bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unique Considerations for Females Undergoing Esophagectomy
Authors: Nobel Tamar B. , Livschitz Jennifer , Eljalby Mahmoud , Janjigian Yelena Y. , Bains Manjit S. , Adusumilli Prasad S. , Jones David R. , Molena Daniela
Published: January 2019

Objective:

To improve understanding of sex differences in clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment and outcomes between male and female patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Summary Background Data:

Esophageal cancer is a male predominant disease, and sex has not been considered in previous studies as an important factor in diagnosis or management. Sex differences in demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, and postoperative outcomes remain largely undefined.

Methods:

Retrospective review of 1958 patients (21% female) with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy at a single institution between 1995 and 2017.

Results:

Most patients had adenocarcinoma (83%); however, the rate of squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher in females (35% vs 11%, respectively; P < .0001). Females had a lower rate of smoking (62 vs 73%) and heavy alcohol use (12 vs 19%) but a higher rate of previous mediastinal radiation (8.4 vs 1.8%) (P < 0.001). Postoperative mortality and overall survival (OS) were similar between sexes. However, subanalysis of patients with locoregional disease (clinical stage II/III) demonstrated that females received neoadjuvant therapy less frequently than males and had worse OS (median OS 2.56 yrs vs 2.08; P = 0.034). This difference remained significant on adjusted analysis (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06–1.46).

Conclusions:

Female patients had higher incidence of squamous cell carcinoma despite lower prevalence of behavioral risk factors. Among patients with locoregional disease, undertreatment in females may reflect treatment bias and history of previous mediastinal radiation. Esophageal cancer in females should be considered a unique entity as compared with the presentation and treatment of males.
MultiFRAGing: Rapid and Simultaneous Genotyping of Multiple Alleles in a Single Reaction
Authors: Petree Cassidy , Varshney Gaurav K
Published: January 2019

The powerful and simple RNA-guided CRISPR/Cas9 technology is a versatile genome editing tool that has revolutionized targeted mutagenesis. CRISPR-based genome editing has enabled large-scale functional genetic studies through the generation of gene knockouts in a variety of model organisms including zebrafish. CRISPR/Cas9 can also be used to target multiple genes simultaneously. One of the challenges associated with applying this technique to zebrafish in a high-throughput manner is the absence of a cost-effective method by which to identify mutants. To address this, we optimized the high-throughput, high-resolution fluorescent PCR-based fragment analysis method to develop MultiFRAGing, a robust and cost-effective method for genotyping of multiple targets in a single reaction. Our approach can identify indels in 4 targets from a single reaction, which represents a four-fold increase in genotyping throughput. This method can be used by any laboratory with access to capillary electrophoresis based sequencing equipment.
Real-time assembly of an artificial virus elucidated at the single-particle level
Authors: Marchetti Margherita , Kamsma Douwe , Vargas Ernesto Cazares , García Armando Hernandez , der Schoot Paul van , Vries Renko de , Wuite Gijs J.L. , Roos Wouter H.
Published: January 2019

While the structure of a variety of viruses has been resolved at atomistic detail, their assembly pathways remain largely elusive. Key unresolved issues in assembly are the nature of the critical nucleus starting particle growth, the subsequent self-assembly reaction and the manner in which the viral genome is compacted. These issues are difficult to address in bulk approaches and are effectively only accessible by tracking the dynamics of assembly of individual particles in real time, as we show here. With a combination of single-molecule techniques we study the assembly into rod-shaped virus-like particles (VLPs) of artificial capsid polypeptides, de-novo designed previously. Using fluorescence optical tweezers we establish that oligomers that have pre-assembled in solution bind to our DNA template. If the oligomer is smaller than a pentamer, it performs one-dimensional diffusion along the DNA, but pentamers and larger oligomers are essentially immobile and nucleate VLP growth. Next, using real-time multiplexed acoustic force spectroscopy, we show that DNA is compacted in regular steps during VLP growth. These steps, of ∼30 nm of DNA contour length, fit with a DNA packaging mechanism based on helical wrapping of the DNA around the central protein core of the VLP. By revealing how real-time, single particle tracking of VLP assembly lays bare nucleation and growth principles, our work opens the doors to a new fundamental understanding of the complex assembly pathways of natural virus particles.
Assessing chromatin accessibility in maize using ATAC-seq
Authors: Lee Yi-Jing , Chang Pearl , Lu Jui-Hsien , Chen Pao-Yang , Wang Chung-Ju Rachel
Published: January 2019

Background: Maize is an important crop that has a complex genome. A better understanding of maize chromatin architecture provides great opportunities for crop improvement, because chromatin accessibility influences gene expression, thereby affecting agricultural traits. The newly developed method for chromatin profiling, Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq), has been developed to investigate chromatin accessibility.
Result: We adapt this method by testing parameters of several key steps and generate the first ATAC-seq protocol for maize. We demonstrate that purification of maize nuclei to eliminate organelles can be achieved without the need for cell sorting, and that only a standard bench-top centrifuge is required for sample preparation. Finally, our sequence analyses confirm that our protocol of ATAC-seq can be successfully used to assess the chromatin landscape in maize.
Conclusion: The ATAC-seq provides a useful technique to study the chromatin accessibility. Given the parameters tested in our study, it can be a simple and practical method for maize and may be a foundation for similar studies in other crop species.
Chicdiff: a computational pipeline for detecting differential chromosomal interactions in Capture Hi-C data
Authors: Cairns Jonathan , Orchard William R. , Malysheva Valeriya , Spivakov Mikhail
Published: January 2019

Capture Hi-C is a powerful approach for detecting chromosomal interactions involving, at least on one end, DNA regions of interest, such as gene promoters. We present Chicdiff, an R package for robust detection of differential interactions in Capture Hi-C data. ChiScdiff enhances a state-of-the-art differential testing approach for count data with bespoke normalisation and multiple testing procedures that account for specific statistical properties of Capture Hi-C. We validate Chicdiff on published Promoter Capture Hi-C data in human Monocytes and CD4+ T cells, identifying multitudes of cell type-specific interactions, and confirming the overall positive association between promoter interactions and gene expression. Chicdiff is implemented as an R package that is publicly available at https://github.com/RegulatoryGenomicsGroup/chicdiff.
MYOSIN VA TRANSPORT OF LIPOSOMES IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL ACTIN NETWORKS IS MODULATED BY ACTIN FILAMENT DENSITY, POSITION, AND POLARITY
Authors: Lombardo Andrew T. , Nelson Shane R. , Kennedy Guy G. , Trybus Kathleen M. , Walcott Sam , Warshaw David M.
Published: January 2019

The cell's dense three-dimensional (3D) actin filament network presents numerous challenges to vesicular transport by teams of myosin Va (MyoVa) molecular motors. These teams must navigate their cargo through diverse actin structures ranging from Arp2/3-branched lamellipodial networks to the dense, unbranched cortical networks. To define how actin filament network organization affects MyoVa cargo transport, we created two different 3D actin networks in vitro. One network was comprised of randomly oriented, unbranched actin filaments; the other was comprised of Arp2/3-branched actin filaments, which effectively polarized the network by aligning the actin filament plus-ends. Within both networks, we defined each actin filament's 3D spatial position, using STORM microscopy, and its polarity by observing the movement of single fluorescent, reporter MyoVa. We then characterized the 3D trajectories of fluorescent, 350 nm fluid-like, liposomes transported by MyoVa teams (~10 motors) moving within each of the two networks. Compared to the unbranched network, we observed more liposomes with directed and fewer with stationary motion on the Arp2/3-branched network. This suggests that the modes of liposome transport by MyoVa motors are influenced by changes in the local actin filament polarity alignment within the network. This mechanism was supported by an in silico 3D model that provides a broader platform to understand how cellular regulation of the actin cytoskeletal architecture may fine-tune MyoVa-based intracellular cargo transport.
Asymmetric clustering of centrosomes defines the early evolution of tetraploid cells
Authors: Baudoin Nicolaas C , Soto Kimberly , Martin Olga , Nicholson Joshua M , Chen Jing , Cimini Daniela
Published: January 2019

Tetraploidy has long been of interest to both cell and cancer biologists, partly because of its documented role in tumorigenesis. A common model proposes that the extra centrosomes that are typically acquired during tetraploidization are responsible for driving tumorigenesis. However, this model is inconsistent with the observation that tetraploid cells evolved in culture lack extra centrosomes. This observation raises questions about how tetraploid cells evolve and more specifically about the mechanisms(s) underlying centrosome loss. Here, using a combination of fixed cell analysis, live cell imaging, and mathematical modeling, we show that populations of newly formed tetraploid cells rapidly evolve in vitro to retain a near-tetraploid chromosome number while losing the extra centrosomes gained at the time of tetraploidization. This happens through a process of natural selection in which tetraploid cells that inherit a single centrosome during a bipolar division with asymmetric centrosome clustering are favored for long-term survival.
Mechanosensitive nuclear asymmetries define a bipolar spindle scaffold to ensure mitotic fidelity
Authors: Nunes Vanessa , Dantas Margarida , Castro Domingos , Vitiello Elisa , Wang Irène , Carpi Nicolas , Balland Martial , Piel Matthieu , Aguiar Paulo , Maiato Helder , Ferreira Jorge G.
Published: January 2019

During prophase, centrosomes need to separate and position to correctly assemble the mitotic spindle. This process occurs through the action of molecular motors, cytoskeletal networks and the nucleus. How the combined activity of these different components is spatiotemporally regulated to ensure efficient spindle assembly remains unclear. Here we show that during prophase the centrosomes-nucleus axis reorients, so that centrosomes are positioned on the shortest nuclear axis at nuclear envelope (NE) breakdown. This centrosomes-nucleus configuration depends on mechanical cues generated by mitotic chromosome condensation on the prophase nucleus. We further show these mechanosensitive cues act through SUN1/2 and NudE+NudEL to enable the polarized loading of Dynein on the NE. Finally, we observe this centrosome configuration favors the establishment of an initial bipolar spindle scaffold, facilitating chromosome capture and accurate segregation, without compromising division plane orientation. We propose that chromosome segregation fidelity depends on the mechanical properties of the prophase nucleus that facilitate spindle assembly by regulating NE-Dynein localization.
E2M: A Deep Learning Framework for Associating Combinatorial Methylation Patterns with Gene Expression
Authors: Peng Jianhao , Ochoa Idoia , Milenkovic Olgica
Published: January 2019

We focus on the new problem of determining which methylation patterns in gene promoters strongly associate with gene expression in cancer cells of different types. Although a number of results regarding the influence of methylation on expression data have been reported in the literature, our approach is unique in so far that it retrospectively predicts the combinations of methylated sites in promoter regions of genes that are reflected in the expression data. Reversing the traditional prediction order in many cases makes estimation of the model parameters easier, as real-valued data are used to predict categorical data, rather than vice-versa; in addition, our approach allows one to better assess the overall influence of methylation in modulating expression via state-of-the-art learning methods. For this purpose, we developed a novel neural network learning framework termed E2M (Expression-to-Methylation) to predict the status of different methylation sites in promoter regions of several bio-marker genes based on a sufficient statistics of the whole gene expression captured through Landmark genes. We ran our experiments on unquantized and quantized expression sets and neural network weights to illustrate the robustness of the method and reduce the storage footprint of the processing pipeline.
DNA methylation directs polycomb-dependent 3D genome re- organisation in naive pluripotency
Authors: McLaughlin Katy A , Flyamer Ilya M , Thomson John P , Mjoseng Heidi K , Shukla Ruchi , Williamson Iain , Grimes Graeme R , Illingworth Robert S , Adams Ian R , Pennings Sari , Meehan Richard R , Bickmore Wendy A
Published: January 2019

The DNA hypomethylation that occurs when embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are directed to the ground state of naive pluripotency by culturing in 2i conditions results in redistribution of polycomb (H3K27me3) away from its target loci. Here we demonstrate that 3D genome organisation is also altered in 2i. We found chromatin decompaction at polycomb target loci as well as loss of long-range polycomb interactions. By preventing DNA hypomethylation during the transition to the ground-state, we are able to restore the H3K27me3 distribution, and polycomb-mediated 3D genome organisation that is characteristic of primed ESCs grown in serum, to ESCs in 2i. However, these cells retain the functional characteristics of 2i ground state ESCs. Our findings demonstrate the central role of DNA methylation in shaping major aspects of 3D genome organisation but caution against assuming causal roles for the epigenome and 3D genome in gene regulation and function in ESCs.
Phenotypic determinism and contingency in the evolution of hypothetical tree-like organisms
Authors: Nonoyama Tomonobu , Chiba Satoshi
Published: January 2019

Whether evolutionary history is mostly contingent or deterministic has been given much focus in the field of evolutionary biology. Studies addressing this issue have been conducted theoretically, based on models, and experimentally, based on microcosms. It has been argued that the shape of the adaptive landscape and mutation rate are major determinants of replicated phenotypic evolution. In the present study, to incorporate the effects of phenotypic plasticity, we constructed a model using tree-like organisms. In this model, the basic rules used to develop trees are genetically determined, but tree shape (described by the number and aspect ratio of the branches) is determined by both genetic components and plasticity. The results of the simulation show that the tree shapes become more deterministic under higher mutation rates. However, the tree shape became most contingent and diverse at the lower mutation rate. In this situation, the variances of the genetically determinant characters were low, but the variance of the tree shape is rather high, suggesting that phenotypic plasticity results in this contingency and diversity of tree shape. The present findings suggest that plasticity cannot be ignored as a factor that increases contingency and diversity of evolutionary outcomes.
A proposal for coherent nomenclature of multicomponent crystals
Authors: Gryl Marlena , Kozieł Marcin , Stadnicka Katarzyna M.
Published: January 2019

Here a new, systematic, unambiguous and unified nomenclature for multicomponent materials is presented. The approach simplifies naming schemes of extraordinary co-crystals containing multiple building blocks with different charges. Although the presented examples of cytosine compounds cannot cover all possibilities, they clearly show that the new nomenclature is flexible and can be easily extended to other multicomponent materials.
Towards a quantitative bond valence description of coordination spheres – the concepts of valence entropy and valence diversity coordination numbers
Authors: Guńka Piotr A. , Zachara Janusz
Published: January 2019

Two novel definitions of chemical coordination numbers – valence entropy coordination numbernVECN and valence diversity coordination numbernVDCN – are proposed. Their originality stems from the fact that they are the first definitions based solely on bond valences. The expressions for them are derived from their definitions and their properties are studied. The unexpected close relationship ofnVECN to Shannon entropy andnVDCN to diversity are revealed and the names of the new coordination numbers are taken therefrom. Finally, as an example, a study of arsenic(III) lone electron pair stereoactivity with respect to AsIIIcoordination number is carried out to demonstrate the usefulness and advantages of the new definitions as well as to compare them with the existing ones.
Organizational learning and benchmarking in university technology courses
Authors: Rübenich Nilson Varella , Dorion Eric Charles Henri , Eberle Luciene
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the management practices that contribute to single and double cycles of organizational learning in the vocational education of the Brazilian higher education technology courses (HETC), and to study the learning outcomes that result through the Brazilian Ministry of Education SINAES indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

It consisted in both participant observation and quantitative phases. The participant observation phase included a benchmarking activity at École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) de Montréal, to analyze and delimitate their practices for the preparation of the second phase, test the hypotheses by means of modeling of structural equations.

Findings

The key practices that contribute to organizational learning in the Brazilian HETC were identified through a benchmark activity at ÉTS by using a quantitative research scheme of single cycles of organizational learning, and further in correspondence with the Brazilian criteria (SINAES-Ministry of Education).

Research limitations/implications

The extent of the sample is concentrated in the southern region of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná), limiting its representativeness to a regional basis.

Practical implications

Practices that contribute to organizational learning are a counterpoint and a complement of the Brazilian Ministry of Education SINAES indicators, which value the formalization of those courses and the future actions in the Brazilian universities.

Social implications

The study re-inforces the importance of organizational learning for the development of excellence in Brazilian HETC.

Originality/value

The results contribute to build analysis frameworks on the relationships between management practices, organizational learning, benchmarking and organizational outcomes, particularly in the management of the technology courses and for Brazilian universities.
Using integrated weighted IRP-Fuzzy TISM approach towards evaluation of initiatives to harmonise Halal standards
Authors: Khan Mohd Imran , Khan Shahbaz , Haleem Abid
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Multiplicity and conflicting Halal standards involve unnecessary repetition of testing for demonstrating the Halal integrity of the process and the product, thus making it difficult for the Halal commodities to get traction in international markets. The purpose of this paper is to suggest initiatives to facilitate harmonisation of Halal standards as to eliminate trade barrier of Halal and to assure the availability of Halal consumables to larger masses.

Design/methodology/approach

Ranking of the initiatives for the harmonisation of Halal standards taking in consideration the costs of accomplishment and associated benefits obtained has been done through the application of integrated Interpretive Ranking Process (IRP) and Fuzzy Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (Fuzzy TISM). This integrated methodology with the weighted criteria have refined the value of the net dominance of different variables, thereby increasing the efficacy of IRP in decision making.

Findings

Findings suggest that strengthening the strategic coordination and collaboration among competent HCBs is a significant initiative. This initiative needs to be undertaken to mitigate the conflict between HCBs. This necessitates to develop a common platform in making the collective decision for effectively controlling Halal businesses. Moreover, recognising competent HCBs will prompt the effective implementation and execution of Halal standards across the supply chain, and ease the global trading of Halal products. A framework has been conceptualised to enable harmonisation of Halal standards which intimates to develop globally agreed protocols for Halal practices.

Practical implications

The framework presented may act as a prelude to harmonise Halal standards and may positively affect the international trade of Halal commodities by phasing out the discriminatory and market-impeding standards.

Originality/value

A harmonised system may provide correct information to the stakeholders and may help in making an informed decision.
Developing the business-society nexus through corporate responsibility expectations in India
Authors: Bergman Zinette , Teschemacher Yael , Arora Bimal , Sengupta Rijit , Leisinger Klaus Michael , Bergman Manfred Max
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The Government of India dramatically altered the dynamic between business and society when it introduced the Companies Act 2013, which mandated firms to expend at least 2 per cent of average net profits on corporate responsibility (CR) programmes. This reconfiguration of social value creation may serve as a template for a closer and participatory relationship between the private sector and government in emerging economies and beyond. This paper aims to analyse how CR expectations have taken shape in the print media in India. Specifically, the authors ask the following: What are the dimensions of CR expectations in mainstream Indian newspapers?, and Why, according to the newspaper narratives, do corporations have these responsibilities?

Design/methodology/approach

In this qualitative study, the authors randomly selected and analysed 50 per cent (n= 442) of the newspaper articles that dealt explicitly with CR. The articles appeared in the top five Indian English-language newspapers and the top two Hindi-language newspapers between 1 January and 31 December 2015. Using Content Configuration Analysis (CCA), the authors developed a typology of CR expectations and analysed their associated justifications. Finally, they used CCA to analyse how this typology and its justifications connect to the two main stakeholders: the business sector and government.

Findings

The analyses reveal how the introduction of the Companies Act 2013 had a major impact on CR expectations by explicitly and legally casting the business sector as the engine of social development. The authors were able to describe how contextual and cultural dimensions frame evolving interests and societal demands towards corporations, and how difficult it may be for corporations to fulfil CR expectations that are well beyond their core business and that reach domains usually pertaining to government.

Originality/value

This study contributes an empirical exploration of media discourse on contemporary CR expectations in India and its associated notions of social value creation, and how these are shaped by various cultural and contextual influences. The authors discuss how this novel approach to CR modifies the relations between business and society, and they reflect on the opportunities and limits of this model for other emerging economies, which struggle to formulate a symbiotic relationship between business and society.
Reproducing kernel mesh-free collocation analysis of structural vibrations
Authors: Qi Dongliang , Wang Dongdong , Deng Like , Xu Xiaolan , Wu Cheng-Tang
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Although high-order smooth reproducing kernel mesh-free approximation enables the analysis of structural vibrations in an efficient collocation formulation, there is still a lack of systematic theoretical accuracy assessment for such approach. The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed accuracy analysis for the reproducing kernel mesh-free collocation method regarding structural vibrations.

Design/methodology/approach

Both second-order problems such as one-dimensional (1D) rod and two-dimensional (2D) membrane and fourth-order problems such as Euler–Bernoulli beam and Kirchhoff plate are considered. Staring from a generic equation of motion deduced from the reproducing kernel mesh-free collocation method, a frequency error measure is rationally attained through properly introducing the consistency conditions of reproducing kernel mesh-free shape functions.

Findings

This paper reveals that for the second-order structural vibration problems, the frequency accuracy orders arepand (p− 1) for even and odd degree basis functions; for the fourth-order structural vibration problems, the frequency accuracy orders are (p− 2) and (p− 3) for even and odd degree basis functions, respectively, wherepdenotes the degree of the basis function used in mesh-free approximation.

Originality/value

A frequency accuracy estimation is achieved for the reproducing kernel mesh-free collocation analysis of structural vibrations, which can effectively underpin the practical applications of this method.
Exploring doctoral students’ expectations of work-based skills training
Authors: Candy Jenny , Rodrigo Padmali , Turnbull Sarah
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Doctoral students are expected to undertake work-based skills training within their doctoral studies in areas such as problem solving, leadership and team working. The purpose of this paper is to explore student expectations of doctoral training within a UK Higher Education context.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the study were gathered via two focus groups conducted among doctoral students from different faculties in a post-92 UK University. Participants were selected using a snowball sampling approach.

Findings

The findings suggest that the expectations of doctoral students are contingent upon their year of study, study mode, perceived fit between training goals and available training, peer recommendations, word-of-mouth (WoM) and the scholarly support they received from their supervisors.

Practical implications

The study suggests a better understanding of students’ segmentation can help Higher Education Institutions deliver training that meets the expectations of doctoral students in a way that result in zero or a positive disconfirmation.

Originality/value

This paper develops and deepens the understanding of the doctoral students’ expectations of work-based skills training and highlights the need for universities to adapt their doctoral training according to the expectations of different student segments.
Developing generic skills at an Islamic higher education institution curriculum in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Muluk Safrul , Habiburrahim Habiburrahim , Zulfikar Teuku , Orrell Janice , Mujiburrahman Mujiburrahman
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify skills and attributes that should be included in developing curricula, especially in the area of education. In this case, English Education Department of Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, Banda Aceh, is in charge of the preparation of English language teachers and English language professionals exceeding required standards and be competitive in the labour market.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative research involved 38 research participants consisting of government authorities, academics and students. Interviews and focus group discussions were employed to collect the data. Both interview and FGD results were analysed through thematic analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate that among the generic skills that need to be incorporated into the department curriculum in order to improve graduates’ quality and meet the requirements of the labour market are: information and communication technology (ICT), leadership, religious competencies, entrepreneurship and communication skills.

Originality/value

The paper has been developed through research conducted by the authors. Therefore, the authors confirm that the paper has been written according to the academic standard and is free from plagiarism.
How cultural values are reflected on the housing market – direct effects and the cultural spillover
Authors: Andersson Magnus , Kopsch Fredrik , Palm Peter
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse two questions. First, is there, and if so, how large is the price premium paid for a building exhibiting a cultural value? Second, are there any spillover effects of buildings with cultural values on sales prices of neighbouring houses?

Design/methodology/approach

Using a unique database of all buildings in the region of Halland, Sweden, combined with transaction data, hedonic models can be estimated, with spatially lagged variables describing proximity to three classes of culturally classified building – A, B and C – corresponding to building of national interest, building of regional interest and building of local interest. In addition, the authors also estimate models with a spatial specification on the error term, in an attempt to control for omitted variables.

Findings

The results indicate that cultural classification plays a role in determining the price of a property, with large effects (ranging between 36 and 60% price premiums) for the highest classification. In addition, the authors find evidence of a cultural externality, houses in the vicinity of building with high cultural value sell at a small, but statistically significant premium of 1%.

Originality/value

The cultural externality may be overlooked when it comes to valuation of cultural values in society, and therefore, it is likely that warranted protection acts to preserve cultural values in buildings become less than the social optimum. This paper suggests a new measure to cultural values contrasting previous research that rely on cultural preservation. This approach should limit problems with measurement errors that may lead to biased results.
Is data privacy a fundamental right in India?
Authors: Chatterjee Sheshadri
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify how the privacy policy can be framed for protection of personal data and how the latest judgement of full bench of Supreme Court of India has dealt with right to privacy in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses the latest Supreme Court judgement on right to privacy and historical cases on right to privacy in India. This paper uses Indian Constitution as a source of Information for study along with case laws and judgements of different courts in India.

Findings

This paper tries to find if personal data privacy is a fundamental right in India. In addition, the paper provides recommendations to different concerned authorities on protecting personal information in online platform.

Research limitations/implications

This study deals with privacy issues so far as Indian citizens are concerns and does not focus on other countries. Moreover, the study tries to understand the issue of fundamental rights from Indian Constitution perspective. In addition, the recommendations provided to the policymakers and other authorities of India have wide implications for formulation of new policy and management of personal data, so that it should not go to wrong hands and the personal data and privacy is protected of the citizens.

Practical implications

Millions of people put their personal information in online platform. In addition, there are few government initiatives in India such as Aadhaar card where the biometric information is taken from the residents of India, and in many cases, the personal data are compromised under various circumstances. As the personal data of the citizens are in question, thus the study has direct practical implication mainly for all the citizens whose personal data are available in online platform.

Social implications

This study has social implication as it dealt with the “personal data” of the citizens of India. As the paper discusses the issue of protection of personal data in the context of right to privacy, thus this study has a direct social impact so far as online citizen of India is concerned.

Originality/value

This paper is timely, original and discusses the contemporary issue of online data privacy and fundamental right in India. This paper is a useful resource for the researchers, policymakers and online users who deal with personal data-, right to privacy and data privacy policy-related areas.
The effect of audit committee attributes on compliance with IAS 24-related party disclosure
Authors: Agyei-Mensah Ben Kwame
Published: January 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the compliance with IAS 24 and possible audit committee attributes that can influence companies in Ghana to disclose related party (RP) information in their annual reports.

Design/methodology/approach

Different univariate tests and multivariate regressions have been used to examine the hypotheses. The sample includes 120 firm-year observations for the period 2013-2016.

Findings

The findings of the paper reveal that related party disclosure compliance is influenced by audit committee gender, audit committee independence and ownership concentration.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, there are no empirical studies that have addressed the effect of audit committee attributes on IAS 24 in Ghana and the second of such study in sub-Saharan Africa.
Modelling of wear debris in planetary gear drive
Authors: Ranjan Rakesh , Ghosh Subrata Kumar , Kumar Manoj
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The probability distribution of major length and aspect ratio (major length/minor length) of wear debris collected from gear oil used in planetary gear drive were analysed and modelled. The paper aims to find an appropriate probability distribution model to forecast the kind of wear particles at different running hour of the machine.

Design/methodology/approach

Used gear oil of the planetary gear box of a slab caster was drained out and charged with a fresh oil of grade (EP-460). Six chronological oil samples were collected at different time interval between 480 and 1,992 h of machine running. The oil samples were filtered to separate wear particles, and microscopic study of wear debris was carried out at 100X magnification. Statistical modelling of wear debris distribution was done using Weibull and exponential probability distribution model. A comparison was studied among actual, Weibull and exponential probability distribution of major length and aspect ratio of wear particles.

Findings

Distribution of major length of wear particle was found to be closer to the exponential probability density function, whereas Weibull probability density function fitted better to distribution of aspect ratio of wear particle.

Originality/value

The potential of the developed model can be used to analyse the distribution of major length and aspect ratio of wear debris present in planetary gear box of slab caster machine.
Customer service communication with customers with disability
Authors: Taylor Susan Elizabeth , Balandin Susan , Wilson Erin , Murfitt Kevin
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review published research on retail customer service communication with people with complex communication needs (CCN) and impacts on their social inclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers searched electronic databases EBSCOHost and Web of Science and found no studies on retail customers with CCN. The search was expanded with the intention of exploring factors affecting people with disability as a group and to locate the experience of people with CCN within findings. Studies found were reviewed by the first author and two external reviewers.

Findings

Twelve articles met the broadened inclusion criteria. Analysis using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) found the literature demonstrated some environmental and personal factors that are likely to construct disability in the retail environment for people with CCN. The authors proposed further research to further explore ICF factors not identified in research and to establish links with social inclusion.

Research limitations/implications

Further research is needed to understand the role of retail customer service communication in the social inclusion of people with CCN.

Social implications

The social inclusion of people with CCN will be assisted by findings on good practice customer service communication.

Originality/value

Shopping is rarely considered in social inclusion research. This review discovered an absence of research into the impact of retail customer communication on inclusion of customers with CCN and proposed a framework for further enquiry.
Application of edible coatings on fresh and minimally processed fruits: a review
Authors: Sharma Poorva , Kehinde Bababode Adesegun , Kaur Shubhneet , Vyas Pratibha
Published: January 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to update with information about edible coating on minimally processed and fresh fruits, focussing on the composition, active ingredients, antimicrobial concentration and their effect on ripening rate, phytonutrients retention and shelf-life of fruits. In future, the data will be helpful for the processors to select the best coating material and its effective concentration for different fresh and minimally processed fruits.

Design/methodology/approach

Major scientific information was collected from Scopus, Web of Science, Mendeley and Google Scholar. Several key words such as postharvest, edible coating, phytonutrients, shelf-life enhancement, bioactive compounds, minimally processed fruits and antimicrobial compounds were used to find the data. Relevant information was collected by using 90 recent research and review articles.

Findings

The main findings of this comprehensive review are to improve the quality of fruits, to meet the next-generation food security needs. However, in the process of achieving the goal of improving quality of food produce, embrace of synthetic, non-biodegradable packaging materials have increased, creating serious pollution problem. Amidst several alternatives for replacement of synthetic packaging, the option of biodegradable films and coatings showed promising results.

Originality/value

The paper represents recent information about the edible coating used for the enhancement of shelf-life of fresh and minimally processed fruits.
The role of plasticity in the evolution of cryptic pigmentation in a freshwater isopod
Authors: Lürig Moritz D. , Best Rebecca J. , Svitok Marek , Jokela Jukka , Matthews Blake
Published: January 2019

Cryptic pigmentation of prey is often thought to evolve in response to predator‐mediated selection, but pigmentation traits can also be plastic, and change with respect to both abiotic and biotic environmental conditions. In such cases, identifying the presence of, and drivers of trait plasticity is useful for understanding the evolution of crypsis.

Previous work suggests that cryptic pigmentation of freshwater isopods (Asellus aquaticus) has evolved in response to predation pressure by fish in habitats with varying macrophyte cover and coloration. However, macrophytes can potentially influence the distribution of pigmentation by altering not only habitat‐specific predation susceptibility, but also dietary resources and abiotic conditions. The goals of this study were to experimentally test how two putative agents of selection, namely macrophytes and fish, affect the pigmentation ofA. aquaticus,and to assess whether pigmentation is plastic, using a diet manipulation in a common garden.

We performed two experiments: (a) in an outdoor mesocosm experiment, we investigated how different densities of predatory fish (0/30/60 three‐spined stickleback [Gasterosteus aculeatus] per mesocosm) and macrophytes (presence/absence) affected the abundance, pigmentation and body size structure of isopod populations. (b) In a subsequent laboratory experiment, we reared isopods in a common garden experiment on two different food sources (high/low protein content) to test whether variation in pigmentation of isopods can be explained by diet‐based developmental plasticity.

We found that fish presence strongly reduced isopod densities, particularly in the absence of macrophytes, but had no effect on pigmentation or size structure of the populations. However, we found that isopods showed consistently higher pigmentation in the presence of macrophytes, regardless of fish presence or absence. Our laboratory experiment, in which we manipulated the protein content of the isopods’ diet, revealed strong plasticity of pigmentation and weak plasticity of growth rate.

The combined results of both experiments suggest that pigmentation ofA. aquaticusis a developmentally plastic trait and that multiple environmental factors (e.g. macrophytes, diet and predation) might jointly influence the evolution of cryptic pigmentation ofA. aquaticusin nature on relatively short time‐scales.
Identification of the first glyphosate transporter by genomic adaptation
Authors: Wicke Dennis , Schulz Lisa M. , Lentes Sabine , Scholz Patricia , Poehlein Anja , Gibhardt Johannes , Daniel Rolf , Ischebeck Till , Commichau Fabian M.
Published: January 2019

The soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis can get into contact with growth‐inhibiting substances, which may be of anthropogenic origin. Glyphosate is such a substance serving as a nonselective herbicide. Glyphosate specifically inhibits the 5‐enolpyruvyl‐shikimate‐3‐phosphate (EPSP) synthase, which generates an essential precursor for de novo synthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants, fungi, bacteria and archaea. Inhibition of the EPSP synthase by glyphosate results in depletion of the cellular levels of aromatic amino acids unless the environment provides them. Here, we have assessed the potential of B. subtilis to adapt to glyphosate at the genome level. In contrast to Escherichia coli, which evolves glyphosate resistance by elevating the production and decreasing the glyphosate sensitivity of the EPSP synthase, B. subtilis primarily inactivates the gltT gene encoding the high‐affinity glutamate/aspartate symporter GltT. Further adaptation of the gltT mutants to glyphosate led to the inactivation of the gltP gene encoding the glutamate transporter GltP. Metabolome analyses confirmed that GltT is the major entryway of glyphosate into B. subtilis. GltP, the GltT homologue of E. coli also transports glyphosate into B. subtilis. Finally, we found that GltT is involved in uptake of the herbicide glufosinate, which inhibits the glutamine synthetase.
LDJump: Estimating variable recombination rates from population genetic data
Authors: Hermann Philipp , Heissl Angelika , Tiemann‐Boege Irene , Futschik Andreas
Published: January 2019

As recombination plays an important role in evolution, its estimation and the identification of hotspot positions is of considerable interest. We propose a novel approach for estimating population recombination rates based on genotyping or sequence data that involves a sequential multiscale change point estimator. Our method also permits demography to be taken into account. It uses several summary statistics within a regression model fitted on suitable scenarios. Our proposed method is accurate, computationally fast, and provides a parsimonious solution by ensuring a type I error control against too many changes in the recombination rate. An application to human genome data suggests a good congruence between our estimated and experimentally identified hotspots. Our method is implemented in the R‐package LDJump, which is freely available at https://github.com/PhHermann/LDJump.
Impact of bowel movement condition on immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Katayama Yuki , Yamada Tadaaki , Tanimura Keiko , Yoshimura Akihiro , Takeda Takayuki , Chihara Yusuke , Tamiya Nobuyo , Kaneko Yoshiko , Uchino Junji , Takayama Koichi
Published: January 2019

Background

Cancer immunotherapy is under development as a promising alternative strategy for treating advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the development of novel biomarkers to optimize the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is still ongoing. Gut microbiota are known to regulate a host's immunity and are associated with the response to ICIs in melanoma. Therefore, we analyzed the association between ICI treatment efficacy and bowel movement condition in patients with NSCLC.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with ICIs between December 2015 and March 2018 at University Hospital Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan. The association between stool abnormalities and ICI efficacy was investigated. We defined patients with constipation or those who used a laxative as the stool abnormality group.

Results

We retrospectively enrolled 40 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with ICIs. The median age was 69.5 years; 20 patients had a stool abnormality and 20 patients did not. The disease control rates were lower in NSCLC patients with stool abnormalities than in those without stool abnormalities (20% vs. 77.8%, respectively; P = 0.0016). The time to treatment failure with ICI treatment was shorter in NSCLC patients with stool abnormalities compared with those without stool abnormalities (P = 0.003; odds ratio, 3.09; 95% confidence interval 1.41–6.78).

Conclusion

Stool abnormality might be a predictive biomarker for the clinical benefit of ICI treatment in patients with NSCLC. Further investigations are warranted to validate our findings.
An awkward technocracy:
Authors: MACK JENNIFER
Published: January 2019

In Sweden, an ostensibly secular‐majority society, urban planners facilitate the construction of new churches and mosques for minority religious groups. In this work, they typically perceive themselves as neutral professionals relying on a technical education. But since the 1980s, Swedish civil servants, including planners, have transformed from experts to managers, and their interactions with clients for mosques and churches often reveal their opinions and preferences, including for modernism and secularism. These awkward encounters challenge the planners’ technocratic understanding of their work, forcing them into a new kind of productive labor: as uncomfortable arbiters of difference and its public presence. This is a result of neoliberal governance, which has ambiguously expanded the types of European civil servants asked to manage minority groups, as well as the professional roles they must play. [urban planning, neoliberalism, secularism, mosques, churches, immigration, Sweden]