bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (Ezh2) is essential for patterning of multiple musculoskeletal tissues but dispensable for tendon differentiation
Authors: Pal Deepanwita , Riester Scott M. , Hasan Bashar , Tufa Sara F. , Dudakovic Amel , Keene Douglas R. , van Wijnen Andre J. , Schweitzer Ronen
Published: October 2020

An efficient musculoskeletal system depends on the precise assembly and coordinated growth and function of muscles, skeleton and tendons. However, the mechanisms that drive integrated musculoskeletal development and coordinated growth and differentiation of each of these tissues are still being uncovered. Epigenetic modifiers have emerged as critical regulators of cell fate differentiation, but so far almost nothing is known about their roles in tendon biology. Previous studies have shown that epigenetic modifications driven by Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a major histone methyltransferase, have significant roles in vertebrate development including skeletal patterning and bone formation. We now find that targetingEzh2through the limb mesenchyme also has significant effects on tendon and muscle patterning, likely reflecting the essential roles of early mesenchymal cues mediated byEzh2for coordinated patterning and development of all tissues of the musculoskeletal system. Conversely, loss ofEzh2in the tendon cells did not disrupt the tendon cell fate suggesting that tenocyte differentiation and tendon maturation are independent ofEzh2signaling.
Drug synergy scoring using minimal dose response matrices
Authors: Mäkelä Petri , Zhang Si Min , Rudd Sean G
Published: October 2020

Objective

Combinations of pharmacological agents are essential for disease control and prevention, offering many advantages over monotherapies, with one of these being drug synergy. The state-of-the-art method to profile drug synergy in preclinical research is by using dose-response matrices in disease-appropriate models, however this approach is frequently labour intensive and cost-ineffective, particularly when performed in a medium- to high-throughput fashion. Thus, in this study, we set out to optimise a parameter of this methodology, determining the minimal matrix size that can be used to robustly detect and quantify synergy between two drugs.

Results

We used a drug matrix reduction workflow that allowed the identification of a minimal drug matrix capable of robustly detecting and quantifying drug synergy. These minimal matrices utilise substantially less reagents and data processing power than their typically used larger counterparts. Focusing on the antileukemic efficacy of the chemotherapy combination of cytarabine and inhibitors of ribonucleotide reductase, we could show that detection and quantification of drug synergy by three common synergy models was well-tolerated despite reducing matrix size from 8×8 to 4×4. Overall, the optimisation of drug synergy scoring as presented here could inform future medium- to high-throughput drug synergy screening strategies in pre-clinical research.

Abstract Figure
New cinnamid and rosmarinic acid derived compounds biosynthesized inEscherichia coliasLeishmania amazonensisarginase inhibitors
Authors: dos Santos Simone Come Julio Abel Alfredo , Zhuang Yibin , Li TianZhen , Brogi Simone , Gemma Sandra , Liu Tao , da Silva Edson Roberto
Published: October 2020

Arginase is a metalloenzyme that plays a central role inLeishmaniainfection. Previously, rosmarinic and caffeic acids were described as antileishmanial and as aLeishmania amazonensisarginase inhibitor and now, we describe the inhibition of arginase inL. amazonensisby rosmarinic acid analogs (1-7) and new caffeic acids derived amides (8-10). Caffeic acid esters and amides were produced by means of the engineered synthesis inE. coliand tested againstL. amazonensisarginase. New amides (8-10) were biosynthesized inE. colicultured with 2 mM of different combinations of feeding substrates. The most potent arginase inhibitors showed Ki(s) between 2 - 5.7 μM. Compounds2-4and7inhibited L-ARG through a noncompetitive mechanism, and9showed a competitive inhibition. By applying anin silicoprotocol we determined the binding mode of compound9. The competitive inhibitor of L-ARG targets key residues within the binding site of the enzyme establishing a metal coordination bond with the metal ions as well as a series of hydrophobic and polar contacts supporting its micromolar inhibition of L-ARG. These results highlight that the dihydroxycinnamic-derived compounds can be used as the basis for the development of new drugs using a powerful tool based on the biosynthesis of arginase inhibitors.
Quantifying signal persistence in the T cell signaling network using an optically controllable antigen receptor
Authors: Harris Michael J , Fuyal Muna , James John R
Published: October 2020

T cells discriminate between healthy and infected cells with remarkable sensitivity when mounting an immune response. It has been hypothesized that this efficient detection requires combining signals from discrete antigen-presenting cell interactions into a more potent response, requiring T cells to maintain a ‘memory’ of previous encounters. To quantify the magnitude of this phenomenon, we have developed an antigen receptor that is both optically and chemically tunable, providing control over the initiation, duration, and intensity of intracellular T-cell signaling within physiological cell conjugates. We observe very limited persistence within the T cell intracellular network on disruption of receptor input, with signals dissipating entirely in ~15 minutes, and directly confirm that sustained proximal receptor signaling is required to maintain active gene transcription. Our data suggests that T cells are largely incapable of integrating discrete antigen receptor signals but instead simply accumulate the output of gene expression. By engineering optical control in a clinically relevant chimeric antigen receptor, we show that this limited signal persistence can be exploited to increase the activation of primary T cells by ~3-fold by using pulsatile stimulation. Our results are likely to apply more generally to the signaling dynamics of other cellular networks.
Were Neoarchean atmospheric methane hazes and early Paleoproterozoic glaciations driven by the rise of oxygen in surface environments?
Authors: Swain Anshuman , Kaufman Alan J , Kalinowski Marcin , Yarwood Stephanie A , Fagan William F
Published: October 2020

Geochemical evidence suggests methane was the predominant greenhouse gas in the Archean and early Proterozoic eons. Consequently, fluctuations in methane concentration in Earth’s atmosphere (i.e., ‘methane hazes’) would have contributed to climate change and influenced the flux of UV radiation reaching surface environments. If correct, understanding what factors (e.g., O2and/or resource concentration) drove the biological methane cycle might shed light on the repetition of biological, atmospheric and climatic events preserved in the sedimentary rock record from ~2.8 to 2.0 BYA. To explore these interdependencies, we developed a novel dynamical model of microbial ecological interactions to investigate the conditions under which methane is preferentially released to the atmosphere. We found that the interplay between resource and O2availability results in complex cyclic methane dynamics unrelated to the functional groups or efficiencies of microbial communities, to initial conditions, or to other model constraints. Based on these results, we propose that the cyclicity of methane haze events and glacial episodes in the Neoarchean and early Paleoproterozoic may have been linked to the progressive increase in oceanic and atmospheric O2through the interval.
DNA ligase I fidelity mediates the mutagenic ligation of pol β oxidized nucleotide insertion products and base excision repair intermediates with mismatches
Authors: Kamble Pradnya , Hall Kalen , Chandak Mahesh , Tang Qun , Çağlayan Melike
Published: October 2020

DNA ligase I (LIG1) completes base excision repair (BER) pathway at the last nick sealing step following DNA polymerase (pol) β gap filling DNA synthesis. We previously reported that pol β 8-oxo-2’-deoxyribonucleoside 5’-triphosphate (8-oxodGTP) insertion confounds LIG1 leading to the formation of ligation failure products with 5’-adenylate (AMP) block. Here, we report the mutagenic ligation of pol β 8-oxodGTP insertion products and an inefficient substrate-product channeling from pol β Watson-Crick like dG:T mismatch insertion to DNA ligation by LIG1 mutant with perturbed fidelity (E346A/E592A)in vitro. Moreover, our results revealed that the substrate discrimination of LIG1 for the nicked repair intermediates with preinserted 3’-8-oxodG or mismatches is governed by the mutations at both E346 and E592 residues. Finally, we found that Aprataxin (APTX) and Flap Endonuclease 1 (FEN1), as compensatory DNA-end processing enzymes, can remove 5’-AMP block from the abortive ligation products with 3’-8-oxodG or all possible 12 non-canonical base pairs. These findings contribute to understand the role of LIG1 as an important determinant of faithful BER, and how a multi-protein complex (LIG1, pol β, APTX and FEN1) can coordinate to hinder the formation of mutagenic repair intermediates with damaged or mismatched ends at the downstream steps of the BER pathway.
The DNA binding domain of theVibrio vulnificusSmcR transcription factor is flexible and recognizes diverse DNA sequences
Authors: Newman Jane D. , Russell Meghan M. , Gonzalez-Gutierrez Giovanni , van Kessel Julia C.
Published: October 2020

The quorum-sensing regulon in vibrios is controlled by the LuxR/HapR family of transcriptional regulators. InVibrio vulnificus, this regulator is called SmcR, and it controls expression of numerous virulence behaviors, including biofilm formation and elastase production. The consensus binding site ofVibrioLuxR/HapR/SmcR proteins is palindromic, as is common for regulators that bind as dimers with helix-turn-helix N-terminal DNA binding domains. However, the LuxR/HapR/SmcR consensus site is highly degenerate and asymmetric with variations in sequence at each promoter. To determine the mechanism of DNA site recognition, we generated separation-of-function mutants of SmcR that either repress or activate transcription but not both. The SmcR N55I protein is defective at transcription activation due to loss of binding to most DNA binding sites in activated promoters but retains interaction with RNA polymerase (RNAP) alpha. SmcR S76A, L139R, and N142D are defective for interaction with RNAP alpha but retain functional DNA binding activity. Using X-ray crystallography, we show that the wild-type SmcR dimer and the three RNAP-interaction mutants exhibit two conformations of the helix-turn-helix DNA binding domain. Conversely, the SmcR N55I X-ray crystal structure is limited to only one conformation and is restricted in recognition of single base-pair variations in DNA binding site sequences. These data support a model in which two mechanisms drive SmcR transcriptional activation: interaction with RNA polymerase and a multi-conformational DNA binding domain that permits recognition of variable DNA sites. Thus, the LuxR/HapR/SmcR proteins balance specificity for quorum-sensing targets and diversity to accommodate binding at hundreds of sites genome-wide.

Significance

The cell-cell communication system called quorum sensing controls expression of genes required for virulence inVibriobacteria species, including the potent human pathogenVibrio vulnificus. The master transcriptional regulator of quorum-sensing genes in vibrios belongs to the LuxR/HapR/SmcR family. These regulators directly activate and repress transcription of >100 genes via binding to degenerate sites in promoter regions. We used X-ray crystallography to determine the structure of mutant SmcR proteins. Our experiments reveal that SmcR recognizes diverse sequences via a DNA binding domain that samples multiple conformations to accommodate variations in palindromic DNA sequences. Significantly, the DNA binding domain of SmcR is completely conserved in LuxR/HapR/SmcR family proteins, suggesting that this mechanism is representative of quorum-sensing regulation in other vibrios.
Elucidating dynamics and regulation of alternative splicing in osteogenic differentiation
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Chun Rene F , Adhikari Samir , Lopez Christopher M , Henrich Mason , Yacoubian Vahe , Lin Lan , Adams John S. , Xing Yi
Published: October 2020

Nearly all human multi-exonic genes undergo alternative splicing (AS) via regulation by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), but few studies have examined the temporal dynamics of AS and its regulation during cell differentiation in the bone niche. We sought to evaluate how AS, under the control of RBPs, affects cell fate commitment during induced osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived multipotent stem/stromal progenitor cells (MSPCs). We generated a time-course RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) dataset representative of induced MSPC differentiation to osteoblasts. Our analysis revealed widespread AS changes, coordinated with differential RBP expression, at multiple time points, including many AS changes in non-differentially expressed genes. We also developed a computational approach to profile the dynamics and regulation of AS by RBPs using time-course RNA-seq data, by combining temporal patterns of exon skipping and RBP expression with RBP binding sites in the vicinity of regulated exons. In total we identified nine RBPs as potential key splicing regulators during MSPC osteogenic differentiation. Perturbation of one candidate,KHDRBS3, inhibited osteogenesis and bone formationin vitro, validating our computational prediction of “driver” RBPs. Overall, our work highlights a high degree of complexity in the splicing regulation of MSPC osteogenic differentiation. Our computational approach may be applied to other time-course data to explore dynamic AS changes and associated regulatory mechanisms in other biological processes or disease trajectories.
Rhythmic modulation of visual perception by continuous rhythmic auditory stimulation
Authors: Bauer Anna-Katharina R. , van Ede Freek , Quinn Andrew J. , Nobre Anna C.
Published: October 2020

At any given moment our sensory systems receive multiple, often rhythmic, inputs from the environment. Processing of temporally structured events in one sensory modality can guide both behavioural and neural processing of events in other sensory modalities, but whether this occurs remains unclear. Here, we used human electroencephalography (EEG) to test the cross-modal influences of a continuous auditory frequency-modulated (FM) sound on visual perception and visual cortical activity. We report systematic fluctuations in perceptual discrimination of brief visual stimuli in line with the phase of the FM sound. We further show that this rhythmic modulation in visual perception is related to an accompanying rhythmic modulation of neural activity recorded over visual areas. Importantly, in our task, perceptual and neural visual modulations occurred without any abrupt and salient onsets in the energy of the auditory stimulation and without any rhythmic structure in the visual stimulus. As such, the results provide a critical validation for the existence and functional role of cross-modal entrainment and demonstrates its utility for organising the perception of multisensory stimulation in the natural environment.

Significance Statement

Our sensory environment is filled with rhythmic structures that are often multi-sensory in nature. Here we show that the alignment of neural activity to the phase of an auditory frequency-modulated sound has cross-modal consequences for vision: yielding systematic fluctuations in perceptual discrimination of brief visual stimuli that is mediated by accompanying rhythmic modulation of neural activity recorded over visual areas. These cross-modal effects on visual neural activity and perception occurred without any abrupt and salient onsets in the energy of the auditory stimulation and without any rhythmic structure in the visual stimulus. The current work shows that continuous auditory fluctuations in the natural environment can provide a pacing signal for neural activity and perception across the senses.
Mechanosensitive Expression of Lamellipodin Governs Cell Cycle Progression and Intracellular Stiffness
Authors: Brazzo Joseph A. , Lee Kwonmoo , Bae Yongho
Published: October 2020

Cells exhibit pathological behaviors in response to increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, including accelerated cell proliferation and migration [1–9], which are correlated with increased intracellular stiffness and tension [2, 3, 10–12]. The biomechanical signal transduction of ECM stiffness into relevant molecular signals and resultant cellular processes is mediated through multiple proteins associated with the actin cytoskeleton in lamellipodia [2, 3, 10, 11, 13]. However, the molecular mechanisms by which lamellipodial dynamics regulate cellular responses to ECM stiffening remain unclear. Previous work described that lamellipodin, a phosphoinositide- and actin filament-binding protein that is known mostly for controlling cell migration [14–21], promotes ECM stiffness-mediated early cell cycle progression [2], revealing a potential commonality between the mechanisms controlling stiffness-dependent cell migration and those controlling cell proliferation. However, i) whether and how ECM stiffness affects the levels of lamellipodin expression and ii) whether stiffness-mediated lamellipodin expression is required throughout cell cycle progression and for intracellular stiffness have not been explored. Here, we show that the levels of lamellipodin expression in cells are significantly increased by a stiff ECM and that this stiffness-mediated lamellipodin upregulation persistently stimulates cell cycle progression and intracellular stiffness throughout the cell cycle, from the early G1 phase to M phase. Finally, we show that both Rac activation and intracellular stiffening are required for the mechanosensitive induction of lamellipodin. More specifically, inhibiting Rac1 activation in cells on stiff ECM reduces the levels of lamellipodin expression, and this effect is reversed by the overexpression of activated Rac1 in cells on soft ECM. We thus propose that lamellipodin is a critical molecular lynchpin in the control of mechanosensitive cell cycle progression and intracellular stiffness.
Identifying virulence determinants of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Galleria mellonella
Authors: Bruchmann Sebastian , Feltwell Theresa , Parkhill Julian , Short Francesca L.
Published: October 2020

Infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae are a major public health threat. Extensively drug-resistant and even pan-resistant strains have been reported. Understanding K. pneumoniae pathogenesis is hampered by the fact that murine models of infection offer limited resolution for the non-hypervirulent strains which cause the majority of infections. We have performed genome-scale fitness profiling of a multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae ST258 strain during infection of the insect Galleria mellonella, with the aim to determine if this model is suitable for large-scale virulence factor discovery in this pathogen. Our results demonstrated a dominant role for surface polysaccharides in infection, with contributions from siderophores, cell envelope proteins, purine biosynthesis genes and additional genes of unknown function. Comparison with a hypervirulent strain, ATCC 43816, revealed substantial overlap in important infection-related genes, as well as additional putative virulence factors that may be specific to ST258. Our analysis also identified a role for the metalloregulatory protein NfeR (also called YqjI) in virulence. Overall, this study offers new insight into the infection fitness landscape of K. pneumoniae ST258, and provides a framework for using the highly flexible, scalable G. mellonella infection model to dissect the molecular virulence mechanisms of K. pneumoniae and other bacterial pathogens.
Circadian key component CLOCK/BMAL1 interferes with segmentation clock in mouse embryonic organoids
Authors: Umemura Yasuhiro , Koike Nobuya , Tsuchiya Yoshiki , Watanabe Hitomi , Kondoh Gen , Kageyama Ryoichiro , Yagita Kazuhiro
Published: October 2020

In mammals, circadian clocks are strictly suppressed during early embryonic stages as well as pluripotent stem cells, by the lack of CLOCK/BMAL1 mediated circadian feedback loops. During ontogenesis, the innate circadian clocks emerge gradually at a late developmental stage, then, with which the circadian temporal order is invested in each cell level throughout a body. Meanwhile, in the early developmental stage, a segmented body plan is essential for an intact developmental process and somitogenesis is controlled by another cell-autonomous oscillator, the segmentation clock, in the posterior presomitic mesoderm (PSM). In the present study, focusing upon the interaction between circadian key components and the segmentation clock, we investigated the effect of the CLOCK/BMAL1 on the segmentation clockHes7oscillation, revealing that the expression of functional CLOCK/BMAL1 severely interferes with the ultradian rhythm of segmentation clock in induced PSM and gastruloids. RNA sequencing analysis showed that the premature expression of CLOCK/BMAL1 affects theHes7transcription and its regulatory pathways. These results suggest that the suppression of CLOCK/BMAL1-mediated transcriptional regulation during the somitogenesis may be inevitable for intact mammalian development.
Inducible Directed Evolution of Complex Phenotypes in Bacteria
Authors: Al’Abri Ibrahim S. , Haller Daniel J. , Crook Nathan
Published: October 2020

Directed evolution is a powerful method for engineering biology in the absence of detailed sequence-function relationships. To enable directed evolution of complex phenotypes encoded by multigene pathways, we require large library sizes for DNA sequences >5-10kb in length, elimination of genomic hitchhiker mutations, and decoupling of diversification and screening steps. To meet these challenges, we developed Inducible Directed Evolution (IDE), which uses a temperate bacteriophage to package large plasmids and transfer them to naive cells after intracellular mutagenesis. To demonstrate IDE, we evolved a 5-gene pathway from Bacillus licheniformis that accelerates tagatose catabolism in Escherichia coli, resulting in clones with 65% shorter lag times during growth on tagatose after only two rounds of evolution.
Phylogenomics reveals thatAsaiasymbionts from insects underwent convergent genome reduction, preserving an insecticide-degrading gene
Authors: Comandatore Francesco , Damiani Claudia , Cappelli Alessia , Ribolla Paulo , Gasperi Giuliano , Gradoni Francesco , Capelli Gioia , Piazza Aurora , Montarsi Fabrizio , Mancini Maria Vittoria , Rossi Paolo , Ricci Irene , Bandi Claudio , Favia Guido
Published: October 2020

The mosquito microbiota is composed by several lineages of microorganisms whose ecological roles and evolutionary histories have yet to be investigated in depth. Among these microorganisms,Asaiabacteria play a prominent role, given its abundance in the gut, reproductive organs and salivary glands of different mosquito species, while its presence has also been reported in several other insects. Notably,Asaiahas great potential as a tool for the control of mosquito-borne diseases. Here, we present a wide phylogenomic analysis ofAsaiastrains isolated from different species of mosquito vectors and from different populations of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly)Ceratitis capitata, an insect pest of worldwide economic importance. We show that phylogenetically distant lineages ofAsaiaexperienced independent genome reductions, despite following a common pattern, characterized by the early loss of genes involved in genome stability. This result highlights the role of specific metabolic pathways in the symbiotic relationship betweenAsaiaand the insect host. Finally, we discovered that all but one of theAsaiastrains included in the study possess the pyrethroid hydrolase gene. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this gene is ancestral inAsaia, strongly suggesting that it played a role in the establishment of the symbiotic association between these bacteria and the mosquito hosts. We propose that this gene from the symbiont contributed to initial pyrethroid resistance in insects harboringAsaia, also considering the widespread production of pyrethrins by several plants.

Importance

We have studied genome reduction within several strains of the insect symbiontAsaia, isolated from different species/strains of mosquito and medfly. Phylogenetically distant strains ofAsaia, despite following a common pattern involving the loss of genes related to genome stability, have undergone independent genome reductions, highlighting the peculiar role of specific metabolic pathways in the symbiotic relationship betweenAsaiaand its host. We also show that the pyrethroid hydrolase gene is present in all theAsaiastrains isolated except for the South American malaria vectorAn. darlingi, for which resistance to pyrethroids has never been reported, suggesting a possible involvement ofAsaiain determining the resistance to insecticides.
Innovations for potential entrepreneurs in service quality and customer loyalty in the hospitality industry
Authors: Satti Zoya Wajid , Babar Samreen Fahim , Parveen Shagufta , Abrar Kashif , Shabbir Asma
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of moderated mediation between innovation in service quality and customer loyalty in the hospitality industry for potential entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have collected data from customers of the hospitality industry of significant cities of Pakistan using 362 structured questionnaires. Structural equation modelling was used to find out moderated mediation between innovation in service quality and customer loyalty in the hospitality industry for potential entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry.

Findings

The results showed that the role of customer satisfaction as a mediator and the role of perceived price fairness as a moderator between service quality and customer loyalty is statistically significant. Customers are influenced by price, and it leads to their satisfaction in the hospitality industry.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study can be used by managers of the restaurant industry to enhance customer loyalty by focusing on customer satisfaction and perceived price.

Originality/value

The evidence documented in this paper is first known to measure the role of a mediator and moderator between service quality and customer loyalty for potential entrepreneurs. This paper will add to the literature of service quality in the hospitality industry concerning the role of customer satisfaction and perceived price fairness for future and potential entrepreneurs.
Ride-hailing apps' continuance intention among different consumer groups in Indonesia: the role of personal innovativeness and perceived utilitarian and hedonic value
Authors: Fauzi Abu Amar , Sheng Margaret L.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This research aims to examine the relationship of personal innovativeness, perceived value (consisting of perceived utilitarian and hedonic value) and continuance intention in the context of ride-hailing apps and to investigate consumer behaviour differences between metro and non-metro consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey sample included 402 consumers of popular ride-hailing apps in Indonesia to test the research framework. Then, PLS-SEM-based software was utilised to examine the hypothesised relationship.

Findings

The findings indicate that the effect of personal innovativeness on continuance intention in using ride-hailing apps will operate through the full mediation role of perceived hedonic and utilitarian value, respectively. The findings also show that there are consumer behaviour differences between metro and non-metro consumers, in which the cognitive belief of consumers in the metro areas regarding the usage of ride-hailing apps is more related to hedonic value.

Research limitations/implications

The variety of respondent demographic profiles in this research is limited in that most of the research respondents are students. In such a case, the study may face the issue of generalisation.

Originality/value

This research generates an extended idea of the information technology continuance model by validating the important role of perceived hedonic and utilitarian value as an integral part of the model and strengthens the insights that Indonesia has consumer behaviour differences regarding technology-based services, particularly ride-hailing apps, between metro and non-metro consumers.
Exploring a body of knowledge for promoting the sustainable transition to prefabricated construction
Authors: Luo Ting , Xue Xiaolong , Tan Yongtao , Wang Yuna , Zhang Yuanxin
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper aimed to introduce a systematic body of knowledge via a scientometric review, guiding the sustainable transition from conventional construction to prefabricated construction. The construction industry currently faces a challenge to balance sustainable development and the construction of new buildings. In this context, one of the most recent debates is prefabricated construction. As an emerging construction approach, although existing knowledge makes contributions to the implementation of prefabricated construction, there is a lack of a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the critical knowledge themes and gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the scientometric analysis to review the state-of-the-art knowledge of prefabricated construction. It retrieved data from the Web of Science core collection database. CiteSpace software was used to conduct the analysis and visualization; three analysis methods identify the knowledge hotspots, knowledge domains and knowledge topics. Finally, according to integrating the hidden connections among results, a body of knowledge for prefabricated construction application can be inferred.

Findings

The results show that 120 knowledge hotspots, five critical knowledge domains and five prominent knowledge topics are vital for promoting implementation of prefabricated construction. Based on the afore analysis, a body of knowledge for prefabricated construction that can systematically cover a broad knowledge of prefabricated construction-related research and activities are integrated and proposed in this paper.

Originality/value

Body of knowledge systematically covers a broad knowledge of prefabricated construction applications and is vital to guide researchers and practitioners to conduct related research and activities, thereby promoting the sustainable transition to prefabricated construction implementation.
Banking on bullshit: indifferences towards truth in corporate social responsibility
Authors: Herold David M. , Dietrich Timo , Breitbarth Tim
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aims to identify and deconstruct bullshit in banks' corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication to advance the management rhetoric research space, which has been characterised by an indifference to truth and meaning.

Design/methodology/approach

We provide a typology of bullshit phenomena overview in the banking sector and follow the McCarthyet al.'s (2020) C.R.A.P. framework from to showcase how bullshit can be comprehended, recognised, acted against and prevented.

Findings

This paper puts a spotlight on written and spoken language to detect bullshit in banks' CSR statements. It provides actionable insights into how stakeholders can act against and prevent bullshit statements from occurring in the future.

Research limitations/implications

Future research is warranted to assess the use of still imagery, events and video materials in corporate communications and non-financial reporting. Further rigorous assessment of actual CSR initiatives must be undertaken to assess claimed contributions.

Practical implications

Monitoring mechanisms and independent assurance statements prepared by authorised third parties may strengthen the motivation and ethicality of CSR activities.

Originality/value

This viewpoint is the first to follow the C.R.A.P framework and critically assess indifferences towards truth in banks' CSR communications.
Price premium of private placement: evidence from India
Authors: Katti Supriya , Verma Naval , Phani B.V. , Ghosh Chinmoy
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study identifies the factors responsible for obtaining price premium on privately placed equity in a developing market.

Design/methodology/approach

We examine a unique data set of a special case of private placement of equity, Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) in India purchased at a premium. The study analyzed 188 equity issues offered between September 2006 and December 2014. On average, we find that QIP issues received a price premium of 4.38%. The study employed binary probit and ordinary least square regression models to analyze the probability and magnitude of the premium.

Findings

The study attributes the price premium of QIP to certification effect through group affiliation, signaling through promoters' ownership and monitoring effect through existing institutional investors. These factors influence the probability of premium for QIP issues. However, group affiliation and institutional ownership do not significantly influence the magnitude of the premium.

Originality/value

The private placement of equity is usually offered at a discount. Our findings contribute to the existing literature by evaluating the premium obtained on private placement as a unique scenario in emerging market supported through certification hypothesis, monitoring hypothesis and signaling.
Human capital readiness and global market orientation in Indonesian Micro-, Small- and-Medium-sized Enterprises business performance
Authors: Tjahjadi Bambang , Soewarno Noorlailie , Nadyaningrum Viviani , Aminy Aisyah
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether human capital readiness affects business performance, and if so, whether the effect is mediated by global market orientation.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study employing partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses. Using a survey method, the data were collected using both online and offline questionnaires. As many as 433 owners/managers of micro-, small- and-medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the East Java Province of Indonesia participated in this study. A mediating research framework was developed to investigate the mediating role of global marketing orientation on the human capital readiness–business performance relationship.

Findings

The results show that human capital readiness has a direct and positive effect on business performance. Further analysis reveals that global market orientation partially mediates the effect of human capital readiness on business performance.

Research limitations/implications

First, this study focuses on the MSMEs in the East Java Province of Indonesia. Caution needs to be taken if the results are generalized to other regions. Second, it employed a survey method that is commonly criticized as having the potential to be biased.

Practical implications

The findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of owners/managers of human capital readiness and how it should be improved to better execute global market orientation strategies to achieve the desired business performance.

Social implications

Because MSMEs play a crucial role in society, this study provides a general model to improve the welfare of society by enhancing the MSMEs' business performance. By understanding its antecedents, namely, human capital readiness and the global market orientation, improvements can be made.

Originality/value

Human capital readiness has been rarely examined in previous studies. This is the only study applying the constructs of human capital readiness, global market orientation and business performance to the Indonesian MSME research setting.
Analytical evaluation of TPM performance based on an economic criterion
Authors: Chaabane Kenza , Schutz Jérémie , Dellagi Sofiene , Trabelsi Wajdi
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Total productive maintenance (TPM) has been widely recognized as a strategic weapon for improving manufacturing performance. Evaluate efficiency of TPM implementation is considered as a key element in order to motivate staff and to give decision-makers more confidence.

Design/methodology/approach

This study consists in developing a new method of evaluating TPM implementation, relying on analytical models and considering two preventive maintenance strategies: periodic and age-dependent.

Findings

The preventive maintenance period and TPM period defined as decision variables are obtained simultaneously by maximizing the expected profit under TPM implementation. A numerical example is presented and a sensitivity study is developed to validate the proposed models.

Originality/value

The aim of this research is to quantify, through analytic development, the impact of TPM implementation in a company by calculating and comparing the profit made with and without TPM.
Effect of temperature on wear and friction behavior of as-cast and heat-treated LM25/SiC aluminum matrix composites
Authors: Mehta Vishal R. , Sutaria Mayur P.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of temperature, load and sliding speed on wear and friction behavior of LM25/SiC composites in as-cast and heat-treated conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The LM25/SiC aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) were prepared using the stir casting process. The wear tests were carried out using a pin-on-disc setup in dry condition. The three levels of each parameter, i.e. 100, 150 and 200°C operating temperature; 15, 25 and 35 N load; 0.8, 1.6 and 2.4 m/sec sliding speed, were considered for the investigation. ANOVA has been carried out to evaluate the percentage contribution of parameters. Scanning electron microscope analysis of worn surfaces has been carried out to understand the wear mechanism.

Findings

The wear and coefficient of friction (COF) increase with the increase in the temperature, load and sliding speed within a selected range for as-cast as well as heat-treated LM25/SiC AMCs. The mean values of wear and COF in heat-treated samples were found to be lower than as-cast samples for all cases. It was observed that the percentage wear increases significantly as temperature increases in as-cast AMCS. Mild to severe wear transition was observed at 150°C. In heat-treated AMCs, mild wear was observed irrespective of temperature. It was also observed that as the temperature increases, transition of wear mechanism from abrasive to adhesive (including delamination) occurs earlier in as-cast samples as compared to heat-treated samples.

Originality/value

There is a lack of data on combined effect of temperature, load and sliding speed on tribological aspects of as-cast and heat-treated LM25/SiC AMCs, limiting its applications. The present research work has addressed this gap.
Flower biology of the cactus Coryphantha elephantidens in the tropical dry forest of Central Mexico
Authors: Martínez‐Peralta Concepción , Martínez‐Zavala Angélica
Published: November 2020

Floral traits and sexual systems in angiosperms are strategies that enhance outcrossing within hermaphrodite flowers and among individuals in a population. Sexual systems with unisexual flowers have also evolved among angiosperms, resulting in sex specialization. Furthermore, the interaction of floral traits and floral visitors determines successful plant reproduction. Globose cacti are bee pollinated, and variation in the diversity of their pollinator assemblages is strongly associated with floral phenotype. Our objective was to describe the floral biology of the cactus Coryphantha elephantidens and to determine its relationship with pollinators. Floral traits were studied by direct observations in live and fixed flowers. The breeding system was determined using two estimators based on floral morphology: pollen grains to ovules per flower (P/O) ratio and outcrossing index. Pollination treatments were conducted to determine the mating system. Floral visitors were recorded using direct observation. Flowers of C. elephantidens are variable in color, protandric, herkogamous and nectarless. Estimators of the breeding system indicated xenogamy, which is consistent with the obligate outcrossing revealed by the pollination experiment. Thirty‐seven percent of the plants have female flowers that do not produce pollen, making this population functionally gynodioecious. Both fruit and seed set were high compared to other globose cacti. Pollinators included eight species of native bees, a more diverse pollinator assemblage than other globose cacti. Given the high pressure on pollen due to functional gynodioecy, nectarless flowers, an outcrossing mating system, and the necessity of pollinators to set seeds, we concluded that native bees are highly efficient pollinators that play a crucial role in the sexual reproduction of C. elephantidens.
Do Consumers Really Care? An Economic Analysis of Consumer Attitudes Towards Food Produced Using Prohibited Production Methods
Authors: Balcombe Kelvin , Bradley Dylan , Fraser Iain
Published: October 2020

Consumer preferences for food produced using currently prohibited production methods matter, especially in relation to potential trade deals. We conduct four discrete choice experiments examining UK consumer attitudes for food produced using several agricultural production methods currently prohibited in the UK, including chlorine washed chicken. Our results reveal negative preferences for these forms of agricultural production methods whereas EU food safety standards are highly valued. Willingness‐to‐pay estimates indicate that the positive values for food safety are frequently greater than the negative values placed on prohibited food production methods. Similarly, UK country of origin was highly valued but organic production was less valued. We discuss the implications of these results and, more generally, the use of stated preference estimates in economic modelling underpinning trade negotiations.
Hydroxycinnamic acids on gut microbiota and health
Authors: Leonard William , Zhang Pangzhen , Ying Danyang , Fang Zhongxiang
Published: October 2020

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are a major class of phenolic acids with the characteristic phenylpropanoid C6‐C3 backbone. Its typically conjugated status with plant cell wall components and liberation by limited enzymes might be the reason for its neglect by researchers compared to flavonoid‐type polyphenols. The polyphenol–gut microbiota interactions and their impact on human health have captured the interest of researchers recently. In addition, there has been a significant progress over the past few years in understanding the gut microbiota‐modulating effect of HCA using animal model studies. This review discusses the metabolism of HCA in the digestive tract, HCA–gut microbiota interactions, and its link to colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, mental‐cognitive impairments, nonalcoholic liver disease, and obesity. The effects of food matrix and processing technologies on HCA bioavailability and HCA–gut microbiota interactions, and HCA safety concerns are also featured in this review. This paper has provided an in‐depth insight on HCA–gut microbiota relationship and identified the current literature gaps for future research.
Olfaction alters spatial memory strategy of scatter‐hoarding animals
Authors: YI Sijie , WANG Minghui , JU Mengyao , YI Xianfeng
Published: November 2020

Although it has been suggested that olfaction is closely interconnected with hippocampal systems, whether olfaction regulates spatial memory strategy remains never known. Furthermore, no study has examined how olfaction mediates spatial memory established on the external objects, for example, caches made by scatter‐hoarding animals. Here, we experimentally induced nondestructive and reversible olfaction loss of a scatter‐hoarding animal Leopoldamys edwardsi, to test whether and how olfaction regulates spatial memory to mediate cache recovery and pilferage. Our results showed that the normal L. edwardsi preferred to pilfer caches of others rather than to recover their own using accurate spatial memory (35.7% vs. 18.6%). Anosmic L. edwardsi preferred to recover the caches they made prior to olfaction loss rather than to pilfer from others relied on spatial memory (54.2% vs. 36.0%). However, L. edwardsi with anosmia showed no preference either to the caches they established after olfaction loss or caches made by others (25.8% vs. 29.1%). These collectively indicate that olfaction loss has a potential to affect new memory formation but not previously established spatial memory on caches. Our study first showed that olfaction modified spatial memory strategy in cache recovery and pilferage behaviors of scatter‐hoarding animals. We suggest that future studies pay more attention to the evolution of olfaction and its relationship with spatial memory strategy.
Deletion of a hybrid NRPS‐T1PKS biosynthetic gene cluster via Latour gene knockout system in Saccharopolyspora pogona and its effect on butenyl‐spinosyn biosynthesis and growth development
Authors: Rang Jie , Li Yunlong , Cao Li , Shuai Ling , Liu Yang , He Haocheng , Wan Qianqian , Luo Yuewen , Yu Ziquan , Zhang Youming , Sun Yunjun , Ding Xuezhi , Hu Shengbiao , Xie Qingji , Xia Liqiu
Published: October 2020

Butenyl‐spinosyn, a promising biopesticide produced by Saccharopolyspora pogona, exhibits stronger insecticidal activity and a broader pesticidal spectrum. However, its titre in the wild‐type S. pogona strain is too low to meet the industrial production requirements. Deletion of non‐target natural product biosynthetic gene clusters resident in the genome of S. pogona could reduce the consumption of synthetic precursors, thereby promoting the biosynthesis of butenyl‐spinosyn. However, it has always been a challenge for scientists to genetically engineer S. pogona. In this study, the Latour gene knockout system (linear DNA fragment recombineering system) was established in S. pogona. Using the Latour system, a hybrid NRPS‐T1PKS cluster (˜20 kb) which was responsible for phthoxazolin biosynthesis was efficiently deleted in S. pogona. The resultant mutant S. pogona‐Δura4‐Δc14 exhibited an extended logarithmic phase, increased biomass and a lower glucose consumption rate. Importantly, the production of butenyl‐spinosyn in S. pogona‐Δura4‐Δc14 was increased by 4.72‐fold compared with that in the wild‐type strain. qRT‐PCR analysis revealed that phthoxazolin biosynthetic gene cluster deletion could promote the expression of the butenyl‐spinosyn biosynthetic gene cluster. Furthermore, a TetR family transcriptional regulatory gene that could regulate the butenyl‐spinosyn biosynthesis has been identified from the phthoxazolin biosynthetic gene cluster. Because dozens of natural product biosynthetic gene clusters exist in the genome of S. pogona, the strategy reported here will be used to further promote the production of butenyl‐spinosyn by deleting other secondary metabolite synthetic gene clusters.
Mastering organismal aging through the endoplasmic reticulum proteostasis network
Authors: Taylor Rebecca C. , Hetz Claudio
Published: October 2020

The aging process is characterized by a progressive decline in the function of most tissues, representing the main risk factor in the development of a variety of human diseases. Studies in multiple animal models have demonstrated that interventions that improve the capacity to maintain endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteostasis prolong life and healthspan. ER stress is monitored by the unfolded protein response (UPR), a signaling pathway that mediates adaptive processes to restore proteostasis or the elimination of damaged cells by apoptosis. Here, we discuss recent advances in understanding the significance of the UPR to aging and its implications for the maintenance of cell physiology of various cell types and organs. The possible benefits of targeting the UPR to extend healthspan and reduce the risk of developing age‐related diseases are also discussed.