bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
State-dependent block of Orai3 TM1 and TM3 cysteine mutants: Insights into 2-APB activation
Authors: Amcheslavsky Anna , Safrina Olga , Cahalan Michael D.
Published: April 2014

After endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ store depletion, Orai channels in the plasma membrane (PM) are activated directly by ER-resident stromal interacting molecule (STIM) proteins to form the Ca2+-selective Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel. Of the three human Orai channel homologues, only Orai3 can be activated by high concentrations (>50 µM) of 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate (2-APB). 2-APB activation of Orai3 occurs without STIM1–Orai3 interaction or store depletion, and results in a cationic, nonselective current characterized by biphasic inward and outward rectification. Here we use cysteine scanning mutagenesis, thiol-reactive reagents, and patch-clamp analysis to define the residues that assist in formation of the 2-APB–activated Orai3 pore. Mutating transmembrane (TM) 1 residues Q83, V77, and L70 to cysteine results in potentiated block by cadmium ions (Cd2+). TM1 mutants E81C, G73A, G73C, and R66C form channels that are not sensitive to 2-APB activation. We also find that Orai3 mutant V77C is sensitive to block by 2-aminoethyl methanethiosulfonate (MTSEA), but not 2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl methanethiosulfonate (MTSET). Block induced by reaction with MTSEA is state dependent, as it occurs only when Orai3-V77C channels are opened by either 2-APB or by cotransfection with STIM1 and concurrent passive store depletion. We also analyzed TM3 residue E165. Mutation E165A in Orai3 results in diminished 2-APB–activated currents. However, it has little effect on store-operated current density. Furthermore, mutation E165C results in Cd2+-induced block that is state dependent: Cd2+ only blocks 2-APB–activated, not store-operated, mutant channels. Our data suggest that the dilated pore of 2-APB–activated Orai3 is lined by TM1 residues, but also allows for TM3 E165 to approach the central axis of the channel that forms the conducting pathway, or pore.
Computed Tomography Correlates with Cardiopulmonary Hemodynamics in Pulmonary Hypertension in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Linguraru Marius George , Pura John A. , Gladwin Mark T. , Koroulakis Antony I. , Minniti Caterina , Machado Roberto F. , Kato Gregory J. , Wood Bradford J.
Published: April 2014

Our objective was to determine whether computed tomography angiography (CTA) measurements of pulmonary artery size can noninvasively assess hemodynamics and diagnose pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to sickle cell disease (SCD). Twenty SCD patients with confirmed PH were compared with 20 matched controls. Diameters of the pulmonary artery trunk and branches were measured with CTA and a semiautomatic segmentation algorithm. Measurements were normalized by body size and correlated (Spearman rank) with hemodynamic markers from right‐heart catheterization. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to investigate the role of pulmonary artery sizes in diagnosing PH. Analysis of pulmonary artery sizes adjusted for body surface area (BSA) resulted in the most significant discrimination between subjects with PH secondary to SCD and controls (P < 0.001); PH was diagnosed accurately with an area under the ROC curve of 0.99. There was significant correlation between pulmonary artery sizes and body mass index (BMI) and BSA only in controls (r = 0.46–0.68, P < 0.04 for all). The most significant correlations with hemodynamic markers were found between BMI‐adjusted pulmonary artery sizes and high systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, high pulmonary vascular resistance, high systemic vascular resistance, and low cardiac output (r = 0.47, 0.62, 0.61, and 0.66, respectively; P < 0.04 for all). BMI‐adjusted CTA measures of the pulmonary artery relate to high pulmonary vascular resistance and reduced cardiac output in patients with SCD and PH. CTA with quantitative image analysis is a powerful noninvasive diagnostic tool for PH in SCD and shows promise as estimator of hemodynamic markers.
R PheWAS: data analysis and plotting tools for phenome-wide association studies in the R environment
Authors: Carroll Robert J. , Bastarache Lisa , Denny Joshua C.
Published: April 2014

Summary: Phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) have been used to replicate known genetic associations and discover new phenotype associations for genetic variants. This PheWAS implementation allows users to translate ICD-9 codes to PheWAS case and control groups, perform analyses using these and/or other phenotypes with covariate adjustments and plot the results. We demonstrate the methods by replicating a PheWAS on rs3135388 (near HLA-DRB, associated with multiple sclerosis) and performing a novel PheWAS using an individual’s maximum white blood cell count (WBC) as a continuous measure. Our results for rs3135388 replicate known associations with more significant results than the original study on the same dataset. Our PheWAS of WBC found expected results, including associations with infections, myeloproliferative diseases and associated conditions, such as anemia. These results demonstrate the performance of the improved classification scheme and the flexibility of PheWAS encapsulated in this package.

Availability and implementation: This R package is freely available under the Gnu Public License (GPL-3) from http://phewascatalog.org. It is implemented in native R and is platform independent.

Contact:  phewas@vanderbilt.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Oil in the Sahara: mapping anthropogenic threats to Saharan biodiversity from space
Authors: Duncan Clare , Kretz Daniela , Wegmann Martin , Rabeil Thomas , Pettorelli Nathalie
Published: April 2014

Deserts are among the most poorly monitored and understood biomes in the world, with evidence suggesting that their biodiversity is declining fast. Oil exploration and exploitation can constitute an important threat to fragmented and remnant desert biodiversity, yet little is known about where and how intensively such developments are taking place. This lack of information hinders local efforts to adequately buffer and protect desert wildlife against encroachment from anthropogenic activity. Here, we investigate the use of freely available satellite imagery for the detection of features associated with oil exploration in the African Sahelo-Saharan region. We demonstrate how texture analyses combined with Landsat data can be employed to detect ground-validated exploration sites in Algeria and Niger. Our results show that site detection via supervised image classification and prediction is generally accurate. One surprising outcome of our analyses is the relatively high level of site omission errors in Niger (43%), which appears to be due to non-detection of potentially small-scale, temporary exploration activity: we believe the repeated implementation of our framework could reduce the severity of potential methodological limitations. Overall, our study provides a methodological basis for the mapping of anthropogenic threats associated with oil exploitation that can be conducted across desert regions.
Role of African protected areas in maintaining connectivity for large mammals
Authors: Wegmann Martin , Santini Luca , Leutner Benjamin , Safi Kamran , Rocchini Duccio , Bevanda Mirjana , Latifi Hooman , Dech Stefan , Rondinini Carlo
Published: April 2014

The African protected area (PA) network has the potential to act as a set of functionally interconnected patches that conserve meta-populations of mammal species, but individual PAs are vulnerable to habitat change which may disrupt connectivity and increase extinction risk. Individual PAs have different roles in maintaining connectivity, depending on their size and location. We measured their contribution to network connectivity (irreplaceability) for carnivores and ungulates and combined it with a measure of vulnerability based on a 30-year trend in remotely sensed vegetation cover (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). Highly irreplaceable PAs occurred mainly in southern and eastern Africa. Vegetation cover change was generally faster outside than inside PAs and particularly so in southern Africa. The extent of change increased with the distance from PAs. About 5% of highly irreplaceable PAs experienced a faster vegetation cover loss than their surroundings, thus requiring particular conservation attention. Our analysis identified PAs at risk whose isolation would disrupt the connectivity of the PA network for large mammals. This is an example of how ecological spatial modelling can be combined with large-scale remote sensing data to investigate how land cover change may affect ecological processes and species conservation.
Cellulomonas pakistanensis sp. nov., a moderately halotolerant Actinobacteria
Authors: Ahmed Iftikhar , Kudo Takuji , Abbas Saira , Ehsan Muhammad , Iino Takao , Fujiwara Toru , Ohkuma Moriya
Published: April 2014

A rod-shaped, motile, facultatively anaerobic and moderately halotolerant plant-growth-promoting actinobacterial strain, designated NCCP-11T, was isolated from paddy grains. To delineate its taxonomic position, the strain was subjected to a polyphasic characterization. Cells of strain NCCP-11T grew at 10–37 °C (optimum 28–32 °C), at pH 6–9 (optimum pH 7) and in 0–12 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1–2 %) in broth medium. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain NCCP-11T showed highest similarity to the type strains of

Cellulomonas hominis

(98.99 %) and

Cellulomonas denverensis

(98.09 %) and less than 97 % with other closely related taxa. The chemotaxonomic data [major menaquinone: MK-9(H4); cell-wall peptidoglycan: type A4β; major fatty acids: anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, C14 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0; major polar lipids: diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositolmannosides and two unknown polar lipids] also supported the affiliation of strain NCCP-11T to the genus

Cellulomonas

. The level of DNA–DNA relatedness between strain NCCP-11T and the two type strains mentioned above was less than 42.7 %. On the basis of DNA–DNA relatedness, physiological and biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic position, strain NCCP-11T can be differentiated from species of the genus

Cellulomonas with validly published names
and thus represents a novel species, for which the name Cellulomonas pakistanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NCCP-11T ( = DSM 24792T = JCM 18755T = KCTC 19798T).
Lin28 sustains early renal progenitors and induces Wilms tumor
Authors: Urbach Achia , Yermalovich Alena , Zhang Jin , Spina Catherine S. , Zhu Hao , Perez-Atayde Antonio R. , Shukrun Rachel , Charlton Jocelyn , Sebire Neil , Mifsud William , Dekel Benjamin , Pritchard-Jones Kathy , Daley George Q.
Published: April 2014

Wilms Tumor, the most common pediatric kidney cancer, evolves from the failure of terminal differentiation of the embryonic kidney. Here we show that overexpression of the heterochronic regulator Lin28 during kidney development in mice markedly expands nephrogenic progenitors by blocking their final wave of differentiation, ultimately resulting in a pathology highly reminiscent of Wilms tumor. Using lineage-specific promoters to target Lin28 to specific cell types, we observed Wilms tumor only when Lin28 is aberrantly expressed in multiple derivatives of the intermediate mesoderm, implicating the cell of origin as a multipotential renal progenitor. We show that withdrawal of Lin28 expression reverts tumorigenesis and markedly expands the numbers of glomerulus-like structures and that tumor formation is suppressed by enforced expression of Let-7 microRNA. Finally, we demonstrate overexpression of the LIN28B paralog in a significant percentage of human Wilms tumor. Our data thus implicate the Lin28/Let-7 pathway in kidney development and tumorigenesis.
Structural basis for the Nanos-mediated recruitment of the CCR4–NOT complex and translational repression
Authors: Bhandari Dipankar , Raisch Tobias , Weichenrieder Oliver , Jonas Stefanie , Izaurralde Elisa
Published: April 2014

The RNA-binding proteins of the Nanos family play an essential role in germ cell development and survival in a wide range of metazoan species. They function by suppressing the expression of target mRNAs through the recruitment of effector complexes, which include the CCR4–NOT deadenylase complex. Here, we show that the three human Nanos paralogs (Nanos1–3) interact with the CNOT1 C-terminal domain and determine the structural basis for the specific molecular recognition. Nanos1–3 bind CNOT1 through a short CNOT1-interacting motif (NIM) that is conserved in all vertebrates and some invertebrate species. The crystal structure of the human Nanos1 NIM peptide bound to CNOT1 reveals that the peptide opens a conserved hydrophobic pocket on the CNOT1 surface by inserting conserved aromatic residues. The substitutions of these aromatic residues in the Nanos1–3 NIMs abolish binding to CNOT1 and abrogate the ability of the proteins to repress translation. Our findings provide the structural basis for the recruitment of the CCR4–NOT complex by vertebrate Nanos, indicate that the NIMs are the major determinants of the translational repression mediated by Nanos, and identify the CCR4–NOT complex as the main effector complex for Nanos function.
Extensive and coordinated control of allele-specific expression by both transcription and translation in Candida albicans
Authors: Muzzey Dale , Sherlock Gavin , Weissman Jonathan S.
Published: April 2014

Though sequence differences between alleles are often limited to a few polymorphisms, these differences can cause large and widespread allelic variation at the expression level. Such allele-specific expression (ASE) has been extensively explored at the level of transcription but not translation. Here we measured ASE in the diploid yeast Candida albicans at both the transcriptional and translational levels using RNA-seq and ribosome profiling, respectively. Since C. albicans is an obligate diploid, our analysis isolates ASE arising from cis elements in a natural, nonhybrid organism, where allelic effects reflect evolutionary forces. Importantly, we find that ASE arising from translation is of a similar magnitude as transcriptional ASE, both in terms of the number of genes affected and the magnitude of the bias. We further observe coordination between ASE at the levels of transcription and translation for single genes. Specifically, reinforcing relationships—where transcription and translation favor the same allele—are more frequent than expected by chance, consistent with selective pressure tuning ASE at multiple regulatory steps. Finally, we parameterize alleles based on a range of properties and find that SNP location and predicted mRNA-structure stability are associated with translational ASE in cis. Since this analysis probes more than 4000 allelic pairs spanning a broad range of variations, our data provide a genome-wide view into the relative impact of cis elements that regulate translation.
Vascular histone deacetylation by pharmacological HDAC inhibition
Authors: Rafehi Haloom , Balcerczyk Aneta , Lunke Sebastian , Kaspi Antony , Ziemann Mark , KN Harikrishnan , Okabe Jun , Khurana Ishant , Ooi Jenny , Khan Abdul Waheed , Du Xiao-Jun , Chang Lisa , Haviv Izhak , Keating Samuel T. , Karagiannis Tom C. , El-Osta Assam
Published: April 2014

HDAC inhibitors can regulate gene expression by post-translational modification of histone as well as nonhistone proteins. Often studied at single loci, increased histone acetylation is the paradigmatic mechanism of action. However, little is known of the extent of genome-wide changes in cells stimulated by the hydroxamic acids, TSA and SAHA. In this article, we map vascular chromatin modifications including histone H3 acetylation of lysine 9 and 14 (H3K9/14ac) using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with massive parallel sequencing (ChIP-seq). Since acetylation-mediated gene expression is often associated with modification of other lysine residues, we also examined H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 as well as changes in CpG methylation (CpG-seq). RNA sequencing indicates the differential expression of ∼30% of genes, with almost equal numbers being up- and down-regulated. We observed broad deacetylation and gene expression changes conferred by TSA and SAHA mediated by the loss of EP300/CREBBP binding at multiple gene promoters. This study provides an important framework for HDAC inhibitor function in vascular biology and a comprehensive description of genome-wide deacetylation by pharmacological HDAC inhibition.
Distinct Copy Number, Coding Sequence, and Locus Methylation Patterns UnderlieRhg1-Mediated Soybean Resistance to Soybean Cyst Nematode
Authors: Cook David E. , Bayless Adam M. , Wang Kai , Guo Xiaoli , Song Qijian , Jiang Jiming , Bent Andrew F.
Published: April 2014

Copy number variation of kilobase-scale genomic DNA segments, beyond presence/absence polymorphisms, can be an important driver of adaptive traits. Resistance to Heterodera glycines (Rhg1) is a widely utilized quantitative trait locus that makes the strongest known contribution to resistance against soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, the most damaging pathogen of soybean (Glycine max). Rhg1 was recently discovered to be a complex locus at which resistance-conferring haplotypes carry up to 10 tandem repeat copies of a 31-kb DNA segment, and three disparate genes present on each repeat contribute to SCN resistance. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing, fiber-FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization), and other methods to discover the genetic variation at Rhg1 across 41 diverse soybean accessions. Based on copy number variation, transcript abundance, nucleic acid polymorphisms, and differentially methylated DNA regions, we find that SCN resistance is associated with multicopy Rhg1 haplotypes that form two distinct groups. The tested high-copy-number Rhg1 accessions, including plant introduction (PI) 88788, contain a flexible number of copies (seven to 10) of the 31-kb Rhg1 repeat. The identified low-copy-number Rhg1 group, including PI 548402 (Peking) and PI 437654, contains three copies of the Rhg1 repeat and a newly identified allele of Glyma18g02590 (a predicted α-SNAP [α-soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein]). There is strong evidence for a shared origin of the two resistance-conferring multicopy Rhg1 groups and subsequent independent evolution. Differentially methylated DNA regions also were identified within Rhg1 that correlate with SCN resistance. These data provide insights into copy number variation of multigene segments, using as the example a disease resistance trait of high economic importance.
Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent Nitric Oxide Production Contributes to Hydrogen-Promoted Stomatal Closure in Arabidopsis
Authors: Xie Yanjie , Mao Yu , Zhang Wei , Lai Diwen , Wang Qingya , Shen Wenbiao
Published: April 2014

The signaling role of hydrogen gas (H2) has attracted increasing attention from animals to plants. However, the physiological significance and molecular mechanism of H2 in drought tolerance are still largely unexplored. In this article, we report that abscisic acid (ABA) induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) by triggering intracellular signaling events involving H2, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and the guard cell outward-rectifying K+ channel (GORK). ABA elicited a rapid and sustained H2 release and production in Arabidopsis. Exogenous hydrogen-rich water (HRW) effectively led to an increase of intracellular H2 production, a reduction in the stomatal aperture, and enhanced drought tolerance. Subsequent results revealed that HRW stimulated significant inductions of NO and ROS synthesis associated with stomatal closure in the wild type, which were individually abolished in the nitric reductase mutant nitrate reductase1/2 (nia1/2) or the NADPH oxidase-deficient mutant rbohF (for respiratory burst oxidase homolog). Furthermore, we demonstrate that the HRW-promoted NO generation is dependent on ROS production. The rbohF mutant had impaired NO synthesis and stomatal closure in response to HRW, while these changes were rescued by exogenous application of NO. In addition, both HRW and hydrogen peroxide failed to induce NO production or stomatal closure in the nia1/2 mutant, while HRW-promoted ROS accumulation was not impaired. In the GORK-null mutant, stomatal closure induced by ABA, HRW, NO, or hydrogen peroxide was partially suppressed. Together, these results define a main branch of H2-regulated stomatal movement involved in the ABA signaling cascade in which RbohF-dependent ROS and nitric reductase-associated NO production, and subsequent GORK activation, were causally involved.
β-Nb9VO25
Authors: Nasri Rawia , Chérif Saïda Fatma , Zid Mohamed Faouzi , Driss Ahmed
Published: April 2014

The title compound, nonaniobium vanadium pentacosaoxide, was prepared by a solid-state reaction at 1198 K. It is isotypic with Nb9AsO25, Nb9PO25and Ta9VO25. The structure consists of NbO6octahedra (one with 4/m.. and two withm.. symmetry) and VO4tetrahedra (-4.. symmetry) sharing corners and edges to form a three-dimensional framework. This framework can be considered as a junction between ribbons made up from NbO6octahedra and chains of NbO6octahedra and chains of VO4tetrahedra. The V site shows half-occupancy, hence one half of the VO4tetrahedra is unoccupied. The structural differences with α-Nb9VO25, VOSO4, SbOPO4and NbOPO4oxides are discussed.
(4-Fluorophenyl-κC)(N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine-κ2N,N′)(trifluoromethyl-κC)palladium(II)
Authors: Du Youzhi , Zheng ChangGe
Published: April 2014

In the title compound, [Pd(CF3)(C6H4F)(C6H16N2)], the PdIIcation is four-coordinated by the two N atoms of theN,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine ligand and by one C atom each from a 4-fluorophenyl and a trifluoromethyl ligand, in a distorted rectangular-planar geometry, with an average deviation from the least-squares plane of 0.066 (2) Å. The central coordination angles with the PdIIatom range from 83.14 (10) to 97.25 (12)°.
5-Chloro-2,7-dimethyl-3-(3-methylphenylsulfonyl)-1-benzofuran
Authors: Choi Hong Dae , Seo Pil Ja , Lee Uk
Published: April 2014

In the title compound, C17H15ClO3S, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the benzofuran and 3-methylphenyl rings is 76.99 (4)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds into chains along theb-axis direction. These chains are linked by π–π interactions between the benzene and furan rings of neighbouring molecules [centroid–centroid distance = 3.976 (2) Å].
5-Bromo-2,7-dimethyl-3-(3-methylphenylsulfonyl)-1-benzofuran
Authors: Choi Hong Dae , Seo Pil Ja , Lee Uk
Published: April 2014

In the title compound, C17H15BrO3S, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the benzofuran and 3-methylphenyl rings is 77.37 (5)°. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviapairs of Br...O [Br...O = 3.335 (2) Å] contacts into inversion dimers. These dimers are further linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions between the benzene and furan rings of neighbouring molecules [centroid–centroid separation = 3.884 (3) Å] into supramolecular chains running along thea-axis direction.
Bis[μ-1,3-bis(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propane-κ2N3:N3′]bis(dichloridozinc) dihydrate
Authors: Wang Xiao-Juan , Feng Yun-Long
Published: April 2014

The title hydrated complex, [Zn2Cl4(C9H12N4)2]·2H2O, is a discrete dinuclear zinc complex with 1,3-bis(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propane as the bridging ligand. The complex molecule lies about a crystallographic inversion centre. The ZnIIatom exhibits a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry defined by two imidazole N atoms and two Cl atoms. O—H...Cl hydrogen bonding between the lattice water molecules and the terminal Cl atoms of the molecule lead to a two-dimensional structure extending parallel to (100).
Corporate personality: the Achilles' heel of executive remuneration policy
Authors: Nyombi Chrispas
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the role corporate personality has played in the battle between executive remuneration and fairness, which is linked to rewarding performance. This paper also aims to explore some of the policy measures taken by the UK Government to curb excessive remuneration especially in the banking sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper employs an analytical approach. An analytical approach relies on the collection of new information upon which to base any conclusions. The research supports the arguments being made in the paper.

Findings

– The paper shows how the ruling in Salomon, over a century ago, that cemented corporate personality and limited liability in the UK, is hampering many of the measures aimed at rewarding performance and promoting fairness in relation to executive remuneration.

Originality/value

– Limited research has been done on executive remuneration. Since executive pay has recently hit the media agenda, this paper purports to tackle a current and ongoing issue.
Negligent retention of counterproductive employees
Authors: R. Self Dennis , B. Self Terry
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to encourage organizations to recognize the potential risks of retaining counterproductive employees on their payrolls and the steps they should take to prevent and/or correct the situation should it exist within their organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Literature examining a broader definition of the negligent retention doctrine, which includes employees who lack the qualifications for the positions they hold, those who are nonperformers, and/or those who exhibit toxic behaviours, and the consequences for retaining these counterproductive employees on the payroll. By using a multilayered approach, the article discusses the efforts organizations can use to identify potentially counterproductive employee behaviour and the steps the organizations should take to provide appropriate developmental strategies/programs to assist counterproductive employees, as well as, provide appropriate disciplinary action, as the situation dictates.

Findings

– The review highlights the potential financial drain and performance threats counterproductive employees create for organizations; offers explanations as to why counterproductive employees are often allowed to stay on the payroll; and provides suggestions for preventing the selection of counterproductive employees, for providing appropriate developmental.

Practical implications

– The article offers practical insights and suggestions to organizations that are interested in upholding their fiduciary responsibility to their stakeholders, while providing counterproductive employees opportunity to improve their performance/behaviours or to exit the organization.

Originality/value

– The article expands the definition of the negligent retention doctrine to include the often-ignored financial and emotional dangers of retaining unfit or counterproductive employees on the payroll.
Intertemporal changes in the antecedents of migration in 1990-2000 period
Authors: Seong Ow Chee , Hamid Baharom Abdul , Shah Habibullah Muzafar
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of paper is to investigate and determine the intertemporal changes in linkages between migration (both emigration and immigration) and economic conditions in during 1990-2000 period.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper employed cross-sectional analysis to investigate the relationship by employing data on immigration and emigration and as for economic condition the paper employed macro-variables such as real income differential (real gross domestic per capita), price level differential (consumer price index) and distance among the countries. Two different points of time were regressed cross-sectionally, with White standard being employed to remove traces of heterogeneity, albeit, 1990 and 2000.

Findings

– Results clearly indicate that there are significant changes in terms of the relationship of chosen variables with migration over time. The results provide some evidence on the important role played by these variables in influencing migration throughout the period in question.

Research limitations/implications

– Data covered is limited to 24 countries. The results from these countries alone are not sufficient to address the full impact of migration.

Originality/value

– The study covers the traditional topic of migration with an econometric approach, with some empirical regression and findings.
Economic risk analysis of alternative farming systems for smallholder farmers in central and north-east Thailand
Authors: Aditto Satit , Gan Christopher , Nartea Gilbert
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate farmers’ risk aversion using the equally likely certainty equivalent approach and the negative exponential utility function to identify risk preference classification.

Design/methodology/approach

– Stochastic efficiency with respect to a function is applied to determine the risk efficient farming systems for the farmers in central and north-east regions of Thailand.

Findings

– The study results showed that maize followed by sorghum is the most risk efficient farming system for the extremely risk averse rain-fed farmers in the central region of Thailand. Intensive planting of wet rice and dry rice cultivation is preferred by the extremely risk averse central region irrigated farmers. Wet rice and cassava together with raising small herd of cattle is the most economically viable farming system for the extremely risk averse rain-fed farmers in the north-east region, while two rice crops with raising cattle is preferred by the extremely risk averse north-east irrigated farmers of Thailand.

Originality/value

– The findings of this study provide useful information to reinforce the empirical basis for risk analysis for Thai farmers. The results will provide more accurate information regarding risk at the farm level to policy makers and researchers.
Modelling sustainability maturity in corporate real estate management
Authors: Masalskyte Rasita , Andelin Mia , Sarasoja Anna-Liisa , Ventovuori Tomi
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Sustainability in corporate real estate management (CREM) has been lately recognized as an integral part of almost every business. However, its perception might extremely differ in various industries. Sustainable CREM practices have been extensively analyzed in recent studies, yet real estate is an ambiguous field and the practices still lack holistic understanding. This research aimed to summarize and systematize the present sustainable CREM practices and propose a generic sustainability maturity model for CREM.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research process was implemented in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Research data were collected in semi-structured interviews with major Finnish companies, recognized for their environmental work. The scope of the research was nine interviews.

Findings

– The result of this research is the generic sustainability maturity model for CREM. It consists of 18 most typical sustainable CREM practices at the companies interviewed. The model demonstrates the value of implementing sustainable CREM.

Originality/value

– Sustainability maturity model for CREM is an indicative tool for sustainability maturity assessment in CREM. The model demonstrates how CREM contributes to company's sustainability and provides a holistic approach towards the existing sustainable CREM practices. Additional practical implications of the model include sustainable CREM benchmarking and communication with stakeholders.
Best practice, best model, best fit
Authors: Kämpf-Dern Annette , Pfnür Andreas
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to team broadly accepted general management frameworks with the specific situation of corporate real estate and suggest a holistic configurations framework for CREM that takes into account the highly diverse context parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on general management frameworks and research on CREM issues, a CRE management framework – the “CREM map” – is suggested that guides a study on which parameters drive CREM and how they are integrated. A qualitative approach is used that collects data from large European corporates. The analyses are performed through computer-assisted qualitative data analysis.

Findings

– Multiple parameters form heterogeneous context constellations that make it necessary to individually configure a CREM system. While some “general principles” regarding CREM targets, strategy, organization, and controlling systems and their relationships can be identified as “best practices”, the key finding is that a holistic concept for CREM needs to be guided by “best fit” considerations, resulting in at least several, context-specific designs of CREM.

Practical implications

– The CREM-map and CREM principles provide orientation in the process of design, implementation, and running of the CRE management system and its alignment to corporates' context and business needs. Connected line diagrams illustrate how “best fit” CREMs can look like.

Originality/value

– First study takes a holistic view on the organization of the CREM function regarding its alignment with the business strategy and including why different designs are chosen. This can assist to improve the performance of CREM and sets the stage for further research on CREM configurations.
Organisation and supply chain for quality control in luxury companies
Authors: Brun Alessandro , Moretto Antonella
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify the organisation of the quality department and the management of the supply chain (SC) used by luxury companies to achieve quality requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper follows an exploratory approach using a case-based methodology. Data are collected through eight case studies with French luxury companies.

Findings

– The paper offers insights into the management of quality for luxury companies. The paper illustrates the main determinants of the adoption of the specific quality organisations; moreover, the paper identifies the main approaches adopted by luxury companies at the SC level to control the quality along the whole chain. For example, the paper raised that all accessible and aspirational luxury companies present a full-time quality department whereas a part-time approach is identified for high-luxury companies. In high-luxury companies, quality issues are perceived as critical elements to be monitored not just by one specific department but by each and every company employees; on the contrary, in the other companies the approach towards quality is more similar to the one of mass-market companies.

Research limitations/implications

– The research provides initial insights into the important role of quality in luxury companies. To date, the analysis is predominantly qualitative and not sufficiently statistically significant to generalise the results.

Practical implications

– This paper raises a number of important issues for luxury companies who are not advance yet in structurally managed quality issues into their companies but especially their SCs.

Originality/value

– This paper is one of the first attempts to study quality management specifically applied to luxury companies, with a main focus on the organisation of the quality department as well as the SC.
A phenomenological study of CSR policy making and implementation in developed countries
Authors: Ogiri Itotenaan Henry , Samy Martin , Bampton Roberta
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Over the last few years, governments in the developed countries have increased their level of involvement in promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities through policy making and implementation. Using a qualitative research approach, underpinned by a subjective ontology and an interpretive epistemology, this paper aims to examine the relevant characteristics of CSR frameworks applied across the developed countries, with particular reference to The Netherlands and Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study adopted a thematic analysis and developed a rigorous phenomenological design to reveal the insights to CSR policy making. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with policy makers and implementers. The NVivo 9 software was used to analyse the data.

Findings

– The findings indicate that adoption of international guidelines that regulate companies working across borders, active participation of international government bodies, effective government collaboration with stakeholders, and provision of financial and technical support to companies to determine the level of CSR activities.

Originality/value

– The study revealed that: voluntary CSR implementation and reporting; transparency; and execution of national policy statement on CSR, are the process indicators of CSR implementation in developed society. The results of this study could have policy implications for both executive and MPs of national governments in developed society for CSR regulatory policies.
Incentives and performance measures for open innovation practices
Authors: Joachim Breunig Karl , Helge Aas Tor , Maria Hydle Katja
Published: April 2014

Purpose

–To guarantee alignment between ongoing activities and organizational goals, innovation management theory emphasizes management control and explicit innovation strategies as prerequisites for innovation performance. However, the theory on open services innovation emphasizes individual autonomy and incentives to foster open innovations. The aim of this paper is to explore this inconsistency.

Design/methodology/approach

–An explorative research design involving 25 semi-structured interviews in five large scale-intensive service firms is explored. Scale-intensive service firms are strategically sampled for this study since these firms experience tension between open service innovation characteristics and efforts to standardize.

Findings

–The authors show how individual autonomy facilitates the internal and external networking required in open innovations. However, individualized incentives do not suffice to motivate, mobilize and direct the collaboration and collective effort needed to ensure successful implementation of open innovation processes. Innovation performance is a collective effort, and the findings suggest that firms' business strategy works as a collective incentive system.

Practical implications

–The findings imply that firms should not rely on individualized incentives alone to implement open innovation processes successfully. The implementation of more collectively oriented incentives is also necessary to motivate the collective effort required to succeed with open innovation.

Originality/value

–The study extends previous work and shows how innovation practices are collective efforts that also involve the mobilization of external resources. The incentives observed have an effect on individual behaviour, while performance measures, to a larger degree, cater to the collective level. The authors present three propositions for further empirical investigation.
Measuring value creation: VAIC and EVA
Authors: Iazzolino Gianpaolo , Laise Domenico , Migliano Giuseppe
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– This study proposes a comparison between Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) and one of the most important performance evaluation methods, the Economic Value Added (EVA), starting from a re-interpretation of the VAIC.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical data were gathered from AMADEUS Bureau van Dijk and consist of 2,596 companies operating in Northern Italy, from six different economic sectors, observed for the year 2011. A correlation analysis was carried out in order to highlight whether there is a relationship between the two concepts of VAIC and EVA.

Findings

– Results show that EVA and VAIC have no significant relationships; as a matter of fact, EVA is based on financial theory, whereas VAIC is focalised on the assessment of Intellectual Capital Efficiency (ICE).

Practical implications

– Managers could be misled due to the fact that they often make decisions by taking into account only financial indicators such as EBIT, EVA, etc. Although methods like EVA have improved modern accounting systems, they do not take into account information linked to ICE. Therefore, these two perspectives can be useful in a context in which firms' performances are measured through multi-criteria methodologies (i.e. Balanced scorecard).

Originality/value

– The proposal describes the differences between VAIC and EVA considering these two concepts as not contrasting. In fact, in order to better measure firms' performances, it could be useful to consider VAIC and EVA as an integrated vision in order to develop multi-criteria evaluation systems, rather than consider them separately.
Assessing the link between revenue management and performance: insights from the Italian tourism industry
Authors: Di Foggia Giacomo , Lazzarotti Valentina
Published: April 2014

Purpose

–The aim of this paper is to analyse the role and scope of revenue management and its impact on performance of Italian tourism industry. The paper takes into consideration exogenous factors that may enable or prevent business success. Prior research shed light from different lens.

Design/methodology/approach

–Research design relies on an empirical analysis, information is gathered using a web survey. Variables are grouped into dependent (performance related items), independent and dummy, consistent with findings of existing literature. A questionnaire was e-mailed to a range of companies according to their NACE Rev.2 codes. The conceptual model is developed considering prior analysis of the literature.

Findings

–This study provides new insights for practical business management operating in the tourism industry. Indeed, it clarifies the role of the revenue manager and shows its usefulness within SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

–This study was conducted in only one sector and one country (Italy) and considered only SMEs.

Originality/value

–Although interesting suggestions can be drawn by literature, to the best knowledge of the authors the empirical analysis is one of the few attempts to explore the topic in Italy in an extensive way.
A study of the relationship between person-organization fit and employee creativity
Authors: Saraç Mehlika , Efil Ismail , Eryilmaz Mehmet
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Like all other human behaviors, creativity must be examined by considering both personal and situational influences. “Person-organization fit” (POF) provides a suitable theoretical perspective to investigate the congruence between persons and organizations in the domain of creativity. However, few studies have examined the effects of POF on creative behavior. Although the majority of these studies have identified a positive relationship between POF and creativity, it is suggested that congruent individuals are less likely to be inventive. The current study will examine the positive relationship between POF and employees' self-rated creativity in the Turkish context. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Subjective POF measures and a creativity measure were adapted for this research, and multiple regression was used to calculate whether and how POF relates to creativity.

Findings

– Two important conclusions were found from the analyses. One of these significant interaction effects was found on employee creativity. And the second is congruence between personal values and current organizational values would effect employee creativity positively. Detailed findings and contributions have been discussed.

Research limitations/implications

– Although providing an important contribution to POF and creativity literature, this study had some limitations. In this study, self-rating method has been used to measure employee creativity. However, supervisor rating is the most common way in field studies and gives more objective results than self-rating method.

Practical implications

– The findings provide valuable information for human resource practitioner about the importance of situational factors as far as personal characteristics for enhancing creative behavior in organizations.

Originality/value

– As far as it is known, there are few studies to examine the relationship between POF and creativity empirically. The majority of these researches examined the complementary fit (demand-abilities, need-supply, value-supply fit). On the other hand, this study specially has focused on supplementary fit (POF), rather than complementary fit and examined its relationship with employee creativity by considering a wide set of values in the Turkish context.
Adoption of green strategy by Danish firms
Authors: Moini Hamid , J. Sorensen Olav , Szuchy-Kristiansen Eva
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to examine the issue of corporate environmentalism from a managerial perspective, specifically in connection to top management commitment and the need for competitive advantage, which can be integrated into the decision making of environmental strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study uses data from a recent online survey of 77 Danish firms. Surveyed firms in the study were divided into two categories based on their adoption of a green strategy. Univariate analysis of variance and step-wise discriminant analysis were used to identify variables that discriminate between these firms.

Findings

– The results revealed that systematic planning to develop a green strategy coupled with each firm's view of the importance of formulating and implementing a green strategy are the key factors discriminating between the two groups of firms.

Research limitations/implications

– Since this study did not consider external factors such as, governmental regulation, NGO pressure, etc. the authors do not rule out the importance of these factors. But it makes sense to conclude both internal and external factors (no necessarily equally) contributing to a successful adoption of green strategy.

Practical implications

– It appears that adoption of a green strategy is a result of, mostly, internal factors. These factors are certainly within the control of management. Adopting any new strategy requires a wide range of knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, many managers and employees are deficient on their views about the importance of formulating and pursuing a green strategy. They need to be informed that half-hearted efforts in adopting a green strategy make the process both slow and difficult.

Social implications

– Management commitment to systematic planning to develop and implement a green strategy is essential. Committed managers systematically explore the possibilities of gaining competitive advantages through a proactive strategy by transforming the nature of their products and organization. However, the management mindset does not change solely due to inner managerial drives, but in a more complex interplay with outside stakeholders, including customers, consumers, and non-governmental bodies. Therefore, the riskiest venture occurs when the firm and its management are not totally committed.

Originality/value

– Developing a foundation for adopting a green strategy and verifying the results should contribute to a more comprehensive managerial understanding of how green strategies should be adopted by firms.