bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variability in summer surface residence time within a West Antarctic Peninsula biological hotspot
Authors: Kohut Josh T. , Winsor Peter , Statscewich Hank , Oliver Matthew J. , Fredj Erick , Couto Nicole , Bernard Kim , Fraser William
Published: May 2018

Palmer Deep canyon along the central West Antarctic Peninsula is known to have higher phytoplankton biomass than the surrounding non-canyon regions, but the circulation mechanisms that transport and locally concentrate phytoplankton and Antarctic krill, potentially increasing prey availability to upper-trophic-level predators such as penguins and cetaceans, are currently unknown. We deployed a three-site high-frequency radar network that provided hourly surface circulation maps over the Palmer Deep hotspot. A series of particle release experiments were used to estimate surface residence time and connectivity across the canyon. The majority of residence times fell between 1.0 and 3.5 days, with a mean of 2 days and a maximum of 5 days. We found a highly significant negative relationship between wind speed and residence time. Our residence time analysis indicates that the elevated phytoplankton biomass over the central canyon is transported into and out of the hotspot on time scales much shorter than the observed phytoplankton growth rate, suggesting that the canyon may not act as an incubator of phytoplankton productivity as previously suggested. It may instead serve more as a conveyor belt of phytoplankton biomass produced elsewhere, continually replenishing the phytoplankton biomass for the local Antarctic krill community, which in turn supports numerous top predators.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘The marine system of the West Antarctic Peninsula: status and strategy for progress in a region of rapid change’.
Benthic meltwater fjord habitats formed by rapid glacier recession on King George Island, Antarctica
Authors: Jerosch Kerstin , Pehlke Hendrik , Monien Patrick , Scharf Frauke , Weber Lukas , Kuhn Gerhard , Braun Matthias H. , Abele Doris
Published: May 2018

The coasts of the West Antarctic Peninsula are strongly influenced by glacier meltwater discharge. The spatial structure and biogeochemical composition of inshore habitats are shaped by large quantities of terrigenous particulate material deposited in the vicinity of the coast, which impacts the pelagic and benthic ecosystems. We used a multitude of geochemical and environmental variables to identify the radius extension of the meltwater impact from the Fourcade Glacier into the fjord system of Potter Cove, King George Island. Thek-means cluster algorithm, canonical correspondence analysis, variance analysis and Tukey's post hoc multiple comparison tests were applied to define and cluster coastal meltwater habitats. A minimum of 10 clusters were needed to classify the 8 km2study area into meltwater fjord habitats (MFHs), fjord habitats and marine habitats. Strontium content in surface sediments is the main geochemical indicator for lithogenic creek discharge in Potter Cove. Furthermore, bathymetry, glacier distance and geomorphic positioning are the essential habitats explaining variables. The mean and maximum MFH extent amounted to 1 km and 2 km, respectively. Extrapolation of the identified meltwater impact ranges to King George Island coastlines, which are presently ice-covered bays and fjord areas, indicated an overall coverage of 200–400 km2MFH, underpinning the importance of better understanding the biology and biogeochemistry in terrestrial marine transition zones.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘The marine system of the West Antarctic Peninsula: status and strategy for progress in a region of rapid change’.
Deciphering the metabolic perturbation in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: a 1H NMR-based metabolomics study
Authors: Lin Caigui , Zhang Lingqiang , Wei Zhiliang , Cheng Kian-Kai , Shen Guiping , Dong Jiyang , Chen Zhong , Fan Haining
Published: May 2018

Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) is a chronic and potentially lethal parasitic disease. It is caused by growth of Echinococcus multilocularis larvae in liver. To date, early-stage diagnosis for the disease is not mature due to its long asymptomatic incubation period. In this study, a proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) -based metabolomics approach was applied in conjunction with multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the altered metabolic profiles in blood serum and urine samples from HAE patients and to identify characteristic metabolic markers associated with HAE. The current results identified 21 distinctive metabolic difference between the HAE patients and healthy individuals, which can be associated with perturbations in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter imbalance. In addition, the Fischer ratio, which is the molar ratio of branched-chain amino acids to aromatic amino acids was found significantly lower (p<0.001) in blood serum from HAE patients. The ratio, together with changes in other metabolic pathways may provide new insight into mechanistic understanding of HAE pathogenesis, and may be useful for early-stage HAE diagnosis.

Author Summary

Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) is a life-threatening disease caused by Echinococcus multilocularis infection. The disease has a long asymptomatic early stage (5~15 years), which complicates effective diagnosis of early-stage HAE even with advanced imaging techniques. Metabolomics is an emerging analytical platform that comprises of analysis of all small molecule metabolites that are present within an organism. The applications of metabolomics method on HAE may help to reveal the molecular biology mechanisms of HAE. In the current study, we had used 1H NMR-based metabolomics technique to investigate blood serum and urine samples from HAE patients. Altered metabolic responses and characteristic differential metabolites for HAE were identified. The metabolic profiling of human biofluids provided valuable information for early-stage HAE diagnosis and for therapeutic interventions, without having to extract HAE vesicles from patients. By featuring global and comprehensive metabolic status, the metabolomics approach holds considerable promise as a noninvasive, dynamic, and effective tool for probing the underlying mechanism of HAE.
MS-PyCloud: An open-source, cloud computing-based pipeline for LC-MS/MS data analysis
Authors: Chen Li , Zhang Bai , Schnaubelt Michael , Shah Punit , Aiyetan Paul , Chan Daniel , Zhang Hui , Zhang Zhen
Published: May 2018

Rapid development and wide adoption of mass spectrometry-based proteomics technologies have empowered scientists to study proteins and their modifications in complex samples on a large scale. This progress has also created unprecedented challenges for individual labs to store, manage and analyze proteomics data, both in the cost for proprietary software and high-performance computing, and the long processing time that discourages on-the-fly changes of data processing settings required in explorative and discovery analysis. We developed an open-source, cloud computing-based pipeline, MS-PyCloud, with graphical user interface (GUI) support, for LC-MS/MS data analysis. The major components of this pipeline include data file integrity validation, MS/MS database search for spectral assignment, false discovery rate estimation, protein inference, determination of protein post-translation modifications, and quantitation of specific (modified) peptides and proteins. To ensure the transparency and reproducibility of data analysis, MS-PyCloud includes open source software tools with comprehensive testing and versioning for spectrum assignments. Leveraging public cloud computing infrastructure via Amazon Web Services (AWS), MS-PyCloud scales seamlessly based on analysis demand to achieve fast and efficient performance. Application of the pipeline to the analysis of large-scale iTRAQ/TMT LC-MS/MS data sets demonstrated the effectiveness and high performance of MS-PyCloud. The software can be downloaded at: https://bitbucket.org/mschnau/ms-pycloud/downloads/
Site specific target binding controls RNA cleavage efficiency by the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus endonuclease SOX
Authors: Mendez Aaron S. , Vogt Carolin , Bohne Jens , Glaunsinger Britt A.
Published: May 2018

During lytic replication of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the gene expression landscape of a cell is remodeled to evade the immune response and create an environment favorable to viral replication. A major driver of these gene expression changes is a virally encoded, messenger RNA (mRNA)-specific endonuclease termed SOX. SOX cleaves the majority of cytoplasmic mRNAs, but does so at specific internal sites loosely defined by a degenerate sequence motif. If and how RNA sequence directs SOX targeting remained unknown. To address these questions, we used recombinant, highly purified SOX endonuclease in a series of biochemical assays to reconstitute the cleavage reaction in vitro and gain significant insight into the biochemical mechanism of both SOX target recognition and endonucleolytic cleavage. Using this system, we determined that cut site specificity is preserved with purified SOX and a validated target RNA and thus does not require additional cellular cofactors. Furthermore, we showed that SOX displays robust, sequence-specific RNA binding to residues proximal to the cleavage site, which must be presented in a particular structural context. The strength of SOX binding dictates cleavage efficiency, providing an explanation for the breadth of target RNA susceptibility observed in cells.

Significance Statement

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic human virus that causes Kaposi’s sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman disease. During viral replication, KSHV expresses an enzyme called SOX that cuts and inactivates the majority of cellular messenger RNAs, preventing their translation into proteins. Some mRNAs are efficiently cleaved by SOX, while others are poorly cleaved, but the mechanistic basis underlying this selectivity has remained largely unknown. Here, we reveal that the efficiency of RNA cleavage is heavily impacted by RNA sequences proximal to the cleavage site, which serve as a SOX binding platform. This helps explain both the range of RNA cleavage efficiency observed in SOX-expressing cells as well as the sequence specificity underlying SOX targeting.
Unattended but actively stored: EEG dynamics reveal a dissociation between selective attention and storage in working memory
Authors: Gunseli E. , Fahrenfort J. , van Moorselaar D. , Daoultzis K. , Meeter M. , Olivers C. N. L.
Published: May 2018

Selective attention plays a prominent role in prioritizing information in working memory (WM), improving performance for attended representations. However, it remains unclear what the consequences of selection are for the maintenance of unattended WM representations, and whether this results in information loss. Here we tested the hypothesis that within WM, selectively attending to an item and the decision to stop storing other items involve independent mechanisms. We recorded EEG while participants performed a WM recall task in which the item most likely to be tested was cued retrospectively. By manipulating retro-cue reliability (i.e. the ratio of valid to invalid cue trials) we varied the incentive to retain uncued items. Contralateral alpha power suppression, a proxy for attention, indicated that, initially, the cued item was attended equally following high and low reliability cues, but attention was sustained throughout the delay period only after high reliability cues. Furthermore, contralateral delay activity (CDA), a proxy for storage, indicated that non-cued items were dropped sooner from WM after highly reliability cues than after cues with low reliability. These results show that attention and storage in WM are distinct processes that can behave differently depending on the relative importance of WM representations, as expressed in dissociable EEG signals.
The osteogenic potential of the neural crest lineage may contribute to craniosynostosis
Authors: Doro Daniel , Liu Annie , Grigoriadis Agamemnon E , Liu Karen J
Published: May 2018

The craniofacial skeleton is formed from the neural crest and mesodermal lineages, both of which contribute mesenchymal precursors during formation of the skull bones. The large majority of cranial sutures also include a proportion of neural crest derived mesenchyme. While some studies have addressed the relative healing abilities of neural crest and mesodermal bone, relatively little attention has been paid to differences in intrinsic osteogenic potential. Here we use mouse models to compare neural crest osteoblasts (from frontal bones or dura mater) to mesodermal osteoblasts (from parietal bones). Usingin vitroculture approaches we find that neural crest-derived osteoblasts readily generate bony nodules while mesodermal osteoblasts do so less efficiently. Furthermore, we find that co-culture of neural crest-derived osteoblasts with mesodermal osteoblasts is sufficient to nucleate ossification centres. All together, this suggests that the intrinsic osteogenic abilities of neural crest-derived mesenchyme may be a primary driver behind craniosynostosis.
Dynamics of social representation in the mouse prefrontal cortex
Authors: Levy Dana Rubi , Tamir Tal , Kaufman Maya , Weissbrod Aharon , Schneidman Elad , Yizhar Ofer
Published: May 2018

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in regulating social functions in mammals, and impairments in this region have been linked with social dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. Yet little is known of how the PFC encodes social information and of how social representations may be altered in such disorders. Here, we show that neurons in the medial PFC (mPFC) of freely behaving mice preferentially respond to socially-relevant sensory cues. Population activity patterns in the mPFC differed considerably between social and nonsocial stimuli and underwent experience-dependent refinement. In Cntnap2 knockout mice, a genetic model of autism, both the categorization of sensory stimuli and the refinement of social representations were impaired. Noise levels in spontaneous population activity were higher in Cntnap2 mice, and correlated strongly with the degree to which social representations were disrupted. Our findings elucidate the encoding of social sensory cues in the mPFC, and provide an important link between altered prefrontal dynamics and autism-associated social dysfunction.
Population coding of valence in the basolateral amygdala
Authors: Zhang Xian , Li Bo
Published: May 2018

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays an important role in associative learning, by representing both conditioned stimuli (CSs) and unconditioned stimuli (USs) of positive and negative valences, and by forming associations between CSs and USs. However, how such associations are formed and updated during learning remains unclear. Here we show that associative learning driven by reward and punishment profoundly alters BLA neuronal responses at population levels, reducing noise correlations and transforming the representations of CSs to resemble the distinctive valence-specific representations of USs. This transformation is accompanied by the emergence of prevalent inhibitory CS and US responses, and by the plasticity of CS responses in individual BLA neurons. During reversal learning wherein the expected valences are reversed, BLA population CS representations are remapped onto ensembles representing the opposite valences and track the switching in valence-specific behavioral actions. Our results reveal how signals predictive of opposing valences in the BLA evolve during reward and punishment learning, and how these signals might be updated and used to guide flexible behaviors.
Arginine to glutamine mutation in olfactomedin like 3 (OLFML3) is a candidate for severe goniodysgenesis and glaucoma in the Border Collie dog breed
Authors: Pugh Carys A , Farrell Lindsay L , Carlisle Ailsa J , Bush Stephen J , Trejo-Reveles Violeta , Matika Oswald , de Kloet Arne , Walsh Caitlin , Bishop Stephen C , Prendergast James GD , Schoenebeck Jeffrey J , Rainger Joe , Summers Kim M
Published: May 2018

Goniodysgenesis is a developmental abnormality of the anterior chamber of the eye. It is generally considered to be congenital in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), and has been associated with glaucoma and blindness. Goniodysgenesis and early-onset glaucoma initially emerged in Border Collies in Australia in the late 1990s and has subsequently been found in Europe and the USA. The objective of the present study was to determine the genetic basis of goniodysgenesis in Border Collies. Clinical diagnosis was based on results of examinations by veterinary ophthalmologists of affected and unaffected dogs from eleven different countries. Genotyping using the Illumina high density canine SNP chip and whole genome sequencing were used to identify candidate genetic regions. Expression profiles and evolutionary conservation of candidate genes were assessed using public databases. Analysis of pedigree information was consistent with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance for severe goniodysgenesis (potentially leading to glaucoma) in this breed. There was a highly significant peak of association over chromosome 17, with ap-value of 2 × 10-13. Whole genome sequences of three dogs with glaucoma, three severely affected and three unaffected dogs identified a missense variant in the olfactomedin like 3 (OLFML3) gene in all six affected animals. This was homozygous in all nine cases with glaucoma and 12 of 14 other severely affected animals. Of 67 reportedly unaffected animals, only one (offspring of two homozygous affected parents) was homozygous for this variant. The identification of a candidate genetic region and putative causative mutation will aid breeders to reduce the frequency of goniodysgenesis and the risk of glaucoma in the Border Collie population.
Support for the dominance theory inDrosophilatranscriptomes
Authors: Llopart Ana , Brud Evgeny , Pettie Nikale , Comeron Josep M.
Published: May 2018

Interactions among divergent elements of transcriptional networks from different species can lead to misexpression in hybrids through regulatory incompatibilities, some with the potential to generate sterility. Genes with male-biased expression tend to be overrepresented among genes misexpressed in hybrid males. While the possible contribution of faster-male evolution to this misexpression has been explored, the role of the hemizygousXchromosome (i.e., the dominance theory for transcriptomes) remains yet to be determined. Here we study genome-wide patterns of gene expression in females and males ofDrosophila yakubaandD. santomeaand their hybrids. We used attached-X stocks to specifically test the dominance theory, and we uncovered a significant contribution of recessive alleles on theXchromosome to hybrid misexpression. Our analysis of gene expression patterns suggests that there is a contribution of weakly deleterious regulatory mutations to gene expression divergence in the sex towards which the expression is biased. In the opposite sex (e.g., genes with female-biased expression analyzed in male transcriptomes), we detect stronger selective constraints on gene expression divergence. Although genes with high degree of male-biased expression show a clear signal of faster-X evolution for gene expression divergence, we also detected slower-X evolution of gene expression in other gene classes (e.g. female-biased genes) that is mediated by significant decreases ofcis- andtrans-regulatory divergence. The distinct behavior of X-linked genes with high degree of male-biased expression is consistent with these genes experiencing a higher incidence of positively selected regulatory mutations than their autosomal counterparts. We propose that both dominance theory and faster-X evolution of gene expression may be major contributors to hybrid misexpression and possibly the large X-effect in these species.
Assessment of urinary pharmacodynamic profiles of faropenem against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli with canine ex vivo modeling
Authors: Harada Kazuki , Shimizu Takae , Miyashita Naoki , Hikasa Yoshiaki
Published: May 2018

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria are of great concern in companion animals with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Because of its high safety and stability in the presence of ESBLs, faropenem is assumed to be a candidate antimicrobial agent for canine UTIs with ESBL-producing bacteria. This study was performed to investigate the urinary pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of faropenem administered at 5 mg/kg body weight in six healthy dogs using an ex vivo model. Six UTI pathogenic strains of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) with the following faropenem minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were used: 1 µg/mL (n = 2), 2 µg/mL (n = 2), 4 µg/mL (n = 1), and 16 µg/mL (n = 1). Urine samples were obtained every 4 h for the first 12 h after faropenem administration for measurement of the urine drug concentration and urinary bactericidal titers (UBTs). The urine concentration of faropenem peaked at 0 to 4 h after administration, with a mean maximum concentration of 584 μg/mL, and markedly decreased at 8 to 12 h (23 μg/mL). The median UBTs for all tested ESBL-EC strains were highest at 0 to 4 h and then significantly decreased at 8 to 12 h. These findings indicate that administration of faropenem more than once daily is recommended for the treatment of ESBL-EC-related UTIs in dogs. In addition, the median areas under the UBT–time curves (AUBTs) were significantly inversely correlated with the corresponding MICs for faropenem in the tested strains (P < 0.05). Notably, the median AUBTs were significantly higher in ESBL-EC strains with an MIC of 1 µg/mL than in those with an MIC of ≥4 µg/mL (P < 0.05). The present study serves as the basis of clinical application of faropenem for ESBL-producing bacteria-related UTIs in dogs.
The metastable XBP1u transmembrane domain defines determinants for intramembrane proteolysis by signal peptide peptidase
Authors: Yücel Sara Suna , Stelzer Walter , Lorenzoni Alessandra , Wozny Manfred , Langosch Dieter , Lemberg Marius K.
Published: May 2018

UnsplicedXBP1mRNA encodes XBP1u, the transcriptionally inert variant of the unfolded protein response (UPR) transcription factor XBP1s. XBP1u targets its mRNA-ribosome-nascent-chain-complex to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to facilitate UPR activation and prevents overactivation. Yet, its membrane association is controversial. Here, we use cell-free translocation and cellular assays to define a moderately hydrophobic stretch in XBP1u that is sufficient to mediate insertion into the ER membrane. Mutagenesis of this transmembrane (TM) region reveals residues that facilitate XBP1u turnover by an ER-associated degradation route that is dependent on signal peptide peptidase (SPP). Furthermore, the impact of these mutations on TM helix dynamics was assessed by residue-specific amide exchange kinetics, evaluated by a semi-automated algorithm. Based on our results, we suggest that SPP-catalyzed intramembrane proteolysis of TM helices is not only determined by their conformational flexibility, but also by side chain interactions near the scissile peptide bond with the enzyme’s active site.
Relief of the Dma1-mediated checkpoint requires Dma1 autoubiquitination and dynamic localization
Authors: Jones Christine M. , Chen Jun-Song , Johnson Alyssa E. , Elmore Zachary C. , Cullati Sierra N. , Beckley Janel R. , Gould Kathleen L.
Published: May 2018

Chromosome segregation and cell division are coupled to prevent aneuploidy and cell death. In the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe, the septation initiation network (SIN) promotes cytokinesis, but upon mitotic checkpoint activation, the SIN is actively inhibited to prevent cytokinesis from occurring before chromosomes have safely segregated. SIN inhibition during the mitotic checkpoint is mediated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Dma1. Dma1 binds to the CK1-phosphorylated SIN scaffold protein, Sid4, at the SPB, and ubiquitinates it. Sid4 ubiquitination antagonizes the SPB localization of the Polo-like kinase Plo1, the major SIN activator, so that SIN signaling is delayed. How this checkpoint is silenced once spindle defects are resolved has not been clear. Here we establish that Dma1 transiently leaves SPBs during anaphase B due to extensive auto-ubiquitination. The SIN is required for Dma1 to return to SPBs later in anaphase. Blocking Dma1 removal from SPBs by permanently tethering it to Sid4 prevents SIN activation and cytokinesis. Therefore, controlling Dma1’s SPB dynamics in anaphase is an essential step in S.pombecell division and the silencing of the Dma1-dependent mitotic checkpoint.
Information creates relative bargaining power in vendor negotiations
Authors: Macy Katharine V.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how libraries can create relative bargaining power and presents a methodology for analyzing collections and preparing for negotiations.

Design/methodology/approach

A brief literature review of the current state of collection budgets and electronic resource prices is presented prior to proposing a methodology based on business analysis frameworks and techniques.

Findings

Electronic resource subscription prices are increasing at a rate significantly higher than inflation, while collection budgets grow slowly, remain stagnant or decrease. Academic libraries have the ability to counteract this trend by creating relative bargaining power through organizational efforts that take advantage of size and concentration (e.g. consortia), vertical integration through practices such as library publishing and open access and through individual efforts using information. This paper proposes metrics and methodologies that librarians can use to analyze their collections, set negotiation priorities and prepare for individual resource negotiations to create relative bargaining power.

Practical implications

The proposed methodology enables librarians and buyers of information resources to harness the information available about their electronic resource collections to better position themselves when entering negotiations with vendors.

Originality/value

This paper presents metrics, some not commonly used (i.e. average annual price increase/decrease), that aid in understanding price sensitivity. Pareto analysis has been traditionally used to analyze usage, but this paper suggests using it in relation to costs and budgets for setting negotiation priorities.
Work in progress: the progression of competence-based employability
Authors: Froehlich Dominik Emanuel , Liu Mingyang , Maria Van der Heijden Beatrice Isabella Johanna
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Employability and its components have received a lot of attention from scholars and practitioners. However, little is known about the interrelations between these different components of employability and how employees progress within their employability trajectories. Therefore, a model of such progression was constructed and tested using Van der Heijde and Van der Heijden’s (2006) employability measurement instrument. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The propositions were tested empirically by applying a Rasch model using a sample of 167 Austrian business consultants.

Findings

The findings lend some support for the hypothesized progression model of employability. Specifically, the items measuring occupational expertise are largely located in the group of items that were relatively likely to be endorsed. Also, the items of personal flexibility and anticipation and optimization were, in general, less likely to be endorsed than the items of occupational expertise.

Research limitations/implications

The major thrust of this paper is a theoretical one. However, the empirical demonstration tentatively supports the proposed model, which implies that further, more robust longitudinal research in this direction may be a worthwhile endeavor.

Practical implications

By understanding which competences are important at which stage or across which stages of an individual’s career, career advisors and human resource management professionals can give more targeted advice concerning career management practices.

Originality/value

The present study contributes to the literature by investigating how employees may make progress within their employability trajectories.
My 28-year journey with cannabis: from terminal disease to post-pharmaceutical healing
Authors: Godfrey Sarah Jane
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to convey the experience of medical cannabis users and growers in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

Biography and personal ethnograpy.

Findings

Medical cannabis users are forced into cultivating their own medicine.

Research limitations/implications

Single case study.

Practical implications

There is an urgent need for policy change to enable medical cannabis users to access their medication easily and affordably.

Social implications

A rising number of people are denied their constitutional right to health by a misguided policy.

Originality/value

This study fills a major gap in the literature on medical cannabis growers.
International competitiveness and ex-ante treatment effects of CPEC on household welfare in Pakistan
Authors: Naz Lubna , Ali Adeel , Fatima Ambreen
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to presents one of the first direct micro-econometric impact of competitive industries (based on revealed comparative advantage [RCA] between Pakistan and China) on household welfare in Pakistan using semi-parametric matching technique.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has also measured and identified the industrial competitiveness in both agricultural and non-agricultural (manufacturing) industries using RCA approach. RCA at the four-digit ISIC level are matched to household survey data (Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement) for 2013-2014 to represent the competitive industries in which the household’s higher earner is employed.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that the China–Pakistan ex-post treatment effect (industrial competitiveness) provides welfare-improving effects. Furthermore, on this behalf, this study further assesses ex-ante treatment effects of recently signed China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on household welfare and suggests that CPEC would boost further trade liberalization and, therefore, would lead to industrial competitiveness and hence economic growth.

Originality/value

Paper contributes to two streams of literature. First, it measures and identifies the industrial competitiveness in both agricultural and non-agricultural industries using RCA approach; and second, it assesses the welfare of those households associated with these industries using semi-parametric propensity score matching technique.
Vulnerable employment in Mauritius: experience of an upper-middle-income country
Authors: Gokhool Suneila , Kasseeah Harshana , Tandrayen-Ragoobur Verena
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the socio-economic characteristics of workers engaged in vulnerable jobs in Mauritius. The study has a particular focus on the gender and youth dimensions of vulnerable employment. The study also provides a pre-crisis and post-crisis analysis of vulnerable employment.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses several waves of the continuous multi-purpose household survey, which is a high-quality individual-level data set, to study vulnerable employment. Several definitions of vulnerable employment are used to identify the workers employed in vulnerable jobs. These include “own-account” workers and “contributing family workers”.

Findings

The results obtained suggest that women and young workers have a lower probability of being in vulnerable employment. Marital status, age and education are also important variables influencing the probability of being in vulnerable employment.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has important policy implications regarding welfare and education policies. Appropriate mechanisms need to be put in place for the social protection and training of workers so that they do not end up in vulnerable jobs.

Originality/value

This paper studies Mauritius as it is a small island economy vulnerable to external shocks. Vulnerable unemployment has often been understudied as the focus of many studies has been solely on employment, and the quality of employment has often not been considered.
Skill drain from ASEAN countries: can sending countries afford?
Authors: Ullah AKM Ahsan
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Migration of skilled workers to other countries remains a highly contentious issue. Skill drain does not take place based on skill surplus and deficient equation. Skilled migrants can make their choice to migrate on their own with minimal control of the Government. This paper aims to argue that sending countries lose skill which cannot be offset or justified by the remittances inflow.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a research conducted on skill migration from the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. In this study, skilled migrants are engineers, medical doctors, nurses and academics. The author interviewed 12 engineers (four from the Philippines; two from Malaysia; four from Singapore and two from Thailand); nine medical doctors (four from the Philippines; three from Singapore, one from Malaysia and one from Thailand); eight nurses (six from the Philippines and two from Thailand); and 14 academics (six from the Philippines; five from Singapore and three from Malaysia) who were working abroad.

Findings

Skill migration continues to grow because of the growing demand, wage differentials, glorifications of the contribution of remittances to development and failure of the origin countries to retain them. The question remains whether the respective sending country is producing more of them so that they can send after their own demand is met. This paper investigates whether the sending end can afford exporting such skills.

Originality/value

This is an important contribution to the scholarship.
Relationship between sustainability and risk management in fashion supply chains
Authors: Rafi-Ul-Shan Piyya Muhammad , Grant David B. , Perry Patsy , Ahmed Shehzad
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Fashion supply chain (FSC) research has identified two important issues of sustainability management and risk management. However, investigation of these issues is relatively sparse and has primarily been independent with little combinatory research, despite their important interrelationships. The purpose of this paper is to address that gap by critically reviewing extant literature to synthesise important sustainability risk issues in FSCs and proposing an empirical research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a structured literature review approach and Denyer and Tranfield’s (2009) context, intervention, mechanisms and outcome (CIMO) criteria for critical analysis to enable the development of future empirical research areas.

Findings

While sustainability and risk are discussed independently in the supply chain literature, combinatory discussions are very limited, despite the interdependence of these concepts. There is little substantial research on sustainability risk in global FSCs and therefore, an empirical research agenda is proposed with the four research directions to address the gap and take forward the notion of supply chain sustainability risk management in FSCs: definition; organisation and management; influence on performance; and development of a conceptual framework.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a critical literature review and thus lacks empirical study.

Practical implications

This paper highlights important issues in sustainability risk management for FSCs and presents an agenda for future empirical research.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by providing a combinatory synthesis of sustainability and risk management in FSC literature and an agenda for future empirical research.
Tertiary-level internet users’ opinions and perceptions of cyberhate
Authors: Celik Serkan
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the opinions and perceptions of internet users regarding online hate speech, and bring cyberhate to the attention of internet users and policy stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

A sectional research design and survey method was adopted throughout the study to examine the opinions and perceptions of internet users regarding cyberhate by descriptively exploring the existing situation from various perspectives. The participants of the study were determined by purposive sampling methods to attain maximum variety among internet users who are considered as highly literate in technology use. The data were collected through a personal data form and a survey (Cyberhate Perception Scale) from 372 internet users living in Turkey and the USA.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that the majority of participants do not perceive cyberhate as a part of freedom of speech and they believe that online hate behaviors, which they also consider to be a violation of human rights, should be deemed illegal and be punished accordingly. The findings, which were discussed in line with the existing research, indicated some significant predictors of internet users’ perceptions on cyberhate.

Originality/value

As cyberhate is an understudied area that raises concerns in terms of internet user exposure, the objective of this research is to understand tendencies about the opinions and perceptions of internet users regarding online hate speech, and bring cyberhate to the attention of internet users and policy stakeholders.
Child online safety and parental intervention: a study of Sri Lankan internet users
Authors: Tennakoon Hemamali , Saridakis George , Mohammed Anne-Marie
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Today’s world of digital and mobile media does not require actual physical contact, between the suitable target and the motivated offender, as with traditional crime. In fact, as Mesch (2009) contended that the internet is not merely an information channel but it creates a new space of activities for children, where they are exposed to motivated offenders and the actors of fourth party. Therefore, for the sake of children’s safety, the practice of parental mediation control is increasingly becoming more pertinent everyday. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine how parental mediation control in Sri Lanka is influenced by their internet self-efficacy, their experience as online victims and their trust in online users.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a unique data set of computer and internet users from Sir Lanka to examine parental intervention in their children’s online activities. Specifically, the data set contains 347 responses from computer and internet users. To analyze the data, the authors use a binary dependent (probit) model.

Findings

The results show that such factors alter the baseline probability of parental intervention. However, some differences are found between younger and older parents, with the latter group responding more to trust in online users and victimization experience while the former is mainly driven from computer self-efficacy. In particular, the older group is less likely to trust online internet users in terms of never adding unknown persons in the social media. Finally, being self-employed and an older parent has a positive effect on the likelihood of adopting parental controls, possibly because of the non-pecuniary attributes of self-employment.

Originality/value

This study adds to the emerging parental mediation control literature by looking at the likelihood of younger and older parents who were victims of cybercrimes, who have greater internet self-efficacy and lower online third-party trust to adopt parental mediation control behaviors. Also another contribution to the literature is the role of occupation type on parental monitoring behaviors.
Care transition types across acute, sub-acute and primary care
Authors: Harvey Desley , Foster Michele , Quigley Rachel , Strivens Edward
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the care transitions of older people who transfer between home, acute and sub-acute care to determine if there were common transition types and areas for improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal case study design was used to examine care transitions of 19 older people and their carers as a series of transitions and a whole-of-system experience. Case study accounts synthesising semi-structured interviews with function and service use data from medical records were compared.

Findings

Three types of care transitions were derived from the analysis: manageable, unstable and disrupted. Each type had distinguishing characteristics and older people could experience elements of all types across the system. Transition types varied according to personal and systemic factors.

Originality/value

This study identifies types of care transition experiences across acute, sub-acute and primary care from the perspective of older people and their carers. Understanding transition types and their features can assist health professionals to better target strategies within and across the system and improve patient experiences as a whole.
Dual relational embeddedness and knowledge transfer in European multinational corporations and subsidiaries
Authors: Ferraris Alberto , Santoro Gabriele , Scuotto Veronica
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between the level of subsidiaries’ internal and external relational embeddedness and the degree of subsidiaries’ knowledge transfer. More specifically, the aim is to explore dual embeddedness of subsidiaries involved in the knowledge transfer process within multinational corporations’ (MNCs) network.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors empirically analyse 165 European subsidiaries to demonstrate the crucial role of dual relational embeddedness in the transfer of knowledge within MNCs. Data were collected via a close-ended questionnaire and processed through an ordinary least squares regression model.

Findings

Results show that internal embeddedness directly and positively influences the degree of subsidiaries’ knowledge transfer, whereas external embeddedness does not. Notwithstanding, a higher level of both types of embeddedness – known as dual embeddedness – generates multiplicative and positive effects on the degree of subsidiaries’ knowledge transfer.

Practical implications

Best practices and relevant knowledge follow a reverse transfer of knowledge from the subsidiaries to the internal MNC network that is facilitated by the relational embeddedness of subsidiaries. This has resulted in developing a dual embeddedness, which introduces new routines and scripts, as well as more relational links.

Originality/value

The research emphasises the relevance of the knowledge transfer process in multiple directions, evoking the central role of dual-embedded subsidiaries.
Exploring the transition experiences of one black male refugee pre-service teacher at a HBCU
Authors: Goings Ramon B. , Bristol Travis J. , Walker Larry J.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

There is limited discussion in the teacher education literature about the experiences of pre-service black male teachers generally and the ethnic diversity among black male pre-service teachers specifically. Thus, this paper aims to explore the experiences of Frank, a black male refugee health education major attending an historically black college and university (HBCU).

Design/methodology/approach

This research study is theoretically guided by selected tenets of Bush and Bush’s (2013) African American male theory and Goodman et al.’s (2006) transition framework and uses a qualitative approach to explore Frank’s transition experiences when coming to America, attending college and engaging in his student teaching experience.

Findings

Frank experienced some difficulty transitioning to America, as a result of not having a strong financial foundation. During his college transition, Frank believed that the HBCU environment was nurturing; however, he encountered numerous ethnocentrically charged hostile confrontations from US-born black students at his university because of his accent. While he had some disagreements with the US education system in terms of discipline, Frank believed that his accent served as an asset during student teaching.

Originality/value

This study adds to the burgeoning research that explores the intersectional identities among pre-service black male teachers. As we argue in this paper, researchers, policymakers and practitioners cannot treat black male teachers as a monolithic group and must contemplate the unique supports needed that can attend to the racial and ethnic needs of black male teachers.
The experiences of three black African male mathematics teachers in a same race and gender peer mentoring program
Authors: Harris Daman L. , Davis Julius L.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine three black African male mathematics teachers’ preparation, teaching experiences, why they chose to become teachers in a diverse school district, the successes and challenges they faced and the impact of a same race and gender peer mentoring program on them.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used collective case study methodology to better understand three black African male mathematics teachers’ experiences in a same race and gender peer mentoring program and their professional experiences.

Findings

The results illustrated that all of the black African male mathematics teachers had experiences predicated on their race and gender. The same race and gender peer mentoring program helped black African male mathematics teachers to receive proper induction into the school district, navigate their schools and district and help create an environment to support their retention in schools and the district.

Originality/value

This study adds to the growing body of research on black male mathematics teachers and sheds light on how the same race and gender programs help to retain them in the profession and their schools.
Nexus between risk sharing vs non-risk sharing financing and economic growth of Bangladesh
Authors: Chowdhury Mohammad Ashraful Ferdous , Akbar Chowdhury Shahed , Shoyeb Mohammad
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the linkage between Islamic financing principles and economic growth (EG) by taking into consideration two Islamic Financing Principles: Risk Sharing and non-risk sharing separately.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study are obtained from the annual reports of all Islamic banks from Bangladesh using Bank scope database and annual report for the period 1984-2014. The research uses an Autoregressive Distributive Lags (ARDL) approach. For robustness, this study also employs a continuous wavelet transform approach.

Findings

The empirical findings reveal that the risk sharing instruments are positively related to the EG of the country. On the other hand, non-risk sharing instruments are negatively related to the EG of the country.

Research limitations/implications

The dominant use of non-risk sharing-based financing has undermined the greater possibility of Islamic banking to contribute more to the EG of the country. Banks and other financial institutions need to pay greater attention to systemic risk created by risk transfer and apply risk sharing methods of financing more vigorously to achieve greater equity, efficient allocation of resources, stability and growth of the financial system and welfare of the society as a whole.

Originality/value

This study has advanced the knowledge by examining the issue of Islamic financing principles and EG. This is probably one of the first attempts to find the linkage between Islamic financing principles and EG by taking into consideration two portfolios: risk sharing and non-risk sharing separately and provide significant insights for policy makers, market players and academicians.