bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling protected species distributions and habitats to inform siting and management of pioneering ocean industries: A case study for Gulf of Mexico aquaculture
Authors: Farmer Nicholas A. , Powell Jessica R. , Morris James A. , Soldevilla Melissa S. , Wickliffe Lisa C. , Jossart Jonathan A. , MacKay Jonathan K. , Randall Alyssa L. , Bath Gretchen E. , Ruvelas Penny , Gray Laura , Lee Jennifer , Piniak Wendy , Garrison Lance , Hardy Robert , Hart Kristen M. , Sasso Chris , Stokes Lesley , Riley Kenneth L.
Published: April 2022

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) provides a process that uses spatial data and models to evaluate environmental, social, economic, cultural, and management trade-offs when siting ocean industries. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food sector in the world. The U.S. has substantial opportunity for offshore aquaculture development given the size of its exclusive economic zone, habitat diversity, and variety of candidate species for cultivation. However, many protected species rely upon habitats that overlap with promising aquaculture areas. Siting surveys, farm construction, operations, and decommissioning can alter the habitat and behavior of animals in the vicinity of these activities. Vessel activity, underwater noise, and physical interactions between protected species and farms can potentially increase the risk of injury or cause direct mortality. In 2020, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico was identified as one of the first regions to be evaluated for offshore aquaculture opportunities as directed by a Presidential Executive Order. We developed a generalized scoring model for protected species data layers that captures vulnerability using species conservation status and demographic information. We applied this approach to data layers for eight species listed under the Endangered Species Act, including five species of sea turtles, Rice’s Whale, Smalltooth Sawfish, and Giant Manta Ray. We evaluated several methods for scoring (e.g., arithmetic mean, geometric mean, product, lowest scoring layer) and created a combined protected species data layer that was used within a multi-criteria decision-making modeling framework for MSP. The product approach for scoring provided the most logical ordering of and the greatest contrast in site suitability scores. This approach provides a transparent and repeatable method to identify aquaculture site alternatives with the least conflict with protected species. These modeling methods are transferable to other regions, to other sensitive or protected species, and for spatial planning for other ocean-uses.
Trypanosoma cruzi PARP is enriched in the nucleolus and is present in a thread connecting nuclei during mitosis
Authors: Kevorkian María Laura , Vilchez Larrea Salomé C. , Fernández Villamil Silvia H.
Published: April 2022

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is responsible for the synthesis of ADP-ribose polymers, which are involved in a wide range of cellular processes such as preservation of genome integrity, DNA damage signaling and repair, molecular switch between distinct cell death pathways and cell cycle progression. Previously, we demonstrated that the only PARP present in T. cruzi migrates to the nucleus upon genotoxic stimulus. In this work, we identify the N-terminal domain as being sufficient for TcPARP nuclear localization and describe for the first time that TcPARP is enriched in the parasite nucleolus. We also describe that TcPARP is present in a thread that connects two dividing nuclei and co-localizes with nucleolar material and microtubules. Furthermore, ADP-ribose polymers could also be detected in this wire during mitosis. These findings represent a first approach to new potential TcPARP functions inside the nucleus and will help understand its role well beyond the largely described DNA damage response protein in trypanosomatids.
The Streptococcus pyogenes hyaluronic acid capsule promotes experimental nasal and skin infection by preventing neutrophil-mediated clearance
Authors: Hurst Jacklyn R. , Shannon Blake A. , Craig Heather C. , Tuffs Stephen W. , McCormick John K.
Published: April 2022

Streptococcus pyogenes is a globally prominent human-specific pathogen responsible for an enormous burden of human illnesses, including >600 million pharyngeal and >100 million skin infections each year. Despite intensive efforts that focus on invasive indications, much remains unknown about this bacterium in its natural state during colonization of the nasopharynx and skin. Using acute experimental infection models in HLA-transgenic mice, we evaluated how the hyaluronic acid (HA) capsule contributes to S. pyogenes MGAS8232 infection within these limited biological niches. Herein, we demonstrate that HA capsule expression promotes bacterial burden in murine nasal turbinates and skin lesions by resisting neutrophil-mediated killing. HA capsule production is encoded by the hasABC operon and compared to wildtype S. pyogenes infections, mice infected with a ΔhasA mutant exhibited over a 1000-fold CFU reduction at 48-hours post­nasal challenge, and a 10,000-fold CFU reduction from skin lesions 72-hours post-skin challenge. HA capsule expression contributed substantially to skin lesion size development following subdermal inoculations. In the absence of capsule expression, S. pyogenes revealed drastically impeded growth in whole human blood and increased susceptibility to killing by isolated neutrophils ex vivo, highlighting its important role in resisting phagocytosis. Furthermore, we establish that neutrophil depletion in mice, but not macrophage depletion, recovered the reduced burden by the ΔhasA mutant in both the nasopharynx and skin. Together, this work confirms that the HA capsule is a key virulence determinant during acute infections by S. pyogenes and demonstrates that its predominant function is to protect S. pyogenes against neutrophil-mediated killing.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

Streptococcus pyogenes is a globally disseminated and human-adapted bacterial pathogen that has evolved an arsenal of evasion strategies to overcome and escape host immune clearing mechanisms. Many strains of S. pyogenes are covered by a polysaccharide capsule composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) that is widely recognized to promote severe infections. In this study, we demonstrate using the encapsulated S. pyogenes MGAS8232 strain that the HA capsule is a key virulence factor that facilitates non-invasive infections of the nasopharynx and skin. Although bacterial adhesion and entry into host cells was impeded by HA capsule expression, we show that the key function for both nasal and skin infections is to protect S. pyogenes from neutrophil-mediated killing. Depletion of neutrophils, but not macrophages, recovered the low bacterial burden by unencapsulated S. pyogenes at both sites of infection. Our findings outline an important interaction between the HA capsule and neutrophils in the establishment of acute upper respiratory and skin infections by S. pyogenes.
Restricting α-Synuclein Transport into Mitochondria by Inhibition of α-Synuclein-VDAC Complexation as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Parkinson’s Disease Treatment
Authors: Rajendran Megha , Queralt-Martín María , Gurnev Philip A. , Rosencrans William M. , Rovini Amandine , Jacobs Daniel , Abrantes Kaitlin , Hoogerheide David P. , Bezrukov Sergey M. , Rostovtseva Tatiana K.
Published: April 2022

Involvement of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is complicated and difficult to trace on cellular and molecular levels. Recently we established that αSyn can regulate mitochondrial function by voltage-activated complexation with the Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel (VDAC) of the outer mitochondrial membrane. When complexed with αSyn, the VDAC pore is partially blocked, reducing the transport of ATP/ADP and other metabolites. Further, αSyn can translocate into the mitochondria through VDAC, where it interferes with mitochondrial respiration. Recruitment of αSyn to the VDAC-containing lipid membrane appears to be a crucial prerequisite for both the blockage and translocation processes. Here we report an inhibitory effect of HK2p, a small membrane-binding peptide from the mitochondria-targeting N-terminus of hexokinase 2, on the αSyn membrane binding, and hence on αSyn complex formation with VDAC and translocation through it. In electrophysiology experiments, addition of HK2p at micromolar concentrations to the same side of the membrane as αSyn results in dramatic reduction of the frequency of blockage events in a concentration-dependent manner, reporting on complexation inhibition. Using two complementary methods of measuring protein-membrane binding, bilayer overtone analysis and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we found that HK2p induces detachment of αSyn from lipid membranes. Experiments with live HeLa cells using proximity ligation assay confirmed that HK2p impedes αSyn entry into mitochondria. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to regulate αSyn-VDAC complexation by a rationally designed peptide, thus suggesting new avenues in the search for peptide therapeutics to alleviate αSyn mitochondrial toxicity in PD and other synucleinopathies.
Visualizing Molecular Interactions that Determine Assembly of a Bullet-Shaped Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Particle
Authors: Jenni Simon , Horwitz Joshua A. , Bloyet Louis-Marie , Whelan Sean P.J. , Harrison Stephen C.
Published: April 2022

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a negative-strand RNA virus with a non-segmented genome, closely related to rabies virus. Both have characteristic bullet-like shapes. We report the structure of intact, infectious VSV particles determined by cryogenic electron microscopy. By compensating for polymorphism among viral particles with computational classification, we obtained a reconstruction of the shaft (“trunk”) at 3.5 Å resolution, with lower resolution for the rounded tip. The ribonucleoprotein (RNP), genomic RNA complexed with nucleoprotein (N), curls into a dome-like structure with about eight gradually expanding turns before transitioning into the regular helical trunk. Two layers of matrix (M) protein link the RNP with the membrane. Radial inter-layer subunit contacts are fixed within single RNA-N-M1-M2 modules, but flexible lateral and axial interactions allow assembly of polymorphic virions. Together with published structures of recombinant N in various states, our results suggest a mechanism for membrane- coupled self-assembly of VSV and its relatives.
Differential interactions of resting, activated, and desensitized states of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor with lipidic modulators
Authors: Zhuang Yuxuan , Noviello Colleen M , Hibbs Ryan E , Howard Rebecca J , Lindahl Erik
Published: April 2022

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel that modulates neuronal excitability, largely by allowing Ca2+ permeation. Agonist binding promotes transition from a resting state to an activated state, and then rapidly to a desensitized state. Recently, cryo-EM structures of the human α7 receptor in nanodiscs were reported in multiple conformations. These were selectively stabilized by inhibitory, activating, or potentiating compounds. However, the functional annotation of these structures, and their differential interactions with unresolved lipids and ligands, remain incomplete. Here, we characterized their ion permeation, membrane interactions, and ligand binding using computational electrophysiology, free-energy calculations, and coarse-grained molecular dynamics. In contrast to non-conductive structures in apparent resting and desensitized states, the structure determined in the presence of the potentiator PNU-120596 was consistent with an activated state permeable to Ca2+. Transition to this state was associated with compression and rearrangement of the membrane, particularly in the vicinity of the peripheral MX helix. An intersubunit transmembrane site was implicated in selective binding of either PNU-120596 in the activated state, or cholesterol in the desensitized state. This substantiates functional assignment of all three lipid-embedded α7-receptor structures with ion permeation simulations. It also proposes testable models of their state-dependent interactions with lipophilic ligands, including a mechanism for allosteric modulation at the transmembrane subunit interface.
Modeling and mechanical perturbations reveal how spatially regulated anchorage gives rise to spatially distinct mechanics across the mammalian spindle
Authors: Suresh Pooja , Galstyan Vahe , Phillips Rob , Dumont Sophie
Published: April 2022

During cell division, the spindle generates force to move chromosomes. In mammals, microtubule bundles called kinetochore-fibers (k-fibers) attach to and segregate chromosomes. To do so, k-fibers must be robustly anchored to the dynamic spindle. We previously developed microneedle manipulation to mechanically challenge k-fiber anchorage, and observed spatially distinct response features revealing the presence of heterogeneous anchorage (Suresh et al. 2020). How anchorage is precisely spatially regulated, and what forces are necessary and sufficient to recapitulate the k-fiber’s response to force remain unclear. Here, we develop a coarse-grained k-fiber model and combine with manipulation experiments to infer underlying anchorage using shape analysis. By systematically testing different anchorage schemes, we find that forces solely at k-fiber ends are sufficient to recapitulate unmanipulated k-fiber shapes, but not manipulated ones for which lateral anchorage over a 3 μm length scale near chromosomes is also essential. Such anchorage robustly preserves k-fiber orientation near chromosomes while allowing pivoting around poles. Anchorage over a shorter length scale cannot robustly restrict pivoting near chromosomes, while anchorage throughout the spindle obstructs pivoting at poles. Together, this work reveals how spatially regulated anchorage gives rise to spatially distinct mechanics in the mammalian spindle, which we propose are key for function.
Redox regulation of yeast Hsp70 modulates protein quality control while directly triggering an Hsf1-dependent cytoprotective response
Authors: Santiago Alec , Morano Kevin A.
Published: April 2022

Neurodegenerative disease affects millions of Americans every year, through diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases. One factor linked to formation of these aggregates is damage sustained to proteins by oxidative stress. Cellular protein homeostasis (proteostasis) relies on the ubiquitous Hsp70 chaperone family. Hsp70 activity has been previously shown to be modulated by modification of two key cysteines in the ATPase domain by oxidizing or thiol-modifying compounds. To investigate the biological consequences of cysteine modification on the Hsp70 Ssa1 in budding yeast, we generated cysteine null (cysteine to serine) and oxidomimetic (cysteine to aspartic acid) mutant variants of both C264 and C303 and demonstrate reduced ATP binding, hydrolysis and protein folding properties in both the oxidomimetic as well as hydrogen peroxide-treated Ssa1. In contrast, cysteine nullification rendered Ssa1 insensitive to oxidative inhibition. The oxidomimetic ssa1-2CD (C264D, C303D) allele was unable to function as the sole Ssa1 isoform in yeast cells and also exhibited dominant negative effects on cell growth and viability. Ssa1 binds to and represses Hsf1, the major transcription factor controlling the heat shock response, and the oxidomimetic Ssa1 failed to stably interact with Hsf1, resulting in constitutive activation of the heat shock response. Consistent with the in vitro findings, ssa1-2CD cells were compromised for de novo folding, post-stress protein refolding and in regulated degradation of a model terminally misfolded protein. Together these findings pinpoint Hsp70 as a key link between oxidative stress and proteostasis, information critical to understanding cytoprotective systems that prevent and manage cellular insults underlying complex disease states.
Chromatin interaction–aware gene regulatory modeling with graph attention networks
Authors: Karbalayghareh Alireza , Sahin Merve , Leslie Christina S.
Published: April 2022

Linking distal enhancers to genes and modeling their impact on target gene expression are longstanding unresolved problems in regulatory genomics and critical for interpreting noncoding genetic variation. Here, we present a new deep learning approach called GraphReg that exploits 3D interactions from chromosome conformation capture assays to predict gene expression from 1D epigenomic data or genomic DNA sequence. By using graph attention networks to exploit the connectivity of distal elements up to 2 Mb away in the genome, GraphReg more faithfully models gene regulation and more accurately predicts gene expression levels than the state-of-the-art deep learning methods for this task. Feature attribution used with GraphReg accurately identifies functional enhancers of genes, as validated by CRISPRi-FlowFISH and TAP-seq assays, outperforming both convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and the recently proposed activity-by-contact model. Sequence-based GraphReg also accurately predicts direct transcription factor (TF) targets as validated by CRISPRi TF knockout experiments via in silico ablation of TF binding motifs. GraphReg therefore represents an important advance in modeling the regulatory impact of epigenomic and sequence elements.
Relative contributions of sex hormones, sex chromosomes, and gonads to sex differences in tissue gene regulation
Authors: Blencowe Montgomery , Chen Xuqi , Zhao Yutian , Itoh Yuichiro , McQuillen Caden N. , Han Yanjie , Shou Benjamin L. , McClusky Rebecca , Reue Karen , Arnold Arthur P. , Yang Xia
Published: April 2022

Sex differences in physiology and disease in mammals result from the effects of three classes of factors that are inherently unequal in males and females: reversible (activational) effects of gonadal hormones, permanent (organizational) effects of gonadal hormones, and cell-autonomous effects of sex chromosomes, as well as genes driven by these classes of factors. Often, these factors act together to cause sex differences in specific phenotypes, but the relative contribution of each and the interactions among them remain unclear. Here, we used the four core genotypes (FCG) mouse model with or without hormone replacement to distinguish the effects of each class of sex-biasing factors on transcriptome regulation in liver and adipose tissues. We found that the activational hormone levels have the strongest influence on gene expression, followed by the organizational gonadal sex effect, and last, sex chromosomal effect, along with interactions among the three factors. Tissue specificity was prominent, with a major impact of estradiol on adipose tissue gene regulation and of testosterone on the liver transcriptome. The networks affected by the three sex-biasing factors include development, immunity and metabolism, and tissue-specific regulators were identified for these networks. Furthermore, the genes affected by individual sex-biasing factors and interactions among factors are associated with human disease traits such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease. Our study offers a tissue-specific account of the individual and interactive contributions of major sex-biasing factors to gene regulation that have broad impact on systemic metabolic, endocrine, and immune functions.
Long-read sequencing of 111 rice genomes reveals significantly larger pan-genomes
Authors: Zhang Fan , Xue Hongzhang , Dong Xiaorui , Li Min , Zheng Xiaoming , Li Zhikang , Xu Jianlong , Wang Wensheng , Wei Chaochun
Published: April 2022

The concept of pan-genome, which is the collection of all genomes from a population, has shown a great potential in genomics study, especially for crop sciences. The rice pan-genome constructed from the second-generation sequencing (SGS) data is about 270 Mb larger than Nipponbare, the rice reference genome (NipRG), but it is still disadvantaged by incompleteness and loss of genomic contexts. The third-generation sequencing (TGS) with long reads can help to construct better pan-genomes. In this paper, we report a high-quality rice pan-genome construction method by introducing a series of new steps to deal with the long-read data, including unmapped sequence block filtering, redundancy removing, and sequence block elongating. Compared to NipRG, the long-read sequencing-based pan-genome constructed from 105 rice accessions, which contains 604 Mb novel sequences, is much more comprehensive than the one constructed from ∼3000 rice genomes sequenced with short reads. The repetitive sequences are the main components of novel sequences, which partially explain the differences between the pan-genomes based on TGS and SGS. Adding six wild rice accessions, there are about 879 Mb novel sequences and 19,000 novel genes in the rice pan-genome in total. In addition, we have created high-quality reference genomes for all representative rice populations, including five gapless reference genomes. This study has made significant progress in our understanding of the rice pan-genome, and this pan-genome construction method for long-read data can be applied to accelerate a broad range of genomics studies.
Service guarantees in an e-commerce platform: proposition of a framework based on customers' expectations, negative experiences and behavioural responses
Authors: Oliveira Alessandro Silva de , Souki Gustavo Quiroga , Silva Dirceu da , Rezende Daniel Carvalho de , Batinga Georgiana Luna
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Companies' relationship with their customers through e-commerce platforms has increased considerably in the past few years, bringing new challenges concerning service guarantees (SG). This study aims to propose a framework of the relations between customers' expectations on SG, their negative experiences and their attitudes and behavioural intentions towards an e-commerce platform.

Design/methodology/approach

The research had a qualitative and descriptive approach. Testimonials from clients of an online e-commerce platform were obtained through interviews via videoconference and non-participant observation on a complaints website in Brazil. The testimonies were analysed through content analysis.

Findings

The customer expectations regarding the SG offered by the e-commerce platform are congruent with the five categories of the theory that support this research. Customer testimonials on the complaints site show that their negative experiences with the e-commerce platform generated negative emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses towards the company. A framework was proposed, including customers' expectations regarding SG, their negative experiences and their repercussions on clients' attitudes and behavioural intentions.

Originality/value

This article is the only that contemplates customers' expectations about SG in an e-commerce platform, relating them to attitudes and behavioural intentions. Thus, its framework demonstrates the relationships between customer expectations about SGs, their negative experiences and attitudinal and behavioural repercussions. This article brings academic and managerial contributions for companies and managers of e-commerce platforms. It contributes to clients and consumer protection associations by revealing problems they face with SG on e-commerce platforms. This research can be used by those responsible for elaborating laws and public policies to regulate and inspect the relationships between e-commerce platforms and their customers.
Further evolving the critical incident technique (CIT) by applying different contemporary approaches for analyzing qualitative data in CIT studies
Authors: Watkins Karen E. , Ellinger Andrea D. , Suh Boyung , Brenes-Dawsey Joseph C. , Oliver Lisa C.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The critical incident technique (CIT) is widely used in many disciplines; however, scholars have acknowledged challenges associated with analyzing qualitative data when using this technique. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to address the data analysis issues that have been raised by introducing some different contemporary ways of analyzing qualitative critical incident data drawn from recent dissertations conducted in the human resource development (HRD) field.

Design/methodology/approach

This article describes and illustrates different contemporary qualitative re-storying and cross-incident analysis approaches with examples drawn from previously and recently conducted qualitative HRD dissertations that have used the CIT.

Findings

Qualitative CIT analysis comprises two processes: re-storying and cross-incident analysis. The narrative inquiry–based re-storying approaches the authors illustrate include poetic narrative and dramatic emplotting. The analytical approaches we illustrate for cross-incident analysis include thematic assertion, grounded theory, and post-structural analysis/assemblages. The use of the aforementioned approaches offers researchers contemporary tools that can deepen meaning and understanding of qualitative CIT data, which address challenges that have been acknowledged regarding the difficulty of analyzing CIT data.

Research limitations/implications

The different contemporary qualitative approaches that we have introduced and illustrated in this study provide researchers using the CIT with additional tools to address the challenges of analyzing qualitative CIT data, specifically with regard to data reduction of lengthy narrative transcripts through re-storying as well as cross-incident analyses that can substantially deepen meaning, as well as build new theory and problematize the data through existing theory.

Practical implications

A strength of the CIT is its focus on actual events that have occurred from which reasoning, behaviors, and decision-making can be examined to develop more informed practices.

Originality/value

The CIT is a very popular and flexible method for collecting data that is widely used in many disciplines. However, data analysis can be especially difficult given the volume of narrative qualitative data that can result from data collection. This paper describes and illustrates different contemporary approaches analyzing qualitative CIT data, specifically the processes of re-storying and cross-incident analysis, to address these concerns in the literature as well as to enhance and further evolve the use of the CIT method.
Barriers and reliability of patient experience evaluation in Ontario: perspectives of healthcare providers, managers, and policymakers
Authors: Zakkar Moutasem A. , Janes Craig , Meyer Samantha
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Patient experience (PE) evaluation can identify critical issues in healthcare quality. Various methods are used for PE evaluation in the healthcare system in Ontario; however, evidence suggests that PE evaluation is not systematically performed and has not received substantial buy-in from healthcare providers. This study explores the perspectives of healthcare providers, managers and policymakers in Ontario on PE evaluation methods, barriers, utility and reliability.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a qualitative descriptive design. Twenty-one semistructured interviews were conducted with healthcare providers, managers and policymakers in Ontario between April 2018 and May 2019. The authors used thematic analysis to analyze the data. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research quality criteria were used.

Findings

Barriers to PE evaluation include evaluation cost and the time and effort required to collect and analyze the data. Several factors affect the reliability of the evaluation, resulting in an unrealistically high level of patient satisfaction. These include the inclusivity of evaluation, the subjective nature of patient feedback, patients' concerns about health service continuity and the anonymity of evaluation. Participants were skeptical about the meaningfulness of evaluation because it may only yield general information that cannot be acted upon by healthcare providers, managers and policymakers for quality improvement.

Originality/value

This paper reveals that many healthcare providers, managers and policymakers do not see a tangible value in PE evaluation, regardless of Ontario's patient-centeredness and “patient first” rhetoric. An improvement in evaluation methods and a cultural change in the healthcare system regarding the value of PE are required to foster a better appreciation of the benefits of PE evaluation.
How university students are taught about sustainability, and how they want to be taught: the importance of the hidden curriculum
Authors: Turner Lucy Millicent , Hegde Smitha , Karunasagar Indrani , Turner Rebecca
Published: April 2022

Purpose

India is unique, having enshrined in law the teaching of sustainability education (SE) within all levels of formal education. This study aims to examine the integration and perceptions of SE within the higher education (HE) sector in India and identify any lessons that can be exported about the teaching of SE from the Indian HE environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Focusing on a science-based teaching and research institute at a private university in India, a quantitative, cross-sectional study examined the extent to which SE was integrated into the university and how it was perceived by students and staff. Data were collected through two online questionnaires administered to lecturers and undergraduate students during the 2017 academic year.

Findings

Most students reported that their university experiences had contributed significantly to their knowledge about sustainability. Results also showed there was a positive association between the teaching and learning about sustainability, although staff and students reported that this could be improved by including more active, student-centred teaching and learning approaches. However, students felt that they had learnt the most about sustainability from the informal “hidden” rather than the “formal” curriculum. This suggests that research is now required into ways to capitalise on this as a medium to further develop, not just Indian, but students’ worldwide sustainability literacy.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to present a detailed study of the perceptions of the contribution of the “formal” and the informal “hidden” curriculum to SE by students and staff at an Indian university.
Consumers' willingness to share digital footprints on social media: the role of affective trust
Authors: Muhammad Syed Sardar , Dey Bidit Lal , Syed Alwi Sharifah Faridah , Kamal Muhammad Mustafa , Asaad Yousra
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Despite consumers' widespread use of social media platforms, there is scant research on the underlying factors that influence their willingness to share digital footprints on social media. The purpose of this study is to address this research gap by examining consumers' cognitive and affective attitudes simultaneously.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used quantitative method by using online survey administered to a sample of 733 social media users.

Findings

The findings indicate both cognitive and affective attitudes jointly influence consumers' behavioural intentions with trust as a key construct mediating the relationship between attitudinal antecedents and consumers' willingness to share digital footprints on social media.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the information systems (IS) literature by offering a comprehensive framework constituting the joint attitudinal components as antecedents to consumers' behavioural intention for sharing digital footprints while trust works as a mediator.

Practical implications

This paper has important managerial implications. It helps marketers and IS managers in profiling consumers, understanding consumption patterns, sharing of digital footprints, which are useful for effective market segmentation, product development and future design of social media platforms. It informs social media providers of the importance of not only focussing on functional aspects but also underscores the essence of paying attention to consumers' affect towards social media platforms, especially trust.

Originality/value

The paper presents an original framework that explains the influence of joint attitudinal components on behavioural intention, with trust as a mediator.
A review of business model research: what next for industrial marketing scholarship?
Authors: Coombes Philip
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a bibliometric analysis of the evolution and structure of business model research in industrial marketing scholarship during the period between 2011 and 2020 and to discuss potential directions for future empirical research.

Design/methodology/approach

Bibliometric methodologies are deployed to objectively evaluate the business model research that has made the most impact within industrial marketing scholarship as well as the prominent scholars and key topics driving the discipline at points in time.

Findings

The findings demonstrate the formative but increasing engagement that industrial marketing scholarship has had with business model literature and the limited but increasing degree that business models have influenced industrial marketing literature. Potential directions for the empirical development of business model literature are argued to lie in the areas of collaboration and coopetition by examining the notion of value within the relationships, interactions and/or networks evidenced in European seaports business models.

Research limitations/implications

Bibliometric analysis is retrospective in nature so developments in the literature appear only after some time has elapsed. Different keyword selection when formulating search strings for sampling may have brought some deviations in the analysis.

Originality/value

Research that investigates the link between business models and industrial marketing is still scarce. This paper is among the few that analyze objectively the evolution and structure of business model literature in industrial marketing scholarship from a longitudinal perspective with a particular emphasis on the period between 2011 and 2020.
Integrating Syrian refugee workers in global supply chains: creating opportunities for stable trade
Authors: Cole Rosanna , Al-Ma'aitah Noor , Al Hasan Rima
Published: April 2022

Purpose

This paper presents an empirical study of a Syrian refugee workforce in textile export from Jordan. The purpose of this study is to determine the challenges of integrating Syrian refugees into the local workforce and to consider the implications of these challenges for the global supply chain aiming to create stable trade.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via three face-to-face focus group interviews with refugee workers and managers at a clothing factory site in Al-Duleil, Zarqa. Data were analysed using the Gioia methodology.

Findings

Worker attitudes, factory environment, and government support are important factors for refugees' workforce participation. The success of integrating Syrian refugees into the Jordanian workforce was largely a matter of their attitudes, commitment and motivations for taking up manufacturing work. Misconceptions about the roles refugees will undertake were identified, which results in fewer people becoming self-sufficient through employment.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to understanding refugees' long-term integration in the host country by investigating refugee workers' and their managers' perspectives. Considering the views of multiple stakeholders enrichs the literature on refugees' integration.

Social implications

Understanding refugees' perspectives facilitates their integration in the host country which leads to improvement in their wellbeing and quality of life. More broadly, Jordan's approach to integrating refugees into the economy is seen as a development opportunity rather than a crisis to be handled.

Originality/value

Rather than focus on the procedures of integrating refugees in the host country, this study provides the voices of refugee migrant workers themselves, thereby offering a more complete picture of those factors shaping refugees' (dis)integration in local communities.
How can leaders help? A mediated moderation influence of leader consideration and structure initiation on employee learning from work failures
Authors: Zhou Qiwei , Mao Jih-Yu , Xiang Shuting , Huang Ran , Liu Bowei
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Encountering work failures is not uncommon for employees. Employee learning from work failures is critical to knowledge management and employee development. This study aims to examine leaders’ role in facilitating employee learning from work failures.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-wave survey featuring full-time employees in China was conducted to test the hypotheses. Linear regression analyses were adopted.

Findings

Leader consideration and leader structure initiation are positively related to employee learning from work failures. Leader structure initiation strengthens the positive relationship between leader consideration and employee learning from work failures. Employee intrinsic motivation mediates the interactive effect of leader consideration and leader structure initiation on employee learning from work failures, such that leader structure initiation strengthens the positive relationship between leader consideration and employee learning from work failures through employee intrinsic motivation.

Originality/value

Despite the importance of employee learning from work failures, little is known about leaders’ role in facilitating such behavior. Whereas leader consideration and structure initiation are distinct and sometimes even competing, this study suggests that they complement each other to exert positive influences on employee learning from work failures. In addition, this study identifies an underlying influence mechanism.
Exploring the leadership development journey of SME owner-managers
Authors: Vuhuong Jen , Edwards Gareth
Published: April 2022

Purpose

This research aimed to investigate influences on and opinions of leadership development in small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business owner-managers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to respond to the research question – How do SMEs’ founder-owner-managers develop their leadership over time?

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies a history narrative qualitative method to explore the leadership development journey of SMEs’ founder-owner-managers throughout their lifetime. Fifteen founder-owner-managers were interviewed.

Findings

Five main themes emerge reflecting a social contextual process starting from early childhood: (1) the dominant influence of parents on leadership qualities and behaviours; (2) the importance of sports activities in shaping leadership qualities and identities; (3) the dominant influence of role models especially bad role models on leadership perceptions and behaviours; (4) the importance of self-learning, experimentation and self-reflection in developing entrepreneurship capability and (5) the importance of community-based social networks in gaining support and practicing leadership capability.

Originality/value

The originality of this research lies within the methodology used whereby a history narrative qualitative method is employed to develop data for analysis purposes. Using this methodology, this study contributes to a broader understanding of SMEs’ founder-owner-managers’ leadership development journey by taking a more expansive view to explore the development process throughout their lifetime.
Some recent developments and testing strategies relating to the passive fire protection of concrete using intumescent coatings: a review
Authors: Ghiji Matt , Joseph Paul , Guerrieri Maurice
Published: April 2022

Purpose

In the present article, the authors have conducted a review on some of the recent developments given in the literature pertaining to the passive protection of concrete structures using intumescent coatings. Here, the main thrust is placed on the spalling phenomenon of concrete elements when exposed to elevated temperatures and fires.

Design/methodology/approach

In this context, it has been long established that prolonged thermal insult on concrete members will lead to egress of water, both physically bound as well as those present as water of hydration within the concrete matrix, in the form of steam through microchannels and associated pathways of least resistance, often resulting in the flaking of the surface of the structure. The latter process can ultimately lead to the exposure of the ferrous-based reenforcement elements, for instance, to higher temperatures, thus inducing melting. This, in turn, can result in substantial loss of strength and load-bearing capacity of the structural element that is already undergoing disintegration of its base matrix owing to heat/fire. Even though spalling of concrete structures has long been recognized as a serious problem that can often lead to catastrophic failure of infrastructures, such as buildings, bridges and tunnels, the utility of intumescent coating as a mitigation strategy is relatively new and has not been explored to its fullest possible extent. Therefore, in the latter parts of the review, the authors have endeavored to discuss the different types of intumescent coatings, their modes of actions and, in particular, their wider applicability in terms of protecting concrete elements from detrimental effects of severe or explosive spalling.

Findings

Given that spalling of concrete components is still a very serious issue that can result in loss of lives and destruction of critical infrastructures, there is an urgent need to formulate better mitigating strategies, through novel means and methods. The use of the intumescent coating in this context appears to be a promising way forward but is one that seems to be little explored so far. Therefore, a more systematic investigation is highly warranted in this area, especially, as the authors envisage a greater activity in the building and commissioning of more infrastructures worldwide incommensurate with augmented economic activities during the post-COVID recovery period.

Originality/value

The authors have conducted a review on some of the recent developments given in the literature pertaining to the passive protection of concrete structures using intumescent coatings. The authors have also included the results from some recent tests carried out at the facilities using a newly commissioned state-of-the-art furnace.
The effect of mobile business simulation games in entrepreneurship education: a quasi-experiment
Authors: Chen JiaChun , Tang Liangziye , Tian Honghong , Ou Ruiqiu , Wang Jingan , Chen Quan
Published: April 2022

Purpose

During the current global epidemic, e-learning and mobile learning have been rapidly developed in the field of entrepreneurship education. The effect of these learning methods remains to be confirmed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of mobile business simulation games in entrepreneurship education.

Design/methodology/approach

From May 2020 to July 2020, the authors adopted a quasi-experimental design to explore the effect of mobile business simulation games in entrepreneurship education. The authors set up an experimental group to participate in mobile business simulation games, with a total of 105 students, and set up a control group of 100 students. At the beginning and end of the experiment, data on entrepreneurial attitude, self-efficacy, entrepreneurial intention and other related variables were collected. Paired sampleT-test and regression analysis were used to analyze the results.

Findings

The authors found that mobile business simulation games can improve entrepreneurial attitudes and self-efficacy, but cannot change entrepreneurial intentions. The paired sampleT-test in the experimental group showed that the entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial self-efficacy of the participants were significantly improved, but the entrepreneurial intention did not change significantly. The above three variables did not change significantly in the control group. The research results also show that flow experience is very important in mobile business simulation games, which can improve entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial self-efficacy.

Originality/value

The authors’ findings confirm the positive effects of mobile business simulation games in entrepreneurship education, which can improve entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. But the disadvantage of mobile business simulation games is that they cannot increase entrepreneurial intention. In addition, the flow experience needs to be valued in mobile business simulation games. The research in this paper has implications for how mobile learning can be used in entrepreneurship education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, research is of great value on how mobile business simulation games can be improved.
Assessing corporate response to climate change: evidence from India
Authors: Kumar Lekshmi , Aggarwal Ashish
Published: April 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the reported awareness and response of Indian corporates to climate change and explores how and why the approaches vary with ownership and industry types. The paper also evaluates whether companies' financial and climate performances are correlated.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected data from the sustainability/integrated reports, websites and carbon disclosure project (CDP) responses of top-60 companies from the 2019 Fortune India 500 list against 52 indicators designed for the purpose. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA analyses, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and linear correlations of climate responses with annual revenue and profitability were carried out.

Findings

Private sector firms outperform public sector companies, and manufacturing industries surpass services industries. Organizations disclosing to CDP and detailing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and SDG-13 in their reports score significantly higher (at 5%) than their counterparts. The number of positive responses is positively correlated to the revenue and profitability of the companies. EFA indicated the presence of two underlying factors responsible for the observed variances.

Practical implications

Businesses constitute an essential driver of growth in large economies and hence are critical for addressing the issue of climate change. The study underlines the role played by the private sector in mitigating climate change and its impacts.

Originality/value

This is among the first studies that comprehensively evaluate the climate responses of Indian corporates. The current study is also among the foremost studies in the Indian context that identify the underlying factors behind the observed variances and explore correlations between financial and climate performances.