bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Skeletal maturity predicts cognitive abilities in human adolescents
Authors: Kovács Ilona , Kovács Kristóf , Gerván Patrícia , Utczás Katinka , Oláh Gyöngyi , Tróznai Zsófia , Berencsi Andrea , Szakács Hanna , Gombos Ferenc
Published: May 2021

Adolescent human development is not only shaped by the mere passing of time and accumulating experience, but it also depends on pubertal timing and the cascade of maturational processes orchestrated by gonadal hormones. Although individual variability in puberty onset confounds adolescent studies, it has not been efficiently controlled for. Here we introduce ultrasonic bone age assessment to estimate biological maturity and disentangle the independent effects of chronological and biological age on adolescent cognitive abilities. Comparing cognitive performance of participants with different skeletal maturity we uncover the striking impact of biological age on both IQ and specific abilities. We find that biological age has a selective effect on abilities: more mature individuals within the same age group have higher working memory capacity and processing speed, while those with higher chronological age have better verbal abilities, independently of their maturity. Bone age appears to be a surprisingly strong predictor of cognitive abilities, and it seems that a teen’s IQ is determined by biological age.
Hepatic mTORC1 signaling activates ATF4 as part of its metabolic response to feeding and insulin
Authors: Byles Vanessa , Cormerais Yann , Kalafut Krystle , Barrera Victor , Hughes Hallett James E. , Sui Shannan Ho , Asara John M. , Adams Christopher M. , Hoxhaj Gerta , Ben-Sahra Issam , Manning Brendan D.
Published: May 2021

Objective

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is dynamically regulated by fasting and feeding cycles in the liver to promote protein and lipid synthesis while suppressing autophagy. However, beyond these functions, the metabolic response of the liver to feeding and insulin signaling orchestrated by mTORC1 remains poorly defined. Here, we determine whether ATF4, a stress responsive transcription factor recently found to be independently regulated by mTORC1 signaling in proliferating cells, is responsive to hepatic mTORC1 signaling to alter hepatocyte metabolism.

Methods

ATF4 protein levels and expression of canonical gene targets were analyzed in the liver following fasting and physiological feeding in the presence or absence of the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. Primary hepatocytes from wild-type or liver-specificAtf4knockout (LAtf4KO) mice were used to characterize the effects of insulin-stimulated mTORC1-ATF4 function on hepatocyte gene expression and metabolism. Both unbiased steady-state metabolomics and stable-isotope tracing methods were employed to define mTORC1 and ATF4-dependent metabolic changes. RNA-sequencing was used to determine global changes in feeding-induced transcripts in the livers of wild-type versusLAtf4KOmice.

Results

We demonstrate that ATF4 and its metabolic gene targets are stimulated by mTORC1 signaling in the liver in response to feeding and in a hepatocyte-intrinsic manner by insulin. While we demonstrate thatde novopurine and pyrimidine synthesis is stimulated by insulin through mTORC1 signaling in primary hepatocytes, this regulation was independent of ATF4. Metabolomics and metabolite tracing studies revealed that insulin-mTORC1-ATF4 signaling stimulates pathways of non-essential amino acid synthesis in primary hepatocytes, including those of alanine, aspartate, methionine, and cysteine, but not serine.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that ATF4 is a novel metabolic effector of mTORC1 in liver, extending the molecular consequences of feeding and insulin-induced mTORC1 signaling in this key metabolic tissue to the control of amino acid metabolism.
yEvo: Experimental evolution in high school classrooms selects for novel mutations and epistatic interactions that impact clotrimazole resistance inS. cerevisiae
Authors: Taylor M. Bryce , Skophammer Ryan , Warwick Alexa R. , Boyer Josephine M. , Students yEvo , Walson Margaux , Large Christopher R. L. , Hickey Angela Shang-Mei , Rowley Paul A. , Dunham Maitreya J.
Published: May 2021

Antifungal resistance in pathogenic fungi is a growing global health concern. Non-pathogenic laboratory strains ofSaccharomyces cerevisiaeare a useful model for studying mechanisms of antifungal resistance that are relevant to understanding the same processes in pathogenic fungi. We developed a series of lab modules in which high school students used experimental evolution to study antifungal resistance by isolating azole-resistantS. cerevisiaeand examining the genetic basis of resistance. All 99 sequenced clones from these experiments possessed mutations previously shown to impact azole resistance, demonstrating the efficacy of our protocols. We additionally found recurrent mutations in an mRNA degradation pathway and an uncharacterized mitochondrial protein (Csf1) that have possible mechanistic connections to azole resistance. The scale of replication in this high school-led initiative allowed us to identify epistatic interactions, as evidenced by pairs of mutations that occur in the same clone more frequently than expected by chance (positive epistasis) or less frequently (negative epistasis). We validated one of these pairs, a negative epistatic interaction between gain-of-function mutations in the multidrug resistance transcription factors Pdr1 and Pdr3. This high school-university collaboration can serve as a model for involving members of the broader public in the scientific process to make meaningful discoveries in biomedical research.
Validating atlas-based lesion disconnectomics in multiple sclerosis: a retrospective multi-centric study
Authors: Ravano Veronica , Andelova Michaela , Fartaria Mário João , A-Wali Mahdi Mazen Fouad , Maréchal Bénédicte , Meuli Reto , Uher Tomas , Krasensky Jan , Vaneckova Manuela , Horakova Dana , Kober Tobias , Richiardi Jonas
Published: May 2021

The translational potential of MR-based connectivity modelling is limited by the need for advanced diffusion imaging, which is not part of clinical protocols for many diseases. In addition, where diffusion data is available, brain connectivity analyses rely on tractography algorithms which imply two major limitations. First, tracking algorithms are known to be sensitive to the presence of white matter lesions and therefore leading to interpretation pitfalls and poor inter-subject comparability in clinical applications such as multiple sclerosis. Second, tractography quality is highly dependent on the acquisition parameters of diffusion sequences, leading to a trade-off between acquisition time and tractography precision.

Here, we propose an atlas-based approach to study the interplay between structural disconnectivity and lesions without requiring individual diffusion imaging. In a multi-centric setting involving three distinct multiple sclerosis datasets (containing both 1.5T and 3T data), we compare our atlas-based structural disconnectome computation pipeline to disconnectomes extracted from individual tractography and explore its clinical utility for reducing the gap between radiological findings and clinical symptoms in multiple sclerosis. Results using topological graph properties showed that overall, our atlas-based disconnectomes were suitable approximations of individual disconnectomes from diffusion imaging. Small-worldness was found to decrease for larger total lesion volumes thereby suggesting a loss of efficiency in brain connectivity of MS patients. Finally, the global efficiency of the created brain graph, combined with total lesion volume, allowed to stratify patients into subgroups with different clinical scores in all three cohorts.
Agrochemical control of gene expression using evolved split RNA polymerase
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Miao Jin
Published: May 2021

Chemical inducible gene expression systems are valuable tools for rational control of gene expression both for basic research and biotechnology. However, most chemical inducers are confined to certain groups of organisms. Therefore, dissecting interaction between different organisms could be challenging using existing chemical inducible systems. We engineered a mandipropamid induced gene expression system (Mandi-T7) based on evolved split T7 RNAP system. As a proof-of-principle, we induced GFP expression inE. colicells grown inside plant tissue.
The oncogenic Runx3–Myc axis definesp53-deficient osteosarcomagenesis
Authors: Otani Shohei , Date Yuki , Ueno Tomoya , Ito Tomoko , Kajikawa Shuhei , Omori Keisuke , Taniuchi Ichiro , Umeda Masahiro , Komori Toshihisa , Toguchida Junya , Ito Kosei
Published: May 2021

Osteosarcoma (OS) in human patients is characterized by genetic alteration ofTP53. Osteoprogenitor-specificp53-deleted mice (OSmice) have been widely used to study the process of osteosarcomagenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of OS upon p53 inactivation remain largely unknown. In this study, we detected prominent RUNX3/Runx3 expression in human and mousep53-deficient OS. Myc was aberrantly upregulated by Runx3 via mR1, a consensus Runx site in theMycpromoter, in a manner dependent onp53deficiency. Reduction of the Myc level by disruption of mR1 or Runx3 knockdown decreased the tumorigenicity ofp53-deficient OS cells and effectively suppressed OS development inOSmice. Furthermore, Runx inhibitors exerted therapeutic effects onOSmice. Together, these results show thatp53deficiency promotes osteosarcomagenesis in human and mouse by allowing Runx3 to induce oncogenic Myc expression.
Cryo-EM structures of the Caspase activated protein XKR9 involved in apoptotic lipid scrambling
Authors: Straub Monique S. , Alvadia Carolina , Sawicka Marta , Dutzler Raimund
Published: May 2021

The exposure of the negatively charged lipid phosphatidylserine on the cell-surface, catalyzed by lipid scramblases, is an important signal for the clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages. The protein XKR9 is a member of a conserved family that has been associated with apoptotic lipid scrambling. Here, we describe structures of full-length and caspase-treated XKR9 in complex with a synthetic nanobody determined by cryo-electron microscopy. The 43 kDa monomeric membrane protein contains eight membrane-spanning helices, two segments that are partly inserted into the lipid bilayer and is organized as two structurally related repeats. In the full-length protein, the C-terminus interacts with a hydrophobic site located at the intracellular side acting as an inhibitor of protein function. Cleavage by caspase-3 at a specific site releases 16 residues of the C-terminus thus making the binding site accessible to the cytoplasm. Collectively, the work has revealed the unknown architecture of the XKR family and has provided initial insight into its activation by caspases.
A genome-wide knock-out screen for actors of epigenetic silencing reveals new regulators of germline genes and 2-cell like cell state
Authors: Gupta Nikhil , Yakhou Lounis , Albert Julien Richard , Miura Fumihito , Ferry Laure , Kirsh Olivier , Laisné Marthe , Yamaguchi Kosuke , Domrane Cécilia , Bonhomme Frédéric , Sarkar Arpita , Delagrange Marine , Ducos Bertrand , Greenberg Maxim V. C. , Cristofari Gael , Bultmann Sebastian , Ito Takashi , Defossez Pierre-Antoine
Published: May 2021

Epigenetic mechanisms are essential to establish and safeguard cellular identities in mammals. They dynamically regulate the expression of genes, transposable elements, and higher-order chromatin structures. Expectedly, these chromatin marks are indispensable for mammalian development and alterations often lead to diseases such as cancer. Molecularly, epigenetic mechanisms rely on factors to establish patterns, interpret them into a transcriptional output, and maintain them across cell divisions. A global picture of these phenomena has started to emerge over the years, yet many of the molecular actors remain to be discovered. In this context, we have developed a reporter system sensitive to epigenetic perturbations to report on repressive pathways based onDazl,which is normally repressed in mouse ES cells. We used this system for a genome-wide CRISPR knock-out screen, which yielded expected hits (DNMT1, UHRF1, MGA), as well as novel candidates. We prioritized the candidates by secondary screens, and led further experiments on 6 of them: ZBTB14, KDM5C, SPOP, MCM3AP, BEND3, and KMT2D. Our results show that all 6 candidates regulate the expression of germline genes. In addition, we find that removal of ZBTB14, KDM5C, SPOP and MCM3AP led to similar transcriptional responses, including a reactivation of the 2-cell like cell (2CLC) signature. Therefore, our genetic screen has identified new regulators of key cellular states.
Single-molecule mechanical unfolding kinetics of unmodified Saccharomyces cerevisiae tRNAPhe: a hint to the tRNA chaperone-tRNA interaction mechanism
Authors: Liu Wenzhao , Feng Luyi , Zhu Wenpeng , Zhou Zhenyu , Chen Ran , Zhou Jie , Xie Wei , Chen Hu , Zhong Zhensheng , Ma Jie
Published: May 2021

The biological activity of tRNA is closely related to its mechanical folding properties. Although previous studies focused on the folding and unfolding mechanism of tRNA, its kinetics are largely unknown. In this study, combining optical tweezers and molecule dynamics simulations, we characterized the mechanical folding and unfolding processes of a single unmodified Saccharomyces cerevisiae tRNAphe. We identified the intermediates and pathways for tRNA mechanical folding and unfolding in the presence of Mg2+, discovering that the folding/unfolding kinetics of D stem-loop and T stem-loop but not the anti-codon stem-loop significantly affected by their upstream and downstream structures. The cooperative unfolding of the tRNA in the presence of Mg2+ lead to a large hysteresis between the folding and unfolding pathway, and such hysteresis and unfolding cooperativity are significantly reduced by lowering the Mg2+ concentration or mutating the nucleotides forming the 'elbow' structure. Moreover, both steered molecular dynamics simulation and optical tweezers experiment results support that, formation of tertiary interactions in the elbow region increases energy barriers of the mechanical unfolding pathway, including those in between intermediates, and determines the overall unfolding cooperativity. Our studies may shed light on the detailed tRNA chaperone mechanism of TruB and TrmA.
The mouse brain after foot-shock in 4D: temporal dynamics at a single-cell resolution
Authors: Bonapersona V. , Schuler H. , Damsteegt R.D. , Adolfs Y. , Pasterkamp R.J. , van den Heuvel M.P. , Joëls M. , Sarabdjitsingh R.A.
Published: May 2021

Acute stress leads to sequential activation of functional brain networks. The challenge is to get insight in whole brain activity at multiple scales, beyond the level of (networks of) nuclei. We developed a novel pre-processing and analytical pipeline to chart whole-brain immediate early genes’ expression – as proxy for cellular activity – after a single stressful foot-shock in 4 dimensions; that is, from functional networks up to 3D single-cell resolution, and over time. The pipeline is available as R-package. Most brain areas (96%) showed increased numbers of c-fos+ cells after foot-shock, yet hypothalamic areas stood out as being most active and prompt in their activation, followed by amygdalar, prefrontal, hippocampal and finally thalamic areas. At the cellular level, c-fos+ density clearly shifted over time across subareas, as illustrated for the basolateral amygdala. Moreover, some brain areas showed increased numbers of c-fos+ cells, while others dramatically increased c-fos intensity in just a subset of cells; this ‘strategy’ changed after foot-shock in half of the brain areas. All single-cell data can be visualized for each of the 90 brain areas examined through our interactive web-portal.
Ribonuclease Protection: Mapping RNA with Ribonuclease and Radiolabeled RNA Probes
Authors: Green Michael R. , Sambrook Joseph
Published: May 2021

In this protocol a randomly labeled single-stranded RNA probe is prepared and then hybridized to a population of mRNA molecules. The RNAs are digested with a mixture of RNase A and RNase T1. The hybrid molecules, which are resistant to the RNases, are separated and analyzed using gel electrophoresis and radiography.
Matrix form of interval multivariable gray model and its application
Authors: Guo Sandang , Jing Yaqian , Li Bingjun
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to make multivariable gray model to be available for the application on interval gray number sequences directly, the matrix form of interval multivariable gray model (IMGM(1,m,k) model) is constructed to simulate and forecast original interval gray number sequences in this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the interval gray number is regarded as a three-dimensional column vector, and the parameters of multivariable gray model are expressed in matrix form. Based on the dynamic gray action and optimized background value, the interval multivariable gray model is constructed. Finally, two examples and comparisons are carried out to verify the effectiveness of IMGM(1,m,k) model.

Findings

The model is applied to simulate and predict expert value, foreign direct investment, automobile sales and steel output, respectively. The results show that the proposed model has better simulation and prediction performance than another two models.

Practical implications

Due to the uncertainty information and continuous changing of reality, the interval gray numbers are used to characterize full information of original data. And the IMGM(1,m,k) model not only considers the characteristics of parameters changing with time but also takes into account information on lower, middle and upper bounds of interval gray numbers simultaneously to make better suitable for practical application.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is to propose a new interval multivariable gray model, which considers the interaction between the lower, middle and upper bounds of interval numbers and need not to transform interval gray number sequences into real sequences. According to combining different characteristics of each bound of interval gray numbers, the matrix form of interval multivariable gray model is established to simulate and forecast interval gray numbers. In addition, the model introduces dynamic gray action to reflect the changes of parameters over time. Instead of white equation of classic MGM(1,m), the difference equation is directly used to solve the simulated and predicted values.
Values, satisfaction and intentions: online innovation perspective for fashion apparels
Authors: Kautish Pradeep , Guru Sunita , Sinha Anamika
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to survey the associations among innovation perspective on value priorities, i.e. hedonic vs utilitarian facets, satisfaction among customers and behavioral intents for online fashion apparels in the Asian economic context, i.e. Indian market.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used a hypo-deductive strategy and all the constructs were amended from the previous scholarly work. The two-step methodology with structural equation modelling in terms of covariance-based methodology was deployed to weigh the measurement and structural models.

Findings

The conclusions reveal that value priorities in terms of hedonic vs utilitarian dimensions have a substantial influence on satisfaction, and satisfaction significantly affects intentions for online apparels. Additionally, customer satisfaction performs the role of a partial facilitator between hedonic and utilitarian values and purchase intents. In comparison to hedonic, utilitarian priorities display a superior outcome on customer satisfaction and purchase intents for fashion apparels getting sold online portals.

Research limitations/implications

The research will facilitate online researchers and fashion managers recognize the underlying dimensions of innovation-led perspectives on values, i.e. hedonic vs utilitarian, for satisfaction and behavioral intents.

Practical implications

The study results will assist online marketers, fashion portals and specialists recognize the characteristics of hedonic vs utilitarian dimensions to improve satisfaction facets and behavioral intents for online fashion apparels.

Social implications

The present scholarly work presents useful insights related to social transformation with respect to innovative online fashion apparel buying paradigms.

Originality/value

In an Asian market context, the paper is pioneer work to examine the comparative relationships among value priorities, e.g. hedonic vs utilitarian dimensions and their influence on satisfaction and purchase intents for the fashion apparels sold online sector a two-dimensional measure of consumption values.
TQM, employee outcomes and performance: the contingency effect of environmental uncertainty
Authors: Yazdani Bita
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between total quality management (TQM), employee outcomes and performance. Moreover, how environmental uncertainty (EU) influences the relationship between employee outcomes and performance is regarded in the context of automobile part manufacturing and suppliers of Iran. Four theories namely resource-based view theory, ability, motivation, opportunity framework, contingency theory and quality management theory have been adopted in this research.

Design/methodology/approach

A research project is conducted in 191 automobile part manufacturing and suppliers plants using the questionnaire method. Confirmatory factor analysis is applied to assess the reliability and validity of the measurement instrument. The correlations between latent constructs are examined through partial least squares method.

Findings

The results show positive relationship between TQM, employee outcome and performance. The EU also moderates the relationship between employee outcome and performance.

Research limitations/implications

It is recommended that some contextual factors such as culture be noticed in future research studies. Data were collected from Iranian automobile part manufacturing and suppliers plants, which may limit the generalization of results to other organizations in other countries.

Practical implications

In this paper, some beneficial insights are addressed to assist managers in recognizing the organizational problems, which weaken implementing TQM, employee outcomes and the effect of EU on organizations.

Social implications

By improving the quality of management practices and employee outcomes, the society gains benefits such as customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the TQM advance and human resource management literature and provides better foundations for employee outcomes improvement through TQM practices in the Middle East. By investigating the effect of EU, this study fills the current gap in this field.
Non-Muslim Malaysians’ purchase intention towards halal products
Authors: Chong Shyue Chuan , Yeow Chin Chai , Low Choon Wei , Mah Pei Yew , Tung Diep Thanh
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Halal products were a norm in the Muslim countries; however, halal food products were not only being consumed by Muslims nowadays. People are concerned about their daily needs, especially their food and spend in this modern society. Customers nowadays are more educated, and all the information can be easily accessed by just a click. Previous literature found that customers are looking for quality products and products that are safer to be consumed.

Design/methodology/approach

The purpose of this study investigates non-Muslim customers’ intention in consuming halal food products in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Using 321 non-Muslim responses from Klang Valley, partial least square regression was used to examine the factors influencing the customer’s purchase intention on halal products.

Findings

The results show that product quality, product price, product availability and product safety significantly influence the purchase intention of urban non-Muslim on halal food products. The result implies that product quality is the most significant factor compared with other variables.

Originality/value

The data and results may contribute to the relevant authority to form a proper plan to improve Malaysia’s halal food items.
The impact of the campus climate and mental health literacy on students’ wellbeing
Authors: McGuirk Ethan , Frazer Patricia
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The prevalence of mental health (MH) issues amongst post-secondary students is on the rise. This study aims to assess if a student’s mental well-being (MWB) is impacted by a range of predictors such as gender, education level, mental health literacy (MHL) and the post-secondary campus climate.

Design/methodology/approach

A correlational, cross-sectional design was implemented amongst a student population (N = 100). A questionnaire was administered electronically to participants’. Levels of MWB, campus climate and MHL were evaluated alongside a number of demographics.

Findings

Campus climate was a significant predictor of student MWB. Gender differences were discovered amongst MHL levels. MHL was found to be significantly associated with the level of education.

Originality/value

This study is one of few evaluating the relationship between MWB, MHL and the post-secondary campus climate. Based on these findings, the post-secondary campus may predict student MWB, therefore can be possibly augmented to assist students. Additionally, MHL interventions should focus on education level and gender-specific cohorts to enhance student MWB.
Mental health and addiction service use among United States veterans with liver disease nationally in the Veterans Health Administration
Authors: Haque Lamia , Rosenheck Robert
Published: May 2021

Purpose

While many studies have shown that liver diseases (LD) can be caused or exacerbated by substance use disorders (SUD), few have examined the proportion of adults with LD and SUD who receive mental health and addiction treatment or correlates of such use.

Design/methodology/approach

Using national Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 data from the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the authors studied all 43,246 veterans diagnosed with both LD and SUD in FY 2012 and compared those who received mental health treatment (n = 30,456; 70.4%) to those who did not (n = 12,790; 29.6%).

Findings

Veterans who received mental health treatment were less like to be older than 75 years of age, more likely to have served during recent Middle East conflicts (Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom), more likely to have been recently homeless and to have drug dependence as contrasted with alcohol dependence when compared with those who did not receive mental health treatment. Although the majority, 70.4%, received mental health treatment, only 30.6% of the total received specialized addiction treatment, and these veterans were more likely to experience homelessness and have drug dependence diagnoses.

Originality/value

This is the first study as per the authors’ best knowledge that broadly examines mental health and addiction treatment received by veterans with LD and SUD. High rates of mental health treatment in this population likely reflect the integrated nature of the VHA and its emphasis on providing comprehensive services to homeless veterans. Further research is needed to identify barriers to specialized addiction treatment in this population.
The role of psychological contract violation in shaping spurious loyalty
Authors: Zhang Ya , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This study explores the impact of brand's psychological contract violation on customers' spurious loyalty, via the mediating effects of customers' brand commitments (affective commitment, calculative commitment and normative commitment) and the moderating effects of justification for violation and nostalgia proneness in the link of psychological contract violation and three commitments.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on 427 valid responses collected from paper- and web-based survey questionnaires, a total of 21 hypotheses were tested by adopting a structural equation model, hierarchical regression technique and slope analyses.

Findings

The result indicates negative effects of psychological contract violation on customers' attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty via affective commitment and normative commitment, as well as positive effects of psychological contract violation on customers' attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty via calculative commitment. It explains the reason why some loyal customers show spurious loyalty after being psychological contract violated. Meanwhile, it also supports different moderating impacts of justification for violation and nostalgia proneness in these relationships.

Originality/value

This study underscores the importance of calculative commitment in mitigating the adverse effect of psychological contract violation on customers' loyalty. Also, managerial implications are put forward to prevent loyal customers from switching to a worse loyalty stage after being violated.
The fate of the balanced scorecard: alternative problematization and competing networks
Authors: Gooneratne Tharusha N. , Hoque Zahirul
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to report on an empirical investigation of the fate of the balanced scorecard (BSC) approach in an organization.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on actor-network theory and using a qualitative case study approach, this study analyses how across time certain actors attempted to build a competing network in the organization to gain support for their underlying rationales for replacing the BSC with a budgeting system. Data were collected using interviews, observations and archival data from a Sri Lankan commercial bank.

Findings

This paper finds that despite the enthusiastic journey with all its potentials to be a sustainable accounting innovation, the attraction towards the BSC innovation by the organization appeared to be temporary because the BSC knowledge claims that were advanced by its promoters had not been widely accepted by those involved in the practice. Such a consequence of innovation diffusion appeared to be the result of the failure of the innovation promoters in coordinating the heterogeneous interests of various actors involved in the practice. This study concludes that the BSC failed to be sustained, amid varying ideologies and interests of powerful actors across time and opponent actors’ perceived deficiencies in its adapted design attributes.

Research limitations/implications

Although the findings relate to a Sri Lankan case, they offer important insight into how parallel, competing networks advocating different control systems may exist in an organization, and that the sustainability of a specific system may depend upon the efforts and the relative power of the advocators of that system.

Practical implications

This paper sheds useful insights for practitioners on the effective implementation of accounting innovations and managing management control systems in organizations amid tensions associated with competing networks.

Originality/value

The outcomes enhance the knowledge of how multiple networks operating in an organization could compete with one another, with the result that one network may fall apart while another network gains prominence in the corporate landscape across time, amid varying interests of key actors, their actions and interessement devices used.
An evaluation of documentation requirements for ISO 9001 compliance in scrum projects
Authors: Mathrani Anuradha , Wickramasinghe Shanuka , Jayamaha Nihal Palitha
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Quality management standards (e.g. ISO 9001) lead to process conformance in the realization of quality goods and services; however, they can be rather document intensive. This paper investigates documentation practices used for aligning “light-weight” Scrum methods with ISO 9001 in a leading healthcare software firm.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors investigated how “light-weight” Scrum approaches fit with organizational documentation practices for ISO 9001 compliance in one leading healthcare software development firm. Three investigative rounds were conducted with software professionals having different Scrum roles to understand their challenges in maintaining process documentation with Scrum methods.

Findings

ISO standards stipulate certain mandatory documentation as evidence that certain pre-defined processes are followed in the build-up of quality goods and services. However, this may result in “heavy-weight” document driven approaches that interfere with “light-weight” Scrum methods. Case study findings reveal tensions faced by software professionals in maintaining the ISO 9001 documentation. That is, while some level of documentation is considered useful, software professionals consider certain other documentation tasks to be excessive and cumbersome. Further, many operational documents were written retrospectively for administrative compliance, leading to reduced, incomplete and ambiguous descriptions.

Practical implications

The study provides much value for practitioners in adapting their documentation with ongoing operational processes. Further, the critique on current ISO 9001 implementations in Agile environments has implications for future documentation practice.

Originality/value

The empirically drawn findings showcase some of the challenges in maintaining ISO 9001 documentation within Scrum projects. The study has contributed to both theory and practice in relation to the co-existence of ISO drawn standards with Agile approaches used for software development.
The impacts of high-commitment HRM practices on exploitative and exploratory innovation: the mediating role of knowledge sharing
Authors: Than Son Thanh , Le Phong Ba , Le Thanh Trung
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating roles of knowledge sharing behaviors (knowledge collecting and donating) in linking the relationship between high-commitment human resource management (HRM)practices and specific aspects of innovation capability, namely, exploitative and exploratory innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on quantitative approach and structural equation modeling to examine the correlation among the latent constructs based on the survey data collected from 281 participants in 95 Chinese firms.

Findings

The findings of this study support the mediating role of knowledge sharing (KS) behaviors in the relationship between HRM practices and aspects of innovation capability. It highlights the important role of knowledge donating and indicates that the effect of knowledge donating is more significant than that of knowledge collecting on exploitative and exploratory innovation.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should investigate the impact of high-commitment HRM practices on innovation capability under the moderating effects of organizational variables to bring better understanding on the relationship among them.

Originality/value

The paper significantly contributes to increasing knowledge and insights on the correlation between high-commitment HRM practices and specific forms of innovation. The understanding on mediating role of KS contribute to advancing the body of knowledge of HRM and innovation theory.
The two‐component system TarR–TarS is regulated by c‐di‐GMP/FleQ and FliA and modulates antibiotic susceptibility in Pseudomonas putida
Authors: Xiao Yujie , Nie Liang , Chen Haozhe , He Meina , Liang Qingyuan , Nie Hailing , Chen Wenli , Huang Qiaoyun
Published: May 2021

Two‐component systems (TCSs) are predominant means by which bacteria sense and respond to environment signals. Genome of Pseudomonas putida contains dozens of putative TCS‐encoding genes, but phenotypical–genotypical correlation and transcriptional regulation of these genes are largely unknown. Herein, we characterized function and transcriptional regulation of a conserved P. putida TCS, named TarR–TarS. TarS (PP_0769) encodes a potential histidine kinase, and tarR (PP_0768) encodes a potential response regulator. Protein–protein interaction assay and phosphorylation assay confirmed that TarR–TarS was a functional TCS. Growth assay under antibiotics revealed that TarR–TarS positively regulated bacterial resistance to multiple antibiotics. Pull‐down assay revealed that TarR directly interacted with PP_0800 (a hypothetical protein) and GroEL (the chaperonin). GroEL played a positive role in antibiotic resistance, while PP_0800 seemed to have no effect on antibiotic resistance. The regulator FleQ indirectly activated tarR–tarS transcription. However, the second messenger c‐di‐GMP antagonized FleQ activation to inhibit tarR–tarS transcription. The sigma factor FliA directly activated tarR–tarS transcription via a consensus motif. These findings reveal function and transcriptional regulation of TarR–TarS, and enrich knowledge regarding the relationship between c‐di‐GMP and antibiotic susceptibility in P. putida.
Slow and uneven progress: The representation of non‐English‐speaking background employees in the Australian Public Service
Authors: Opare‐Addo Joyce , Bertone Santina
Published: May 2021

This paper examines the employment representation of non‐English‐speaking background (NESB) immigrants in the Australian public sector. It explores the extent to which the (federal) Australian Public Service (APS) legislation for managing diversity and equity has influenced employment outcomes of NESB employees in the APS. Drawing from APS Commission reports and APS Statistical Bulletins from 2001 to 2015, our findings indicate that the general representation of APS employees from NESB (first‐ and second‐generation immigrants) is trending slowly upward. However, first‐generation NESB immigrants’ representation had only increased from 3.1% in 2001 to 5.1% in the decade to 2011. These proportions are well below the broader workforce representation of first‐generation NESB employees of 16%. The NESB group also remains significantly under‐represented at the executive level, indicating limited impact by the Australian Public Service Act (PSA) on the employment outcomes of employees from NESB. Such findings raise serious questions around low levels of cultural diversity in the APS. Our study indicates that progress towards increasing such diversity remains slow and problematic. We draw on institutional theory to help explain why this may be the case, and suggest future directions for research and policy.
Oil palm cultivation, household welfare, and exposure to economic risk in the Indonesian small farm sector
Authors: Mehraban Nadjia , Kubitza Christoph , Alamsyah Zulkifli , Qaim Matin
Published: May 2021

The massive expansion of oil palm in tropical regions has substantial implications for socioeconomic development. Several studies show that smallholder farmers benefit economically from cultivating oil palm. However, most existing studies examine short‐term impacts with cross‐sectional data, which has two disadvantages. First, issues of endogeneity are difficult to address with cross‐sectional data. Second, dynamic and risk effects cannot be analysed. We address both issues by using three waves of panel data from smallholder farmers in Indonesia and pseudo fixed effects panel estimators. We show that oil palm cultivation increases household living standards, measured in terms of annual consumption expenditures, by 13% on average. Moreover, we demonstrate that oil palm cultivation tends to reduce households' economic risk, measured in terms of potential decreases in living standard due to income variability. The risk‐reduction effect is evident despite fluctuating international palm oil prices and consequences for oil palm revenues and profits. Oil palm requires less labour than alternative crops, thus freeing family labour for other economic activities. We find that oil palm farmers are more involved in off‐farm activities, which helps to smooth income and consumption. Policy support may be required to address oil palm adoption constraints that some smallholders face. In addition, fostering the non‐farm economy and improving household access to lucrative off‐farm jobs are important for equitable rural development.
A high‐quality carabid genome assembly provides insights into beetle genome evolution and cold adaptation
Authors: Weng Yi‐Ming , Francoeur Charlotte B. , Currie Cameron R. , Kavanaugh David H. , Schoville Sean D.
Published: May 2021

The hyperdiverse order Coleoptera comprises a staggering ~25% of known species on Earth. Despite recent breakthroughs in next generation sequencing, there remains a limited representation of beetle diversity in assembled genomes. Most notably, the ground beetle family Carabidae, comprising more than 40,000 described species, has not been studied in a comparative genomics framework using whole genome data. Here we generate a high‐quality genome assembly forNebria riversi, to examine sources of novelty in the genome evolution of beetles, as well as genetic changes associated with specialization to high‐elevation alpine habitats. In particular, this genome resource provides a foundation for expanding comparative molecular research into mechanisms of insect cold adaptation. Comparison to other beetles shows a strong signature of genome compaction, withN. riversipossessing a relatively small genome (~147 Mb) compared to other beetles, with associated reductions in repeat element content and intron length. Small genome size is not, however, associated with fewer protein‐coding genes, and an analysis of gene family diversity shows significant expansions of genes associated with cellular membranes and membrane transport, as well as protein phosphorylation and muscle filament structure. Finally, our genomic analyses show that these high‐elevation beetles have endosymbioticSpiroplasma, with several metabolic pathways (e.g., propanoate biosynthesis) that might complementN. riversi, although its role as a beneficial symbiont or as a reproductive parasite remains equivocal.
Senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase reveals the abundance of senescent CD8+ T cells in aging humans
Authors: Martínez‐Zamudio Ricardo I. , Dewald Hannah K. , Vasilopoulos Themistoklis , Gittens‐Williams Lisa , Fitzgerald‐Bocarsly Patricia , Herbig Utz
Published: May 2021

Aging leads to a progressive functional decline of the immune system, rendering the elderly increasingly susceptible to disease and infection. The degree to which immune cell senescence contributes to this decline remains unclear, however, since markers that label immune cells with classical features of cellular senescence accurately and comprehensively have not been identified. Using a second‐generation fluorogenic substrate for β‐galactosidase and multi‐parameter flow cytometry, we demonstrate here that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from healthy humans increasingly display cells with high senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase (SA‐βGal) activity with advancing donor age. The greatest age‐associated increases were observed in CD8+ T‐cell populations, in which the fraction of cells with high SA‐βGal activity reached average levels of 64% in donors in their 60s. CD8+ T cells with high SA‐βGal activity, but not those with low SA‐βGal activity, were found to exhibit features of telomere dysfunction‐induced senescence and p16‐mediated senescence, were impaired in their ability to proliferate, developed in various T‐cell differentiation states, and had a gene expression signature consistent with the senescence state previously observed in human fibroblasts. Based on these results, we propose that senescent CD8+ T cells with classical features of cellular senescence accumulate to levels that are significantly higher than previously reported and additionally provide a simple yet robust method for the isolation and characterization of senescent CD8+ T cells with predictive potential for biological age.
Analysis of recently duplicated TYRP1 genes and their effect on the formation of black patches in Oujiang‐color common carp (Cyprinus carpio var. color)
Authors: Chen H. , Wang J. , Du J. , Mandal B. K. , Si Zh. , Xu X. , Yang H. , Wang Ch.
Published: May 2021

Tyrp1 gene, as a member of the tyrosinase family, has undergone a recent duplication event during fourth‐round whole genome duplication in common carp. In this research, three Tyrp1 genes were identified in Oujiang‐color common carp (Cyprinus carpio var. color). The similar expression patterns and close phylogenetic relationship indicated that Tyrp1c is homologous to Tyrp1b and possibly originated from the ancient Tyrp1b. The rates of synonymous and non‐synonymous substitution (Ka/Ks) in Tyrp1 across teleost phylogeny indicated that Tyrp1a is more likely to be in the process of purifying selection. The CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to disrupt the Tyrp1 genes in zebrafish and the WB (black patches on white skin) strain of Oujiang‐color common carp. The Tyrp1 loss of function variants in zebrafish and WB carp showed severe melanin deficiency in the skin. Meanwhile, inactivation of a single Tyrp1 gene did not obstruct melanin synthesis, which proved that the functional redundancy of Tyrp1 genes existed in both zebrafish and Oujiang‐color common carp. Among the mosaic individuals with Tyrp1 genes in disrupted‐color common carp, various mutations in Tyrp1b gene induced gray or brown phenotypes, suggesting that it may be bifunctional in Oujiang‐color common carp. In addition, the phenotype of WB variants was different from that of WW (whole white skin), suggesting that Tyrp1 genes were not the key factor that caused the difference between WB and WW.
Social innovation participatory action research for empowerment of marginalized people
Authors: Sadabadi Ali Asghar , Rahimi Rad Zohreh
Published: May 2021

Marginalization of poor and uneducated residents has led to fundamental social damage in Iran's large cities, which is manifest in a persistent culture of poverty and lack of access to opportunities and services. Empowering these people is not possible with government resources, and it requires the use of empowerment methods, such as social innovation‐based solutions. The purpose of the present study was to propose a social innovation cycle for the marginalized individuals in parts of Tehran, Iran (Farahzad and Khavarshahr) as a sustainable solution to empower them by creating jobs for them. The present study was conducted using the participatory action research methodology to analyze key activities undertaken during the “poultry self‐sufficiency” social innovation cycles in four phases: 1. generating ideas by understanding the needs and identifying potential solutions; 2. developing, prototyping, and piloting the ideas; 3. assessing, scaling up, and diffusing the good ideas; and 4. learning and evolving. The results showed that social innovation has the most significant effect when actors in different parts of society contribute and cooperate. According to the results obtained in this study, “poultry self‐sufficiency” social innovation lifts the marginalized out of poverty, and the empowerment process helps them to participate in the community.