bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Green light perception paved the way for the diversification of GAF domain photoreceptors
Authors: Priyadarshini Nibedita , Steube Niklas , Wiens Dennis , Narikawa Rei , Wilde Annegret , Hochberg Georg K. A. , Enomoto Gen
Published: September 2021

Photoreceptors are proteins that sense incident light and then trigger downstream signaling events. Phytochromes are linear tetrapyrrole-binding photoreceptors present in plants, algae, fungi, and various bacteria. Most phytochromes respond to red and far-red light signals. Among the phytochrome superfamily, cyanobacteria-specific cyanobacteriochromes show much more diverse optical properties covering the entire visible region. Both phytochromes and cyanobacteriochromes share the GAF domain scaffold to cradle the chromophore as the light-sensing region. It is unknown what physiological demands drove the evolution of cyanobacteriochromes in cyanobacteria. Here we utilize ancestral sequence reconstruction and report that the resurrected ancestral cyanobacteriochrome proteins reversibly respond to green and red light signals. pH titration analyses indicate that the deprotonation of the bound phycocyanobilin chromophore enables the photoreceptor to perceive green light. The ancestral cyanobacteriochromes show modest thermal reversion to the green light-absorbing form, suggesting that they evolved to sense green-rich irradiance rather than red light, which is preferentially utilized for photosynthesis. In contrast to plants and green algae, many cyanobacteria can utilize green light for photosynthesis with their special light-harvesting complexes, phycobilisomes. The evolution of green/red sensing cyanobacteriochromes may therefore have allowed ancient cyanobacteria to acclimate to different light environments by rearranging the absorption capacity of the cyanobacterial antenna complex by chromatic acclimation.

Significance Statement

Light serves as a crucial environmental stimulus affecting the physiology of organisms across all kingdoms of life. Photoreceptors serve as important players of light responses, absorbing light and actuating biological processes. Among a plethora of photoreceptors, cyanobacteriochromes arguably have the wealthiest palette of color sensing, largely contributing to the success of cyanobacteria in various illuminated habitats. Our ancestral sequence reconstruction and the analysis of the resurrected ancestral proteins suggest that the very first cyanobacteriochrome most probably responded to the incident green-to-red light ratio, in contrast to modern red/far-red absorbing plant phytochromes. The deprotonation of the light-absorbing pigment for green light-sensing was a crucial molecular event for the invention of the new class of photoreceptors with their huge color tuning capacity.
The DarTG toxin-antitoxin system provides phage defense by ADP-ribosylating viral DNA
Authors: LeRoux Michele , Srikant Sriram , Littlehale Megan H. , Teodoro Gabriella , Doron Shany , Badiee Mohsen , Leung Anthony K. L. , Sorek Rotem , Laub Michael T.
Published: September 2021

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are broadly distributed, yet poorly conserved, genetic elements whose biological functions are unclear and controversial. Some TA systems may provide bacteria with immunity to infection by their ubiquitous viral predators, the bacteriophage. To identify TA systems that protect E. coli MG1655 against phage, we searched for those frequently encoded near known phage defense genes in bacterial genomes. Two of the systems tested provide strong protection against phage infection and are homologs of DarTG, a recently discovered family of TA systems whose biological functions and natural activating conditions were unclear. We demonstrate that phage infection triggers the release of DarT toxin, a DNA ADP-ribosyltransferase, to modify viral DNA and prevent replication, thereby blocking the production of mature virions. Phages can evolve to overcome DarTG defense either through mutations to their DNA polymerase or to an anti-DarT factor, gp61.2, encoded by many T-even phages. Collectively, our results indicate that phage defense may be a common function for TA systems and reveal the mechanism by which DarTG systems inhibit phage infection.
Impact of maternal intermittent fasting during pregnancy on cardiovascular, metabolic and renal function in adult rat offspring
Authors: Alkhalefah Alaa , Eyre Heather J. , Hussain Rezwana , Glazier Jocelyn D. , Ashton Nick
Published: September 2021

Pregnant Muslim women are exempt from fasting during Ramadan; however a majority are reported to fast. The impact of this form of maternal intermittent fasting (IF) on fetal development and offspring health is not well defined. Using a rat model, we have shown previously that maternal IF results in fetal growth restriction accompanied by changes in placental nutrient transport function. The aim of this study was to assess cardiovascular, metabolic and renal function in adult offspring of IF-exposed dams. Food was withheld from Wistar rats from 17:00 to 09:00 daily throughout pregnancy; controls had ad libitum access to food. Birth weight was unaffected; however male IF pups grew more slowly up to 10 weeks of age (P < 0.01) whereas IF females matched their control counterparts. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), glucose tolerance and basal renal function at 14 weeks were not affected by IF exposure. When offered saline solutions (0.9-2.1%) to drink, females showed a greater salt preference than males (P < 0.01); however there were no differences between dietary groups. A separate group of pups was weaned onto a 4% NaCl diet. SBP increased in IF pups sooner, at 7 weeks (P < 0.01), than controls which became hypertensive from 10 weeks. Renal function did not appear to differ; however markers of renal injury were elevated in IF males (P < 0.05). Maternal IF does not affect resting cardiovascular, metabolic and renal function; but when challenged by dietary salt load male IF offspring are more prone to renal injury.
Fast resupply of synaptic vesicles requires Synaptotagmin-3
Authors: Weingarten Dennis J. , Shrestha Amita , Kissiwaa Sarah A. , Spruston Evan , Jackman Skyler L.
Published: September 2021

Sustained neuronal activity demands quick resupply of synaptic vesicles in order to maintain reliable synaptic transmission. Such vesicle replenishment is accelerated by sub-micromolar presynaptic Ca2+ signals by an as yet unidentified high-affinity Ca2+ sensor1-4. Here we identify a novel presynaptic role for the high-affinity Ca2+ sensor Synaptotagmin-3 (SYT3)5 in driving vesicle replenishment and short-term synaptic plasticity. Synapses in Syt3 knockout mice exhibit enhanced short-term depression, and recovery is slower and insensitive to presynaptic residual Ca2+. During sustained neuronal firing, SYT3 speeds vesicle replenishment and increases the size of the readily releasable pool of vesicles. SYT3 also mediates a second form of short-term enhancement called facilitation, under conditions of low vesicle release probability. Models of vesicle trafficking suggest that SYT3 could combat synaptic depression by accelerating vesicle docking at active zones. Our results reveal a critical role for presynaptic SYT3 in maintaining reliable high-frequency synaptic transmission in neural circuits.
The bacterial magnesium transporter MgtA reveals highly selective interaction with specific cardiolipin species
Authors: Weikum Julia , van Dyck Jeroen , Subramani Saranya , Klebl David P. , Storflor Merete , Muench Stephen P. , Abel Sören , Sobott Frank , Morth J. Preben
Published: September 2021

A significant challenge today within protein lipidology is to understand the relationship between cell structure, lipid membrane integrity, ion homeostasis and the embedded membrane proteins. The bacterial magnesium transporter A (MgtA) is a specialized P-type ATPase important for Mg2+ import into the cytoplasm; disrupted magnesium homeostasis is linked to intrinsic ribosome instability and nitro-oxidative stress in Salmonella strains. MgtA’s function is highly dependent on anionic lipids, particularly cardiolipin, and further co-localization of cardiolipin with MgtA at the E. coli cell poles has been revealed. Here, we show that MgtA has functional specificity for cardiolipin 18:1, but it reaches maximum activity only in combination with cardiolipin 16:0, equivalent to the major components of native cardiolipin found in E. coli membranes. This is the first time it has been shown experimentally that two different lipid species from the same class, individually promoting low activity, can enhance activity in combination. Native mass spectrometry verifies the presence of two binding sites for cardiolipin and kinetic studies reveal that a cooperative relationship likely exists between the two different cardiolipin variants (cardiolipin 16:0 and cardiolipin 18:1). This is the first experimental evidence of cooperative effects between lipids of the same class, with only minor variations in their acyl chain composition, acting on a membrane protein. In summary, our results reveal that MgtA exhibits a highly complex interaction with one cardiolipin 18:1 and one cardiolipin 16:0, affecting protein activity and stability, and contributing to our understanding of the particular interactions between lipid environment and membrane proteins. Further, a better understanding of Mg2+ homeostasis in bacteria, due to its role as a virulence regulator, will provide further insights into the regulation and mechanism of bacterial infections.
Src-Family B Kinase Inhibition Promotes Lung Endothelial Dysfunction and Guides Drug Discovery
Authors: Andruska Adam M. , Tian Xuefei , Ali Md Khadem , Spiekerkoetter Edda
Published: September 2021

Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibition is efficacious in treating conditions ranging from cancer to fibrosis but can be limited by endothelial cell dysfunction. In trials of protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) a broad range of vascular effects is observed, inducing clinically detrimental endothelial cell apoptosis, impaired barrier function, or improved pulmonary vascular resistance in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We hypothesize this range of effects is due to subsets of PTKs either impairing or promoting endothelial homeostasis by modulating Bone Morphogenetic Protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) signaling, a pathway essential for vascular development and dysfunctional in PAH. In a high-throughput siRNA screen we find SRC-Family B PTKs activate whereas SRC-Family A PTKs suppress BMPR2 signaling, measured by the transcription factor inhibitor of differentiation 1 (Id1). Induced loss of function of the strongest ID1 activating PTK LCK (a Src-B kinase) in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells suppresses BMPR2 signaling and induces multiple measures of endothelial dysfunction. However, loss of function of the strongest ID1 inhibitor PTK FYN (a Src- A kinase) does the opposite. Whole-genome transcriptional analysis identifies two multi-gene signatures inversely regulated by LCK and FYN we term “endothelial” and “inflammatory”. To find TKIs mimicking selective Src-A and Src-B inhibition, we use Connectivity map to identify drugs connecting to the endothelial and inflammatory signatures. We find several TKIs: a pro-inflammatory (Regorafanib), a BMPR2 potentiating (Brivanib), and a BMPR2 suppressing (Quizartinib). Here we show a dichotomy in pathway regulation by Src- A and -B kinases that may have utility in transcriptionally based drug discovery.
PIN-FORMED1 polarity in the shoot is insensitive to the polarity of neighbouring cells
Authors: Kareem Abdul , Bhatia Neha , Ohno Carolyn , Heisler Marcus G.
Published: September 2021

In plants, epidermal cells are planar-polarized along an axis marked by the asymmetric localization patterns of several proteins including PIN-FORMED1 (PIN1), which facilitates the directional efflux of the plant hormone auxin to pattern phyllotaxis (Heisler et al., 2010; Mansfield et al., 2018; Reinhardt et al., 2003). While PIN1 polarity is known to be regulated non-cell autonomously via the MONOPTEROS (MP) transcription factor, how this occurs has not been determined (Bhatia et al., 2016). Here we use mosaic expression of the serine threonine kinase PINOID (PID) to test whether PIN1 polarizes according to the polarity of neighbouring cells. Our findings reveal that PIN1 is insensitive to the polarity of PIN1 in neighbouring cells arguing against auxin flux or extracellular auxin concentrations acting as a polarity cue, in contrast to previous model proposals (Abley et al., 2016; Stoma et al., 2008).
Midkine noncanonically suppresses AMPK activation through disrupting the LKB1-STRAD-Mo25 complex
Authors: Xia Tian , Chen Di , Liu Xiaolong , Qi Huan , Wang Wen , Chen Huan , Ling Ting , Otkur Wuxiyar , Zhang Chen-Song , Kim Jongchan , Lin Sheng-Cai , Piao Hai-long
Published: September 2021

Midkine (MDK), an extracellular growth factor, regulates signal transduction and cancer progression by interacting with receptors, and it can be internalized into the cytoplasm by endocytosis. However, its intracellular function and signaling regulation remain unclear. Here, we show that intracellular MDK interacts with LKB1 and STRAD to disrupt the LKB1-STRAD-Mo25 complex. Consequently, MDK decreases the activity of LKB1 to dampen both the basal and stress-induced activation of AMPK by glucose starvation or treatment of 2-DG. We also found that MDK accelerates cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting the activation of the LKB1-AMPK axis. In human cancers, compared to other well-known growth factors, MDK expression is most significantly upregulated in cancers, especially in liver, kidney and breast cancers, correlating with clinical outcomes and inversely correlating with PRKAA1 (encoding AMPKα1) expression and phosphorylated AMPK levels. Our study elucidates an inhibitory mechanism for AMPK activation, which is mediated by the intracellular MDK through disrupting the LKB1-STRAD-Mo25 complex.
PCSK9 affects expression of key surface proteins in human pancreatic beta cells through intra- and extracellular regulatory circuits
Authors: Saitoski Kevin , Ryaboshapkina Maria , Hamza Ghaith M. , Jarnuczak Andrew F. , Berthault Claire , Carlotti Françoise , Armanet Mathieu , Sengupta Kaushik , Underwood Christina Rye , Andersson Shalini , Guillas Isabelle , Le Goff Wilfried , Scharfmann Raphael
Published: September 2021

Aims/hypothesis

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) is involved in the degradation of LDLR. However, PCSK9 can target other proteins in a cell-type specific manner. While PCSK9 has been detected in pancreatic islets, its expression in insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells is debated. Herein, we studied PCSK9 expression, regulation and function in the human pancreatic beta cell line EndoC-βH1.

Methods

We assessed PCSK9 expression in mouse and human pancreatic islets, and in the pancreatic beta cell line EndoC-βH1. We also studied PCSK9 regulation by cholesterol, lipoproteins, Mevastatin, and by SREBPs transcription factors. To evaluate PCSK9 function in pancreatic beta cells, we performed PCSK9 gain-and loss-of-function experiments in EndoC-βH1 using siPCSK9 or recombinant PCSK9 treatments, respectively.

Results

We demonstrate that PCSK9 is expressed and secreted by pancreatic beta cells. In EndoC-βH1 cells, PCSK9 expression is regulated by cholesterol and by SREBPs transcription factors. Importantly, PCSK9 knockdown results in multiple transcriptome, proteome and secretome deregulations and impaired insulin secretion. By gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we observed that PCSK9 regulates the expression levels of LDLR and VLDLR through an extracellular mechanism while CD36, PD-L1 and HLA-ABC are regulated through an intracellular mechanism.

Conclusions/interpretation

Collectively, these results highlight PCSK9 as an important regulator of CD36, PD-L1 and HLA-ABC cell surface expression in pancreatic beta cells.

Data availability

RNA-seq data have been deposited to GEO database with accession number GSE182016. Mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the following identifiers: PXD027921, PXD027911 and PXD027913.
Seeing the unseen: A trifoliate (MYB117) mutant allele fortifies folate and carotenoids in tomato fruits
Authors: Tyagi Kamal , Sunkum Anusha , Rai Meenakshi , Sarma Supriya , Thakur Nidhi , Yadav Amita , Sircar Sanchari , Sreelakshmi Yellamaraju , Sharma Rameshwar
Published: September 2021

Micronutrient deficiency also termed hidden hunger affects a large segment of the human population, particularly in developing and underdeveloped nations. Tomato the second most consumed vegetable crop in the world after potato can serve as a sustainable source to alleviate micronutrient deficiency. In tomato, the mutations in the R2R3-MYB117 transcription factor elicit trifoliate leaves and initiate axillary meristems; however, its effect on fruit metabolome remains unexplored. The fruits of a new trifoliate (tf) allele (tf-5) were firmer, had higher °Brix, folate, and carotenoids. The transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome profiling of tf-5 reflected a broad-spectrum change in homeostasis. The tf-5 allele enhanced the fruit firmness by suppressing cell wall softening-related proteins. The tf-5 fruit displayed a substantial increase in aminome, particularly γ-aminobutyric acid, with a parallel reduction in aminoacyl t-RNA synthases. The increased lipoxygenases proteins and transcripts seemingly elevated jasmonic acid. In addition, increased abscisic acid hydrolases transcripts coupled with reduced precursor supply lowered abscisic acid. The upregulation of carotenoids was mediated by modulation of methylerythreitol and plastoquinone pathways along with an increase in carotenoids isomerization proteins. The upregulation of folate in tf-5 was connoted by the increase in precursor p-aminobenzoic acid and transcripts of several folate biosynthesis pathway genes. The reduction in pterin-6-carboxylate and γ-glutamyl hydrolase activity indicated that the diminished folate degradation also enriched folate levels. Our study delineates that introgression of the tf-5 can be used for the γ-aminobutyric acid, carotenoids, and folate fortification of tomato.

One-sentence summary

A tomato trifoliate allele encoding a truncated MYB117 transcription factor alters cellular homeostasis and fortifies γ-aminobutyric acid, folate, and carotenoids in tomato fruits.
A merger between compatible but divergent genomes supports allopolyploidization in the Brassicaceae family
Authors: Shin Hosub , Park Jeong Eun , Park Hye Rang , Choi Woo Lee , Yu Seung Hwa , Koh Wonjun , Kim Seungill , Soh Hye Yeon , Waminal Nomar Espinosa , Belandres Hadassah Roa , Lim Joo Young , Yi Gibum , Ahn Jong Hwa , Kim June-Sik , Kim Yong-Min , Koo Namjin , Kim Kyunghee , Perumal Sampath , Kang Taegu , Kim Junghyo , Jang Hosung , Kang Dong Hyun , Kim Ye Seul , Jeong Hyeon-Min , Yang Junwoo , Song Somin , Park Suhyoung , Kim Jin A , Lim Yong Pyo , Park Beom-Seok , Hsieh Tzung-Fu , Yang Tae-Jin , Choi Doil , Kim Hyun Hee , Lee Soo-Seong , Huh Jin Hoe
Published: September 2021

Hybridization and polyploidization are pivotal to plant evolution. Genetic crosses between distantly related species rarely occur in nature mainly due to reproductive barriers but how such hurdles can be overcome is largely unknown. xBrassicoraphanus is a fertile intergeneric allopolyploid synthesized between Brassica rapa and Raphanus sativus in the Brassicaceae family. Genomes of B. rapa and R. sativus are diverged enough to suppress synapsis formation between non-homologous progenitor chromosomes during meiosis, and we found that both genomes reside in the single nucleus of xBrassicoraphanus without genome loss or rearrangement. Expressions of syntenic orthologs identified in B. rapa and R. sativus were adjusted to a hybrid nuclear environment of xBrassicoraphanus, which necessitates reconfiguration of transcription network by rewiring cis-trans interactions. B. rapa coding sequences have a higher level of gene-body methylation than R. sativus, and such methylation asymmetry is maintained in xBrassicoraphanus. B. rapa-originated transposable elements were transcriptionally silenced in xBrassicoraphanus, rendered by gain of CHG methylation in trans via small RNAs derived from the same sequences of R. sativus subgenome. Our work proposes that not only transcription compatibility but also a certain extent of genome divergence supports hybrid genome stabilization, which may explain great diversification and expansion of angiosperms during evolution.
Influence of chlorine and methyl substituents and their position on the antimicrobial activities and crystal structures of 4-methyl-1,6-diphenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone derivatives
Authors: Korona-Głowniak Izabela , Nitek Wojciech , Tejchman Waldemar , Żesławska Ewa
Published: September 2021

Derivatives of 4-methyl-1,6-diphenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone show very strong antimicrobial activity. In order to extend the current knowledge about the features responsible for the biological activity, crystal structure analyses are presented for 4-methyl-1-(2-methylphenyl)-6-phenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone (1), 4-methyl-1-(3-methylphenyl)-6-phenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone (2), 4-methyl-1-(4-methylphenyl)-6-phenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone (3) (all C18H16N2Se) and 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methyl-6-phenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone (4) (C17H13ClN2Se). Furthermore, the antibacterial and antifungal activities of these compounds were evaluated. All the presented derivatives crystallize in the space group P21/c with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The molecular geometries differ slightly in the mutual orientation of the rings. The packing of molecules in the crystals is dominated by C—H...N and C—H...Se intermolecular interactions. Additionally, in the crystal structure of 4, C—H...Cl intermolecular interactions are observed. The introduction of a methyl or chlorine substituent improves the biological activity, while its position significantly affects biological activity only in case of the chlorine substituent.
Geometrical variations of two manganese(II) complexes with closely related quinoline-based tripodal ligands
Authors: Frey Steven T. , Ballot Jasper G. , Hands Allison , Cirka Haley A. , Rinaolo Katheryn C. , Phalkun Nich N. , Kaur Manpreet , Jasinski Jerry P.
Published: September 2021

Structural analyses of the compounds di-μ-acetato-κ4
O:O′-bis{[2-methoxy-N,N-bis(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)ethanamine-κ4
N,N′,N′′,O]manganese(II)} bis(tetraphenylborate) dichloromethane 1.45-solvate, [Mn2(C23O2)2(C23H23N3O)2](C24H20B)·1.45CH2Cl2 or [Mn(DQMEA)(μ-OAc)2Mn(DQMEA)](BPh4)2·1.45CH2Cl2 or [1](BPh4)2·1.45CH2Cl2, and (acetato-κO)[2-hydroxy-N,N-bis(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)ethanamine-κ4
N,N′,N′′,O](methanol-κO)manganese(II) tetraphenylborate methanol monosolvate, [Mn(CH3COO)(C22H21N3O)(CH3OH)](C24H20B)·CH3OH or [Mn(DQEA)(OAc)(CH3OH)]BPh4·CH3OH or [2]BPh4·CH3OH, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveal distinct differences in the geometry of coordination of the tripodal DQEA and DQMEA ligands to MnII ions. In the asymmetric unit, compound [1](BPh4)2·(CH2Cl2)1.45 crystallizes as a dimer in which each manganese(II) center is coordinated by the central amine nitrogen, the nitrogen atom of each quinoline group, and the methoxy-oxygen of the tetradentate DQMEA ligand, and two bridging-acetate oxygen atoms. The symmetric MnII centers have a distorted, octahedral geometry in which the quinoline nitrogen atoms are trans to each other resulting in co-planarity of the quinoline rings. For each MnII center, a coordinated acetate oxygen participates in C—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions with the two quinolyl moieties, further stabilizing the trans structure. Within the crystal, weak π–π stacking interactions and intermolecular cation–anion interactions stabilize the crystal packing. In the asymmetric unit, compound [2]BPh4·CH3OH crystallizes as a monomer in which the manganese(II) ion is coordinated to the central nitrogen, the nitrogen atom of each quinoline group, and the alcohol oxygen of the tetradentate DQEA ligand, an oxygen atom of OAc, and the oxygen atom of a methanol ligand. The geometry of the MnII center in [2]BPh4·CH3OH is also a distorted octahedron, but the quinoline nitrogen atoms are cis to each other in this structure. Hydrogen bonding between the acetate oxygen atoms and hydroxyl (O—H...O) and quinolyl (C—H...O and N—H...O) moieties of the DQEA ligand stabilize the complex in this cis configuration. Within the crystal, dimerization of complexes occurs by the formation of a pair of intermolecular O3—H3...O2 hydrogen bonds between the coordinated hydroxyl oxygen of the DQEA ligand of one complex and an acetate oxygen of another. Additional hydrogen-bonding and intermolecular cation–anion interactions contribute to the crystal packing.
Design of a small-scale and failure-resistant IaaS cloud using OpenStack
Authors: Heuchert Samuel , Rimal Bhaskar Prasad , Reisslein Martin , Wang Yong
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Major public cloud providers, such as AWS, Azure or Google, offer seamless experiences for infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). With the emergence of the public cloud's vast usage, administrators must be able to have a reliable method to provide the seamless experience that a public cloud offers on a smaller scale, such as a private cloud. When a smaller deployment or a private cloud is needed, OpenStack can meet the goals without increasing cost or sacrificing data control.

Design/methodology/approach

To demonstrate these enablement goals of resiliency and elasticity in IaaS and PaaS, the authors design a private distributed system cloud platform using OpenStack and its core services of Nova, Swift, Cinder, Neutron, Keystone, Horizon and Glance on a five-node deployment.

Findings

Through the demonstration of dynamically adding an IaaS node, pushing the deployment to its physical and logical limits, and eventually crashing the deployment, this paper shows how the PackStack utility facilitates the provisioning of an elastic and resilient OpenStack-based IaaS platform that can be used in production if the deployment is kept within designated boundaries.

Originality/value

The authors adopt the multinode-capable PackStack utility in favor of an all-in-one OpenStack build for a true demonstration of resiliency, elasticity and scalability in a small-scale IaaS. An all-in-one deployment is generally used for proof-of-concept deployments and is not easily scaled in production across multiple nodes. The authors demonstrate that combining PackStack with the multi-node design is suitable for smaller-scale production IaaS and PaaS deployments.
Identification of specific metrics for sustainable lean manufacturing in the automobile industries
Authors: Kumar Naveen , Kaliyan Mathiyazhagan , Thilak M. , Acevedo-Duque Ángel
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study explains the importance of performance measures and identifies the specific performance measures of sustainable lean manufacturing (SLM) for automobile industries. Awareness towards sustainability and continuous improvement approaches demand monitoring of the sustainable lean impact on organization/industry, and hence, identifying the specific performance metrics is of peak importance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, specific metrics for social, economic and environmental performance are identified from a systematic literature review of 82 significantly related journal articles. The importance of the identified metrics is assessed with the help of questionnaire responses from a group of industrial experts.

Findings

Performance indicators are statistically analyzed category wise and assessed. The key metrics are summarized based on the survey data followed by a discussion with industrial experts. From this study, performance measures have been identified and validated through hypothesis testing for Indian automobile industries. Certification of IATF16949 implementation found an important vertical for SLM implementation. In this study, SLM implementation initiatives are discussed, and reward scheme for outstanding performers are identified as important initiatives are followed by small improvement culture.

Practical implications

The proposed discussion of this study is useful for industrialist and researchers, as SLM performance measures are well explained for Indian automobile industries. In this study, future research direction is also explained related to other industries. These summarized performance measures will help to maintain SLM in industries.

Originality/value

This paper presents the original literature review based on the study of SLM, as no extensive study is available where SLM performance measure explained for automobile industries. Key initiatives and vertical of SLM are well explained for Indian automobile industries. This study proposed a complete framework for SLM implementation considering competitive manufacturing targets.
Impact of mobile banking failure on bank customers' usage behaviour: the mediating role of user satisfaction
Authors: Kamboj Shampy , Sharma Manika , Sarmah Bijoylaxmi
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study seeks to observe the association between mobile banking failures, use of m-banking and customer engagement to determine the contribution of user satisfaction towards m-banking as mediator between the aforementioned relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a Mobile Banking Failure Model (MBFM) by integrating four failure dimensions (functional, system, information and service) based on Tan's failure model and DeLone and Mclean's Information Success model. In this paper, data was gathered from 338 respondents, who were the customers of banks and regular users of m-banking services of their respective banks in India. A survey method was employed to collect data. Structure equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the collected data.

Findings

The results suggest that all m-banking failure dimensions (functional, system, information and service) affect the use of m-banking, which in turn affects user satisfaction towards m-banking and customer engagement. Additionally, this study found that user satisfaction towards m-banking acts as a partial mediator between the use of m-banking and customer engagement.

Research limitations/implications

The banking failure and its use by customers have been examined in the context of mobile banking in India only and thereby limits the generalization of results to other industry and country contexts.

Practical implications

The results of this paper will guide bank managers and policy planners in implementing MBFM in the Indian banking context, specifically for their m-banking apps.

Originality/value

The use of m-banking, user satisfaction towards m-banking and customer engagement have been added as three supportive variables to the basic Tan's failure model and DeLone and Mclean's Information Success model to examine the impact of m-banking failure on bank customers' usage behaviour. This is a novel addition to the extant literature, as most empirical works in this domain are from industries other than banking (specifically m-banking) and with differing contexts.
Systematic analysis of the methodological structure of the lean literature
Authors: Francis Mark , Thomas Andrew , Fisher Ron
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse and evaluate the methodological structure of the lean literature, so that its characteristics and influence among academics and practitioners might be better understood. The authors define “methodological structure” to be comprising six categorical components: publication category, degree of methodological disclosure, research strategies and data collection instruments (DCIs), type of data collected and analysed and type of research informants.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a systematic bibliometric analysis of the lean literature. It has a two-stage research design. The first stage involves the identification of the top 50 most highly cited publications on “Lean”, with the resultant reference details being entered into a focal population set (FPS) spread sheet. The second stage involves coding and adding the six component fields of the methodological structure for each of the FPS entries. Both citation analysis (CA) and publication counting are then used to analyse patterns in these six components of methodological structure.

Findings

The top 50 publications in the FPS represent over 52,700 citations. All are either journal papers or books, but books are the most influential. Based upon this FPS sample, the lean literature is found to be both largely atheoretical in nature and also methodologically weak. Over half of the FPS publications are viewpoint-type publications and 46% have no methodological disclosure. The lean literature is predominantly qualitative in nature. Where disclosed, the most common research strategy is the case study and the most common DCI is the interview. High- and mid-level managers are the most frequently encountered research informants, while shop floor workers are infrequently used.

Originality/value

This paper starts with the most extensive known systematic review of systematic reviews of the lean literature; the result of which is the characterisation of a number of gaps in this body of knowledge. One of these gaps is the lack of any previous CA. The paper then proceeds to address this gap by providing the first CA within the lean literature. This is also the most comprehensive known CA within the field of operations and supply chain management more generally. As a consequence of this analysis, previously unknown patterns and insights into the methodological structure of the lean literature are revealed.
Mining numerical measure of consumers’ product evaluation expressed in words based on latent Dirichlet allocation
Authors: Wang Ziang , Yang Feng
Published: September 2021

Purpose

It has always been a hot topic for online retailers to obtain consumers’ product evaluations from massive online reviews. In the process of online shopping, there is no face-to-face interaction between online retailers and customers. After collecting online reviews left by customers, online retailers are eager to acquire answers to some questions. For example, which product attributes will attract consumers? Or which step brings a better experience to consumers during the process of shopping? This paper aims to associate the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model with the consumers’ attitude and provides a method to calculate the numerical measure of consumers’ product evaluation expressed in each word.

Design/methodology/approach

First, all possible pairs of reviews are organized as a document to build the corpus. After that, latent topics of the traditional LDA model noted as the standard LDA model, are separated into shared and differential topics. Then, the authors associate the model with consumers’ attitudes toward each review which is distinguished as positive review and non-positive review. The product evaluation reflected in consumers’ binary attitude is expanded to each word that appeared in the corpus. Finally, a variational optimization is introduced to calculate parameters mentioned in the expanded LDA model.

Findings

The experiment’s result illustrates that the LDA model in the research noted as an expanded LDA model, can successfully assign sufficient probability with words related to products attributes or consumers’ product evaluation. Compared with the standard LDA model, the expanded model intended to assign higher probability with words, which have a higher ranking within each topic. Besides, the expanded model also has higher precision on the prediction set, which shows that breaking down the topics into two categories fits better on the data set than the standard LDA model. The product evaluation of each word is calculated by the expanded model and depicted at the end of the experiment.

Originality/value

This research provides a new method to calculate consumers’ product evaluation from reviews in the level of words. Words may be used to describe product attributes or consumers’ experiences in reviews. Assigning words with numerical measures can analyze consumers’ products evaluation quantitatively. Besides, words are labeled themselves, they can also be ranked if a numerical measure is given. Online retailers can benefit from the result for label choosing, advertising or product recommendation.
How Mercedes-Benz addresses digital transformation using Holacracy
Authors: Ackermann Malte , Schell Sabrina , Kopp Susanne
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Firms are challenged by digital transformation, as their organizational design is not up to par. Mercedes-Benz.io, a 100% subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG Daimler group, employs Holacracy, a self-management framework that abolishes traditional hierarchies in order to be more responsive to changes. This paper aims to explore how Mercedes-Benz.io utilizes Holacracy in order to address the challenges posed by digital transformation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative expert interviews, the authors show that organizational life becomes more meaningful but also more engaging and demanding. The authors highlight that agile principles can be embedded in the organizational structure, a strong contrast to conventional management design. Decision-making authority and accountability is decentralized toward employees who face operational realities. This fosters commitment but might prolong the decision process. Leadership seems to be fairly contextual, and career paths are fundamentally different; development avenues are rather functional.

Findings

The authors conclude that Holacracy seems suitable for industries where the need for adaptability outweighs the need for reliability. It leads to increased transparency and accountability but is not a ready-made solution and requires ample resources.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first that qualitatively assess the changes, implications and outcomes of organizations that employ Holacracy.
Partnering for UN SDG #17: a social marketing partnership model to scale up and accelerate change
Authors: Duane Sinead , Duane Sinead , Domegan Christine , Bunting Brendan
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) places partnerships as a vital mechanism, which strengthens the implementation of change strategies. The SDG targets are ambitious; acknowledging the interconnected multifaceted issues that are currently facing society. Similarly, social marketing thought is transitioning to embrace systemic change strategies, realising no one organisation can have an impact on the emerging grand challenges. Partnerships are the 5th P in the social marketing mix, however, partnerships is also a nebulous term which has been criticised for lacking theoretical development. This study aims to answer the call from both the UN and social marketing community for further research to guide the development and implementation of impactful transformative partnerships.

Design/methodology/approach

A robust mixed method approach to develop and test a social marketing partnership model is presented. Trust and relationship commitment are at the forefront of successful partnership exchanges. Morgan and Hunt’s (1994) trust and relationship commitment model is extended into the social marketing domain.

Findings

The findings validate Hasting’s (2003) call for social marketers to listen to their commercial marketing counterparts, positioning trust and commitment as essential to change strategies. As the degree of complexities in the multifaceted world continues to accelerate, partnerships for change (UN SDG #17) will pay off, driving more effective and smarter collaborations amongst a diverse range of stakeholders at different levels in different networks. Partnerships will elevate social marketing to deliver systemic transformation for complex problems with far reaching collective and sustainable consequences.

Research limitations/implications

With trust/mistrust critical to successful exchanges and exchange central to social marketing, quantitative measurement of the antecedents to and outcomes of partnerships can inform the evaluation, impact and management of social marketing interventions.

Practical implications

Three contributions are made, which support the selection, implementation and evaluation of social marketing partnerships. Key social marketing partnership characteristics are operationalised supporting the partnership selection process. Measurement scales are developed to assist in evaluating partnership relationships over time. The model is empirically tested to investigate the relationships between key mediating variables of social marketing partnerships.

Originality/value

This paper presents a validated 5th P Partnership model for social marketers, accelerating social marketing’s capacities to deliver systemic transformation for complex problems with far reaching collective and sustainable consequences and UN SDG #17.
A comprehensive study to the protection of digital library readers' privacy under an untrusted network environment
Authors: Wu Zongda , Shen Shigen , Li Huxiong , Zhou Haiping , Zou Dongdong
Published: September 2021

Purpose

First, the authors analyze the key problems faced by the protection of digital library readers' data privacy and behavior privacy. Second, the authors introduce the characteristics of all kinds of existing approaches to privacy protection and their application limitations in the protection of readers' data privacy and behavior privacy. Lastly, the authors compare the advantages and disadvantages of each kind of existing approaches in terms of security, efficiency, accuracy and practicality and analyze the challenges faced by the protection of digital library reader privacy.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors review a number of research achievements relevant to privacy protection and analyze and evaluate the application limitations of them in the reader privacy protection of a digital library, consequently, establishing the constraints that an ideal approach to library reader privacy protection should meet, so as to provide references for the follow-up research of the problem.

Findings

As a result, the authors conclude that an ideal approach to reader privacy protection should be able to comprehensively improve the security of all kinds of readers' privacy information on the untrusted server-side as a whole, under the premise of not changing the architecture, efficiency, accuracy and practicality of a digital library system.

Originality/value

Along with the rapid development of new network technologies, such as cloud computing, the server-side of a digital library is becoming more and more untrustworthy, thereby, posing a serious threat to the privacy of library readers. In fact, the problem of reader privacy has become one of the important obstacles to the further development and application of digital libraries.
A novel SERPINE1‐FOSB fusion gene in pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma results in activation of intact FOSB and the PI3K‐AKT‐mTOR signaling pathway and responsiveness to sirolimus
Authors: Ren Jun , Wang Xiaohui , Zhou Yulin , Yue Xin , Chen Shouhui , Ding Xin , Zeng Shengqiang , Jiang Xiaoyong , Liu Xiaokun , Guo Qiwei
Published: September 2021

Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PHE) is an extremely rare disease that affects mainly the young and more men than women. PHE are multicentric, locally aggressive, have low metastatic potential, and affect multiple tissue planes. Genetic aberrations are frequently detected in PHE and may play important roles in the occurrence, development, and treatment of this disease. In this study, we report a case of PHE with a novel SERPINE1‐FOSB fusion gene. The fusion introduced a strong promoter near the coding region of FOSB, resulting in overexpression of intact FOSB. Immunohistochemical analysis showed overexpression of pAKT and mTOR in tumor cells, suggesting activation of the PI3K‐AKT‐mTOR signaling pathway. The patient responded well to targeted therapy with sirolimus, an mTOR inhibitor. Our study correlated dysregulation of a specific signaling pathway and the effectiveness of a targeted therapy to a specific genetic aberration. This information may be useful for future investigations of targeted therapeutics and provide a potential predictive biomarker for therapeutic effectiveness in PHE cases.
Selection on growth rate and local adaptation drive genomic adaptation during experimental range expansions in the protistTetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Moerman Felix , Fronhofer Emanuel A. , Altermatt Florian , Wagner Andreas
Published: September 2021

Populations that expand their range can undergo rapid evolutionary adaptation of life‐history traits, dispersal behaviour and adaptation to the local environment. Such adaptation may be aided or hindered by sexual reproduction, depending on the context.

However, few empirical and experimental studies have investigated the genetic basis of adaptive evolution during range expansions. Even less attention has been given to the question how sexual reproduction may modulate such adaptive evolution during range expansions.

We here studied genomic adaptation during experimental range expansions of the protistTetrahymena thermophilain landscapes with a uniform environment or a pH gradient. Specifically, we investigated two aspects of genomic adaptation during range expansion. First, we investigated adaptive genetic change in terms of the underlying numbers of allele frequency changes from standing genetic variation andde novovariants. We focused on how sexual reproduction may alter this adaptive genetic change. Second, we identified genes subject to selection caused by the expanding range itself, and directional selection due to the presence or absence of the pH gradient. We focused this analysis on alleles with large frequency changes that occurred in parallel in more than one population to identify the most likely candidate targets of selection.

We found that sexual reproduction altered adaptive genetic change both in terms ofde novovariants and standing genetic variation. However, sexual reproduction affected allele frequency changes in standing genetic variation only in the absence of long‐distance gene flow. Adaptation to the range expansion affected genes involved in cell divisions and DNA repair, whereas adaptation to the pH gradient additionally affected genes involved in ion balance and oxidoreductase reactions. These genetic changes may result from selection on growth and adaptation to low pH.

In the absence of gene flow, sexual reproduction may have aided genetic adaptation. Gene flow may have swamped expanding populations with maladapted alleles, thus reducing the extent of evolutionary adaptation during range expansion. Sexual reproduction also altered the genetic basis of adaptation in our evolving populations viade novovariants, possibly by purging deleterious mutations or by revealing fitness benefits of rare genetic variants.
The Dynamics of Family Formation and Dissolution
Authors: Hewitt Belinda
Published: September 2021

The HILDA Survey has provided an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the determinants and consequences of family formation and dissolution in Australia. This review gives an overview of this research, focusing on (i) relationship formation, (ii) fertility, children and parenting and (iii) relationship dissolution.