bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does evolution design robust food webs ?
Authors: Girardot B. , Gauduchon M. , Ménard F. , Poggiale JC.
Published: June 2019

Theoretical works that use a dynamical approach to study the ability of ecological communities to resist perturbations are largely based on randomly generated ecosystem structures. In contrast, we propose here to asses the robustness of food webs drawn from ecological and evolutionary processes with the use of community evolution models. In a first part, with the use of Adaptive Dynamics theoretical framework, we generate a variety of diversified food webs by solely sampling different richness levels of the environment as a control parameter, and obtain networks that satisfactory compare with empirical data. This allows us to highlight the complex, structuring role of the environmental richness during the evolutionary emergence of food webs. In a second part, we study the short-term ecological responses of food webs to swift changes in their customary environmental richness condition. We reveal a strong link between the environmental conditions that attended food webs evolutionary constructions and their robustness to environmental perturbations. When focusing on emergent properties of our evolved food webs, especially connectance, we highlight results that seem to contradict the current paradigm. Among these food webs, the most connected appear to be the less robust to sudden depletion of the environmental richness that constituted their evolutionary environment. Otherwise, we appraise the “adaptation” of food webs, by examining how they perform after being suddently immersed in an environment of modified richness level, in comparison with a trophic network that experienced this latter environmental condition all along its evolution.
Introducing Rhythmic Sinusoidal Amplitude-Modulated Auditory Stimuli with Multiple Message Frequency Coding for Fatigue Reduction in Normal Subjects: An EEG Study
Authors: Shamsi Elham , Shirzhiyan Zahra , Keihani Ahmadreza , Farahi Morteza , Mahnam Amin , Haidari Mohsen Reza , Jafari Amir Homayoun
Published: June 2019

Many of the brain-computer interface (BCI) systems depend on the user’s voluntary eye movements. However, voluntary eye movement is impaired in people with some neurological disorders. Since their auditory system is intact, auditory paradigms are getting more patronage from researchers. However, lack of appropriate signal-to-noise ratio in auditory BCI necessitates using long signal processing windows to achieve acceptable classification accuracy at the expense of losing information transfer rate. Because users eagerly listen to their interesting stimuli, the corresponding classification accuracy can be enhanced without lengthening of the signal processing windows. In this study, six sinusoidal amplitude-modulated auditory stimuli with multiple message frequency coding have been proposed to evaluate two hypotheses: 1) these novel stimuli provide high classification accuracies (greater than 70%), 2) the novel rhythmic stimuli set reduces the subjects’ fatigue compared to its simple counterpart. We recorded EEG from nineteen normal subjects (twelve female). Five-fold cross-validated naïve Bayes classifier classified EEG signals with respect to power spectral density at message frequencies, Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the responses and stimuli envelopes, canonical correlation coefficient between the responses and stimuli envelopes. Our results show that each stimuli set elicited highly discriminative responses according to all the features. Moreover, compared to the simple stimuli set, listening to the rhythmic stimuli set caused significantly lower subjects’ fatigue. Thus, it is worthwhile to test these novel stimuli in a BCI experiment to enhance the number of commands and reduce the subjects’ fatigue.

Significance Statement

Auditory BCI users eagerly listen to the stimuli they are interested in. Thus, response classification accuracy may be enhanced without the need for trial lengthening. Since humans enjoy listening to rhythmic sounds, this study was carried out for introducing novel rhythmic sinusoidal amplitude-modulated auditory stimuli with multiple message frequency coding. Our results show that each stimuli set evoked reliably discriminative responses according to all the features, and rhythmic stimuli set caused significantly lower fatigue in subjects. Thus, it is worthwhile to test these novel stimuli in a BCI study to increase the number of commands (by NN permutations of just N message frequencies) and reduce the subjects’ fatigue.
Alvis: a tool for contig and read ALignment VISualisation and chimera detection
Authors: Martin Samuel , Leggett Richard M.
Published: June 2019

Background

The analysis of long reads or the assessment of assembly or target capture data often necessitates running alignments against reference genomes or gene sets. Aligner outputs are often parsed automatically by scripts, but many kinds of analysis can benefit from the understanding that can follow human inspection of individual alignments.

Findings

We developed Alvis, a simple command line tool that can generate visualisations for a number of common alignment analysis tasks. Alvis is a fast and portable tool that accepts input in the most common alignment formats and will output production ready vector images. Additionally, Alvis will highlight potentially chimeric reads or contigs, a common source of misassemblies. We found that splitting chimeric reads using the output provided by Alvis can improve the contiguity of assemblies, while maintaining correctness.
NETosis proceeds by cytoskeleton and endomembrane disassembly and PAD4-mediated chromatin de-condensation and nuclear envelope rupture
Authors: Thiam Hawa Racine , Wong Siu Ling , Qiu Rong , Kittisopikul Mark , Vahabikashi Amir , Goldman Anne E. , Goldman Robert D. , Wagner Denisa D. , Waterman Clare M.
Published: June 2019

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are web-like DNA structures decorated with histones and cytotoxic proteins that are released by activated neutrophils to trap and neutralize pathogens during the innate immune response, but also form in and exacerbate sterile inflammation. Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) citrullinates histones and is required for NET formation (NETosis) in mouse neutrophils. While thein vivoimpact of NETs is accumulating, the cellular events driving NETosis and the role of PAD4 in these events are unclear. We performed high resolution time-lapse microscopy of mouse and human neutrophils (PMN) and differentiated HL-60 neutrophil-like cells (dHL-60) labelled with fluorescent markers of organelles and stimulated with ionomycin or lipopolysaccharides to induce NETosis. Upon stimulation, cells exhibited rapid disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton, followed by shedding of plasma membrane microvesicles, disassembly and remodeling of the microtubule and vimentin cytoskeletons, ER vesiculation, chromatin de-condensation and nuclear rounding, progressive plasma membrane and nuclear envelope (NE) permeabilization, nuclear lamin meshwork and then NE rupture to release DNA into the cytoplasm, and finally plasma membrane rupture and discharge of extracellular DNA. Inhibition of actin disassembly blocked NET release. Mouse and dHL-60 cells bearing genetic alteration of PAD4 showed that chromatin de-condensation, lamin meshwork and NE rupture and extracellular DNA release required the enzymatic and nuclear localization activities of PAD4. Thus, NETosis proceeds by a step-wise sequence of cellular events culminating in the PAD4-mediated expulsion of DNA.

Significance Statement

Neutrophils are white blood cells specialized as the first line of host defense in the immune system. One way they protect organisms is through NETosis, in which they expel their DNA to form a web-like trap that ensnares pathogens and promotes clotting. However, NETs also mediate sterile inflammation, causing damage to the body. We used high-resolution live-cell microscopy to perform the first systematic characterization of the timing of dynamic cellular events leading to NETosis in human and mouse neutrophils and a neutrophil-like cell line. We discovered that NETosis proceeds by a step-wise sequence of cellular events that is conserved across species, and requires the activity of the PAD4 enzyme for DNA to be released from the nucleus and cell membrane.
Population Genomics of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Recovered from United States Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Authors: Hasan Nabeeh A. , Davidson Rebecca M. , Epperson L. Elaine , Kammlade Sara M. , Rodger Rachael R. , Levin Adrah R. , Sherwood Alyssa , Sagel Scott D. , Martiniano Stacey L. , Daley Charles L. , Salfinger Max , Nick Jerry A. , Strong Michael
Published: June 2019

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pose a threat to individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) due to an increased prevalence of pulmonary infections, innate drug resistance of the bacteria, and potential transmission between CF patients. To explore the genetic diversity of NTM isolated from CF patients within the United States (US) and to identify potential transmission events, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 341 NTM isolates from 191 CF patients as part of a nationwide surveillance study. The most abundant species in the isolate cohort wereMycobacterium abscessus(59.5%), followed by species in theMycobacterium aviumcomplex (37.5%). Phylogenomic analyses of the threeM. abscessussubspecies revealed that more than half of CF patients had isolates in one of four dominant clones, including two dominant clones ofM. abscessussubspeciesabscessusand two dominant clones ofM. abscessussubspeciesmassiliense. M. aviumisolates from US CF patients, however, do not have dominant clones and are phylogenetically diverse. Longitudinal NTM isolates were compared to determine genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within patients over time. This information was used to compare between and within-patient SNP distributions, to quantitatively define SNP thresholds suggestive of transmission, and calculate a posterior probability of recent transmission given the SNP distance between two isolates from different patients. Out of 114 patients withM. abscessussubspecies, ten clusters of highly similar isolates from 26 patients were identified. Among the 26 patients in theM. abscessusclusters, 12 attended the same CF care centers. No highly similar isolate clusters were observed inM. avium. Our study reveals the contrasting genomic diversity and epidemiology of two major NTM taxa and the potential for between-patient exposure and cross-transmission of these emerging pathogens.
Germline maintenance through the multifaceted activities of GLH/Vasa inCaenorhabditis elegansP granules
Authors: Marnik Elisabeth A. , Fuqua J. Heath , Sharp Catherine S. , Rochester Jesse D. , Xu Emily L. , Holbrook Sarah E. , Updike Dustin L.
Published: June 2019

Vasa is a highly conserved member of the ATP-dependent DEAD box helicase family, a multipotency factor, and a critical component for the specification and maintenance of the germline. Its homologs have been shown to regulate translation, small RNA amplification, and serve as a molecular solvent for single-stranded RNA; however, the function of Vasa’s defining domains and what they interact with are unclear. To address this, 28 mutant alleles of theC. elegansVasa homolog GLH-1 were generated in conserved motifs. Mutations in the flanking and helicase domains show that GLH-1 retains its association with P granules through its helicase activity and not through static interactions with other P-granule proteins. Changes outside of these domains retain GLH-1 in P granules but still compromise fertility, and removal of glycine-rich repeats progressively diminish P-granule wetting-like interactions at the nuclear periphery. A mutation that facilitates Vasa aggregation was previously leveraged in insects and mammals to identify the transient association of Vasa with piRNA amplifying Argonautes. This same mutation in GLH-1 also stimulates aggregation and association with Argonautes, suggesting that the transient amplifying complex is evolutionarily conserved even though the method of piRNA amplification inC. elegansis not. Mass spectrometry analysis of proteins that co-immunoprecipitate with wild type and mutant GLH-1 reveal an affinity for all three PCI (26SProteasome Lid,COP9, eIF3) scaffolding complexes, which regulate protein turnover and translation, and a possible aversion for ribosomes and the 26S proteasome core. These results suggest that phase-separated P granules compartmentalize the cytoplasm to exclude large protein assemblies and emphasize the role of Vasa homologs in maintaining proteostasis.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

HIGHLIGHTS

GLH-1/Vasa helicase activity is required for germ granule association and the flanking domain is critical component of this helicase activity.

GLH-1 and GLH-2 glycine-rich FG-repeats increase the coverage or wetting-like properties of germ granules at the nuclear periphery.

Locked GLH-1 helicase domains increase association with Argonaute proteins, resembling small RNA transient amplifying complexes observed in insects and mammals.

GLH-1 has an affinity for all three PCI (26S Proteasome Lid, COP9, eIF3) scaffolding complexes, emphasizing a role in protein translation and turnover.
An improved method for culturing myotubes on laminins for the robust clustering of postsynaptic machinery
Authors: Pęziński Marcin , Daszczuk Patrycja , Pradhan Bhola Shankar , Lochmüller Hanns , Prószyński Tomasz J.
Published: June 2019

Motor neurons form specialized synapses with skeletal muscle fibers, called neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Cultured myotubes are used as a simplified in vitro system to study the postsynaptic specialization of muscles. The stimulation of myotubes with the glycoprotein agrin or laminin-111 induces the clustering of postsynaptic machinery that contains acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). When myotubes are grown on laminin-coated surfaces, AChR clusters undergo developmental remodeling to form topologically complex structures that resemble mature NMJs. Needing further exploration are the molecular processes that govern AChR cluster assembly and its developmental maturation. Here, we describe an improved protocol for culturing muscle cells to promote the formation of complex AChR clusters. We screened various laminin isoforms and showed that laminin-221 was the most potent for inducing AChR clusters, whereas laminin-121, laminin-211, and laminin-221 afforded the highest percentages of topologically complex assemblies. Human primary myotubes that were formed by myoblasts obtained from patient biopsies also assembled AChR clusters that underwent remodeling in vitro. Collectively, these results demonstrate an advancement of culturing myotubes that can facilitate high-throughput screening for potential therapeutic targets for neuromuscular disorders.
Predicting factors for long-term survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – a propensity score-matched analysis
Authors: Lahmann Anna Lena , Bongiovanni Dario , Berkefeld Anna , Kettern Maximilian , Martinez Lucas , Okrojek Rainer , Hoppmann Petra , Laugwitz Karl-Ludwig , Kasel Markus , Cassese Salvatore , Byrne Robert , Kufner Sebastian , Xhepa Erion , Schunkert Heribert , Kastrati Adnan , Joner Michael
Published: June 2019

Background

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with acute coronary syndromes accounting for most of the cases.

While the benefit of early revascularization has been clearly demonstrated in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), diagnostic pathways remain unclear in the absence of STEMI. We aimed to characterize OHCA patients presenting to 2 tertiary cardiology centers and identify predicting factors associated with survival.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 519 patients after OHCA from February 2003 to December 2017 at 2 centers in Munich, Germany. Patients undergoing immediate coronary angiography (CAG) were compared to those without. Propensity score (PS) matching analysis and multivariate regression analysis were performed to identify predictors for improved outcome.

Results

Immediate CAG was performed in 385 (74.1%) patients after OHCA with presumed cardiac cause of arrest.

As a result of multivariate analysis after propensity score matching, we found that ROSC at admission and immediate CAG were associated with better 30-days-survival [(OR, 6.54; 95% CI, 2.03-21.02), (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.04-5.55)], and 1-year-survival [(OR, 4.49; 95% CI, 1.55-12.98), (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.06-6.09)].

Conclusions

In our study, ROSC at admission and immediate CAG were independent predictors of survival in cardiac arrest survivors. Improvement in prehospital management including bystander CPR and best practice post-resuscitation care with optimized triage of patients to an early invasive strategy may help ameliorate overall outcome of this critically-ill patient population.
Super-resolution imaging reveals changes inEscherichia coliSSB localization in response to DNA damage
Authors: Zhao Tianyu , Liu Yan , Wang Zilin , He Rongyan , Zhang Jia Xiang , Xu Feng , Lei Ming , Deci Michael B. , Nguyen Juliane , Bianco Piero R.
Published: June 2019

TheE. colisingle stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) is essential to viability. It plays key roles in DNA metabolism where it binds to nascent single strands of DNA and to target proteins known as the SSB interactome. There are >2,000 tetramers of SSB per cell with perhaps 100-150 associated with genome at any one time, either at DNA replication forks or at sites of DNA repair. The remaining 1,900 tetramers could constantly diffuse throughout the cytosol or be associated with the inner membrane as observed for other DNA metabolic enzymes such as DnaA and RecA. To visualize SSB directly and to ascertain spatiotemporal changes in tetramer localization in response to DNA damage, SSB-GFP chimeras were visualized using a novel, super-resolution microscope optimized for visualization of prokaryotic cells. Results show that in the absence of DNA damage, SSB localizes to a small number of foci and the excess protein is observed associated with the inner membrane where it binds to the major phospholipids. Within five minutes following DNA damage, the vast majority of SSB disengages from the membrane and is found almost exclusively in the cell interior. Here, it is observed in a large number of foci, in discreet structures or, in diffuse form spread over the genome, thereby enabling repair events. In the process, it may also deliver interactome partners such as RecG or PriA to sites where their repair functions are required.
Guanxi, trust and reward-based crowdfunding success: a Chinese case
Authors: Zhao Liang , Vinig Tsvi
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine different hypotheses concerning the effects of guanxi on the reward-based crowdfunding project fundraising. Specifically, this study provides new insights into how guanxi and guanxi intensity may affect reward-based crowdfunding success and project performance in the Chinese context.

Design/methodology/approach

The research data including 989 crowdfunding projects were collected from zhongchou.com which is the largest reward-based crowdfunding platform in a one-year period (2014.1-2014.12). The hypotheses are tested by using robust OLS regressions and robust logistic regressions. Robustness check was also conducted to test the validation of the results.

Findings

This paper found that project developers’ guanxi-establishing behavior conducted before launching their own projects such as being fans of other projects and supporting other projects are positively related to project success. In addition, the intensity of guanxi-establishing behavior positively influences project performance in a significant way. Besides, the establishment and maintenance of project developers’ guanxi with funders during the fundraising process are also positively associated with project success and fundraising performance.

Originality/value

Based on the theory of trust, this paper offers an interesting and novel perspective to investigate reward-based crowdfunding success in the Chinese context by taking guanxi and guanxi intensity into consideration.
There was movement at the station: western education at Moola Bulla, 1910-1955
Authors: Povey Rhonda , Trudgett Michelle
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The focus of this paper is to centre the lived experiences and perceptions of western education held by Aboriginal people who lived at Moola Bulla Native Cattle Station (Moola Bulla) in Western Australia, between 1910 and 1955. Of interest is an investigation into how government legislations and policies influenced these experiences and perceptions. The purpose of this paper is to promote the powerful narrative that simultaneously acknowledges injustice and honours Aboriginal agency.

Design/methodology/approach

The research from which this paper is drawn moves away from colonial, paternalistic and racist interpretations of history; it is designed to decolonise the narrative of Aboriginal education in remote Western Australia. The research uses the wide and deep angle lens of qualitative historical research, filtered by decolonising methodologies and standpoint theory. Simultaneously, the paper valorises the contributions Indigenous academics are making to the decolonisation of historical research.

Findings

Preliminary findings suggest the narrative told by the residents who were educated at Moola Bulla support a reframing of previous deficit misrepresentations of indigeneity into strength-based narratives. These narratives, or “counter stories”, articulate resistance to colonial master narratives.

Social implications

This paper argues that listening to Aboriginal lived experiences and perceptions of western education from the past will better inform our engagement with the delivery of equitable educational opportunities for Aboriginal students in remote contexts in the future.

Originality/value

This paper will contribute to the wider academic community by addressing accountability in Aboriginal education. Most important to the study is the honouring of the participants and families of those who once lived on Moola Bulla, many who are speaking back through the telling of their story.
Two-phase nanofluid over rotating disk with exponential variable thickness
Authors: Liu Chunyan , Ding Yiming , Zheng Liancun , Lin Ping , Li Ruilin
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of nanofluid over rotating disk with the exponential variable thickness

Z=ce−bRR0 (c > 0, b > 0) and to analyze Brownian motion and thermophoresis of Buongiorno model on the disk embedded in nanofluid-saturated porous media.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the generalized von Karman transformation, the boundary layer governing equations are transformed into semi-similar forms solved by bvp4c in MATLAB.

Findings

The effects of the thickness parameter a, the shape parameter b, the Brownian motion parameter Nb and thermophoresis parameter Nt on flow, heat and mass transfer are analyzed. With the increase of thickness parameter a, the radial velocity first decreases and then increases, showing the opposite trend on the two sides of the peak value. Moreover, temperature and concentration rise as the Brownian motion parameter Nb becomes larger.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that has been done on rotating disk with exponential variable thickness in nanofluid. The impact of the two slip effects, namely, Brownian motion and thermophoresis, on the nanofluid boundary layer flow, heat and mass transfer because of rotating disk with exponential variable thickness

Z=ce−bRR0 (c > 0, b > 0) has been addressed in this study.
Time-dependent study of boiling heat transfer coefficient in a vertical minichannel
Authors: Maciejewska Beata , Piasecka Magdalena
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the time-dependent heat transfer coefficient during FC-72 flow boiling in a 1.7-mm-deep vertical and asymmetrically heated minichannel.

Design/methodology/approach

The temperature of the minichannel heated wall was recorded continuously with the use of thermocouples. The heat transfer coefficients for the subcooled and saturated boiling regions at the heated wall–fluid contact surface were calculated from the Robin boundary condition. Both the wall and fluid temperatures were obtained from the solution of the inverse nonstationary problems in two adjacent domains: the heated wall and flowing fluid. The FEM with Trefftz-type basis functions was applied to solve the inverse problem.

Findings

The obtained time-dependent heat transfer coefficient in subcooled boiling achieved rather low values, whereas in saturated boiling, the coefficient was the highest at the channel inlet. The boiling curves were plotted to illustrate the results.

Practical implications

The results of experiments are the best source of information for the design of minichannel cooling systems used for thermoregulation of components and heat exchangers. High-tech minichannel heat exchangers are applied in various industrial applications as microelectronics devices, gas turbines, internal combustion engines, nuclear reactors, X-ray sources and organic rankine cycle (ORC) modules.

Originality/value

In the study, the Trefftz functions for the nonstationary Fourier–Kirchhoff equation with the factor describing void fraction were determined and then used to construct the time-dependent basis functions in FEM.
CSR communication strategies and stakeholder engagement of upscale hotels in social media
Authors: Kucukusta Deniz , Perelygina Mariia , Lam Wing Sze
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how hotels practice corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication through social media, including which content type and media type receive the highest level of engagement. Two major aspects are considered, namely, CSR communication activity and stakeholder engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is conducted for Forbes four-star to five-star hotels in Hong Kong. Facebook data are extracted from the property pages of the sample hotels by Netvizz, which is a Facebook data extraction application. The data analysis includes three steps and combines qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Findings

The results indicate that the type of information has a significant influence on engagement and has even more of an affect than the message strategy. Although the number of CSR-related posts is significantly lower than marketing-oriented posts, they achieve a comparable level of popularity and engagement. Posts encouraging CSR practices show the highest level of engagement among CSR-related posts. In terms of media and content types, video achieves the highest engagement, and posts related to discounts achieve the highest engagement.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap in the current literature by conducting a comparison between marketing and CSR communication strategies on social media. It also provides insights on how to draft more effective CSR messages.
Analysis of hotels’ environmentally sustainable policies and practices
Authors: Khatter Ajay , McGrath Michael , Pyke Joanne , White Leanne , Lockstone-Binney Leonie
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to present the findings of an analysis of the environmentally sustainable policies and practices (ESPPs) used by independent and chain-affiliated hotels. The study aimed to ascertain the engagement of hotels with ESPPs and provide tentative evidence of their commitment towards meeting the expectations of environmentally conscious stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used secondary data and content analysis to examine the ESPPs of a sample of 220 hotels in Melbourne, Australia. A systematic review was conducted of hotel websites to reveal, in a tabulated way, the range of reporting of environmental material provided by various rated hotels.

Findings

This analysis suggests that environmentally friendly business practices are prominently displayed by the hotels sampled; however, independent non-chain affiliated hotels are yet to adopt ESPPs in any visible way.

Originality/value

This study was broadly informed by stakeholder theory (Freeman, 1984) and aimed to ascertain the engagement of hotels with ESPPs. While previous studies have focussed on chain hotels, this research involved a greater range of hotels of different profiles to highlight the mix of ESPPs across the hotel sector. Rather than merely examining the corporate websites of hotel companies, the research additionally examined ESPPs at the individual hotel property level, as this is where policies are implemented into practice. The extant literature to date has not studied the extent to which ESPPs are adopted by independent and chain-affiliated hotels at this level, and it is this research gap that the study addresses.
Country-of-origin and brand positioning for health care services
Authors: Meese Katherine A. , Powers Thomas L. , Garman Andrew N. , Choi Seongwon , Hernandez S. Robert
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between country-of-origin (COO) and brand positioning in the context of the high-involvement service of health care. This paper compares and analyzes different positioning strategies used in Europe, North America and the Middle East.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses content analysis of promotional materials for a sample of 168 health-care organizations located in 14 countries to identify brand positioning strategies used, such as foreign, local and global consumer culture positioning. A chi-square analysis and post hoc testing is used to examine how positioning strategies differ among regions.

Findings

The findings indicate that European and Middle Eastern health-care organizations most frequently use foreign consumer culture positioning, while North American institutions tend to use global consumer culture positioning. The findings indicate that health-care organizations in countries with a better reputation for care use different positioning strategies than in countries with a lesser reputation for quality care.

Practical implications

The findings are of value to international advertising and marketing professionals and hospitals seeking to attract patients globally in a competitive marketplace. Hospitals must consider their positioning relative to both domestic and international competitors and the COO of their target audience.

Originality/value

COO is important in high-involvement service industries because consumers lack the information needed to evaluate service quality. Consumers may rely on COO and brand positioning signals more heavily relative to goods or low-involvement services. However, little prior research exists examining COO effects and brand positioning for high involvement services and for health care specifically. This paper makes a unique contribution by filling this gap.
Patient satisfaction with the quality of care in Ghana’s health-care institutions
Authors: Abuosi Aaron Asibi , Braimah Mahama
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine patient satisfaction with the quality of care in Ghana’s health-care facilities using a disaggregated approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was a cross-sectional national survey. A sample of 4,079 males and females in the age group of 15-49 years were interviewed. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis and t-tests were used in statistical analysis.

Findings

About 70 per cent of patients were satisfied with the quality of care provided in health-care facilities in Ghana, whereas about 30 per cent of patients were fairly satisfied. Females and insured patients were more likely to be satisfied with the quality of care, compared with males and uninsured patients.

Research limitations/implications

Because data were obtained from a national survey, the questionnaire did not include the type of facility patients attended to find out whether satisfaction with the quality of care varied by the type of health facility. Future studies may, therefore, include this.

Practical implications

The study contributes to the literature on patient satisfaction with the quality of care. It highlights that long waiting time remains an intractable problem at various service delivery units of health facilities and constitutes a major source of patient dissatisfaction with the quality of care. Innovative measures must, therefore, be adopted to address the problem.

Originality/value

There is a paucity of research that uses a disaggregated approach to examine patient satisfaction with the quality of care at various service delivery units of health facilities. This study is a modest contribution to this research gap.
Online branding strategy for wine tourism competitiveness
Authors: Scorrano Paola , Fait Monica , Maizza Amedeo , Vrontis Demetris
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The link between wine and tourism is increasingly important for the competitive advantage of the territory and its productions, and it must be adequately communicated, in particular, online. Therefore, monitoring the level of convergence between online brand identity and online brand image is increasingly important to implement an efficient strategy of recall of a territory. This paper thus aims to propose an operative framework – assessing Web convergence (AWC) – designed to detect and analyse the online brand image and compare it with online brand identity.

Design/methodology/approach

The AWC framework is designed to extract information from the Web, process it through text-mining techniques – cluster analysis – and interpret it from three perspectives – functional, holistic and sensitive. The operative framework was applied to Napa Valley because it is the most frequently cited wine destination on the top 100 travel blogs.

Findings

The empirical application shows that the proposed logical framework can yield important reflections even in cases such as Napa Valley’s, a destination that already enjoys strong notoriety. In spite of the apparent qualitative homogeneity of the topics discussed, observation of their composition in terms of the three dimensions revealed the existence of a gap on some topics identified between what is communicated by the wine tourism destination and what is perceived and in turn communicated by bloggers.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of the research is represented by the application of the operative process to a single case study (Napa Valley). The contribution given to managerial studies is the ability of the framework to provide an operative vision of the importance of knowing the blogger’s perception of the brand identity communicated by the company. Testing the framework in other contexts will confirm that the protocol is generalisable.

Practical implications

The identification of the themes that characterise brand identity and brand image in the Web provides a flow of information that, if interpreted according to the functional, holistic and sensitive perspective, transforms the themes into useful knowledge for decisional purposes.

Originality/value

The managerial literature has highlighted, as in today’s communication environment, a strong brand can be created and maintained by strengthening the linkage between identity and image. The proposed framework may be considered an important protocol because it allows a tourism destination to increase the flow of information on which to build or strengthen the brand identity by aligning with the brand image. This could be particularly useful for smaller and less-popular destinations.
Activity scheduling and resource allocation with uncertainties and learning in activities
Authors: Chan Felix T.S. , Wang Zhengxu , Singh Yashveer , Wang X.P. , Ruan J.H. , Tiwari M.K.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model which schedules activities and allocates resources in a resource constrained project management problem. This paper also considers learning rate and uncertainties in the activity durations.

Design/methodology/approach

An activity schedule with requirements of different resource units is used to calculate the objectives: makespan and resource efficiency. A comparisons between non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm – II (NSGA-II) and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm – III (NSGA-III) is done to calculate near optimal solutions. Buffers are introduced in the activity schedule to take uncertainty into account and learning rate is used to incorporate the learning effect.

Findings

The results show that NSGA-III gives better near optimal solutions than NSGA-II for multi-objective problem with different complexities of activity schedule.

Research limitations/implications

The paper does not considers activity sequencing with multiple activity relations (for instance partial overlapping among different activities) and dynamic events occurring in between or during activities.

Practical implications

The paper helps project managers in manufacturing industry to schedule the activities and allocate resources for a near-real world environment.

Originality/value

This paper takes into account both the learning rate and the uncertainties in the activity duration for a resource constrained project management problem. The uncertainty in both the individual durations of activities and the whole project duration time is taken into consideration. Genetic algorithms were used to solve the problem at hand.
Examining the influential factors for continued social media use
Authors: Liu Qian , Shao Zhen , Tang Jian , Fan Weiguo
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Drawing upon the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the self-regulation framework, the purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and how factors for social media continuance behaviors work differently between social networking sites and microblogging.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method was used to collect two samples of 557 social networking sites users and 568 microblogging users. The proposed research model was tested with the structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

The empirical results demonstrate that the impacts of influencing factors on users’ continuance behaviors vary by types of social media services. Information sharing has a stronger impact on microblog users’ satisfaction than social network users while social interaction has a stronger impact on satisfaction for social network users than microblog users. In addition, interpersonal influence is more effective in shaping satisfaction for the social network users while media influence is more effective in shaping satisfaction for the microblog users.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies that integrate TPB with Bagozzi’s self-regulation framework to understand the behavioral model of social networking and microblogging continuance. The findings show that the impacts of attitudinal beliefs regarding information sharing and social interaction on social media users’ satisfaction are different across social networking and microblogging contexts. Moreover, this study also reveals different effects of two specific subjective norms – interpersonal and media influence – on continued use of social networking and microblogging.
Big data analytics – enabled cyber-physical system: model and applications
Authors: Luo Shuai , Liu Hongwei , Qi Ershi
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework for integrating big data analytics (BDA) into cyber-physical system (CPS) solutions. This framework provides a wide range of functions, including data collection, smart data preprocessing, smart data mining and smart data visualization.

Design/methodology/approach

The architecture of CPS was designed with cyber layer, physical layer and communication layer from the perspective of big data processing. The BDA model was integrated into a CPS that enables managers to make sound decisions.

Findings

The effectiveness of the proposed BDA model has been demonstrated by two practical cases − the prediction of energy output of the power grid and the estimate of the remaining useful life of the aero-engine. The method can be used to control the power supply system and help engineers to maintain or replace the aero-engine to maintain the safety of the aircraft.

Originality/value

The communication layer, which connects the cyber layer and physical layer, was designed in CPS. From the communication layer, the redundant raw data can be converted into smart data. All the necessary functions of data collection, data preprocessing, data storage, data mining and data visualization can be effectively integrated into the BDA model for CPS applications. These findings show that the proposed BDA model in CPS can be used in different environments and applications.
A reliable and valid measurement scale for assessing internal crisis communication
Authors: Adamu Adamu Abbas , Mohamad Bahtiar
Published: June 2019

Purpose

There appears to be a growing concern over the lack of scales for measuring internal crisis communication (ICC) in the course of an organizational crisis. Noting this compelling evidence, an analysis of results from earlier exploratory studies demonstrated a strong need for a sound scale with adequate psychometric properties. On that account, the purpose of this paper is to develop a valid scale for ICC.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examined the conceptualization and operationalization of ICC based on a comprehensive literature search. The in-depth interviews consist of 12 key informants with a sample size of 251 respondents for scale development and testing wherein all data items were evaluated and validated by 13 expert reviewers.

Findings

The results were measured during a crisis situation and provided rationale and initial psychometric properties of ICC. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses have provided evidence that ICC scale has achieved a valid and reliable factor structure.

Practical implications

Therefore, practitioners such as policy makers, government, researchers and crisis managers can adopt this scale of assessment to enhance a more accurate ICC; in this regard, provide useful implications to help minimize risks as they happen, thereupon find a better way to manage crisis situations.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the subject area and builds the existing literature by developing 11 items for ICC. The research provides a starting point for empirical investigation on important factors of influence on organizational internal stakeholders.
Supporting instructional leadership and school improvement? Reflections on school supervision from a German perspective
Authors: Tulowitzki Pierre
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this contribution is to draw on several recent contributions from the Journal of Educational Administration to reflect on the relationship between school supervision and educational leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

The German context of school supervision was first laid out. A comparative analysis of all contributions was then performed against the backdrop of the German context.

Findings

One finding from the analysis of the relationship between school supervision and educational leadership from a German perspective is the need to have structures of (mandatory) further training and development in place at the level of school principalship and school supervision. These structures represent building blocks for capacity building and for shifting cultures over time. Without reliable vehicles of professional development for all concerned parties, both school supervisory authorities and principals risk staying stuck in old professional identities that no longer match their current missions or emergent national aspirations.

Originality/value

This paper sheds a light on the complex relationship between school supervision, school leadership and school performance. The findings from the papers analyzed for this paper point to issues which scholars have been pondering about for decades now: Can supervision and support be successfully implemented within one agency? How can a supervisory authority change its professional identity? What combination of supervision, support and space creates conditions favorable to successful educational leadership and school improvement?
A longitudinal exploratory investigation of innovation systems and sustainability maturity using case studies in three industries
Authors: Abraham Thomas , Dao Viet T.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Sustainability innovation systems (SIS) refer to the investment in information systems (IS) to enable business sustainability within stages of sustainability maturity. A prior framework proposes that the roles played by IS to support sustainability depend on the stage of sustainability maturity achieved. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine these propositions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducts longitudinal case studies of six companies across three industries. Data were collected from the companies’ Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reports over a six-year period from 2009 to 2015.

Findings

The study provides initial empirical support for the proposition of the SIS framework that companies follow a staged path to sustainability maturity and that IS play specific roles as companies mature.

Research limitations/implications

The findings encourage future research to take a longitudinal and holistic view of sustainability and IS. Future research could also collect a more comprehensive data set for statistical analysis.

Practical implications

The study provides guidelines for practitioners in making decisions about companies’ investments in IS for sustainability, particularly within individual stages of sustainability maturity.

Social implications

The study goes beyond environmental sustainability to empirically show that companies are deploying IT assets for social sustainability too.

Originality/value

The multiple-longitudinal case study approach provides an intimate understanding of companies’ actual usage of IS resources to enable sustainability. The study is also among the very early research using GRI reports for research on IS and sustainability, showing that these reports are a rich secondary data source for IS scholars.
Shelby D. Hunt: a retrospection on the importance, origins, and development of research programs
Authors: Hunt Shelby D.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a retrospection on the importance, origins and development of the research programs in the author’s career.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses an autobiographical approach.

Findings

Most of the articles, research monographs and books that constitute this research and publishing efforts can be categorized into seven distinct, but related, research programs: channels of distribution; marketing theory; marketing’s philosophy debates; macromarketing and ethics; relationship marketing; resource-advantage theory; and marketing management and strategy. The value system that has guided these research programs has been shaped by specific events that took place in the author’s formative years. This essay chronicles these events and the origins and development of the seven research programs.

Originality/value

Chronicling the importance, origins and development of the seven research programs will hopefully motivate and assist other scholars in developing their own research programs.