bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Frizzled-ligand Norrin acts as a tumour suppressor linking oncogenic RAS signalling to p53
Authors: Sulli Gabriele , D’Elia Errico , Moroni M. Cristina
Published: June 2019

Tumour suppressor genes are frequently affected by somatic alterations in cancer, and the impairment of their normal function provides a strong contribution to tumourigenesis. Short-hairpin (sh) RNA library screens have been employed as powerful genetic tools to uncover important new players in human cancer 1–5. To identify potential novel tumour suppressor genes acting in the p53 pathway, we performed an shRNA screen using a cell-based model in which only a single additional genetic event disrupting the p53 pathway is required to obtain in vitro transformation. By using this approach, we report here on the identification of the Frizzled-ligand Norrin (Norrie disease protein) as a candidate tumour suppressor. Inhibition of Norrin expression promotes anchorage-independent growth, confers a strong growth advantage to cells and causes a reduction in p53 protein levels. Conversely, recombinant human Norrin increases p53 levels in a β-catenin dependent fashion. Interestingly, Norrin expression is stimulated by oncogenic H-RAS and BRAF, suggesting that Norrin is part of an early fail-safe mechanism to suppress transformation, and that mutation or down regulation of Norrin could contribute to tumour progression. Indeed, we found that Norrin expression is significantly decreased in melanoma, breast, prostate and ovarian cancer. These findings support the existence of a novel autocrine/paracrine feedback loop that constrains tumourigenesis, in which the crosstalk between the RAS and β–catenin pathways play an unanticipated role.
NG2 glia are required for maintaining microglia homeostatic state
Authors: Liu Yingjun , Aguzzi Adriano
Published: June 2019

Microglia play vital roles in the health and diseases of the central nervous system. Loss of microglia homeostatic state is a key feature of brain aging and neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of distinct microglia states are largely unclear. Here we show that NG2 glia, also known as oligodendrocyte precursor cells, are essential for maintaining the homeostatic microglia state. We developed a highly efficient and selective NG2 glia depletion method using small-molecule inhibitors of platelet-derived growth factor signaling in cultured brain slices. We found that loss of NG2 glia abolished the homeostatic microglia signature without affecting the disease-associated microglia profiles. Similar findings were also observedin vivoby genetically ablating NG2 glia in the adult mouse brain. These data suggest that NG2 glia exert a crucial influence onto microglia cellular states that are relevant to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, our results provide a powerful, convenient and selective tool for the investigation of NG2 glia function.

Main points

Postnatal NG2 glia maintenance obligatorily depends on continuous PDGF signaling.

A highly efficient, selective and versatile NG2 glia depletion method is established.

Loss of NG2 glia abolishes the homeostatic microglia signature bothin vitroandin vivo.
Cyclic oligoadenylate signalling mediatesMycobacterium tuberculosisCRISPR defence
Authors: Grüschow Sabine , Athukoralage Januka S. , Graham Shirley , Hoogeboom Tess , White Malcolm F.
Published: June 2019

The CRISPR system provides adaptive immunity against mobile genetic elements (MGE) in prokaryotes. In type III CRISPR systems, an effector complex programmed by CRISPR RNA detects invading RNA, triggering a multi-layered defence that includes target RNA cleavage, licencing of an HD DNA nuclease domain and synthesis of cyclic oligoadenylate (cOA) molecules. cOA activates the Csx1/Csm6 family of effectors, which degrade RNA non-specifically to enhance immunity. Type III systems are found in diverse archaea and bacteria, including the human pathogenMycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of thein vitroandin vivoactivities of the type III-AM. tuberculosisCRISPR system. We demonstrate that immunity against MGE is achieved predominantly via a cyclic hexa-adenylate (cA6) signalling pathway and the ribonuclease Csm6, rather than through DNA cleavage by the HD domain. Furthermore, we show that the mechanism can be reprogrammed to operate as a cyclic tetra-adenylate (cA4) system by replacing the effector protein. These observations demonstrate thatM. tuberculosishas a fully-functioning CRISPR interference system that generates a range of cyclic and linear oligonucleotides of known and unknown functions, potentiating fundamental and applied studies.
Macromolecule Translocation in a Nanopore: Center of Mass Drift–Diffusion over an Entropic Barrier
Authors: Dell Z. E. , Muthukumar M.
Published: June 2019

Many fundamental biological processes involve moving macromolecules across membranes, through nanopores, in a process called translocation. Such motion is necessary for gene expression and regulation, tissue formation, and viral infection. Furthermore, in recent years nanopore technologies have been developed for single molecule detection of biological and synthetic macromolecules, which have been most notably employed in next generation DNA sequencing devices. Many successful theories have been established, which calculate the entropic barrier required to elongate a chain during translocation. However, these theories are at the level of the translocation coordinate (number of forward steps) and thus lack a clear connection to experiments and simulations. Furthermore, the proper diffusion coefficient for such a coordinate is unclear. In order to address these issues, we propose a center of mass (CM) theory for translocation. We start with the entropic barrier approach and show that the translocation coordinate is equivalent to the center of mass of the chain, providing a direct interpretation of previous theoretical studies. We thus recognize that the appropriate dynamics is given by CM diffusion, and calculate the appropriate diffusion constant (Rouse or Zimm) as the chain translocates. We illustrate our theoretical approach with a planar nanopore geometry and calculate some characteristic dynamical predictions. Our main result is the connection between the translocation coordinate and the chain CM, however, we also find that the translocation time is sped up by 1–2 orders of magnitude if hydrodynamic interactions are present. Our approach can be extended to include the details included in previous translocation theories. Most importantly this work provides a direct connection between theoretical approaches and experiments or simulations.

SIGNIFICANCE

Macromolecule motion through nanopores is critical for many biological processes, and has been recently employed for nucleic acid sequencing. Despite this, direct theoretical understandings of translocation are difficult to evaluate due to the introduction of the translocation coordinate. In this manuscript, we propose a theory for translocation written at the center of mass level of the polymer chain. This theoretical approach is more easily compared to experimental and simulation results, and additionally allows one to accurately account for hydrodynamic interactions on the macromolecule dynamics.
Activation or inhibition of PPARα-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation does not active cardiomyocyte proliferation in normal or infarcted adult mice
Authors: Roy Rajika , Leigh Tani , Gao Erhe , Zhang Xiaoying , Tian Ying
Published: June 2019

Objectives

PPAR genes are known as the important regulators of fatty acid oxidation and energy homeostasis. PPARα is highly expressed in the embryonic and adult heart. Previous studies from infant mouse hearts have suggested that activation of PPARα using GW7647 treatment or cardiac-restricted activation of PPARα using αMHC-PPARα transgenic mice enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation and promoted cardiomyocyte proliferation rate in the postnatal day 4 mouse heart. Here, we further investigate the impact of PPARα-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation on cardiomyocyte proliferation in the adult mouse heart.

Methods and Results

Adult wild-type (C57BL/6J) mice were subjected to five injections of GW7647, a highly specific PPARα agonist, or vehicle (saline). Cardiomyocyte proliferation was analyzed by quantification of DNA synthesis via ethynyldeoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation and quantification of cells undergoing mitosis using phosphorylated histone H3 (PH3). GW7647 treatment resulted in activation of PPARα target genes associated with fatty acid metabolism and β-oxidation, validating its biological activity. However, GW7647 treatment did not active cardiomyocyte proliferation in the normal heart. In parallel, mice were subjected to myocardial infarction (MI) using permanent coronary artery occlusion. Both GW7647-treatd wild-type mice and αMHC-PPARα transgenic mice showed no significant differences in cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis and mitosis compared with vehicle-treated wild-type mice after MI. Furthermore, inhibition of PPARα-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation using etomoxir (ETO) treatment had no impact on cardiomyocyte proliferation in both normal and infarcted hearts of wild-type mice compared with vehicle treatment.

These findings suggest that activation or inhibition of PPARα-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation did not active cardiomyocyte proliferation in normal or infarcted hearts of adult mice. Any effects on cardiac function observed following PPARα activation treatment is independent of enhanced cardiomyocyte renewal in the adult heart.
Brain-wide mapping of contextual fear memory engram ensembles supports the dispersed engram complex hypothesis
Authors: Roy Dheeraj S , Park Young-Gyun , Ogawa Sachie K , Cho Jae H , Choi Heejin , Kamensky Lee , Martin Jared , Chung Kwanghun , Tonegawa Susumu
Published: June 2019

Neuronal ensembles that hold specific memory (memory engrams) have been identified in the hippocampus, amygdala, and cortex. It has been hypothesized that engrams for a specific memory are distributed among multiple brain regions that are functionally connected. Here, we report the hitherto most extensive engram map for contextual fear memory by characterizing activity-tagged neurons in 409 regions using SHIELD-based tissue phenotyping. The mapping was aided by a novel engram index, which identified cFos+ brain regions holding engrams with a high probability. Optogenetic manipulations confirmed previously known engrams and revealed new engrams. Many of these engram holding-regions were functionally connected to the CA1 or amygdala engrams. Simultaneous chemogenetic reactivation of multiple engrams, which mimics natural memory recall, conferred a greater level of memory recall than reactivation of a single engram ensemble. Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that a memory is stored in functionally connected engrams distributed across multiple brain regions.
A CLEAR pipeline for direct comparison of circular and linear RNA expression
Authors: Ma Xu-Kai , Wang Meng-Ran , Liu Chu-Xiao , Dong Rui , Carmichael Gordon G. , Chen Ling-Ling , Yang Li
Published: June 2019

Sequences of circular RNAs (circRNAs) produced from back-splicing of exon(s) completely overlap with sequences from cognate linear RNAs transcribed from the same gene loci with the exception of their back-splicing junction (BSJ) sites. Examination of global circRNA expression from RNA-seq datasets generally relies on the detection of RNA-seq fragments spanning BSJ sites, but a direct comparison of circular and linear RNA expression from the same gene loci in a genome-wide manner has remained challenging. This is because quantification of BSJ fragments differs from that of linear RNA expression that uses normalized RNA-seq fragments mapped to the whole gene bodies. Here, we have developed a computational pipeline for circular and linear RNA expression analysis from ribosomal-RNA depleted RNA-seq (CLEAR, https://github.com/YangLab/CLEAR). A new quantitation parameter, FPB (fragments per billion mapped bases), is applied to evaluate circular and linear RNA expression individually by fragments mapped to circRNA-specific BSJ sites or to linear RNA-specific splicing junction (SJ) sites. Then, circular and linear RNA expression are directly compared by dividing FPBcirc by FPBlinear to generate a CIRCscore, which indicates the relative circRNA expression using linear RNA expression as the background. Highly-expressed circRNAs with low cognate linear RNA expression background can be identified for further investigation.
Highly Genotype- and Tissue-specific Single-Parent Expression Drives Dynamic Gene Expression Complementation in Maize Hybrids
Authors: Li Zhi , Zhou Peng , Coletta Rafael Della , Zhang Tifu , Brohammer Alex B. , Vaillancourt Brieanne , Lipzen Anna , Daum Chris , Barry Kerrie , de Leon Natalia , Hirsch Cory D. , Buell C. Robin , Kaeppler Shawn M. , Springer Nathan M. , Hirsch Candice N.
Published: June 2019

Maize exhibits tremendous gene expression variation between different lines. Complementation of diverse gene expression patterns in hybrids could play an important role in the manifestation of heterosis. In this study, we used transcriptome data of five different tissues from 33 maize inbreds and 89 hybrids (430 samples in total) to survey the global gene expression landscape of F1-hybrids relative to their inbred parents. Analysis of this data set revealed that single parent expression (SPE), which is defined as gene expression in only one of the two parents, while commonly observed, is highly genotype- and tissue-specific. Genes that have SPE in at least one pair of inbreds also tend to be tissue-specific. Genes with SPE caused by genomic presence/absence variation (PAV SPE) are much more frequently expressed in hybrids than genes that are present in the genome of both inbreds, but expressed in only a single-parent (non-PAV SPE) (74.7% vs. 59.7%). For non-PAV SPE genes, allele specific expression was used to investigate whether parental alleles not expressed in the inbred line (“silent allele”) can be actively transcribed in the hybrid. We found that expression of the silent allele in the hybrid is relatively rare (∼6.3% of non-PAV SPE genes), but is observed in almost all hybrids and tissues. Non-PAV SPE genes with expression of the silent allele in the hybrid are more likely to exhibit above high-parent expression level in the hybrid than those that do not express the silent allele. Finally, both PAV SPE and non-PAV SPE genes are highly enriched for being classified as non-syntenic, but depleted for curated genes with experimentally determined functions. This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the potential role of non-PAV SPE and PAV SPE genes in heterosis.
Specific radiation damage is a lesser concern at room temperature
Authors: Gotthard Guillaume , Aumonier Sylvain , De Sanctis Daniele , Leonard Gordon , von Stetten David , Royant Antoine
Published: June 2019

Carrying out macromolecular crystallography (MX) experiments at cryogenic temperatures significantly slows the rate of global radiation damage, thus facilitating the solution of high-resolution crystal structures of macromolecules. However, cryo-MX experiments suffer from the early onset of so-called specific radiation damage that affects certain amino-acid residues and, in particular, the active sites of many proteins. Here, a series of MX experiments are described which suggest that specific and global radiation damage are much less decoupled at room temperature than they are at cryogenic temperatures. The results reported here demonstrate the interest in reviving the practice of collecting MX diffraction data at room temperature and allow structural biologists to favourably envisage the development of time-resolved MX experiments at synchrotron sources.
A grassroots research approach for branding urban districts
Authors: Pasalar Celen , Hallowell George Dewey
Published: June 2019

Purpose

To produce effective urban district branding strategies, the factors impacting its unique characteristics and identity must be examined first. The purpose of this paper is to present a bottom-up participatory process for uncovering the identity of an urban district to ensure that its community goals and future branding are consistent and genuine.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines a recently completed grassroots effort that was used to uncover key physical, economic and cultural resources of the Southwest Raleigh district. Interdisciplinary methods, including surveys, interviews, mapping and economic analysis, were used to reveal how residents and businesses perceived the district’s identity.

Findings

The study revealed strong connections between a growing economy and factors related to liveability and identity, such as walkability, proximity, connectivity and availability of amenities. It provided a framework for communities to understand the forces of change that may influence the urban identity and potential branding strategies that would align with growing creative district goals.

Practical implications

Analyzing and evaluating the factors involved in the district’s identity, including diversified economies, demographics and urban qualities, is essential to the creation of an authentic brand that aligns with community perceptions.

Social implications

A research strategy is necessary to uncover the identity of a growing city. This requires a thorough assessment of its unique, localized characteristics, including the perceptions of its residents and businesses.

Originality/value

This paper and its outcomes can inform future in-depth investigations using similar comprehensive and bottom-up approaches for uncovering perceptions and urban identity in support of growing creative economies.
Differences between organic and conventional leafy green vegetables perceived by university students
Authors: Da Cunha Diogo Thimoteo , Antunes Adriane Elisabete Costa , Da Rocha Julia Gabriela , Dutra Talita Gaspar , Manfrinato Catarina Vezetiv , Oliveira Julicristie Machado , Rostagno Mauricio Ariel
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate perceived sensory differences of organic and conventional leafy green vegetables through three sensory tests – blind, informed and inverted and the willingness to buy (WTB) them, and associated factors of organic food consumption by these students.

Design/methodology/approach

The research had a cross-sectional design with university students. First, a questionnaire with 16 statements was presented to 233 consumers with a five-point Likert scale response. The assertions were categorized into five domains: trust in organic production; trust in conventional production; positive attitude to organic; affordable price; and perceived quality. Afterwards, a hedonic scaling was conducted with 150 consumers, 50 in each type of test with conventional and organic leafy green vegetables: lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.); kale (Brassica oleracea L.); common chicory (Cichorium intybus); and endive (Cichorium endivia). Visual aspect, taste, texture, bitterness and overall liking for all samples were evaluated on a nine-point hedonic scale.

Findings

In general, the participants did not perceive sensory differences during the blind test, but when the information about the vegetables was provided, higher scores were obtained by those products labelled as organic in the informed test and in the inverted test (conventional labelled as organic). This effect was higher for students with stronger attitudes towards organic food. These results indicated that the perceived differences between organic and conventional leafy green by university students tended to be attitudinal and, therefore, can be greatly influenced by the information provided with the product.

Originality/value

This research showed that university students were influenced by the organic label, revealing their sensory perception about vegetables. This study had multiple methodological approaches, including hedonic scaling and consumers’ WTB. This combination allowed identifying the students’ attitudinal tendency in relation to their sensory perceptions of organic green leafy green vegetables.
Jurisprudence and demand for halal meat in OIC
Authors: Majeed Imran , Al-Zyoud Hussein , Ahmad Naved
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the import demand function for halal meat in member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and to suggest some policy recommendations for OIC members that can enhance intra-OIC halal meat trade.

Design/methodology/approach

By using an augmented gravity model, this study empirically estimates the major determinants of halal meat import demand in OIC member countries. Moreover, a major determinant is the difference in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh).

Findings

The results of this study show that the variation in Islamic jurisprudence is one of the primary determinants of intra-regional trade of halal meat import demand in OIC member countries.

Research limitations/implications

Although trade flows are set up in several years and lag variables are well capable to examine trade flows, this study only includes the static nature of halal meat trade flows toward selected top 20 OIC member countries.

Practical implications

This study suggests that developing a common halal meat market and one halal certification body under the OIC can enhance intra-OIC halal meat trade, this may be a challenge given the five diverse interpretations of halal meat within Islamic jurisprudence among OIC member countries.

Originality/value

This paper identifies the role of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) in determining the import demand of halal meat in OIC countries, which has not been addressed in empirical literature. It also provides some policy implications to ameliorate the declining trend of intra-OIC trade flows of halal meat.
Characterising “Green Building” as a topic in Twitter
Authors: Palmer Stuart , Udawatta Nilupa
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Sustainable construction is widely considered to be the best practice in construction, helping to create a healthy built environment. Social media is identified as a valuable data source for research on sustainable construction, and Twitter is a popular social media platform in relation to the construction. Green Building construction is identified as one of the methods that promotes sustainable construction. The purpose of this study is to characterise “Green Building” as a topic in Twitter.

Design/methodology/approach

Social network analysis methods were applied to a large set of Twitter data related to “green building”. Time sequence analysis and network visualisation were used to characterise Twitter activity and to identify influential users. Text analytics and visualisation methods were applied to the same data set to visualise the text content of Twitter posts relating to green building.

Findings

Peaks in Twitter activity were associated with physical “green building” events. The network visualisation of the Twitter data revealed a complex structure and a range of types of interactions. The most “influential” users depended on the ranking method used; however, a number of users had high influence in all measures used. The tweet text visualisation showed evidence of a global and interactive audience on Twitter engaged in conversations about green building. Also, it was found that external links, emoji and popular terms related to a particular topic can be used to increase the engagement of Twitter users on that topic.

Originality/value

Certain Green Building events were observed to be associated with high levels of Twitter activity. The virtual was found to be closely linked to the physical, and for the promotion of green building construction, their respective impact is potentially the most powerful when used in conjunction. The most influential Twitter accounts did not belong to one class of user, including both individuals and organisations. Twitter offers a platform for a range of stakeholders in the area of green building construction to reach a substantial audience and to be influential in the public sphere. The findings of this research provide a valuable reference for industry practitioners and researchers to deepen their understanding of the application of Twitter to green building construction, and the methods of using Twitter to promote important information related to sustainable construction.
Measuring customer-oriented product returns service performance
Authors: Sajjanit Chonlada , Rompho Nopadol
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise customer-oriented product returns service (COPRS) performance, and develop and validate its measure.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses qualitative consumer interviews and a quantitative survey to conceptualise, operationalise and validate the measure of COPRS performance.

Findings

The findings indicate 12 components with 46 measurable items for COPRS performance, including assurance, compensation, convenience, empathy, employee empowerment, explanation, feedback, information availability, reliability, responsiveness, tangibles and timeliness.

Research limitations/implications

The measure could facilitate future empirical studies in the product returns service area. Future research could apply the COPRS performance measure across industries or in different settings such as cross-cultural or other retailing contexts.

Practical implications

Managers could evaluate their existing returns service performance in different key aspects based on the COPRS performance metrics and then improve their returns offerings accordingly. It also alerts practitioners to pay more attention to functional integration in designing returns service strategies to enhance customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

The study is one of the first to develop a new measure that substantiates the notion of an integrated marketing and reverse logistics interface, which is an underrepresented body of knowledge in the marketing and operations management disciplines.
Exploring the processing of product returns from a complex adaptive system perspective
Authors: Espinosa Jennifer A. , Davis Donna , Stock James , Monahan Lisa
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the processing of product returns at five case companies using a complex adaptive systems (CAS) logic to identify agent interactions, organization, schema, learning and the emergence of adaptations in the reverse supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multiple-case study design, this research applies abductive reasoning to examine data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews and direct researcher observations collected during site visits at case companies.

Findings

Costly or high-risk returns may require agents to specialize the depth of their mental schema. Processing agents need freedom to interact, self-organize and learn from other agents to generate emergent ideas and adapt.

Practical implications

Limiting the depth of individual agent schema allows managers to better allocate labor to processing product returns during peak volume. To boost adaptability, managers need to craft a dynamic environment that encourages agents with diverse schema to interact, anticipate, and self-organize to brainstorm new ideas. Managers need to resist the urge to “control” the dynamic environment that ensues.

Originality/value

This paper builds on existing research that studies the key decision points in the analysis of product returns by exploring how processing-agent behaviors can create adaptability in the reverse supply chain. Additionally, this research follows in the tradition of Choi et al. (2001) and Surana et al. (2005) and proposes the application of CAS to a specific part of the supply chain – the processing of product returns.
Understanding the ‘other’: the case of Al-Biruni (973-1048 AD)
Authors: Senin Nurhanisah , Grine Fadila , Wan Ramli Wan Adli , Mohd Khambali @ Hambali Khadijah , Ramlan Siti Fairuz
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate al-Biruni’s originality in the study of religion and the exploration of religious truth, while his firm stance on his religion effectively advocated his need to understand others more accurately.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a review of al-Biruni’s literature that uses content analysis method in establishing al-Biruni’s approach in understanding other religions through three main methodologies. From these approaches, this paper advocates al-Biruni’s firm stance toward his own faith despite using a scientific study on Hindu, which is in contrary to other phenomenological scholars who find that religious truth is relative in nature.

Findings

Al-Biruni’s methods have proven that researchers are not necessarily required to dispose off their religious identity and commitment to faith, while simultaneously achieving objectivity and accuracy. Al-Biruni’s approach to understanding others may be seen as a remarkable early model of interfaith, intercultural and inter-civilizational dialogue seeking, eventually, to promote a harmonious co-existence within a highly polarized cultural and religious context. This inquiry demonstrates al-Biruni’s scholarly depth in his attempt to harmonize his methodology with the study of religious phenomena in compliance with Islam.

Originality/value

This study signifies al-Biruni’s intellectual background with his mastery of first-hand information as a solid basis and grounds for the effective understanding of others in a descriptive, systematic and comparative manner. This paper also signifies al-Biruni’s methods of understanding others without having to dispose off one’s religious identity and commitment to faith which could be exemplified by other religious scholars.
Supply chain management at the base of the pyramid
Authors: Tate Wendy L. , Bals Lydia , Marshall Donna
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compile a set of articles tackling supply chain issues in BOP contexts that address both demand and supply. Solutions are needed for global sustainability problems from medical aid and food availability to the ability to participate in supply chains for the global poor.

Design/methodology/approach

The accepted articles in the special issue used a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to answer research questions in a variety of base of the pyramid (BOP) contexts. These approaches and results distinguish between demand (BOP market) and supply, or base of the chain (BOC), perspectives.

Findings

The findings in the eight accepted marticles are interesting and applicable across different BOP contexts. Compilation of the articles into the special issue and the accompanying editorial led to a comprehensive future research agenda that addresses demand-side issues by investigating the customers in BOP markets, and supply-side issues focusing on the suppliers and intermediaries (BOC) who supply BOP markets. Future research ideas include a focus on supply chain design issues situated at the intersection of the demand (BOP) and the supply (BOC) concerns that address the needs of the world’s poorest populations.

Research limitations/implications

All of the selected articleshave societal implications related to addressing the needs of BOP populations. Many of these articles also have economic and environmental implications, the other two pillars of the triple bottom line. The detailed future research agenda developed in this editorial presents implications for researchers working in emerging and BOP communities to push research forward and further develop the foundational literature in the BOP context.

Practical implications

From a practical standpoint, each of the eight articles presents ideas for businesses that help address the needs of the global poor while enhancing global sustainability performance. The editorial summarizes these implications and provides new directions and examples of success in the BOP context. Managers are provided with techniques to address the supply and demand side of these growing markets.

Originality/value

The overall conceptual framework and positioning of the final papers into the BOP market, BOC suppliers and a combination of the two is novel and helps provide guidance to both scholars and managers.
When are earnings informative?
Authors: ElBannan Mona A. , Farooq Omar
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of stock market liquidity on the value of reported earnings in Egypt, proxied by the earnings–return relationship, during the period between 2006 and 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this objective, this paper uses a sample including all active firms listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange. This study employs multivariate panel data regression analysis with fixed effects estimated using robust standard errors, and control for other variables. All financial, accounting and stock market data are collected from the Thomson Reuters Worldscope and Datastream databases.

Findings

The empirical results report a significant positive relation between liquidity and earnings informativeness. This study argues that in environments with high information asymmetries, reported earnings are informative conditional on stock liquidity. All results remain valid when using heteroscedasticity-robust standard errors clustered across firms, alternative measures of liquidity, sub-groups of different sizes and estimating quantile regressions.

Originality/value

This paper identifies stock price liquidity as a significant determinant of stock price informativeness of earnings in Egypt. In particular, stock liquidity reduces agency conflicts and information asymmetries between managers and market investors, and thereby decreases managerial incentives to misreport earnings. This consequently enhances the quality of reported earnings and the informativeness of prices.
The role of consumption emotions in users’ mobile gaming application continuance intention
Authors: Zheng Lili
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The long-term development of a mobile gaming application (app) depends on its continued use by its users. The expectation–confirmation model of IS continuance was used as the basic framework, to which bi-dimensional consumption emotions were added to help better explain satisfaction judgment and continuance intention in the context of mobile gaming app use. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were analyzed using structural equation models. The effects of positive consumption emotions and negative consumption emotions were examined, respectively, in Models 1 and 2. Competing models (Models 3 and 4) were also examined in order to compare the proposed model.

Findings

Both PE and NE have an effect on the satisfaction of mobile gaming app users and their continued usage intention, a finding that represents an important contribution to the extension of technology continuance theory. Comparison with the IS continuance model shows that the new model can explain significantly more variance in continuance intention.

Practical implications

Mobile gaming firms should pay attention to users’ consumption emotions, especially negative emotions. Some specific emotions involved in mobile gaming app use were identified, which could guide firms’ understanding of users’ emotions.

Originality/value

This study offers insight into the role of consumption emotions in forming continuance intentions toward mobile gaming app use in China, a topic that has not previously been investigated.
The determinants of securities trading activity: evidence from four European equity markets
Authors: Camilleri Silvio John , Galea Francelle
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to obtain new empirical evidence about the connections between equity trading activity and five possible liquidity determinants: market capitalisation, dividend yield, earnings yield, company growth and the distinction between recently listed firms as opposed to more established ones.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sample of 172 stocks from four European markets and estimate models using the entire sample data and different sub-samples to check the relative importance of the above determinants. The authors also conduct a factor analysis to re-classify the variables into a more succinct framework.

Findings

The evidence suggests that market capitalisation is the most important trading activity determinant, and the number of years listed ranks thereafter.

Research limitations/implications

The positive relation between trading activity and market capitalisation is in line with prior literature, while the findings relating to the other determinants offer further empirical evidence which is a worthy addition in view of the contradictory results in prior research.

Practical implications

This study is of relevance to practitioners who would like to understand the cross-sectional variation in stock liquidity at a more detailed level.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper rests on two important grounds: the authors focus on trading turnover rather than on other liquidity proxies, since the former is accepted as an important determinant of the liquidity-generation process, and the authors adopt a rigorous approach towards checking the robustness of the results by considering various sub-sample configurations.
Basel III: where should we go from here?
Authors: Nguyen Quang Thi Thieu
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to propose the directions for potential reforms for the capital regulation. The focus is on the simplicity and comparability of the regulation, in addition to its risk sensitivity.

Design/methodology/approach

The author reviews the development of the Basel standards and identify the existing issues. On this basis, the recommendations are suggested.

Findings

The paper found that the capital regulation has become so complexed that it undermines its own efficiency in promoting the safety and soundness of the banking system. In addition, the current framework prevents a comparison of capital ratios across countries and over time. This discourages the market participants to supervise the bank’s operations. Therefore, there are still a need for the capital regulation reform.

Practical implications

By making the regulation simpler while ensuring the credit sensitivity, the market participants can play the most of their role and support the regulators in supervising banks.

Originality/value

The directions for the revised framework would be useful for the Basel Committee and central bank governors in designing an effective mechanism to supervise and discipline banks.
Granger-causes of the Ringgit-US dollar exchange rate after 2005
Authors: Kan Yoke Yue , Leibrecht Markus
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate Granger-causal relations between the Ringgit-USD exchange rate and selected domestic and international economic variables after the flotation of the Ringgit beginning with 25 July 2005.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses lag-augmented vector autoregression (LA-VAR) developed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995) to test for Granger-causality. To visualize short-run dynamics in the Malaysian Ringgit (RM)-USD exchange rate to shocks in predictor variables, generalized impulse-response functions (Pesaran and Shin, 1998) are derived from the estimated LA-VAR models.

Findings

Results based on LA-VAR generalized impulse responses and data measured in daily frequency indicate strong Granger-causal relationships with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and oil prices. Evidence is also indicative for a causal relationship with the Shanghai Composite Index. Positive shocks in these three variables lead an appreciation of the Ringgit.

Practical implications

These results provide insights for policymakers in East Asia in their attempt to manage the floating of their currency.

Originality/value

The paper adds to existing empirical literature in three ways. First, it investigates the RM-USD exchange rate after its managed flotation beginning with 25 July 2005. Second, the study provides results for exchange rates measured in two frequencies, namely, daily and monthly. Third, the empirical LA-VAR model applied includes variables capturing economic and financial conditions in China. Prior literature puts a focus on macroeconomic conditions in the USA. Yet, since 2009, China has been the largest trading partner of Malaysia.
Health researchers and policy makers involvement in knowledge translation activities in Malawi
Authors: Mapulanga Patrick , Raju Jaya , Matingwina Thomas
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore health researchers’ involvement of policy or decision makers in knowledge translation activities in Malawi.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study collected quantitative through questionnaire from health researchers from the University of Malawi. The study used inferential statistics for the analysis of the quantitative data. Pearson χ2 test was used to establish the relationship between categorical data and determine whether any observed difference between the data sets arose by chance. The Kruskal–Wallis H test was used to determine if there were statistically significant differences between independent variable and dependent variables. Data has been presented in a form of tables showing means, standard deviation and p-values.

Findings

Health researchers sometimes involve policy or decision makers in government-sponsored meetings (M=2.5, SD=1.17). They rarely involve policy or decision makers in expert committee or group meetings (M=2.4, SD=1.20). Researchers rarely involve policy or decision makers in conferences and workshops (M=2.4, SD=1.31). Rarely do researchers involve policy or decision makers in formal private or public networks (M=2.4, SD=1.17). In events organised by the colleges researchers rarely involve policy or decision makers (M=2.3, SD=1.11); and rarely share weblinks with policy or decision makers (M=2.0, SD=1,17). On average, health researchers occasionally conduct deliberate dialogues with key health policy makers and other stakeholders (M=2.5, SD=1.12). The researchers rarely established and maintained long-term partnerships policy or decision makers (M=2.2, SD=1.20). They rarely involve policy or decision makers in the overall direction of the health research conducted by themselves or the Colleges (M=2.1, SD=1.24).

Research limitations/implications

The study recommends that there should be deliberate efforts by health researchers and policy makers to formally engage each other. Individuals need technical skills, knowledge of the processes and structures for engaging with health research evidence to inform policy and decision making. At the institutional level, the use of research evidence should be embedded within support research engagement structures and linked persons.

Practical implications

Formal interactions in a form of expert meetings and technical working groups between researchers and policy makers can facilitate the use of health research evidence in policy formulation.

Social implications

In terms of framework there is need to put in place formal interaction frameworks between health researchers and policy makers within the knowledge translation and exchange.

Originality/value

There is dearth of literature on the levels of involvement and interaction between health researchers and health policy or decision makers in health policy, systems and services research in Malawi. This study seeks to bridge the gap with empirical evidence.
Lean bundles in health care: a scoping review
Authors: Abdallah Ayman Bahjat , Alkhaldi Rasha Zuhair
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review original research on lean management (LM) in health care to identify potential research gaps and present recommendations for future research. The paper also discusses the current state of implementing LM practices in health care. In addition, it presents and highlights “lean bundles” imported from manufacturing, namely, total quality management (TQM), human resource management, just-in-time and total productive maintenance, as a potential implementation strategy of LM in hospitals to optimize overall health care performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The scoping review was conducted based on the guidelines specified by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). Relevant included studies were retrieved by searching various electronic databases. The PRISMA guidelines were applied to identify and select eligible studies.

Findings

The majority of previous studies used selected practices to measure LM in health care. In most cases, these practices reflected a narrow and biased view of LM. Lean bundles which comprehensively view LM and reflect all its aspects have rarely been discussed in the health care literature. Evidence about the contribution of lean bundles to hospital performance needs to be addressed in future studies.

Practical implications

This paper demonstrates the implementation of the four lean bundles in hospitals. It argues that, instead of adopting one dimension or selected practices of LM, hospitals viewing LM as a comprehensive multi-dimensional approach through the adoption of the four lean bundles are expected to maximize their performances.

Originality/value

This is one of the first works to comprehensively review and discuss lean bundles in the context of health care. It argues that the adoption of the four lean bundles by hospitals will enable them to yield the maximum LM performance benefits. In addition, a proposed survey questionnaire based on the literature review is provided to assist researchers in conducting future empirical studies.
Intersectional observations of the Human Brain Project’s approach to sex and gender
Authors: Fothergill B. Tyr , Knight William , Stahl Bernd Carsten , Ulnicane Inga
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to critically assess approaches to sex and gender in the Human Brain Project (HBP) as a large information and communication technology (ICT) project case study using intersectionality.

Design/methodology/approach

The strategy of the HBP is contextualised within the wider context of the representation of women in ICT, and critically reflected upon from an intersectional standpoint.

Findings

The policy underpinning the approach deployed by the HBP in response to these issues parallels Horizon 2020 wording and emphasises economic outcomes, productivity and value, which aligns with other “equality” initiatives influenced by neoliberalised versions of feminism.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include focussing on a single case study, the authors being funded as part of the Ethics and Society Subproject of the HBP, and the limited temporal period under consideration.

Social implications

The frameworks underpinning the HBP approach to sex and gender issues present risks with regard to the further entrenchment of present disparities in the ICT sector, may fail to acknowledge systemic inequalities and biases and ignore the importance of intersectionality. Shortcomings of the approach employed by the HBP up to March, 2018 included aspects of each of these risks, and replicated problematic understandings of sex, gender and diversity.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to use an intersectional approach to issues of sex and gender in the context of large-scale ICT research. Its value lies in raising awareness, opening a discursive space and presenting opportunities to consider and reflect upon potential, contextualised intersectional solutions to such issues.