bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A conserved D/E-P motif in the nucleotide binding domain of plant ABCB/PGP-type ABC transporters defines their auxin transport capacity
Authors: Hao Pengchao , Xia Jian , Liu Jie , diDonato Martin , Pakula Konrad , Bailly Aurélien , Jasinski Michal , Geisler Markus
Published: May 2020

Auxin transport activity of ABCB1 was suggested to be regulated by physical interaction with the FKBP42/Twisted Dwarf1 (TWD1), abona fidepeptidylprolylcis-transisomerase (PPIase), but all attempts to demonstrate such a PPIase activity on TWD1 have failed so far.

By using a structure-based approach we have identified a series of surface-exposed proline residues in the C-terminal nucleotide binding fold and linker of Arabidopsis ABCB1 that do not alter ABCB1 protein stability or location but its catalytic transport activity. P1.008 was uncovered as part of a conserved signature D/E-P motif that seems to be specific forAuxin-TransportingABCBs, we now refer to as ATAs. Beside the proline, also mutation of the acidic moiety prior to the proline abolishes auxin transport activity by ABCB1. So far, all higher plant ABCBs for that auxin transport was safely proven carry this conserved motif underlining its diagnostic potential. Introduction of this D/E-P motif into malate importer, ABCB14, increases both its malate and its background auxin transport activity, suggesting that this motif has an impact on transport capacity. The D/E-P1.008 motif is also important for ABCB1-TWD1 interaction and activation of ABCB1-mediated auxin transport by TWD1, supporting a scenario in that TWD1 acts as an activator of ABCB1 transport activity by means of its PPIase.

In summary, our data imply a dual function for TWD1 acting as an ABCB co-chaperone required for ABCB biogenesis and as a putative activator of ABCB-mediated auxin transport bycis-transisomerization of peptidyl-prolyl bonds.
ACE2 coding variants in different populations and their potential impact on SARS-CoV-2 binding affinity
Authors: Ali Fedaa , Elserafy Menattallah , Alkordi Mohamed H. , Amin Muhamed
Published: May 2020

The susceptibility of different populations to the SARS-CoV-2 infection is not yet understood. A deeper analysis of the genomes of individuals from different populations might explain their risk for infection. In this study, a combined analysis of ACE2 coding variants in different populations and computational chemistry calculations are conducted in order to probe the potential effects of ACE2 coding variants on SARS-CoV-2/ACE2 binding affinity. Our study reveals novel interaction data on the variants and SARS-CoV-2. We could show that ACE2-K26R; which is more frequent in the Ashkenazi Jewish population decrease the electrostatic attraction between SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2. On the contrary, ACE2-I468V, R219C, K341R, D206G, G211R were found to increase the electrostatic attraction and increase the binding to SARS-CoV-2; ordered by the strength of binding from weakest to strongest. I468V, R219C, K341R, D206G and G211R were more frequent in East Asian, South Asian, African and African American, European and European and South Asian populations, respectively. SARS-CoV-2/ACE2 interface in the WT protein and corresponding variants is showed to be a dominated by van der Waals (vdW) interactions. All the mutations except K341R induce an increase in the vdW attractions between the ACE2 and the SARS-CoV-2. The largest increase of is observed for the R219C mutant.
Proteomic Analysis Uncovers Measles Virus Protein C Interaction with p65/iASPP/p53 Protein Complex
Authors: Meignié Alice , Combredet Chantal , Santolini Marc , Kovács István A. , Douché Thibaut , Gianetto Quentin Giai , Eun Hyeju , Matondo Mariette , Jacob Yves , Grailhe Regis , Tangy Frédéric , Komarova Anastassia V.
Published: May 2020

Viruses manipulate central machineries of host cells to their advantage. They prevent host cell antiviral responses to create a favorable environment for their survival and propagation. Measles virus (MV) encodes two non-structural proteins MV-V and MV-C known to counteract the host interferon response and to regulate cell death pathways. Several molecular mechanisms underlining MV-V regulation of innate immunity and cell death pathways have been proposed, whereas MV-C host protein partners are less studied. We suggest that some cellular factors that are controlled by MV-C protein during viral replication could be components of innate immunity and the cell death pathways. To determine which host factors are targeted by MV-C, we captured both direct and indirect host protein partners of MV-C protein. For this, we used a strategy based on recombinant viruses expressing tagged viral proteins followed by affinity purification and a bottom-up mass spectrometry analysis. From the list of host proteins specifically interacting with MV-C protein in different cell lines we selected the host targets that belong to immunity and cell death pathways for further validation. Direct protein partners of MV-C were determined by applying protein complementation assay (PCA) and the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) approach. As a result, we found that MV-C protein specifically interacts with p65/iASPP/p53 protein complex that controls both cell death and innate immunity pathways.
Phytosphingosine induces systemic acquired resistance through activation of sphingosine kinase
Authors: Seo So Yeon , Kim Yu Jung , Nam Myung Hee , Park Ky Young
Published: May 2020

Phytosphingosine (PHS) is a naturally occurring bioactive sphingolipid molecule. Intermediates such as sphingolipid long-chain bases (LCBs) in sphingolipid biosynthesis have been shown to have important roles as signaling molecules. In this study, exogenous addition of PHS caused rapid induction of transcripts responsible for transient synthesis of LCBs, reactive oxygen species, and ethylene. These events were followed by the induction of sphingolipid kinase (SphK), which metabolized PHS to phytosphingosine-1-phosphate in an biphasic manner. PHS alleviated not only pathogen-induced cell damage but also reduced the growth of virulent pathogens in the entire upper part of the PHS-treated plant stem during the necrotic stage after inoculation, suggesting the development of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and plant immunity. Moreover, PHS treatment up-regulated the transcription and activity of SphK, accompanied by prominent increases in the transcription levels of serine palmitoyltransferase (LCB1andLCB2) forde novosynthesis of sphingolipids, as well as ROS-detoxifying enzymes and PR proteins at 48 h after virulent pathogen infection. The impairment of ROS production at this time is more beneficial for the activation of SphK and inhibition of pathogenicity during the necrotic stage of hemibiotrophic infection, indicating that necrotic cell death at the late stage is regulated by ROS-independent SphK. Phosphorylated LCBs significantly reduced pathogen-induced cell damage. These observations suggest that selective channeling of sphingolipids into phosphorylated forms in a time-dependent manner has a pro-survival effect by promoting SAR in plant immunity.

4.

One Sentence Summary

Selective gene expression in sphingolipid biosynthesis and channeling into their phosphorylated forms are significant determinants of their roles as pro-survival signaling molecules.
A single-cell RNA expression map of human coronavirus entry factors
Authors: Singh Manvendra , Bansal Vikas , Feschotte Cédric
Published: May 2020

To predict the tropism of human coronaviruses, we profile 28 SARS-CoV-2 and coronavirus-associated receptors and factors (SCARFs) using single-cell RNA-sequencing data from a wide range of healthy human tissues. SCARFs include cellular factors both facilitating and restricting viral entry. Among adult organs, enterocytes and goblet cells of the small intestine and colon, kidney proximal tubule cells, and gallbladder basal cells appear most permissive to SARS-CoV-2, consistent with clinical data. Our analysis also suggests alternate entry paths for SARS-CoV-2 infection of the lung, central nervous system, and heart. We predict spermatogonial cells and prostate endocrine cells, but not ovarian cells, to be highly permissive to SARS-CoV-2, suggesting male-specific vulnerabilities. Early stages of embryonic and placental development show a moderate risk of infection. The nasal epithelium looks like another battleground, characterized by high expression of both promoting and restricting factors and a potential age-dependent shift in SCARF expression. Lastly, SCARF expression appears broadly conserved across human, chimpanzee and macaque organs examined. Our study establishes an important resource for investigations of coronavirus biology and pathology.
Antibody neutralization of an influenza virus that uses neuraminidase for receptor binding
Authors: Gentles Lauren E. , Wan Hongquan , Eichelberger Maryna C. , Bloom Jesse D.
Published: May 2020

Influenza virus infection elicits antibodies against the receptor-binding protein hemagglutinin (HA) and the receptor-cleaving protein neuraminidase (NA). Because HA is essential for viral entry, antibodies targeting HA often potently neutralize the virus in single-cycle infection assays. But antibodies against NA are not potently neutralizing in such assays, since NA is dispensable for single-cycle infection. Here we show that a modified influenza virus that depends on NA for receptor binding is much more sensitive than a virus with receptor-binding HA to neutralization by some anti-NA antibodies. Specifically, virus with a receptor-binding G147R N1 NA and a binding-deficient HA is completely neutralized in single-cycle infections by an antibody that binds near the NA active site. Infection is also substantially inhibited by antibodies that bind NA epitopes distant from the active site. Finally, we demonstrate that this modified virus can be used to efficiently select mutations in NA that escape antibody binding, a task that can be laborious with typical influenza viruses that are not well-neutralized by anti-NA antibodies. Thus, viruses dependent on NA for receptor binding allow for sensitivein vitrodetection of antibodies binding near the catalytic site of NA and enable selection of viral escape mutants.
Microbial helpers allow cyanobacteria to thrive in ferruginous waters
Authors: Szeinbaum Nadia , Toporek Yael , Reinhard Christopher T. , Glass Jennifer B.
Published: May 2020

The Great Oxidation Event (GOE) was a rapid accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere as a result of the photosynthetic activity of cyanobacteria. This accumulation reflected the pervasiveness of O2on the planet’s surface, indicating that cyanobacteria had become ecologically successful in Archean oceans. Micromolar concentrations of Fe2+in Archean oceans would have reacted with hydrogen peroxide, a byproduct of oxygenic photosynthesis, to produce hydroxyl radicals, which cause cellular damage. Yet cyanobacteria colonized Archean oceans extensively enough to oxygenate the atmosphere, which likely required protection mechanisms against the negative impacts of hydroxyl radical production in Fe2+-rich seas. We identify several factors that could have acted to protect early cyanobacteria from the impacts of hydroxyl radical production and hypothesize that microbial cooperation may have played an important role in protecting cyanobacteria from Fe2+toxicity before the GOE. We found that several strains of facultative anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria (Shewanella) with ROS defense mechanisms increase the fitness of cyanobacteria (Synechococcus) in ferruginous waters.Shewanellaspecies with manganese transporters provided the most protection. Our results suggest that a tightly regulated response to prevent Fe2+toxicity could have been important for the colonization of ancient ferruginous oceans, particularly in the presence of high manganese concentrations, and may expand the upper bound for tolerable Fe2+concentrations for cyanobacteria.
Insights into substrate-mediated assembly of the chloroplast TAT receptor complex
Authors: Ma Qianqian , New Christopher Paul , Dabney-Smith Carole
Published: May 2020

TheTwinArginineTransport (TAT) system translocates fully folded proteins across the thylakoid membrane in the chloroplast (cp) and the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria. In chloroplasts, cpTAT transport is achieved by three components: Tha4, Hcf106, and cpTatC. Hcf106 and cpTatC function as the substrate recognition/binding complex while Tha4 is thought to play a significant role in forming the translocation pore. Recent studies challenged this idea by suggesting that cpTatC-Hcf106-Tha4 function together in the active translocase. Here, we have mapped the inter-subunit contacts of cpTatC-Hcf106 during the resting state and built a cpTatC-Hcf106 structural model based on our crosslinking data. In addition, we have identified a substrate-mediated reorganization of cpTatC-Hcf106 contact sites during active substrate translocation. The proximity of Tha4 to the cpTatC-Hcf106 complex was also identified. Our data suggest a model for cpTAT function in which the transmembrane helices of Hcf106 and Tha4 may each contact the fifth transmembrane helix of cpTatC while the insertion of the substrate signal peptide may rearrange the cpTatC-Hcf106-Tha4 complex and initiate the translocation event.

One sentence summary

Protein subunits of the thylakoidal twin arginine transport complex function together during substrate recognition and translocase assembly.
Tolerance of combined drought and heat stress is associated with transpiration maintenance and water soluble carbohydrates in wheat grains
Authors: Habti Abdeljalil El , Fleury Delphine , Jewell Nathaniel , Garnett Trevor , Tricker Penny J.
Published: May 2020

Wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) production is increasingly challenged by simultaneous drought and heatwaves. We assessed the effect of both stresses combined on whole plant water use and carbohydrate partitioning in eight bread wheat genotypes that showed contrasting tolerance. Plant water use was monitored throughout growth, and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and starch were measured following a three-day heat treatment during drought. WSC were predominantly allocated to the spike in modern Australian varieties, whereas the stem contained most WSC in older genotypes. Combined drought and heat stress increased WSC partitioning to the spike in older genotypes but not in the modern varieties. Glucose and fructose concentrations in grains measured 12 days after anthesis were associated with final grain weight in the main spike. At the whole plant level, combined drought and heat stress differentially altered daily water use and transpiration response to vapour pressure deficit during grain filling, compared to drought only. Final grain yield was increasingly associated with aboveground biomass and total water use with increasing stress intensity. Ability to maintain transpiration, especially following combined drought and heat stress, appears essential for maintaining wheat productivity.

One sentence summary

Higher yield following drought and heat stress in wheats that maintain transpiration and have higher water-soluble carbohydrates content in grains.
The loss of the pyoverdine secondary receptor inPseudomonas aeruginosaresults in a fitter strain suitable for population invasion
Authors: González Jaime , Salvador Manuel , Özkaya Özhan , Spick Matt , Costa Catia , Bailey Melanie J. , Avignone-Rossa Claudio , Kümmerli Rolf , Jiménez José I.
Published: May 2020

The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens constitutes a critical problem in healthcare and requires the development of novel treatments. Potential strategies include the exploitation of microbial social interactions based on public goods, which are produced at a fitness cost by cooperative microorganisms, but can be exploited by cheaters that do not produce these goods. Cheater invasion has been proposed as a ‘Trojan horse’ approach to infiltrate pathogen populations with strains deploying built-in weaknesses (e.g. sensitiveness to antibiotics). However, previous attempts have been often unsuccessful because population invasion by cheaters was prevented by various mechanisms including the presence of spatial structure (e.g. growth in biofilms), which limits the diffusion and exploitation of public goods. Here we followed an alternative approach and examined whether the manipulation of public good uptake and not its production could result in potential ‘Trojan horses’ suitable for population invasion. We focused on the siderophore pyoverdine produced by the human pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosaMPAO1 and manipulated its uptake by deleting and/or overexpressing the pyoverdine primary (FpvA) and secondary (FpvB) receptors. We found that receptor synthesis feeds back on pyoverdine production and uptake rates, which led to strains with altered pyoverdine-associated costs and benefits. Moreover, we found that the receptor FpvB was advantageous under iron-limited conditions but revealed hidden costs in the presence of an antibiotic stressor (gentamicin). As a consequence, FpvB mutants became the fittest strain under gentamicin exposure, displacing the wildtype in liquid cultures, and in biofilms and during infections of the wax moth larvaeGalleria mellonella, which both represent structured environments. Our findings reveal that an evolutionary trade-off associated with the costs and benefits of a versatile pyoverdine uptake strategy can be harnessed for devising a Trojan horse candidate for medical interventions.
The antimicrobial peptide DGL13K is active against resistant gram-negative bacteria and subinhibitory concentrations stimulate bacterial growth without causing resistance
Authors: Gorr Sven-Ulrik , Brigman Hunter V. , Anderson Jadyn C. , Hirsch Elizabeth B.
Published: May 2020

Antimicrobial peptides may be alternatives to traditional antibiotics with reduced bacterial resistance. The antimicrobial peptide GL13K was derived from the salivary protein BPIFA2. This study determined the relative activity of the L-and D-enantiomers of GL13K to wild-type and drug-resistant strains of three gram-negative species and againstPseudomonas aeruginosabiofilms. DGL13K displayed in vitro activity against ESBL and KPC-producingKlebsiella pneumoniae(MICs 16-32 μg/ml), MDR and XDRP. aeruginosa, and XDRAcinetobacter baumanniicarrying metallo-beta-lactamases (MICs 8-32 μg/ml).P. aeruginosashowed low inherent resistance to DGL13K and the increased metabolic activity and growth caused by sub-MIC concentrations of GL13K peptides did not result in acquired bacterial resistance. Daily dosing for approximately two weeks did not increase the MIC of DGL13K or cause cross-resistance between LGL13K and DGL13K. These data suggest that DGL13K is a promising candidate antimicrobial peptide for further development.
Nutrient Source and Mycorrhizal Association jointly alters Soil Microbial Communities that shape Plant-Rhizosphere-Soil Carbon-Nutrient Flows
Authors: Chowdhury Somak , Lange Markus , Malik Ashish A , Goodall Timothy , Huang Jianbei , Griffiths Robert I , Gleixner Gerd
Published: May 2020

Interactions between plants and microorganisms strongly affect ecosystem functioning as processes of plant productivity, litter decomposition and nutrient cycling are controlled by both organisms. Though two-sided interactions between plants and microorganisms and between microorganisms and litter decomposition are areas of major scientific research, our understanding of the three-sided interactions of plant-derived carbon flow into the soil microbial community and their follow-on effects on ecosystem processes like litter decomposition and plant nutrient uptake remains limited. Therefore, we performed a greenhouse experiment with two plant communities differing in their ability to associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). By applying a13CO2pulse label to the plant communities and adding various15N labelled substrate types to ingrowth cores, we simultaneously traced the flow of plant-derived carbon into soil microbial communities and the return of mineralized nitrogen back to the plant communities. We observed that net13C assimilation by the rhizosphere microbial communities and their community composition not only depended on plant-AMF association but also type of substrate being decomposed. AMF-association resulted in lower net13C investment into the decomposer community than absence of the association for similar15N uptake. This effect was driven by a reduced carbon flow to fungal and bacterial saprotrophs and a simultaneous increase of carbon flow to AMF. Additionally, in presence of AMF association CN flux also depended on the type of substrate being decomposed. Lower net13C assimilation was observed for decomposition of plant-derived and microorganism-derived substrates whereas opposite was true for inorganic nitrogen. Interestingly, the decomposer communities assembled in the rhizosphere were structured by both the plant community and substrate amendments which suggests existence of functional overlap between the two soil contexts. Moreover, we present preliminary evidence that AMF association helps plants access nutrients that are locked in bacterial and plant necromass at a lower carbon cost. Therefore, we conclude that a better understanding of ecosystem processes like decomposition can only be achieved when the whole plant-microorganism-litter context is investigated.
SASPDF: pair distribution function analysis of nanoparticle assemblies from small-angle scattering data
Authors: Liu Chia-Hao , Janke Eric M. , Li Ruipen , Juhás Pavol , Gang Oleg , Talapin Dmitri V. , Billinge Simon J. L.
Published: May 2020

SASPDF, a method for characterizing the structure of nanoparticle assemblies (NPAs), is presented. The method is an extension of the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to the small-angle scattering (SAS) regime. The PDFgetS3 software package for computing the PDF from SAS data is also presented. An application of the SASPDF method to characterize structures of representative NPA samples with different levels of structural order is then demonstrated. The SASPDF method quantitatively yields information such as structure, disorder and crystallite sizes of ordered NPA samples. The method was also used to successfully model the data from a disordered NPA sample. The SASPDF method offers the possibility of more quantitative characterizations of NPA structures for a wide class of samples.
How do organizations implement an effective LSS initiative? A qualitative study
Authors: Sony Michael , Antony Jiju , Naik Subhash
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is one of the most popular and widely used business improvement methodologies. However, many organizations discontinue LSS despite a plethora of studies on the critical success factors. The purpose of this study is to answer the research question how do organizations implement an effective LSS initiative?

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative study is conducted on managers working in companies using LSS for a long time. The data were analysed using Colaizzi method.

Findings

Twelve factors were identified which were responsible for the effective implementation of LSS. They are financial performance, organization-wide LSS culture, organization-wide innovation culture, continuous training and retraining of employees on LSS, continuous top management support, linking LSS to business strategy, linking LSS to the customer, project selection strategy, communication, recognition and compensation systems, social benefits and green benefits.

Originality/value

This is the first study to investigate the effective implementation of LSS initiative in the organization.
From transactions to interactions: the value of co-creation processes within online brand consumer communities
Authors: Ardley Barry , McIntosh Eleanor , McManus John
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to examine the extent of value co-creation activity that exists in online brand communities. The approach was to use elements of practice theory to analyse the member-to-member Adult Fans of Lego (AFOL) community

Design/methodology/approach

The method adopted was netnography based on a study of eight LEGO Facebook groups. The study involved the collection of data in the form of text and images. Over a period of several months, the interactions between the AFOL ‘MEMBERS’ was examined and analysed.

Findings

Using the characteristics of brand communities established by Muniz and O'Guinn as an investigative framework, the research established that there exists a range of co-creation practices in the AFOL communities revolving around engagement procedures and understandings.

Practical implications

A range of strategies is revealed into how co-creation is established and maintained in an online community having key implications for the management of business processes.

Originality/value

With limited previous research on member-to-member brand communities using practice theory, this paper demonstrates that customer skills and knowledge are now a central aspect of value creation, demonstrating a shift away from the firm as the sole provider of worth.
Fourth industrialization-oriented offsite construction: case study of an application to an irregular commercial building
Authors: Moon Sungkon , Ham Namhyuk , Kim Sungjin , Hou Lei , Kim Ju-Hyung , Kim Jae-Jun
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study, a research project, aims to examine the distinct characteristics of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), with a focus on construction. Following this examination, the paper presents a field study to evaluate the impact of the 4IR on the construction process.

Design/methodology/approach

The first half of this project is dedicated to defining the 4IR by reviewing existing literature. The other half of the project presents a case study to demonstrate the concept of the 4IR and measure the effect of its application. To validate the defined concept of the 4IR, the study focuses on the following: autonomous system for producing drawings and robotics in construction.

Findings

The intensive literature review revealed three unequivocal features of the 4IR: defined tasks, undefined tasks and improvement possibilities. The following case study showed that the incorporation of the three 4IR features resulted in improved productivity and efficiency during the construction of the podium for the Lotte World Tower. For example, the macro-based autonomous system achieved 5.52 shop drawings per hour, highlighting the potential impact of independent, autonomous machinery.

Originality/value

The originality of this project stems from its attempt to quantify the effectiveness of applying autonomous technologies to a practical project. While previous works in this field have focused on system development and improvement, this paper presents an autonomous system at work in an actual project, in which junior engineers were able to be entirely replaced. The system was successful in independently creating numerous required shop drawings. The value of this analysis is to generate scientific evidence to evaluate the efficacy of the adoption of 4IR-oriented technologies.
Screening patents of ICT in construction using deep learning and NLP techniques
Authors: Wu Hengqin , Shen Geoffrey , Lin Xue , Li Minglei , Zhang Boyu , Li Clyde Zhengdao
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study proposes an approach to solve the fundamental problem in using query-based methods (i.e. searching engines and patent retrieval tools) to screen patents of information and communication technology in construction (ICTC). The fundamental problem is that ICTC incorporates various techniques and thus cannot be simply represented by man-made queries. To investigate this concern, this study develops a binary classifier by utilizing deep learning and NLP techniques to automatically identify whether a patent is relevant to ICTC, thus accurately screening a corpus of ICTC patents.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs NLP techniques to convert the textual data of patents into numerical vectors. Then, a supervised deep learning model is developed to learn the relations between the input vectors and outputs.

Findings

The validation results indicate that (1) the proposed approach has a better performance in screening ICTC patents than traditional machine learning methods; (2) besides the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that provides structured and well-written patents, the approach could also accurately screen patents form Derwent Innovations Index (DIX), in which patents are written in different genres.

Practical implications

This study contributes a specific collection for ICTC patents, which is not provided by the patent offices.

Social implications

The proposed approach contributes an alternative manner in gathering a corpus of patents for domains like ICTC that neither exists as a searchable classification in patent offices, nor is accurately represented by man-made queries.

Originality/value

A deep learning model with two layers of neurons is developed to learn the non-linear relations between the input features and outputs providing better performance than traditional machine learning models. This study uses advanced NLP techniques lemmatization and part-of-speech POS to process textual data of ICTC patents. This study contributes specific collection for ICTC patents which is not provided by the patent offices.
A hybrid risk prioritization approach in construction projects using failure mode and effective analysis
Authors: Karamoozian Amirhossein , Wu Desheng
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Construction projects involve with various risks during all phases of project lifecycle. Failure mode and effective analysis (FMEA) is a useful tool for identifying and eliminating possible risk of failure modes (FMs) and improving the reliability and safety of systems in a broad range of industries. The traditional FMEA method applies risk priority number method (RPN) to calculate risk of FMs. RPN method cannot consider the direct and indirect interdependencies between the FMs and is not appropriate for complex system with numerous components. The purpose of this study is to propose an approach to consider interdependencies between FMs and also using fuzzy theory to consider uncertainties in experts' judgments.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed approach consist of three stages: the first stage of hybrid model used fuzzy FMEA method to identify the failure mode risks and derive the RPN values. The second stage applied Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL) method to determine the interdependencies between the FMs which are defined through fuzzy FMEA. Then, analytic network process (ANP) is applied in the third stage to calculate the weights of FMs based on the interdependencies that are generated through FDEMATEL method. Finally, weight of FMs through fuzzy FMEA and FDEMATEL–ANP are multiplied to generate the final weights for prioritization. Afterward, a case study for a commercial building project is introduced to illustrate proficiency of model.

Findings

The results showed that the suggested approach could reveal the important FMs and specify the interdependencies between them successfully. Overall, the suggested model can be considered as an efficient hybrid FMEA approach for risk prioritization.

Originality/value

The originality of approach comes from its ability to consider interdependencies between FMs and uncertainties of experts' judgments.
Sport, media and actual consumption behavior: an examination of spectator motives and constraints for sport media consumption
Authors: Koronios Konstantinos , Travlos Antonios , Douvis John , Papadopoulos Andreas
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The present study is an initial attempt to assess the impact of motivators and constraints on individual's intention for sport media consumption. The advancement of sport media consumption has been underlined by the academic literature during the past few years. In fact, one of the most conspicuous concerns that experts in the sport industry face nowadays is the fans' preference to stay home and watch sport events. The objective of this research is to determine the impact of motivations and constraints for individuals' sport media consumption intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative method was used for the purpose of this study, and a sum of 1,704 fulfilled questionnaires were obtained and analyzed by means of SPSS and AMOS

Findings

According to the results, internal and external motivators such as attachment to team, achievement, social, drama, role model and promotion observed to have a considerable impact on participants' consumption intention. Moreover, results pointed out a significant impact of structural and intrapersonal constraints on consumption intention.

Originality/value

The aim of the present research was to analyze the link between the constraints of spectator purposes and actual media consumption. In addition, there is an examination of generation-based factors among the spectators within the scope of possible contrasting aspects, a variable which has not been examined in any previous studies until now.
The experiences of work-life balance, stress, and coping lifestyles of female professionals: insights from a developing country
Authors: Akanji Babatunde , Mordi Chima , Ajonbadi Hakeem Adeniyi
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Given the limiting conditions of the gender roles confronting professional working women and drawing on spillover theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of work-life balance with an emphasis on the causes of the imbalances, perceived stress, and coping techniques experienced by female medical doctors in an African context – Nigeria, a geographical location that is considered under-researched.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative data is based on one-to-one in-depth interviews with 52 Nigerian female medical doctors.

Findings

Based on the findings of the thematic analysis, it is clear that time squeeze, as a well-known factor in the medical profession, exacerbates negative work-home interference. However, other themes, such as patriarchal proclivities and task-pay disparity, that affect female doctors but are rarely considered in studies on work-life balance also emerged as sources of stress and work-family conflicts, leaving these doctors to devise individual coping methods as mitigating strategies.

Research limitations/implications

The study relies on a limited qualitative sample size, which makes the generalisation of findings difficult. However, the study contributes to the limited literature on the implications of stress and work-family incompatibilities facing women in a society that is not particularly egalitarian, with an extremely pronounced culture of masculine hegemony that is contrary to western cultures. The article unveils the socio-cultural difficulties of the work-life demands facing women specific to the Nigerian society and experienced with a different level of intensity.

Originality/value

The majority of the research on work-life balance has been undertaken in western countries and has focused on various professional groups and organisations, including the health sector. Nevertheless, work-life balance is a novel concept within the Nigerian work environment, where female medical doctors, as a professional group, are rarely studied. The article also provides valuable insights into the macro-contextual features influencing the work-life balance of Nigerian professional women.
High involvement work systems, happiness at work (HAW) and absorptive capacity: a bathtub study
Authors: Salas-Vallina Andrés , Pozo-Hidalgo Manoli , Monte Pedro-Gil
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of high-involvement work systems (HIWS) on absorptive capacity. In addition, the mediating effect of happiness at work in the relationship between high-involvement work practices and absorptive capacity is analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2-1-2 bathtub multilevel mediation model was used to analyze a sample of 783 employees from 111 bank branches, gathering data at three different times.

Findings

The results reveal that HIWS positively affect absorptive capacity. In addition, they show that happiness at work partially mediates the relationship between HIWS and absorptive capacity.

Originality/value

Happiness at work is a fundamental element for knowledge absorption. The findings support the basic assumptions of the job demands-resources model, and demonstrate how HIWS, acting as a job resource, lead to positive attitudes (happiness at work) and, in turn, to positive outcomes (absorptive capacity). The proposed HIWS, based on the assumptions of the mutual gains model, reveal a positive employment relationship with effects on both HAW and organizational outcomes. If organizations expose their employees to management practices that have specific benefits for their HAW, employees are more likely to perform their jobs in ways that will promote their absorptive capacity.
Do feelings matter? The effect of leader affective presence on employee proactive customer service performance
Authors: Jiang Jing , Dong Yanan , Li Bin , Gu Huimin , Yu Larry
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Applying affect-as-information theory, this research analyzed the relationship of leader affective presence and employee proactive customer service performance (PCSP) in hospitality organizations. It further explored when and how leader affective presence influenced employee PCSP.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking a sample of 110 teams with 361 pairs of leaders and employees in Chinese hotels, a moderated mediation model was tested across individual and team levels using hierarchical linear modeling.

Findings

This study found that leader positive affective presence (LPAP) had a positive effect on employee PCSP, whereas leader negative affective presence (LNAP) had a negative effect on employee PCSP. Employee prosocial motivation mediated the relationship between leader affective presence and employee PCSP. The employee power distance value weakened the LNAP–employee prosocial motivation relationship, which subsequently mitigated the negative indirect effect of LNAP on employee PCSP through employee prosocial motivation.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was drawn from one hotel group in China, which may limit external validity.

Practical implications

Hospitality organizations should emphasize the affective traits of leaders in employee initiatives. Leader affective presence should be considered during recruitment and promotion. Management should pay more attention to employee emotional management and value alignment.

Originality/value

The findings provide deeper insight into the role of LPAP and LNAP in influencing employees’ PCSP. It sheds new light on the mechanisms and conditions through which leader affective presence might heighten or hinder employee PCSP.
Investment account holders’ market discipline in GCC countries
Authors: Guermazi Imene
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the two components of market discipline, investment account holder (IAH) monitoring and the consequent reaction of the Islamic banks in GCC countries for the 2004–2013 period, including the recent financial crisis of 2008.

Design/methodology/approach

We address the research question that Investment Account holders (IAH) in GCC countries suc as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Bahrain and United Arab Emirates (UAE) monitor their banks. Regression analysis was used to examine the dependence level of profit-sharing investment account (PSIA) growth rate on bank risk characteristics (CAMEL variables). Then, the reaction of banks by regression influencing CAMEL variables of one-lagged period on PSIA growth rate was verified.

Findings

The results provide evidence of the first component of market discipline, i.e. the IAH monitoring, in KSA, Bahrain and UAE. The common result to the three countries is that market actors are concerned with accounting information on capital adequacy. However, in UAE, they are also interested in assets performance, whereas they look more at earnings in Bahrain. The results show evidence of the second component in Bahrain; the bank reaction to IAH monitoring and subsequently IAH discipline in Bahrain. Finally, the results do not support any impact of the financial crisis.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size is small although it is constituted by banks having a sufficient number of observations.

Practical implications

This study highlights the importance of IAH discipline, which would help prudential bank monitoring by regulators and wealth development for both investors and managers. It should increase the disclosure of relevant information as for the part of effective accountability of Islamic banks’ governance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on market discipline by dealing with Islamic banks. It is one of the very few studies to investigate IAH discipline in Islamic banks and the second component of market discipline, i.e. the influence of monitoring on banks.
The potential link between corporate innovations and corporate competitiveness: evidence from IT firms in the UK
Authors: Sukumar Arun , Jafari-Sadeghi Vahid , Garcia-Perez Alexeis , Dutta Dev K.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough empirical investigation of the potential link between corporate innovations and corporate competitiveness in the context of the UK IT industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a panel of 216 UK IT firms for the period from 2000 to 2016. The sample data for this study were extracted from the Worldscope, extracted from the Datastream database from Thomson Reuters. For the analysis of the data, the generalised method of moments model is applied.

Findings

The results of this study provide empirical evidence that there exists a strong, positive link between corporate innovations and corporate competitiveness. Such evidence further reinforces the common view in the current literature of strategic management that because of the nature of their business, firms in the IT industry need to enhance their innovative capacities on a continual basis because of their critical role on these firms’ success and survival. Also, it is found that when the proxies for corporate innovations are lagged by two periods, their impact on corporate competitiveness becomes relatively more significant. However, when they are further lagged, i.e. by three periods, such an impact turns out to be relatively less pronounced.

Research limitations/implications

The data gathered for this paper was restricted to IT-oriented firms in the UK. Using a secondary database (Datastream), the paper considered the period of 2000-2016.

Originality/value

The research makes a significant contribution to the current debate on the relationship between information technology, innovation and performance, referred to in the literature as the productivity paradox, by studying the problem in the IT industry. It supports organisations from the sector in their efforts to deal with the dynamic nature of technological innovations and of the context where they operate. Methodologically, the way the study has measured the concepts of innovation and performance and the lessons learned from their analysis has also brought value to the research.
The impact of financial restatements on financial markets: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Fragoso João L.F.R. , Peixinho Rúben M.T. , Coelho Luís M.S. , Paiva Inna C.S.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most relevant issues related to the impact of financial restatements in the dynamics of financial markets and identify several research gaps to be investigated in future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on a systematic review of the literature described by Tranfield et al. (2003). The final sample includes 47 academic papers published from 1996 to 2019.

Findings

Papers in this domain discuss three main topics: how the market prices the announcement of a financial restatement; how financial restatements affect the announcing firm’s cost of capital and how financial restatements affect firms’ reputation. There are several issues to explore in future research, including whether financial restatements affect the dynamics of financial markets in Europe, whether the market fully and promptly assimilates the information content of a restatement, the role of financial analysts’ information disclosures in this process or how regulators may improve the way they provide investors with timely information about firms’ restating problems.

Research limitations/implications

There is always some degree of subjectivity in the definition of the keywords, search strings and selection criteria in a systematic review. These are all important aspects, as they delimitate the scope of the study and define the sample of papers to be reviewed.

Practical implications

The answers to the research questions identified in this paper may provide regulators with information to improve financial accounting and reporting standards and strengthen investors’ confidence in accounting information and the dynamics of financial markets.

Originality/value

This paper systematically reviews the relevant literature exploring the connection between financial restatements and the dynamics of financial markets. It contributes to the academic community by identifying several research questions that may impact the theory and practice related to accounting quality and capital markets.
Values, sustainability consciousness and intentions for SDG endorsement
Authors: Kautish Pradeep , Khare Arpita , Sharma Rajesh
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between value orientation, i.e. terminal and instrumental values, consumer sustainability consciousness and behavioral intentions toward environmental-friendly products and its influence on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) endorsement.

Design/methodology/approach

Structured questionnaires were administered on 410 respondents from northwestern India. The two-step approach proposed by Anderson and Gerbing (1988) was employed to assess the measurement and structural models.

Findings

Terminal and instrumental values influenced consumer sustainability consciousness. Sustainability consciousness influenced behavioral intentions which endorsed consumers' SDG. Instrumental value had a greater impact on consumer sustainability consciousness and behavioral intentions than terminal value. Consumer sustainability consciousness partially mediated the relationship between terminal/instrumental value and behavioral intentions for SDG endorsement.

Research limitations/implications

The findings will help marketers to endorse SDG promotion by linking them with values and develop an understanding of consumers' sustainability consciousness for SDG implementation.

Practical implications

Green marketers, policymakers and SDG promoters should develop messages to communicate and emphasize the importance of purchasing environmental-friendly products. From a functional perspective, it affects instrumentality orientation and societal responsibility toward the implementation of SDG.

Social implications

The current study proposed an action-oriented, integrated, aspirational and universally applicable SDG framework. The findings may pioneer the way forward for sustainability-oriented consumption.

Originality/value

This research is the first of its kind that examined the relationships between value orientations (Rokeach, 1973) and their effect on consumer sustainability consciousness and behavioral intentions in SDG milieu.