bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of mechanical strain on mouse eye lens capsule and cellular microstructure
Authors: Parreno Justin , Cheng Catherine , Nowak Roberta B. , Fowler Velia M. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe understanding of multiscale load transfer within complex soft tissues is incomplete. The eye lens is ideal for multiscale tissue mechanics studies as its principal function is to fine focus light at different distances onto the retina via mechanical shape changes. The biomechanical function, resiliency, and intricate microstructure of the lens make it an excellent non-connective soft tissue model. We hypothesized that compressive strain applied onto whole lens tissue leads to deformation of specific microstructures and that this deformation is reversible following removal of load. For this examination, mouse lenses were compressed by sequential application of increasing load. Using confocal microscopy and quantitative image analysis, we determined that axial strain ≥10% reduces capsule thickness, expands epithelial cell area, and separates fiber cell tips at the anterior region of the lenses. At the equatorial region, strain ≥6% increases fiber cell widths. The effects of strain on lens epithelial cell area, capsule thickness, and equatorial fiber cell widths are reversible following the release of lenses from strain. However, although fiber cell tip separation following the removal of low loads is reversible, the separation becomes irreversible with application of higher loads. This irreversible separation between fiber cell tips leads to incomplete bulk lens resiliency. The lens is an accessible biomechanical model system that provides new insights on multiscale transfer of loads in soft tissues.
Link Prediction through Deep Generative Model
Authors: Wang Xu-Wen , Chen Yize , Liu Yang-Yu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractInferring missing links or predicting future ones based on the currently observed network is known as link prediction, which has tremendous real-world applications in biomedicine1–3, e-commerce4, social media5and criminal intelligence6. Numerous methods have been proposed to solve the link prediction problem7–9. Yet, many of these existing methods are designed for undirected networks only. Moreover, most methods are based on domain-specific heuristics10, and hence their performances differ greatly for networks from different domains. Here we developed a new link prediction method based on deep generative models11in machine learning. This method does not rely on any domain-specific heuristic and works for general undirected or directed complex networks. Our key idea is to represent the adjacency matrix of a network as an image and then learn hierarchical feature representations of the image by training a deep generative model. Those features correspond to structural patterns in the network at different scales, from small subgraphs to mesoscopic communities12. Conceptually, taking into account structural patterns at different scales all together should outperform any domain-specific heuristics that typically focus on structural patterns at a particular scale. Indeed, when applied to various real-world networks from different domains13–17, our method shows overall superior performance against existing methods. Moreover, it can be easily parallelized by splitting a large network into several small subnetworks and then perform link prediction for each subnetwork in parallel. Our results imply that deep learning techniques can be effectively applied to complex networks and solve the classical link prediction problem with robust and superior performance.SummaryWe propose a new link prediction method based on deep generative models.
Precise temporal regulation of alternative splicing during neural development
Authors: Weyn-Vanhentenryck Sebastien M. , Feng Huijuan , Ustianenko Dmytro , Duffié Rachel , Yan Qinghong , Jacko Martin , Martinez Jose C. , Goodwin Marianne , Zhang Xuegong , Hengst Ulrich , Lomvardas Stavros , Swanson Maurice S. , Zhang Chaolin 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAlternative splicing (AS) is a crucial step of gene expression that must be tightly controlled, but the precise timing of dynamic splicing switches during neural development and the underlying regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we systematically analyzed the temporal regulation of AS in a large number of transcriptome profiles of developing mouse cortices,in vivopurified neuronal subtypes, and neurons differentiatedin vitro. Our analysis revealed early- and late-switch exons in genes with distinct functions, and these switches accurately define neuronal maturation stages. Integrative modeling suggests that these switches are under direct and combinatorial regulation by distinct sets of neuronal RNA-binding proteins including Nova, Rbfox, Mbnl and Ptbp. Surprisingly, various neuronal subtypes in the sensory systems lack Nova and/or Rbfox expression. These neurons retain the “immature” splicing program in early-switch exons, affecting numerous synaptic genes. These results provide new insights into the organization and regulation of the neurodevelopmental transcriptome.
Employees’ recognition of corporate sustainability: a case study
Authors: Pintão Silvana , Chaves Cristina , Branco Manuel Castelo 
Published: January 2018

PurposeThis paper aims to ascertain whether a company with a solid reputation for corporate sustainability leadership deems its workforce to be as important as its external stakeholders when developing and communicating its sustainability activities, and to evaluate its workforce’s recognition of such activities.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve these aims, a case study of a leading Brazilian company was carried out. The authors conducted an interview with the corporate sustainability department and submitted a survey by questionnaire to its employees. The data were complemented by documentary analysis of the company’s annual reports, sustainability reports, corporate website, newsletters and press releases.FindingsResults suggest that the company does attribute significant importance to its workforce and that its employees have sound knowledge of its sustainability practices and engage with them.Research limitations/implicationsGiven that the research adopts a case study approach, the scope for generalisation is limited.Originality/valueThe present study explores a neglected aspect of extant research – the relations between corporate sustainability and human resources.
Packing density of inkjet printed paths
Authors: Tomaszewski Grzegorz , Potencki Jerzy , Wałach Tadeusz 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
This paper aims to study the packing density of printed paths on different substrate materials. It presents problems which appear when the necessity of printing one or more narrow paths occurs.

Design/methodology/approach
A piezoelectric printhead containing nozzles with a diameter of 35 µm was used for printing nanoparticle silver ink on different polymer substrates which were treated by plasma or not treated at all. The shape, defects, resistance and printing parameters for the printed paths were analysed.

Findings
The obtained results allow the identification of the sources of the technological problems in obtaining a high packing density of the paths in a small area of substrate and the repeatable prints.

Research limitations/implications
The study could have limited universality because of the chosen research method; printhead, ink, substrate materials and process parameters were arbitrarily selected. The authors encourage the study of other kinds of conductive inks, treatment methods and printing process parameters.

Practical implications
The study includes practically useful information about widths, shapes, defects and the resistance of the paths printed using different technological parameters.

Originality/value
The study presents the results of original empirical research on problems of the packing density of inkjet printed paths on a small area of substrate and identifies problems that must be resolved to obtain effective interconnections in the inkjet technology.
Complicity, responsibility and authorization
Authors: Daniels Julia R. , Hebard Heather 
Published: January 2018

PurposeDiscourses of racism have always circulated within US classrooms and, in the current sociopolitical climate, they move with a renewed sense of legitimacy, entitlement and violence. This paper aims to engage the consequences of these shifts for the ways that racism works in university-based classrooms and, more specifically, through the authors’ own teaching as White language and literacy educators.Design/methodology/approachThis teacher narrative reconceptualizes moments of racialized violence in the courses, as constructed via circulating discourses of racism. The authors draw attention to the ways that we, as White educators, authorize and are complicit in this violence.FindingsThis paper explicates a praxis of questioning, developed through efforts to reflect on our complicity in and responsibility for racial violence in our classrooms. The authors offer this praxis of questioning to other White language and literacy teachers as a heuristic for sensemaking with regard to racism in classrooms.Originality/valueThe authors situate this paper within a broader struggle to engage themselves and other White educators in work for racial justice and invite others to take up this praxis of questioning as an initial step toward examining the authors’ complicity in – and authorization of – discourses of racism.
Bird impacts on heritage buildings
Authors: Spennemann Dirk H.R. , Pike Melissa , Watson Maggie J. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
There is much anecdotal evidence that birds and their droppings are a major problem for the heritage profession. The purpose of this paper is to examine how serious heritage practitioners consider the bird impact to be.

Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted of 59 Australian heritage professionals of between one and >20 year’s experience in the field.

Findings
Bird impacts were not considered of major concern to buildings. The longer experience a practitioner had, the less likely the impacts were considered an issue. Feral pigeons were deemed the most problematic, followed by cockatoos, starlings, swallows, seagulls, mynas, sparrows, cormorants, ibis, ducks and birds of prey. The professionals ranked common deterrent methods. The highest-ranking deterrents were bird netting and bird spikes, but they were only considered moderately effective. The costs of installation and maintenance, as well the ease of installation, were all deemed significantly less important than the physical impact, the aesthetic sympathy and the effectiveness of a deterrent method.

Practical implications
This study indicates that the impact of birds on buildings in Australia may be of less concern than previously thought, and may be driven by other factors (i.e. aesthetics, commercial companies) rather than actual effects.

Originality/value
This is first study of its kind that surveyed the experiences of a wide range of heritage practitioners.
Knowledge acquisition of association rules from the customer-lifetime-value perspective
Authors: Weng Cheng-Hsiung , Huang Tony Cheng-Kui 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
Customer lifetime value (CLV) scoring is highly effective when applied to marketing databases. Some researchers have extended the traditional association rule problem by associating a weight with each item in a transaction. However, studies of association rule mining have considered the relative benefits or significance of “items” rather than “transactions” belonging to different customers. Because not all customers are financially attractive to firms, it is crucial that their profitability be determined and that transactions be weighted according to CLV. This study aims to discover association rules from the CLV perspective.

Design/methodology/approach
This study extended the traditional association rule problem by allowing the association of CLV weight with a transaction to reflect the interest and intensity of customer values. Furthermore, the authors proposed a new algorithm, frequent itemsets of CLV weight (FICLV), to discover frequent itemsets from CLV-weighted transactions.

Findings
Experimental results from the survey data indicate that the proposed FICLV algorithm can discover valuable frequent itemsets. Moreover, the frequent itemsets identified using the FICLV algorithm outperform those discovered through conventional approaches for predicting customer purchasing itemsets in the coming period.

Originality/value
This study is the first to introduce the optimum approach for discovering frequent itemsets from transactions through considering CLV.
Social laser model: from color revolutions to Brexit and election of Donald Trump
Authors: Khrennikov Andrei 
Published: January 2018

PurposeThis paper aims to present the basic assumptions for creation of social lasers and attract attention of other researchers (both from physics and socio-political science) to the problem of modeling of Stimulated Amplification of Social Actions (SASA).Design/methodology/approachThe model of SASA and its analysis are based on the mathematical formalism of quantum thermodynamics and field theory (applied outside of physics).FindingsThe presented quantum-like model provides the consistent operational model of such complex socio-political phenomenon as SASA.Research limitations/implicationsThe model of SASA is heavily based on the use of the notion of social energy. This notion has not yet been formalized.Practical implicationsEvidence of SASA (“functioning of social lasers”) is rapidly accumulating, from color revolutions to such democratically structured protest actions as Brexit and the recent election of Donald Trump as the President of the USA. The corresponding socio-political studies are characterized by diversity of opinions and conclusions. The presented social laser model can be used to clarify these complex socio-political events and even predict their possibility.Social implicationsSASA is the powerful source of social instability. Understanding its informational structure and origin may help to stabilize the modern society.Originality/valueApplication of the quantum-like model of laser technology in social and political sciences is really a novel and promising approach.
New online recommendation approach based on unbalanced linguistic label with integrated cloud
Authors: Wang Meng-Xian , Wang Jian-qiang 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
Online reviews increasingly present the characteristic of bidirectional communication with the advent of Web 2.0 era and tend to be asymmetrical and individualized in linguistic information. The authors aim to develop a new linguistic conversion model that exploits the asymmetric and personalized information from online reviews to express such linguistic information. A new online recommendation approach is provided.

Design/methodology/approach
The necessity of new linguistic conversation model is elucidated, and a leverage factor is incorporated into the linguistic label of negative review to handle the asymmetry problems of linguistic scale. A possible value range of the leverage factor is studied. A new linguistic conversation model is accordingly established with an unbalanced linguistic label and a cloud model. The authors develop a new online recommendation approach based on several modules, such as initialization, conversion, user-clustering and recommendation models.

Findings
The unbalanced effect between negative and positive reviews is verified with real data and measured using indirect methods. A new online recommendation approach of electronic products is proposed and used as an illustrative example to prove the practicality, effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed approach.

Research limitations/implications
Due to the unavailable transaction information of customers, the limitation of this study is the effectiveness of the authors’ established recommendation system for platform or website cannot be verified.

Originality/value
In most existing studies, the influence of negative review is counterbalanced by positive review, and the unbalanced effect between negative and positive reviews is ignored. The negative review receives much attention from consumers and businesses. This study thus highlights the influence of negative review.
The link between state-of-mind and individuals’ willingness to adopt and continue using smartphones
Authors: Shih Po-Hong , Yang Keng-Chieh , Yang Chyan 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
Although numerous studies have examined factors that influence smartphone acceptance and use, few have analyzed cognitive age. This study aims to use the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to test two models to analyze the moderating effect of cognitive age. This research offers relevant suggestions among different cognitive age groups.

Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect research data in Taiwan and the UTAUT model was used. Model 1 ensures all four antecedent constructs among digital natives (those under 34 years old). Model 2 divides the digital immigrants into two groups to test the influence of cognitive age on the behaviors of smartphone use. This study tests Model 1 using AMOS 20 to examine the measurement and structural model and validates Model 2 using partial least squares (PLSs).

Findings
In Model 1, the digital natives have sufficient confidence to accept a new technology with ease and little effort owing to most educational resources and the widespread internet. Group 1 in Model 2 reveals that the behavior of digital immigrants is similar to that of digital natives. For Group 2 in Model 2, they tend to infer that skills or tasks they associate with having higher value are more difficult to learn.

Originality/value
This study provides another dimensional result for different cognitive age groups and it has to consider not only chronological age but also cognitive age in user behavior. The result can enrich the theoretical perspective on technology adoption and use behavior via cognitive age, which is a significant and important self-related factor that can help predict technology adoption and use behavior.
Quality improvement in curriculum development
Authors: Maddalena Victor , Pendergast Amanda , McGrath Gerona 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
There is a growing emphasis on teaching patient safety principles and quality improvement (QI) processes in medical education curricula. This paper aims to present how the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland engaged medical students in quality improvement during their recent curriculum renewal process.

Design/methodology/approach
In the 2013-2014 academic year, the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland launched an undergraduate medical education curriculum renewal process. This presented a unique opportunity to teach quality improvement by involving students in the ongoing development and continuous improvement of their undergraduate curriculum through the implementation of quality circles and other related QI activities.

Findings
The authors’ experience shows that implementing QI processes is beneficial in the medical education environment, particularly during times of curriculum redesign or implementation of new initiatives.

Originality/value
Student engagement and participation in the QI process is an excellent way to teach basic QI concepts and improve curriculum program outcomes.
Perception of Russian employees’ culture by Western managers of Western subsidiaries in Russia
Authors: Valitova Aysylu , Besson Dominique 
Published: January 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze perception of Russian national culture by Western managers in Western subsidiaries in Russia.Design/methodology/approachInterpretivist analysis of narratives have been collected by the authors by interviewing several Western managers in Russian subsidiaries, based on concepts of E.T. Hall.FindingsWe globally found more examples of high context than low context, but also of “hybrid context,” as well as more examples of polychrony than monochrony, and a mixture of polychrony and monochrony, the authors call “hybridchronie.” They show implications of socio-economic change in society, organizational structure and work hierarchical relationship, generation effect and importance of clans.Research limitations/implicationsLimits of cultural analysis. Use of interviews (narratives) then bias of perception. Current changes in Russian society. Differences between generations in Russia and multi-ethnicity of Russia.Practical implicationsDanger of stereotypes in management. Implications for management.Social implicationsDanger of stereotypes in perceptions and social life.Originality/valueQualitative, interpretivist approach based on in-depth interviews.
IT infrastructure capability and eGovernment system performance: an empirical study
Authors: Dahiya Deepak , Mathew Saji K. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose
Although governments are hugely investing in information technology (IT) infrastructure, eGovernment performance has reported variations in performance. The relationship between IT infrastructure investments and eGovernment performance remains unexplored in academic research. This study aims to explain how investments in IT assets lead to infrastructure capability and eGovernment system performance. The work conceptualizes technical performance of IT infrastructure as a consequent of thoughtful investments in IT assets, which help generate IT infrastructure capability. The findings have important implications for eGovernment theory and practice in developing understanding about eGovernment IT infrastructure and supporting decision-making on the choice of infrastructure components.

Design/methodology/approach
This study showcases quantitative analysis based on survey method-based research using a questionnaire for testing the hypotheses formulated.

Findings
The analysis of the work showed that IT infrastructure performance is a significant mediator between investments in IT assets and IT infrastructure capability.

Research limitations/implications
Owing to constraints of data collection, probability sampling was not followed, which is a prerequisite for statistical generalization.

Practical implications
The study provides insights for governments on investing in technologies that meet requisite performance standards. IT infrastructure performance is an antecedent of IT infrastructure capability, which directly determines how an eGovernment system performs.

Social implications
The study shows that delay in implementing new service models such as cloud potentially result in relatively lower performance of the IT infrastructure for the investments made in the given assets.

Originality/value
This paper builds on the existing literature on IT assets, IT infrastructure performance and IT infrastructure capability and applies it to the eGovernment domain.