bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When and how managerial ties matter in international competitive strategy, export financial and strategic performance framework
Authors: Chung Henry F.L. , Kuo Tsuang
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study aims to present two new contingent frameworks that hypothesize the moderation role of managerial ties (MTs) in the international competitive strategy-export financial and strategic performance framework. The purposes of this study are to explore whether a common standardized or individual customized conceptualization consisting of MTs, international competitive strategy and performance can be used to achieve export financial and strategic performance; to offer contingent factors for the current international competitive strategy-export performance framework; and to generalize the roles of MTs in the developed vis-à-vis developing region.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the experience of 114 exporting firms operating in the European Union region to test its theoretical frameworks. MTs include both business and political ties.

Findings

Business and political ties have completely different moderation effects on the relation between international differentiation/low-cost strategy and export financial/strategic performance. Business ties have a positive influence on the international differentiation strategy-export strategic performance and international low-cost strategy-export financial performance dyads, but a negative effect in the international low-cost strategy-export strategic performance framework. In contrast, political ties are revealed to have a negative effect on the international differentiation/low-cost strategy-export financial performance framework.

Originality/value

This research advances extant international competitive strategy-export performance literature by revealing the bright and dark sides of business ties and the down side of political ties in the framework. Performance should be investigated in terms of financial and strategic performance. The moderation effect of business ties is more complex than that reported in the developing region; thus, a cross-regional generalization on these ties’ effects is more difficult to establish. In contrast, the dark side effect of political ties is consistent across developed and developing regions; a cross-regional generalization on these ties is more viable. Collectively, the results show that a standardized process for achieving both export financial and export strategic performances is not feasible, while a customized process for each export performance is needed.
From Modernism to Populism – art as a discursive mirror of the nation brand
Authors: Rodner Victoria , Kerrigan Finola
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by the visual arts in expressing and shaping the nation brand. In doing so, it establishes the centrality of visual discourse in nation branding; illustrating that discursive strategies can directly alter the nation brand’s perception.

Design/methodology/approach

This single case study drawing on in-depth interviews, field observation and secondary/historical material, applies mediated discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis to capture a transitional period in the cultural policies and nation branding rhetoric across a time frame of 60 years.

Findings

This study establishes the visual arts as a significant carrier of meaning, thus reflecting changes in the national discourse. This analysis illustrates that publicly supported visual arts can articulate policy aspirations and provide insight into the power of competing national discourse which co-exists, thereby shaping the internal and external nation brand.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses on the visual arts and the context of Venezuela. Future research could expand this to look at the visual arts in other national or regional contexts.

Practical implications

The paper establishes visual art as central to expressing national identity and policy, and a tool for examination of national identity and policy. More broadly, the paper establishes public support for the (visual) arts as central to nation-branding projects providing insight for those engaged in such campaigns to prioritize arts funding.

Originality/value

The authors’ study indicates the marketing relevance of visualization of the nation through the arts and establishes the visual arts as a central tenant of the nation brand.
The application of mobile fNIRS to “shopper neuroscience” – first insights from a merchandising communication study
Authors: Krampe Caspar , Strelow Enrique , Haas Alexander , Kenning Peter
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study is the first to examine consumer’s neural reaction to different merchandising communication strategies at the point-of-sale (PoS) by applying functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). By doing so, the purpose of this study is to extend consumer neuroscience to retail and shopper research.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments were conducted in which 36 shoppers were exposed to a realistic grocery shopping scenario while their brain haemodynamics were measured using mobile fNIRS.

Findings

Results revealed that mobile fNIRS appears a valid method to study neural activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the field of “shopper neuroscience”. More precisely, results demonstrated that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) might be crucial for processing and predicting merchandising communication strategy effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

This research gives evidence that certain regions of the PFC, in particular the OFC and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), are crucial to process and evaluate merchandising communication strategies.

Practical implications

The current work opens a promising new avenue for studying and understanding shopper’s behaviour. Mobile fNIRS enables marketing management to collect neural data from shoppers and analyse neural activity associated with real-life settings. Furthermore, based on a better understanding of shoppers’ perceptual processes of communication strategies, marketers can design more effective merchandising communication strategies.

Originality/value

The study is the first to implement the innovative, mobile neuroimaging method of fNIRS to a PoS setting. It, therefore, opens up the promising field of “shopper neuroscience”.
Using EEG to examine the role of attention, working memory, emotion, and imagination in narrative transportation
Authors: Gordon Ross , Ciorciari Joseph , van Laer Tom
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present a study using encephalography (EEG) to investigate consumer responses to narrative videos in energy efficiency social marketing. The purpose is to assess the role of attention, working memory, emotion and imagination in narrative transportation, and how these stages of narrative transportation are ordered temporally.

Design/methodology/approach

Consumers took part in an EEG experiment during which they were shown four different narrative videos to identify brain response during specific video segments.

Findings

The study found that during the opening segment of the videos, attention, working memory and emotion were high before attenuating with some introspection at the end of this segment. During the story segment of the videos attention, working memory and emotion were also high, with attention decreasing later on but working memory, emotion and imagination being evident. Consumer responses to each of the four videos differed.

Practical implications

The study suggests that narratives can be a useful approach in energy efficiency social marketing. Specifically, marketers should attempt to gain focused attention and invoke emotional responses, working memory and imagination to help consumers become narratively transported. The fit between story object and story-receiver should also be considered when creating consumer narratives.

Social implications

Policymakers and organisations that wish to promote pro-social behaviours such as using energy efficiently or eating healthily should consider using narratives.

Originality/value

This research contributes to theory by identifying brain response relating to attention, working memory, emotion and imagination during specific stages of narrative transportation. The study considers the role of attention, emotion, working memory and imagination during reception of stories with different objects, and how these may relate to consumers’ narrative transportation.
Fair trade and consumer social responsibility
Authors: Anderson Matthew
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the historical position of the ethical consumer as a driver of change within the Fair Trade movement. Fair Trade was originally envisaged as a model of South-North trade; however, with Fair Trade labels now available to consumers in India, Brazil, South Africa and Kenya, the geographies of production and consumption appear increasingly fluid and dynamic.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a historical comparative case study approach this paper draws on the records and archives from eight leading Fair Trade organisations based in the UK.

Findings

The paper develops an exploratory framework based on an assessment of Fair Trade’s theory(ies) of change and the role of the ethical consumer as an agent of change. Four consumer narratives are identified: simpler living and moral action; co-operation and solidarity; consumer demand and choice; and citizen-consumers. The paper concludes by considering the implications for globalising the concept of the “citizen-consumer” and the (re)politicisation of Fair Trade consumption.

Research limitations/implications

Primary data collection was mainly based on UK organisations. Additional comparative studies could develop an understanding of the context and geographies of Fair Trade practices.

Practical implications

New and emerging Fair Trade markets may offer valuable areas of further study.

Social implications

Increased understanding of the drivers of social change may lead to improved decision-making by Fair Trade organisations and policy-makers.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the development and understanding of Fair Trade’s theory of change model by offering an historical dimension that is absent from the majority of existing studies.
Human resource allocation in business process management and process mining
Authors: Arias Michael , Saavedra Rodrigo , Marques Maira R. , Munoz-Gama Jorge , Sepúlveda Marcos
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Human resource allocation is considered a relevant problem in business process management (BPM). The successful allocation of available resources for the execution of process activities can impact on process performance, reduce costs and obtain a better productivity of the resources. In particular, process mining is an emerging discipline that allows improvement of the resource allocation based on the analysis of historical data. The purpose of this paper is to provide a broad review of primary studies published in the research area of human resource allocation in BPM and process mining.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic mapping study (SMS) was conducted in order to classify the proposed approaches to allocate human resources. A total of 2,370 studies published between January 2005 and July 2016 were identified. Through a selection protocol, a group of 95 studies were selected.

Findings

Human resource allocation is an emerging research area that has been evolving over time, generating new proposals that are increasingly applied to real case studies. The majority of proposed approaches relate to the period 2011-2016. Journals and conference proceedings are the most common venues. Validation research and evaluation research are the most common research types. There are two main evaluation methods: simulation and case studies.

Originality/value

This study aims to provide an initial assessment of the state of the art in the research area of human resource allocation in BPM and process mining. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that has been conducted to date that generates a SMS in this research area.
The effect of firm strategic orientation on corporate philanthropic engagement
Authors: Abebe Michael , Cha Wonsuk
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study explores corporate strategic orientations as important drivers of firms’ philanthropic engagement. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the relationship between two broad corporate strategic orientations – domain offense (DO) and domain abandonment (DA) strategies – and the level of philanthropic engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose that firms pursuing aggressive DO strategies are more likely to invest in corporate philanthropy as part of their market expansion efforts. On the contrary, firms pursuing DA strategies are less likely to invest in corporate philanthropy because of decreased slack resources, rather conservative external stakeholder expectations as well as a firm’s conscious decision to disengage with external stakeholders. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted using data from 122 publicly traded US corporations from 2008 to 2013.

Findings

The findings provided empirical support for a significant positive relationship between DO strategies (acquisition and strategic alliance intensity) and firms’ philanthropic engagement. However, the relationship between DA strategies (divestiture and plant/facility closing) and firms’ philanthropic engagement was not found to be significant. Overall, the findings indicated that philanthropic engagements along with carefully crafted DO strategies help firms expand their market presence.

Practical implications

Organizational leaders that systematically target philanthropic causes that effectively converge with important corporate strategies do benefit in the long run by achieving better brand equity and overall enhanced corporate reputation.

Originality/value

By empirically investigating the relationship between corporate strategic orientations and philanthropic engagement, this study contributes to the on-going scholarly discussion on the link between corporate strategies and philanthropic engagements.
Focused Deterrence Strategies and Crime Control
Authors: Braga Anthony A. , Weisburd David , Turchan Brandon
Published: January 2018

Research Summary

Focused deterrence strategies are increasingly being applied to prevent and control gang and group‐involved violence, overt drug markets, and individual repeat offenders. Our updated examination of the effects of focused deterrence strategies on crime followed the systematic review protocols and conventions of the Campbell Collaboration. Twenty‐four quasi‐experimental evaluations were identified in this systematic review. The results of our meta‐analysis demonstrate that focused deterrence strategies are associated with an overall statistically significant, moderate crime reduction effect. Nevertheless, program effect sizes varied by program type and were smaller for evaluations with more rigorous research designs.

Policy Implications

The available empirical evidence suggests these strategies generate noteworthy crime reduction impacts and should be part of a broader portfolio of crime reduction strategies available to policy makers and practitioners. Investments still need to be made, however, to strengthen the overall rigor of program evaluations and improve our understanding of key program activities associated with observed crime reduction impacts.
The Nuclear Deal Turns Two: Barely Alive or Already Dead?
Authors: Adebahr Cornelius
Published: January 2018

European policy toward Iran is likely to be hampered both by transatlantic tensions and regional turmoil. While the EU in principle follows the right approach by defending the nuclear deal of 2015, continued pressure from hardliners in both Washington and Tehran as well as the unpredictability of events in the region make for a volatile political environment. The EU needs to maintain the rigorous implementation of the deal itself while addressing Iran's regional expansion more forcefully – not to please Washington but in its own interest. Without regaining some sort of transatlantic unity on the issue, however, the deal – a remarkable feat of non‐proliferation diplomacy – is likely to fall apart.
Discussion of “Flight to Quality in International Markets: Investors’ Demand for Financial Reporting Quality during Political Uncertainty Events”
Authors: Hales Jeffrey
Published: January 2018

In this paper, I provide a summary and discussion of Chen, Hope, Li, and Wang (2018). In my discussion, I summarize their main findings and focus on key conceptual aspects of their research design. I also comment more broadly on financial reporting quality. Throughout my discussion, I offer a number of specific opportunities to extend this line of research.
Kriging models for linear networks and non‐Euclidean distances: Cautions and solutions
Authors: Ver Hoef Jay M.
Published: January 2018

There are now many examples where ecological researchers used non‐Euclidean distance metrics in geostatistical models that were designed for Euclidean distance, such as those used for kriging. This can lead to problems where predictions have negative variance estimates. Technically, this occurs because the spatial covariance matrix, which depends on the geostatistical models, is not guaranteed to be positive definite when non‐Euclidean distance metrics are used. These are not permissible models, and should be avoided.

I give a quick review of kriging and illustrate the problem with several simulated examples, including locations on a circle, locations on a linear dichotomous network (such as might be used for streams), and locations on a linear trail or road network. I re‐examine the linear network distance models from Ladle, Avgar, Wheatley, and Boyce (,Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 329) and show that they are not guaranteed to have a positive definite covariance matrix.

I introduce the reduced‐rank method, also called a predictive‐process model, for creating valid spatial covariance matrices with non‐Euclidean distance metrics. It has an additional advantage of fast computation for large datasets.

I re‐analysed the data of Ladle et al. (,Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 329), showing that fitted models that used linear network distance in geostatistical models, both with and without a nugget effect, had negative variances, poor predictive performance compared with reduced‐rank methods, and had improper coverage for the prediction intervals. The reduced‐rank approach using linear network distances provided a class of permissible models that had better predictive performance and proper coverage for the prediction intervals, and could be combined with Euclidean distance models to provide the best overall predictive performance.
Metformin regulates metabolic and nonmetabolic pathways in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissues of older adults
Authors: Kulkarni Ameya S , Brutsaert Erika F , Anghel Valentin , Zhang Kehao , Bloomgarden Noah , Pollak Michael , Mar Jessica C , Hawkins Meredith , Crandall Jill P , Barzilai Nir
Published: January 2018

Administration of metformin increases healthspan and lifespan in model systems, and evidence from clinical trials and observational studies suggests that metformin delays a variety of age‐related morbidities. Although metformin has been shown to modulate multiple biological pathways at the cellular level, these pleiotropic effects of metformin on the biology of human aging have not been studied. We studied ~70‐year‐old participants (n = 14) in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover trial in which they were treated with 6 weeks each of metformin and placebo. Following each treatment period, skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were obtained, and a mixed‐meal challenge test was performed. As expected, metformin therapy lowered 2‐hour glucose, insulin AUC, and insulin secretion compared to placebo. Using FDR<0.05, 647 genes were differentially expressed in muscle and 146 genes were differentially expressed in adipose tissue. Both metabolic and nonmetabolic pathways were significantly influenced, including pyruvate metabolism and DNA repair in muscle and PPAR and SREBP signaling, mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, and collagen trimerization in adipose. While each tissue had a signature reflecting its own function, we identified a cascade of predictive upstream transcriptional regulators, including mTORC1, MYC, TNF, TGFß1, and miRNA‐29b that may explain tissue‐specific transcriptomic changes in response to metformin treatment. This study provides the first evidence that, in older adults, metformin has metabolic and nonmetabolic effects linked to aging. These data can inform the development of biomarkers for the effects of metformin, and potentially other drugs, on key aging pathways.
Can firm‐specific dividend drop‐off ratios be used to infer shareholder marginal tax rates?
Authors: Ainsworth Andrew , Lee Adrian D. , Walter Terry
Published: January 2018

In a seminal study, Elton and Gruber (1970) argue that ex‐dividend day pricing can be used to infer marginal tax rates of shareholders. We examine ex‐dividend day pricing for individual firms and ask whether their CFOs could use the history of a firm's ex‐dividend price‐drop ratios to infer reasonable estimates of shareholders’ marginal tax rates. We use TAQ data for 1,124 US firms that have at least 30 ex‐dividend days during the period August 1993 to October 2012. Our results show that ex‐dividend day pricing is so noisy as to prohibit sensible estimates of shareholders’ marginal tax rates.
Anomalies in target‐controlled infusion: an analysis after 20 years of clinical use
Authors: Engbers F. H. M. , Dahan A.
Published: January 2018

Although target‐controlled infusion has been in use for more than two decades, its benefits are being obscured by anomalies in clinical practice caused by a number of important problems. These include: a variety of pharmacokinetic models available in open target‐controlled infusion systems, which often confuse the user; the extrapolation of anthropomorphic data which provokes anomalous adjustments of dosing by such systems; and the uncertainty of regulatory requirements for the application of target‐controlled infusion which causes uncontrolled exploitation of drugs and pharmacokinetic models in target‐controlled infusion devices. Comparison of performance of pharmacokinetic models is complex and mostly inconclusive. However, a specific behaviour of a model in a target‐controlled infusion system that is neither intended nor supported by scientific data can be considered an artefact or anomaly. Several of these anomalies can be identified in the current commercially available target‐controlled infusion systems and are discussed in this review.
Serum intestinal fatty acid–binding protein in the noninvasive diagnosis of celiac disease
Authors: Oldenburger Irene B. , Wolters Victorien M. , Kardol‐Hoefnagel Tineke , Houwen Roderick H. J. , Otten Henny G.
Published: January 2018

Current diagnostic guidelines for celiac disease (CD) in pediatric patients require a duodenal biopsy if the IgA anti‐tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is below 10x the upper limit of normal (ULN). Additional markers may enable a noninvasive diagnosis in this group. Serum intestinal‐fatty acid‐binding protein (I‐FABP), a marker for intestinal epithelial damage, could be useful in this respect. A total of 95 children with a clinical suspicion of CD and tTG 1‐10x ULN were investigated. All had a duodenal biopsy and analysis of serum I‐FABP. A control group of 161 children with familial short stature and normal tTG was included. I‐FABP levels in the 71 patients with tTG 1‐10x ULN and biopsy‐proven CD (median 725 pg/mL) were not significantly different (p = 0.13) from the levels in the 24 patients with a tTG 1‐10x ULN but a normal biopsy (median 497 pg/mL). However, when combining tTG and I‐FABP levels, 11/24 patients could have been diagnosed noninvasively if tTG is ≥ 50 U/mL and I‐FABP ≥880 pg/mL or in 12/19 patients if tTG is ≥ 60 U/mL and I‐FABP ≥ 620 pg/mL. Therefore, addition of I‐FABP to the diagnostic procedure of CD may provide a noninvasive diagnosis in patients with a tTG ≥ 50 U/mL.
An analysis of stigma and suicide literacy in responses to suicides broadcast on social media
Authors: Li Ang , Huang Xiaoxiao , Jiao Dongdong , O'Dea Bridianne , Zhu Tingshao , Christensen Helen
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Broadcasting a suicide attempt on social media has become a public concern in China. Stigmatizing attitudes around such broadcast can limit help‐seeking and increase the likelihood of death. To reduce stigmatizing attitudes, this paper aims to detect stigma expressions in social media posts through language use patterns and then identify suicide literacy in responses to such broadcast.

Methods

Firstly, to examine linguistic patterns of stigma expressions, 6632 Weibo posts with keywords were collected and analyzed. Using 102 linguistic features, 2 classification models were built: one for differentiating between stigmatizing and nonstigmatizing attitudes, and one for differentiating between specific types of stigmatizing attitudes. Secondly, to identify the levels of suicide literacy, a content analysis was conducted on 4969 Weibo posts related to social media suicide.

Results

Firstly, the model accuracy ranged from 66.15% to 72.79%. Secondly, a total of 11.67% of the Weibo posts (n = 580) contained misinformation about suicide. In the category of knowledge of signs, 27.93% and 18.10% of posts endorsed the stigmatizing views that “suicide happens without warning” and “people who want to attempt suicide cannot change their mind quickly,” both of which were related to a stigmatizing belief that a suicide attempt on social media is not genuine. In the category of knowledge of treatments, 35.17% of posts endorsed the stigmatizing view that “people who have thoughts about suicide should not tell others about it.”

Discussion

This paper presents an opportunity for the dissemination of targeted online campaigns to increase mental health literacy and help‐seeking.
Neural Correlates of Risk Processing Among Adolescents: Influences of Parental Monitoring and Household Chaos
Authors: Lauharatanahirun Nina , Maciejewski Dominique , Holmes Christopher , Deater‐Deckard Kirby , Kim‐Spoon Jungmeen , King‐Casas Brooks
Published: January 2018

Adolescent risky behavior is related to developmental changes in decision‐making processes and their neural correlates. Yet, research investigating how the family environment relates to risk processing in the adolescent brain is limited. In this study, longitudinal data were collected from 167 adolescents (13–15 years, 53% male) who self‐reported household chaos and their parent's monitoring practices, and completed a decision‐making task during functional MRI at Time 1 and Time 2 (1 year apart). Parental knowledge was positively related to insular risk processing only among adolescents in low‐chaos environments at both time points. Results highlight environmental correlates of insular risk processing in the developing brain.
The Developmental State: Dead or Alive?
Authors: Wade Robert H.
Published: January 2018

Before the 1980s, the mainstream Western prescription for developing countries to catch up with the West assigned the state a leading role in governing the market. In the 1980s, this shifted to a framework‐providing role in a largely deregulated and maximally open economy. Also in the 1980s, it became apparent that some East Asian capitalist economies were growing so fast that they would become ‘developed’ in the foreseeable future, marking them out as completely exceptional. Mainstream economists explained their success as the result of following the Western prescription, while other scholars attributed this rapid growth to ‘the developmental state’. This essay compares these two explanations of successful economic development, concluding in favour of the latter — with respect to the catch‐up decades. But what happened subsequently? Several scholars who accept the key role of the developmental state in the early period of fast industrialization in East Asia now argue that South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore have transformed from developmental to close‐to‐neoliberal states. This contribution argues that the erstwhile East Asian developmental states have indeed changed, but they have not transformed into neoliberal states. Rather they have adapted and evolved, but still undertake market‐steering, ‘societal mission’ roles well beyond neoliberal limits. The essay also suggests how other developing countries can learn lessons from their experience.
The Political Economy of Financialization in the United States, Europe and India
Authors: Jayadev Arjun , Mason J.W. , Schröder Enno
Published: January 2018

The quantitative growth and increased social prominence of financial institutions and markets can be usefully seen in terms of the constraints or ‘discipline’ they impose on other private and public decision makers. The role of finance in allocating real resources may be less important than its role in supporting the claims and authority of wealth‐owners vis‐a‐vis other social actors. This article discusses the political economy of financialization in the United States, Europe and India. In the United States, the latter role is most visible in the pressure non‐financial corporations face to increase payouts to shareholders. In Europe, the financial constraints on national governments are more salient. Tightening these constraints is openly acknowledged as the major benefit of financial integration, yet, on the other hand, the constraints financialization imposes on policy may also limit the extent to which finance can in fact be liberalized. This countervailing pressure is visible in the great expansion of central banks’ balance sheets and management of financial markets over the past decade. It is even more clearly visible in India, where the conflict between financialization and concrete policy goals has sharply limited the extent of liberalization, despite consistent rhetorical support.
The validity and reliability of the Test of Arm Selective Control for children with cerebral palsy: a prospective cross‐sectional study
Authors: Sukal‐Moulton Theresa , Gaebler‐Spira Deborah , Krosschell Kristin J
Published: January 2018

Aim

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Test of Arm Selective Control (TASC) to examine upper extremity selective voluntary motor control in children and adolescents with all types of spastic cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

Fifty‐six participants with CP, ranging in age from 5 years 9 months to 18 years 11 months (average 11y 7mo, SD 3y 9mo; 25 males, 31 females), participated in this prospective cross‐sectional study. They were evaluated using the TASC and several clinical measures.

Results

TASC and Manual Ability Classification System (r=−0.529, p<0.001), TASC and ABILHAND‐Kids (r=0.596, p<0.001), and TASC and affected extremities (r=−0.486, p=0.001) were moderately correlated. There was a weak correlation between the TASC and Gross Motor Function Classification System (r=−0.363, p=0.006) and no correlation between the TASC and age (p=0.366) or rater (p=0.713). Interrater reliability for upper extremity total score (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.92–0.94) and upper extremity limb scores (ICC=0.92–0.96) was high for two independent rater groups (p≤0.001). Average time to administer was 16 minutes, 18 seconds.

Interpretation

The TASC is a reliable and valid tool for objective assessment of selective voluntary motor control. Clinically this measure may guide the selection of medical, surgical, or therapy interventions and may improve outcome prognosis.

What this paper adds

The Test of Arm Selective Control (TASC) demonstrates a high degree of reliability and multiple aspects of validity when assessing upper extremity selective control in those with cerebral palsy.

The TASC is an upper limb companion to the Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity.
Uncovering the geographical and host impacts on the classification of Vibrio vulnificus
Authors: Yu Shoukai
Published: January 2018

Vibrio vulnificus causes human sickness throughout the world via the consumption of undercooked seafood or exposure to contaminated water. Previous attempts at phylogenetic analyses of V. vulnificus have proven unsuccessful, mainly due to the poorly understood impact of factors on its divergence. In this study, we used advanced statistical and phylogenetic methods to strengthen the classification of V. vulnificus. This updated classification included the impact of geographical and host factors. The results demonstrate the existence of hierarchies and multidimensional effects in the classification of V. vulnificus, from the molecular level using biotypes, to the distributional level using geographical location, to the adaptational level through host immune response. These findings have implications for the classification of bacteria, bacterial evolution, and public health.
Genomic sequence and copy number evolution during hybrid crop development in sunflowers
Authors: Owens Gregory L. , Baute Gregory J. , Hubner Sariel , Rieseberg Loren H.
Published: January 2018

Hybrid crops, an important part of modern agriculture, rely on the development of male and female heterotic gene pools. In sunflowers, heterotic gene pools were developed through the use of crop‐wild relatives to produce cytoplasmic male sterile female and branching, fertility restoring male lines. Here, we use genomic data from a diversity panel of male, female, and open‐pollinated lines to explore the genetic changes brought during modern improvement. We find the male lines have diverged most from their open‐pollinated progenitors and that genetic differentiation is concentrated in chromosomes, 8, 10 and 13, due to introgressions from wild relatives. Ancestral variation from open‐pollinated varieties almost universally evolved in parallel for both male and female lines suggesting little or no selection for heterotic overdominance. Furthermore, we show that gene content differs between the male and female lines and that differentiation in gene content is concentrated in high FST regions. This means that the introgressions that brought branching and fertility restoration to the male lines, brought with them different gene content from the ancestral haplotypes, including the removal of some genes. Although we find no evidence that gene complementation genomewide is responsible for heterosis between male and female lines, several of the genes that are largely absent in either the male or female lines are associated with pathogen defense, suggesting complementation may be functionally relevant for crop breeders.
Optimization and performance testing of a sequence processing pipeline applied to detection of nonindigenous species
Authors: Scott Ryan , Zhan Aibin , Brown Emily A. , Chain Frédéric J. J. , Cristescu Melania E. , Gras Robin , MacIsaac Hugh J.
Published: January 2018

Genetic taxonomic assignment can be more sensitive than morphological taxonomic assignment, particularly for small, cryptic or rare species. Sequence processing is essential to taxonomic assignment, but can also produce errors because optimal parameters are not known a priori. Here, we explored how sequence processing parameters influence taxonomic assignment of 18S sequences from bulk zooplankton samples produced by 454 pyrosequencing. We optimized a sequence processing pipeline for two common research goals, estimation of species richness and early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS), and then tested most optimal models’ performances through simulations. We tested 1,050 parameter sets on 18S sequences from 20 AIS to determine optimal parameters for each research goal. We tested optimized pipelines’ performances (detectability and sensitivity) by computationally inoculating sequences of 20 AIS into ten bulk zooplankton samples from ports across Canada. We found that optimal parameter selection generally depends on the research goal. However, regardless of research goal, we found that metazoan 18S sequences produced by 454 pyrosequencing should be trimmed to 375–400 bp and sequence quality filtering should be relaxed (1.5 ≤ maximum expected error ≤ 3.0, Phred score = 10). Clustering and denoising were only viable for estimating species richness, because these processing steps made some species undetectable at low sequence abundances which would not be useful for early detection of AIS. With parameter sets optimized for early detection of AIS, 90% of AIS were detected with fewer than 11 target sequences, regardless of whether clustering or denoising was used. Despite developments in next‐generation sequencing, sequence processing remains an important issue owing to difficulties in balancing false‐positive and false‐negative errors in metabarcoding data.
Cross‐sectional and prospective associations of meeting 24‐h movement guidelines with overweight and obesity in preschool children
Authors: Berglind D. , Ljung R. , Tynelius P. , Brooke H. L.
Published: January 2018

Background

Cross‐sectional studies report that meeting the newly developed 24‐h movement guidelines (≥60 min moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), ≤120 min screen time and 9–11 h sleep duration) are associated with lower adiposity indicators in children. However, prospective data are absent.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 830 children from the PRIMROSE study with GT3X+ accelerometer measured physical activity and parent reported screen time and sleep duration at age 4 years and objectively measured anthropometrics at age 4 and 5 years. The main outcome variables were weight status, body mass index (BMI) and BMI z‐score at ages 4 and 5 years. Exposure variables were defined as meeting vs. not meeting the 24‐h movement guidelines and combinations of these recommendations.

Results

On average, 18.4% of the total study sample met the combination of MVPA, sleep duration and screen time recommendations. In isolation, the MVPA, screen time and sleep guidelines were met by 31%, 63% and 98% of the total study sample, respectively. Adherence to any single recommendation, or any combination of recommendations at age 4 years, was not associated with being overweight or obese nor with BMI and BMI z‐score at age 4 or 5 years.

Conclusions

In contrast to previous cross‐sectional studies, neither individual movement behaviours nor combinations of behaviours at age 4 years was associated with overweight or obesity, BMI or BMI z‐score at age 4 or 5 years. More prospective data are needed before effects on weight status from meeting the 24‐h movement guidelines are elucidated.
Adoptive transfer of CD3+ T cells and CD4+CD44high memory T cells induces autoimmune pancreatitis in MRL/MpJ mice
Authors: Ehlers Luise , Rohde Sarah , Ibrahim Saleh , Jaster Robert
Published: January 2018

The immunopathogenesis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is poorly understood. Here, we have used MRL/MpJ mice, a model of spontaneous AIP, to address the role of cellular autoimmune processes in the initiation and progression of the disease. Therefore, different T cell subpopulations were adoptively transferred from sick to still healthy (but susceptible) MRL/MpJ mice. Unpurified splenocytes and CD3+ T cells both efficiently induced AIP, while CD4+ and CD8+ T cells alone, as well as splenocytes from healthy mice, were insufficient to trigger the disease. Strikingly, CD4+CD44high memory T cells, although transferred at lower numbers than other T cells, also induced AIP in recipient mice. Employing a modified experimental design, we also evaluated the effects of regulatory T cells (Tregs) on the progression of AIP in already diseased mice. Under the given experimental conditions, there was no significant suppressive effect of adoptively transferred Tregs on pancreatic histopathology. The results of our studies suggest a key role of T cell‐mediated processes in murine AIP. The effects of CD4+CD44high memory T cells are in accordance with genetic studies of our group, which had previously implicated this cell type into the pathogenesis of AIP. In follow‐up studies, we will focus on the interplay of cellular and humoral autoimmunity in the context of AIP.
Synovial fibroblast‐targeting liposomes encapsulating an NF‐κB‐blocking peptide ameliorates zymosan‐induced synovial inflammation
Authors: You Changcheng , Zu Jianing , Liu Xiaoqi , Kong Pengyu , Song Chengchao , Wei Rongzhi , Zhou Changlong , Wang Yufu , Yan Jinglong
Published: January 2018

Synovial fibroblasts (SFs) play a crucial role in the inflammatory process of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The highly activated NF‐κB signal in SFs is responsible for most of the synovial inflammation associated with this disease. In this study, we have developed an SF‐targeting liposomal system that encapsulates the NF‐κB‐blocking peptide (NBD peptide) HAP‐lipo/NBD. HAP‐lipo/NBDs demonstrated efficient SF‐specific targeting in vitro and in vivo. Our study also showed a significant inhibitory effect of HAP‐lipo/NBD on NF‐κB activation, inflammatory cytokine release and SF migration capability after zymosan stimulation. Furthermore, the systemic administration of HAP‐lipo/NBDs significantly inhibited synovial inflammation and improved the pathological scores of arthritis induced by zymosan. Thus, these results suggest that an SF‐targeting NF‐κB‐blocking strategy is a potential approach for the development of alternative, targeted anti‐RA therapies.
Clostridium difficile toxin B induces autophagic cell death in colonocytes
Authors: Chan Hung , Zhao Shan , Zhang Lin , Ho Jeffery , Leung Czarina C.H. , Wong Wai T. , Tian Yuanyuan , Liu Xiaodong , Kwong Thomas N.Y. , Chan Raphael C.Y. , Yu Sidney S.B. , Wang Maggie H.T. , Tse Gary , Wong Sunny H. , Chan Matthew T.V. , Wu William K.K.
Published: January 2018

Toxin B (TcdB) is a major pathogenic factor of Clostridum difficile. However, the mechanism by which TcdB exerts its cytotoxic action in host cells is still not completely known. Herein, we report for the first time that TcdB induced autophagic cell death in cultured human colonocytes. The induction of autophagy was demonstrated by the increased levels of LC3‐II, formation of LC3+ autophagosomes, accumulation of acidic vesicular organelles and reduced levels of the autophagic substrate p62/SQSTM1. TcdB‐induced autophagy was also accompanied by the repression of phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 activity. Functionally, pharmacological inhibition of autophagy by wortmannin or chloroquine or knockdown of autophagy‐related genes Beclin 1, Atg5 and Atg7 attenuated TcdB‐induced cell death in colonocytes. Genetic ablation of Atg5, a gene required for autophagosome formation, also mitigated the cytotoxic effect of TcdB. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that autophagy serves as a pro‐death mechanism mediating the cytotoxic action of TcdB in colonocytes. This discovery suggested that blockade of autophagy might be a novel therapeutic strategy for C. difficile infection.
Failure load effect of molar axial wall height with CAD/CAM ceramic crowns with moderate occlusal convergence
Authors: Hoopes Wyeth , Cushen Sara , DuVall Nicholas , Wajdowicz Michael , Brewster John , Roberts Howard
Published: January 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the significance of axial wall height (AWH) in molar fracture resistance involving CAD/CAM adhesively bonded, all‐ceramic full coverage restorations on preparations with moderate total occlusal convergence (TOC) (16°).

Materials and Methods

60 newly extracted maxillary third molars were divided into 5 groups (n = 12). Specimens were prepared for full‐coverage, all ceramic restorations with occlusal cervical AWHs of 4, 3, 2, 1 as well as a flat preparation (0 mm AWH) with all preparations with AWH containing a moderate 16° TOC. Scanned preparations were fitted with a lithium disilicate restoration with a self‐adhesive resin luting agent after intaglio surface preparation with hydrofluoric acid and silanation. Specimens were stored at 37°C/98% humidity for 24 hours and tested to failure at a 45° angle applied to the palatal cusp on a universal testing machine. Mean results were analyzed using ANOVA/Tukey's (P = .05).

Results

Preparations containing 2, 3, and 4 millimeters of AWH demonstrated similar and higher resistance to fracture than the 1 and zero millimeter AWH groups.

Conclusions

Under the conditions of this study, results suggest that adhesive CAD/CAM technology may compensate for reduced axial wall height. However, more definitive results depend on fatigue testing.

Clinical Significance

These in vitro results suggest that adhesive CAD/CAM technology may compensate for less than optimal AWH.
Notch signaling pathway regulates cell cycle in proliferating hepatocytes involved in liver regeneration
Authors: Zhang Fen , Zhang Jinglong , Li Xiao , Li Bowei , Tao Kaishan , Yue Shuqiang
Published: January 2018

Background and Aim

It has been well documented that Notch signaling is involved in liver regeneration. However, the exact molecular mechanism mediating this process is not fully elucidated. The current study aimed to investigate the role of Notch signaling regulating cell cycle in proliferating hepatocytes in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx, 67% resection) and the related molecular mechanism.

Methods

Partial hepatectomy was performed in Sprague Dawley rats, and remnant livers were harvested 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after operation, and primary hepatocytes were isolated to investigate the molecular mechanism.

Results

Notch signaling activation and hepatocyte proliferation were significantly increased after PHx, while treatment with FLI‐06, the inhibitor of γ‐secreting enzyme, blocked these trends. Besides, inhibition of Notch signaling led to dysregulation of cell cycle and cell‐cycle components. Furthermore, Akti‐1/2 (a selective Akt inhibitor) and PX‐478 (a selective Hif‐1α inhibitor) inhibited hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration after PHx, and the effect of downstream molecules activation by Jagged‐1 (Notch‐1 ligand) in hepatocytes was abolished by FLI‐06, Akti‐1/2, and PX‐478.

Conclusion

The current study demonstrated for the first time that Notch signaling regulated cell cycle in proliferating hepatocytes involved in liver regeneration through NICD/Akt Akt/Hif‐1α pathway.
A new method to assess the influence of odor on food selection in dogs
Authors: Pétel C. , Baron C. , Thomsen M. , Callejon L. , Péron F.
Published: January 2018

Previous research provides evidence that odor is a key driver in food selection in dogs. Dogs' flavor preferences are generally assessed through paired comparison tests based on food intake. Methods for evaluating odor preference in canines are lacking. In this study, the paired comparison test was modified by replacing standard bowls with false‐bottom bowls (FBBs). Made of two compartments separated by a drilled, stainless‐steel plate, FBBs enable odorant compounds to be placed under the food that is presented to the dogs. Several paired comparison trials were conducted on a trained canine panel with FBBs containing various odorant substances under the kibbles. Results showed that dogs were able to perceive the hidden substances and to distinguish between the bowls accordingly. These results demonstrate that the false‐bottom bowl paired comparison method could be helpful in evaluating the role of odor in dogs' food preferences, thus, also as a way of assessing food odor performance.

Practical applications

The false‐bottom bowl method is an adaptation of the paired comparison test that enables the influence of odor on dog behavior to be isolated from that stimulated by vision, taste or textural parameters. The odor impact of a hidden substance is tested under pet meal conditions. This new method could be useful in pet food industry to measure the odor potential of a new ingredient, or to understand the key food selection drivers for dogs and cats. In addition, as the olfactory stimulus is not eaten by the animal, the influence of odor in non‐food products for dogs, such as pet care and pet medicines, could also be evaluated using this method.