bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Massively parallel reporter assays combined with cell-type specific eQTL informed multiple melanoma loci and identified a pleiotropic function of HIV-1 restriction gene,MX2, in melanoma promotion
Authors: Choi Jiyeon , Zhang Tongwu , Vu Andrew , Ablain Julien , Makowski Matthew M , Colli Leandro M , Xu Mai , Rothschild Harriet , Gräwe Cathrin , Kovacs Michael A , Brossard Myriam , Taylor John , Pasaniuc Bogdan , Chari Raj , Chanock Stephen J , Hoggart Clive J , Demenais Florence , Barrett Jennifer H , Law Matthew H , Iles Mark M , Yu Kai , Vermeulen Michiel , Zon Leonard I , Brown Kevin M
Published: May 2019

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified ∼20 melanoma susceptibility loci. To identify susceptibility genes and variants simultaneously from multiple GWAS loci, we integrated massively-parallel reporter assays (MPRA) with cell type-specific epigenomic data as well as melanocyte-specific expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) profiling. Starting from 16 melanoma loci, we selected 832 variants overlapping active regions of chromatin in cells of melanocytic lineage and identified 39 candidate functional variants displaying allelic transcriptional activity by MPRA. For four of these loci, we further identified four colocalizing melanocytecis-eQTL genes (CTSS,CASP8,MX2, andMAFF) matching the allelic activity of MPRA functional variants. Among these, we further characterized the locus encompassing the HIV-1 restriction gene,MX2, on chromosome band Chr21q22.3 and validated a functional variant, rs398206, among multiple high LD variants. rs398206 mediates allelic transcriptional activity via binding of the transcription factor, YY1. This allelic transcriptional regulation is consistent with a significantcis-eQTL ofMX2in primary human melanocytes, where the melanoma risk-associated A allele of rs398206 is correlated with higherMX2levels. Melanocyte-specific transgenic expression of humanMX2in a zebrafish model demonstrated accelerated melanoma formation in aBRAFV600Ebackground. Thus, using an efficient scalable approach to streamline GWAS follow-up functional studies, we identified multiple candidate melanoma susceptibility genes and variants, and uncovered a pleiotropic function ofMX2in melanoma susceptibility.
Copper Blocks V-ATPase Activity and SNARE Complex Formation to Inhibit Yeast Vacuole Fusion
Authors: Miner Gregory E. , Sullivan Katherine D. , Zhang Chi , Hurst Logan R. , Starr Matthew L. , Rivera-Kohr David A. , Jones Brandon C. , Guo Annie , Fratti Rutilio A.
Published: May 2019

The accumulation of Copper in organisms can lead to altered functions of various pathways, and become cytotoxic through the generation of reactive oxygen species. In yeast, cytotoxic metals such as Hg+, Cd2+, and Cu2+are transported into the lumen of the vacuole through various pumps. Copper ions are initially transported into the cell by the copper transporter Ctr1 at the plasma membrane and sequestered by chaperones and other factors to prevent cellular damage by free cations. Excess copper ions can subsequently be transported into the vacuole lumen by an unknown mechanism. Transport across membranes requires the reduction of Cu2+to Cu+. Labile copper ions can interact with membranes to alter fluidity, lateral phase separation and fusion. Here we found that CuCl2potently inhibited vacuole fusion by blocking SNARE pairing. This was accompanied by the inhibition of V-ATPase H+pumping. Deletion of the vacuolar reductase Fre6 had no effect on the inhibition of fusion by copper. This suggests that that Cu2+is responsible for the inhibition of vacuole fusion and V-ATPase function. This notion is supported by the differential effects chelators. The Cu2+-specific chelator TETA rescued fusion, whereas the Cu+-specific chelator BCS had no effect on the inhibited fusion.
Machine Learning Prediction of Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease Using Large-Scale Administrative Health Data
Authors: Park Ji Hwan , Cho Han Eol , Kim Jong Hun , Wall Melanie , Stern Yaakov , Lim Hyunsun , Yoo Shinjae , Kim Hyoung Seop , Cha Jiook
Published: May 2019

Nationwide population-based cohort provides a new opportunity to build a completely automated risk prediction model based on individuals’ history of health and healthcare beyond existing risk prediction models. We tested the possibility of machine learning models to predict future incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using large-scale administrative health data. From the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2002 and 2010, we obtained de-identified health data in elders above 65 years (N=40,736) containing 4,894 unique clinical features including ICD-10 codes, medication codes, laboratory values, history of personal and family illness, and socio-demographics. To define incident AD two operational definitions were considered: “definite AD” with diagnostic codes and dementia medication (n=614) and “probable AD” with only diagnosis (n=2,026). We trained and validated a random forest, support vector machine, and logistic regression to predict incident AD in 1,2,3, and 4 subsequent years. For predicting future incidence of AD in balanced samples (bootstrapping), the machine learning models showed reasonable performance in 1-year prediction with AUC of 0.775 and 0.759, based on “definite AD” and “probable AD” outcomes, respectively; in 2-year, 0.730 and 0.693; in 3-year, 0.677 and 0.644; in 4-year, 0.725 and 0.683. The results were similar when the entire (unbalanced) samples were used. Important clinical features selected in logistic regression included hemoglobin level, age, and urine protein level. This study may shed a light on the utility of the data-driven machine learning model based on large-scale administrative health data in AD risk prediction, which may enable better selection of individuals at risk for AD in clinical trials or early detection in clinical settings.
Generation of transgenic quails by in vivo transfection of primordial germ cells
Authors: Serralbo Olivier , Véron Nadège , Cooper Caitlin , Dejardin Marie-Julie , Doran Timothy , Marcelle Christophe
Published: May 2019

During development, dynamic changes in tissue shapes known as morphogenesis result from the exquisite orchestration of signalling pathways, cell–cell interactions, cell divisions, and coordinated movements. How cells within embryos adopt a vast array of cell fates and tissue shapes in such an ever-changing environment has fascinated scientists for generations, yet the ability to observe and characterize those rapid changes has proven technically challenging in higher vertebrates. The japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is an attractive model where basic rules driving morphogenesis in amniotes can be deciphered using genetic approaches. Similar to the more popular chicken model, the quail embryo is easily accessible to a wide range of manipulations and live imaging. A decisive asset of quail over chicken is a much shorter life cycle, which makes its use as genetic model for basic research extremely appealing. To date, all existing transgenic quail lines were generated using replication-deficient lentiviruses, but diverse limitations of this approach have hindered the widespread expansion of such technology. Here, we successfully used a plasmid-based in vivo transfection of quail primordial germ cells (PGCs) to generate a number of transgenic quail lines over a short period of time. The plasmid-based approach is simple, efficient and it allows using the infinite variety of genome engineering approaches developed in other models, such as strategies to facilitate transgenic bird selection, shown here. This major technological development completes the vast panel of techniques applicable to the avian model, making it one of the most versatile experimental systems available.
Knocking out non-muscle myosin II in retinal ganglion cells promotes long-distance optic nerve regeneration
Authors: Wang Xue-Wei , Yang Shu-Guang , Zhang Chi , Ma Jin-Jin , Zhang Yingchi , Yang Bin-Bin , Weng Yi-Lan , Ming Guo-Li , Kosanam Anish R. , Saijilafu  , Zhou Feng-Quan
Published: May 2019

In addition to altered gene expression, pathological cytoskeletal dynamics in the axon are another key intrinsic barrier for axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS). Here we showed that knocking out myosin IIA/B in retinal ganglion cells alone either before or after optic nerve crush induced marked and sustained optic nerve regeneration. Combined Lin28 overexpression and myosin IIA/B knockout led to synergistic promoting effect and long-distance axon regeneration. Immunostaining, RNA-seq and western blot analyses revealed that myosin II deletion did not affect known axon regeneration signaling pathways or the expression of regeneration associated genes. Instead, it abolished the retraction bulb formation and significantly enhanced the axon extension efficiency. The study provided clear evidence that directly targeting neuronal cytoskeleton was sufficient to induce strong CNS axon regeneration, and combining gene expression in the soma and modified cytoskeletal dynamics in the axon was a promising approach for long-distance CNS axon regeneration.
C1orf109L promote R-loop accumulation induced DNA damage to inhibit cell growth
Authors: Peng Dou , Yiqun Li , Wanqiu Xie , Xiaoqing Zhang , Dandan Zhang , Yanpeng Ci , Xiaohan Zhang , Shupei Qiao , Akhtar Muhammad Luqman , Fang Han , Li Yu
Published: May 2019

As a function unknown gene, C1orf109 is lower expression in various cells. Here, we reported that C1orf109L, the longest variant of C1orf109, which interacted with R-loop-regulating proteins to trigger R-loop, a three-stranded nucleic acid structure frequently mediated genome instability, accumulation. C1orf109L induce chronic DNA damage to promote P21 upregulation and strongly inhibits cell growth in vitro and in vivo by arresting the cell cycle in the G2 phase. With camptothecin (CPT), an R-loop activator, treatment, C1orf109L further triggers R-loop accumulation-induced DNA damage and promotes cell death by activating cell-death pathway. Furthermore, CPT treatment increases C1orf109L ubiquitination and turnover, which inhibits cell death and promotes the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Therefore, our data illustrated the mechanisms underlying C1orf109L-related cell growth inhibition and provide feasibility and limitations for C1orf109L as a potential target for cancer therapy.
The memory of hyperosmotic stress response in yeast is modulated by gene-positioning
Authors: Ben Meriem Zacchari , Khalil Yasmine , Hersen Pascal , Fabre Emmanuelle
Published: May 2019

Cellular memory is a critical ability displayed by microorganisms in order to adapt to potentially detrimental environmental fluctuations. In the unicellular eukaryoteS. cerevisiaecellular memory can take the form of a faster or a decreased response following repeated stresses in cell population. Using microfluidics and fluorescence time-lapse microscopy, we studied how yeasts respond to short-pulsed hyperosmotic stresses at the single-cell level by analyzing the dynamical behavior of the stress responsive STL1 promoter fused to a fluorescent reporter. We established that pSTL1 shows variability in its successive activations following two repeated short stresses. Despite this variability, most cells displayed a memory of past stresses through a decreased activity of pSTL1 upon repeated stress. Notably, we showed that genomic location is important for the memory effect since promoter displacement to a pericentromeric chromatin domain leads to a decreased transcriptional strength of pSTL1 and to the loss of memory. This study provides a quantitative description of a cellular memory that includes single-cell variability and points towards the contribution of the chromatin structure in stress memory.
Glyoxal Does Not Preserve Cellular Proteins as Accurately as PFA: A Microscopical Survey of Epitopes
Authors: Celikkan Ferda Topal , Mungan Ceren , Sucu Merve , Uysal Fatma , Kahveci Selda , Hayme Serhat , Kuscu Nilay , Ozkavukcu Sinan , Celik-Ozenci Ciler , Can Alp
Published: May 2019

Chemical fixation is one of the most critical steps to retaining cellular targets as naturally as possible. Recent developments in microscopy allow sophisticated detection and measuring techniques with which spatio-temporal molecular alterations is conceivable. Here, we document the fixation competence of glyoxal (Gly), a less-toxic dialdehyde molecule, and paraformaldehyde (PFA) side-by-side (with or without Triton-X 100 permealization) in live- and fixed-cell preparations including human stem cells, spermatozoa, mouse oocytes/embryos using super-resolution microscopy. Although Gly seemed to act faster than PFA, catastrophic consequences were found not acceptable, especially in oocytes and embryos. Due to cell lysate and immunocytochemistry surveys, it was obvious that PFA is superior to Gly in retaining cellular proteinsin situwith little/no background staining. In many samples, PFA revealed more reliable and consistent results regarding the protein quantity and cellular localization corresponding to previously defined patterns in the literature. Although the use of Gly is beneficial as indicated by previous reports, we concluded that it does not meet the requirement for proper fixation, at least for the tested cell types and proteins.
Taxonomic resolution of the ribosomal RNA operon in bacteria: Implications for its use with long read sequencing
Authors: de Oliveira Martins Leonardo , Page Andrew J. , Charles Ian G.
Published: May 2019

Long-read sequencing technologies enable capture of the full-length of ribosomal RNA operons in a single read. Bacterial cells usually have multiple copies of this ribosomal operon; sequence variation within a species of bacterium can exceed variation between species. For uncultured organisms this may affect the overall taxonomic resolution, to genus level, of the full-length ribosomal operon.
Prevalence and distribution of antimicrobial resistance determinants ofEscherichia coliisolates obtained from meat in South Africa
Authors: Jaja Ishmael Festus , Oguttu James , Green Ezekiel , Muchenje Voster
Published: May 2019

Objective

This study aimed to characterise antibiotics resistance ofEscherichia coliisolates from the formal meat sector (FMS) and informal meat sectors (INMS).

Method

A total of 162 and 102E. coliisolates from the FMS, and INMS respectively were isolated by standard culture-based, and biochemical reactions. The isolates were further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The disc diffusion method was used to screen for antimicrobial susceptibility against 19 different antibiotics. The presence of class 1-2 integrons in eachE. coliisolates was assessed usingandregions specific primers.

Result

Among the 19 antimicrobials, resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, and nitrofurans were found to be more frequent than carbapenems and phenicol with a noticeable increase in the number of multi-drug resistance ranging from three to ten antimicrobials. A total of 20 resistance determinants were assessed with their prevalence and distributions obtained as follows for FMS and INMS respectively; [aminoglycosides:aadA(40.6%; 31.9%),aacC2(21.4%; 31%),aphA1(20.8%; 15.1%),aphA2(37.7%; 18.9%) andstrA(6.5%; 9.4%)], [β-lactams:ampC(20%; 45%),blaTEM, (4.4%; 13.3), andblaZ(8.9%; 2.2%)], [Chloramphenicol:catI(1.7%; 1.7%), andcmIA1(1.7%; 1.7%)] and [tetracyclines:tetA(7.7%; 15.4%),tetB(11.5%; 24%), andtetM, (1.9%; 8.7%)], and [sulfonamides: sul1 (22.2%; 26.7%), sul2 (17.8%; 6.7%)].

Conclusion

Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indexes ranged from 0.2 - 0.5. The results reveal a high prevalence of multidrug-resistantE. coliisolates and resistance determinants suggesting that consumers and handlers of such meat are at risk of contracting antibiotic resistantE. coli-related foodborne disease.
Global skills deficiency: perspectives of skill mobility in Southeast Asian countries
Authors: Ullah A.K.M. Ahsan , Mohamad Siti Mazidah , Hassan Noor Hasharina , Chattoraj Diotima
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it intends to engage in skill gain–lose debate in the contemporary global skill mobility context; and second, it looks into whether Southeast Asia (SEA) is losing by experiencing skill deficiency due to over outflow of talents.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected through interviews with policy makers, stakeholder and migrant professionals from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Findings

The paper comes up with the brain drain dynamics to better understand the trajectory of skill mobility in and from SEA. Within the skill mobility discourse, it is undoubtedly difficult to conclude who are the losers and the gainers in the long run.

Originality/value

This research is based on relatively small sample. However, this offers a fresh insight into the skill deficiency dynamics in Southeast Asia.
Optimization of the shading efficiency in the urban spaces in hot arid climate regions
Authors: Khudhayer Wael A. , Shaaban Awni K. , Abdul Sukor Nur Sabahiah
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The contemporary urban fabrics in hot climate regions have overextended urban spaces that face problems of high heat stress due to intense solar radiation and air temperature and that cause the pedestrians to abandon the urban spaces due to thermal discomfort. This work introduced the shading effects as one of the prime factors that contribute to restore thermal comfort and attract pedestrian activities. The purpose of this paper is to identify the proportional limits of the urban space to maintain feasible shades for pedestrian activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The urban space abstracted into a floor surrounded by four walls was then classified into four typologies. The assessment tool was developed to calculate the shading efficiency at the floor level of urban space. The width and the length of the floor equally was expanded in the range (0.5/0.5 to 4.0/4.0). The average shading efficiency of the expanded typologies was calculated along three intervals (Morning, midday and afternoon). The results were then analyzed, and critical guidelines were established that could be utilized in the design of the futuristic urban space and provide amendments to the existing urban space.

Findings

The paper concluded that the performance of urban spaces was not due to the accumulative performances of all walls but rather due to the combination specific effective walls in response to the interactive variations shading patterns concerning daily pedestrian activities. Any large shallow urban space could be segmented into multiples of the recommended typologies by a vertical landscape.

Originality/value

It is the first study that identified the expansion limit of the urban space that maintains feasible shades for the pedestrian. A further value of this study is establishing guidelines to the urban designers for the effective configurations of the urban space in terms of shading. These guidelines could be utilized in the design of the futuristic urban space and provide amendments to the existing urban space.
Imaging network design to improve the automated construction progress monitoring process
Authors: Mahami Hadi , Nasirzadeh Farnad , Hosseininaveh Ahmadabadian Ali , Esmaeili Farid , Nahavandi Saeid
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to propose an automatic imaging network design to improve the efficiency and accuracy of automated construction progress monitoring. The proposed method will address two shortcomings of the previous studies, including the large number of captured images required and the incompleteness and inaccuracy of generated as-built models.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the proposed method, the number of required images is minimized in two stages. In the first stage, the manual photogrammetric network design is used to decrease the number of camera stations considering proper constraints. Then the image acquisition is done and the captured images are used to generate 3D points cloud model. In the second stage, a new software for automatic imaging network design is developed and used to cluster and select the optimal images automatically, using the existing dense points cloud model generated before, and the final optimum camera stations are determined. Therefore, the automated progress monitoring can be done by imaging at the selected camera stations to produce periodic progress reports.

Findings

The achieved results show that using the proposed manual and automatic imaging network design methods, the number of required images is decreased by 65 and 75 per cent, respectively. Moreover, the accuracy and completeness of points cloud reconstruction is improved and the quantity of performed work is determined with the accuracy, which is close to 100 per cent.

Practical implications

It is believed that the proposed method may present a novel and robust tool for automated progress monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles and based on photogrammetry and computer vision techniques. Using the proposed method, the number of required images is minimized, and the accuracy and completeness of points cloud reconstruction is improved.

Originality/value

To generate the points cloud reconstruction based on close-range photogrammetry principles, more than hundreds of images must be captured and processed, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. There has been no previous study to reduce the large number of required captured images. Moreover, lack of images in some areas leads to an incomplete or inaccurate model. This research resolves the mentioned shortcomings.
Bridging the gap between sustainable FM and sustainable buildings – an exploratory study of six public buildings in Norway
Authors: Collins Dave , Haugen Tore , Lindkvist Carmel , Aamodt Christian
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainable facilities management (SFM) and sustainable buildings (SB) can be designed and managed, bridging these gaps with a more integrated process. The need to bridge the traditional gap between design, construction and FM demands more effective solutions based on life cycle assessments. This also requires a coordinated approach with emerging environmental and sustainable initiatives in new and refurbished buildings. The solutions to these issues and aspects of the “Green Shift” need to be co-ordinated at the strategic and tactical levels of an organisation with an aim of further implementation at the operational level.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes the form of an exploratory approach based on six different case studies. The data have been sourced from cases studies involving interviews and documentation from large public institutions on how they manage and operate their existing buildings and how FM strategies are coordinated at all levels. A particular focus has been placed on buildings for higher education and research institutions. The authors have used a theoretical multidimensional framework for analysing the gaps based on models for sustainable development, life cycle assessments of buildings and recognised models for efficient FM. The case studies have been supported by literature research and documentation from a number of applied projects.

Findings

In conclusion, this study demonstrates that in the context of the Norwegian cases, there is currently little consistency in the degree to which the bridging of the gap between sustainable FM and SB is achieved or attempted.

Originality/value

This paper offers a contribution to the study of how public buildings approach the development of the building stock, whilst also dealing with the challenges associated with bridging the gap between the buildings and the FM that supports the building. The introduction and use of a multidimensional theoretical framework for analysing sustainability in buildings and FM creates a new platform for further research, development and implementation in practice.
Attractiveness of cultural events organized by hotels
Authors: Freitas Bruno Duarte Abreu , Correia Pedro
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to determine how important cultural events organized by hotels are when guests select the establishment, determine the most influential source to attract customers to the hotels’ cultural events and measure their ability to meet guests’ expectations.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative exploratory methodology was adopted. Data collection was performed through voluntary and non-probabilistic face-to-face interviews to 2,229 guests and six directors from eight hotels that organize cultural events.

Findings

The data revealed that, although cultural events organized by hotels were not a selection factor, these were attended by the majority of guests, who felt valued for being asked for feedback by the hotels and were more influenced by marketing communications within the establishments than by word-of-mouth.

Originality/value

Contrary to cultural events organized by local authorities, cultural events organized by hotels have received little to no academic attention. This research allowed the authors to better understand the factors that may influence hotel selection and guests’ satisfaction.
The effects of mood and personality type on service quality perception and customer satisfaction
Authors: Kocabulut Özge , Albayrak Tahir
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The influences of personality type and mood on customer evaluations such as service quality and satisfaction are not yet explored in the tourism and travel literature. Hence, this study aims to: (1) identify the role of personality and mood in customer service quality perceptions and overall satisfaction; and (2) assess these variables’ impact on service quality perception–overall satisfaction relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the study’s objectives, firstly, 383 data were collected from German tourists staying in a five-star hotel in Antalya, Turkey. Then, the survey participants were clustered into four groups according to their personality types (A vs B) and mood (bad vs good).

Findings

Service quality perceptions and overall satisfaction of the participants were shown to vary according to their personality types and moods. In addition, the results indicated that personality type and mood might change the effect of perceived service quality on overall satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

As the survey sample is limited to German tourists staying in a five-star hotel in Antalya, Turkey, the study findings should be carefully generalised to other nationalities and service settings.

Originality/value

For service enterprises, it is important to understand how the psychological characteristics of the customers affect the perception of the services they offer. Therefore, the customer mood and personality traits, as well as their impacts on perceived service quality, have received wide coverage in the literature. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to investigate the interrelationships of mood, personality, service quality perception and overall satisfaction in the hospitality context.
An international study of the response of corporate payout policy
Authors: Hoang Edward , Hoxha Indrit
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the payout policy for public firms in different countries. The authors are interested to understand the similarities and differences in the behavior of firms across different countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use firm-level data collected from Compustat Global for public firms across the world. The sample consists of more than 23,000 firms for the period 1990–2015 in 94 countries. The authors estimate the corporate payout in an empirical model that incorporates other corporate financing decisions, such as investment and debt policies.

Findings

The findings support recent corporate governance theory, which asserts that payout policy is influenced by investment and debt policies, and cannot be determined independently. Furthermore, the authors find that geographic/cultural/institutional variation influence the response of payout policy to other corporate financing decisions. Additional tests are presented to demonstrate the robustness of the main findings.

Research limitations/implications

The interpretation of the results for certain regions could be limited due to data availability. The authors believe the authors have a good coverage especially for countries in Asia, relative to the other regions.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first one to look at payout policy and its relationship with investment and debt policy in such a large scale of firms across the world with coverage of 94 countries and 16 years. The authors document differences in public firms’ attitudes toward payout policy according to geographic/cultural/institutional reasons.
Identification of common city characteristics influencing room occupancy
Authors: Moro Sérgio , Rita Paulo
Published: May 2019

Purpose

National tourism offices worldwide implement marketing strategies to influence tourists’ choices. However, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to choosing a city as a tourism destination. The purpose of this paper is to answer which are the characteristics that play a key role in room occupancy.

Design/methodology/approach

Diverse characteristics such as the city offer, demographics, natural amenities (e.g. number of beaches) and also politics (e.g. type of government) are combined into a decision tree model to unveil the relevance of each in determining room occupancy. The empirical experiments used data known in 2015 from 43 cities from Europe and the rest of the World to model room occupancy rate in 2016.

Findings

While the seasonality effect plays the most significant role, other less studied features such as the type of political party prior to current government were found to have an impact in room occupancy.

Originality/value

This study unveiled that center–right and right governments are generally more sensitive to promote its city as a tourism destination.
Attitude towards alternative medicinal practices in wellness tourism market
Authors: Meera Sethumadhavan , Vinodan A.
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Recently, wellness tourism has gained popularity in alternative medicinal practices. Alternative medicinal practices are mostly endemic and have evolved through generations, transmitted and propagated through formal and informal modes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibility of developing alternative medicinal practices in the wellness tourism market in the context of Kalari practices – oldest martial art system of the world based at Kerala, India.

Design/methodology/approach

Study employed an exploratory sequential method consisting of in-depth interviews with practitioners and questionnaire survey with 356 tourists. Confirmatory factor analysis has been done to confirm the latent variables of attitude towards alternative medicinal practices in wellness market.

Findings

Study results indicate that there are five latent constructs consisting of physical, psychological, emotional, social and personal evolved around 26 indicators.

Practical implications

This study will introduce an innovative product line for customers as it will provide enhanced opportunities for wellness and will result in indigenous knowledge protection and marketing.

Social implications

The present study gives immense scope for appreciation of effectiveness of martial art practices across world and promotion of wellness tourism through alternative medicinal practices, which could be slightly modified and replicated by considering local specific medicinal practices.

Originality/value

This study makes the first attempt to investigate attitude towards alternative medicinal practices, especially martial art practices, in the context of wellness market.
Diversity management in hotels
Authors: Elkhwesky Zakaria , Salem Islam Elbayoumi , Barakat Mona
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of ethnic, gender and religious diversity management practices (DMPs) and the level of implementation from perspectives of five-star hotels in Egypt. Besides, it also examines the moderating role of empowerment and capability development (CD) between the importance and the implementation of gender and religious management practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The questionnaires were distributed personally to entry-level F&B employees, F&B managers, working in F&B departments, and HR managers in all accepted five-star hotels in their workplaces, during July and August 2017. Only 400 returned back, with a response rate of 35 percent and were considered usable for data analysis.

Findings

The results clarified that there was a significant moderate positive correlation between the importance and the implementation of gender and religious management practices (MPs). Nonetheless, the correlation proved to be significant, weak and positive between the importance and the implementation of ethnic MPs. The relationship between the importance and the implementation of ethnic, gender and religious MPs was not moderated by empowerment.

Research limitations/implications

Although questionnaires have been collected from diverse F&B outlets, comparisons among outlets were not conducted. This study concentrated on the F&B departments only; hence, future researchers can make comparisons among different departments.

Practical implications

This study implies that HR managers should recruit employees from diverse ethnicities, gender, ages, disabilities and religions to help five-star hotels achieve success in marketplaces. Recruiting diverse employees should be a basic part of the organizational culture of hotels, specifically F&B departments.

Social implications

Social activities organized in hotels, such as a tennis table, football and billiards tournaments, are included. Hotels can provide employees with special meals during fasting and they can also allow Christian employees to leave the hotel from 7 to 10 a.m. to attend the mass in church each Sunday.

Originality/value

Although DM is necessary for the hospitality industry, there is a lack of studies focusing on investigating the importance−implementation of DMPs and analyzing the moderating role of empowerment and CD in this industry, specifically in Egypt. This study provided weighty contributions to the management of diversity in the Egyptian hotel sector and formed one of the first empirical studies.
A DoE–TOPSIS method-based meta-model for parametric optimization of non-traditional machining processes
Authors: Chakraborty Shankar , Chatterjee Prasenjit , Das Partha Protim
Published: May 2019

Purpose

To meet the requirements of high-dimensional accuracy and surface finish of various advanced engineering materials for generating intricate part geometries, non-traditional machining (NTM) processes have now become quite popular in manufacturing industries. To explore the fullest machining capability of these NTM processes, it is often required to operate them while setting their different controllable parameters at optimal levels. This paper aims to present a novel approach for selection of the optimal parametric mixes for different NTM processes in order to assist the concerned process engineers.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, design of experiments (DoE) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) are combined to develop the corresponding meta-models for identifying the optimal parametric combinations of two NTM processes, i.e. electrical discharge machining (EDM) and wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) processes with respect to the computed TOPSIS scores.

Findings

For EDM operation on Inconel 718 alloy, lower settings of open circuit voltage and pulse-on time and higher settings of peak current, duty factor and flushing pressure will simultaneously optimize all the six responses. On the other hand, for the WEDM process, the best machining performance can be expected to occur at a parametric combination of zinc-coated wire, lower settings of pulse-on time, wire feed rate and sensitivity and intermediate setting of pulse-off time.

Practical implications

As the development of these meta-models is based on the analysis of the experimental data, they are expected to be more practical, being immune to the introduction of additional parameters in the analysis. It is also observed that the derived optimal parametric settings would provide better values of the considered responses as compared to those already determined by past researchers.

Originality/value

This DoE–TOPSIS method-based approach can be applied to varieties of NTM as well as conventional machining processes to determine the optimal parametric combinations for having their improved machining performance.
Effects of multitier private labels on marketing national brands
Authors: Akcura M. Tolga , Sinapuelas Ian Clark , Wang Hui-Ming Deanna
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to understand empirically how shares of standard and premium private label (PL) products affect a retailer’s marketing mix decisions toward national brands (NBs).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a comprehensive store-level data set covering 52 categories and 130 stores of two retailer chains during 2003-2009, this paper examines how shares of standard and premium PLs affect retailer marketing strategies for NB retail prices, promotions and product assortments. The empirical analysis uses a simultaneous equations model estimated by the generalized method of moments approach and controls for endogeneity between PL shares and NB decisions and potential confounding variables including consumer, manufacturer and retailer factors.

Findings

Standard PL shares are associated positively with NB retail prices and negatively with NB promotions and assortments. In contrast, premium PL shares are associated positively with NB retail prices, promotions and assortments.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate that retailers make strategic NB decisions through multitier PLs. Specifically, the evidence suggests that retailers use standard and premium PLs differently in promotion and assortment decisions toward NBs. NB manufacturers need to be cognizant of the increasing marketing power of retailers through their multitier PLs.

Originality/value

Prior research has mainly focused on the role of PLs as a strategic weapon to gain power in the channel and its impact on NB pricing decisions in a single PL context. After accounting for potential confounding factors (retailer, consumer and manufacturer) and endogeneity, the authors find empirical evidence that retailers appear to leverage standard and premium PLs differently in some marketing mix decisions toward NB. In particular, the results reveal PL performance to be a determinant of retailer NB assortment decisions.
Level of user satisfaction on the Facebook library
Authors: Harisanty Dessy
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Facebook is a social networking media that has a big share in sharing information. Therefore, the college library that aims to meet the needs of the civitas academic information utilize this social media. This study aims to determine the level of user satisfaction of Facebook library Universitas Airlangga.

Design/methodology/approach

The method used is descriptive quantitative approach. The research location is at Universitas Airlangga Library Surabaya, Indonesia. The sampling technique is purposive, using the criteria of the academic community of Universitas Airlangga who become an active member or visit the Facebook of social network Facebook owned library at least three times in the past one month. The number of samples in this study were 220 respondents.

Findings

The results of this study indicate that the level of user satisfaction on the Facebook library shows the highest is as surveillance and the level of subsequent satisfaction in a row is as social relationship, individual identity and diversion entertainment. The biggest motive utilizing the Facebook library is to search for information about the library.

Practical implications

In the era of booming social media Facebook for teenagers who are the largest users of college libraries, utilizing Facebook social networking media in the library is considered effective.

Originality/value

This area is has been rarely researched by researchers in Indonesia.
Application of linked data technologies in digital libraries: a review of literature
Authors: Raza Zahid , Mahmood Khalid , Warraich Nosheen Fatima
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to describe how linked data technologies can change the digital library collections, what are the benefits of linked data applications in digital libraries and what are the challenges of digital libraries in linked data environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study is based on substantial literature review on the applications of linked data technologies in digital libraries. The search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Google Scholar were used to find the relevant literature for the study. Online databases such as Pro Quest, Science Direct, Emerald and JSTORE were also used to find the relevant literature of the study. Databases of Library Sciences Library and Information Science and Technology Abstracts and Library Information Science Abstracts were also used to find the relevant literature of the study. Library, linked data technologies, Semantic Web, digital library and digital collections were the main keywords which were used to find the relevant literature for the study.

Findings

The evolution of linked data technologies and Semantic Web has changed the traditional role of the libraries. Traditional libraries are converting into digital libraries and digital libraries are in a struggle to publish their resources on the Web using XML-based metadata standards. It has made capable the digital collections to be viewed by machines on the Web just like human. On the emergence of linked data applications in digital libraries, Web visibility of the libraries has been enhanced to provide the opportunities for the users to find their required quality information of libraries round-the-clock on the Web. National Library of France, National Library of Spain, Europeana, Digital Public Library of Americana, Library of Congress and The British Library have taken the initiatives to publish their resources on the Web using linked data technologies.

Originality/value

This study present several key issues for policy makers, software developers, decision makers and library administrators about linked data technologies and its implementations in digital libraries. The present study may play its role to facilitate the users of the Web who are enthusiastically interested to exploit the quality and authentic library resources on the Web round-the-clock. Search engines will also achieve their longstanding goal to exploit the quality resources of the libraries for their Web users to make their Web appearance more credible and trustworthy.
Meaningful work and organizational outcomes
Authors: Zeglat Dia , Janbeik Suzi
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This study aims to explore how employees’ meaningful work is associated with organizational outcomes at public Jordanian universities with the existence of individual work performance as a mediating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

The population of the study was 7,746 administrative staff working at four public Jordanian universities. Questionnaires were distributed to 576 participants. However, only 442 questionnaires were acceptable for further investigation, and these questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Several statistical data analysis techniques were used including exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, descriptive analysis and multiple regression. Moreover, Baron and Kenny’s approach was applied to test the hypotheses developed.

Findings

A new dimensionality of variables under investigation emerged at the purification stage using validity and reliability techniques. The findings of the study show that meaningful work has a positive relationship with organizational outcomes. The findings also indicate that individual work performance shows a partial mediating role in the link between meaningful work and organizational outcomes. In addition, the findings imply that any effort to improve individual work performance at public Jordanian universities can help in offering a better understanding of organizational outcomes.

Practical implications

This study recommends that universities focus more on meaningful work and individual work performance programs and practices.

Originality/value

This study provides a framework and understanding of how work meaning and individual work performance relates to organizational outcomes in one model.
Linking transformational leadership with employees’ engagement in the creative process
Authors: Azim Mohammad Tahlil , Fan Luo , Uddin Md. Aftab , Abdul Kader Jilani Munshi Muhammad , Begum Sumayya
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Given that individual creativity is a critical element to achieving organizational competitiveness, the purpose of this study is to attempt to investigate how transformational leadership (TL) drives employee creative process engagement (CPE) by improving their creative self-efficacy (CSE).

Design/methodology/approach

Analysis has been performed based on 194 responses from information and communication technology firms using a cross-sectional survey design. The study follows a deductive research approach to test the hypotheses. It uses SmartPLS2 and IBM SPSS 21 for a structural equation model.

Findings

The investigation finds that TL significantly predicts CPE, and CSE partially mediates the TL–CPE relationship. The result demonstrates that TL shapes an organizational climate conducive to the employees’ CPE by building employees’ self-efficacy.

Research limitations/implications

The study sample was drawn from a single sector of the Bangladeshi economy. The sampling design represents a limitation, for which the findings cannot be broadly generalized. Replications and augmentations of the study in various industrial areas will help test the robustness and generalizability of the discoveries.

Practical implications

TL and CPE are desirable organizational outcomes across all cultures. From a practical standpoint, the outcomes demonstrate that TL is linked to CPE and CSE among information and communication technology employees. This study extends the appropriateness of CSE into Asian countries. Notably, it provides additional insight into a contemporary TL model that can unequivocally impact leadership development in the Bangladeshi information and communication technology firms. Managers or chief executive officers in the small and medium enterprises are expected to exhibit TL attributes by designing a supportive organizational climate that will motivate employees to exhibit creative activities.

Social implications

TL transforms employees’ psychological state to get them to engage in creative processes, benefiting the organizational stakeholders by their unconventional creative behavior. The TL-driven innovative outcome through employees’ CPE contributes to the development of social well-being.

Originality/value

This paper adds significance to the extant literature regarding the determinants of the mediating impact of CSE on TL and CPE from the viewpoints of information and communication technology firms, particularly from developing countries, such as Bangladesh. It also contributes to reconcile the findings of the previous studies around the globe in both developed and developing countries.