized mesostructures appear, resulting in a decrease in the sand mold bearing capacity.

Practical implications

Process parameters that affect the performance of three-dimensional printed sand mold are revealed. The sand mold bearing curve provides a reference for the ultimate design of three-dimensional printed sand mold.

Originality/value

The paper deals with experimental work on the performance and mesostructure of multi-material composite three-dimensional printed sand mold with different contents of adhesive and curing agent. That gives a perspective on future designs of sand mold based on these principles.
Voice matters: why HR should listen to employee voice?
Authors: Singh Swati , Vanka Sita
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of the employee voice in the present era. This paper discusses the drawbacks of not attending to employee voice, benefits of listening to it and strategies, as well as the methods of capturing the voice of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses illustration to explain how Cisco used employee voice to revamp its HR.

Findings

The research on this area indicates that although listening to employee voice is beneficial, most organizations ignore it. The findings suggest that the voice of employee cannot be ignored in the technology-led era, as employees have many platforms to raise their concerns. Additionally, ignoring their voice can be perilous. Attending to employee voice brings many advantages, and thus it should be prioritized, promoted and practiced. The paper carries implications for HR managers, business leaders and researchers in this field.

Originality/value

This paper uniquely discusses the significance of employee voice in the present era. It also presents the strategies and methods to capture employee voice. Furthermore, it demonstrates the benefits of attending to employee voice with the help of an illustration.
Intellectual disability in South Africa: the possibilities and limits of democratic rights
Authors: McKenzie Judith Anne , Abrahams Toni , Adnams Colleen , Kleintjes Sharon
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the history, current status and possible future directions for intellectual disability (ID) policy and practice in South Africa (SA).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper was developed by academics and practitioners in the field of ID in SA. A review of the literature, accompanied by a joint writing and discussion process was carried out to identify critical issues in the development of ID services, specifically facing the challenge of moving from racially based provision towards equitable services for all citizens with ID.

Findings

Progressive policy has replaced practices of scientific racism which were previously used to support the establishment of white supremacism. This positive move is still in process and has not resulted in the immediate establishment of human rights. A vibrant civil society is engaging with this task currently.

Research limitations/implications

The findings point to the need for a human rights approach that takes into account the postcolonial context of SA.

Practical implications

There is a need for continued advocacy that is inclusive of people with ID and their families.

Social implications

Continuing engagement between government and civil society is recommended to ensure the achievement of human rights for citizens with ID.

Originality/value

This paper is of value to ID researchers and practitioners from the global South as it describes a non-western context that might have resonance with other low and middle income countries.
Do benefits of seed dispersal and caching by scatterhoarders outweigh the costs of predation? An example with oaks and yellow‐necked mice
Authors: Bogdziewicz Michał , Crone Elizabeth E. , Zwolak Rafał
Published: October 2019

Numerous interactions between plants and animals vary in their outcome between antagonism and mutualism. Interactions between plants and scatter‐hoarding animals provide a prime example of this phenomenon. Scatterhoarders consume large quantities of seeds (potentially reducing plant establishment), yet also disperse seeds and bury them in shallow caches (potentially improving recruitment). Despite intense work on mechanisms that cause these interactions to shift along an antagonism–mutualism continuum, it remains difficult to quantify their final outcomes.

We demonstrate how readily available field data can be used to reach this goal, with interactions between rodents and two oaks species (sessile oak Quercus petraea, and red oak Q. rubra) as an empirical example. Our approach consists of quantifying the net outcome of the interaction through collecting data on different vital rates (e.g. probability that cached seeds survive to germination, probability of seedling recruitment with and without rodents; near and far from conspecific trees; with and without seed pilferage) and assembling them in a simple mathematical model.

We found that during the period of the study, interactions between scatter‐hoarding rodents and both focal oaks were antagonistic. Even though caching increased the likelihood of seedling establishment, this effect was not strong enough to compensate for the costs of seed predation. Furthermore, there was no evidence that the short‐distance transportation that is usually provided by small mammals benefited early oak recruitment.

Synthesis. Our empirical results demonstrated that certain common assumptions – that caching by rodents invariably benefits plant recruitment; that improved seedling establishment after seed burial is sufficient to make plant–scatterhoarder interactions mutualistic; that transportation away from maternal plants is highly beneficial—do not always hold and should be tested rather than taken for granted.