bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma-generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species can lead to closure, locking and constriction of the
Dionaea muscipula
Ellis trap
Authors: Volkov Alexander G. , Xu Kunning G. , Kolobov Vladimir I.
Published: January 2019

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) can influence plant signalling, physiology and development. We have previously observed that an argon plasma jet in atmospheric air can activate plant movements and morphing structures in the Venus flytrap and
Mimosa pudica
similar to stimulation of their mechanosensors
in vivo.
In this paper, we found that the Venus flytrap can be activated by plasma jets without direct contact of plasma with the lobe, midrib or cilia. The observed effects are attributed to RONS, which are generated by argon and helium plasma jets in atmospheric air. We also found that application of H
2
O
2
or HNO
3
aqueous solutions to the midrib induces propagation of action potentials and trap closing similar to plasma effects. Control experiments showed that UV light or neutral gas flow did not induce morphing or closing of the trap. The trap closing by plasma is thus likely to be associated with the production of hydrogen peroxide by the cold plasma jet in air. Understanding plasma control of plant morphing could help design adaptive structures and bioinspired intelligent materials.
Cryptococcus deuterogattii VGIIa infection associated with travel to the Pacific Northwest outbreak region in an anti-GM-CSF autoantibody positive patient in the United States
Authors: Clancey Shelly Applen , Ciccone Emily J. , Coelho Marco A. , Davis Joie , Ding Li , Betancourt Renee , Glaubiger Samuel , Lee Yueh , Holland Steven M. , Gilligan Peter , Sung Julia , Heitman Joseph
Published: January 2019

The Pacific Northwest (PNW), Vancouver Island, Oregon, and Washington have been the location of an ongoing Cryptococcus gattii outbreak since the 1990s, and there is evidence that the outbreak is expanding along the West Coast into California. Here we report a clinical case of a 69-year-old, HIV-negative man from North Carolina who was diagnosed with a fungal brain mass by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathology. He had traveled to Seattle and Vancouver three years earlier and Costa Rica four months prior to presentation. Phenotypic evidence shows the fungal mass isolated from the patient’s brain is C. gattii. In agreement with the phenotypic results, MLST provides genotypic evidence that assigns the infecting organism within in the C. gattii species complex and belonging to the C. deuterogattii VGIIa clade. Whole genome sequencing revealed >99.99% identity to the C. deuterogattii reference strain R265, indicating that the infecting strain is derived from the highly clonal outbreak strains in the PNW. We conclude the patient acquired the C. gattii infection during his travel to region three years prior and the infection was dormant for an extended period of time before causing disease. The patient tested positive for anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) autoantibodies, supporting earlier reports that implicate these autoantibodies as a risk factor a risk factor associated with C. gattii infection.

Importance

Mortality rates associated with C. gattii infections are estimated to be between 13% and 33% depending on an individual’s predisposition, and C. gattii has caused more at least 39 deaths in the PNW region. There have been four other international travel cases reported in patients from Europe and Asia with travel history to the PNW, but this study describes the first North American travel who acquired C. deuterogattii infection presenting within the United States, and the first case of a C. deuterogattii outbreak infection associated with anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies. Early and accurate diagnoses are important for disease prevention, treatment, and control of infectious diseases. Continual reporting of C. deuterogattii infections is necessary to raise awareness of the ongoing outbreak in the PNW and alert travelers and physicians to the endemic areas with potential risks.
Post-translational modifications ofDrosophila melanogasterHOX protein, Sex combs reduced
Authors: Banerjee Anirban , Percival-Smith Anthony
Published: January 2019

Homeotic selector (HOX) transcription factors (TFs) regulate gene expression that determines the identity ofDrosophilasegments along the anterior-posterior (A-P) axis. The current challenge with HOX proteins is understanding how they achieve their functional specificity while sharing a highly conserved homeodomain (HD) that recognize the same DNA binding sites. One mechanism proposed to regulate HOX activity is differential post-translational modification (PTM). As a first step in investigating this hypothesis, the sites of PTM on a Sex combs reduced protein fused to a triple tag (SCRTT) extracted from developing embryos were identified by Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS). The PTMs identified include phosphorylation at S185, S201, T315, S316, T317 and T324, acetylation at K218, S223, S227, K309, K434 and K439, formylation at K218, K309, K325, K341, K369, K434 and K439, methylation at S19, S166, K168 and T364, carboxylation at D108, K298, W307, K309, E323, K325 and K369, and hydroxylation at P22, Y87, P107, D108, D111, P269, P306, R310, N321, K325, Y334, R366, P392 and Y398. Of the 44 modifications, 18 map to functionally important regions of SCR. Besides a highly conserved DNA-binding HD, HOX proteins also have functionally important, evolutionarily conserved small motifs, which may be Short Linear Motifs (SLiMs). SLiMs are proposed to be preferential sites of phosphorylation. Although 6 of 7 phosphosites map to regions of predicted SLiMs, we find no support for the hypothesis that the individual S, T and Y residues of predicted SLiMs are phosphorylated more frequently than S, T and Y residues outside of predicted SLiMs.
Calorie restriction intervention induces enterotype-associated BMI loss in nonobese individuals
Authors: Zou Hua , Wang Dan , Ren Huahui , Chen Peishan , Fang Chao , Shi Zhun , Zhang Pengfan , Wang Jian , Yang Huanming , Cai Kaiye , Zhong Huanzi
Published: January 2019

Calorie restriction (CR), which has the potential effect to weight loss and blood amino acids, has been demonstrated to associate with gut microbiota in human, especially in obese individuals. However, studies for simultaneously evaluating enterotype-dependent impacts of CR on the gut microbiota and blood amino acids in nonobese individuals are still limited.

Here, 41 nonobese individuals received a 3-week CR diet with approximately 50% fewer calories than normal diet. We measured their BMI and blood amino acid concentration, along with the gut microbiota before and after the intervention. In this trial, 28 EnterotypeBacteroides(ETB) subjects and 13 EnterotypePrevotella(ETP) subjects were identified before the intervention. Short-term CR dietary intervention decreased the body mass index (BMI) in most subjects but varied in subjects with different enterotypes. ETP subjects exhibited significantly higher BMI loss ratio than the ETB subjects. CR additionally induced substantial enterotype-independent changes in blood amino acids, but only minor changes in gut microbial composition.

We further built a prediction model based on baseline relative abundances of 7 gut microbial species showing high performance in predicting CR-associated BMI loss ratio. Among them, the relative abundance of ETB-enrichedClostridium bolteaeandC. ramosumwere negatively correlated with BMI loss ratio while the relative abundance ofDorea longicatenawhich was slightly enriched in ETP subjects, was positively correlated with BMI loss ratio.

Together, our work points out that the individual variation of BMI loss after CR could be partially correlated with different microbial composition and highlights the potential application for microbiome stratification in personalized nutrition intervention.
RegSNPs-Intron: A computational framework for prioritizing Intronic Single Nucleotide Variants in Human Genetic Disease
Authors: Lin Hai , Hargreaves Katherine A. , Li Rudong , Reiter Jill L. , Mort Matthew , Cooper David N. , Zhou Yaoqi , Eadon Michael T. , Dolan M. Eileen , Ipe Joseph , Skaar Todd , Liu Yunlong
Published: January 2019

A large number of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the human genome are known to be responsible for inherited disease. An even larger number of SNVs, particularly those located in introns, have yet to be investigated for their pathogenic potential. Using known pathogenic and neutral intronic SNVs (iSNVs), we developed the regSNPs-intron algorithm based on a random forest classifier that integrates RNA splicing, protein structure and evolutionary conservation features. regSNPs-intron showed high accuracy in computing disease-causing probabilities of iSNVs. Using a high-throughput functional reporter assay called ASSET-seq (ASsay for Splicing using ExonTrap and sequencing), we validated regSNPs-intron predictions by measuring the impact of iSNVs on splicing outcome. Together, regSNPs-intron and ASSET-seq enable effective prioritization of iSNVs for disease pathogenesis. regSNPs-intron is available at https://regsnps-intron.ccbb.iupui.edu.
The Toxoplasma Vacuolar H+-ATPase regulates intracellular pH, and impacts the maturation of essential secretory proteins
Authors: Stasic Andrew J , Chasen Nathan M , Dykes Eric J , Vella Stephen A , Asady Beejan , Starai Vincent J , Moreno Silvia
Published: January 2019

Vacuolar-proton ATPases (V-H+-ATPases) are conserved complexes that couple the hydrolysis of ATP to the pumping of protons across membranes. V-H+-ATPases are known to play diverse roles in cellular physiology. We studied the Toxoplasma gondii V-H+-ATPase complex and discovered a novel dual role of the pump in protecting parasites against ionic stress and in the maturation of secretory proteins in endosomal-like compartments. Toxoplasma V-H+-ATPase subunits localize to the plasma membrane and to acidic vesicles and characterization of conditional mutants of the a1 subunit highlighted the functionality of the complex at both locations. Microneme and rhoptry proteins are required for invasion and modulation of host cells and they traffic via endosome-like compartments in which proteolytic maturation occurs. We show that the V-H+-ATPase supports the maturation of rhoptry and microneme proteins, and their maturases, during their traffic to their corresponding organelles. This work underscores a novel role for V-H+-ATPases in regulating virulence pathways.
Transcriptomics supports local sensory regulation in the antenna of the kissing bugRhodnius prolixus
Authors: Latorre-Estivalis Jose Manuel , Sterkel Marcos , Ons Sheila , Lorenzo Marcelo Gustavo
Published: January 2019

Rhodnius prolixushas become a model for revealing the molecular bases of insect sensory biology due to the publication of its genome, its well characterized behavioural repertoire and the advent of NGS technologies. Gene expression modulation underlies behaviour-triggering processes at peripheral and central levels. Still, the regulation of sensory-related gene transcription in sensory organs is poorly understood. Here we study the genetic bases of plasticity in antennal sensory function, usingR. prolixusas an insect model. Antennal expression of neuromodulatory genes such as those coding for neuropeptides, neurohormones and their receptors was characterized by means of RNA-Seq. New nuclear receptor andtakeoutgene sequences were identified for this species, as well as those of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and processing of neuropeptides and biogenic amines. We report a broad repertoire of neuromodulatory and endocrine genes expressed in antennae and suggest that they modulate sensory neuron function locally. Diverse neuropeptide-coding genes showed consistent expression in the antennae of all stages studied. Future studies should characterize the contribution of these modulatory components acting over antennal sensory processes to assess the relative contribution of peripheral and central regulatory systems on the plastic expression of insect behaviour.
Prioritization of metabolic genes as novel therapeutic targets in estrogen-receptor negative breast tumors using multi-omics data and text mining
Authors: Barupal Dinesh Kumar , Gao Bei , Budczies Jan , Phinney Brett S. , Perroud Bertrand , Denkert Carsten , Fiehn Oliver
Published: January 2019

Estrogen-receptor negative (ERneg) breast cancer is an aggressive breast cancer subtype in the need for new therapeutic options. We have analyzed metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics data for a cohort of 276 breast tumors (MetaCancer study) and nine public transcriptomics datasets using univariate statistics, meta-analysis, Reactome pathway analysis, biochemical network mapping and text mining of metabolic genes. In the MetaCancer cohort, a total of 29% metabolites, 21% proteins and 33% transcripts were significantly different (raw p < 0.05) between ERneg and ERpos breast tumors. In the nine public transcriptomics datasets, on average 23% of all genes were significantly different (raw p < 0.05). Specifically, up to 60% of the metabolic genes were significantly different (meta-analysis raw p < 0.05) across the transcriptomics datasets. Reactome pathway analysis of all omics showed that energy metabolism, and biosynthesis of nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids were associated with ERneg status. Text mining revealed that several significant metabolic genes and enzymes have been rarely reported to date, including PFKP, GART, PLOD1, ASS1, NUDT12, FAR1, PDE7A, FAHD1, ITPK1, SORD, HACD3, CDS2 and PDSS1. Metabolic processes associated with ERneg tumors were identified by multi-omics integration analysis of metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics data. Overall results suggested that TCA anaplerosis, proline biosynthesis, synthesis of complex lipids and mechanisms for recycling substrates were activated in ERneg tumors. Under-reported genes were revealed by text mining which may serve as novel candidates for drug targets in cancer therapies. The workflow presented here can also be used for other tumor types.
Whitening of odor representations by the wiring diagram of the olfactory bulb
Authors: Wanner Adrian A. , Friedrich Rainer W.
Published: January 2019

Neuronal computations underlying higher brain functions depend on synaptic interactions among specific neurons. A mechanistic understanding of such computations requires wiring diagrams of neuronal networks. We examined how the olfactory bulb (OB) performs ‘whitening’, a fundamental computation that decorrelates activity patterns and supports their classification by memory networks. We measured odor-evoked activity in the OB of a zebrafish larva and subsequently reconstructed the complete wiring diagram by volumetric electron microscopy. The resulting functional connectome revealed an overrepresentation of multisynaptic connectivity motifs that mediate reciprocal inhibition between neurons with similar tuning. This connectivity suppressed redundant responses and was necessary and sufficient to reproduce whitening in simulations. Whitening of odor representations is therefore mediated by higher-order structure in the wiring diagram that is adapted to natural input patterns.
Phage-encoded cationic antimicrobial peptide used for outer membrane disruption in lysis
Authors: Holt Ashley , Cahill Jesse , Ramsey Jolene , O’Leary Chandler , Moreland Russell , Martin Cody , Thushara Galbadage Don , Sharan Riti , Sule Preeti , Bettridge Kelsey , Xiao Jie , Cirillo Jeffrey , Young Ryland
Published: January 2019

Spanins are required for the last step in bacteriophage lysis: the disruption of the outer membrane. Bioinformatic analysis has shown that ~15% of phages lack a spanin gene, which suggests an alternate mechanism of outer membrane disruption. To address this, we selected virulent podophage ϕKT as a spaninless exemplar and tested ϕKT genes for outer membrane disruption during lysis. Hypothetical novel gene 28 causes outer membrane disruption when co-expressed with ϕKT lysis genes and complements the lysis defect of a λ spanin mutant. Gp28 is a 56 aa cationic peptide with predicted amphipathic helical structure and is associated with the particulate fraction after lysis. Urea and KCl washes did not release gp28 from the particulate, suggesting a strong hydrophobic interaction with the membrane. Super high-resolution microscopy supports a primarily outer membrane localization for the peptide. Additionally, holin function is not required for gp28-mediated lysis. Gp28 is similar in size, charge, predicted fold, and membrane association to the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37. In standard assays to measure bactericidal and inhibitory effects of antimicrobial peptides on bacterial cells, synthesized gp28 performed equivalently to LL-37. The studies presented here suggest that ϕKT Gp28 disrupts bacterial outer membranes during lysis in a manner akin to antimicrobial peptides.

Significance

Here we provide evidence that ϕKT produces an antimicrobial peptide for outer membrane disruption during lysis. The disruptin is a new paradigm for phage lysis, and has no similarities to other known lysis genes. Many mechanisms have been proposed for the function of antimicrobial peptides, however there is not a consensus on the molecular basis of membrane disruption. Additionally, there is no established genetic selection system to support such studies. Therefore, the ϕKT disruptin may represent the first genetically tractable antimicrobial peptide.
A simple and effective sampler to collect undisturbed cores from tidal marshes
Authors: Giannopoulos Georgios , Lee Dong Y. , Neubauer Scott C. , Brown Bonnie L. , Franklin Rima B.
Published: January 2019

Core sampling is a common procedure in wetland ecology. PVC tubes are widely used to collect soil cores; however several studies fail to describe even the most typical characteristics of their sampling auger. This work aims to fill this gap and provide a simple and standardized core sampler design. A simple and inexpensive sampler is described for field use. Its main advantages are: 1) extraction of undisturbed cores; 7.6 cm diameter and up to 100 cm depth, 2) it is light-weight, sturdy and reliable, 3) it is made from widely available PVC items and 4) it requires minimal skills to assemble. The sampler is introduced in the wetland soil, by rotation, to the desired depth; the tooth-like edge can cut and penetrate through the dense root systems. The sampler is capped with an industrial-type stopper, and pulled up. The core is held in the sampler by suction – negative pressure. A plunger is then used to slowly remove the soil – core and sub – samples are collected. Alternatively, both ends of sampler could be sealed and taken to the lab. An 8 cm long sub-sample was adequate for soil physical, biogeochemical and molecular analysis. The sampler has been tested for 2 years with more than 200 cores taken from tidal wetlands in Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA. A negative correlation between salinity and organic matter content at 3 – 5 and 8 – 10 cm was found. For the deeper samples (48 – 50 cm), a positive correlation between salinity and organic matter was observed. The sampler worked satisfactory and it required no maintenance besides cleaning.
Gaining public input on natural hazard risk and land-use planning
Authors: Kilvington Margaret , Saunders Wendy
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Risk-based land-use planning is a major tool for reducing risks and enabling communities to design for and mitigate against natural hazard events. Moving towards a risk-based approach to land-use planning involves changes in planning and public communication practice for local government agencies. However, talking to people about how decisions made in the present may increase risk in the future is notoriously hard and requires carefully crafted public discussion. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores the case of a local government planning agency (the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC)) who adopted a risk-based approach to the development of their regional policy statement (RPS). The BOPRC designed an innovative approach to talking to their communities about future land use and acceptable risk based on a framework and toolkit of resources (the RBPA – risk-based planning approach).

Findings

The process addressed several common challenges of risk engagement for land-use planning as it: integrated input from policy and planning professionals, technical experts and community development specialists across local government organisations; used locally relevant community sessions that developed participants’ understanding of risk; linked ideas about risk tolerance to potential policy implications for local government; and built capacity amongst participants for judgment about risk acceptability and options for safeguard.

Research limitations/implications

The process met public engagement planning criteria for robustness, i.e., valid process design and interpretation of feedback, and transparent integration into the final decisions. It enabled public views on natural hazards to be evaluated alongside technical input and incorporated into final decisions on thresholds for acceptable and unacceptable risk.

Originality/value

The approach taken has made significant contribution to risk engagement and land-use planning practice in New Zealand. In 2017, the BOPRC risk-based approach to their RPS received a national award from the New Zealand Planning Institute for contribution to advancing best practice. In 2018, it received further recognition through the Commonwealth Association of Planners Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Commonwealth.
Early fault detection of bearings based on adaptive variational mode decomposition and local tangent space alignment
Authors: Ma Ping , Zhang Hongli , Fan Wenhui , Wang Cong
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Early fault detection of bearing plays an increasingly important role in the operation of rotating machinery. Based on the properties of early fault signal of bearing, this paper aims to describe a novel hybrid early fault detection method of bearings.

Design/methodology/approach

In adaptive variational mode decomposition (AVMD), an adaptive strategy is proposed to select the optimal decomposition level K of variational mode decomposition. Then, a criterion based on envelope entropy is applied to select the optimal intrinsic mode functions (OIMF), which contains most useful fault information. Afterwards, local tangent space alignment (LTSA) is used to denoising of OIMF. The envelope spectrum of the OIMF is used to analyze the fault frequency, thereby detecting the fault. Experiments are conducted in a simulated signal and two experimental vibration signals of bearings to verify the effect of the new method.

Findings

The results show that the proposed method yields a good capability of detecting bearing fault at an early stage. The new method can extract more useful information and can reduce noise, which can provide better detection accuracy compared with the other two methods.

Originality/value

An adaptive strategy based on center frequency is proposed to select the optimal decomposition level of variational mode decomposition. Envelope entropy is used to fault feature selection. Combining the advantage of the AVMD-envelope entropy and LTSA, which suits the nature of the early fault signal. So, the proposed method has better detection accuracy, which provides a good alternative for early fault detection of bearings.
A knowledge-based theory of the firm
Authors: Kengatharan Navaneethakrishnan
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Drawing on the knowledge-based theory of the firm, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between each facet of intellectual capital, productivity and firms’ performance and further investigate, heretofore neglected, a mediating effect of productivity in the relationship between each facet of intellectual capital and firms’ performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were garnered with a self-reported questionnaire from 232 firm managers working in various industries: banking, insurance, telecommunications and hotels. Reliability and validity of the instruments were confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. Prior to hypothesis testing using structural equation modelling, as a caveat, tests for nonresponse bias and common method variance were employed.

Findings

The paper confirmed that intellectual capital is the pièce de résistance and established a strong connection with productivity. The results further disclosed a positive relationship between productivity and firms’ performance. A mediated relationship between individual facets of intellectual capital and firms’ performance through productivity was also affirmed.

Practical implications

Chiefly, the paper underscored the importance of intellectual capital in promoting productivity and firms’ performance. It behoves human resource managers and practitioners to make the organisational arrangements to reinforce intellectual capital thereby boosting the productivity that brings organisations’ success.

Originality/value

Previous studies in the sphere of intellectual capital have unequivocally discounted in establishing relationships between intellectual capital, productivity and firms’ performance. The results of the paper are novel findings, unequivocally contributing to the frontiers of the knowledge-based theory of the firm and conjointly, the paper has made methodological and geographical contributions.
Social media screening and content effects: implications for job applicant reactions
Authors: Jeske Debora , Shultz Kenneth S.
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to pursue several goals: first, what is the relationship between perceived respect for privacy and potential job pursuit of student applicants in a hypothetical application scenario which includes social media screening as part of the selection process? Second, if the job involves vulnerable others, what are the implications for privacy perceptions? And third, to what extent does the use of social media for non-work purposes relate to perceived respect for privacy?

Design/methodology/approach

Using a cross-sectional sampling approach, data were collected from 388 student participants in two different data collection rounds via an online survey.

Findings

Perceived respect for privacy was positively correlated, and information privacy concern was negatively correlated, with job pursuit intention. However, perceived respect for privacy differed across the different jobs. Specifically, respect for privacy was higher when the employer screened social media for jobs involving explicit work with children. Social media use and content effects also emerged. Those who either observed others online or interacted with others online to socialize reported lower respect for privacy. Participants with more sensitive content online and content they would be unwilling to share also reported lower scores for privacy.

Research limitations/implications

The results were based on cross-sectional data, correlational analyses and hypothetical job scenarios due to ethical considerations and causal restrictions in what may be bi-directional effects.

Originality/value

The current study adds to the limited research on the negative effects of social media screening by employers on applicant reactions and the role of job-specifics on how applicant may react to screening.
The effect of diversification on risk and return in banking sector
Authors: AlKhouri Ritab , Arouri Houda
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of revenue diversification, non-interest income and asset diversification on the performance and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) conventional and Islamic banking systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors implement a panel of 69 conventional and Islamic banks listed in six GCC markets over the period of 2003–2015, using the System Generalized Method of Moments methodology.

Findings

Non-interest income diversification has a negative impact on GCC banks’ performance, while asset-based diversification affects banks performance positively. However, Investors tend to penalize the value of the banks’ assets, which are highly diversified. Government intervention, lack of competition, legal protection and high control of Central banks on GCC banks’ have positive impact on performance. Contrary to the results on conventional banks, asset diversification adds value to Islamic banks. Overall, both banks’ revenue and non-interest diversification have negative impact on GCC banks’ stability, while asset diversification improves Islamic banks’ stability.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis is limited to a sample of banks, which are listed in the GCC stock exchanges. The lack of data on private and foreign banks operating in the region made the analysis and, consequently, the results specific to shareholding companies. Also, the authors’ measures of bank stability might not be appropriate to use for Islamic banks, given their banking models implemented.

Practical implications

Research results provide important implications for regulators, bank managers and policy makers, as to the expected ways to support economic diversification through bank diversification strategies.

Originality/value

Unlike related studies, the authors’ sample of homogeneous banks has a market structure that is different from the samples in the literature covering either developed countries or heterogeneous samples from both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, using an efficient econometric methodology, the authors deal with two types of banks: conventional banks and Islamic banks. The research determines which type of bank is more able to benefit from different types of diversification. Unlike previous research, this research explores the sensitivity of the results both to the regulatory environment of the GCC market and to general market conditions.
An integrated fuzzy SWARA and fuzzy AD approach for outsourcing provider selection
Authors: Perçin Selçuk
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Unlike previous literature, this study offers a novel integrated fuzzy approach to the field of outsourcing decisions. The purpose of this paper is to use design ranges of evaluation criteria that satisfy the functional requirements (FRs) of decision makers to solve the outsourcing provider selection problem.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, considering the expected significance of outsourcing evaluation criteria, and the FRs of decision makers expressed in linguistic terms, a robust multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool based on the integrated use of fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis and weighted fuzzy axiomatic design methods is proposed for use in decision process.

Findings

The proposed method is applied to a Turkish chemical company. A sensitivity analysis is performed and the outcomes of the proposed integrated framework are compared with those of other MCDM methods such as fuzzy-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, fuzzy Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje and fuzzy Multi-Objective Optimization on the basis of Ratio Analysis. This validates the usefulness and practicality of the proposed methodology.

Practical implications

The main contribution of this study is that it defines specific requirements that will assist company managers in eliminating alternatives that do not satisfy the needs and expectations of their company.

Originality/value

This paper compares the present study with other studies in the field of manufacturing. Additionally, it provides a well-documented case study, which makes the paper of value to researchers interested in the practical applications of MCDM methods.
Multiteam systems in an agile environment: a realist systematic review
Authors: Turner John Robert , Thurlow Nigel , Baker Rose , Northcutt David , Newman Kelsey
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight a collaborative effort between academia (University of North Texas, Team Sciences) and practice (Toyota Connected (TC)). This study concentrated on current problems that had been experienced by TC: How to structure and manage multiteam systems (MTSs)?

Design/methodology/approach

This research study utilized a realist systematic review to address an existing problem by working collaboratively with TC and academia. This collaboration involved problem identification, the development of research questions and a full systematic review guided by the research questions.

Findings

This realist systematic review merged the literature with current practices at TC in an effort to gather evidence to support the best method of structuring and managing MTSs. The findings include a leadership structure that incorporates both shared leadership (bottom-up) and existing hierarchical structures (top-down).

Practical implications

The MTS models presented in this study provide new models for organizations/manufacturers/industries to use as a guide when structuring their MTSs.

Originality/value

This study provides an example of a collaborative research effort between practice and academia using a realist systematic review. The paper also provides some multiteam system models that could be implemented and tested in different organizations. Also, new responsibilities and roles for scrum and MTSs are presented as a new method of achieving Agile.
Promoting intentional unlearning through an unlearning cycle
Authors: Cegarra-Navarro Juan Gabriel , Wensley Anthony
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Although there is widespread agreement about the importance of and need for unlearning particularly in an organizational context, concerns have been expressed by some researchers with respect to the coherence of the concept. The purpose of this paper is to complement organizational theories of unlearning with a clearer definition of intentional unlearning and develops an “unlearning cycle” comprising of the steps that influence unlearning focused on the need to update knowledge obtained in the past.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors review both the current state of conceptual development and the empirical underpinning of the concept of unlearning and relate it to emerging literature on the links between levels of learning to then propose a conceptual framework which includes employees and managers as key actors in enabling intentional unlearning.

Findings

Unlearning critics have argued that unlearning has no explanatory value and is unnecessary because clear alternatives and less problematic concepts better frame the research gap that has been identified in the unlearning research literature. By addressing these concerns, this study proposes three key structures to facilitate intentional unlearning, namely, those represented by the unlearning cycle.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on the relationship across different unlearning levels. In addition, this study attempts to indicate how greater rigor may be brought to the development of research in the fields of intentional unlearning.
Enterprise risk management in family firms: evidence from Austria and Germany
Authors: Hiebl Martin R.W. , Duller Christine , Neubauer Herbert
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Family firms are the most prevalent type of firm worldwide. Nevertheless, the existent enterprise risk management (ERM) literature is silent on the adoption of ERM in family firms. Family firms exhibit specifics likely to influence the adoption of ERM. Most importantly, they often feature lower levels of agency conflicts, which should make them less prone to invest in mechanisms to control such problems. Consequently, it is expected that family firms are less prone to invest in ERM. This paper aims to explore this basic expectation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a survey of 430 firms from Austria and Germany.

Findings

It is observed that family firms show a lower adoption of ERM, especially in family firms where there is a family CEO.

Research limitations/implications

The results suggest that future empirical ERM research should more closely analyze or at least control for family influence.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to analyze ERM adoption in family firms.
Demeanor and police culture
Authors: Pickett Justin , Nix Justin
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to revisit classic theoretical arguments regarding the broad effects of civilian demeanor on policing and extend associated findings.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical framework draws on insights from the literatures on police culture, the group engagement model and fairness heuristic theory. The authors argue that demeanor is best conceptualized as the degree of procedural justice exhibited by civilians toward police. Theoretically, procedurally just cooperation should influence officers’ adherence to police culture by affecting their social identification and assessments of civilians’ motives and moral deservingness. To test the hypotheses, the authors surveyed sworn officers from a large metropolitan police department in the southeastern USA in the Fall of 2016.

Findings

Results reveal that officers use their procedural justice judgments as heuristics to assess civilians’ trustworthiness, dangerousness, and moral deservingness, and these judgments influence their policing style. Officers who perceive greater procedurally just cooperation by civilians feel less threatened by the public, are more willing to use procedural justice themselves, and are less supportive of a “tough cop” policing style.

Originality/value

The authors propose that: civilian demeanor is best conceptualized as the extent to which civilians exhibit procedural fairness toward the police; and in order for meaningful police reform to occur, it is important to acknowledge the role of civilian demeanor in shaping officers’ attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.
The effect of community-oriented policing on police use of force: does community matter?
Authors: McCarthy Molly Miranda , Porter Louise E. , Townsley Michael , Alpert Geoffrey P.
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether community-oriented policing (COP) influences rates of police use of force across communities, and whether the impact of COP varies according to the level of violent crime in communities.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of data sources including police use of force reports, online surveys of Officers-in-Charge and recorded crime data was used to examine the association between formal and informal community consultation and the frequency of police use of force, across 64 socially challenged communities in Australia.

Findings

Poisson multilevel modelling indicated no overall association between informal or formal community engagement and rates of police use of force. However, significant interaction terms for both informal and formal community consultation with violent crime rates indicated that higher levels of informal and formal community consultation were associated with lower rates of police use of force in communities with higher levels of violent crime. This relationship was not evident in low violent crime areas.

Research limitations/implications

Communities were purposively sampled to have a high propensity for police use of force, on the basis that they had high rates of violent crime, or high levels of socio-economic disadvantage, or both. This research should be replicated with a representative sample of communities.

Practical implications

The findings extend the potential benefits of COP to reducing the use of coercive policing tactics in high violent crime communities.

Originality/value

This study finds that COP can reduce the frequency of violent encounters between police and community members in high violent crime communities.
Impact of IoT challenges and risks for SCM
Authors: Birkel Hendrik Sebastian , Hartmann Evi
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer a comprehensive overview of challenges and risks of the Internet of Things (IoT) in supply chain management (SCM) and provide a structured framework for classifying and analyzing the relevant literature to deduce insights for research and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) of 102 peer-reviewed journal articles on the topic of IoT in SCM was conducted.

Findings

This review identifies, categorizes and describes the relevant literature regarding the dimensions time and specificity. The resulting framework contains a holistic overview including focus areas and relations of macro-environmental, network-related and organizational challenges and risks. Furthermore, this review represents a conceptual framework for future research, considering the multidisciplinary body of the subject and provides an analysis of the timeline of literature, journals and used methodologies.

Practical implications

This study offers valuable insights into IoT and its impact on applications, processes and the structure of organizations and supply chains (SCs). The identification of challenges and risks helps to prepare for changes in the future because of the disruptive nature of this technology.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in the synthesis of the fragmented body of literature of IoT challenges and risks for SCM. The derived framework and identification of relations and research gaps provide the foundation for further research to evaluate the relations between challenges and risks and offer solutions.
Dietary supplement product composed of natural ingredients as a suspected cause of erythema multiforme: A case report and identification for the confident false positivity of lymphocyte transformation test
Authors: Utsunomiya Natsuko , Oyama Noritaka , Chino Takenao , Utsunomiya Akira , Hida Yukio , Hasegawa Minoru
Published: January 2019

Growing and sustainable consumption of health‐care products raises a controversial issue underlying the reliability of an in vitro diagnostic approach for adverse skin reaction. This report aimed to: (i) discuss the causative nature of a commercial dietary supplement composed of natural ingredients, particularly an Euglena‐containing product, suspicious for erythema multiforme in our exemplified case; and (ii) to address the assay suitability of the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) for identifying allergic reaction to any ingredient(s) of the product. A Japanese elderly man developed erythema multiforme after intake of a commercially available natural dietary product, whose LTT was positive. His clinical course and positive LTT suggested a provisional diagnosis of natural dietary product‐induced eruption. We conducted an inquiry survey for the standard LTT with any commercial products containing Euglena in three major Japanese laboratory services and identified 22 subjects, almost all of whom (21/22, 95.6%) showed a positive LTT for any Euglena‐containing products as a suspected causative. Seven normal healthy volunteers who had no intake history of Euglena‐containing products showed an equivalent LTT positivity rate with the same product taken by our case; culprit components of the product included Euglena, Angelica keiskei, Barley grass and Chlorella. A cell‐free culture system and enzyme‐linked immunoassay suggest that the high LTT positivity relies on the non‐specific lymphoproliferative activity, and not contamination of uncharacterized microorganisms and endotoxins. Because of the constitutive false positivity of LTT, this assay is unreliable for in vitro supportive diagnosis of adverse skin events caused by dietary products containing particular natural ingredients, as well as herbal materials.
Instability of insular tree communities in an Amazonian mega‐dam is driven by impaired recruitment and altered species composition
Authors: Jones Isabel L. , Peres Carlos A. , Benchimol Maíra , Bunnefeld Lynsey , Dent Daisy H.
Published: January 2019

Mega‐dams create highly fragmented archipelagos, affecting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in remnant forest isolates. This study assessed the long‐term impact of dam‐induced fragmentation on insular tropical tree communities, with the aim of generating robust recommendations to mitigate some of the detrimental biodiversity impacts associated with future dam development.

We inventoried adult and sapling trees across 89 permanent plots, located on 36 islands and in three mainland continuous forest sites in the Balbina Dam, Brazilian Amazon. We examined differences in recruitment, structure, and composition of sapling and adult tree communities, in relation to plot‐, patch‐ and landscape‐scale attributes including area, isolation, and fire severity.

Islands harboured significantly lower sapling (mean ± 95% CI 48.6 ± 3.8) and adult (5 ± 0.2) tree densities per 0.01 ha, than nearby mainland continuous forest (saplings, 65.7 ± 7.5; adults, 5.6 ± 0.3). Insular sapling and adult tree communities were more dissimilar than in mainland sites, and species compositions showed a directional shift away from mainland forests, induced by fire severity, island area, and isolation.

Insular sapling recruitment declined with increasing fire severity; tree communities with higher community‐weighted mean wood density showed the greatest recruitment declines. Our results suggest that insular tree communities are unstable, with rare species becoming extinction‐prone due to reduced tree recruitment and density on islands, potentially leading to future losses in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across Balbina's >3,500 reservoir islands.

Policy implications. In Balbina, fire and reduced habitat area and connectivity were drivers of tree community decay after only 28 years of insularization, despite strict protection provided by the ~940,000 ha Uatumã Biological Reserve. Given that many dams are planned for lowland, moderately undulating Amazonia, we recommend that dam development strategy explicitly considers (a) dam location, aiming to minimize creation of small (<10 ha) and isolated islands, (b) maintaining reservoir water levels during droughts to reduce fire risk, and (c) including aggregate island area in environmental impact and offset calculations. Ideally, we recommend that alternatives to hydropower be sought in lowland tropical regions, due to the far‐reaching biodiversity losses and ecosystem disruption caused by river impoundment.
Predicting the distribution of released Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) in central Japan
Authors: Yamada Yumi , Itagawa Satoru , Yoshida Takehito , Fukushima Mariko , Ishii Jun , Nishigaki Masao , Ichinose Tomohiro
Published: January 2019

The Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) is one of the species threatened by mainly anthropogenic factor and their habitats are considered to be conserved. The first reintroduction of the species in Japan occurred in 2005. But as the species' natural wetland habitats are declining, the birds now prefer to forage in rice paddies. Thus, restoring the paddy‐dominated landscape is key for further success in the reintroduction program. In addition, a quantitative method is urgently needed to assess how much suitable habitat is available and where it is located. In this study, we identified environmental factors that affect the distribution of the Oriental White Stork and produced the first predictive spatial distribution map using 2‐year satellite tracking data of reintroduced individuals. The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach was used to model the species' distribution at the landscape scale (1 km × 1 km grid cells). We identified six relevant environmental variables. Our results highlight the proportion of area of rice paddies as alternative wetland habitat as the most influential variable affecting the distribution positively. Landscape diversity represented by a complex mosaic of paddies and forest is also important for the species, as total length of paddy–forest edge also had a positive effect on habitat suitability. Our predictive distribution map cannot entirely provide distribution; however, it may be valuable information when considering where should be conserved as habitat to maintain the Oriental White Stork population in Japan.