bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Charting a narrow course for direct electron uptake-facilitated electromicrobial production
Authors: Abel Anthony J. , Adams Jeremy D. , Hilzinger Jacob M. , Arkin Adam P.
Published: May 2022

Electromicrobial production (EMP) processes based on CO2-fixing microbes that directly accept electrons from a cathode have received significant attention in the past decade. However, fundamental questions about the performance limits and viability of this strategy remain unanswered. Here, we sought to determine what would be necessary for such a system to compete with alternative sustainable production technologies based on H2-mediated EMP and traditional bioprocessing with crop feedstocks. Using global warming potential as the metric for comparison, we show that each EMP process can outperform sugarcane-based sucrose production. Following a stoichiometric and energetic analysis, direct electron uptake-based EMP would need to achieve a current density >48 mA/cm2to reach parity with the H2- mediated system. Because this is currently only practical with a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) architecture, we developed a physical model of the proposed bio-GDE and used it to determine the conditions that a microbial catalyst would experience in a reactor. Our analysis demonstrates that unavoidable inefficiencies in the reactor (e.g., kinetic overpotentials and Ohmic losses) require additional energy input, increasing the breakeven current density to ∼91 mA/cm2. At this current density, the microbial catalyst would need to withstand a pH >10.4 and a total salinity >18.8%. Because currently-known electroautotrophs are not adapted to such extreme conditions, we discuss potential improvements to reactor design that may alleviate these challenges, and consider the implications these results have on the engineerability and feasibility of direct electron uptake-based EMP.
Identification of epigenetic modulators as determinants of nuclear size and shape
Authors: Schibler Andria , Jevtic Predrag , Pegoraro Gianluca , Levy Daniel L. , Misteli Tom
Published: May 2022

The shape and size of the human cell nucleus is highly variable amongst cell types and tissues. Changes in nuclear morphology are associated with disease, including cancer, as well as with premature and normal aging. Despite the very fundamental nature of nuclear morphology, the cellular factors that determine nuclear shape and size are not well understood. To identify regulators of nuclear architecture in a systematic and unbiased fashion, we performed a high-throughput imaging-based siRNA screen targeting 867 nuclear proteins including chromatin-associated proteins, epigenetic regulators, and nuclear envelope components. Using multiple morphometric parameters, we identified cell-type specific and general effectors of nuclear size and shape. Interestingly, most identified factors altered nuclear morphology without affecting the levels of lamin proteins, which are known prominent regulators of nuclear shape. In contrast, a major group of nuclear shape regulators were modifiers of repressive heterochromatin. Biochemical and molecular analysis uncovered a direct physical interaction of histone H3 with lamin A mediated via combinatorial histone modifications. Furthermore, disease-causing lamin A mutations that result in disruption of nuclear shape inhibited lamin A-histone H3 interactions. Finally, oncogenic histone H3.3 mutants defective for H3K27 methylation resulted in nuclear morphology abnormalities. Altogether, our results represent a systematic exploration of cellular factors involved in determining nuclear morphology and they identify the interaction of lamin A with histone H3 as an important contributor to nuclear morphology in human cells.
The H3K4me1 histone mark recruits DNA repair to functionally constrained genomic regions in plants
Authors: Quiroz Daniela , Lopez-Mateos Diego , Zhao Kehan , Pierce Alice , Ortega Lissandro , Ali Alissza , Carbonell-Bejerano Pablo , Yarov-Yarovoy Vladimir , Monroe J. Grey
Published: May 2022

Mutation is the ultimate source of genetic variation. Mutation rate variability has been observed within plant genomes, but the underlying mechanisms have been unclear. We previously found that mutations occur less often in functionally constrained regions of the genome inArabidopsis thalianaand that this mutation rate reduction is predicted by H3K4me1, a histone modification found in the gene bodies of actively expressed and evolutionarily conserved genes in plants. We reanalyzedde novogermline single base substitutions in fast neutron irradiated mutation accumulation lines in Kitaake rice (Oryza sativa) and found the same reduction in mutations associated with H3K4me1, gene bodies, and constrained genes as inA. thaliana, suggesting conserved mechanisms for mutation reduction in plants. Here, we characterize a model of targeted DNA repair to explain these observations; PDS5C and MSH6 DNA repair-related proteins target H3K4me1 through their Tudor domains, resulting in nearby DNA experiencing elevated repair. Experimental data andin-silicomodeling support the high affinity of the Tudor domain for H3K4me1 in both proteins, and that this affinity is conserved between plant species. ChIP-seq data from PDS5C confirms its localization to conserved and low mutation rate genome regions. Somatic and germline mutations observed by deep sequencing of wild-type andMSH6knockout lines confirm that MSH6 preferentially repairs gene bodies and H3K4me1-enriched regions. These findings inspire further research to characterize the origins of mechanisms of targeted DNA repair in eukaryotes and their consequences on tuning the evolutionary trajectories of genomes.
Elevated temperatures reduce population-specific transcriptional plasticity in developing lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
Authors: Bugg William S. , Thorstensen Matt J. , Marshall Katie E. , Anderson W. Gary , Jeffries Ken M.
Published: May 2022

Rising mean and variance in temperatures elevate threats to endangered freshwater species such as lake sturgeon,Acipenser fulvescens. Previous research demonstrated that higher temperatures during development result in physiological consequences for lake sturgeon populations throughout Manitoba, Canada, with alteration of metabolic rate, thermal tolerance, transcriptional responses, growth, and mortality. We acclimated lake sturgeon (30 – 60 days post fertilization, a period of high mortality) from northern and southern populations (56° 02′ 46.5″ N, 96° 54′ 18.6″ W and 50° 17′ 52″ N, 95° 32′ 51″ W respectively, separated by approximately 650 km) within Manitoba to current (summer highs of 20-23°C) and future projected (+2-3°C) environmental temperatures of 16, 20, and 24°C for 30 days, and measured gill transcriptional responses using RNAseq. Transcripts revealed SNPs consistent with genetically distinct populations and transcriptional responses altered by acclimation temperature. There were a higher number of differentially expressed transcripts observed in the southern, compared to the northern, population as temperatures increased, indicating enhanced transcriptional plasticity. Both lake sturgeon populations responded to elevated acclimation temperatures by downregulating the transcription of genes involved in protein synthesis and energy production. Further, there were population-specific thresholds for the downregulation of processes promoting transcriptional plasticity as well as mitochondrial function as the northern population showed decreases at 20°C, while this capacity was not diminished until 24°C in the southern population. These transcriptional responses highlight the molecular impacts of increasing temperatures for divergent lake sturgeon populations during vulnerable developmental periods and the critical influence of transcriptome plasticity on acclimation capacity.
Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum myosin B in complex with the calmodulin-like domain of its light chain MLC-B
Authors: Pires Isa , Hung Yu-Fu , Bergmann Ulrich , Molloy Justin E. , Kursula Inari
Published: May 2022

Myosin B (MyoB) is a class 14 myosin expressed in all invasive stages of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. It is not associated with the glideosome complex that drives motility and invasion of host cells. During red blood cell invasion, it remains at the apical tip of the merozoite but is no longer observed once invasion is completed. MyoB is not essential for parasite survival but, when it is knocked out, merozoites are delayed in the initial stages of red blood cell invasion, giving rise to a growth defect that correlates with reduced invasion success. Here, we have expressed and purified functional MyoB with the help of parasite-specific chaperones Hsp90 and Unc45, characterized its binding to actin and its known light chain MLC-B using biochemical and biophysical methods, and determined its low-resolution structure in solution using small-angle X-ray scattering. In addition to MLC-B, four other putative regulatory light chains were found to bind to the MyoB IQ2 motif in vitro. The purified recombinant MyoB adopted the overall shape of a myosin, exhibited actin-activated ATPase activity, and moved actin filaments in vitro. The ADP release rate was faster than the ATP turnover number, and thus, does not appear to be rate-limiting. This, together with the observed high affinity to actin and the specific localization of MyoB, may point towards a role in tethering and/or force sensing during early stages of invasion.
Response of sleep slow oscillations to acoustic stimulation is evidenced by distinctive synchronization processes
Authors: Navarrete Miguel , Osorio-Forero Alejandro , Gómez Angela , Henao David , Le Van Quyen Michel , Valderrama Mario
Published: May 2022

Closed loop acoustic stimulation (CLAS) during sleep has shown to boost slow wave (SW) amplitude and spindle power. Moreover, sleep SW are suggested to be classified based on different processes of neuronal synchronization. Following this, different types of SW events may have distinct functional roles and be differentially affected by external stimuli. However, the SW synchronization processes affected by CLAS are not well understood. Here, we studied the effect of CLAS on the dissociation of SW events based on two features of neuronal synchronization in the EEG (topological spread and wave slope). We evaluated and classified individual SW events of fourteen healthy subjects during a CLAS stimulated (STM) and a control night (CNT). Three main categories of SW events were found denoting (C1) steep-slope SW with global spread, (C2) flat-slope waves with localized spread and homeostatic regulation, and (C3) multipeaked flat-slope events with global spread. Comparing between conditions, we found a consistent increase of event proportion and trough amplitudes for C1 events during the time of stimulation. Furthermore, we found similar increases in post-stimulus spectral power in θ, β and σ frequencies for CNT vs STIM condition independently of sleep stage or SW categories. However, topological analysis showed differentiated spatial dynamics in N2 and N3 for SW categories and the co-occurrence with spindle events. Our findings reveal the nature of post-stimulus SW and suggest that CLAS boosts SW amplitudes by increasing neuronal synchronization of wave troughs, leading thus the post-stimulus SW-spindle co-occurrence.
A new enzymatic assay to quantify inorganic pyrophosphate in plasma
Authors: Lundkvist Stefan , Niaziorimi Fatemeh , Szeri Flora , Caffet Matthew , Terry Sharon F. , Johansson Gunnar , Jansen Robert S. , van de Wetering Koen
Published: May 2022

Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) is a crucial extracellular mineralization regulator. Low plasma PPi concentrations underlie the soft tissue calcification present in several rare hereditary mineralization disorders as well as in more common conditions like chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Even though deregulated plasma PPi homeostasis is known to be linked to multiple human diseases, there is currently no reliable assay for its quantification. We here describe an PPi assay that employs the enzyme ATP sulfurylase to convert PPi into ATP. Generated ATP is subsequently quantified by firefly luciferase-based bioluminescence. An internal ATP standard was used to correct for sample-specific interference by matrix compounds on firefly luciferase activity. The assay was validated and shows excellent precision (<3.5%) and accuracy (93-106%) of PPi spiked into human plasma samples. We found that of several anticoagulants tested only EDTA effectively blocked conversion of ATP into PPi in plasma after blood collection. Moreover, filtration over a 300,000 Da molecular weight cut-off membrane, reduced variability of plasma PPi and removed ATP present in a membrane-enclosed compartment, possibly platelets. Applied to plasma samples of wild type and Abcc6-/- rats, an animal model with established low circulating levels of PPi, the new assay showed lower variability than the assay that was previously in routine use in our laboratory.

In conclusion, we here report a new and robust assay to determine PPi concentrations in plasma, which outperforms currently available assays because of its high sensitivity, precision, and accuracy.
Uncertainty Quantification in COVID-19 Detection Using Evidential Deep Learning
Authors: Khosravi Bardia , Faghani Shahriar , Ashraf-Ganjouei Amir
Published: May 2022

Considering the immense pace of developments in deep learning (DL), its applications in medicine are relatively limited. One main issue that hinders the utilization of DL in the medical practice workflow is its reliability. A radiologist interpreting an image can easily say “I don’t know”, while a DL model is forced to output a result. Evidential deep learning (EDL) is one of the methods for uncertainty quantification (UQ). In this work, we aimed to use EDL to express model uncertainty in detecting COVID-19. We used SIIM-FISABIO-RSNA COVID-19 chest x-ray dataset and trained a model to diagnose typical COVID-19 pneumonia. When applied to a separate test set, it yielded an accuracy of 88% with median uncertainty scores of 0.25 and 0.07 for normal and typical COVID-19 images, respectively. Moreover, the model labeled unseen indeterminate and atypical COVID-19 x-rays with median uncertainties of 0.32 and 0.35, respectively. Our model’s performance was superior to the exact model trained with conventional approach of DL (i.e., using the cross-entropy loss), which is not able to express the uncertainty level. Overall, this study demonstrates applicability of UQ in disease detection that could facilitate the use of DL in practice by increasing its reliability.
Echinocandin heteroresistance causes prophylaxis failure and facilitates breakthroughCandida parapsilosisinfection
Authors: Zhai Bing , Liao Chen , Jaggavarapu Siddharth , Tang Yuanyuan , Rolling Thierry , Ning Yating , Sun Tianshu , Bergin Sean A. , Gjonbalaj Mergim , Miranda Edwin , Babady N. Esther , Bader Oliver , Taur Ying , Butler Geraldine , Zhang Li , Xavier Joao B. , Weiss David S. , Hohl Tobias M.
Published: May 2022

Breakthrough infections of patients on antimicrobial prophylaxis represent a significant and often unexplained cause of morbidity. Here, we reveal that in high-risk patients on micafungin prophylaxis heteroresistance – the presence of a phenotypically unstable, low frequency subpopulation of resistant cells (∼1 in 10,000) – underlies breakthrough bloodstream infections byCandida parapsilosismisclassified as susceptible by standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing. By analyzing 219 clinicalC. parapsilosisisolates from North America, Europe, and Asia, we demonstrate widespread micafungin heteroresistance. To facilitate detection of micafungin heteroresistance, we constructed a predictive machine learning framework that classifies isolates as heteroresistant or susceptible by a maximum of ten genomic features. Our results connect heteroresistance to unexplained prophylaxis failure and demonstrate a proof-of-principle diagnostic approach with the potential to inform clinical decisions.
The expression and function of 28s5-rtsRNA: an update
Authors: Wang Yi , Zhao Yanjie , Li Shuai
Published: May 2022

Our previous research identified an abundant 28s rRNA 5’ terminal derived small RNA (named 28s5-rtsRNA), which could decrease multiple ribosomal protein mRNA levels. In the last several years, the development of novel high-throughput RNA sequencing methods, exampled as PANDORA-seq, has changed the repertoire of small RNAs. In the present study, we reanalyzed the PANDORA-seq data by using a sRNAbench bioinformatic tool and revealed that 28s5-rtsRNA was among the most abundant small RNAs, particularly after T4PNK treatment during sequencing library preparation. 28s5-rtsRNA pairing with 5.8s rRNA 3’ terminal derived small RNA could also decrease multiple ribosomal mRNA levels. At last, we performed a mutational scan to identify the key nucleotides involved in the 28s5-rtsRNA duplex function.
Direct detection of RNA repair by nanopore sequencing
Authors: White Laura K. , Strugar Saylor M. , MacFadden Andrea , Hesselberth Jay R.
Published: May 2022

Ligation by plant and fungal RNA ligases yields an internal 2′-phosphate group on each RNA ligation product. In budding yeast, this covalent mark occurs at the splice junction of two targets of ligation: intron-containing tRNAs and the messenger RNA HAC1. The repertoire of RNA molecules repaired by RNA ligation has not been explored due to a lack of unbiased approaches for identifying RNA ligation products. Here, we define several unique signals produced by 2′-phosphorylated RNAs during nanopore sequencing. A 2′-phosphate at the splice junction of HAC1 mRNA inhibits 5′→3′ degradation, enabling detection of decay intermediates in yeast RNA repair mutants by nanopore sequencing. During direct RNA sequencing, intact 2′-phosphorylated RNAs produce diagnostic changes in nanopore current properties and base calling features, including stalls produced as the modified RNA translocates through the nanopore motor protein. These approaches enable directed studies to identify novel RNA repair events from multiple species.
The impact of green supply chain management practices on environmental performance during COVID-19 period: the case of discretionary companies in the G-20 countries
Authors: El Khoury Rim , Nasrallah Nohade , Atayah Osama F. , Dhiaf Mohamed Mahjoub , Frederico Guilherme F.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study investigates the impact of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices on environmental performance in firms operating in the discretionary sector in the G20 countries. The sample covers 749 firms for the period 2010–2020.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines qualitative and quantitative data to examine the impact of the implementation of GSCM on accounting performance measured by the operating margin (OM) and return on assets (ROA). The authors also moderate the effects of Six Sigma and quality management (QM) and ISO 9000 and control for firm variables and COVID 19.

Findings

Using a panel data regression and structural equation modeling (SEM), results indicate that discretionary firms with internal solid GSCM practices combined with external environmental monitoring of suppliers are likely to outperform their peers in environmental issues. Using hierarchical regression, results indicate that both ISO 9000 and S&QM have moderating effects at some level of performance. Furthermore, environmental performance is positively correlated with accounting performance. This study contributes to the literature by addressing the impact of GSCM and the importance of reinforcing green and social regulations to protect the planet.

Originality/value

The paper is one of the first to measure GSCM triple components and account for COVID-19 in the context of discretionary companies and G20 countries. It highlights the impact of green initiatives to cope with major disruptions and decrease pollution and environmental disasters.
Managing resilience of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during COVID-19: analysis of barriers
Authors: Gupta Anchal , Kumar Singh Rajesh
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are facing major difficulties with working capital, need of digitalisation and lack of skilled workforce during this crisis situation. Managing resilience post pandemic is again a huge challenge for MSMEs. Therefore, the main objective of the study is to identify the critical barriers for recovery of MSMEs from the pandemic outbreak and recommending potential solutions for avoiding vulnerabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The most significant barriers, which will impact MSMEs resilience issues are extracted from vast literature review, discussed with nine experts from MSMEs and further categorised into organisational, operational and technical barriers. Best–worst method (BWM) has been used to find the importance rating of barriers for developing resilience in MSMEs.

Findings

It can be observed that the organisational barriers (0.507) are the most significant, followed by operational barriers (0.300) and then, technological barriers (0.192). Liquidity crunch and inadequate technical skills of employees are the most significant barriers for MSMEs resilience during COVID-19, whereas fluctuation in input cost, unavailability of containers on time and decreased process efficiency are the least significant barriers for recovering MSMEs post COVID-19.

Practical implications

Findings imply that MSMEs should try to overcome major barriers such as resource constraints, lack of skills and knowledge and inefficient inventory planning.

Originality/value

Findings of study will be of immense use for MSMEs in efficient management of operations and in developing resilience during uncertain business environment.
The influence of effort level on profit distribution strategies in IPD projects
Authors: Guo Shuwen , Wang Junwu , Xiong Huaping
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Construction projects have become increasingly long, complex and costly with waste and inefficiencies and often fail to achieve the desired results. Integrated project delivery (IPD) is believed to change these problems. A reasonable and fair profit distribution mechanism is a critical factor for ensuring the success of the IPD projects. This study aims to investigate the strategies of all participants in the profit distribution of an IPD project with respect to the factor of the effort level.

Design/methodology/approach

This study describes the influence of owners and participants on profit distribution due to their respective efforts in the IPD project alliance. The influence of effort level on profit distribution is discussed based on the Holmstrom-Milgrom model of asymmetric information game theory and principal-agent theory, combined with incentive compatibility (IC) constraints and individual rationality (IR) constraints.

Findings

The results show that the optimal level of effort by each participant optimizes the profit distribution of an IPD project. At the same time, in the revenue incentive contract, the effort level of the participants is positively correlated with the profit distribution, proportional to their contribution coefficient and inversely proportional to the square of the cost of their creative activities in terms of effort. Each party of an IPD project can adopt a series of measures to improve their own effort level and choose the optimal level of effort based on the profit distribution, while satisfying their own utility maximization.

Originality/value

This study introduces the Holmstrom-Milgrom model in the principal-agent theory to explore the influence of the effort level on profit distribution in IPD projects. The quantitative model can contribute to establish a fair and efficient profit distribution scheme for the IPD projects.
How are social procurement actors shaping a new field of professional practice in the Australian construction industry?
Authors: Loosemore Martin , Keast Robyn , Barraket Jo
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Social procurement is becoming an increasing policy focus for governments around the world as they seek to incentivise new collaborative partnerships with private organisations in industries like construction to meet their social obligations. The limited construction management research in this area shows that the successful implementation of these policies depends on a new generation of social procurement professionals who are promoting these policies into an institutional vacuum with little organisational identity, legitimacy and support. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what these actors do to promote and build support for the implementation of these policies in their organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

A thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 social procurement actors in the Australian construction industry is presented.

Findings

Results portray an experimental, disconnected and nascent institutional field of practice with a high degree of role ambiguity and conflict. In the absence of a clear organisational identity and legitimate power-base, social procurement actors are forced to rely on incremental rather than radical innovation and the power of stories to persuade others to engage with their vision for creating social value through construction.

Originality/value

Contributing new insights to the emerging “practice theme” in social procurement research, this paper provides important conceptual and practical information about the attributes which determine their success, how they fit into existing organisational structures and how they build support to achieve enabling institutional change. Academically, the results advance understanding of how social procurement professionals are implementing these policies into their organisations. Practically, they provide new information which enable social procurement professionals to improve their practices and construction companies to recruit the right people into these roles and design their organisations to more effectively support them.
The dual pressures of youth and expansion: revisiting stage theories of growth in SMEs
Authors: Wilkinson Adrian , Muurlink Olav , Townsend Keith , Peetz David
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The authors consider stage theories of human resource management (HRM) to explore how new companies experiencing high levels of growth face the dual pressures of youth and expansion.

Design/methodology/approach

The firms in this study are a sub-group of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) called “gazelles”. While this is a qualitative study, participants were chosen through a modified random sampling approach that ensures that the sample is representative of a regional population of gazelle firms.

Findings

New companies experiencing high levels of growth face the challenge of expansion while structurally immature. While the selected companies were ill-equipped in formal knowledge of HR they reacted to rapidly changing conditions and were forced to organisational flexibility meaning that few absolute rules were adopted.

Originality/value

Gazelle literature tends to focus on impediments to growth, rather than HR staples such as recruiting and retaining staff. But the studied cases showed an acute appreciation by gazelle managers of the value of motivated, skilled staff able to turn their hand to the fluctuating requirements of the fast-growing firm and a desire to establish formal HR mechanisms as part of the response to the stress of growth.
Enhancing perceived employability through work-integrated learning
Authors: Ng Peggy M.L. , Wut Tai Ming , Chan Jason K.Y.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Embedded in higher educational settings, work-integrated learning (WIL) is a key reflection to students' perceived employability. The purpose of this study is to explore the antecedents of internal and external perceived employability. The research attempts to test a theoretical model examining the relationships among human capital, work values, career self-management, internal perceived employability and external perceived employability.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 588 students who have internship experience from two self-financing higher education institutions in Hong Kong. We adopted structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the proposed research hypotheses.

Findings

Results support the idea that human capital and intrinsic work values are significant antecedents of perceived employability. Furthermore, this relationship is fully mediated by career self-management. The implications of the findings for understanding the process through which psychological variables affect an individual's perceived employability are discussed.

Originality/value

Previous studies have extensively examined the effectiveness of WIL in increasing graduates' employability. However, unclear focus has been given to examine psychological attributes, such as human capital, work values and career self-management in WIL. In addition, few researchers have empirically examined the linkages among human capital, work values, career self-management and employability through internships or WIL experiences. Therefore, to bridge these gaps, the present study examines the effect of human capital, work values and career self-management on students' perceived employability when gaining internships or WIL experiences in a higher education setting.
Sophia Sophia tell me more, which is the most risk-free plan of all? AI anthropomorphism and risk aversion in financial decision-making
Authors: Cui Yuanyuan (Gina)
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This research examines whether anthropomorphizing artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots alters consumers' risk preferences toward financial investment options involving differential risks.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental approach has been adopted with three studies, all featuring a between-subjects design.

Findings

Through three studies, the findings document that, in a financial decision-making context, anthropomorphizing AI leads to significantly greater risk aversion in investment decision-making (Study 1). This occurs because AI-enabled chatbot anthropomorphization activates greater psychological risk attachment, which enacts consumers to manifest stronger risk aversion tendency (Studies 2 and 3).

Originality/value

Anthropomorphizing AI has undeniable relevance in the contemporary marketing landscape, such as humanoid robotics and emotion AI algorithms. Despite of anthropomorphism's significance and relevance, the downstream impact of anthropomorphism remains unfortunately underexplored.
Investigating the effects of stakeholder collaboration strategies on risk prevention performance in a digital innovation ecosystem
Authors: Li Ying , Wang Yating , Wang Lei , Xie Jingci
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The risks associated with digital innovation increasingly challenge value co-creation among stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem. Stakeholder collaboration is helpful in preventing risk occurrence. This study intends to explore the effects of different stakeholder collaboration strategies on risk prevention performance in a digital innovation ecosystem context.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature analysis was first conducted to identify risk factors of digital innovation based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework. Then, a bidimensional network model was constructed to visualize the collaborative relationships among stakeholders and the identified risks by focusing on a digital innovation case. The social network analysis method was applied to design stakeholder collaboration strategies from the ego and global network perspectives, and a simulation approach was conducted to evaluate the effects of the strategies on risk prevention performance.

Findings

The results validate the positive effect of stakeholder collaboration on risk prevention performance and reveal the important role of network reachability in formulating collaboration strategies. The strategy of strong–strong collaboration strategy can best enhance risk prevention performance like a “Matthew effect” in the digital innovation ecosystem.

Originality/value

First, risk identification based on the TOE framework provides a systematic list of risk factors for future digital innovation risk management research. Second, this study designs stakeholder collaboration strategies from a network perspective to enhance the understanding of the network status of each stakeholder and the network structure of the digital innovation ecosystem. Third, the simulation results reveal the effects of different collaboration strategies on risk prevention performance.
Access to finance, social capital and the improvement of corporate performance: evidence from Southeast Asia
Authors: Kijkasiwat Ploypailin , Shahid Ahmad Usman , Hassan M. Kabir , Hunjra Ahmed Imran
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study examines the influence of access to finance and social capital on the improvement of the corporate performance of non-listed firms of Southeast Asian countries. Furthermore, this paper also explores the mediating role of firms' access to finance between the association of social capital and the improvement of corporate performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes the Bank Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey from 2015 to 2017. Specifically, the survey was administered by the World Bank. Data were analyzed using structural modeling in Smart-PLS.

Findings

The findings show that firms' access to finance and social capital significantly influences the improvement of corporate performance. Additionally, the study’s analysis further reports the mediating role of firms' access to finance between the association of social capital and the improvement of corporate performance.

Practical implications

This study has implications for governments, regulators and policymakers for enhancing access to finance and social capital, and improving corporate performance.

Originality/value

This paper establishes the importance of firms' access to finance and social capital for improving firms' overall performance in the broader context of Southeast Asia.
The predicted impact of resource provisioning on the epidemiological responses of different parasites
Authors: Erazo Diana , Pedersen Amy B. , Fenton Andy
Published: May 2022

Anthropogenic activities and natural events such as periodic tree masting can alter resource provisioning in the environment, directly affecting animals, and potentially impacting the spread of infectious diseases in wildlife. The impact of these additional resources on infectious diseases can manifest through different pathways, affecting host susceptibility, contact rate and host demography.

To date however, empirical research has tended to examine these different pathways in isolation, for example by quantifying the effects of provisioning on host behaviour in the wild or changes in immune responses in controlled laboratory studies. Furthermore, while theory has investigated the interactions between these pathways, this work has focussed on a narrow subset of pathogen types, typically directly transmitted microparasites. Given the diverse ways that provisioning can affect host susceptibility, contact patterns or host demography, we may expect the epidemiological consequences of provisioning to vary among different parasite types, dependent on key aspects of parasite life history, such as the duration of infection and transmission mode.

Focusing on an exemplar empirical system, the wood mouseApodemus sylvaticus, and its diverse parasite community, we developed a suite of epidemiological models to compare how resource provisioning alters responses for a range of these parasites that vary in their biology (microparasite and macroparasite), transmission mode (direct, environmental and vector transmitted) and duration of infection (acute, latent and chronic) within the same host population.

We show there are common epidemiological responses to host resource provisioning across all parasite types examined. In particular, the epidemiological impact of provisioning could be driven in opposite directions, depending on which host pathways (contact rate, susceptibility or host demography) are most altered by the addition of resources to the environment. Broadly, these responses were qualitatively consistent across all parasite types, emphasising the importance of identifying general trade‐offs between provisioning‐altered parameters.

Despite the qualitative consistency in responses to provisioning across parasite types, we predicted notable quantitative differences between parasites, with directly transmitted parasites (those conforming to SIR and SIS frameworks) predicted to show the strongest responses to provisioning among those examined, whereas the vector‐borne parasites showed negligible responses to provisioning. As such, these analyses suggest that different parasites may show different scales of response to the same provisioning scenario, even within the same host population. This highlights the importance of knowing key aspects of host–parasite biology, to understand and predict epidemiological responses to provisioning for any specific host–parasite system.
‘If I Would Stay Alive, I Would Be Their Voice’: On the Legitimacy of International People's Tribunals
Authors: Zammit Borda Aldo , Mandelbaum Stefan
Published: May 2022

In recent years there has been a proliferation of People's Tribunals (PTs), promising to address atrocities that have fallen through the net of a statist international legal order. However, the status of such informal tribunals has remained controversial in both literature and practice. The dominant view has been that PTs simply lack legitimate authority. Positing that, in the language game of legitimacy, PTs are put on a perpetual argumentative backfoot, this article examines aspects of their input, process and output legitimacy. It is argued that the right of victims‐survivors to be heard reigns supreme and it is in upholding that right that the authority of PTs is legitimised. In the current state of international justice, PTs constitute indispensable, quasi‐judicial institutions that bridge gaps in access to justice, challenge official narratives (or silences) about atrocities and, potentially, open up new avenues towards justice and recognition.
‘Lex Cryptographi(c)a,’ ‘Cloud Crypto Land’ or What? – Blockchain Technology on the Legal Hype Cycle
Authors: Anderson Schillig Michael
Published: May 2022

Based on the reception of DLT/blockchain, this article argues that legal discourse is subject to hype cycle dynamics. Thinking in hype cycle categories provides a structured way for analysing the legal implications of a particular innovation. This critical engagement with enthusiasts, sceptics and pragmatists through the different stages may help to present a more realistic picture of DLT/blockchain's potential from a legal perspective in the short and medium term. Consequently, this article discusses the potential for disruption to the legal system envisaged by enthusiasts at the height of inflated expectations, attempts to deconstruct the arguments levelled at the technology by its detractors during the trough of disillusionment, charts the emerging legal landscape that seeks to harness the potential of DLT/blockchain up the slope of enlightenment, and concludes by risking a glimpse towards the plateau of productivity.
The role of patriarchal structure and gender stereotypes in cyber dating abuse: A qualitative examination of male perpetrators experiences
Authors: Alsawalqa Rula Odeh , Alrawashdeh Maissa N.
Published: May 2022

In Jordan, premarital romantic relationships are still socially unacceptable as they contradict traditional values and norms. Although previous studies have examined cyber dating abuse (CDA), few have utilized an exploratory qualitative design to clarify male abusers' perceptions of their motivations, particularly in Arabic and clan environments. Therefore, this study conducted a thematic qualitative analysis of 47 male university students aged 19–26 and asked about their experiences and beliefs regarding their engagement in CDA against female romantic partners via social media (WhatsApp, Facebook) and mobile phone. Two themes were identified: (1) contexts and motivations for male perpetration of CDA (2) consequences of CDA for the male perpetrators. The results revealed that control and direct aggression and sexual behaviors are common practices among male perpetrators; gender identity and male entitlement are related factors, enabling and normalizing male abusive behavior. Women, taught to be submissive by Jordanian society, are unable to defend themselves. Hence, CDA also predicts offline intimate partner violence‐related behaviors. Moreover, the main motives for CDA from the perspective of male perpetrators are anger, jealousy, revenge, abandonment, feeling betrayed by female partners, earning money, sexual exploitation, and incitement by another woman. The results suggest that engaging in CDA behaviors can negatively impact perpetrators' physical and psychological health as well as their social and academic behaviors. These results confirm that efforts to reduce CDA that may lead to domestic violence against women must address the social pressures and context of violence, including masculinity and patriarchal domination.
The (in)stability of farmer risk preferences
Authors: Finger Robert , Wüpper David , McCallum Chloe
Published: May 2022

We test and quantify the (in)stability of farmer risk preferences, accounting for both the instability across elicitation methods and instability over time. We use repeated measurements (N = 1530) with Swiss fruit and grapevine producers over 3 years, using different risk preference elicitation methods (domain‐specific self‐assessment and incentivised lotteries). We find that farmers' risk preferences change considerably when measured using different methods. For example, self‐reported risk preference and findings from a Holt and Laury lottery correlate only weakly (correlation coefficients range from 0.06 to 0.23). Moreover, we also find that risk preferences vary considerably over time, that is, applying the same elicitation method to the same farmer in a different point in time results in different risk preference estimates. Our results show self‐reported risk preferences are moderately correlated (correlation coefficients range from 0.42 to 0.55) from one year to another. Finally, we find experiencing crop damages due to climate extremes and pests is associated with farmers becoming more risk tolerant over time in specific domains.
The negative impact of individual perceived isolation in distributed teams and its possible remedies
Authors: Wong Sut I. , Berntzen Marthe , Warner‐Søderholm Gillian , Giessner Steffen Robert
Published: May 2022

Previous research on distributed teams indicates that physical distance between team members is problematic for team functioning. We advance this research by investigating the role of team members' psychological experiences of isolation using both a longitudinal diary study and a time‐lag field study, applying a Job Demand–Resource (JD‐R) theory lens (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017). With the diary study, we capture daily fluctuations of perceived isolation and its antecedents and consequences. Results show that (a) where distributed team members work, and (b) how much they communicate, contribute to the degree to which distributed team members may feel isolated. The combined results of the diary study and the time‐lagged field study show that 1) perceived isolation, and 2) perceived isolation combined with high role ambiguity, contribute to experiences of helplessness. Subsequently, feelings of helplessness hamper the level of perceived team implicit coordination. Theoretical and practical implications for managing distributed teams are discussed.
Genomic insights into evolution and control of Wohlfahrtia magnifica, a widely distributed myiasis‐causing fly of warm‐blooded vertebrates
Authors: Jia Zhipeng , Hasi Surong , Vogl Claus , Burger Pamela A.
Published: May 2022

Wohlfahrtia magnifica is a pest fly species, invading livestock in many European, African and Asian countries, and causing heavy agroeconomic losses. In the life cycle of this obligatory parasite, adult flies infect the host by depositing the first‐stage larvae into body cavities or open wounds. The feeding larvae cause severe (skin) tissue damage and potentially fatal infections if untreated. Despite serious health detriments and agroeconomic concerns, genomic resources for understanding the biology of W. magnifica have so far been lacking. Here, we present a complete genome assembly from a single adult female W. magnifica using a Low‐DNA Input workflow for PacBio HiFi library preparation. The de novo assembled genome is 753.99 Mb in length, with a scaffold N50 of 5.00 Mb, consisting of 16,718 predicted protein‐encoding genes. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that W. magnifica has the closest phylogenetic relationship to Sarcophaga bullata followed by Lucilia cuprina. Evolutionary analysis of gene families showed expansions of 173 gene families in W. magnifica that were enriched for gene ontology (GO) categories related to immunity, insecticide‐resistance mechanisms, heat stress response and cuticle development. In addition, 45 positively selected genes displaying various functions were identified. This new genomic resource contributes to the evolutionary and comparative analysis of dipterous flies and an in‐depth understanding of many aspects of W. magnifica biology. Furthermore, it will facilitate the development of novel tools for controlling W. magnifica infection in livestock.
Environmental RNA degrades more rapidly than environmental DNA across a broad range of pH conditions
Authors: Kagzi Kaushar , Hechler Robert M. , Fussmann Gregor F. , Cristescu Melania E.
Published: May 2022

Although the use and development of molecular biomonitoring tools based on environmental nucleic acids (eDNA and eRNA; collectively known as eNAs) have gained broad interest for the quantification of biodiversity in natural ecosystems, studies investigating the impact of site‐specific physicochemical parameters on eNA‐based detection methods (particularly eRNA) remain scarce. Here, we used a controlled laboratory microcosm experiment to comparatively assess the environmental degradation of eDNA and eRNA across an acid–base gradient following complete removal of the progenitor organism (Daphnia pulex). Using water samples collected over a 30‐day period, eDNA and eRNA copy numbers were quantified using a droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of D. pulex. We found that eRNA decayed more rapidly than eDNA at all pH conditions tested, with detectability—predicted by an exponential decay model—for up to 57 h (eRNA; neutral pH) and 143 days (eDNA; acidic pH) post organismal removal. Decay rates for eDNA were significantly higher in neutral and alkaline conditions than in acidic conditions, while decay rates for eRNA did not differ significantly among pH levels. Collectively, our findings provide the basis for a predictive framework assessing the persistence and degradation dynamics of eRNA and eDNA across a range of ecologically relevant pH conditions, establish the potential for eRNA to be used in spatially and temporally sensitive biomonitoring studies (as it is detectable across a range of pH levels), and may be used to inform future sampling strategies in aquatic habitats.