bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous transcriptome and proteome profiling in a single mouse oocyte with a deep single-cell multi-omics approach
Authors: Jiang Yi-Rong , Zhu Le , Cao Lan-Rui , Wu Qiong , Chen Jian-Bo , Wang Yu , Wu Jie , Zhang Tian-Yu , Wang Zhao-Lun , Guan Zhi-Ying , Xu Qin-Qin , Fan Qian-Xi , Shi Shao-Wen , Wang Hui-Feng , Pan Jian-Zhang , Fu Xu-Dong , Wang Yong-Cheng , Fang Qun
Published: August 2022

Nowadays, although single-cell multi-omics technologies are undergoing rapid development, simultaneous transcriptome and proteome analysis of a single-cell individual still faces great challenges. Here, we developed a single-cell simultaneous transcriptome and proteome (scSTAP) analysis platform based on microfluidics, high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry technology, to achieve deep and joint quantitative analysis of transcriptome and proteome at the single-cell level for the first time. This platform was applied to analyze single mouse oocytes at different meiotic maturation stages, reaching an average quantification depth of 19948 genes and 2663 protein groups in single mouse oocytes. This reliable quantitative two-omics dataset of single cells provided an important resource for understanding the relationship between the transcriptome and the proteome in cells. Based on the correlation analysis of RNAs and proteins in the same single cell, we demonstrated the expressive heterogeneity of transcriptome and proteome during the cellular biological process. Specially, we analyzed the meiosis regulatory network during oocyte maturation with an unprecedented depth at the single-cell level, and identified 30 transcript-protein pairs as specific oocyte maturational signatures, providing crucial insights into the regulatory features of transcription and translation during oocyte meiotic maturation.
Identification of divergent botulinum neurotoxin homologs in Paeniclostridium ghonii
Authors: Wei Xin , Wentz Travis , Lobb Briallen , Mansfield Michael , Zhen William , Tan Huagang , Wu Zijing , Pellett Sabine , Dong Min , Doxey Andrew C.
Published: August 2022

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most potent family of toxins known to science. Bioinformatic studies in recent years have revealed that they are members of a broader toxin family, with an increasing number of divergent homologs identified in genomes of organisms outside of the Clostridium genus. Here, we report the identification of two putative divergent BoNT-like homologs in the genomes of two strains of Paeniclostridium ghonii. We designated them PG-toxin 1 (PGT1) and PG-toxin 2 (PGT2), which share ~54% protein sequence identity. Unlike any other known BoNT homologs, PGT1 and PGT2 are composed of two separate subunits encoded on two neighboring genes: one encoding the protease domain (light chain, LC) with a conserved HExxH motif, and the second encoding the heavy-chain (HC) containing the putative translocation domain and receptor-binding domain. Phylogenetic analysis of both the LC and HC reveal that it is a divergent member of the lineage of BoNT that also includes BoNT/X, BoNT/En and the insecticidal PMP1. The gene clusters harboring PGT1 and PGT2 also include a putative insecticidal delta-endotoxin, Cry8Ea1, as well as putative endolysin and bacteriocin genes that may facilitate lytic toxin secretion, suggesting a possibility that this gene cluster might serve an insecticidal purpose.
The origin of internal genes contributes to the replication and transmission fitness of H7N9 avian influenza virus
Authors: James Joe , Bhat Sushant , Walsh Sarah K. , K. Karunarathna H. M. Thusitha. , Sadeyen Jean-Remy , Chang Pengxiang , Sealy Joshua E. , Mahmood Sahar , Mollett Benjamin C. , Slomka Marek J. , Brookes Sharon M. , Iqbal Munir
Published: August 2022

H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have donated internal gene segments during the emergence of zoonotic AIVs, including H7N9. We used reverse genetics to generate three reassortant viruses (2:6 H7N9) which contained the Haemagglutinin and Neuraminidase from Anhui/13 (H7N9) and the six internal gene segments from H9N2 AIVs of G1-like or BJ94-like lineages enzootic in different geographic regions in Asia. Infection of chickens with the 2:6 H7N9 containing internal gene segments from G1-like H9N2 conferred attenuation in vivo, with lower shedding and reduced transmission to contact chickens. However, possession of BJ94-like H9N2 internal gene segments resulted in more rapid transmission and significantly elevated cloacal shedding compared to the parental Anhui/13 H7N9. In vitro analysis also showed that the 2:6 H7N9 having BJ94-like internal genes had significantly increased replication compared to the Anhui/13 H7N9 in chicken cells. In vivo co-infection experiments followed, where chickens were co-infected with pairs of Anhui/13 H7N9 and one of each of the three 2:6 H7N9 reassortants. During ensuing transmission events, the Anhui/13 H7N9 virus outcompeted 2:6 H7N9 with internal gene segments of BJ94-like or G1-like H9N2 viruses. Co-infection did lead to the emergence of novel reassortant genotypes that were transmitted to contact chickens. Some of the reassortant viruses had a greater replication in chicken and human cells compared to the progenitors. We demonstrated that the internal gene cassette determines the transmission fitness of H7N9 viruses in chickens and the reassortment events can generate novel H7N9 genotypes with increased virulence in chickens and enhanced zoonotic potential.

Importance

H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are enzootic in poultry in different geographical regions. The internal genes of these viruses can be exchanged with other zoonotic AIVs, most notably the China-origin H7N9 that can give rise to new virus genotypes with increased veterinary, economic and public health threats to both poultry and humans. We investigated the propensity of the internal genes of H9N2 viruses (G1 or BJ94) in the generation of novel reassortant H7N9 AIVs. We observed that the internal genes of H7N9 which were derivative of BJ94-like H9N2 virus have a fitness advantage compared to those from the G1-like H9N2 viruses for efficient transmission among chickens. We also observed the generation of novel reassortant viruses during chicken transmission which infected and replicated efficiently in human cells. Therefore, such emergent reassortant genotypes may pose an elevated zoonotic threat.
Nitrite accumulation and the associated anammox bacteria niche partitioning in marine sediments
Authors: Zhao Rui , Babbin Andrew R. , Roerdink Desiree L. , Thorseth Ingunn H. , Jørgensen Steffen L.
Published: August 2022

By consuming ammonium and nitrite, anammox bacteria form an important functional guild in nitrogen cycling in many environments including marine sediments. Recent studies have shown that anammox bacteria can consume most of the upwardly diffusing ammonium from deep anoxic sediments; however, their impact on the other important substrate nitrite has not been well characterized. Here we show niche partitioning of two anammox families emerges in a 2.4-m long mostly anoxic sediment core retrieved from the Nordic Seas. We document high abundances (~106 cells g−1) of anammox bacteria in most investigated sediment layers, with two distinct anammox abundance maxima in two nitrite consumption zones. Between the two anammox abundance maxima, nitrite accumulates as observed in other marine sediment sites and aquatic environments, indicating anammox bacteria play a fundamental role in modulating the nitrite distribution. Anammox bacteria in the upper nitrite consumption zone are dominated by the Candidatus Bathyanammoxibiaceae family, while Ca. Scalinduaceae family dominate at the lower zone. A high-quality representative Ca. Bathyanammoxibiaceae genome is recovered, which, comparing to Ca. Scalindua sediminis, the representative of Scalinduaceae in marine sediments, has fewer high-affinity ammonium transporters and lacks the capacity to access alternative substrates or energy sources such as urea and cyanate. These features may restrict Ca. Bathyanammoxibiaceae to conditions of higher ammonium concentrations or fluxes, and therefore drive the observed niche partitioning. These findings improve our understanding about nitrogen cycling in marine sediments by revealing the association between nitrite accumulation and niche partitioning of anammox bacteria.
Dual inhibition of SHP2 and autophagy suppresses NF1-associated Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors
Authors: Farouk Sait Sameer , Tang Kwan-ho , Angus Steve , Brown Rebecca , Sun Daochun , Xie Xuanhua , Iltis Charlene , Lien Michelle , Socci Nicholas , Bale Tejus , Davis Christopher , Dixon Shelley A.H , Zhang Chi , Clapp D. Wade , Neel Benjamin G. , Parada Luis F.
Published: August 2022

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive sarcomas and the primary cause of mortality in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). MPNSTs develop within pre-existing benign plexiform neurofibromas (PNs). PNs are driven solely by biallelic NF1 loss eliciting RAS pathway activation and respond favorably to MEK inhibitor therapy. Our analysis of genetically engineered and orthotopic patient-derived xenograft MPNST indicates that MEK inhibition has poor anti-tumor efficacy. By contrast, upstream inhibition of RAS through the protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 reduced downstream signaling and suppressed NF1 MPNST growth, although resistance eventually emerged. To investigate possible mechanisms of acquired resistance, kinomic analyses of resistant tumors was performed, and data analysis identified enrichment of activated autophagy pathway protein kinases. Combining pharmacological blockade of autophagy and SHP2 inhibition resulted in durable responses in NF1 MPNSTs in both genetic and orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Our studies can be rapidly translated into a clinical trial to evaluate SHP2 inhibition in conjunction with autophagy inhibitors as a novel treatment approach for NF1 MPNSTs.

Statement of significance

Currently, no effective therapies exist for MPNST. We demonstrate intrinsic MPNST resistance to MEKi monotherapy and identify SHP2 inhibition as an actionable vulnerability upstream of RAS. Furthermore, anti-tumor effects are extended and enhanced by dual exposure to autophagy pathway inhibition. Validation of these results as the most effective therapy to date in multiple genetically engineered models and in orthotopic patient-derived xenografts justify a clinical trial to evaluate SHP2i in conjunction with autophagy inhibitors as a novel treatment approach for NF1 MPNSTs.
The two enantiomers of 2-hydroxyglutarate differentially regulate cytotoxic T cell function
Authors: Foskolou Iosifina P. , Cunha Pedro P , Minogue Eleanor , Nicolet Benoit P , Guislain Aurelie , Jorgensen Christian , Zandhuis Nordin D , Barbieri Laura , Bargiela David , Nathanael Demitris , Tyrakis Petros , Palazon Asis , Wolkers Monika C , Johnson Randall S
Published: August 2022

2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) is a by-product of the TCA cycle, and is readily detected in the tissues of healthy individuals. 2HG is found in two enantiomeric forms: S-2HG and R-2HG. Here, we investigate the differential roles of these two enantiomers in CD8+ T cell biology, where we found they had highly divergent effects on proliferation, differentiation, and T cell function. We show here an analysis of structural determinants that likely underlie these differential effects on specific a-ketoglutarate (aKG)-dependent enzymes. Treatment of CD8+ T cells with exogenous S-2HG, but not R-2HG, increased CD8+ T cell fitness in vivo, and enhanced anti-tumour activity. These data show that S-2HG and R-2HG should be considered as two distinct and important actors in the regulation of T cell function.
BCAA catabolism drives adipogenesis via an intermediate metabolite and promotes subcutaneous adipose tissue expansion during obesity
Authors: Shao Jing , Liu Yunxia , Zhang Xuejiao , Shu Le , Yu Jiayu , Yang Sa , Gao Chen , Wang Chenma , Cao Nancy , Zhou Meiyi , Chi Rui , Chen Mengping , Liu Chunliang , Wang Ji , Zhang Weiping , Liu Ruixin , Wang Jiqiu , Wang Weiqing , Ning Guang , Yang Xia , Wang Yibin , Sun Haipeng
Published: August 2022

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, including leucine, isoleucine, and valine) have emerged as major players in metabolic health and diseases, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we report that BCAA catabolism drives adipogenesis via an intermediate metabolite of leucine and promotes subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) expansion during obesity. Genetic analyses of humans and mice reveal that the BCAA catabolic pathway in WAT is strongly correlated with adipose physiology and obesity traits. Altering BCAA catabolism in mature adipocytes exerts minor effects on adiposity in mice. However, enhancing adipose BCAA catabolism via FABP4-Cre-mediated Bckdk deletion promotes diet-induced obesity while blocking adipose BCAA catabolism through Bckdha ablation does the opposite. Intriguingly, the catabolism of BCAAs elicits fat depot-specific responses and promotes sWAT extension and adipogenesis in a cell-autonomous manner. Mechanistically, BCAA catabolism drives adipocyte differentiation via an intermediate metabolite of leucine, which activates mTORC1 and polyamine synthesis from methionine to promote the expression of adipogenic master regulators. Together, these results demonstrate that BCAA catabolism promotes adipogenesis and sWAT expansion during obesity. The crosstalk between leucine and methionine metabolism driven by the catabolic intermediate highlights an unexpected regulatory role of amino acids in metabolic health and diseases.
Efficient meta-analysis of multivariate genome-wide association studies with Meta-MOSTest
Authors: Lin Aihua , Shadrin Alexey , van der Meer Dennis , Hindley Guy , Cheng Weiqiu , Sønderby Ida Elken , Bahrami Shahram , O’Connell Kevin S , Rahman Zillur , Parker Nadine , Smeland Olav B , Fan Chun C. , Holland Dominic , Dale Anders M , Andreassen Ole A , Frei Oleksandr
Published: August 2022

Motivation

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been successful in identifying genetic variants associated with a particular phenotype. However, many complex phenotypes are influenced by multiple genetic variants with small effects. Detecting the genetic pleiotropy can provide insights into biological mechanisms influencing complex human phenotypes. The recently developed Multivariate Omnibus Statistical Test (MOSTest) has proven to be efficient and powerful, suited for complex large-scale data. The method substantially increased discovery of genetic variants associated with brain MRI phenotypes in the UK Biobank compared to conventionally use multivariate approach. Here we extend the MOSTest to meta-analysis (Meta-MOSTest), facilitating data analysis of multiple phenotypes across multiple cohorts. We evaluated our updated approach in the UK Biobank using brain MRI phenotypes, by comparing the discovery yield of the single-cohort MOSTest versus Meta-MOSTest through simulating sub-cohorts of different sample sizes from 265 to 26501 subjects.

Results

Our method works efficiently on large-scale cohorts with a large number of MRI phenotypes. We found that lower per-cohort sample sizes resulted in a reduced discovery yield indicating a loss of statistical power. However, with a minimum sample size of 250 subjects across cohorts, Meta-MOSTest was equivalent to MOSTest on discovery yield while maintaining a well-calibrated type I error and equivalent statistical power. We conclude that Meta-MOSTest is a useful tool for multivariate analysis across separate brain imaging genetics cohorts.

Availability and implementation

All codes are freely available on GitHub: MOSTest and Meta-MOSTest.
Thermal modulation of skin friction at the fingertip
Authors: Filingeri Davide , Worsley Peter , Bader Dan , Martinez Daniel M. , Rykaczewski Konrad
Published: August 2022

Preliminary human studies show that reduced skin temperature minimises the risk of mechanically-induced skin damage. However, the mechanisms by which cooling enhances skin tolerance to pressure and shear remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that skin cooling below thermo-neutral conditions will decrease friction at the skin-material interface. To test our hypothesis, we measured the friction coefficient of a thermally pre-conditioned index finger sliding at a normal load (5N) across a plate maintained at three different temperatures (38, 24, and 16□). To quantify the temperature distribution of the skin tissue, we used 3D surface scanning and Optical Coherence Tomography to develop an anatomically-representative thermal model of the finger. Our data indicated that the sliding finger with thermally affected tissues (up to 8mm depth) experienced significantly (p<0.01) lower frictional forces at 16°C-plate temperature than at the 24°C [-23% (±19% SD)] and 38°C plate interactions [-35% (±11% SD)], respectively. This phenomenon occurred without changes in skin hydration during sliding. Accordingly, our experiments demonstrate thermal modulation of skin friction in the absence of skin-moisture effects. Our complementary experimental and theoretical results provide new insight into thermal modulation of skin friction that can be employed for developing thermal technologies to maintain skin integrity under mechanical loading.
Neural sequences in primate prefrontal cortex encode working memory in naturalistic environments
Authors: Roussy Megan , Busch Alexandra , Luna Rogelio , Leavitt Matthew L. , Mofrad Maryam H. , Gulli Roberto A. , Corrigan Benjamin , Mináč Ján , Sachs Adam J. , Palaniyappan Lena , Muller Lyle , Martinez-Trujillo Julio C.
Published: August 2022

Working memory is the ability to briefly remember and manipulate information after it becomes unavailable to the senses. The mechanisms supporting working memory coding in the primate brain remain controversial. Here we demonstrate that microcircuits in layers 2/3 of the primate lateral prefrontal cortex dynamically represent memory content in a naturalistic task through sequential activation of single neurons. We simultaneously recorded the activity of hundreds of neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex of macaque monkeys during a naturalistic visuospatial working memory task set in a virtual environment. We found that the sequential activation of single neurons encoded trajectories to target locations held in working memory. Neural sequences were not a mere successive activation of cells with memory fields at specific spatial locations, but an abstract representation of the subject’s trajectory to the target. Neural sequences were less correlated to target trajectories during perception and were not found during working memory tasks lacking the spatiotemporal structure of the naturalistic task. Finally, ketamine administration distorted neural sequences, selectively decreasing working memory performance. Our results indicate that neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex causally encode working memory in naturalistic conditions via complex and temporally precise activation patterns.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-[3-hydroxy-2-oxo-3-(2-oxopropyl)indolin-1-yl]acetamide
Authors: Nchioua Intissar , Alsubari Abdulsalam , Mague Joel T. , Ramli Youssef
Published: August 2022

The cup-shaped conformation of the title molecule, C21H22N2O4, is largely determined by an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, double layers of molecules are formed by O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds. A Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed, which confirms the regions that are active for intermolecular interactions.
Synthesis and crystal structure of ebastinium hydrogen fumarate
Authors: Priyanka Prabhakar , Jayanna Bidarur K. , Kiran Kumar Haruvegowda , Vinaya  , Divakara Thayamma R. , Yathirajan Hemmige S. , Parkin Sean
Published: August 2022

The structure of ebastinium hydrogen fumarate {systematic name: 1-[4-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-4-oxobutyl]-4-(diphenylmethoxy)piperidin-1-ium (E)-3-carboxy-1-hydroxyprop-2-en-1-olate}, C32H40NO2
+·C4H3O4
−, a 1:1 salt formed in the reaction between ebastine and fumaric acid is presented. All examined crystals were found to be twinned by pseudo-merohedry. The structure is extensively disordered, with over half (20 out of 35) its non-hydrogen atoms modelled as lying over two sets of sites. In the crystal, cation–anion pairs are linked by a strong N—H...O hydrogen bond [N...O = 2.697 (11) Å]. These units interact via weaker C—H...O and C—H...π contacts to form layers lying parallel to the bc plane. The hydrogen fumarate anions are linked by a very short O—H...O hydrogen bond [O...O = 2.5402 (17) Å], augmented by weak C—H...O contacts into pairs of R
2
2(6) ring motifs to form chains that extend parallel to the b-axis direction. Comparisons to similar crystal structures are presented.
Socio-cultural capital in the Arab workplace: wasta as a moderator of ethical idealism and work engagement
Authors: Stefanidis Abraham , Banai Moshe , Dagher Grace K.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study refines theory of social capital by nesting it within a cultural context. More specifically, it aims at describing, explaining, and predicting the role of wasta, a social capital concept, as a moderator in the relationship between employees' ethical idealism and work engagement in Lebanon.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a survey questionnaire translated from English into Arabic, 317 responses were collected from employees in Lebanon. Confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were employed to test the hypothesized relationships among the examined variables.

Findings

Ethical idealism was found to be positively related to work engagement, and wasta was found to moderate the relationship between ethical idealism and work engagement. Work engagement levels of employees who displayed high levels of ethical idealism were less influenced by the negative effect of wasta than work engagement levels of employees who displayed low levels of ethical idealism.

Practical implications

Human resource managers, international negotiators, and global executives in Lebanon may use the findings of this study to update corporate human resources systems, such as employee recruitment and selection, handbooks, orientation, training programs, and performance appraisal, to better address employee attitudes toward the practice of wasta.

Originality/value

The study adds ethical idealism as an antecedent of work engagement, demonstrating the significant impact that wasta, with its positive and negative characteristics, has on the engagement of employees from the Arab world.
Interrogating “entrepreneurship for development”: a counter-narrative based on local stories of women in rural Ethiopia
Authors: Cummings Sarah J.R. , Lopez Diana E.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

To interrogate the grand narrative of “entrepreneurship for development” that dominates international development circles, by applying a feminist critical discourse analysis that prioritizes women's situated experiences as local stories.

Design/methodology/approach

Two existing frameworks for analysing women's entrepreneurship, namely the 5M (Brush et al., 2009) and the 8M (Abuhussein and Koburtay, 2021) frameworks, are used to examine the local stories of women in rural Ethiopia to provide a counter-narrative to the grand narrative of “entrepreneurship for development”. The local stories are derived from 16 focus group discussions and 32 interviews.

Findings

The findings provide a counter-narrative to the grand narrative of “entrepreneurship for development”, evident in Ethiopia and in international development generally, while demonstrating larger structural issues at play. They challenge entrepreneurship's solely positive effects. While women recognize the benefits of having a business, particularly in terms of financial gains, empowerment and social recognition, they also highlight negative consequences, including uncertainty, concerns for their own personal safety, criticism, stress, limited social life and fear of indebtedness and poverty.

Practical implications

Policymakers, scholars and development professionals are urged to reflect on the limitations of “entrepreneurship for development” and to consider the negative effects that promoting an acritical grand narrative of entrepreneurship could have on women's lives.

Originality/value

The article advances an innovative partnership between feminist analysis and established women's entrepreneurship frameworks to contest dominant assumptions in the fields of entrepreneurship and international development studies. It adds to the limited empirical evidence on women's entrepreneurial activity in Ethiopia, tests the adequacy of the 5M and 8M frameworks in the rural low-income context of Ethiopia, and proposes a 7+M framework as an alternative to study rural women's entrepreneurship in low and middle income countries.
Leadership integrity and employees’ success: role of ethical leadership, psychological capital, and psychological empowerment
Authors: Yazdanshenas Mehdi , Mirzaei Mehdi
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effect of leadership integrity on employees’ success. In this regard, the mediating role of ethical leadership and the moderating role of psychological capital and psychological empowerment were considered as well.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is an applied research and a descriptive-correlation survey that used quantitative data. Data were collected from 302 employees of a large factory in Iran who was selected randomly. The research questionnaire consisted of 54 statements and was distributed among the sample. Data was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings of this study show that leader integrity and ethical leadership have a positive effect on employees’ success and psychological capital and psychological empowerment moderate these effects. Moreover, leader integrity has an indirect effect on employees` success through employees’ perception of ethical leadership.

Originality/value

This study mainly contributes by explaining two sets of variables related to leaders’ behavior and employees’ cognitive competence which are complementary in improving employees’ potential success. The results highlight that leaders’ behavioral integrity can amplify ethical leadership which can ultimately leads to employees’ success if they have a high psychological empowerment and psychological capital.
Establishing the interplay between lean operating and continuous improvement routines: a process view
Authors: Knol Wilfred H. , Lauche Kristina , Schouteten Roel L.J. , Slomp Jannes
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Building on the routine dynamics literature, this paper aims to expand our philosophical, practical and infrastructural understanding of implementing lean production. The authors provide a process view on the interplay between lean operating routines and continuous improvement (CI) routines and the roles of different actors in initiating and establishing these routines.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from interviews, observations and document analysis, retrospective comparative analyses of three embedded case studies on lean implementations provide a process understanding of enacting and patterning lean operating and CI routines in manufacturing SMEs.

Findings

Incorporating the “who” and “how” next to the “what” of practices and routines helps explain that rather than being implemented in isolation or even in conjunction with each other, sustainable lean practices and routines come about through team leader and employee enactment of the CI practices and routines. Neglecting these patterns aligned with unsustainable implementations.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed process model provides a valuable way to integrate variance and process streams of literature to better understand lean production implementations.

Practical implications

The process model helps manufacturing managers, policy makers, consultants and educators to reconsider their approach to implementing lean production or teaching how to do so.

Originality/value

Nuancing the existing lean implementation literature, the proposed process model shows that CI routines do not stem from implementing lean operating routines. Rather, the model highlights the importance of active engagement of actors at multiple organizational levels and strong connections between and across levels to change routines and work practices for implementing lean production.
Digital orientation, digital maturity, and digital intensity: determinants of financial success in digital transformation settings
Authors: Nasiri Mina , Saunila Minna , Ukko Juhani
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate three relevant antecedents of digital transformation (digital orientation, digital intensity and digital maturity) and their influences on the financial success of companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on the strategic management and digital transformation literature, five hypotheses are developed to find the relationships between these antecedents and financial success.

Findings

Digital orientation and digital intensity alone do not contribute to the financial success of companies. Specifically, digital intensity serves as a negative moderator between digital orientation and financial success, meaning that it reduces the performance effects of digital orientation. Digital maturity acts as a mediator between digital orientation and the financial success of companies and between digital intensity and the financial success of companies.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on strategic management and digital transformation by providing a further understanding of three relevant antecedents of digital transformation (digital orientation, digital intensity and digital maturity) and how they should be positioned alongside digital transformation settings to achieve financial success.
The impact of government subsidies on build-operate-transfer contract design for charging piles in circular economy
Authors: Ding Peiqi , Xia Weili , Zhao Zhiying , Li Xiang
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Build-operate-transfer (BOT) contracts are widely used in the construction and operation of charging piles for new energy vehicles worldwide and stipulate that governments grant charging pile operators franchises for a certain period of time to invest in the construction and operation of the charging piles. The charging piles are then transferred to governments when the concession expires. To encourage charging pile operators to build and operate charging piles, governments usually provide two kinds of subsidies, namely construction and operating subsidies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors establish a typical game model to study the optimal BOT contract between a government and a charging pile operator and their preferences for the two kinds of subsidies.

Findings

First, the authors show that there are substitution and complementarity effects between the concession period and the subsidy level. Second, the operator prefers the construction subsidy (operating subsidy) when the additional operating cost is low (high). The government prefers the operating subsidy (construction subsidy) when consumer sensitivity to the number of charging piles is low (high) and the concession period is short or long (moderate). Finally, the adjusted joint subsidy can not only improve social welfare but also that the charging pile operator can obtain the same profit as under the operating subsidy at a lower subsidy amount.

Originality/value

This work develops the first analytical model to study two subsidies in the construction and operation of charging piles and investigate the optimal BOT contract and subsidy preferences. The insights are compelling not only for the charging pile operator but also for policymakers in practice from a circular economy perspective.
The impact of eudaimonic well-being on experience and loyalty: a tourism context
Authors: Al-okaily Nour Salah , Alzboun Nidal , Alrawadieh Ziad , Slehat Muna
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The effects of travel motivation and emotional experience on both tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty are recognized and have been extensively researched as key factors in tourism success. However, the structural relationships between these factors, considering the mediating effects of eudaimonic well-being (optimal psychological functioning), have been scarcely investigated in the consumer tourist behaviors literature. This study aims to develop an integrated model explaining the impact of travel motivation and emotional experience on tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty, mediated by eudaimonic well-being in the realm of domestic tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey was conducted with 321 domestic tourists visiting Aqaba in Jordan; structural equation modeling was used to analyze the empirical data.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that both travel motivation and emotional experience have a direct effect on eudaimonic well-being and that eudaimonic well-being has a direct effect on both tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty. Additionally, travel motivation and emotional experience have significant indirect impacts on post-consumption behaviors mediated by eudaimonic well-being.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on consumer behavior in a tourism context by developing a fresh model that improves theoretical knowledge of the relationships between travel motivation, emotional experience and eudaimonic well-being, which underlie tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty formation. This study also advances theoretical understanding of the key roles of eudaimonic well-being in the tourist experience. Managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
The moderating role of eco-destination image in the travel motivations and ecotourism intention nexus
Authors: Chi Nguyen Thi Khanh , Pham Hanh
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study investigates the moderating effect of eco-destination image on the relationships between travel motivations and ecotourism intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs the convenience sampling method to develop a research sample, and the multivariate data analysis method to analyse the data of 435 valid observations collected in the structured questionnaire survey conducted in Vietnam.

Findings

The paper reports that the eco-destination image significantly strengthens the effects of four travel motives (i.e. excitement, escape, knowledge-seeking and self-development) on ecotourism intention. However, the moderating impact of eco-destination image on the link between socialising motive and ecotourism intention is insignificant.

Originality/value

This study is the first to shed light on the role of eco-destination image in strengthening the effects of travel motivations on ecotourism demand. The study provides a framework for segmenting promotion materials associated with destination image based on different types of customers' internal travel motivations. The framework includes four dimensions: (1) destination image reflecting enablers of excitement, (2) destination image reflecting enablers of escaping from daily life routine, (3) destination image reflecting enablers of knowledge-seeking and (4) destination image reflecting enablers of personal development.
Impact of auditor characteristics and Covid-19 Pandemic on KAMs reporting
Authors: Hegazy Mohamed Abdel Aziz , El-Haddad Rasha , Kamareldawla Noha Mahmoud
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how auditors’ characteristics affect key audit matters (KAMs) in the new audit report. It also provides an understanding of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on different audit reporting decisions and audit quality in specific industries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a survey based on actual audit case studies extracted from the management letters of clients in an audit firm with international affiliation to test the proposed hypotheses. Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests are conducted to analyze variance in responses among different groups of auditors regarding their selection of audit report sections required for each audit matter. The Wilcoxon signed rank test analyses difference in the auditors’ responses pre- and post-COVID-19 implications.

Findings

Most of the developed hypotheses were only partially accepted where industry specialization, professional qualifications of the auditors and the effects of COVID-19 had some effects on the ability of auditors to recognize and disclose KAMs. Auditor position is the most factor that significantly influenced the recognition of KAMs in the new audit report resulting in higher audit quality. This was specially the case with auditors specializing in manufacturing and financial institutions.

Originality/value

The current research illustrates that during the pandemic, auditors were more effective in recognizing KAMs compared to other audit matters, thus enhancing users’ confidence in both the audit and the financial reporting processes. The results are useful to regulators and auditors as they provide a better understanding of the factors that may impact communicating KAMs in the new audit report under COVID-19.
Machine vs human translation: a new reality or a threat to professional Arabic–English translators
Authors: Muftah Muneera
Published: August 2022

Purpose

How closely does the translation match the meaning of the reference has always been a key aspect of any machine translation (MT) service. Therefore, the primary goal of this research is to assess and compare translation adequacy in machine vs human translation (HT) from Arabic to English. The study looks into whether the MT product is adequate and more reliable than the HT. It also seeks to determine whether MT poses a real threat to professional Arabic–English translators.

Design/methodology/approach

Six different texts were chosen and translated from Arabic to English by two nonexpert undergraduate translation students as well as MT services, including Google Translate and Babylon Translation. The first system is free, whereas the second system is a fee-based service. Additionally, two expert translators developed a reference translation (RT) against which human and machine translations were compared and analyzed. Furthermore, the Sketch Engine software was utilized to examine the translations to determine if there is a significant difference between human and machine translations against the RT.

Findings

The findings indicated that when compared to the RT, there was no statistically significant difference between human and machine translations and that MTs were adequate translations. The human–machine relationship is mutually beneficial. However, MT will never be able to completely automated; rather, it will benefit rather than endanger humans. A translator who knows how to use MT will have an opportunity over those who are unfamiliar with the most up-to-date translation technology. As MTs improve, human translators may no longer be accurate translators, but rather editors and editing materials previously translated by machines.

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide valuable and practical implications for research in the field of MTs and for anyone interested in conducting MT research.

Originality/value

In general, this study is significant as it is a serious attempt at getting a better understanding of the efficiency of MT vs HT in translating the Arabic–English texts, and it will be beneficial for translators, students, educators as well as scholars in the field of translation.
Plant and microbial community composition jointly determine moorland multifunctionality
Authors: Sasaki Takehiro , Ishii Naohiro I. , Makishima Daichi , Sutou Rui , Goto Akihito , Kawai Yutaka , Taniguchi Hayami , Okano Kunihiro , Matsuo Ayumi , Lochner Alfred , Cesarz Simone , Suyama Yoshihisa , Hikosaka Kouki , Eisenhauer Nico
Published: August 2022

Understanding how ecosystem multifunctionality is maintained in naturally assembled communities is crucial, because human activities benefit from multiple functions and services of various ecosystems. However, the effects of above‐ and below‐ground biodiversity on ecosystem multifunctionality in alpine and boreal moorland ecosystems remain unclear despite their potential as global carbon sinks.

Here we evaluated how ecosystem multifunctionality related to primary production and carbon sequestration, which are crucial for global climate regulation, is maintained in natural systems. We disentangled the relationships between diversity and composition of plants and soil microbes (fungi and bacteria) and ecosystem multifunctionality in subalpine moorlands in northern Japan.

We found that microbial composition primarily regulated carbon sequestration, whereas plant taxonomic and functional composition were related to all functions considered. Plant and microbial α diversity (diversity within local communities) were not generally related to any single function, highlighting the important roles of specific plant and microbial taxa in determining ecosystem functioning. When single functions were aggregated to ecosystem multifunctionality within local communities, plant and microbial community composition rather than diversity regulated ecosystem multifunctionality. We further found that plant and bacterial taxonomic β diversity (taxonomic turnover between local communities) primarily regulated the dissimilarity of ecosystem multifunctionality between local communities.

Synthesis. We provide observational evidence that plant and microbial community composition rather than diversity are essential for sustaining subalpine moorland multifunctionality. Furthermore, plant and bacterial β diversity enhance the dissimilarity of moorland multifunctionality. Our study provides novel insights into biodiversity–ecosystem multifunctionality relationships occurring in nature, and helps to sustain desirable ecosystem functioning to human society.
Diet preferences based on sequence read count: The role of species interaction in tissue bias correction
Authors: Zhu Di , Wu Feng , Li Hailong , Wang Tianming , Bao Lei , Ge Jianping , Wang Hongfang
Published: August 2022

High‐throughput sequencing and metabarcoding techniques provide a unique opportunity to study predator–prey relationships. However, in animal dietary preference studies, how to properly correct tissue bias within the sequence read count and the role of interactions between co‐occurring species in metabarcoding mixtures remain largely unknown. In this study, we propose two categories of tissue bias correction indices: sequence read count number per unit tissue (SCN) and its ratio form (SCN ratio). By constructing plant mock communities with different numbers of co‐occurring species in metabarcoding mixtures and conducting feeding trails on captive sika deer (Cervus nippon), we demonstrate the features of the SCN and SCN ratio, evaluate their correction effects and assess the role of species interactions during tissue bias correction. Tissue differences between species are defined as the differential ability to generate sequence counts. Our study suggests that pure tissue differences among species without a species interaction is not an optimal correction index for many biomes with limited tissue differences among species. Species interactions in mixtures may amplify tissue differences, which is beneficial for tissue bias correction. However, caution must be taken because varied species interactions among communities may increase the risk of worse correction. Correction effects based on the SCN and SCN ratio are comparable, but the SCN is less influenced by control species than the SCN ratio. Based on our study, several suggestions are provided for future animal diet studies or other high‐throughput sequencing studies containing tissue bias.
The results of internal devaluation policy as a crisis exit strategy: The case of Spain
Authors: Bilbao‐Ubillos Javier , Fernández‐Sainz Ana‐Isabel
Published: August 2022

In line with the orientation of EU economic policy, the Spanish government has favoured a strategy of internal devaluation as a way of adjusting price levels within the currency union and offsetting the fall in competitiveness accumulated over time, as evidenced by the persistent trade deficit. The results of comparative empirical studies indicate that the internal wage devaluation applied in Spain as a crisis exit strategy (in the form of labour reforms and, in general, measures to contain labour costs) does not seem to have attained the desired goals in terms of reducing the relative prices of exports and consolidating a model of growth based on external demand. Indeed, the estimates drawn up show that tailwinds – the depreciation of the euro as a result of the measures taken by the ECB, greater economic activity by trading partners and the fall in the price of oil – exercised a decisive influence in the trends followed by the prices of exports and the balance of trade during the period of crisis management in Spain.
Disproportionate admixture improves reintroduction outcomes despite the use of low‐diversity source populations: population viability analysis for a translocation of the greater stick‐nest rat
Authors: Onley I. R. , White L. C. , Moseby K. E. , Copley P. , Cowen S.
Published: August 2022

Translocation is becoming an increasingly important approach to threatened species conservation. Coupled with the knowledge that maximizing genetic diversity aids population establishment, the growing use of translocations can place unsustainable harvesting pressure on critical and vulnerable source populations. However, adaptive, genetically informed modelling tools such as Population Viability Analysis (PVA) can be used to predict translocation outcomes and optimize harvesting strategies. In this study, we use PVAs for the frequently translocated greater stick‐nest rat (Leporillus conditor) to demonstrate the value of admixing founder populations for translocation, even when one source population is deemed genetically depauperate. This approach not only maximizes genetic diversity in the translocated population but reduces harvesting pressure on critical populations. Further, we show that admixed harvesting ratios can be skewed significantly towards the genetically depauperate population in order to further protect the critical population while still producing favourable outcomes, providing adequate founder numbers are used. As many threatened species are limited to fragmented and bottlenecked populations, these results are broadly applicable to the science of reintroduction biology, and demonstrate the value of PVAs for preliminary translocation planning and species management.