bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection and benchmarking of somatic mutations in cancer genomes using RNA-seq data
Authors: Coudray Alexandre , Battenhouse Anna M. , Bucher Philipp , Iyer Vishwanath R.
Published: January 2018

To detect functional somatic mutations in tumor samples, whole-exome sequencing (WES) is often used for its reliability and relative low cost. RNA-seq, while generally used to measure gene expression, can potentially also be used for identification of somatic mutations. However there has been little systematic evaluation of the utility of RNA-seq for identifying somatic mutations. Here, we develop and evaluate a pipeline for processing RNA-seq data from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors in order to identify somatic mutations. The pipeline entails the use of the STAR aligner 2-pass procedure jointly with MuTect2 from GATK to detect somatic variants. Variants identified from RNA-seq data were evaluated by comparison against the COSMIC and dbSNP databases, and also compared to somatic variants identified by exome sequencing. We also estimated the putative functional impact of coding variants in the most frequently mutated genes in GBM. Interestingly, variants identified by RNA-seq alone showed better representation of GBM-related mutations cataloged by COSMIC. RNA-seq-only data substantially outperformed the ability of WES to reveal potentially new somatic mutations in known GBM-related pathways, and allowed us to build a high-quality set of somatic mutations common to exome and RNA-seq calls. Using RNA-seq data in parallel with WES data to detect somatic mutations in cancer genomes can thus broaden the scope of discoveries and lend additional support to somatic variants identified by exome sequencing alone.
Increased PHGDH expression uncouples hair follicle cycle progression and promotes inappropriate melanin accumulation
Authors: Mattaini Katherine R. , Sullivan Mark R. , Lau Allison N. , Fiske Brian P. , Bronson Roderick T. , Vander Heiden Matthew G.
Published: January 2018

Copy number gain of thePHGDHgene that encodes the first enzyme of the serine biosynthesis pathway is found in some human cancers, including a subset of melanomas. In order to study the effect of increasedPHGDHexpression in tissuesin vivo, we generated mice harboring aPHGDHtetOallele that allows tissue-specific, doxycycline-inducible PHGDH expression. Tissues and cells derived fromPHGDHtetOmice exhibit increased serine biosynthesis. Histological examination of skin tissue fromPHGDHtetOmice reveals the presence of melanin granules in anagen II hair follicles, despite the fact that melanin synthesis is normally closely coupled to the hair follicle cycle and does not begin until later in the cycle. This phenotype occurs in the absence of any global change in hair follicle cycle timing. The inappropriate presence of melanin early in the hair follicle cycle following PHGDH expression is also accompanied by increased melanocyte abundance in anagen II skin. Together, these data support a model in which PHGDH expression affects melanocyte proliferation and/or differentiation and may provide insight into how PHGDH expression impacts normal melanocyte biology to promote melanoma.

SIGNIFICANCE

The significance behind copy number gain ofPHGDHin human cancers is unclear. In this study, we generate a mouse model that mimicsPHGDHgene copy number gain and characterize its effect on normal tissues. Increased PHGDH expression yields a phenotype of aberrant melanin production, which indicates that PHGDH expression may play a role in normal melanocyte biology. This result may provide insight into whyPHGDHcopy number gain is observed in melanoma more frequently than in most other tumor types.
Massive surface membrane expansion without involvement of classical exocytic mechanisms
Authors: Fine Michael , Bricogne Christopher , Hilgemann Donald W.
Published: January 2018

Activation of TMEM16F, a Ca2+ -dependent ion channel and lipid scramblase, causes massive surface membrane expansion in multiple cell types by unresolved mechanisms. We describe here that membrane expansion reflects opening of deeply invaginating surface membrane compartments when anionic phospholipids are lost from the cytoplasmic membrane leaflet. Compartments that open contain vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs) and can open with as little as one micromolar free Cai2+. Cationic peptides that sequester anionic phospholipids open the compartments from the cytoplasmic side without Ca2+. Monovalent cations facilitate membrane expansion via coupled permeation with anionic phospholipids through TMEM16F. When monovalent cation concentrations are reduced, membrane expansion can be reversed by changing ion gradients and membrane voltage. Depolarization closes the compartments by generating inward cation gradients through TMEM16F that promote influx of anionic phospholipids. In summary, TMEM16F-mediated membrane expansion likely does not reflect exocytosis but rather the relaxation of constrictions that close surface membrane invaginations.

The surface membrane of diverse cell types can be remodeled by opening and closing surface invaginations that are held shut by proteins that bind negatively charged lipids and constrict the orifices of these compartments.
Dynamic centriolar relocalization of Polo kinase and Centrobin in early mitosis primes centrosome asymmetry in fly neural stem cells
Authors: Gallaud Emmanuel , Nair Anjana Ramdas , Horsley Nicole , Monnard Arnaud , Singh Priyanka , Pham Tri Thanh , Garcia David Salvador , Ferrand Alexia , Cabernard Clemens
Published: January 2018

Centrosomes, the main microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) of metazoan cells, contain an older ‘mother’ and a younger ‘daughter’ centriole. Stem cells either inherit the mother or daughter centriole-containing centrosome, providing a possible mechanism for biased delivery of cell fate determinants. However, the dynamics and mechanisms regulating centrosome asymmetry and biased centrosome segregation are unclear. Using 3D-Structured Illumination Microscopy (3D-SIM) and live cell imaging we show that in fly neural stem cells (neuroblasts) the mitotic kinase Polo and its centriolar protein substrate Centrobin (Cnb) dynamically relocalize from the mother to the daughter centriole during mitosis. This mechanism generates a centrosome, containing two molecularly distinct centrioles by telophase. Cnb’s timely relocalization is regulated by Polo-mediated phosphorylation whereas Polo’s daughter centriole enrichment requires both Wdr62 and Cnb. Based on optogenetic protein mislocalization experiments we propose that the establishment of centriole asymmetry in mitosis primes biased interphase MTOC activity, necessary for correct spindle orientation.
Genetic Diversity and Distributional Pattern of Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea Lineages in the Global Oceans
Authors: Cheung Shunyan , Mak Wingkwan , Xia Xiaomin , Lu Yanhong , Liu Hongbin
Published: January 2018

In the study, we used miTAG approach to analyse the distributional pattern of the ammonium oxidizing archaea (AOA) lineages in the global oceans using the metagenomics datasets of the Tara Oceans global expedition (2009-2013). Using ammonium monooxygenase alpha subunit gene as biomarker, the AOA communities were obviously segregated with water depth, except the upwelling regions. Besides, the AOA communities in the euphotic zones are more heterogeneous than in the mesopelagic zones (MPZs). Overall, water column A clade (WCA) distributes more evenly and widely in the euphotic zone and MPZs, while water column B clade (WCB) and SCM-like clade mainly distribute in MPZ and high latitude waters, respectively. At fine-scale genetic diversity, SCM1-like and 2 WCA subclades showed distinctive niche separation of distributional pattern. The AOA subclades were further divided into ecological significant taxonomic units (ESTUs), which were delineated from the distribution pattern of their corresponding subclades. For examples, ESTUs of WCA have different correlation with depth, nitrate to silicate ratio and salinity; SCM1-like-A was negatively correlated with irradiation; the other SCM-like ESTUs preferred low temperature and high nutrient conditions, etc. Our study provides new insight to the genetic diversity of AOA in global scale and its connections with environmental factors.
The genome of the biting midgeCulicoides sonorensisand gene expression analyses of vector competence for Bluetongue virus
Authors: Morales-Hojas Ramiro , Hinsley Malcolm , Armean Irina M. , Silk Rhiannon , Harrup Lara E. , Gonzalez-Uriarte Asier , Veronesi Eva , Campbell Lahcen , Nayduch Dana , Saski Christopher , Tabachnick Walter J. , Kersey Paul , Carpenter Simon , Fife Mark
Published: January 2018

Background

The use of the new genomic technologies has led to major advances in control of several arboviruses of medical importance such as Dengue. However, the development of tools and resources available for vectors of non-zoonotic arboviruses remains neglected. Biting midges of the genusCulicoidestransmit some of the most important arboviruses of wildlife and livestock worldwide, with a global impact on economic productivity, health and welfare. The absence of a suitable reference genome has hindered genomic analyses to date in this important genus of vectors. In the present study, the genome ofCulicoides sonorensis, a vector of bluetongue virus (BTV) in the USA, has been sequenced to provide the first reference genome for these vectors. In this study, we also report the use of the reference genome to perform initial transcriptomic analyses of vector competence for BTV.

Results

Our analyses reveal that the genome is 197.4 Mb, assembled in 7,974 scaffolds. Its annotation using the transcriptomic data generated in this study and in a previous study has identified 15,629 genes. Gene expression analyses ofC. sonorensisfemales infected with BTV performed in this study revealed 165 genes that were differentially expressed between vector competent and refractory females. Two candidate genes,glutathione S-transferase(gst) and the antiviral helicaseski2, previously recognized as involved in vector competence for BTV inC. sonorensis(gst) and repressing dsRNA virus propagation (ski2), were confirmed in this study.

Conclusions

The reference genome ofC. sonorensishas enabled preliminary analyses of the gene expression profiles of vector competent and refractory individuals. The genome and transcriptomes generated in this study provide suitable tools for future research on arbovirus transmission. These provide a significant resource for these vector lineage, which diverged from other major Dipteran vector families over 200 million years ago. The genome will be a valuable source of comparative data for other important Dipteran vector families including mosquitoes (Culicidae) and sandflies (Psychodidae), and yield potential targets for transgenic modification in vector control and functional studies.
In vivoEffects of Temperature on the Heart and Pyloric Rhythms in the Crab,Cancer borealis
Authors: Kushinsky Dahlia , Morozova Ekaterina O. , Marder Eve
Published: January 2018

Summary Statement

Temperature elevation increases the frequency of the heart and pyloric rhythms of the crab,Cancer borealis, but the heart rhythm has a higher critical temperature than the pyloric rhythm.

The heart and pyloric rhythms of crustaceans have been studied separately and extensively over many years. Local and hormonal neuromodulation and sensory inputs onto these central pattern generating circuits play a significant role in the animals’ responses to perturbations, but are usually lost or removed duringin vitrostudies. To examine simultaneously thein vivomotor output of the heart and pyloric rhythms, we used photoplethysmography (PPG). In the population measured (n = 49), the heart rhythm frequencies ranged from 0.3–2.3 Hz. The pyloric rhythms varied from 0.2–1.6 Hz. During multiple hour-long recordings, many animals held at control temperature showed strong inhibitory bouts in which the heart decreased in frequency or become quiescent and the pyloric rhythm also decreased in frequency. Many animals show significant coherence in frequency between the rhythms at the frequency of the heart rhythm. We measured the simultaneous responses of the rhythms to temperature ramps by heating or cooling the saline bath while recording both the heart and pyloric muscle movements. Q10s, critical temperatures (temperatures at which function is compromised), and changes in frequency were calculated for each of the rhythms tested. The heart rhythm was more robust to high temperature than the pyloric rhythm.
Male-specific CREB signaling in the hippocampus controls spatial memory deficits in a mouse model of autism and intellectual disability
Authors: Zamarbide Marta , Mossa Adele , Wilkinson Molly K. , Pond Heather L. , Oaks Adam W. , Manzini M. Chiara
Published: January 2018

Background

The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders is biased towards males with male: female ratios of 2:1 in intellectual disability (ID) and 4:1 in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the molecular mechanisms of such bias remain unknown. While characterizing a mouse model for loss of the signaling scaffold coiled-coil and C2 domain containing 1A (CC2D1A), which is mutated in ID and ASD, we identified biochemical and behavioral differences between males and females, and explored whether CC2D1A controls male-specific intracellular signaling.

Methods

CC2D1A is known to regulate phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D). We tested for activation PDE4D and downstream signaling molecules such as CREB in the hippocampus of Cc2d1a-deficient mice. We then performed behavioral studies in females to analyze learning and memory, social interactions, anxiety and hyperactivity. Finally, we targeted PDE4D activation with a PDE4D inhibitor to define how changes in PDE4D and CREB activity affect behavior in males and females.

Results

We found that in Cc2d1a-deficient males PDE4D is hyperactive leading to a reduction in CREB signaling, but this molecular deficit is not present in females. Cc2d1a-deficient females only show impairment in novel object recognition, and no other cognitive and social deficits that have been found in males. Restoring PDE4D activity using an inhibitor rescues male-specific cognitive deficits, but has no effect on females.

Conclusions

Our findings show that CC2D1A regulates intracellular signaling in a male-specific manner in the hippocampus leading to male-specific behavioral deficits. We propose that male-specific signaling mechanisms are involved in establishing sex bias in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Stochastic methods for inferring states of cell migration
Authors: Allen R.J. , Welch C. , Pankow N. , Hahn K. , Elston Timothy C.
Published: January 2018

Cell migration refers to the ability of cells to translocate across a substrate or through a matrix. To achieve net movement requires spatiotemporal regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Computational approaches are neceary to identify and quantify the regulatory mechanisms that generate directed cell movement. To address this need, we developed computational tools, based on stochastic modeling, to analyze time series data for the position of randomly migrating cells. Our approach allows parameters that characterize cell movement to be efficiently estimated from time series data. We applied our methods to analyze the random migration of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFS). Our analysis revealed that these cells exist in two distinct states of migration characterized by differences in cell speed and persistence. Further analysis revealed that the Rho-family GTPase RhoG plays a role in establishing these two states. An important feature of our computational approach is that it provides a method for predicting the current migration state of an individual cell from time series data. Using this feature, we demonstrate that HeLa cells also exhibit two states of migration, and that these states correlate with differences in the spatial distribution of active Rac1.
Prenatal aromatase inhibition alters postnatal immune function in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus)
Authors: Simkins J.W. , Bonier F. , Benowitz-Fredericks Z.M.
Published: January 2018

In birds, exposure to testosterone during embryonic development can suppress immune function; however, it is unclear whether this is caused by direct stimulation of androgen receptors. Estradiol is synthesized from testosterone by the enzyme aromatase, and this conversion is a necessary step in many signaling pathways that are ostensibly testosterone-dependent. Many lines of evidence in mammals indicate that estradiol can affect immune function. We tested the hypothesis that immunosuppressive effects of avianin ovotestosterone exposure are mediated by conversion to estradiol by aromatase, using Fadrozole to inhibit aromatization of endogenous testosterone during a crucial period of embryonic immune system development in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus). We then measured total IgY antibody count, response to PHA challenge, mass of thymus and bursa of Fabricius, and plasma testosterone post-hatch on days 3 and 18. We predicted that if immunomodulation by testosterone is dependent on aromatization, then Fadrozole treatment would lead to elevated immune activity by inhibiting estrogen production. Conversely, if testosterone inhibits immune function directly by binding to androgen receptors, then Fadrozole treatment would likely not alter immune function. Fadrozole treated birds had decreased day 3 plasma IgY antibody titers but there was a strong trend towards increased day 18 thymic mass. Furthermore, Fadrozole treatment generated a positive relationship between testosterone and thymic mass in males, and tended to increase day 18 IgY levels for a given bursal mass in females. There was no effect on PHA response, bursal mass, or plasma testosterone at either age. Overall, Fadrozole treated birds tended to have elevated indicators of immune function, implicating aromatization as a relevant pathway through which developmental exposure to testosterone can affect immunity.
The effect of amino acid backbone length on molecular packing: crystalline tartrates of glycine, β-alanine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) andDL-α-aminobutyric acid (AABA)
Authors: Losev Evgeniy , Boldyreva Elena
Published: January 2018

We report a novel 1:1 cocrystal of β-alanine with DL-tartaric acid, C3H7NO2·C4H6O6, (II), and three new molecular salts of DL-tartaric acid with β-alanine {3-azaniumylpropanoic acid–3-azaniumylpropanoate DL-tartaric acid–DL-tartrate, [H(C3H7NO2)2]+·[H(C4H5O6)2]−, (III)}, γ-aminobutyric acid [3-carboxypropanaminium DL-tartrate, C4H10NO2+·C4H5O6−, (IV)] and DL-α-aminobutyric acid {DL-2-azaniumylbutanoic acid–DL-2-azaniumylbutanoate DL-tartaric acid–DL-tartrate, [H(C4H9NO2)2]+·[H(C4H5O6)2]−, (V)}. The crystal structures of binary crystals of DL-tartaric acid with glycine, (I), β-alanine, (II) and (III), GABA, (IV), and DL-AABA, (V), have similar molecular packing and crystallographic motifs. The shortest amino acid (i.e.glycine) forms a cocrystal, (I), with DL-tartaric acid, whereas the larger amino acids form molecular salts,viz.(IV) and (V). β-Alanine is the only amino acid capable of forming both a cocrystal [i.e.(II)] and a molecular salt [i.e.(III)] with DL-tartaric acid. The cocrystals of glycine and β-alanine with DL-tartaric acid,i.e.(I) and (II), respectively, contain chains of amino acid zwitterions, similar to the structure of pure glycine. In the structures of the molecular salts of amino acids, the amino acid cations form isolated dimers [of β-alanine in (III), GABA in (IV) and DL-AABA in (V)], which are linked by strong O—H...O hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the three crystal structures comprise different types of dimeric cations,i.e.(A...A)+in (III) and (V), andA+...A+in (IV). Molecular salts (IV) and (V) are the first examples of molecular salts of GABA and DL-AABA that contain dimers of amino acid cations. The geometry of each investigated amino acid (except DL-AABA) correlates with the melting point of its mixed crystal.
Structure and electrical properties of a one-dimensional polymeric silver thiosaccharinate complex with argentophilic interactions
Authors: Dennehy Mariana , Amo-Ochoa Pilar , Freire Eleonora , Suárez Sebastián , Halac Emilia , Baggio Ricardo
Published: January 2018

Among the potential applications of coordination polymers, electrical conductivity ranks high in technological interest. We report the synthesis, crystal structure and spectroscopic analysis of an AgI–thiosaccharinate one-dimensional coordination polymer {systematic name: catena-poly[[[aquatetrakis(μ3-1,1-dioxo-1,2-benzisothiazole-3-thiolato-κ3
N:S
3:S
3)tetrasilver(I)]-μ2-4,4′-(propane-1,3-diyl)dipyridine-κ2
N:N′] dimethyl sulfoxide hemisolvate]}, {[Ag4(C7H4NO2S2)4(C13H14N2)(H2O)]·0.5C2H6OS}
n
, with the 4,4′-(propane-1,3-diyl)dipyridine ligand acting as a spacer. A relevant feature of the structure is the presence of an unusually short Ag...Ag distance of 2.8306 (9) Å, well within the range of argentophilic interactions, confirmed experimentally as such by a Raman study on the low-frequency spectrum, and corroborated theoretically by an Atoms in Molecules (AIM) analysis of the calculated electron density. Electrical conductivity measurements show that this complex can act as a semiconductor with moderate conductivity.
Auditors’ professional and organizational identities and commercialization in audit firms
Authors: Broberg Pernilla , Umans Timurs , Skog Peter , Theodorsson Emily
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain how auditors’ professional and organizational identities are associated with commercialization in audit firms. Unlike previous studies exploring the consequences of commercialization in the firms, the study directs its attention toward the potential driver of commercialization, which the authors argue to be the identities of the auditors.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on 374 responses to a survey distributed to 3,588 members of FAR, the professional association of accountants, auditors and advisors in Sweden. The study used established measures of organizational and professional identity and introduced market, customer and firm process orientation as aspects of commercialization. The study explored the data through descriptive statistics, principle component analysis and correlation analysis and tested the hypotheses with multiple linear regression analysis.

Findings

The findings indicated that the organizational identity of auditors has a positive association with three aspects of commercialization: market orientation, customer orientation and firm process orientation. Contrary to the arguments based on prior literature, the study has found that the professional identity of auditors is also a positively associated with commercialization. This indicates a change of the role of professional identity vis-à-vis commercialization of audit firms. The positive association between professional identity and commercial orientation could indicate the development of “organizational professionalism.” The study also found differences between the association between professional identity and commercialization in Big 4 and non-Big 4 firms. While in Big 4 firms, professional identity is positively associated only with the firm’s process orientation, in non-Big 4 firms, professional identity has a positive association with all three aspects of commercialization.

Originality/value

The paper provides insight into how auditors’ identities have influenced commercialization of audit firms and into the normalizing of commercialization within auditing. The study also developed a new instrument for measuring commercialization, one based on market, customer and firm process orientation concepts. This paper suggests that this instrument is an alternative to the observation through proxies.
“This degrading and stealthy practice”
Authors: Miley Frances Myfanwy , Read Andrew F.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to make visible the relationship between accounting and stigma in the absence of accounting. This research examines how failure to implement mandatory accounting and auditing requirements in the management of indigenous wages contributed to stigmatisation of indigenous Australians and led to maladministration and unchecked financial fraud that continued for over 75 years. The accounting failures are by those charged with protecting the financial interests of the indigenous population.

Design/methodology/approach

An historical and qualitative approach has been used that draws upon archival and contemporary sources.

Findings

Prior research has examined the nexus between accounting mechanisms and stigma. This research suggests that the absence of accounting mechanisms can also contribute to stigma.

Research limitations/implications

This research highlights the complex relationship between accounting and stigma, suggesting that it is simplistic to examine the nexus between accounting and stigma without considering the social forces in which stigmatisation occurs.

Social implications

This research demonstrates decades of failed accounting have contributed to the ongoing social disadvantage of indigenous Australians. The presence of accounting mechanisms cannot eradicate the past, or fix the present, but can create an environment where financial abuse does not occur.

Originality/value

This research demonstrates that stigma can be exacerbated in the negative space created by failures or absence of accounting.
An assessment model of FM organisational performance
Authors: Abdul Mutalib Ahmad Firdauz , Sapri Maimunah , Sipan Ibrahim
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to improve the existing model developed by Hsu and Sabherwal (2012) by developing a new dimension of the relationships between a group of constructs (knowledge elements, mediating constructs and facility management [FM] organisational performance) in the model of FM organisational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the theoretical studies empirically to all of the knowledge elements (learning culture, intellectual capital and knowledge management) literature, mediating constructs (customer performance, efficiency, innovation and dynamic capabilities) and the organisational performance that relates to FM.

Findings

The paper identifies the relationships between the knowledge elements, mediating constructs and the FM organisational performance. Subsequently, a proposal of relationships was made to develop the FM organisational performance model.

Research limitations/implications

The model provides a possible explanation of relationships between the knowledge elements, mediating constructs and the FM organisational performance. Thus, the understanding of the identified relationships will provide a new direction in improving the FM organisational performance.

Originality/value

Addressing lack of research in identifying the importance of relationships between knowledge and the FM organisational performance, the paper conceptualises the potential relationships into a proposed model. The proposed model integrates with a new mediating construct into the existing research model, which is customer performance. Moreover, knowing that the nature of FM organisation is more towards the non-financial aspects, the paper investigates the nature of the efficiency and organisational performance that is not based on the financial performance, but rather the ability to optimise organisational resources, to achieve organisational goals and customer needs.
Que Sera, sera? Conceptualizing business network foresighting
Authors: Andersen Poul , Holmen Elsebeth , Pedersen Ann-Charlott
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Networks and relationships are not stable. On the contrary, they change and are transformed by the actors who take part in them. Change and transformation result from the actions and reactions of these actors. However, a key issue is what makes the actors choose some actions and reactions while refraining from others. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors argue that the actors’ expectations to the future of the network are formative for the actions and reactions and, furthermore, that the future expectations are formed by interaction among the actors that take part in the networks.

Findings

The authors depart from the existing foresight literature, but realign its ideas to fit with the core tenets of the IMP approach. Thereby, the purpose is twofold: to explore and conceptualize network foresight phenomena as well as to contribute to the practice of collective foresighting in business networks.

Research limitations/implications

The authors suggest research into formations of expectations in networks with a specific view to the interactive and structural effects of networks. Furthermore, the authors suggest a framework for categorizing network episodes and linking these to the formation of recognized issues and solutions.

Practical implications

The authors provide a framework for analyzing the focus of business networks in terms of solutions and issues, and analytically breaking down the interaction among these.

Originality/value

The authors introduce the concept of business network foresight, both as a distinct concept that enables us to understand change and transformation in networks, but also as a procedure for supporting actors’ strategizing efforts in business networks.
Purchasing management and the role of uncertainty
Authors: Gadde Lars-Erik , Wynstra Finn
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of uncertainty in purchasing and supply management, and the changes of this role over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a literature review of the development of purchasing and supply management over time and how these issues have been related to uncertainty and dependence. This examination also required analysis of the impact of other concepts from behavioral sciences: interdependence, power and control.

Findings

The paper shows that the relationship between purchasing management and uncertainty has changed substantially over time. Traditionally, uncertainty was avoided, while firms today are engaged in efforts of handling the consequences of uncertainty. This modification affected the features of buyer-supplier relationships, as well as the perspectives and the exploitation of power, control and dependence.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates both positive and negative consequences of uncertainty, depending on the approach applied in purchasing. Moreover, the analysis shows that uncertainty cannot be avoided. Modifications of purchasing management will reduce certain types of uncertainty. But the same modification also results in increases of other forms of uncertainty.
The relationship between marketing mix and retailer-perceived brand equity
Authors: Efanny Wita , Haryanto Jony , Kashif Muhammad , Widyanto Hanif Adinugroho
Published: January 2018

Purpose

A huge investment launching the marketing program is made by the manufacturers to establish brand loyalty with retailers and other supply chain partners; however, what is the impact of these efforts on retailer-perceived brand equity (RPBE) is scarcely investigated in a business-to-business (B2B) context. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of Nu Green – a brand of tea as a manufacturer’s marketing efforts on RPBE.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the positivist paradigm, the authors followed a survey-based approach to collect data from 125 retailers of Nu Green Tea brand from Indonesia. The collected data were rigorously analyzed by means of structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results reveal that elements of marketing efforts such as supplier image, distribution strategy, and push and pull promotions have a significant impact on the RPBE of Nu Green.

Originality/value

This research extends the understanding of retail marketing in a B2B context by investigating the impact of marketing efforts on RPBE.
Born global on blockchain
Authors: Zalan Tatiana
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to alert international business (IB) and international entrepreneurship (IE) researchers of a new phenomenon and novel research opportunities arising as a result of digital innovations brought about by the new, decentralized internet popularly known as “blockchain”. The paper contains a general overview of the blockchain technology and maps connections with the IB/IE literature, focusing on explaining accelerated internationalization of firms that are born global on blockchain.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a viewpoint based on the author’s ongoing research on blockchain and fintech and reflections on the born global literature. The paper has benefited from the author’s insights through her involvement in the global blockchain community as an investor and advisor.

Findings

The author argues for establishing a theoretical link between the born global literature and the literature on the economics of information goods and platform economics to explain the pace of international growth in the context of blockchain start-ups.

Research limitations/implications

The author urges IB/IE researchers to pay attention to research opportunities in the blockchain area, especially those related to explaining rapid internationalization of digital start-ups and a new organizational form for organizing cross-border activities known as decentralized autonomous organization.

Originality/value

Three factors are shown to contribute to a rapid internationalization of blockchain start-ups: network effects, solving the chicken-and-egg problem and building an ecosystem around the evolving technology.
Factors impacting restaurant efficiency: a data envelopment analysis
Authors: Mhlanga Oswald
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Restaurants are characterised by predictable, seasonal factors and unpredictable, individual customer demand, which make it difficult for restaurateurs to attain efficiency. A combination of these two factors, macro-predictability and micro-uncertainty, produces economic risks, which make it difficult for restaurants to attain operational efficiency. The purpose of this study is to identify factors impacting restaurant efficiency in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

By using primary and secondary sources, data were collected from 16 different types of restaurants in South Africa, for the period 2012-2016, on a variety of parameters. A two-stage empirical analysis was carried out, which involved the estimation of operational efficiencies during the first stage by using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and determination of factors impacting restaurant performance in South Africa during the second stage by using two-way random-effects generalised least squares and Tobit regression models.

Findings

The results clearly show that the ability of restaurants to succeed will not be determined by their size but by their type, location and revenue per available seat. While the study finds various factors impacting on operational efficiency, the survival of restaurants in South Africa seem to be determined by cost efficiency, which brings in better market performance through lowering cost of sales.

Practical implications

The results have implications for restaurant managers in that if they want to improve cost efficiency, they must manage restaurant capacity and customer demand in a way that maximises revenue. To stimulate demand during periods of low demand, management could consider strategies that attract more customers or encourage upselling, whereas during periods of high demand, management may consider raising prices or reducing meal durations. The results indicate that DEA is a useful tool to identify factors impacting restaurant efficiency and could enhance the service data and revenue management with regards to restaurant efficiency in South Africa.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first that attempts to identify factors impacting restaurant efficiency in South Africa by using DEA. The findings could enhance the service data and revenue management with regards to restaurant efficiency in South Africa.
The mycobiota of the sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus: Involvement of yeast symbionts in uric acid metabolism
Authors: Martin Elena , Varotto Boccazzi Ilaria , De Marco Leone , Bongiorno Gioia , Montagna Matteo , Sacchi Luciano , Mensah Priscilla , Ricci Irene , Gradoni Luigi , Bandi Claudio , Epis Sara
Published: January 2018

The knowledge of the fungal mycobiota of arthropods, including the vectors of human and animal diseases, is still limited. Here, the mycobiota associated with the sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus, the main vector of leishmaniasis in the western Mediterranean area, by a culture‐dependent approach (microbiological analyses and sequencing of the 26S rRNA gene), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA amplicon‐based next‐generation sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), and genome sequencing of the dominant yeast species was investigated. The dominant species was Meyerozyma guilliermondii, known for its biotechnological applications. The focus was on this yeast and its prevalence in adults, pupae and larvae of reared sand flies (overall prevalence: 57.5%) and of field‐collected individuals (overall prevalence: 9%) was investigated. Using whole‐mount FISH and microscopic examination, it was further showed that M. guilliermondii colonizes the midgut of females, males and larvae and the distal part of Malpighian tubules of female sand flies, suggesting a possible role in urate degradation. Finally, the sequencing and analysis of the genome of M. guilliermondii allowed predicting the complete uric acid degradation pathway, suggesting that the yeast could contribute to the removal of the excess of nitrogenous wastes after the blood meal of the insect host.
To Have and Have Not: Exploring Grammars of Sharing in the Context of Urban Mobility
Authors: ZAVYALOVA ANNA
Published: January 2018

This paper explores cultural differences in the practices of car sharing in the context of urban mobility. Challenging the all too frequent and often uncriticial uses of the term “sharing economy”, we argue for a more granular representation of practices that occur when “sharing” meets “economy”, focusing on the tensions that characterise people's embodied experiences of carpooling. By exploring emergent behaviour conventions, this paper seeks to highlight the ethnographic value of shifting perspectives between different players in car sharing transactions. We aim to offer a fresh, ethnographically rich and critical perspective on practices of mobility sharing in the context of an industry in flux.
Seeing and Being Agents of Hope: Human‐Centered Designers, Transportation Planning and Drip Irrigation Kits
Authors: HITCH EMILIE
Published: January 2018

How is hope a driver of change? This paper explores hope in two cases: rural Cambodia, through the adoption of drip irrigation by subsistence farmers, and an urban center in Minnesota, through the planning of infrastructure improvements for a freeway corridor. It also explores the argument that, with the rise of neoliberalism and global capitalism, the capacity of societies to distribute hope is shrinking (Hage 2003) and thus, in both cases, as people envision possible futures, they seek other agents of hope. Associations of hope with tangible things (e.g. drip irrigation kits, bridges, roads) drive change in the lived experiences of farming and transportation planning. For practitioners, this type of ethnographic work challenges their role regarding the value of skills in non‐western and non‐welcome marketplaces, the ethics of design, and their own participation in designing agents of hope.
The View From The Studio: Design Ethnography and Organizational Cultures
Authors: DORLAND ANNEMARIE
Published: January 2018

This ethnographic study of designing explores the relationship between the organizational surroundings of the design studio and the way in which design ethnography activities are accomplished, with a focus on the ways in which design practitioners are actively negotiating and redefining the perspectives they use to conduct research work. It proposes the twined cultures of reflexivity and conjecture as frameworks for understanding what it is that makes design ethnography so different, and for reconciling the integration of the ethnographic toolkit within the limitations of daily design practice. Based on findings from a para‐ethnographic study of designers at work on an augmented reality project in a large studio, this paper explores the effects of framing design ethnography as research that looks both inward, and at the future – perspectives which serve to contradict traditional expectations of the vantage points offered by this methodological toolkit.
The Ethnographer's Spyglass: Insights and Distortions from Remote Usability Testing
Authors: GOLIAS CHRISTOPHER A.
Published: January 2018

This paper examines the cultural counter‐flow between ethnography and remote usability testing, specifically what such tools might offer ethnographic practice. I explore how remote usability testing can both extend and delimit ethnographers’ sight lines. Because remote testing has a narrow aperture, long sight line, poor context and quick turnaround, I invoke the metaphor of a spyglass in the hands of the ethnographer to understand this increasingly available digital research method. Remote usability testing can quickly access insights and novel footings, while simultaneously creating myopic, distorted or biased understandings. Theoretically, the history of usability studies is compared to that of archaeology as it transitioned from a cultural product focus to a context focus. Practically, several workflows are presented that use the strengths of ethnography and remote usability testing to enhance one another. Finally, ethnography is discussed as a craftlike competence, rather than a method, that crosses increasingly diverse methodological terrain.
The Object of Research: Considering Material Engagement Theory and Ethnographic Method
Authors: BEAN JONATHAN , FIGUEIREDO BERNARDO , LARSEN HANNE PICO
Published: January 2018

The paper outlines a methodological approach for investigating how consumers create brand meaning using the material resources companies provide. The approach draws from Material Engagement Theory—to discuss the role of consumers in creating patterns of meaning by engaging with objects. It also explicates the role of objects in supporting this patterning. We explain how an in‐situ diary tool (dscout, in our case) can be useful to support this approach. We demonstrate our methodological approach in the context of the Red Rooster Harlem, a cosmopolitan restaurant in New York, owned by the celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson.
Doing Good is Hard: Ethics, Activism, and Social Impact Design as Seen from the Grassroots Perspective
Authors: GREGER JEFFREY
Published: January 2018

This paper shares the experiences of two teams of design professionals working on parallel grassroots social impact design projects to address poverty and financial precarity in Silicon Valley and London. This paper explores challenges facing these teams as they channel a sense of moral outrage into the research and development of alternitives to high‐risk financial services like payday loans. It charts the open, inclusive design process of these teams as they engage community partners and recognize the financial expertise of people getting by on tight incomes. The paper concludes with a discussion of how working slowly and openly through transdisciplinary communities of practice—like the two groups described here, or EPIC itself—can help keep alive conversations around power and activism in the practice of design and ethnographic research. These conversations are essential if social impact design is to reach its transformative potential while avoiding many of the pitfalls that have led to the failure of well‐intentioned poverty alleviation initiatives in the past.
It's Not Childs’ Play: Changing Corporate Narratives Through Ethnography
Authors: MCCLARD ANNE PAGE , DUGAN THÉRÈSE
Published: January 2018

After discovering that there were over 25 projects going on in various business units in the company that involved children as end users, and that most people had a limited understanding of children's play, the researchers proposed a multi‐cultural ethnographic project called ChildsPlay. This case study illustrates the many ways that a well‐planned ethnographic study can influence the trajectory of a company's culture, highlighting institutional challenges, describing the ethnographic methods and theoretical underpinnings that guided the research and its analysis, and touching upon the importance of play as an anthropological focal point. The case study closes with a discussion of a notable shift in the narrative around Intel's child‐focused product efforts, and the tangible outcomes of the research with respect to product development.
Outside the Bubble: How a Coastal Technology Company Built Empathy for Its Small Business Owner Customers in America's Heartland
Authors: LEE KATHERINE
Published: January 2018

This case examines an effort by San Francisco‐based Square to gain a better understanding of its customers who reside outside of major metropolitan areas. The first part of the case provides detail on research: a mobile ethnography study of small business owners conducted over a two‐week period at the end of 2016 followed by in‐person interviews of a select group of participants. The second half offers a discussion of the research findings, including the attributes and perspectives shared by small business owners. The research and analysis suggest that the sense of community in small towns colors every facet of small business, from the deep connections that proprietors feel with their customers, other business owners, and their community as a whole. The commercial and social aspects of businesses in small towns can't be separated. Often, businesses act as a force that helps keep the community viable. Moreover, the needs of small business owners in the heartland differs from their counterparts in larger urban areas. With these findings in hand, Square undertook a coordinated internal communications campaign to ensure employees throughout the company became more familiar with the needs of its customer base.
The Lifecycle of a Washing Machine: Transforming the Customer Experience for a Home Appliance Manufacturer
Authors: KELLEY BETH , BUCHANAN JENNIFER
Published: January 2018

This case study explores a customer experience transformation strategy and development research project run by Deloitte for a multinational U.S.‐based home appliance manufacturing company. It explores the shift in strategy and approach for the company based on the team's digital ethnographic research, as well as applying the ethnographic method to a non‐traditional data source (digital and social media). Part one lays out the background on the client and the team and challenge proposed by the client. Part two lays out the details of the team's methodology and process of evaluating social data using ethnographic and other qualitative and quantitative methods. Part three reflects on the findings of the research and how these differed substantially from the client's assumptions. Part four evaluates the contribution the digital‐based research made in providing a new perspective on the enterprise's customer experience strategy and understanding of their customers. The evidence from the case study suggests that the value of analyzing the customer lifecycle and customer experience using digital and social media sources provides insight into how people make purchasing decisions, and uncover previously unidentified stakeholders that hold crucial power in the buyer‐seller dynamic. The authors’ research methodology provided a new perspective into the decision‐making process, influences, and influencers. Their digital ethnographic analysis was effective in providing insights to the client that helped change their view of the customer experience, and helped inform a new approach to engaging and working with their customers, and gave agency back to the customer, as well as provide an urgency for action.