bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neuroectodermal epithelial cells mistaken for blood-brain barrier-forming endothelial cells
Authors: Lu Tyler M. , Redmond David , Magdeldin Tarig , Nguyen Duc-Huy T. , Snead Amanda , Sproul Andrew , Xiang Jenny , Shido Koji , Fine Howard A. , Rosenwaks Zev , Rafii Shahin , Agalliu Dritan , Lis Raphaël
Published: July 2019

Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) possess unique properties underlying the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), that are crucial for homeostatic brain functions and interactions with the immune system. Modulation of BBB function is essential for treatment of neurological diseases and effective tumor targeting. Studies to-date have been hampered by the lack of physiological models using cultivated human BMECs that sustain BBB properties. Recently, differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into cells with BBB-like properties has been reported, providing a robust in vitro model for drug screening and mechanistic understanding of neurological diseases. However, the precise identity of these iBMECs remains unclear. Employing single-cell RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analysis and immunofluorescence for several pathways, transcription factors (TFs), and surface markers, we examined the molecular and functional properties of iBMECs differentiated either in the absence or presence of retinoic acid. We found that iBMECs lack both endothelial-lineage genes and ETS TFs that are essential for the establishment and maintenance of EC identity. Moreover, iBMECs fail to respond to angiogenic stimuli and form lumenized vessels in vivo. We demonstrate that human iBMECs are not barrier-forming ECs but rather EpCAM+ neuroectodermal epithelial cells (NE-EpiCs) that form tight junctions resembling those present in BBB-forming BMECs. Finally, overexpression of ETS TFs (ETV2, FLI1, and ERG) reprograms NE-EpiCs to become more like the BBB-forming ECs. Thus, although directed differentiation of human iBMECs primarily gives rise to epithelial cells, overexpression of several ETS TFs can divert them toward a vascular BBB in vitro.
High throughput photogrammetric measurement of morphological traits in free-ranging phototropic insects
Authors: Mungee Mansi , Athreya Ramana
Published: July 2019

Remote measurement of morphological traits in free-ranging animals is very useful for many studies, but such non-invasive photogrammetric methods are limited to large mammals and have yet to be successfully applied to insects which dominate terrestrial ecosystem diversity and dynamics. Currently, insect traits are measured using collected specimens; the process of collection and maintenance of specimens can impose a heavy and unnecessary cost when such specimens themselves are not needed for the study.

We propose a rapid, simple, accurate, and semi-automated method for high-throughput morphometric measurements of phototropic insects from shape and size calibrated digital images without having to collect a specimen. The method only requires inexpensive, off-the-shelf, consumer equipment and freely available programming (R) and image processing (ImageMagick) tools.

We demonstrate the efficacy of the method using a data set of 3675 images of free-ranging hawkmoths (Lepidoptera:Sphingidae) attracted to a light screen. Comparison of trait values from a subset of these images with direct measurements of specimens using a scale showed a high degree of correspondence. We have also identified several error metrics which help in assessing the method in an objective manner.

Although this method was developed for nocturnal phototropic insects, it can be used for any other (small) animal that can be imaged on a simple graph paper. While this technique will be generally useful for a variety of studies of insect traits, we suggest that it is particularly suited as a commensal on multi-epoch and multi-location population monitoring of insects in the context of climate and land-use change, where repeated sampling obviates the necessity of collecting specimen every time. It will help in accumulating a large amount of reliable trait data on hundreds of thousands of individual insects without an overwhelming expenditure on collection, handling, and maintenance of specimens.
Circular RNAs in the ageing African turquoise killifish
Authors: Metge Franziska , Kim Yumi , Boucas Jorge , Dieterich Christoph , Valenzano Dario Riccardo
Published: July 2019

CircRNAs are a subgroup of RNAs which form a circular molecule. During the splicing process the 3’ splice donor loops back to form a covalent bond with an upstream 5’ splice acceptor instead of the downstream 5’ acceptor. The majority of circRNAs are non-coding splice isoforms of protein coding genes showing tissue and time specific expression. Because circRNAs have no 5’ cap nor 3’ poly-A tail, they degrade slower than their linear host genes. Only few studies were able to show a specific function for circRNAs.

In this work we sequenced 23 samples from three tissues (brain, muscle, and gut) at three (two for gut) time points throughout the life of the naturally short-lived African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri). We identified 1810 unique circRNAs, half of which are conserved with humans and mice. With this study we provide a comprehensive atlas to the circRNA landscape in the ageing African turquoise killifish, which serves as a novel resource to the circRNA as well as the ageing community.
MRI-based Parcellation and Morphometry of the Individual Rhesus Monkey Brain: a translational system referencing a standardized ontology
Authors: Rushmore R. Jarrett , Bouix Sylvain , Kubicki Marek , Rathi Yogesh , Yeterian Edward H. , Makris Nikos
Published: July 2019

The rhesus macaque is the closest animal model to the human, and investigations into the brain of the rhesus monkey has shed light on the function and organization of the primate brain at a scale and resolution not yet possible in studies of the human brain A cornerstone of the linkage between non-human primate and human studies of the brain is magnetic resonance imaging, which allows for an association to be made between the detailed structural and physiological analysis of the non-human primate and that of the human brain. To further this end, we present a novel parcellation system for the rhesus monkey brain, referred to as the monkey Harvard Oxford Atlas (mHOA) which is based on the human Harvard-Oxford Atlas (HOA) and grounded in an ontological and taxonomic framework. Consistent anatomical features were used to delimit and parcellate brain regions in the macaque, which were then categorized according to functional systems. This system of parcellation will be expanded with advances in technology and like the HOA, will provide a framework upon which the results from other experimental studies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), physiology, connection, graph theory) can be interpreted.
BOLD differences normally attributed to inhibitory control predict symptoms, not task-directed inhibitory control in ADHD
Authors: Chevrier Andre , Schachar Russell J.
Published: July 2019

Background

Altered brain activity that has been observed in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while performing cognitive control tasks like the stop signal task (SST), has generally been interpreted as reflecting either weak (under-active) or compensatory (over-active) versions of the same functions as in healthy controls. If so, then regional activities that correlate with the efficiency of inhibitory control (i.e. stop signal reaction time, SSRT) in healthy subjects should also correlate with SSRT in ADHD. Here we test the alternate hypothesis that BOLD differences might instead reflect the redirection of neural processing resources normally used for task-directed inhibitory control, toward actively managing symptomatic behavior. If so, then activities that correlate with SSRT in TD should instead correlate with inattentive and hyperactive symptoms in ADHD.

Methods

We used fMRI in 14 typically developing (TD) and 14 ADHD adolescents performing the SST, and in a replication sample of 14 healthy adults. First we identified significant group BOLD differences during all phases of activity in the SST (i.e. warning, response, reactive inhibition, error detection and post-error slowing). Next, we correlated these phases of activity with SSRT in TD, and with SSRT, inattentive and hyperactive symptom scores in ADHD. We then identified whole brain significant correlations in regions of significant group difference in activity.

Results

Only three regions of significant group difference were correlated with SSRT in TD and replication groups (left and right inferior frontal gyri (IFG) during error detection, and hypothalamus during post-error slowing). Consistent with regions of altered activity managing symptomatic behavior instead of task-directed behavior, left IFG correlated with greater inattentive score, right IFG correlated with lower hyperactive score, and hypothalamus correlated with greater inattentive score and oppositely correlated with SSRT compared to TD.

Conclusions

Results are consistent with stimuli that elicit task-directed integration of neural processing in healthy subjects, instead directing integrated function towards managing symptomatic behavior in ADHD. The ability of the current approach to determine whether altered neural activities reflect comparable functions in ADHD and control groups has broad implications for the development and monitoring of therapeutic interventions.
Impact of Ferumoxytol Magnetic Resonance Imaging on the Rhesus Macaque Maternal-Fetal Interface
Authors: Nguyen Sydney M. , Wiepz Gregory J. , Schotzko Michele , Simmons Heather A. , Mejia Andres , Ludwig Kai D. , Zhu Ante , Brunner Kevin , Hernando Diego , Reeder Scott B. , Wieben Oliver , Johnson Kevin , Shah Dinesh , Golos Thaddeus G.
Published: July 2019

Ferumoxytol is a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) used off-label as an intravascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. Additionally, ferumoxytol-uptake by macrophages facilitates detection of inflammatory sites by MRI through ferumoxytol-induced image contrast changes. Therefore, ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI holds great potential for assessing vascular function and inflammatory response, critical to determine placental health in pregnancy. This study sought to assess the fetoplacental unit and selected maternal tissues, pregnancy outcomes, and fetal well-being after ferumoxytol administration. In initial developmental studies, pregnant rhesus macaques were imaged with and without ferumoxytol administration. Pregnancies went to term with vaginal delivery and infants showed normal growth rates compared to control animals born the same year that did not undergo MRI. To determine the impact of ferumoxytol on the maternal-fetal interface, fetal well-being, and pregnancy outcome, four pregnant rhesus macaques at ∼100 gd (gestational day) underwent MRI before and after ferumoxytol administration. Collection of the fetoplacental unit and selected maternal tissues was performed 3-4 days following ferumoxytol administration. A control group that did not receive ferumoxytol or MRI was used for comparison. Iron levels in fetal and maternal-fetal interface tissues did not vary between groups. There was no significant difference in tissue histopathology with or without exposure to ferumoxytol, and no effect on placental hormone secretion. Together, these results suggest that the use of ferumoxytol and MRI in pregnant rhesus macaques will not introduce a detectable risk to the mother or fetus at the time of imaging or up to one year following normal vaginal delivery.

Summary Sentence

Ferumoxytol magnetic resonance imaging for non-invasive pregnancy monitoring of the rhesus macaque does not impact histopathology or iron content of the maternal-fetal interface.
From reporters to endogenous genes: the impact of the first five codons on translation efficiency in Escherichia coli
Authors: Moreira Mariana H. , Barros Géssica C. , Requião Rodrigo D. , Rossetto Silvana , Domitrovic Tatiana , Palhano Fernando L.
Published: July 2019

Translation initiation is a critical step in the regulation of protein synthesis, and it is subjected to different control mechanisms, such as 5’ UTR secondary structure and initiation codon context, that can influence the rates at which initiation and consequentially translation occur. For some genes, translation elongation also affects the rate of protein synthesis. With a GFP library containing nearly all possible combinations of nucleotides from the 3rd to the 5th codon positions in the protein coding region of the mRNA, it was previously demonstrated that some nucleotide combinations increased GFP expression up to four orders of magnitude. While it is clear that the codon region from positions 3 to 5 can influence protein expression levels of artificial constructs, its impact on endogenous proteins is still unknown. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified the nucleotide combinations of the GFP library in Escherichia coli genes and examined the correlation between the expected levels of translation according to the GFP data with the experimental measures of protein expression. We observed that E. coli genes were enriched with the nucleotide compositions that enhanced protein expression in the GFP library, but surprisingly, it seemed to affect the translation efficiency only marginally. Nevertheless, our data indicate that different enterobacteria present similar nucleotide composition enrichment as E. coli, suggesting an evolutionary pressure towards the conservation of short translational enhancer sequences.
Biochemical reconstitution of branching microtubule nucleation
Authors: Alfaro-Aco Raymundo , Thawani Akanksha , Petry Sabine
Published: July 2019

Microtubules are nucleated from specific locations at precise times in the cell cycle. However, the factors that constitute these microtubule nucleation pathways still need to be identified along with their mode of action. Here, using purified Xenopus laevis proteins we biochemically reconstitute branching microtubule nucleation, a nucleation pathway where microtubules originate from pre-existing microtubules, which is essential for spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. We found that besides the microtubule nucleator gamma-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the two branching effectors augmin and TPX2 are required to efficiently nucleate branched microtubules. Specifically, TPX2 generates regularly-spaced patches that recruit augmin and γ-TuRC to microtubules, which then nucleate new microtubules at preferred branching angles of less than 90 degrees. Our work demonstrates how γ-TuRC is brought to its nucleation site for branching microtubule nucleation. It provides a blueprint for other microtubule nucleation pathways and for generating a particular microtubule architecture by regulating microtubule nucleation.
RP3V kisspeptin neurons mediate neuroprogesterone induction of the luteinizing hormone surge in female rat
Authors: Delhousay Lauren K. , Chuon Timbora , Mittleman-Smith Melinda , Micevych Paul , Sinchak Kevin
Published: July 2019

To induce ovulation, neural circuits are sequentially activated by estradiol and progesterone. In female rodents, estradiol-induced neuroprogesterone, synthesized in astrocytes, is essential for the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge and subsequently, ovulation. However, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons do not express the steroid receptors necessary for reproduction: progesterone receptors (PGR) or estrogen receptor-α (ERα). Steroid information is transduced by rostral periventricular (RP3V) kisspeptin neurons that express ERα and PGR and innervate GnRH neurons in the diagonal band of Broca (DBB) and the medial septum. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that estradiol induced neuroprogesterone needed for the LH surge is mediated by kisspeptin. Neuroprogesterone synthesis was inhibited with aminoglutethimide (AGT; s.c.) in 17β-estradiol benzoate (EB)-primed, ovariectomized (ovx) and adrenalectomized (adx) rats. Kisspeptin-10 (20 nmol/µl) was infused into the DBB, trunk blood was collected 53 hours post-EB injection, and serum LH levels were analyzed by ELISA. AGT inhibition of neuroprogesterone synthesis blocked the EB-induced LH surge. Subsequent treatment with either progesterone or DBB kisspeptin-10 infusion restored the LH surge. Kisspeptin restored the LH surge, which was blocked by DBB infusion of kisspeptin receptor (GPR54) antagonist (kisspeptin-234). Finally, knockdown of kisspeptin protein levels in the RP3V with kisspeptin antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) significantly lowered LH levels in EB-primed rats compared to scrambled ODN, demonstrating the importance of endogenous RP3V kisspeptin for the LH surge. These results support the hypothesis that neuroprogesterone induces both kisspeptin release from RP3V neurons impacting the LH surge.
Automated data extraction from historical city directories: the rise and fall of mid-century gas stations in Providence, RI
Authors: Bell Samuel , Marlow Thomas , Wombacher Kai , Hitt Anina , Parikh Neev , Zsom Andras , Frickel Scott
Published: July 2019

The location of defunct environmentally hazardous businesses like gas stations has many implications for modern American cities. To track down these locations, we present the directoreadr code (github.com/brown-ccv/directoreadr). Using scans of Polk city directories from Providence, RI, directoreadr extracts and parses business location data with a high degree of accuracy. The image processing pipeline ran without any human input for 94.4% of the pages we examined. For the remaining 5.6%, we processed them with some human input. Through hand-checking a sample of three years, we estimate that ~94.6% of historical gas stations are correctly identified and located, with historical street changes and non-standard address formats being the main drivers of errors. As an example use, we look at gas stations, finding that gas stations were most common early in the study period in 1936, beginning a sharp and steady decline around 1950. We are making the dataset produced by directoreadr publicly available. We hope it will be used to explore a range of important questions about socioeconomic patterns in Providence and cities like it during the transformations of the mid-1900s.
Eyeing the past: synchrotron µ-XANES and XRF imaging of tarnish distribution on 19th century daguerreotypes
Authors: Kozachuk M. S. , Sham T. K. , Martin R. R. , Nelson A. J. , Coulthard I.
Published: July 2019

Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre introduced the first successful photographic process, the daguerreotype, in 1839. Tarnished regions on daguerreotypes supplied by the National Gallery of Canada were examined using scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and synchrotron-radiation analysis. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging visualized the distribution of sulfur and chlorine, two primary tarnish contributors, and showed that they were associated with the distribution of image particles on the surface. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy determined the tarnish to be primarily composed of AgCl and Ag2S. Au2S, Au2SO4, HAuCl4and HgSO4were also observed to be minor contributors. Environmental contamination may be a source of these degradation compounds. Implications of these findings will be discussed.
Asymmetric response of electrical conductivity and V valence state to strain in cation-deficient Sr1–y
VO3 ultrathin films based on absorption measurements at the V L
2- and L
3-edges
Authors: Wu Meng , Huang Si-Zhao , Zeng Hui , Koster Gertjan , Huang Yu-Yang , Zheng Jin-Cheng , Wang Hui-Qiong
Published: July 2019

The correlation between electronic properties and epitaxial strain in a cation-deficient system has rarely been investigated. Cation-deficient SrVO3 films are taken as a model system to investigate the strain-dependent electrical and electronic properties. Using element- and charge-sensitive soft X-ray absorption, V L-edge absorption measurements have been performed for Sr1–y
VO3 films of different thicknesses capped with 4 u.c. (unit cell) SrTiO3 layers, showing the coexistence of V4+ and V5+ in thick films. A different correlation between V valence state and epitaxial strain is observed for Sr1–y
VO3 ultrathin films, i.e. a variation in V valence state is only observed for tensile-strained films. Sr1–y
VO3 thin films are metallic and exhibit a thickness-driven metal–insulator transition at different critical thicknesses for tensile and compressive strains. The asymmetric response of electrical conductivity to strain observed in cation-deficient Sr1–y
VO3 films will be beneficial for functional oxide electronic devices.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of (E)-3-[(4-chlorobenzylidene)amino]-5-phenylthiazolidin-2-iminium bromide
Authors: Duruskari Gulnara Sh. , Khalilov Ali N. , Akkurt Mehmet , Mammadova Gunay Z. , Chyrka Taras , Maharramov Abel M.
Published: July 2019

The title salt, C16H15ClN3S+·Br−, is isotypic with (E)-3-[(4-fluorobenzylidene)amino]-5-phenylthiazolidin-2-iminium bromide [Khalilov et al. (2019). Acta Cryst. E75, 662–666]. In the cation of the title salt, the atoms of the phenyl ring attached to the central thiazolidine ring and the atom joining the thiazolidine ring to the benzene ring are disordered over two sets of sites with occupancies of 0.570 (3) and 0.430 (3). The major and minor components of the disordered thiazolidine ring adopt slightly distorted envelope conformations, with the C atom bearing the phenyl ring as the flap atom. In the crystal, centrosymmetrically related cations and anions are linked into dimeric units via N—H...Br hydrogen bonds, which are further connected by weak C—H...Br contacts into chains parallel to the a axis. Furthermore, not existing in the earlier report of (E)-3-[(4-fluorobenzylidene)amino]-5-phenylthiazolidin-2-iminium bromide, C—H...π interactions and π–π stacking interactions [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.897 (2) Å] between the major components of the disordered phenyl ring contribute to the stabilization of the molecular packing. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots indicate that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H...H (30.5%), Br...H/H...Br (21.2%), C...H/H...C (19.2%), Cl...H/H...Cl (13.0%) and S...H/H...S (5.0%) interactions.
n-Decyltrimethylammonium bromide
Authors: Saladin Marissa , Maroncelli Mark , Yennawar Hemant P.
Published: July 2019

The title compound, C13H30N+·Br− (systematic name: N,N,N-trimethyl-1-decanaminium bromide), forms crystals having a bilayer structure, comprised of layers of trimethylammonium cations and bromide anions separated by the inter-digitated n-decyl groups of the cation; close ammonium-methyl-C—H...Br contacts connect the ions. The n-decyl chain adopts a slightly distorted all-trans conformation. The n-decyl chain exhibits positional disorder with all atoms at half occupancy. The sample was a racemic twin.
Factors influencing a long-term relationship between healthcare providers and patients – perspectives of patients at a public regional hospital, Ghana
Authors: Adomah-Afari Augustine , Doris Darkoa Mantey Doris , Awuah-Werekoh Kwasi
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors that influence patients’ long-term relationship with healthcare providers in healthcare delivery at hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered using 170 patients in a cross-sectional survey with quantitative research methods at a public regional hospital. Results were obtained using descriptive analysis and regression analysis.

Findings

Generally, the study found that the health-related factors (the reception of staff, providers’ attitude, waiting time, competence and expertise and the hospital environment) that influence patients’ long-term relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The findings showed that overall 90.0 per cent of the patients were very satisfied with the overall healthcare services at the hospital.

Research limitations/implications

Limited sample size, lack of examination of healthcare providers’ perspectives and non-application of qualitative methods make it difficult to give a true picture of how these can enhance patients’ intent to keep a long-term relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that health policymakers and practitioners need to enhance measures that will make patients satisfied leading to their long-term commitment and cordial relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital.

Social implications

The study demonstrated how health-related factors will be associated with the patients’ agreement/intent to keep a long-term relationship with their service providers at hospitals. Thus, the overall hypothesis was true that there is a relationship between patients’ satisfaction with the healthcare experienced and their long-term relationship with healthcare providers/hospital.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies conducted on the topic in the context of Ghana’s health sector. It recommends that there should be a good interpersonal relationship between healthcare providers and patients, as patients’ satisfaction is not based on only receiving treatment at the health facility.
Are attractive reviewers more persuasive? Examining the role of physical attractiveness in online reviews
Authors: Ozanne Marie , Liu Stephanie Q. , Mattila Anna S.
Published: July 2019

Purpose

While online reviews are of paramount importance in brand evaluations and purchase decisions, the impact of a reviewer’s attractiveness is not well understood. To bridge that gap, this paper aims to explore how physical attractiveness cues through profile photos influence customers’ brand evaluations.

Design/methodology/approach

The first study assesses the impact of attractiveness and review valence on brand evaluations. The authors used an experimental design and tested the model with an ANCOVA. Study 2 examines the impact of attractiveness in the context of multiple reviews and tests attractiveness heuristic as the underlying mechanism.

Findings

The findings indicate that when an attractive (vs less-attractive) reviewer writes a positive review, brand evaluations are enhanced. However, such an effect does not occur with a negative review. With multiple reviews varying in valence, cognitive load activates the use of an attractiveness heuristic when a positive review is written by an attractive (vs less-attractive) reviewer, thus leading to enhanced brand evaluations.

Originality/value

These findings highlight the presence of the attractiveness halo effect in online reviews and offer important implications to social media marketers. While previous studies have largely focused on review characteristics (e.g. star ratings, strength of the argument, etc.), this study focuses on reviewer characteristics (i.e. attractiveness) and cognitive biases associated with online brand evaluations.
Highway to Hell? Managing expatriates in crisis
Authors: McNulty Yvonne , Lauring Jakob , Jonasson Charlotte , Selmer Jan
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework of severe expatriate crises focusing on the occurrence of “fit-dependent” crisis events, which is when the crisis is “man made” and triggered by expatriates’ maladjustment or acculturation stress in the host country. The authors focus on the causes, prevention and management of fit-dependent expatriate crises.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop a conceptual framework of fit-dependent expatriate crises that involves different levels of analysis.

Findings

The conceptual framework shows that crises can be triggered at micro, meso and macro levels ranging from the personal and family domains (micro), to the network and organisational domains (meso) as well as the host country domain (macro). The authors conceptualise these “domains of causes” as triggering maladjustment and acculturation stress that ultimately leads to a severe crisis event with correspondingly serious and potentially life-changing consequences. Furthermore, using a process perspective, the authors outline strategies for preventing and managing crises before, during and after the crisis occurs, discussing the support roles of various internal (organisational) and external (specialist) stakeholders.

Originality/value

Studying the link between expatriation and crises is a highly relevant research endeavour because severe crisis events will impact on HRM policies, processes and procedures for dealing with employees living abroad, and will create additional challenges for HRM beyond what could normally be expected. Using attribution theory to explain why organisational support and intervention to assist expatriates during a crisis is not always forthcoming, and theories of social networks to elucidate the “first responder” roles of various support actors, the authors contribute to the expatriate literature by opening up the field to a better understanding of the dark side of expatriation that includes crisis definition, prevention, management and solutions.
Effectiveness of a smoking cessation program on self-esteem, attitude, perception, and practice regarding control over smoking among male high school
Authors: Junnual Niyom , Sota Chulaporn , Chaikoolvatana Anun
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The smoking rate of male high school students continues to increase. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program on self-esteem, attitude, perception and practice regarding smoking behavioral control among male high school students in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand.

Design/methodology/approach

The effectiveness of the smoking cessation program was tested by a quasi-experimental pre-posttest and follow-up with a 24-week design. Multistage sampling was used to recruit 70 male high school students, including 35 male students in the intervention group and 35 male students in the control group. The intervention group received a 12-week smoking cessation program based on information-motivation-behavioral skills and stages of change models and follow-up at 12 weeks, whereas the control group did not. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the improvement of subjects’ self-esteem, attitude toward smoking, perceived control over smoking, number of cigarettes per day and urine cotinine test. The descriptive statistics, generalized estimating equation and proportion test were used for data analysis.

Findings

After the program, there were statistically significant differences in mean scores between the group and control groups; the difference of self-esteem was 4.15 (95% CI: 1.95, 6.36), attitude toward smoking was 3.30 (95% CI: 1.89, 5.52) and perceived control over smoking was 6.99 (95% CI: 4.04, 9.94). Thus, all differences in the intervention group were significantly higher than in the control group. The proportion of non-smokers, measured by the urine cotinine test at follow-up, was 25 percent (95% CI: 0.03, 0.48) significantly higher (p-value = 0.015), in the intervention group. Therefore, the smoking cessation program in this study was effective at changing the behavior of male high school student smokers.

Originality/value

This smoking cessation program increased self-esteem, attitude toward smoking, perceived control over smoking and decreased smoking per day among male high school students. Therefore, schools and parents should focus on developing these factors to encourage students to quit smoking.
Leadership strategies for enhancing employee commitment in TQM
Authors: Krajcsák Zoltán
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show what motivational strategies can be applied to a successful implementation of total quality management (TQM) and how these support employee commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

The relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to employee commitment is illustrated by presenting two case studies.

Findings

Extrinsic motivation plays a role in enhancing normative commitment as a sense of indebtedness. Intrinsic motivation promotes a high level of normative commitment as moral duty and also a high level of affective commitment. Even if a TQM implementation project is not successful, the efforts to increase commitment are likely also have a cultural impact.

Originality/value

The presented framework helps senior executives motivate employees properly to support organizational commitment and also the success of TQM implementation.
Perceived leadership behaviours and their effects on IT departments in Swiss financial companies
Authors: Kueenzi Stefan
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of perceived transformational, transactional and laissez-faire (LF) leadership behaviours on both the effectiveness of the leader and satisfaction with the leader, as perceived by information technology (IT) subordinates in the Swiss financial sector.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 182 IT professionals from 45 Swiss financial companies rated their perceptions using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ 5X short). Results were evaluated using partial least squares based structural equation modelling.

Findings

Idealised influence (attributed) and individualised consideration as well as contingent reward (CR) leadership are positively related to effectiveness and satisfaction. LF leadership had a strong, significant negative effect on both outcomes. No augmentation effect of idealised influence and/or inspirational motivation over the effects of CR was found. These results are partly contradictory to findings of earlier studies. Additionally, stability problems/discriminant validity issues were found for some of the examined constructs.

Practical implications

Managers and leaders in IT departments in Swiss financial institutions should be advised of the possibly strong effects of CR on outcomes, together with the risks of potentially highly negative impacts of LF leadership, as well as the possible limitations of the stability and validity problems found. Leadership training could be used to this end. The paper gives specific advice on how the different findings could be included in such training.

Originality/value

IT can significantly contribute to a firm’s success, and leading people who deliver technology is becoming more important in an increasingly digitised world. No previous research has illustrated the effects of leadership behaviours on IT departments in Swiss companies.
How the exchange relationship affects employee commitment
Authors: Ozmen Y. Serkan
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of social and economic exchange relationships on organizational commitment in line with the mediation effect of organizational trust.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to test the hypotheses of the study, a survey was conducted on a sample of 213 employees who were working at manufacturing companies in Turkey.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that both dimensions of the exchange relationship positively affect organizational commitment and these links are mediated by organizational trust.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides reliable scales to measure the social and economic exchange relationship between employees and employing organizations. Although the sample of the study was relatively small and drawn from a single country, the Cronbach’sαvalues of scales were obtained above the recommended threshold value.

Practical implications

Organizational leaders might adopt an exchange perspective to build a trustworthy relationship with their employees. Developing such a mindset is very important at an employment structure, which has become highly flexible and contingent during the last decades.

Originality/value

The study attempts to distinguish the twofold nature of the exchange relationship in organizations based on a theoretical model to reveal the impact of each dimension on organizational level outcomes in conjunction with the mediating role of trust. In doing so, the study contributes to the literature by incorporating social and economic exchange in a holistic view as well as defining each dimension in a broader sense by including some employee-related challenges of business organizations such as diversity, social responsibility, leadership, ethical culture and so on.
Bibliometric analysis of the papers on urban education
Authors: Chen Jinyu , Ye Xindong , Chen Min , Liang Ye
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the papers published on urban education and analyze the characteristics of these papers to contribute to the urban education research over the recent years.

Design/methodology/approach

Researchers generated a comprehensive list of the articles published between 2010 and 2017 in the field of “urban education” by searching the Social Sciences Citation Index database, using the keywords of “urban” and “education.” As an additional criterion, all the articles published between 2010 and 2017 in the journals ofUrban EducationandEducation and Urban Societywere included.

Findings

There are a total of 2,123 publications that were checked and retrieved in the field of “urban education” between 2010 and 2017. Although the number of publications differs year by year, the sum of the citations received the increase from year to year on a regular basis. There are 35 articles that were cited more than h-index, as h-classics in this field for this period and top 10 of these h-classics are reported in this study.Urban EducationandEducation and Urban Societywere revealed as the most prominent journals in the field of urban education. Also, the results show that the most cited articles, the most prolific authors and organizations, and top journals in this field are from the USA.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of this study is not extensive enough, and the data obtained are not comprehensive enough. The survey was limited to the keyword of “urban education” in the fields of title, abstract, author keywords and keywords plus.

Practical implications

This bibliometric analysis contributes to the literature of urban education through a historical perspective. Results show that the “urban education” field attracts more attention of the researchers and the impacts of these publications are increasing from year to year. Also, there is a prevalence of the USA in the field of urban education.

Originality/value

The information presented in this paper provides insight into the development of urban education research over the recent years. The data obtained in this study can be used as a reference for future researchers in urban education.
Literature analysis in relation to research on the five basic tastes
Authors: Yeung Andy Wai Kan , Hummel Thomas
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the literature concerning the five basic tastes and find out who contributed to these publications, where they were published and what concepts were investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The Web of Science was searched to identify the relevant articles. For each paper, the full record and cited references were analyzed.

Findings

Sweetness received the most attention, with 6,445 publications, 144,648 citations and h-index of 137. It was followed by bitterness (5,606 publications and 125,525 citations), sourness (1,841 publications and 40,696 citations), umami (1,569 publications and 39,120 citations) and saltiness (1,547 publications and 33,627 citations). Though umami taste had similar publication number as salty and sour tastes, it had the highest number of average citations per publication (24.9). The USA, Japan, Germany and England were major contributors to research on every basic taste. Chemical Senses was the major outlet of taste papers. Terms from the titles suggested that multiple tastes were often co-investigated. Ikeda (1909) and Kodama (1913) were identified as the seminal references that laid the foundation of umami research.

Originality/value

Umami, although only added relatively late to the family of basic tastes, is a highly investigated principle that receives similar amount of attention as some other basic tastes, such as sourness and saltiness.
Physicochemical, textural, color, nutritional, scanning electron microscopy and sensorial characterization of calcium-rich breads fortified with sesame, malted finger millet, cumin and moringa leaves
Authors: Agrahar-Murugkar Dipika , Dixit-Bajpai Preeti
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of calcium-rich ingredients such as sesame, skimmed milk powder, moringa leaves, cumin seeds and finger millet on flour, dough and breads with the objective of developing bread with higher calcium content and to investigate whether it maintains quality traits that guarantee its acceptability by consumers by testing textural, scanning electron microscopy and nutritional and sensorial parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

Refined flour was fortified with skimmed milk powder (SMP), sesame, moringa leaves and cumin (T1), SMP, sesame and malted finger millet (T2) and SMP and sesame (T3). Refined flour dough and breads served as control (C). The physicochemical, textural, scanning electron microscopy, nutritional and sensory parameters of flour, dough and breads were evaluated.

Findings

Significantly (p < 0.01) higher stickiness values of dough were obtained by refined flour dough-C (50.3 N); refined flour dough fortified with SMP and sesame - T3 (42.2 N); Refined flour dough fortified with sesame, SMP and malted finger millet -T2 (38.4 N); and refined flour dough fortified with sesame, SMP, moringa leaves and cumin -T1 (33.5 N). Oven spring in breads was 1.4 in C and decreased significantly (p < 0.01) to T3-1.0, T1-0.9 and T2-0.8. Chewiness values of T3 (4.1) was similar to C bread, whereas T1 and T2 showed significantly (p < 0.01) lower values. Scanning electron microscopy images of bread microstructure showed fortification of bread resulted in intermittent but more prominent gluten structure in test breads than control. The highest calcium content was observed in T1 (268 mg/100 g), followed by T2 (231 mg/100 g) and T3 (211 mg/100 g). The incorporation of dried moringa leaves and cumin seeds enhanced the appearance, aroma, taste and flavor of T1.

Research limitations/implications

The study shows that texturally and sensorially acceptable nutritious breads can be produced through natural fortification. Nutrients from naturally fortified foods are better absorbed and assimilated by the body. Calcium-fortified breads, each with its own distinctive taste and texture, showed high values in the sensory evaluation test.

Originality/value

The incorporation of calcium and protein-rich ingredients such as SMP, moringa leaves, cumin, malted finger millet and sesame would yield calcium enriched breads superior to the commonly consumed plain refined wheat flour bread with respect to textural, nutritional, functional and sensory attributes and have high potential to alleviate calcium deficiency in vulnerable groups.
Filling knowledge gaps in a threatened shorebird flyway through satellite tracking
Authors: Chan Ying‐Chi , Tibbitts T. Lee , Lok Tamar , Hassell Chris J. , Peng He‐Bo , Ma Zhijun , Zhang Zhengwang , Piersma Theunis
Published: July 2019

Satellite‐based technologies that track individual animal movements enable the mapping of their spatial and temporal patterns of occurrence. This is particularly useful in poorly studied or remote regions where there is a need for the rapid gathering of relevant ecological knowledge to inform management actions. One such region is East Asia, where many intertidal habitats are being degraded at unprecedented rates and shorebird populations relying on these habitats show rapid declines.

We examine the utility of satellite tracking to accelerate the identification of coastal sites of conservation importance in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. In 2015–2017, we used solar‐powered satellite transmitters to track the migration of 32 great knots (Calidris tenuirostris), an “Endangered” shorebird species widely distributed in the Flyway and fully dependent on intertidal habitats for foraging during the non‐breeding season.

From the great knot tracks, a total of 92 stopping sites along the Flyway were identified. Surprisingly, 63% of these sites were not known as important shorebird sites before our study; in fact, every one of the tracked individuals used sites that were previously unrecognized.

Site knowledge from on‐ground studies in the Flyway is most complete for the Yellow Sea and generally lacking for Southeast Asia, Southern China and Eastern Russia.

Synthesis and applications. Satellite tracking highlighted coastal habitats that are potentially important for shorebirds but lack ecological information and conservation recognition, such as those in Southern China and Southeast Asia. At the same time, the distributional data of tracked individuals can direct on‐ground surveys at the lesser known sites to collect information on bird numbers and habitat characteristics. To recognize and subsequently protect valuable coastal habitats, filling knowledge gaps by integrating bird tracking with ground‐based methods should be prioritized.
The contribution of constructed green infrastructure to urban biodiversity: A synthesis and meta‐analysis
Authors: Filazzola Alessandro , Shrestha Namrata , MacIvor J. Scott
Published: July 2019

The development of buildings and other infrastructure in cities is viewed as a threat to local biodiversity and ecosystem functioning because natural habitat is replaced. However, there is momentum for implementing green infrastructure (GI), such as green roofs, wetland detention basins and community gardens, that partially offset these impacts and that benefit human health.

GI is often designed to explicitly support ecosystem services, including implied benefits to biodiversity. The effects of GI on biodiversity have been rarely quantified, but research on this topic has increased exponentially in the last decade and a synthesis of the literature is needed.

Here, we examined 1,883 published manuscripts and conducted a meta‐analysis on 33 studies that were relevant. We determined whether GI provides additional benefits to biodiversity over conventional infrastructure or natural counterparts. We also highlighted research gaps and identified opportunities to improve future applications.

We determined that GI significantly improves biodiversity over conventional infrastructure equivalents, and that in some cases GI had comparable measures of biodiversity to natural counterparts. Many studies were omitted from these analyses because we found GI research has generally neglected conventional experimental design frameworks, including controls, replication or adequate sampling effort.

Synthesis and applications. Our synthesis identified that taxa specificity is an important consideration for green infrastructure (GI) design relative to the more common measurements at the community level. We also identified that ignoring multi‐trophic interactions and landscape‐level patterns can limit our understanding of GI effects on biodiversity. We recommend further examination of species‐specific differences among infrastructures (i.e. green, conventional or natural equivalents) or using functional traits to improve the efficacy of GI implementation on urban biodiversity. Furthermore, we encourage policy makers and practitioners to improve the design of GI to benefit urban ecosystems because of the potential benefits for both humans and global biodiversity.