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The identification of genes that confer either extension of life span or accelerate age-related decline was a step forward in understanding the mechanisms of aging and revealed that it is partially controlled by genetics and transcriptional programs. Here, we discovered that the human DNA sequence C16ORF70 encodes a protein, named MYTHO (macroautophagy and youth optimizer), which controls life span and health span. MYTHO protein is conserved from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans and its mRNA was upregulated in aged mice and elderly people. Deletion of the orthologous myt-1 gene in C. elegans dramatically shortened life span and decreased animal survival upon exposure to oxidative stress. Mechanistically, MYTHO is required for autophagy likely because it acts as a scaffold that binds WIPI2 and BCAS3 to recruit and assemble the conjugation system at the phagophore, the nascent autophagosome. We conclude that MYTHO is a transcriptionally regulated initiator of autophagy that is central in promoting stress resistance and healthy aging., Introduction In nature, organisms are continuously exposed to environmental stresses that challenge their survival. The species that quickly and efficiently adapt to hostile conditions are positively selected. This response is [...]

In management research, fixed alpha levels in statistical testing are ubiquitous. However, in highly powered studies, they can lead to Lindley's paradox, a situation where the null hypothesis is rejected despite evidence in the test actually supporting it. We propose a sample-size-dependent alpha level that combines the benefits of both frequentist and Bayesian statistics, enabling strict hypothesis testing with known error rates while also quantifying the evidence for a hypothesis. We offer actionable guidelines of how to implement the sample-size-dependent alpha in practice and provide an R-package and web app to implement our method for regression models. By using this approach, researchers can avoid mindless defaults and instead justify alpha as a function of sample size, thus improving the reliability of statistical analysis in management research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review 10 years of research published in the Strategic Management Journal (SMJ) and find the wide use of log-transformed dependent variables (LTDVs) to be based on statistical myths, with possible detrimental effects for the validity of research findings. We find that many researchers use LTDVs for the wrong reasons, and very often in a way that is misaligned with the hypothesis they intend to examine. Researchers also appear unaware of the severe shortcomings of LTDVs. Using LTDVs implies estimating an exponential model, which represents a non-linear relationship. We identify three myths that are widely followed by researchers: (1) LTDVs should be used to make distributions more normal; (2) linear hypotheses can be tested with LTDVs; and (3) LTDVs are the best way to estimate an exponential model. We call on researchers to exhibit caution when planning to use LTDVs and recommend instead the use of generalized linear models (GLMs) with quasi-maximum likelihood estimation. The superiority of GLMs is demonstrated by two empirical examples from recently published studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many outcomes of interest to management and strategy researchers are in the form of fractions, proportions, or percentages. We review 10 years of research in seven leading strategy and management journals. Instead of implementing best-practice techniques, such as fractional logistic regression, management scholars rely primarily on linear regression, log-odds regression, or the Tobit model. Following up on our review, we present re-estimations of two published papers to show how best-practice methods yield substantially different results than the most commonly used methods. Using simulations, we confirm the results from the reproduced examples in a broader context. Finally, we present a worked example that researchers can lean on when they deal with fractional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments have long been the gold standard in studies of organizational topics such as ethnic discrimination in recruitment. The recent use of survey experiments, also known as experimental vignettes, suggests that some researchers believe that survey experiments could be used as an alternative to field experiments. In this study we put this notion to the test. We perform a field experiment followed by two survey experiments on ethnic discrimination in recruitment. While the results of our field experiment are consistent with previous evidence on discrimination, one survey experiment concludes no difference between native and immigrant employees while another concludes positive discrimination. These results should invoke caution in researchers wanting to investigate organizational topics using survey experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]