bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Harnessing intrinsic fluorescence for typing of secondary structures of DNA
Authors: Zuffo Michela , Gandolfini Aurélie , Heddi Brahim , Granzhan Anton 
Published: January 2020

ABSTRACTDNA is polymorphic since, despite its ubiquitous presence as a double-stranded helix, it is able to fold into a plethora of other secondary structures bothin vitroand in cells. Despite the considerable advances that have been made in understanding this structural diversity, its high-throughput investigation still faces severe limitations. This mainly stems from the lack of suitable label-free methods, combining a fast and cheap experimental workflow with high information content. Here, we explore the use of intrinsic fluorescence emitted by nucleic acids for this scope. After a preliminary assessment of the suitability of this phenomenon for tracking the conformational changes of DNA, we examined the intrinsic steady-state emission spectra of an 89-membered set of synthetic oligonucleotides with reported conformation (G-quadruplexes, i-motifs, single- and double stranded DNA) by means of multivariate analysis. Specifically, principal component analysis of emission spectra resulted in successful clustering of oligonucleotides into three corresponding conformational groups, albeit without discrimination between single- and double-stranded structures. Linear discriminant analysis of the same training set was exploited for the assessment of new sequences, allowing the evaluation of their G4-forming propensity. Our method does not require any labelling agent or dye, avoiding the related intrinsic bias, and can be utilized to screen novel sequences of interest in a high-throughput and cost-effective manner. In addition, we observed that left-handed (Z-) G4 structures were systematically more fluorescent than most other G4 structures, almost reaching the quantum yield of 5′-d[(G3T)3G3]-3′ (G3T), the most fluorescent G4 structure reported to date. This property is likely to arise from the similar base-stacking geometry in both types of structures.
Pathogens, endosymbionts, and blood-meal sources of host-seeking ticks in the fast-changing Maasai Mara wildlife ecosystem
Authors: Oundo Joseph Wang’ang’a , Villinger Jandouwe , Jeneby Maamun , Ong’amo George , Otiende Moses Yongo , Makhulu Edward Edmond , Musa Ali Abdulahi , Ouso Daniel Obado , Wambua Lillian 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe role of questing ticks in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR), an ecosystem with intensified human-wildlife-livestock interactions, remains poorly understood. Therefore, we carried out a survey of the diversity of questing ticks, their blood-meal hosts, and tick-borne pathogens to understand potential effects to human and livestock health.MethodsQuesting ticks were collected by flagging and hand picks from vegetation in 25 localities and identified based on morphologic and molecular criteria. We used PCR with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis, and sequencing to identifyAnaplasma, Babesia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, andTheileriapathogen diversities and blood meals in 231 tick pools.ResultsA total of 1,465 host-seeking ticks were collected, includingRhipicephalus appendiculatus(n = 1,125),Rhipicephalus pulchellus(n = 6),Rhipicephalus evertsi(n = 5),Amblyommacf.gemma(n = 178),Amblyomma gemma(n = 145),Amblyomma variegatum(n = 4),Amblyommasp. (n = 1), andHaemaphysalis leachi(n = 1). Remnant blood-meals from humans, wildebeest, and African buffalo were detected inRh. appendiculatus, goat inRh. evertsi, sheep inAm. gemma, and cattle inAm. variegatum. Rickettsia africaewas detected inAm. gemma(1/25 pools) that had blood-meal remnant from sheep andAm. variegatum(4/25 pools) that had fed on cattle.Rickettsiaspp. were found inAm. gemma(4/25 pools) andRh. evertsi(1/4 pools).Anaplasma oviswas detected inRh. appendiculatus(1/172 pools) andRh. evertsi(1/4 pools), whileAnaplasma boviswas detected inRh. appendiculatus(1/172 pools).Theileria parvawas detected inRh. appendiculatus(27/172 pools).Babesia, EhrlichiaandCoxiellapathogens were not found in any ticks. Unexpectedly, diverseCoxiellasp. endosymbionts were detected in all tick genera (174/231 pools).ConclusionsThe data shows that ticks from the rapidly-changing MMNR are infected with zoonoticR.africaeand unclassifiedRickettsiaspp, demonstrating the persistent risk of African tick-bite fever and other and Spotted Fever Group rickettsioses to local dwellers and visitors to the Maasai Mara ecosystem. Protozoan pathogens that may pose risk to livestock production were also identified. We also highlight possible existence of morphotypic variants ofAmblyommaspecies, based on the observation ofAmbyommacf.gemma, which may be potential human parasites or emergent disease vectors. Our findings also demonstrate that questing ticks in this ecosystem have dynamic vertebrate blood sources including humans, wildlife and domestic animals, which may amplify transmission of tickborne zoonoses and livestock diseases. Further studies are needed to determine the role ofCoxiellaendosymbionts in tick physiology and vector competence.
Testing for functional organization of three-dimensional surface tilt encoding within visual cortex
Authors: Rideaux Reuben , Welchman Andrew E 
Published: January 2020

ABSTRACTVisual perception of three-dimensional (3D) structure is important for object recognition, grasping, and manipulation. The 3D structure of a surface can be defined in terms of its slant and tilt. Previous work has shown that slant and tilt are represented in the posterior and ventral intraparietal sulcus of the human brain; however, it is unclear whether the representation of these features is functionally organized within this region. Here we use phase-encoded presentation of 3D planar surfaces with linear gradients defined by horizontal binocular disparity while measuring fMRI activity to test whether the representation of 3D surface tilt is functionally organized within visual cortex. We find functionally defined structures within V3A and V7. Most notably, in one participant we find that the tilt preference is unilaterally organized in a pinwheel-like structure, similar to those observed for orientation preference in V1, which encompasses most of area V3A. These findings indicate that 3D orientation is functionally organized within the human visual cortex, and the evidence suggesting the presence of a large pinwheel-like structure indicates that this type of organization may be applied canonically within the brain at multiple scales.
Diversified Learning Environment Alleviates Learning Impairment Caused by Contextual Stress
Authors: Gong Chen , Zhang Meng , Zhang Yanjie , Liu Xiang , Liu Pan , Liao Xiaoling , Zhou Yi , Shi Zhiyue , Liu Xue 
Published: January 2020

AbstractEnvironment is capable of affecting our learning ability. Existing studies reported that learning ability can be enhanced by enriched environment and impaired by stressful context. However, it is still unclear whether diversified environment can reverse or ameliorate the learning difficulty caused by stressful context. In this study, several behavioral tasks were designed to test the role of diversified environment in active avoidance learning. In the present study, sound-cued active avoidance (two-way shuttle box) acted as learning paradigm. Multiple shuttle boxes with the identical size but different designs were employed to mimic diversified environment in learning tasks. Mild but inevitable foot shocking was adopted to increase animal’s stress to certain context. To quantify the depression/anxiety level of animals, open field test, forced swimming test, light-dark box test, and elevated plus maze were performed. The following findings were reported. First, diversified learning environment could improve learning ability in active avoidance, as manifested by higher successful rate and sharper learning curve. Second, elevating the stress level of animal to a certain context could noticeably reduce its performance in active avoidance learning. Third, the learning impairment attributed to stressful context can be improved by training in diversified environments. Thus, as revealed from the results, learning impairment caused by stressful context can be alleviated by diversified learning environment which may facilitate further medical and education applications.
GWLM–NARX
Authors: Mohd Razeef , Butt Muheet Ahmed , Baba Majid Zaman 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
Weather forecasting is the trending topic around the world as it is the way to predict the threats posed by extreme rainfall conditions that lead to damage the human life and properties. These issues can be managed only when the occurrence of the worse weather is predicted in advance, and sufficient warnings can be executed in time. Thus, keeping in mind the importance of the rainfall prediction system, the purpose of this paper is to propose an effective rainfall prediction model using the nonlinear auto-regressive with external input (NARX) model.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper proposes a rainfall prediction model using the time-series prediction that is enabled using the NARX model. The time-series prediction ensures the effective prediction of the rainfall in a particular area or the locality based on the rainfall data in the previous term or month or year. The proposed NARX model serves as an adaptive prediction model, for which the rainfall data of the previous period is the input, and the optimal computation is based on the proposed algorithm. The adaptive prediction using the proposed algorithm is exhibited in the NARX, and the proposed algorithm is developed based on the Grey Wolf Optimization and the Levenberg–Marqueret (LM) algorithm. The proposed algorithm inherits the advantages of both the algorithms with better computational time and accuracy.

Findings
The analysis using two databases enables the better understanding of the proposed rainfall detection methods and proves the effectiveness of the proposed prediction method. The effectiveness of the proposed method is enhanced and the accuracy is found to be better compared with the other existing methods and the mean square error and percentage root mean square difference of the proposed method are found to be around 0.0093 and 0.207.

Originality/value
The rainfall prediction is enabled adaptively using the proposed Grey Wolf Levenberg–Marquardt (GWLM)-based NARX, wherein an algorithm, named GWLM, is proposed by the integration of Grey Wolf Optimizer and LM algorithm.
Breach of psychological contract: impact on workforce motivation and organizational sustainability
Authors: Dogar Muhammad Nadeem 
Published: January 2020

Learning outcomes
This case study aims to expect the following learning outcomes. A better understanding of the nature of a psychological contract being developed by employees in non-profit organizations, especially working in the areas of social development and the impact of this contract on employee commitment. Enhanced understanding of conflict of interest (personal versus public) in social development organizations and its implications. Identification of issues of task conflict versus interpersonal conflict and its impact on organizational functions. Identification of dynamics of exclusion of internal stakeholders from organizational strategic decision-making process along with its impact on organizational performance and sustainability. Devising a mechanism to avoid such conflicts in social development organizations, in particular, and organizations in general.

Case overview/synopsis
This case highlights five issues as follows: it identifies and discusses conflict of interest between privileged class possessing decision-making positions in the board of directors and implementers working at the grassroots level at ANMOL (a non-governmental organization working for poor girls education in Baluchistan-hub of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor); it discusses the basis for formulation of psychological contracts and impact of its violation on stakeholder’s commitment and motivation; it discusses the implications of difference of opinion of both stakeholders regarding organizational vision and possible drawbacks of converting task conflict into interpersonal conflict on individuals, organization and end-users; it explores implications of exclusion of key stakeholders from organizational decision-making and its impact on organizational smooth working and sustainability; and it suggests a mechanism to avoid conversion of task conflict into interpersonal conflict and smooth functioning of an organization. Hence, this case discusses theories of conflict of interest between top-leadership and workforce, psychological contract and implications of its breach on employee motivation and organizational sustainability in the context of social development organizations.

Complexity academic level
This case provides sufficient material to be discussed at master level courses (management sciences – master of business administration (MBA) level) such as human resource management (dynamics of psychological contract and conflict resolution), leadership and change management in social development organizations (social enterprises).

Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code
CSS 7: Management Science.
Sangeeth Varghese: a dilemma of democratization and detachment
Authors: Bhattacharyya Arun , Varghese Sangeeth , Gupta Amit 
Published: January 2020

Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes are as follows: understanding the importance of aligning an entrepreneur’s personal orientation and values (e.g. detachment from the enterprise) with business decisions related to enterprise development; appreciating how prior exposure to business settings can be a source of entrepreneurship pursuits for an entrepreneur; and understand whether a different type of leadership can be instrumental in the creation, running and growth of an entrepreneurial venture, especially in terms of introducing differentiated offerings in the target market.

Case overview/synopsis
The case is about an entrepreneur, Sangeeth Varghese, with a very humble and conservative background, who worked in various firms, small and large, and become a young global leader at World Economic Forum, before foraying into entrepreneurship. He is driven by the core values of detachment and democratization, which is reflected throughout his life course and has developed his own views on leadership. After running his first venture LeadCap Ventures with some measure of success, Sangeeth is about to launch his new venture LeadBurg, a web- and mobile-based application for behavioral rating and competency discovery for individuals. The predicament for Sangeeth is about the uncertainties related to the new launch from a business perspective, as well as the concern whether the core principles of democratization and detachment that he identified with, would stand the test in this launch.

Complexity academic level
Master level program (e.g. MBA).

Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Impact analysis and classification of aircraft functional failures by using improved FHA based on gray correlation
Authors: Zhang Yuhang , Huang Yan , Xu Tingting , Liu Chang , Tao Liangyan 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
The classification of aircraft failures has been a significant part of functional hazard analysis (FHA). Aiming at the shortcomings of the traditional FHA method in the evaluation of aircraft risk, the purpose of this paper is to put forward a new approach by combining the gray comprehensive relation calculation method in the gray system theory with the traditional FHA in order to deal with the problem of “little data, poor information.”

Design/methodology/approach
This paper combines FHA, 1–9-scale method and gray relation analysis. At first, aircraft failure scenarios are chosen and data from experts are collected; then gray system theory is applied to find the relevance of such scenarios. Finally, the classification according to relevance is determined.

Findings
In the past, “little data, poor information” made it difficult for researchers to implement FHA. In this paper, the authors manage to deal with the problem of “poor information” and provide an approach to find the seriousness of aircraft failure.

Research limitations/implications
Due to the use of expert-evaluating methods, the classification of failures is still a little subjective and can be improved in this area. In the future, the method can be improved from the perspective of combining FMEA to analyze more complex indicators or using multisource heterogeneous solutions to solve fuzzy numbers, probabilities, gray numbers and indicators that cannot be assigned.

Practical implications
The paper uses FHA to divide the failure state and establishes a gray evaluation model of the aircraft failure state classification to verify the relevant method. Some aircraft safety design requirements are used to check the safety hazards of the aircraft during the design process, and to provide rational recommendations for the functional design of the aircraft.

Social implications
Improving the safety of aircraft is undoubtedly of great practical significance and has become a top priority in the development of the civil aviation industry. In this paper, the FHA method and the failure state of the aircraft are studied. The original FHA method is innovated by using the gray system theory applicable to the poor information state. Therefore, to some extent, this study has significance for improving the safety of civil aircraft flight, ensuring people’s travel safety and enhancing the society’s trust in civil aviation.

Originality/value
The main innovation of this paper is integrating the FHA method and the gray system theory. This study calculates the comprehensive relation degree of each failure under different flight stages, and uses FHA to divide the failure state, and finally establishes a gray evaluation model of the aircraft failure state classification to analyze the different conditions of the landing gear brake system, so that it improves the present situation, and the problem with the character of “little data, poor information” can be addressed better.
Gravitational effects on electroosmotic flow in micro heat pipes
Authors: Chang Fun Liang , Hung Yew Mun 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the coupled effects of electrohydrodynamic and gravity forces on the circulation effectiveness of working fluid in an inclined micro heat pipe driven by electroosmotic flow. The effects of the three competing forces, namely, the capillary, the gravitational and the electrohydrodyanamic forces, on the circulation effectiveness of a micro heat pipe are compared and delineated.

Design/methodology/approach
The numerical model is developed based on the conservations of mass, momentum and energy with the incorporation of the Young–Laplace equation for electroosmotic flow in an inclined micro heat pipe incorporating the gravity effects.

Findings
By inducing electroosmotic flow in a micro heat pipe, a significant increase in heat transport capacity can be attained at a reasonably low applied voltage, leading to a small temperature drop and a high thermal conductance. However, the favorably applied gravity forces pull the liquid toward the evaporator section where the onset of flooding occurs within the condenser section, generating a throat that shrinks the vapor flow passage and may lead to a complete failure on the operation of micro heat pipe. Therefore, the balance between the electrohydrodyanamic and the gravitational forces is of vital importance.

Originality/value
This study provides a detailed insight into the gravitational and electroosmotic effects on the thermal performance of an inclined micro heat pipe driven by electroosmotic flow and paves the way for the feasible practical application of electrohydrodynamic forces in a micro-scale two-phase cooling device.
The effect of product complexity and communication quality on IOCM and OBA in buyer– supplier relationships
Authors: DhaifAllah Bakil , Md-Auzair Sofiah , Maelah Ruhanita , Ismail Md Daud 
Published: January 2020

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the effect of product complexity and communication quality on inter-organizational cost management (IOCM) and open book accounting (OBA) practices in buyer–supplier relationships in Malaysian manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was administrated to CFOs or accounting managers of Malaysian suppliers. Exploratory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling procedures were applied to test convergent and discriminant validity of the measurement model and examine the relationships among the latent constructs in the structural model.FindingsThe results suggest that IOCM and OBA scales show acceptable reliability and validity. The findings also report that both product complexity and communication quality have a positive effect on IOCM and OBA in buyer–supplier relationships. However, the results suggest that IOCM does not influence OBA practice.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough IOCM and OBA constructs exhibited satisfactory reliability and validity, future research is required to refine and further validate these constructs. The data were only collected from the supplier’s perspective. Thus, future research is invited to benefit from matched data from both suppliers and buyers to generate additional insights on IOCM and OBA.Practical implicationsThis study may assist suppliers and buyers in relationships by suggesting that complex products require the adoption of IOCM and OBA practices to reduce information asymmetries and manage costs. Furthermore, emphasizing quality of communication may enhance the implementation of these practices.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study contributes to the academic stream of management accounting and cost management as it enhances an understanding of contributions introduced in prior literature on IOCM and OBA. It uses a complementary approach of transaction cost theory (TCT) and social exchange theory (SET) to explain the research model. Methodologically, the study validated scales for measuring IOCM and OBA in a new environment.
Analyzing the purchase intention of Peruvian maca
Authors: Pipoli de Azambuja Gina María Maria , García-Arrizabalaga Iñaki , Rodríguez-Peña Gustavo 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
This study aims to examine the relation between the purchase intention of Peruvian maca and each of the following variables: Peru’s country image, maca’s product image, Peru’s country familiarity and maca’s product familiarity.

Design/methodology/approach
To compile primary information, a survey of closed questions was applied to students in two countries with different levels of familiarity with Peru: France and the USA.

Findings
There is a direct association between the studied variables in the cases where the foreign consumer has a high familiarity with Peru. Similarly, there is a positive association between maca’s product image, Peru’s country familiarity and maca’s product familiarity with the consumer purchase intention of maca from Peru in the cases where the consumer has low familiarity with Peru.

Research limitations/implications
The characteristics of the sample did not allow to analyze the purchase intention according to gender, age and socioeconomic level.

Practical implications
This study provides innovative insights to design international marketing strategies for Peruvian maca entrepreneurs and export promotion policies to policymakers, to support them to overcome the increase of the global competitive environment of maca.

Social implications
The paper helps maca producers and exporters to develop international marketing strategies to position their maca products in markets with high or low familiarity with Peru.

Originality/value
The uniqueness of this paper is based on the study of the purchase intention of agricultural products such as maca, which is a developing product available in Peru.