bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The “replacing surgery” of cpDNA:de novochemical synthesis andin vivofunctional testing ofChlamydomonaschloroplast genome
Authors: Guo Chunli , Zhang Guiying , Wang Hui , Mei Rui , Li Xinyi , Li Hui , Jia Bin , Wang Chaogang , Hu Zhangli
Published: January 2023

We have successfully designed and synthesized the 221,372-bp cpDNA SynCpV1.0 with the native cpDNA ofChlamydomonas reinhardtiias the template. Homoplasmic SynCpv1.0-harboring algal strains were obtained by biolistic transformation and selected with an ascending gradient of antibiotic pressure. Meanwhile, we were pleasantly surprised to find that SynCpV1.0 was able to re-introduce and replicate normally after the total DNA of transplastomic algal strains were transformed toEscherichia coli, it indicated that SynCpV1.0 was able to shuttle betweenC. reinhardtiiandE. coli. Finally, we analyzed the photosynthetic properties of SynCpV1.0-harboring transplastomic strains, the results showed that they exhibited the same photosynthetic efficiency as the wild strain ofC. reinhardtiiCC125, and could rescue the photosynthetic defect in mutant strain ofC. reinhardtiiCC5168. Herein, we have performed the “replacing surgery” of cpDNA and established an ideal platform to complete multiple cycles of “Design-Build-Test” for optimizing the cpDNA of photosynthetic organisms.

Highlight

An artificial cpDNA SynCpV1.0 is constructed byde novochemical synthesis.

The “replacing surgery” of cpDNA was performed in the chloroplast ofC. reinhardtii

It is found that artificial cpDNA was able to shuttle betweenChlamydomonaschloroplast andE. coli.

Establish an ideal platform to complete multiple cycles of “Design-Build-Test” for optimizing the cpDNA.

One-Sentence Summary

The chloroplast genome can be replaced by a complete synthesized genome and performs the designed biological function inC. reinhardtii.
Decapping factor Dcp2 controls mRNA abundance and translation to adjust metabolism and filamentation to nutrient availability
Authors: Vijjamarri Anil Kumar , Niu Xiao , Vandermeulen Matthew D. , Onu Chisom , Zhang Fan , Qiu Hongfang , Gupta Neha , Gaikwad Swati , Greenberg Miriam L. , Cullen Paul J. , Lin Zhenguo , Hinnebusch Alan G.
Published: January 2023

Degradation of most yeast mRNAs involves decapping by Dcp1/Dcp2. DEAD-box protein Dhh1 has been implicated as an activator of decapping, in coupling codon non-optimality to enhanced degradation, and as a translational repressor, but its functions in cells are incompletely understood. RNA-Seq analyses coupled with CAGE sequencing of all capped mRNAs revealed increased abundance of hundreds of mRNAs indcp2Δ cells that appears to result directly from impaired decapping rather than elevated transcription, which was confirmed by ChIP-Seq analysis of RNA Polymerase II occupancies genome-wide. Interestingly, only a subset of mRNAs requires Dhh1 for targeting by Dcp2, and also generally requires the other decapping activators Pat1, Lsm2, Edc3 or Scd6; whereas most of the remaining transcripts utilize NMD factors for Dcp2-mediated turnover. Neither inefficient translation initiation nor stalled elongation appears to be a major driver of Dhh1-enhanced mRNA degradation. Surprisingly, ribosome profiling revealed thatdcp2Δ confers widespread changes in relative TEs that generally favor well-translated mRNAs. Because ribosome biogenesis is reduced while capped mRNA abundance is increased bydcp2Δ, we propose that an increased ratio of mRNA to ribosomes increases competition among mRNAs for limiting ribosomes to favor efficiently translated mRNAs indcp2Δ cells. Interestingly, genes involved in respiration or utilization of alternative carbon or nitrogen sources are derepressed, and both mitochondrial function and cell filamentation (a strategy for nutrient foraging) are elevated bydcp2Δ, suggesting that mRNA decapping sculpts gene expression post-transcriptionally to fine-tune metabolic pathways and morphological transitions according to nutrient availability.
Highly multiplexed ddPCR-amplicon sequencing reveals strongPlasmodium falciparumpopulation structure and isolated populations amenable to local elimination efforts in Zanzibar
Authors: Holzschuh Aurel , Lerch Anita , Gerlovina Inna , Fakih Bakar S. , Al-mafazy Abdul-wahid H. , Reaves Erik J. , Ali Abdullah , Abbas Faiza , Ali Mohamed Haji , Ali Mohamed Ali , Hetzel Manuel W. , Yukich Joshua , Koepfli Cristian
Published: January 2023

Over the past 15 years, Zanzibar has made great strides towards malaria elimination; yet progress has stalled. Parasite genetic data ofPlasmodium falciparummay inform strategies for malaria elimination by helping to identify contributory factors to parasite persistence. Here we elucidate fine-scale parasite population structure and infer relatedness and connectivity of infections using an identity-by-descent (IBD) approach. We sequenced 518P. falciparumsamples from 5 districts covering both main islands using a novel, highly multiplexed droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)-based amplicon deep sequencing method targeting 35 microhaplotypes and drug-resistance loci. Despite high genetic diversity, we observe strong fine-scale spatial and temporal structure of local parasite populations, including isolated populations on Pemba Island and genetically admixed populations on Unguja Island, providing evidence of ongoing local transmission. We observe a high proportion of highly related parasites in individuals living closer together, including between clinical index cases and the mostly asymptomatic cases surrounding them, consistent with isolation-by-distance. We identify a substantial fraction (2.9%) of related parasite pairs between Zanzibar, and mainland Tanzania and Kenya, consistent with recent importation. We identify haplotypes known to confer resistance to known antimalarials in all districts, including multidrug-resistant parasites, but most parasites remain sensitive to current first-line treatments. Our study provides a high-resolution view of parasite genetic structure across the Zanzibar archipelago and reveals actionable patterns, including isolated parasite populations, which may be prioritized for malaria elimination.
Label-free high-resolution infrared spectroscopy for spatiotemporal analysis of complex living systems
Authors: Gvazava Nika , Konings Sabine , Cepeda-Prado Efrain , Skoryk Valeriia , Umeano Chimezie H. , Dong Jiao , Silva Iran A.N. , Ottosson Daniella Rylander , Leigh Nicholas D. , Wagner Darcy E. , Klementieva Oxana
Published: January 2023

Label-free chemical and structural imaging of complex living tissue and biological systems is the holy grail of biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. The current analysis techniques are time-consuming and/or require extensive sample preparation, often due to the presence of interfering molecules such as water, making them unsuitable for the analysis of such systems. Here, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle study using label-free optical photothermal mid-infrared microspectroscopy (O-PTIR) for fast, direct spatiotemporal chemical analysis of complex living biological systems at submicron resolution. While other analytical methods can provide only static snapshots of molecular structures, our O-PTIR approach enables time-resolved and in situ investigation of chemical and structural changes of diverse biomolecules in their native conditions. This comprises a technological breakthrough in infrared spectroscopy to analyze biomolecules under native conditions over time: in fresh unprocessed biopsies, living brain tissue, and vertebrates without compromising their viability.

One-Sentence Summary

Proof-of-principle application of non-destructive O-PTIR for high-resolution spatiotemporal chemical and structural analysis of unprocessed biopsies, living brain tissue, and vertebrates.
Realistic simulation of time-course measurements in systems biology
Authors: Egert Janine , Kreutz Clemens
Published: January 2023

Motivation

In systems biology, the analysis of complex nonlinear systems faces many methodological challenges. However, the performance evaluation of competing methods is limited by the small amount of publicly available data from biological experiments. Therefore, simulation studies with a realistic representation of the data are a promising alternative and bring the advantage of knowing the ground truth.

Results

We present an approach for designing a realistic simulation study. Based on 19 published systems biology models with experimental data, we assess typical measurement characteristics such as observables, observation type, measurement error, and observation times. For the latter, we estimate typical time features by fitting a transient response function. We demonstrate the approach on a meal model of the glucose insulin system, a mitogen-activated protein-kinase cascade and a model for the epidermal growth factor signaling. The performance of the realistic design is validated on 9 systems biology models in terms of optimization, integration and identifiability. For any dynamic model downloaded from an online database, our algorithm analyzes the model dynamics and specifies a realistic experimental design. The approach is specifically suited for systematic benchmarking of methods for timecourse data in the context of systems biology. In particular, various application settings such as number of parameters, initial conditions, error model etc. can be tested.

Availability

The approach is implemented in the MATLAB-based modelling toolbox Data2Dynamics and available athttps://github.com/Data2Dynamics/d2d.
Ythdf2ablation protects aged retina from RGC dendrite shrinking and visual decline
Authors: Niu Fugui , Long Gaoxin , Zhang Jian , She Yuanchu , Yu Jun , Ji Sheng-Jian
Published: January 2023

Aging-related retinal degeneration and vision loss have been severely affecting the elder worldwide. Previously we showed that the m6A reader YTHDF2 is a negative regulator for dendrite development and maintenance of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in mice(Niu et al. 2022). Here, we show that conditional ablation ofYthdf2protects retina from RGC dendrite shrinking and vision loss in the aged mice. Further, we identifyHspa12aandIslr2as the YTHDF2 target mRNAs mediating these effects. Together our results indicate that m6A modification regulates retinal degeneration caused by aging, which might provide therapeutical potentials for developing new treatment approaches against aging-related vision loss.
Radiopaque Implantable Biomaterials for Nerve Repair
Authors: Pawelec Kendell M , Hix Jeremy ML , Shapiro Erik M
Published: January 2023

Repairing peripheral nerve injuries remains a clinical challenge. To enhance nerve regeneration and functional recovery, the use of auxiliary implantable biomaterial conduits has become widespread. After implantation, there is currently no way to assess the location or function of polymeric biomedical devices, as they cannot be easily differentiated from surrounding tissue using clinical imaging modalities. Adding nanoparticle contrast agents into polymer matrices can introduce radiopacity and enable imaging using computed tomography (CT), but radiopacity must be balanced with changes in material properties that impact device function and biological response. In this study radiopacity was introduced to porous films of polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) 50:50 and 85:15 with 0-40wt% biocompatible tantalum oxide (TaOx) nanoparticles. To achieve radiopacity, at least 5wt% TaOxwas required, with ≥ 20wt% TaOxleading to reduced mechanical properties and increased nano-scale surface roughness of films. As polymers used for peripheral nerve injury devices, films facilitated nerve regeneration in an in vitro co-culture model of glia (Schwann cells) and dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG), measured by expression markers for myelination. The ability of radiopaque films to support nerve regeneration was determined by the properties of the polymer matrix, with a range of 5-20wt% TaOxbalancing both imaging functionality with biological response and proving that in situ monitoring of nerve repair devices is feasible.
Spatiotemporal distribution of ROS production, delivery and utilization in Arabidopsis root hairs
Authors: Kuběnová Lenka , Haberland Jan , Dvořák Petr , Šamaj Jozef , Ovečka Miroslav
Published: January 2023

Fluorescent selective probes for reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection in living cells are versatile tools for the documentation of ROS production in plant developmental or stress reactions. We employed high-resolution live-cell imaging and semi-quantitative analysis ofArabidopsis thalianastained with CM-H2DCFDA, CellROXTMDeep Red and AmplexTMRed for functional characterization of spatiotemporal mode of ROS production, delivery and utilization during root hair formation. Cell viability marker fluorescein diacetate served as a positive control for dye-loading and undisturbed tip growth after staining. Colocalization analysis with subcellular molecular markers and utilization of two root hair mutants with similar phenotype of non-elongating root hairs, but with contrast reasons for this impairment, we found that: i) CM-H2DCFDA is a sensitive probe for ROS generation in cytoplasm, ii) CellROXTMDeep Red labels ROS in mitochondria, iii) AmplexTMRed labels apoplastic ROS and mitochondria, and shows high selectivity to root hairs, iv)rhd2-1mutant with nonfunctional AtRBOHC/RHD2 has a low level of CM-H2DCFDA-reactive ROS in cytoplasm and lacks AmplexTMRed-reactive ROS in apoplast, v)ACTIN2-deficientder1-3mutant is not altered in these aspects. The sensitivity of CellROXTMDeep Red was documented by discrimination between larger ROS-containing mitochondria and small, yet ROS-free pre-mature mitochondria in the growing tip of root hairs. We characterized spatial changes in ROS production and compartmentalization induced by external ROS modulators, ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and ionophore valinomycin. This dynamic and high-resolution study of ROS production and utilization opens new opportunities for precise speciation of particular ROS involved in the root hair formation.

One sentence summary:High-resolution live-cell imaging of ROS production and subcellular localization in bulges and growing root hairs of Arabidopsis using CM-H2DCFDA, CellROXTMDeep Red and AmplexTMRed selective probes.
Generation of eco-friendly channel catfish,Ictalurus punctatus, harboring alligator cathelicidin gene with robust disease resistance by harnessing different CRISPR/Cas9-mediated systems
Authors: Wang Jinhai , Su Baofeng , Xing De , Bruce Timothy J. , Li Shangjia , Bern Logan , Shang Mei , Johnson Andrew , Simora Rhoda Mae C. , Coogan Michael , Hettiarachchi Darshika U. , Wang Wenwen , Hasin Tasnuba , Al-Armanazi Jacob , Lu Cuiyu , Dunham Rex A.
Published: January 2023

The CRISPR/Cas9 platform holds promise for modifying fish traits of interest as a precise and versatile tool for genome manipulation. To reduce introgression of transgene and control reproduction, catfish species have been studied for upscaled disease resistance and intervening of reproduction to lower the potential environmental risks of introgression of escapees’ as transgenic animals. Taking advantage of the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated system, we succeeded in integrating the cathelicidin gene from an alligator (Alligator sinensis;As-Cath) into the target luteinizing hormone (LH) locus of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) using two delivery systems assisted by double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs), respectively. In this study, high knock-in (KI) efficiency (22.38%, 64/286) but low on-target was achieved using the ssODN strategy, whereas adopting a dsDNA as the donor template led to an efficient on-target KI (10.80%, 23/213). On-target KI ofAs-Cathwas instrumental in establishing theLHknockout (LH−_As-Cath+) catfish line, which displayed heightened disease resistance and reduced fecundity compared to the wild-type sibling fish. Furthermore, implanting with HCG and LHRHa can restore the fecundity, spawnability and hatchability of the new transgenic fish line. Overall, we replaced theLHgene with an alligator cathelicidin transgene and then administered hormone therapy to gain complete reproductive control of disease-resistant transgenic catfish in an environmentally sound manner. This strategy not only effectively improves the consumer-valued traits, but also guards against genetic contamination. This is a breakthrough in aquaculture genetics to confine fish reproduction and prevent the establishment of transgenic or domestic genotypes in the natural environment.
Cerebrovascular reactivity increases across development in multiple networks as revealed by a breath-holding task: a longitudinal fMRI study
Authors: Chen Donna Y. , Di Xin , Biswal Bharat
Published: January 2023

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used to understand the neurodevelopmental changes that occur in cognition and behavior across childhood. The blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal obtained from fMRI is understood to be comprised of both neuronal and vascular information. However, it is unclear whether the vascular response is altered across age in studies investigating development in children. Since the breath-hold task is commonly used to understand cerebrovascular reactivity in fMRI studies, it can be used to account for developmental differences in vascular response. This study examines how the cerebrovascular response changes over age in a longitudinal children’s breath-hold dataset from the Nathan Kline Institute (NKI) Rockland Sample (ages 6 to 18 years old at enrollment). A general linear model (GLM) approach was applied to derive cerebrovascular reactivity from breath-hold data. To model both the longitudinal and cross-sectional effects of age on breath-hold response, we used mixed effects modeling with the following terms: linear, quadratic, logarithmic, and quadratic-logarithmic, to find the best-fitting model. We observed increased breath-hold BOLD signal in multiple networks across age, in which linear and logarithmic mixed effects models provided the best fit with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) scores. This shows that the cerebrovascular response increases across development in a brain network-specific manner. Therefore, fMRI studies investigating the developmental period should account for cerebrovascular changes which occur with age.
Dispersal overwhelms variation in host quality to shape nectar microbiome assembly
Authors: Francis Jacob S. , Mueller Tobias G. , Vannette Rachel L.
Published: January 2023

Epiphytic microbes frequently impact plant phenotype and fitness, but effects depend on microbe community composition. Deterministic filtering by plant traits and dispersal-mediated processes can affect microbiome assembly yet their relative contribution is poorly understood.

We tested the impact of host-plant filtering and dispersal limitation on nectar microbiome abundance and composition. We inoculated bacteria and yeast into 30 plants across 4 phenotypically distinct cultivars ofEpilobium canum. We compared the growth of inoculated communities to openly visited flowers from a subset of the same plants.

The abundance and composition of microbial communities differed among plant individuals and cultivars in both inoculated and open flowers. However, plants hosting the highest microbial abundance when inoculated did not have the highest abundances when openly visited. Rather microbial density among open flowers was correlated with pollen receipt, a proxy for animal visitation, suggesting a primary role of deterministic dispersal in floral microbiome assembly despite variation in host-quality.

While host-quality can affect microbiome assembly, variation in dispersal was more important here. Host quality could drive microbial community assembly in plant tissues where species pools are large and dispersal is consistent, but dispersal may be more important when microbial dispersal is limited, or arrival order is important.
Loss of secondary motor cortex neurons in chronic neuropathic pain
Authors: Das Gupta Amrita , Zheng Hongwei , John Jennifer , Kaushalya Sanjeev , Asan Livia , Beretta Carlo A. , Kuner Rohini , Knabbe Johannes , Kuner Thomas
Published: January 2023

Chronic neuropathic pain is associated with structural plasticity of the brain on different spatial scales, yet, little is known on the mesoscopic scale of tissue composition. Here, we determined the cellular composition of cortical areas and structural variability of entire neurons during the development of chronic neuropathic pain using longitudinal in vivo two-photon microscopy and behavioral assessment. When monitoring cell type composition in response to spared-nerve injury in 84 cortical volumes containing ∽25000 cells each, we found neuronal loss in the secondary motor cortex region M2 immediately adjacent to the cingulate cortex already one week after surgery. Loss of mostly interneurons was also evident when monitoring individual M2 neurons over time. This neuronal loss was preceded by decreased spine density and loss of distal dendritic branches. In conclusion, our work delineates M2 as a novel site and neuronal loss as a so far underappreciated mechanism underlying chronic neuropathic pain states.
Transcription factors specifically control change
Authors: Rothenberg Ellen V.
Published: January 2023

Transcription factors are defined by their sequence-specific binding to DNA and by their selective impacts on gene expression, depending on specific binding sites. The factor binding motifs in the DNA should thus represent a blueprint of regulatory logic, suggesting that transcription factor binding patterns on the genome (e.g., measured by ChIP-seq) should indicate which target genes the factors are directly controlling. However, although genetic data confirm high impacts of transcription factor perturbation in embryology, transcription factors bind to far more sites than the number of genes they dynamically regulate, when measured by direct perturbation in a given cell type. Also, deletion of carefully chosen transcription factor binding sites often gives disappointingly weak results. In a new study in the previous issue ofGenes & Development, Lo and colleagues (pp. 1079–1095) reconcile these contradictions by using an elegant experimental system to directly compare the roles of transcription factor–binding site interaction in gene regulation maintenance with roles of the same factor–site interactions in gene regulation through developmental change. They examine Oct4:Sox2 shared target genes under maintained versus reinduced pluripotency conditions within the same cell clone. The results show that the same factor–site interaction impacts can appear modest in assays in developmental steady-state but are far more important as regulatory catalysts of developmental change.
Imaging CaLexA and TRIC Signals in the Dissected Fly Central Nervous System
Authors: Bansal Sonia , Lin Suewei
Published: January 2023

Calcium-dependent nuclear import of LexA (CaLexA) and transcriptional reporter of intracellular calcium (TRIC) are transcription-based genetically encoded calcium indicators (transcriptional GECIs). When expressed in neurons, CaLexA and TRIC report neuronal activity by converting intracellular calcium levels into transcription activities and, subsequently, reporter gene expression. CaLexA and TRIC have been used successfully in many studies to label neurons associated with particular behaviors, regulated by internal states, or evoked by specific sensory inputs. This protocol details procedures for generating flies expressing genetic components of CaLexA and TRIC in specific neurons, performing immunostaining to label CaLexA and TRIC signals, and quantifying the signals using an open-source imaging analysis software.
Visualization of the Linear and Spatial Organization of Chromosomes in Mosquitoes
Authors: Liang Jiangtao , Bondarenko Simon M. , Sharakhov Igor V. , Sharakhova Maria V.
Published: January 2023

Mosquitoes are vectors of dangerous human diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, West Nile fever, and lymphatic filariasis. Visualization of the linear and spatial organization of mosquito chromosomes is important for understanding genome structure and function. Utilization of chromosomal inversions as markers for population genetics studies yields insights into mosquito adaptation and evolution. Cytogenetic approaches assist with the development of chromosome-scale genome assemblies that are useful tools for studying mosquito biology and for designing novel vector control strategies. Fluorescence in situ hybridization is a powerful technique for localizing specific DNA sequences within the linear chromosome structure and within the spatial organization of the cell nucleus. Here, we introduce protocols used in our laboratories for chromosome visualization and their application in mosquitoes.
De Novo Genome Sequencing, Annotation, and Taxonomy of Unknown Bacteria
Authors: Camilli Andrew
Published: January 2023

Whole-genome sequencing of viruses and bacteria has become routine thanks to advances in DNA-sequencing technologies. Parallel advances in computing power and software design allow for billions of base pairs of sequence information to be analyzed in hours to minutes. Here, I describe methods to isolate known as well as new species of bacteria from the environment; to purify, sequence, assemble, and bioinformatically annotate their genomes; and to determine their place in the tree of life by phylogenetic analysis. The protocol introduced here was developed as part of Cold Spring Harbor's Advanced Bacterial Genetics course.
Links between components of business continuity management: an implementation perspective
Authors: Vanichchinchai Assadej
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This research aims to examine the influences of preceding implementation phases on succeeding phases of business continuity management (BCM) comprising leadership, strategy, planning, application and maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered from 216 automotive parts manufacturers in Thailand. Descriptive statistics were employed to measure the maturity level of BCM implementation components. Path analysis of structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses.

Findings

The study's findings found that the intensity of BCM elements decreased following the implementation phases. Leadership and strategy had the highest mean score, while maintenance had the lowest. Preceding phases had significant positive effects on succeeding phases. The direct impact of leadership on maintenance was much weaker than its indirect impact through strategy, planning and application.

Originality/value

This is one of the first examples of empirical research to investigate the sequential links between preceding and succeeding BCM implementation components. Strategic BCM elements and systematic implementation can improve and sustain BCM in the automotive parts industry in Thailand.
Cool brands and hot attachments: their effect on consumers’ willingness to pay more
Authors: Koskie Melanie Moore , Locander William B.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how motivations to stand out and fit in through consumption affect consumers’ perceptions of subcultural and popular brand coolness. Importantly, how do perceptions of brand coolness affect consumers’ formations of hot, emotional brand attachments and their willingness to pay more?

Design/methodology/approach

This study incorporates survey data from consumers regarding cool brands. A structural equation modeling approach is used to assess the relationship between the variables of interest.

Findings

Susceptibility to influence is positively related to desire for unique consumption. While this desire may be fulfilled by both subcultural and popular perceptions of brand coolness, only subcultural coolness has a positive relationship with the willingness to pay more. The importance of an emotional brand attachment is established between both dimensions of brand coolness and price premiums.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on cross-sectional survey data. As brand coolness is often transitory, longitudinal research on trends focusing on different elements of brand coolness may shed light on the cool brand lifecycle.

Practical implications

Firms wanting to position brands as cool should emphasize how the brand can help consumers stand out. If a cool brand is already well-known, resources should be allocated to building hot, emotional attachments to command price premiums.

Originality/value

This research contributes to a nascent body of literature empirically exploring brand coolness. It builds on past literature that notes the tension between standing out and fitting in conceptualizations of coolness by assessing individual differences. Significantly, it examines specific attributes of cool brands to explore the differences in how subcultural and popular perceptions of brand coolness relate to important marketing outcomes.
Reframing online brand community management: consumer conflicts, their consequences and moderation
Authors: Dineva Denitsa , Daunt Kate L.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Research into the dark side of online brand-managed communities (OBCs) and, specifically, consumer-to-consumer (C2C) conflicts within this context are scarce. This paper aims to explore the different forms of C2C conflicts in OBCs, measure their direct impact on observing consumers and brands and investigate their appropriate moderation by exclusively focusing on two actors: brands versus consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts a sequential exploratory approach. First, the authors capture different forms of C2C conflict via netnographic observations of five brand-managed communities. Second, the identified forms of C2C conflict are used in an online experiment to examine their impact on OBCs’ social and commercial outcomes. Third, further two online experiments were used to assess how brand versus consumer conflict moderators impact perceived credibility and conflict de-escalation.

Findings

The authors uncover three prominent forms of C2C conflict based on whether conflict occurs between supporters, non-supporters or outsiders of the OBC. The authors further show that these affect consumers’ engagement behaviours and emotional responses, while brands suffer from diminished credibility and could be targets of unfavourable electronic word-of-mouth. Finally, for managing C2C conflict, the findings confirm that brands are perceived as more suitable, while under certain conditions consumers can also be viewed as appropriate moderators.

Research limitations/implications

This research used a range of participant self-selected brands and is limited to brand-managed (as opposed to consumer-managed) communities on Facebook. While beyond the scope of this paper, the dynamics for consumer-managed communities may differ.

Practical implications

This article offers guidance to marketing practitioners on the different nuances of undesirable consumer interactions in brand-managed communities on social media, their impact on customer engagement and brand perceptions and when/whether brands or consumers may be suited to moderating these.

Originality/value

This paper makes novel contributions to the literature on consumer (mis)behaviours and OBC management. The findings are among the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to examine the direct social and commercial consequences of C2C conflicts and to provide comparative insights into the appropriateness of two different moderators in OBCs.
Business environment as a determinant in the uptake of cyber-physical systems for facilities management – a Delphi study
Authors: Ikuabe Matthew , Aigbavboa Clinton , Anumba Chimay , Oke Ayodeji Emmanuel , Adekunle Samuel
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Incorporating digital technologies such cyber-physical systems (CPS) for facilities management (FM) functions is fast gaining attention. However, the rudiments for the effective espousal of such an innovative technology for the delivery of FM tasks have not received scholarly attention. In FM, the business environment is a vital component in achieving organisations’ stipulated objectives. Hence, this study aims to assess the influence of business environment factors in the adoption of CPS for FM activities.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted for the study using the Delphi technique. Experts were selected through a well-defined process that involved certain criteria. The opinions of the selected experts were gotten in two iterations that were subjected to analysis using statistics of measure for central tendency, and interquartile deviation to ascertain consensus among the experts, while Mann–Whitney U test was deployed in checking the difference in the views of the experts.

Findings

The results from the study indicated that eight business environment factors were of very high significance in determining the espousal of CPS for FM, while the other eight factors proved to be high significance. Also, there was no significant difference in the opinions of experts from academic institutions and professional practice.

Practical implications

The findings from the study would provide insight to organisations saddled with FM activities on the prevailing business environment factors that would be influential in adopting a digital technology such as CPS.

Originality/value

The study contributes immensely to the body of knowledge in the quest for digital transformation in FM delivery. It unveils the significant business environment factors that are influential in the drive for incorporating new innovations such as CPS for FM functions.
The impact of COVID-19 on regional event attendees' attitudes: a survey during and after COVID-19 lockdowns
Authors: Hooshmand Reyhane , Sung Billy , Jefferies Kym , Jefferies Rob , Lin Joanna
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The current research presents a case study on how COVID-19 has influenced event attendees' attitudes toward safety procedures, venue capacity, purchasing tickets in advance, type of events (e.g. theatre, music and art) and the mode of the event (i.e. live vs online).

Design/methodology/approach

In two timeframes (i.e. during and after COVID-19 lockdowns), data were collected via a self-completed online survey from a regional Western Australia (WA) town, Geraldton. In total, 94 event attendees were recruited in Wave 1 (during lockdowns), and 126 respondents were recruited in Wave 2 (after lockdowns). The naturalistic data collection examines how COVID-19 has influenced attendees' attitudes.

Findings

The findings suggest that attendees have adapted to the new normal of COVID-19. If safety procedures are followed, most respondents are comfortable attending an entertainment event during and after the lockdown (Wave 1 and Wave 2). Furthermore, respondents exhibited comfort following COVID-19 safety precautions at events even after COVID-19 lockdowns, except for mandatory mask-wearing. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted event attendees to prefer lower seating capacity at events, while the gradual easing of restrictions reduces their discomfort toward higher seat capacity.

Originality/value

Although some research has examined the financial and economic impact of COVID-19 on the event industry, there is limited research on consumers' or attendees' perceptions and attitudes toward events, particularly entertainment events and festivals, as the world emerges from the pandemic. Thus, the current case study is the first to examine event attendees' attitudes toward entertainment event management and operation during and after COVID-19 lockdowns. The finding provides significant theoretical and managerial implications surrounding the reaction of event attendees toward entertainment events (i.e. festivals) during health crises such as COVID-19.
A novel belief-based QFD-AHP model in interval type-2 fuzzy environment for lean after-sales service in automotive industry
Authors: Baskir Mukerrem Bahar
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel lean management tool to provide a comprehensive and flexible evaluation model while converting customer voices into technical characteristics in lean implementations.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, the proposed model was constructed by belief space-evaluations, quality function deployment (QFD) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in interval type-2 fuzzy (IT2F) environment. This model involves three phases: determining the linguistic weights and belief-based relations with their IT2F-sets, processing information about IT2F-based belief-evaluations and ranking the technical characteristics using the defuzzified belief-based relative importance values.

Findings

The proposed model was applied to automotive after-sales service in Turkey to demonstrate its use in lean service-decisions. This model was compared with its classical and type-1 fuzzy versions. The ranking-results of the proposed model differed from those of the other versions. The reason is that the IT2F-environment offers a sensitive and flexible evaluation of the model’s linguistic scales.

Research limitations/implications

Calculations in the proposed model may be quite involved for practitioners. An Excel-dashboard was created to simplify the computational complexity.

Practical implications

Researchers/practitioners can apply this model to any lean manufacturing/service implementation.

Social implications

Company managers/employees/customers can recognize their perception-mechanisms via belief space-evaluations and experience how uncertainty in the perception-mechanism affects their decisions.

Originality/value

The proposed model provides a new lean tool due to the Bayesian model combined with QFD-AHP in IT2F-environment. This model eliminates the ambiguity in conceptual change-based lean decisions.
Smart technologies for collection and classification of electronic waste
Authors: Ada Erhan , Ilter Halil Kemal , Sagnak Muhittin , Kazancoglu Yigit
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The main aim of this study is to understand the role of smart technologies and show the rankings of various smart technologies in collection and classification of electronic waste (e-waste).

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a framework integrating the concepts of collection and classification mechanisms and smart technologies. The criteria set includes three main, which are economic, social and environmental criteria, including a total of 15 subcriteria. Smart technologies identified in this study were robotics, multiagent systems, autonomous tools, smart vehicles, data-driven technologies, Internet of things (IOT), cloud computing and big data analytics. The weights of all criteria were found using fuzzy analytic network process (ANP), and the scores of smart technologies which were useful for collection and classification of e-waste were calculated using fuzzy VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR).

Findings

The most important criterion was found as collection cost, followed by pollution prevention and control, storage/holding cost and greenhouse gas emissions in collection and classification of e-waste. Autonomous tools were found as the best smart technology for collection and classification of e-waste, followed by robotics and smart vehicles.

Originality/value

The originality of the study is to propose a framework, which integrates the collection and classification of e-waste and smart technologies.
Direct and indirect effect of word-of-mouth with the moderation of ethnocentrism
Authors: Hyun Hyowon , Kim Dongyoup , Park Jungkun
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model to examine the effect of word-of-mouth in the retailing of Chinese consumer electronics in the US. This study aims to show that word-of-mouth affects directly or indirectly consumer trust-loyalty link for Chinese consumer electronics.

Design/methodology/approach

A research framework was designed to test the direct and indirect relationships with structural equation modelling regarding how word-of-mouth affects consumer trust and loyalty for Chinese consumer electronics in the US consumers.

Findings

The results indicate that word-of-mouth increases consumer trust directly whereas decreases consumer trust through two types of consciousness (i.e. health and price consciousness), resulting in loyalty. The results also show that ethnocentrism moderates the effect of word-of-mouth. For those with low ethnocentrism, the effect of word-of-mouth on trust exists only in the direct route.

Research limitations/implications

The result suggests that retail managers need to carefully consider the positive and negative influences of word-of-mouth to build consumer trust and loyalty when promoting Chinese consumer electronics. Further cross-cultural research should be explored to generalize the moderating influence of ethnocentrism on the relationship between word-of-mouth and trust-loyalty link.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a better and wider understanding of consumer loyalty regarding Chinese consumer electronics by investigating the effect of word-of-mouth and the differential mediating role of multidimensional consumer consciousness with ethnocentrism.
The dark side of digitalization and social media platform governance: a citizen engagement study
Authors: McCarthy Stephen , Rowan Wendy , Mahony Carolanne , Vergne Antoine
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Social media platforms are a pervasive technology that continues to define the modern world. While social media has brought many benefits to society in terms of connection and content sharing, numerous concerns remain for the governance of social media platforms going forward, including (but not limited to) the spread of misinformation, hate speech and online surveillance. However, the voice of citizens and other non-experts is often missing from such conversations in information systems literature, which has led to an alleged gap between research and the everyday life of citizens.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors address this gap by presenting findings from 16 h of online dialog with 25 citizens on social media platform governance. The online dialog was undertaken as part of a worldwide consultation project called “We, the internet”, which sought to provide citizens with a voice on a range of topics such as “Digitalization and Me,” “My Data, Your Data, Our Data” and “A Strong Digital Public Sphere.” Five phases of thematic analysis were undertaken by the authors to code the corpus of qualitative data.

Findings

Drawing on the Theory of Communicative Action, the authors discuss three dialogical processes critical to citizen discourse: lifeworld reasoning, rationalization and moral action. The findings point toward citizens’ perspectives of current and future issues associated with social media platform governance, including concerns around the multiplicity of digital identities, consent for vulnerable groups and transparency in content moderation. The findings also reveal citizens’ rationalization of the dilemmas faced in addressing these issues going forward, including tensions such as digital accountability vs data privacy, protection vs inclusion and algorithmic censorship vs free speech.

Originality/value

Based on outcomes from this dialogical process, moral actions in the form of policy recommendations are proposed by citizens and for citizens. The authors find that tackling these dark sides of digitalization is something too important to be left to “Big Tech” and equally requires an understanding of citizens’ perspectives to ensure an informed and positive imprint for change.
Strengths and weaknesses for the young farmers to abide in the Greek countryside: a triangulation approach
Authors: Pliakoura Alexandra , Beligiannis Grigorios N. , Mavrommati Athanasia , Kontogeorgos Achilleas
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study seeks to identify and highlight the factors that hinder or favor young farmers in the quest to abide in the agricultural profession and to draw policy directions and axes of action to address the problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a triangulation research approach with quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In total, 222 structured questionnaires and 9 personal interviews constituted the survey's data collection tools.

Findings

The results revealed a distinctive distribution of competencies. On the one hand, personal and entrepreneurial competencies make up the “strengths” of young farmers, and on the other hand, the lack of cooperative organizations and the lack of entrepreneurial education and training combined with a series of situational factors complete the puzzle of “weaknesses” the farmers face in the local daily becoming.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study have academic and policy implications. Theoretically, this study contributes to the emerging literature that emphasizes the importance of farmers' competencies, collaboration, information and training in understanding the complex and different conditions that young farmers are called upon to manage.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study lies in the identification of both strengths and weaknesses that affect the abiding of young farmers in the agricultural profession.
Dynamically adapting to the new normal: unpacking SMEs’ adoption of social media during COVID-19 outbreaks
Authors: Hu Lala , Olivieri Mirko , Rialti Riccardo
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) adoption of social media platforms and how they integrated them within their marketing strategies during the COVID-19 outbreaks. Dynamic capabilities – observed as the interplay between sensing, seizing and reconfiguration capabilities – represent the principal theoretical framework used in this research to explain challenges in social media adoption and their effects on these businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the grounded theory approach to analyze semistructured interviews with 19 key informants from Italian SMEs belonging to diversified industries.

Findings

The findings of this research are summarized in a holistic framework that explores three types of capabilities (i.e. sensing, seizing and reconfiguration capabilities) and the marketing outcomes of social media adoption among SMEs.

Originality/value

This study attempts to unpack the specific dynamic capabilities that allowed SMEs to be successful in social media adoption during COVID-19 outbreaks.
Economic policy uncertainty and the UK demand for money: evidence from the inter-war period
Authors: Choudhry Taufiq
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This paper empirically investigates the effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on the UK money demand stability during the inter-war period (1920–1938). Both a narrow definition (M0) and a broad definition (M3) of money are investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical investigation is conducted by employing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration.

Findings

Results presented indicate a stable demand for both definitions of money only when EPU is included as one of the determinants of demand function. The EPU imposes a negative effect on the demand for both definitions of money. The causality test results further indicate long- and short-term causality from the determinants (including EPU) to both forms of money demand.

Practical implications

Significant presence of the economic uncertainty weakens the effects of the monetary policy on the economy.

Originality/value

This is a historical economics paper. Given the turmoil and uncertainty associated with the inter-war period, an empirical investigation of UK money demand is an interesting exercise. This is the first such paper.