bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deciphering transcriptomic signatures explaining the phenotypic plasticity of non-heading lettuce genotypes under artificial light conditions
Authors: Yamashita Hiroto , Wada Kaede C. , Inagaki Noritoshi , Fujimoto Zui , Yonemaru Jun-ichi , Itoh Hironori
Published: February 2023

Elucidating the mechanisms and pathways involved in genotype–environment (G×E) interactions and phenotypic plasticity is critical for improving plant growth. Controlled environment agricultural systems allow growers to modulate the environment for particular genotypes. In this study, we evaluated the effects of interactions among 14 genotypes and four artificial light environments on leaf lettuce phenotypes and dissected the underlying molecular mechanism via transcriptome-based modeling. Variations in morphological traits and phytochemical contents in response to artificial light treatments revealed significant G×E interactions. The appropriate genotype and artificial light combinations for maximizing phenotypic expression were determined on the basis of a joint regression analysis and the additive main effect and multiplicative interaction model for these G×E interactions. Transcriptome-based regression modeling explained approximately 50%–90% of the G×E variations. Further analyzes indicatedRed Lettuce Leaves 4 (RLL4) regulates UV-B and blue light signaling through the effects of the HY5–MBW pathway on flavonoid biosynthesis and contributes to natural variations in the light-responsive plasticity of lettuce traits. Our study represents an important step toward elucidating the phenotypic variations due to G×E interactions in non-heading lettuce under artificial light conditions.

Highlights

Several morphological characteristics of lettuce genotypes were altered by different light wavelengths.

A defectiveRLL4allele (rll4) induces the expression of downstream genes related to UV-B and blue light signaling through activation of the HY5–MBW pathway, which enhances phytochemical accumulation in lettuce.

G×E analyzes identified the ideal genotype and artificial light combinations for individual phenotypes.

Transcriptome-based modeling explained approximately 50%–90% of the G×E variations.
Imaging interorganelle phospholipid transport by extended synaptotagmins using bioorthogonally tagged lipids
Authors: Liang Dongjun , Luan Lin , Baskin Jeremy M.
Published: February 2023

The proper distribution of lipids within organelle membranes requires rapid, interorganelle lipid transport, much of which occurs at membrane contact sites and is mediated by lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). Our current understanding of LTP mechanism and function is based largely on structural studies and in vitro reconstitution. Existing cellular assays for LTP function use indirect readouts, and it remains an open question as to whether substrate specificity and transport kinetics established in vitro are similar in cellular settings. Here, we harness bioorthogonal chemistry to develop tools for direct visualization of interorganelle transport of phospholipids between the plasma membrane (PM) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Unnatural fluorescent phospholipid analogs generated by the transphosphatidylation activity of phospholipase D (PLD) at the PM are rapidly transported to the ER dependent in large part upon extended synaptotagmins (E-Syts), a family of LTPs at ER-PM contact sites. Ectopic expression of an artificial E-Syt-based tether at ER-mitochondria contact sites results in fluorescent phospholipid accumulation in mitochondria. Finally, in vitro reconstitution assays demonstrate that the fluorescent lipids are bona fide E-Syt substrates. Thus, fluorescent lipids generated in situ via PLD activity and bioorthogonal chemical tagging can enable direct visualization of the activity of LTPs that mediate bulk phospholipid transport at ER-PM contact sites.
Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing of Developing and Mature Superior Colliculus Identifies Neuronal Diversity and Candidate Mediators of Circuit Assembly
Authors: Ayupe Ana C. , Choi James S. , Beckedorff Felipe , Catanuto Paola , Mccartan Robyn , Levay Konstantin , Park Kevin K.
Published: February 2023

The superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor structure in the midbrain that integrates input from multiple sensory modalities to initiate motor commands. It undergoes well-characterized steps of circuit assembly during development, rendering the mouse SC a popular model to study establishment and refinement of neural connectivity. Here we performed single nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of the mouse SC isolated at various developmental time points. Our study provides a transcriptomic landscape of the cell types that comprise the SC across murine development with particular emphasis on neuronal heterogeneity. We used these data to identify Pax7 as a marker for an anatomically homogeneous population of GABAergic neurons. Lastly, we report a repertoire of genes differentially expressed across the different postnatal ages, many of which are known to regulate axon guidance and synapse formation. Our data provide a valuable resource for interrogating the mechanisms of circuit development, and identifying markers for manipulating specific SC neuronal populations and circuits.
Ets-1 transcription factor regulates glial cell regeneration and function in planarians
Authors: Chandra Bidushi , Voas Matthew G. , Davies Erin L. , Roberts-Galbraith Rachel H.
Published: February 2023

Glia play multifaceted roles in nervous systems in response to injury. Depending on the species, extent of injury, and glial cell type in question, glia can help or hinder the regeneration of neurons. Studying glia in the context of successful regeneration could reveal key features of pro-regenerative glia that could be exploited for improvement of human therapies. Planarian flatworms completely regenerate their nervous systems after injury—including glia—and thus provide a strong model system with which to explore glia in the context of regeneration. Here, we report that planarian glia regenerate after neurons and that glia require neural structures to regenerate near the eyespot. We find that the planarian transcription factor-encoding geneets-1promotes glial cell maintenance and regeneration. We also find thatets-1(RNAi) impairs nervous system architecture, neuronal gene expression, and animal behavior. Taken together, the discovery ofets-1as a regulator of glial persistence presents a critical first step in understanding glial regulation and potential roles of glia in planarian neurobiology. More importantly, we elucidate interrelationships between glia and neurons in the context of robust neural regeneration.
Insights into the mechanism of mycelium transformation ofStreptomyces toxytriciniinto pellet
Authors: Kumar Punit , Khushboo  , Rajput Deepanshi , Dubey Kashyap Kumar
Published: February 2023

Formation of the mycelial pellet in submerged cultivation ofStreptomycetesis unwanted in industrial fermentation processes as it imposes mass transfer limitations, changes in the rheology of a medium, and affects the production of secondary metabolites. Though detailed information is not available about the factors involved in regulating mycelial morphology but it is studied that culture conditions and genetic information of strain play a key role. Moreover, the proteomic study has revealed the involvement of low molecular weight proteins such as; DivIVA, FilP, ParA, Scy, and SsgA proteins in apical growth and branching of hyphae which results in the establishment of the mycelial network. The present study proposes the mechanism of pellet formation ofStreptomyces toxytricini(NRRL B-5426) with the help of microscopic and proteomic analysis. The microscopic analysis revealed that growing hyphae followed a certain organized path of growth and branching, which was further converted into the pellet, and proteomic analysis revealed the production of low molecular weight proteins, which possibly participate in the regulation of pellet morphology.
The difficulties of predicting evolutionary response to selection
Authors: Björklund Mats
Published: February 2023

There has been a long debate about the difficulties of predicting evolutionary change despite knowledge of selection and genetic variance. One reason might be the stochastic effects of sexual reproduction creating a variance of offspring genotypes and thus phenotypes. This was tested by means of an explicit genetic individual-based simulation with one trait determined by 50 loci. After 100 generations of weak fluctuating selection an experiment was performed where the optimum was displaced one standard deviation. The response and the predicted response were then compared for 100 populations. The simulation shows two things, first there is a considerable variation in response between populations. This was also found when the same population was replicated many times with the same selection. Second, using the individual-based estimates of genetic variance seriously overestimates the predicted response, while an approach using the variance of mean pair breeding values gave essentially unbiased predictions. However, in all cases there was a lack of precision. Hence, the “missing response” is, at least partly, due to an overestimation of predicted response and an inevitable variance around the predicted value.
The role of the Frontal Aslant tract in bilingual language control
Authors: Quartarone Cinzia , Navarrete Eduardo , Gastaldon Simone , Budisavljevic Sanja , Peressotti Francesca
Published: February 2023

In the present study, we investigated the microstructural properties of the right and left Frontal Aslant tract (FAT) in relation to bilingualism and language modality by comparing a group of unimodal bilinguals (i.e., bilinguals proficient in two spoken languages) and a group of bimodal bilinguals (i.e., bilinguals proficient in a spoken and a signed language). We found that the microstructural properties of the left FAT were related to the performance in semantic fluency in the second language (L2), either signed or spoken. Additionally, only for bimodal bilinguals, the microstructural properties of the right FAT were related to picture naming performance in the first spoken language (L1). No significant effects on performance were found in a language comprehension task. Overall, the results suggest that the FAT plays a significant role in language production in bilinguals. The left FAT appears to be involved primarily during the use of spoken or signed L2, while the right FAT appears to be involved in handling the competition of the signed L2 language while speaking L1.
Functional prediction of proteins from the human gut archaeome
Authors: Novikova Polina V. , Busi Susheel Bhanu , Probst Alexander J. , May Patrick , Wilmes Paul
Published: February 2023

The human gastrointestinal tract contains diverse microbial communities, including archaea. Among them,Methanobrevibacter smithiirepresents a highly active and clinically relevant methanogenic archaeon, being involved in gastrointestinal disorders, such as IBD and obesity. Herein, we present an integrated approach using sequence and structure information to improve the annotation ofM. smithiiproteins using advanced protein structure prediction and annotation tools, such as AlphaFold2, trRosetta, ProFunc, and DeepFri. Of an initial set of 873 481 archaeal proteins, we found 707 754 proteins exclusively present in the human gut. Having analysed archaeal proteins together with 87 282 994 bacterial proteins, we identified unique archaeal proteins and archaeal-bacterial homologs. We then predicted and characterized functional domains and structures of 73 unique and homologous archaeal protein clusters linked the human gut andM. smithii. We refined annotations based on the predicted structures, extending existing sequence similarity-based annotations. We identified gut-specific archaeal proteins that may be involved in defense mechanisms, virulence, adhesion, and the degradation of toxic substances. Interestingly, we identified potential glycosyltransferases that could be associated with N-linked and O-glycosylation. Additionally, we found preliminary evidence for interdomain horizontal gene transfer betweenClostridiaspecies andM. smithii, which includessporulation stage V proteins AEand AD. Our study broadens the understanding of archaeal biology, particularlyM. smithii,and highlights the importance of considering both sequence and structure for the prediction of protein function.
SPI-1 virulence gene expression modulates motility ofSalmonellaTyphimurium in a proton motive force- and adhesins-dependent manner
Authors: Saleh Doaa Osama , Horstmann Julia A. , Giralt-Zúñiga María , Weber Willi , Durairaj Abilash Chakravarthy , Klotzsch Enrico , Strowig Till , Erhardt Marc
Published: February 2023

Both the bacterial flagellum and the evolutionary related injectisome encoded on theSalmonellapathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1) play crucial roles during the infection cycle ofSalmonellaspecies. The interplay of both is highlighted by the complex cross-regulation that includes transcriptional control of the flagellar master regulatory operonflhDCby HilD, the master regulator of SPI-1 gene expression. Contrary to the HilD-dependent activation of flagellar gene expression, we report here that activation of HilD resulted in a dramatic loss of motility, which was dependent on the presence of SPI-1. Single cell analyses revealed that HilD-activation results in a SPI-1-dependent induction of the stringent response and a pronounced decrease of proton motive force (PMF), while flagellation was not affected. We further found that activation of HilD enhanced the adhesion ofSalmonellato epithelial cells. A transcriptome analysis revealed a concomitant upregulation of several adhesin systems, which when overproduced, phenocopied the HilD-induced motility defect. We propose that a combination of SPI-1-dependent depletion of the PMF and upregulation of adhesins upon HilD-activation allows flagellatedSalmonellato rapidly modulate their motility during infection, thereby enabling efficient adhesion to host cells and delivery of effector proteins.
Computational modeling of DLBCL predicts response to BH3-mimetics
Authors: Cloete Ielyaas , Smith Victoria M. , Jackson Ross A. , Pepper Andrea , Pepper Chris , Vogler Meike , Dyer Martin J.S. , Mitchell Simon
Published: February 2023

In healthy cells, pro- and anti-apoptotic BCL2 family and BH3-only proteins are expressed in a delicate equilibrium. In contrast, this homeostasis is frequently perturbed in cancer cells due to the overexpression of anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins. Variability in the expression and sequestration of these proteins in Diffuse Large B cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) likely contributes to variability in response to BH3-mimetics. Successful deployment of BH3-mimetics in DLBCL requires reliable predictions of which lymphoma cells will respond. Here we show that a computational systems biology approach enables accurate prediction of the sensitivity of DLBCL cells to BH3-mimetics. We found that fractional killing of DLBCL, can be explained by cell-to-cell variability in the molecular abundances of signaling proteins. Importantly, by combining protein interaction data with a knowledge of genetic lesions in DLBCL cells, ourin silicomodels accurately predictin vitroresponse to BH3-mimetics. Furthermore, through virtual DLBCL cells we predict synergistic combinations of BH3-mimetics, which we then experimentally validated. These results show that computational systems biology models of apoptotic signaling, when constrained by experimental data, can facilitate the rational assignment of efficacious targeted inhibitors in B cell malignancies, paving the way for development of more personalized approaches to treatment.
CALCIUM-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE32 regulates cellulose biosynthesis through post-translational modification of cellulose synthase
Authors: Xin Xiaoran , Wei Donghui , Lei Lei , Zheng Haiyan , Wallace Ian S. , Li Shundai , Gu Ying
Published: February 2023

Cellulose is an economically important source of food, paper, textiles, and biofuel. As an essential component of plant cell walls, cellulose is critical for plant cell growth. Despite its economic and biological significance, the regulation of cellulose biosynthesis is poorly understood. Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of cellulose synthases (CESAs) were shown to impact the direction and velocity of cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs). Despite a high prevalence of phosphorylation sites in CESAs, the protein kinases that phosphorylate CESAs are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CALCIUM-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE32 (CPK32) regulates cellulose biosynthesisviaphosphorylation of CESA3. Phosphorylation of CESA3 is important for the motility and stability of CSCs. Hence, we uncovered a new function of CPKs that regulates cellulose biosynthesis and a novel mechanism by which phosphorylation regulates the stability of CSCs.
An integrative and multi-indicator approach for wildlife health applied to an endangered caribou herd
Authors: Aguilar Xavier Fernandez , Leclerc Lisa-Marie , Association Kugluktuk Angoniatit ,   Ekaluktutiak Hunters & Trappers Organization,   Olokhaktomiut Hunters & Trappers Committee, Mavrot Fabien , Roberto-Charron Amelie , Tomaselli Matilde , Mastromonaco Gabriela , Gunn Anne , Pruvot Mathieu , Rothenburger Jamie L. , Thanthrige-Don Niroshan , Jahromi Elham Zeini , Kutz Susan
Published: February 2023

Assessing wildlife health in remote regions requires a multi-faceted approach that may include convenience samplings and the involvement of local communities. Combining data from hunted and captured caribou, we assessed the value of multiple indicators for understanding the health of the endangered Dolphin and Union caribou herd in Arctic Canada. We documented health determinants (infectious diseases and trace elements), processes (cortisol, pathology), and health outcomes (pregnancy and body condition). During a recent period of steep population decline our results suggested relatively good body condition and pregnancy rates and decreasing levels of stress, along with low adult cow survival. We identified multiple determinants of health as potential contributors to reduced survival, includingBrucellasuis biovar 4,Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiaeand lower hair trace minerals. This integrative approach that drew on multiple data sources has provided unprecedented knowledge on the health in this herd and highlights the value of documenting individual animal health to understand causes of wildlife declines.
The formation of an expanding memory representation in the hippocampus
Authors: Vaidya Sachin P. , Li Guanchun , Chitwood Raymond A. , Li Yiding , Magee Jeffrey C.
Published: February 2023

How brain networks connected by labile synapses store new information without catastrophically overwriting previous memories remains poorly understood1,2. To examine this, we tracked the same population of hippocampal CA1 place cells (PC) as mice learned a task for 7 days. We found evidence of memory formation as both the number of PCs maintaining a stable place field (PF) and the stability of individual PCs progressively increased across the week until most of the representation was composed of long-term stable PCs. The stable PCs disproportionately represented task-related learned information, were retrieved earlier within a behavioral session, and showed a strong correlation with behavioral performance. Both the initial formation of PCs and their retrieval on subsequent days was accompanied by prominent signs of behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP), suggesting that even stable PCs were re-formed by synaptic plasticity each session. Further experimental evidence supported by a cascade-type state model indicates that CA1 PCs increase their stability each day they are active eventually forming a highly stable population. The results suggest that CA1 memory is implemented by an increase in the likelihood of new neuron-specific synaptic plasticity, as opposed to extensive long-term synaptic weight stabilization.
Integrates JA and ethylene signals in defense against brown spot disease: the role of NaWRKY70
Authors: Song Na , Wu Jinsong
Published: February 2023

Production of phytoalexins scopoletin and scopolin is regulated by jasmonate (JA) and ethylene signals inNicotianaspecies in response toAlternaria alternata, the necrotrophic fungal pathogen causing brown spot disease. However, how these two signals are coordinated to control this process remains unclear. Here, we found that levels of these two phytoalexins and transcripts of their key enzyme geneferuloyl-CoA 6’-hydroxylase 1(NaF6’H1) were synergistically induced in wild tobaccoN. attenuataby co-treatments of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and ethephon, but were not altered by treatments with either MeJA or ethephon along. Through co-expression and functional analysis we identified NaWRKY70 as the key regulator for this synergistic induction. NaWRKY70 not only directly bound toNaF6’H1promoter and activated its expression but also served as a regulation node to integrate JA and ethylene signals. Acting like locks, NaJAZe1, NaJAZe2 and NaEBF2 interacted with NaWRKY70 separately to suppressNaF6’H1expression. Meanwhile, NaMYC2b and NaEIN3-like 1functioned as transcription regulators ofNaWRKY70and activated ofNaF6’H1expression by protein interaction with NaWRKY70. Finally, NaWRKY70 controlled JA-Ile production by binding and activating its biosynthetic genes. Thus, our data uncovers a novel but complicate regulation network of phytoalexins by two phytohormonal signals, and demonstrates that NaWRKY70 integrates both JA and ethylene signals through transcriptional regulation and protein interaction to regulate scopoletin and scopolin biosynthesis and plant resistance toA. alternata.
Physical contacts between sparse biofilms promote plasmid transfer and generate functional novelty
Authors: Ramoneda Josep , Ma Yinyin , Schmidt Julian , Manhart Michael , Angst Daniel C. , Johnson David R.
Published: February 2023

The horizontal transfer of plasmids is an important driver of microbial evolution, such as conferring antibiotic resistance (AR) to new genotypes. In biofilms, the abundance of cell-cell contacts promotes the frequent transfer of plasmids and their associated genes. In this study, we expand our knowledge about AR-encoding plasmids by investigating their transfer between discrete biofilms as the biofilms grow and physically collide with each other. Using an experimental system consisting of two fluorescently labelledPseudomonas stutzeristrains and anEscherichia colistrain, we show that biofilm collisions promote plasmid transfer along the collision boundaries. The extent of plasmid transfer depends on the plasmid loss probability, the plasmid transfer probability, and the relative growth rates of plasmid-free and plasmid-carrying cells. We further show that the proliferation of plasmids after biofilm collision depends on the spatial positionings of plasmid-carrying cells along the collision boundary, thus establishing a link between the large-scale spatial distribution of discrete biofilms and the small-scale spatial arrangement of cells within individual biofilms. Our study reveals that plasmid transfer during biofilm collisions is determined by spatial factors operating at different organizational levels and length scales, expanding our understanding of the fate of plasmid-encoded traits in microbial communities.
Investigations on SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in mink farms in France at the end of the first year of COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wasniewski Marine , Boué Franck , Richomme Céline , Simon-Lorière Etienne , Van der Werf Sylvie , Donati Flora , Enouf Vincent , Blanchard Yannick , Beven Véronique , Leperchois Estelle , Leterrier Bryce , Corbet Sandrine , Le Gouil Meriadeg , Monchatre-Leroy Elodie , Picard-Meyer Evelyne
Published: February 2023

Soon after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, theBetacoronavirusSARS-CoV-2 infection of several mink farms breeding American minks (Neovison vison) for fur was detected in several countries of Europe. The risk of a new reservoir formation and of a reverse zoonosis from minks was then a major concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the four French mink farms for the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 at the end of 2020. The investigations took place during the slaughtering period thus facilitating different types of sampling (swabs and blood). In one of the four mink farms, 96.6% of serum samples were positive in SARS-CoV-2 ELISA coated with purified N protein recombinant antigen and 54 out of 162 (33%) pharyngo-tracheal swabs were positive by RT-qPCR. The genetic variability among 12 SARS-CoV-2 genomes sequenced in this farm indicated the co-circulation of several lineages at the time of sampling. All SARS-CoV-2 genomes detected were nested within the 20A clade (Nextclade), together with SARS-CoV-2 genomes from humans sampled at the same period. The percentage of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity by ELISA varied between 0.5 and 1.2% in the three other farms. Interestingly, among these three farms, 11 pharyngo-tracheal swabs and 3 fecal pools from two farms were positive by end-point RT-PCR for anAlphacoronavirushighly similar to a mink coronavirus sequence observed in Danish farms in 2015. In addition, a minkCaliciviridaewas identified in one of the two positive farms forAlphacoronavirus. The clinical impact of these unapparent viral infections is not known. The co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with other viruses in mink farms could contribute to explain the diversity of clinical symptoms noted in different infected farms in Europe. In addition, the co-circulation of anAlphacoronavirusand SARS-CoV-2 within a mink farm would increase potentially the risk of viral recombination between alpha and betacoronaviruses already suggested in wild and domestic animals, as well as in humans.

Author summary

France is not a country of major mink fur production. Following the SARS-CoV-2 contamination of mink farms in Denmark and the Netherlands, the question arose for the four French farms.

The investigation conducted at the same time in the four farms revealed the contamination of one of them by a variant different from the one circulating at the same time in Denmark and the Netherlands mink farms.

Investigation of three other farms free of SARS-CoV-2 contamination revealed the circulation of other viruses including a mink Alphacoronavirus andCaliciviridae, which could modify the symptomatology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in minks.
Interpretations of healthy eating after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: a secondary qualitative analysis
Authors: Weiss Hannah , Russell Rebecca D. , Black Lucinda , Begley Andrea
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that causes debilitating symptoms. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to recommend a special diet for people with MS to slow disease progression and reduce symptoms. Little is known about the dietary choices made by people with MS. This study aimed to explore the interpretations of healthy eating in people recently diagnosed with MS. Objectives were to investigate the types of changes in food choices and to describe the impact of making these changes.

Design/methodology/approach

A social constructionist approach applying qualitative secondary analysis of semi-structured interviews was conducted (n = 11). Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed using a deductive approach.

Findings

Participants were mostly female (82%), mean age 47 years and mean time since diagnosis eight months. Four themes emerged from the data: (1) moving in the direction of the dietary guidelines, (2) modifying intake of dietary fat, (3) requiring mental effort and (4) needing input from a dietitian.

Practical implications

The directions of food choices and the absence of dietetic input highlighted in this study suggest the need for evidence-based nutrition education that enables people with MS to tailor dietary guidelines according to their preferences.

Originality/value

How people interpret healthy eating advice and the impact on making food choice changes is useful for explaining dietary changes in MS. Special diets promoted for MS provide conflicting advice, and the lack of access to dietitians means that additional mental effort is required when interpreting healthy eating messages and diets.
The impact of big data analytics capability on green supply chain integration: an organizational information processing theory perspective
Authors: Shi Haiqing , Feng Taiwen , Zhu Zhanguo
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Despite big data analytics capability (BDAC) has received extensive attention, how and under what conditions BDAC influences green supply chain integration (GSCI) remains unclear. This study draws on organizational information processing theory to examine the mediating effect of supply chain visibility in the BDAC–GSCI link and the moderating effects of flexibility- and control-oriented culture.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examined the research model using two-waved survey data gathered from 317 Chinese firms. The authors employed hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping method to test hypotheses and assessed the robust of theoretical model using structural model.

Findings

The authors found that BDAC facilitates all three dimensions of GSCI. Supply visibility mediates the relationship between BDAC and all three dimensions of GSCI, whereas demand visibility only mediates the positive effects of BDAC on green internal and customer integration. In addition, control-oriented culture strengthens the positive impacts of BDAC on supply and demand visibility, while the moderating effects of flexibility-oriented culture are insignificant.

Originality/value

This research contributes to opening the “black box” of how BDAC affects GSCI and provides novel guidelines for firms enhancing the degree of GSCI.
Influence of mentoring and job security on expatriate voice
Authors: Zhuang Wen-Long , Chu Yu-Han , Yang Tsun-Lih , Chang Yu-Ming
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of mentoring functions on expatriate voice in multinational enterprises and whether job security plays a mediating role in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 300 questionnaires were distributed in this study. Of the 173 responses received, 8 invalid questionnaires were excluded and 165 valid questionnaires were analysed. The effective questionnaire recovery rate was 55.00%.

Findings

The results revealed that the stronger the psychosocial support function, the role modelling function and the career development provided by the mentor, the more would be the expatriate voice behaviour. Furthermore, the psychological support, role model characteristics and career development guidance affect the expatriate voice behaviour through the mediation of job security.

Originality/value

Few studies have focussed on the influence of expatriate mentoring functions and job security on expatriate voice. Furthermore, whether the mentoring function affects the job security of expatriates is unknown. The objective of this study is to fill this gap in the literature.
Women on corporate boards in a predominantly male-dominated society: the case of Peru
Authors: Avolio Beatrice , Pretell Carolina , Valcazar Edy
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This phenomenological study aims to analyze the factors perceived by women to be important to their nomination and selection for board positions in Peruvian public companies. The importance of this study lies in understanding the qualities that are important for women to possess, as perceived by those women who have reached leadership positions, achieving empowerment and economic autonomy.

Design/methodology/approach

The study population consisted of 33 women who became company directors in 2019, according to the data of the Lima Stock Exchange. From this group, the authors conducted 12 in-depth interviews with those women who accepted to participate in this study. The information was analyzed based on the stages suggested by Moustakas (1994).

Findings

This study proposes a conceptual framework with 13 factors perceived by women during their nomination and selection for board positions in Latin American public companies, focusing on the case of Peru. The factors are training and learning, professional experience, self-awareness, attitude, resilience, networking, communication skills, empathy, “hard work,” capacity to make important decisions, soft skills, support networks and allies and passion for their work.

Originality/value

Based on the experiences of the participants, this study identified 13 critical factors for women to achieve leadership positions as board members. From a phenomenological approach, the relevance of said factors is that they have emerged from the point of view of women who live in a patriarchal and collectivistic culture with a high gender gap index.
Capital structure and earnings management: evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Naz Aziza , Sheikh Nadeem Ahmed
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether capital structure affects accruals and real earnings management (AEM and REM) of nonfinancial firms listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Moreover, to investigate whether institutional development (ID) moderates the relation between capital structure and earnings management (EM).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were taken from annual reports of nonfinancial firms listed on the PSX during 2012–2019. Data of 150 firms for a period of eight years were found completed with respect to the variables used in this study. The generalized moments of methods estimator is used to estimate the effects of explanatory variables on earning management. Furthermore, fixed and random effects methods were used to estimate the impact of capital structure on AEM and REM.

Findings

Results show that all three measures of capital structure (i.e. total debt ratio, long-term debt ratio and short-term debt ratios) are inversely related to AEM. In contrast, all measures of capital structure are positively related to abnormal cash flow from operations. Total debt ratio and long-term debt ratio are negatively while short-term debt ratio is positively related to abnormal discretionary expenses. Total debt ratio and short-term debt ratio are significant and negatively related to abnormal production cost. Additionally, interaction terms of ID (i.e. rule of law and regulatory quality) significantly moderate the controlling role of debt on discretionary accruals. In sum, results show that the use of debt induces lender's monitoring. Consequently, managers move toward REM because of lower probability of being exposed.

Practical implications

Findings of this study have significant implications for managers and regulatory authorities. For instance, the use of debt increases the lender’s influence which restricts the managers to be involved in EM practices. Moreover, regulatory authorities are required to address the loopholes in regulations to refrain the managers to be engaged in EM.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in Pakistan that has explored the impact of capital structure on AEM and REM. More importantly, a careful review of the literature affirms that this study is among the few studies that have used ID as a moderating variable to explain the relation between capital structure and EM.
Development levels of stakeholder relationships in collaborative projects: challenges and preconditions
Authors: Ali Farooq , Haapasalo Harri
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This article aims to address the confusion related to the meanings of interorganisational cooperation, control, coordination and collaboration in collaborative projects by developing a conceptual framework. From this, the authors aim to describe the links among these concepts in terms of development levels of stakeholder relationships. In addition, the authors aim to identify challenges and preconditions in relation to developing relationships at different levels.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have adopted the directed approach of qualitative content analysis method to validate and extend the conceptual framework of this study. The context of this study is a large hospital construction project located in northern Finland.

Findings

The findings of this study suggest that collaboration is a multilevel process of active engagement of multiple stakeholders. These stakeholders must have a high degree of shared understanding in terms of cooperation, control and coordination to achieve the mutually desired outcomes. This study also identifies the challenges that project stakeholders could face in developing collaborative relationships and propose preconditions for the same.

Practical implications

This study provides a better understanding for project managers to manage interorganisational collaborative construction projects successfully. The outcome of this research would be beneficial to project management team to deliver dispute-free construction projects.

Originality/value

Existing practical research on the development of relationships at different levels in collaborative construction projects is limited. This study offers a framework for the same which is validated in a real-life project.
A systematic automated grasping approach for automatic manipulation of fabric with soft robot grippers
Authors: Liu Yuqi , Su Junqiang , Li Xinyu , Jin Guoqing
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The garment industry will be one of the major beneficiaries of advances in smart manufacturing, as it is highly labor-intensive and heavily depends on labor force. Manipulating robots in human environments has made great strides in recent years. However, the main research has focused on rigid, solid objects and core capabilities such as grasping, placing remain a challenging problem when dealing with soft textiles. The experimental results indicate that adopting the proposed bionic soft finger will provide garment manufacturers with smart manufacturing capabilities. Then, the purpose of this paper is to utilize the flexibility of the soft finger to transfer fabric layer by layer without damage in garment automation.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a new way to separate layer by layer pieces of fabric has been inspired by the rise of soft robotics and their applications in automation. Fabric gripping is accomplished by wiping deformation and pinching the fabric. A single fabric piece is separated from cutting pile by the soft finger in four steps: making an arch by pressing, wiping deformation, grasping and separating, and placing.

Findings

The case study demonstrated that the soft finger arrangement for automated grasping of fabric pieces of a garment can be successfully applied to delicate fabric. A combination of cloth shape and weight determines the number of soft fingers. In addition, the soft finger was tested on different types of fabrics to determine its performance and application capabilities. The technology may be used to produce clothing intelligently in the future, such as intelligent stacking, intelligent transportation and intelligent packaging, to increase clothing industry productivity.

Originality/value

An industrial bionic soft finger gripping system is proposed in this paper for application in the field of fabric automatic manipulation. A piece of fabric could be picked up and released layer by layer from a stack by the proposed gripper without creating any damage to it. Soft grippers have the right proportion of softness and rigidity like a human being. A soft finger has a potential affinity for soft materials such as fabrics without damaging either their surface or their properties.
Disclosures of labour practices: perspectives of legitimacy and impression management
Authors: Li Zhongtian , Haque Shamima , Chapple Larelle (Ellie)
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how an influential supplier of electronics manufacturing services (i.e. Foxconn) discloses its labour practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is conducted through the theoretical lens of legitimacy and impression management. This particular firm is selected as it provides a rich case on labour practice disclosures in a setting where significant labour malpractice incidents occurred from 2009 to 2011. The sample period covers 12 years of the firm's labour practice disclosures (2008–2019) to match with publicly available information that is used to construct expert comparative accounts on the disclosures. The authors corroborate the comparative accounts with sociological studies and responsibility reports from the major customer (i.e. Apple).

Findings

The authors found that the disclosures become more detailed over successive years. Occupational health and safety issues are predominantly reported, followed by issues relating to vocational guidance and training and then employment policy. Regarding impression management strategies, defensive strategies embedded in the disclosures are rarely detected and assertive strategies are persistently used from 2008 to 2019 to maintain legitimacy. The comparative accounts show the persistent use of one defensive strategy (i.e. omission) to maintain and regain legitimacy. In other words, as an economic strategy, material labour practice issues are persistently omitted in the disclosures. The incidents discernibly affect how Foxconn discloses labour practices.

Originality/value

The authors’ study contributes to the limited extant research on suppliers' labour practice disclosures from the perspective of legitimacy theory and impression management. The results will be of great interest to researchers, investors, assurers and other stakeholders.
The eWOM adoption model in the hospitality industry: the moderating effect of the vlogger’s review
Authors: Le Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai , Ryu Sann
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Vloggers (video bloggers) have emerged as a new phenomenon in social media marketing, especially in the hotel industry, where user-generated reviews can strongly influence purchase decisions. Therefore, this paper aims to build an electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) adoption model (EAM) that incorporates source evaluation attributes (information quality, major influence and source credibility), trust in eWOM and eWOM intention (EWOMI) and booking intention and investigate the moderation of negative reviews from vloggers on relationships in the EAM.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducted two studies (ns1 = 446, ns2 = 374). The data were collected through an online and face-to-face survey with an experimental design. This paper conducted covariance-based structural equation model to examine main effects and applied a multiple-group analysis to test the moderating effect of vlogger reviews.

Findings

Three attributes of source evaluation are important predictors of trust in eWOM, which positively impact eWOM and booking intention. EWOMI also positively affects booking intention. Moreover, the negative review of vloggers can lower the effects of information quality on trust and of trust on EWOMI in Study 1 and on hotel booking intention in Study 2.

Originality/value

This study builds the EAM model for the hospitality context and provides novel insights into the moderating effects of vloggers’ negative reviews on the relationships in the EAM.
Text mining techniques for identifying failure modes
Authors: Malan Francina , Jooste Johannes Lodewyk
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the effectiveness of the various text mining techniques that can be used to classify maintenance work-order records into their respective failure modes, focussing on the choice of algorithm and preprocessing transforms. Three algorithms are evaluated, namely Bernoulli Naïve Bayes, multinomial Naïve Bayes and support vector machines.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper has both a theoretical and experimental component. In the literature review, the various algorithms and preprocessing techniques used in text classification is considered from three perspectives: the domain-specific maintenance literature, the broader short-form literature and the general text classification literature. The experimental component consists of a 5 × 2 nested cross-validation with an inner optimisation loop performed using a randomised search procedure.

Findings

From the literature review, the aspects most affected by short document length are identified as the feature representation scheme, higher-order n-grams, document length normalisation, stemming, stop-word removal and algorithm selection. However, from the experimental analysis, the selection of preprocessing transforms seemed more dependent on the particular algorithm than on short document length. Multinomial Naïve Bayes performs marginally better than the other algorithms, but overall, the performances of the optimised models are comparable.

Originality/value

This work highlights the importance of model optimisation, including the selection of preprocessing transforms. Not only did the optimisation improve the performance of all the algorithms substantially, but it also affects model comparisons, with multinomial Naïve Bayes going from the worst to the best performing algorithm.
Consumer discrimination in service recovery situations
Authors: Rohden Simoni F. , Pizzutti Cristiane
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Discrimination in the marketplace has recently received increasing attention in marketing discussions, especially related to service encounters. This research explores the effect of receiving lower (vs higher) financial compensation than someone perceived to be from an upper social class (vs lower) on consumer reactions after a service recovery situation.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experimental studies with two different populations.

Findings

Individuals who receive less compensation than someone from a higher socioeconomic status tend to attribute differential treatment to discrimination. Both individuals who received less and who received higher compensation are willing to engage in negative word of mouth, however, only consumers who were discriminated against want to take revenge on the company.

Originality/value

Previous literature indicates that consumers' reactions after service problems are mediated by justice perceptions. This research offers a new perspective of social comparison in service recovery situations by considering the role of discrimination perceptions.