bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rigid substructure search
Authors: Shirvanyants David , Alexandrova Anastassia N. , Dokholyan Nikolay V. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Motivation: Identifying the location of binding sites on proteins is of fundamental importance for a wide range of applications, including molecular docking, de novo drug design, structure identification and comparison of functional sites. Here we present Erebus, a web server that searches the entire Protein Data Bank for a given substructure defined by a set of atoms of interest, such as the binding scaffolds for small molecules. The identified substructure contains atoms having the same names, belonging to same amino acids and separated by the same distances (within a given tolerance) as the atoms of the query structure. The accuracy of a match is measured by the root-mean-square deviation or by the normal weight with a given variance. Tests show that our approach can reliably locate rigid binding scaffolds of drugs and metal ions.
Availability and Implementation: We provide this service through a web server at http://erebus.dokhlab.org.
Contact: dokh@unc.edu
ROS-DET: robust detector of switching mechanisms in gene expression
Authors: Kayano Mitsunori , Takigawa Ichigaku , Shiga Motoki , Tsuda Koji , Mamitsuka Hiroshi 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
A switching mechanism in gene expression, where two genes are positively correlated in one condition and negatively correlated in the other condition, is a key to elucidating complex biological systems. There already exist methods for detecting switching mechanisms from microarrays. However, current approaches have problems under three real cases: outliers, expression values with a very small range and a small number of examples. ROS-DET overcomes these three problems, keeping the computational complexity of current approaches. We demonstrated that ROS-DET outperformed existing methods, under that all these three situations are considered. Furthermore, for each of the top 10 pairs ranked by ROS-DET, we attempted to identify a pathway, i.e. consecutive biological phenomena, being related with the corresponding two genes by checking the biological literature. In 8 out of the 10 pairs, we found two parallel pathways, one of the two genes being in each of the two pathways and two pathways coming to (or starting with) the same gene. This indicates that two parallel pathways would be cooperatively used under one experimental condition, corresponding to the positive correlation, and the two pathways might be alternatively used under the other condition, corresponding to the negative correlation. ROS-DET is available from http://www.bic.kyoto-u.ac.jp/pathway/kayano/ros-det.htm.
Dynamic Alternations in Cellular and Molecular Components during Blossom-End Rot Development in Tomatoes Expressing sCAX1, a Constitutively Active Ca2+/H+ Antiporter from Arabidopsis
Authors: Tonetto de Freitas Sergio , Padda Malkeet , Wu Qingyu , Park Sunghun , Mitcham Elizabeth J. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Although calcium (Ca) concentration in cellular compartments has been suggested to be tightly regulated, Ca deficiency disorders such as blossom-end rot (BER) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit may be induced by abnormal regulation of Ca partitioning and distribution in the cell. The objectives of this work were to analyze the effects of high expression of the constitutively functional Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) Ca2+/H+ exchanger (sCAX1) tonoplast protein in tomato fruit on cellular Ca partitioning and distribution, membrane integrity, and the transcriptional profile of genes potentially involved in BER development. Wild-type and sCAX1-expressing tomato plants were grown in a greenhouse. Wild-type plants did not develop BER, whereas sCAX1-expressing plants reached 100% BER incidence at 15 d after pollination. The sCAX1-expressing fruit pericarp had higher total tissue and water-soluble Ca concentrations, lower apoplastic and cytosolic Ca concentrations, higher membrane leakage, and Ca accumulation in the vacuole of sCAX1-expressing cells. Microarray analysis of healthy sCAX1-expressing fruit tissue indicated down-regulation of genes potentially involved in BER development, such as genes involved in membrane structure and repair and cytoskeleton metabolism, as well as up-regulation of genes that may have limited BER damage expansion, such as genes coding for heat shock proteins, glutathione S-transferases, and peroxidases. The results indicate that the high expression of the sCAX1 gene reduces cytosolic and apoplastic Ca concentrations, affecting plasma membrane structure and leading to BER symptom development in the fruit tissue.
Nanocomposites: a review of technology and applications
Authors: Bogue Robert 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the technology and applications of nanocomposite materials.Design/methodology/approachThis paper discusses products, applications and technological developments in polymer, ceramic and metal nanocomposites. It concludes with a brief consideration of electronic component applications.FindingsIt is shown that polymer nanocomposites and the materials used in their production are commercially available and finding applications in several industries, including automotive, military, food, electronics and leisure, due to their enhanced mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Ceramic and metallic nanocomposites are at an earlier stage of development and a critical issue to resolve is optimising the dispersion of nanomaterials in the matrices. Passive electronic components based on nanocomposite materials are under development.Originality/valueThe paper provides a review of the rapidly developing field of nanocomposite technology.
Metal cutting machines continue to re‐invent themselves as manufacturing systems at latest IMTS show
Authors: Bloss Richard 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago with emphasis on innovations in applying automation to manufacturing and assembly.Design/methodology/approachIn‐depth interviews with exhibitors of automated assembly and manufacturing technology.FindingsBuilding of production machinery continues to move toward offering automated assembly or production cells and away from building single purpose metal cutting machinery. Robots are married to machine tools for much more than just tending.Originality/valueThe paper shows that users in almost any manufacturing realm will find that automated manufacturing technologies are now addressing all types of production requirements. No longer it is necessary to think that only million off part runs can be produced in an automated manner. Machine tool builders are including testing, finishing, marking, assembly and other secondary operations within the basic machining unit for a wide range of production volumes. Automation can even be applied to “made to order” type production.
Entry‐level RP machines: how well can they cope with geometric complexity?
Authors: Pei Eujin , Ian Campbell R. , de Beer Deon 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the limitations of entry‐level rapid prototyping (ELRP) machines when fabricating objects with high complexity.Design/methodology/approachThe literature review provides an overview of RP technologies, followed by a discussion on the different levels of complexity in objects. The paper continues with a discussion on the definition of ELRP, followed by a number of experiments to explore the limitations of an ELRP system when fabricating complex models, and to compare the results obtained with those from a professional RP machine using standardised build parameters and the same acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material.FindingsOf the five complex models that were produced from the Rapman machine, four of them were affected by warping; also, support structures were difficult to remove due to the interwoven build pattern. The study also found that the Rapman parts were coarsely built as opposed to the Dimension parts that were less coarse. The Rapman parts were also much lighter due to the hollow internal structure, as compared to the dimension parts that were virtually solid. From a quantitative viewpoint, parts produced from the Rapman machine showed significantly greater average errors in both absolute and percentage terms.Practical implicationsUsers should bear in mind the restrictions of ELRP machines when fabricating complex shapes. The models may be prone to warping and the support structures could be difficult to remove.Originality/valueThis paper allows developers to understand the restrictions when fabricating complex models on an ELRP machine. The findings will also enable manufacturers to develop better entry‐level systems.
Auto‐ID based weedicide manufacturing process
Authors: Won Han Hyo , Seok Chang Yoon , Ryul Choi Myung 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a new way of manufacturing process in the plant of the leading weedicide manufacturing company in Korea, Dongbu.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explains a design of Auto‐ID based weedicide manufacturing process, introduces new mechanism for assembly machine and presents simulation approach to understand potential benefit.FindingsIn Dongbu, there was no information matching among bottle, box and pallet levels. Another issue was error propagation. Because, the allowance range for weight difference is different depending on the level of unit, the small weight difference (i.e. deviation) within allowance range in bottle level can create errors when accumulated for boxing. The proposed method improved performance measures such as cycle time and cost of raw materials by introducing Auto‐ID technology. As in the simulation results, it is considered that adoption of radio frequency identification together with this automatic module will improve manufacturing performance drastically.Originality/valueThe research was based on the real world implementation of Auto‐ID based manufacturing in weedicide manufacturing company and discussed a new approach which addresses the current issues of industry.
Mentoring and job satisfaction in Malaysian SMEs
Authors: Lo May‐Chiun , Ramayah T. 
Published: April 2011

PurposeBuilding on social exchange theory, this paper aims to hypothesize the direct impact of mentoring on employees' job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA survey method was used to gather the information that was required in this study to examine the relationship between mentoring and employees' job satisfaction among employees from small and medium enterprises in Malaysia. A total of 200 questionnaires were sent out to executives of the middle and lower management level from the 21 selected small and medium enterprises. A total of 156 Malaysian executives participated.FindingsThe results show that there was a positive relationship between career mentoring and all dimensions in job satisfaction such as co‐workers, job itself, promotion and supervisors. On the other hand, no significant relationship was found between psychosocial mentoring and three aspects of employees' job satisfaction, namely co‐workers, job itself, and promotion.Practical implicationsThis study has helped to establish a foundation for the study of job satisfaction and mentoring. The foundation established has generated more knowledge and arguments on mentoring in the workplace to enhance performance. This paper contributes to the literature on the relationship between mentoring and employees' job satisfaction.Originality/valueConsidering the potential cascading effect that a good relationship can have on subordinates' job satisfaction, the paper shows that previous researches may have underestimated the impact of mentoring on job satisfaction.
The value of historical nostalgia for marketing management
Authors: Marchegiani Christopher , Phau Ian 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of three levels of historical nostalgia on respondents' cognitions, attitude towards the advert, attitude toward the brand, and purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachA total of 292 respondents exposed to broadcast‐style advertising containing nostalgic cues completed a measure of historical nostalgia, a thought‐collection exercise, and measures of attitudes and intention. Hypotheses are tested using ANOVA and other relevant analyses.FindingsThe findings show that historical nostalgic thoughts and the valence of cognitive reactions significantly improve when respondents experience a moderate or high level of historical nostalgia compared with a low level. However, no significant benefit is evident when moving from a moderate to a high level. Brand and message‐related thoughts did not significantly change. Attitude towards the brand is significantly improved only if respondents reach a high level of historical reaction. Attitudes towards the advert and purchase intentions however continue to significantly improve at each increasing level of historical nostalgia.Practical implicationsIncreased predictive capabilities of managers utilising historical nostalgia in the marketplace are achieved, specifically relating to consumers experiencing varying levels of historical nostalgia and the expected cognitive, attitudinal and purchase intent reactions. The study provides relevant implications for advertisers and creative directors to ensure the appropriate intensity of historical nostalgia is elicited.Originality/valueNo prior empirical studies on the effect of varying levels of historical nostalgia on consumer responses have been conducted. This is the first paper to close this gap.
Industrial sales lead conversion modeling
Authors: Monat Jamie P. 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThis paper seeks to develop a theory and a practical qualitative modeling tool that accurately predicts the probability that an industrial sales lead will convert to a booking based on observable lead characteristics and one that can be used by a typical sales manager.Design/methodology/approachPast lead characterization models were reviewed and gaps and weaknesses examined. A qualitative model of lead characterization and qualification was then developed based upon the determinants of customer purchase decisions.FindingsIn total, 16 commonly available lead characteristics that represent proxies for the eight determinants of industrial customer purchase decisions were identified. These were adapted to a scoring model that enables sales and marketing personnel to assess the probability that a lead will convert to a booking.Research limitations/implicationsDifferent companies use different criteria and different weighting factors for making purchase decisions; therefore, no single quantitative lead characterization model will be accurate for all companies. The proposed model has not yet been formally field validated, but that is planned for future work.Practical implicationsThe qualitative model proposed herein is more comprehensive than previous models and should thus prove more accurate. This should prove useful to sales and marketing managers, who need to forecast bookings and sales, optimally allocate resources, and structure marketing and promotion efforts for maximum return.Originality/valueSeveral lead characterization models have been proposed in the past, but none are based upon sound theory and none have been field validated. Use of this work should significantly increase selling effectiveness as well as the accuracy of sales projections.
Electricity use trends in New Zealand office buildings, 1990‐2008
Authors: McDonagh John 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to determine trends in office building electricity use in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachThe research examined Property Council of New Zealand annual operating expense survey data for the period 1990‐2008 and identified trends in both electricity expense and consumption per square metre.FindingsElectricity consumption was surprisingly stable over the study period and electricity expenditure per square metre decreased in real terms until very recently. There were some significant differences in the level of consumption between different quality buildings and different locations but the trends were the same.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings revealed major problems in the accuracy and extent of electricity use data collected.Social implicationsGlobally the built environment has been assessed as accounting for 40 per cent of energy consumption. While New Zealand generates most of its electricity from sustainable hydroelectric sources, there are limited opportunities to expand such generation. As a result, the NZ government has been promoting energy efficiency as a means to reduce growth in electricity demand. Efficiency policies relating to office buildings have recently been proposed, but few benchmark figures are available on which to base such policies.Originality/valueLittle research of this nature has occurred in New Zealand previously and it is necessary to establish benchmarks against which improvements in the sustainability of buildings can be measured. It is also important to identify problems in data collection so that benchmarks are robust.
Asset management of social landlords based on value creation at neighbourhood level
Authors: van Overmeeren Arne , Gruis Vincent 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to explore an approach in which asset management strategies of housing associations are largely determined at neighbourhood level and in which the development of the market value is one of the key criteria.Design/methodology/approachThe paper discusses the characteristics of the existing asset management models and their drawbacks. It describes area‐based policies, and it argues how the neighbourhood level can be incorporated in asset management and why this also helps to solve some of the drawbacks of the portfolio‐based models derived from strategic business planning. This approach is illustrated with the practice of housing association Stadgenoot.FindingsIt is argued that asset management based on value creation at neighbourhood level has significant advantages above the “traditional” business planning approach and suggests some further directions for elaboration of this approach.Practical implicationsThis approach enables housing associations to improve their asset management strategies.Originality/valueThe paper presents a new view on asset management in response to traditional, top‐down, rational planning models.
Cooperation for competitiveness of emerging countries: learning from a case of nanotechnology
Authors: Momaya K. 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore a cooperation‐driven stage in the traditional framework of country competitiveness development and also suggest an approach to address pragmatic issues related to cooperation in the context, particularly, competitiveness evaluation and choice of partner country.Design/methodology/approachThe objectives of the research were achieved by a research design that leveraged quantitative tools with strength of case study research. Quantitative data for benchmarking were obtained from a carefully selected Country Competitiveness Report. For identifying criteria of competitiveness for success of a country (aka critical success factors CSF), content analysis of strategic reports from competitive countries was employed.FindingsCooperative strategies and flagship firms emerged to be CSFs that can drive investment needed for innovation and technology development, the later stages in country competitiveness development framework. Evaluation of competitiveness can be quite difficult and resource‐intensive process, but can be improved with innovative mix of different approaches and tools. With quite consistent and effective results in one more international context and a new industry, the assets‐processes‐performance (APP) framework of competitiveness can provide a simple, yet valuable approach with flexibility to adapt across levels and contexts, a vital need.Practical implicationsCompetitiveness leaders should review cooperation processes and performance. They should evolve strategies to leverage cooperation on relevant dimensions.Originality/valueA key contribution of this paper is proposing a vital cooperation‐driven stage for country competitiveness and operationlizing it using three major frameworks of competitiveness in a practical and useful context of nanotechnology, when many countries are evolving their strategies for such industries. An approach is tested to simplify evaluation of competitiveness in a difficult context of emerging industries. It can help leadership take more informed critical decisions about competitiveness and assess their impact for enhancing desired impacts of the decisions. For the purpose, comparing three alternatives, the author extends the APP framework with strategy concept of CSF to enhance its flexibility, thus contributing to needs of effectiveness and simplicity of emerging country context.
The early and rapid internationalization of Asian emerging MNEs
Authors: Chang Juichuan 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated framework that conceptualizes multifaceted antecedents pertaining to international expansion of Asian emerging multinational enterprise (MNEs) in relation to firm performance. The author argues that the accelerated process of Asian emerging MNEs internationalization appears to be a historically significant change in the way business is conducted.Design/methodology/approachThe paper tests how internationalization expansion path, geographic scope, industry and firm characteristics affect Asian emerging MNEs performance in a sample of 115 Asian MNEs over the period 2003‐2006.FindingsThe results indicate that an emerging MNE's institutional heritage and its own internationalization strategy are likely to create specific preference for operating in differing geographic regions. On the other hand, the results also indicate that domestic growth rate, global market growth rate and R&D investment influence the degree of internationalization of Asian emerging MNEs.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies may apply time series data and require additional empirical research using samples from other emerging markets such as Eastern European, Russia and South America. Addressing industry‐specific effects, and/or examine the influence of company characteristics would clearly add to this study.Originality/valueAsian merging MNEs have certain advantages over large developed country's MNEs, including greater flexibility, efficiency, quality and advantage‐seeking behavior, which allow an emerging multinational enterprise MNE to develop capabilities to succeed in the international markets.