bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SugarPy facilitates the universal, discovery-driven analysis of intact glycopeptides
Authors: Schulze Stefan , Oltmanns Anne , Fufezan Christian , Krägenbring Julia , Mormann Michael , Pohlschröder Mechthild , Hippler Michael
Published: October 2020

Motivation

Protein glycosylation is a complex post-translational modification with crucial cellular functions in all domains of life. Currently, large-scale glycoproteomics approaches rely on glycan database dependent algorithms and are thus unsuitable for discovery-driven analyses of glycoproteomes.

Results

Therefore, we devised SugarPy, a glycan database independent Python module, and validated it on the glycoproteome of human breast milk. We further demonstrated its applicability by analyzing glycoproteomes with uncommon glycans stemming from the green algaChlamydomonas reinhardtiiand the archaeonHaloferax volcanii. SugarPy also facilitated the novel characterization of glycoproteins from the red algaCyanidioschyzon merolae.

Availability

The source code is freely available on GitHub (https://github.com/SugarPy/SugarPy), and its implementation in Python ensures support for all operating systems.

Contact

mhippler@uni-muenster.deandpohlschr@uni-muenster.de

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available online.
Cardiovascular disease risk factors induce mesenchymal features and senescence in cardiac endothelial cells
Authors: Hemanthakumar Karthik Amudhala , Shentong Fang , Anisimov Andrey , Mäyränpää Mikko I. , Mervaala Eero , Kivelä Riikka
Published: October 2020

Aging, obesity, hypertension and physical inactivity are major risk factors for endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We applied fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), RNA sequencing and bioinformatic methods to investigate the common effects of CVD risk factors on cardiac endothelial cells (ECs). Aging, obesity and pressure overload all upregulated pathways related to TGF-β signaling and mesenchymal gene expression, inflammation, vascular permeability, oxidative stress, collagen synthesis and cellular senescence, whereas exercise training downregulated most of the same pathways. We identified collagen chaperone SerpinH1/HSP47 to be significantly increased by aging and obesity and repressed by exercise training. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that SERPINH1/HSP47 in human ECs changed cell morphology and increased mesenchymal gene expression, while its silencing inhibited collagen deposition. Our data demonstrate that CVD risk factors significantly remodel the transcriptomic landscape of cardiac ECs to acquire senescence and mesenchymal features. SERPINH1/HSP47 was identified as a potential therapeutic target in ECs.
Spatial and Temporal Organization of Odor-evoked Responses in a Fly Olfactory Circuit: Inputs, Outputs and Idiosyncrasies
Authors: Rong Haoyang , Zhang Lijun , Greer Cody , Ben-Shahar Yehuda , Holy Tim , Raman Barani
Published: October 2020

How is sensory information routed through different types of neurons within a circuit, and do equivalent circuits in different individuals follow similar organizational principles? We examined this issue in the fruit fly olfactory system. Odor-evoked signals from sensory neurons (ORNs) triggered neural responses that were patterned over space and time in cholinergic ePNs and GABAergic iPNs within the antennal lobe. The dendritic-axonal (I/O) response mapping was complex and diverse, and axonal organization was region-specific (mushroom body vs. lateral horn). In the lateral horn, feed-forward excitatory and inhibitory axonal projections matched ‘odor tuning’ in a stereotyped, dorsal-lateral locus, but mismatched in most other locations. In the temporal dimension, ORN, ePN and iPN odor-evoked responses had similar encoding features, such as information refinement over time and divergent ON and OFF responses. Notably, analogous spatial and temporal coding principles were observed in all flies, and the latter emerged from idiosyncratic neural processing approaches.

Highlights

Consistency and idiosyncrasy both exist in ORN, ePN and iPN functional maps

Signal transformations between different ePN compartments are complex and diverse

Temporal decorrelation between stimuli happens in all three neuronal populations

OFF responses that are orthogonal to ON responses emerge after odor termination
Two-photon microscopy at >500 volumes/second
Authors: Tsai Yu-Hsuan , Liu Chih-Wei , Lin Wei-Kuan , Wang Chien-Sheng , Chiang Chi-Huan , Singh Vijay Raj , So Peter T. C. , Chou Chia-Fu , Chu Shi-Wei
Published: October 2020

We demonstrate a multi-focal multi-photon volumetric microscopy via combination of 32-beam parallel lateral-scanning, a 70-kHz axial-scanning acoustic lens, and a 32-channel photodetector, enabling unprecedented data rate (2-10 GHz) and >500-volumes/second imaging speed over ~200×200×200-μm3.
Circular RNAs exhibit limited evidence for translation, or translation regulation of the mRNA-counterpart in terminal hematopoiesis
Authors: Nicolet Benoit P. , Jansen Sjoert B.G. , Heideveld Esther , Ouwehand Willem H. , van den Akker Emile , von Lindern Marieke , Wolkers Monika C.
Published: October 2020

Each day, about 1012erythrocytes and platelets are released into the blood stream. This substantial output from hematopoietic stem cells is tightly regulated by transcriptional and epigenetic factors. Whether and how circular RNAs (circRNAs) contribute to the differentiation and/or identity of hematopoietic cells is to date not known. We recently reported that erythrocytes and platelets contain the highest levels and numbers of circRNAs amongst hematopoietic cells. Here, we provide the first detailed analysis of circRNA expression during erythroid and megakaryoid differentiation. CircRNA expression not only significantly increased upon enucleation, but also had limited overlap between progenitor cells and mature cells, suggesting that circRNA expression stems from regulated processes rather than resulting from mere accumulation. To study circRNA function in hematopoiesis, we first compared the expression levels of circRNAs with the translation efficiency of their mRNA-counterpart. We found that only 1 out of 2531 (0.04%) circRNAs associated with mRNA-translation regulation. Furthermore, irrespective of 1000s of identified putative open reading frames, deep ribosome-footprinting sequencing and mass spectrometry analysis provided little evidence for translation of endogenously expressed circRNAs. In conclusion, circRNAs alter their expression profile during terminal hematopoietic differentiation, yet their contribution to regulate cellular processes remains enigmatic.
Single-cell Sequencing Reveals Brain/Spinal Cord Oligodendrocyte Precursor Heterogeneity and Requirement for mTOR in Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Myelin Maintenance
Authors: Khandker Luipa , Jeffries Marisa A. , Chang Yun-Juan , Mather Marie L. , Bourne Jennifer N. , Tafreshi Azadeh K. , Ornelas Isis M. , Bozdagi-Gunal Ozlem , Macklin Wendy B. , Wood Teresa L.
Published: October 2020

Brain and spinal cord oligodendroglia have distinct functional characteristics, and cell autonomous loss of individual genes can result in different regional phenotypes. However, sequencing studies to date have not revealed distinctions between brain and spinal cord oligodendroglia. Using single-cell analysis of oligodendroglia during myelination, we demonstrate that brain and spinal cord precursors are transcriptionally distinct, defined predominantly by cholesterol biosynthesis. We further identify mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) as a major regulator promoting cholesterol biosynthesis in oligodendroglia. Oligodendroglial-specific loss of mTOR compromises cholesterol biosynthesis in both the brain and spinal cord. Importantly, mTOR loss has a greater impact on cholesterol biosynthesis in spinal cord oligodendroglia that corresponds with more pronounced developmental deficits. However, loss of mTOR in brain oligodendroglia ultimately results in oligodendrocyte death, spontaneous demyelination, and impaired axonal function, demonstrating that mTOR is required for myelin maintenance in the adult brain.
A 9-kDa matricellular SPARC fragment released by cathepsin D exhibits pro-tumor activity in the triple-negative breast cancer microenvironment
Authors: Alcaraz Lindsay B , Mallavialle Aude , David Timothée , Derocq Danielle , Delolme Frédéric , Dieryckx Cindy , Boissière-Michot Florence , Simony-Lafontaine Joëlle , Manoir Stanislas Du , Huesgen Pitter F. , Overall Christopher M. , Tartare-Deckert Sophie , Jacot William , Chardès Thierry , Guiu Séverine , Roger Pascal , Reinheckel Thomas , Moali Catherine , Liaudet-Coopman Emmanuelle
Published: October 2020

Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling by proteases results in the release of protein fragments that promote tumor progression and metastasis. The protease cathepsin D (cath-D), a marker of poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), is aberrantly secreted in the tumor microenvironment. Using degradomic analyses by TAILS, we discovered that the matricellular protein SPARC is a substrate of extracellular cath-D.In vitro, cath-D induced limited proteolysis of SPARC C-terminal extracellular Ca2+binding domain at acidic pH, leading to the production of SPARC fragments (34-, 27-, 16-, 9-, and 6-kDa). Similarly, cath-D secreted by TNBC cells cleaved fibroblast- and cancer cell-derived SPARC at the tumor pericellular acidic pH. SPARC cleavage also occurred in TNBC tumors. Among these fragments, only the 9-kDa SPARC fragment inhibited TNBC cell adhesion and spreading on fibronectin, and stimulated their migration, endothelial transmigration, and invasion. Our study establishes a novel crosstalk between proteases and matricellular proteins in the tumor microenvironment through limited proteolysis of SPARC, revealing a novel targetable 9-kDa bioactive SPARC fragment for new TNBC treatments.
Epstein-Barr virus promotes survival through germinal center light zone chromatin architecture
Authors: Dai Joanne , Heckenberg Emma , Song Lingyun , Crawford Gregory E. , Luftig Micah A.
Published: October 2020

BFL-1 is an understudied anti-apoptotic protein upregulated in cancer and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). We have previously shown that BFL-1 is regulated through viral EBNA3A-mediated alterations in B-cell chromatin conformation (Price et al., 2017). Here, we extend those findings to define cis- and trans-acting factors that regulate BFL-1 in LCLs and reliance on BFL-1 for survival from extrinsic apoptosis. Beyond LCLs, BFL-1 is expressed in B cells maturing in the germinal center (GC). We therefore characterized the gene expression profiles and chromatin landscape of maturing human tonsillar B-cell subsets. While chromatin accessibility at the BFL-1 locus increases as naïve B cells enter the GC reaction, BFL-1 expression increases during the transition from dark zone to light zone (LZ) correlating with association between enhancer regions and the transcriptional start site. The relationship between LCLs and LZ B cells suggests that EBV phenocopies GC biology to enhance their survival in establishing latent infection.
Phosphorylation of the RB C-terminus regulates condensin II release from chromatin
Authors: Kim Seung J. , MacDonald James I. , Dick Frederick A.
Published: October 2020

The retinoblastoma tumour suppressor protein (RB) plays an important role in biological processes such as cell cycle control, DNA damage repair, epigenetic regulation, and genome stability. The canonical model of RB regulation is that cyclin-CDKs phosphorylate, and render RB inactive in late G1/S, promoting entry into S phase. Recently, mono-phosphorylated RB species were described to have distinct cell-cycle independent functions, suggesting that a phosphorylation code dictates diversity of RB function. However, a biologically relevant, functional role of RB phosphorylation at non-CDK sites has remained elusive. Here, we investigated S838/T841 dual phosphorylation, its upstream stimulus, and downstream functional output. We found that mimicking T-cell receptor activation in Jurkat leukemia cells induced sequential activation of downstream kinases including p38 MAPK, and RB S838/T841 phosphorylation. This signaling pathway disrupts RB and condensin II interaction with chromatin. Using cells expressing a WT or S838A/T841A mutant RB fragment, we present evidence that deficiency for this phosphorylation event prevents condensin II release from chromatin.
Slaying the last unicorn - discovery of histones in the microalgaNanochlorum eucaryotum
Authors: Soo Valerie WC , Warnecke Tobias
Published: October 2020

Histones are the principal constituents of eukaryotic chromatin. The four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) are conserved across sequenced eukaryotic genomes and therefore thought to be universal to eukaryotes. In the early 1980s, however, a series of biochemical investigations failed to find evidence for histones or nucleosomal structures in the microscopic green algaNanochlorum eucaryotum. If true, derived histone loss in this lineage would constitute an exceptional case that might help us further understand the principles governing eukaryotic gene regulation. To substantiate these earlier reports of histone loss inN. eucaryotum,we sequenced, assembled and quantified its transcriptome. Following a systematic search for histone-fold domains in the assembled transcriptome, we detect orthologs to all four core histones. We also find histone mRNAs to be highly expressed, comparable to the situation in other eukaryotes. Finally, we obtain characteristic protection patterns whenN. eucaryotumchromatin is subjected to micrococcal nuclease digestion, indicating widespread formation of nucleosomal complexesin vivo.We conclude that previous reports of missing histones inN. eucaryotumwere mistaken. By all indications,N. eucaryotumhas histone-based chromatin characteristic of most eukaryotes.
MLS3: A New Type of Multilevel Selection
Authors: Jones Christopher T. , Doolittle W. Ford , Susko Edward , Meynell Letitia , Neto Celso A. , Lenton Timothy M. , Bielawski Joseph P.
Published: October 2020

In most multispecies multilevel selection (MLS) models, offspring communities are generated by random assembly of individuals in numbers reflecting sizes of parental communities releasing them (MLS1), or by differential community dispersal based on a community-level trait such as size (MLS2). In both, offspring communitiescolonizevacant spaces: different communities never compete for the same space. Here we propose a third MLS type (MLS3) where multispecies communities disperse (migrate) into already-occupied spaces, larger communities more frequently. Conspecific variants compete, often opposing selection for community size against fitness within species. This makes the outcome of MLS3 less apparent than MLS1 and MLS2 where such tension is absent. Our simulations show that, if community size depends strongly on reduction in the fitness of individual community members, such a reduction (comprising a sort of “inter-species altruism”) will evolve. The framework we present represents a step toward conceptualizingcommunity coalescencein the context of metacommunities.
Analysis of the Functional Differentiation Sites in Vertebrate Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunits
Authors: Zhao Mengwen , Ma Yuequn , Xin Juncai , Cao Changying , Wang Ju
Published: October 2020

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) belong to a large family of ligand-gated ion channels and are involved in the mediation of fast synaptic transmission. Each receptor is made up of five subunits that arrange symmetrically around a central pore. Despite the similarity in their sequences and structures, the properties of these subunits vary significantly. Thus, identifying the function-related sites specific to each subunit is essential for understanding the characteristics of the subunits and the receptors assembled by them. In this study, we examined the sequence features of the nine neuronal nAChRs subunits from twelve representative vertebrate species. Analysis revealed that all the subunits were subject to strong purifying selection in evolution, and each was under a unique pattern of selection pressures. At the same time, the functional constraints were not uniform within each subunit, with different domains in the molecule being subject to different selection pressures. Via evolutionary analyses, we also detected potential positive selection events in the subunits or subunit clusters, and identified the sites might be associated with the function specificity of each subunit. Furthermore, positive selection at some domains might contributed to the diversity of subunit function; for example, the β9 strand might be related to the agonist specificity of α subunit in heteromeric receptor and β4-β5 linker could be involved in Ca2+permeability. Subunits α7, α4 and β2 subunits possess a strong adaptability in vertebrates. Our results highlighted the importance of tracking functional differentiation in protein sequence underlying functional properties of nAChRs. In summary, our work may provide clues on understanding the diversity and the function specificity of the nAChR subunits, as well as the receptors co-assembled by them.
Neotype designation and re-description of Forsskål’s reticulate whiprayHimantura uarnak
Authors: Borsa Philippe , Williams Collin T. , McIvor Ashlie J. , Berumen Michael L.
Published: October 2020

A serious impediment to the taxonomy of the reticulate whiprayHimanturaspp. species complex has been the absence of a type specimen for P. Forsskål’sH. uarnak. Here, reticulate whipray specimens were sampled from the Jeddah region, the assumed type locality ofH. uarnak, and characterized genetically at the cytochrome-oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) locus. One of these specimens now in the fish collection of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco was designated as neotype. A maximum-likelihood phylogeny of all availableCO1gene sequences from the genusHimanturahad the following topology: ((H. leoparda, H. uarnak), (H. undulata, (Himanturasp. 2, (H. australis+Himanturasp. 1))),H. tutul), whereH. uarnakhaplotypes formed a distinct sub-clade sister toH. leoparda. Based on theseCO1gene sequences, the geographic distribution ofH. uarnakincludes the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the East African coast, and the Arabian Sea. Two lineages in the reticulate whipray species complex remain to be named.

Notice

The present article in portable document (.pdf) format is a published work in the sense of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature [International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)1999]. It has been registered in ZooBank (http://zoobank.org/), the online registration system for the ICZN. The ZooBank life science identifier for this publication is urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B2113697-5EBF-4364-B50C-63019A1A076A. The online version of this work is archived and available from the bioRxiv (https://biorxiv.org/) repository.
Adenosine diphosphate contributes to wound healing in diabetic mice through P2Y1and P2Y12receptors activation
Authors: Borges Paula A. , Waclawiak Ingrid , Georgii Janaína L. , Barros Janaína F. , Fraga-Junior Vanderlei S. , Lemos Felipe S. , Russo-Abrahão Thaís , Saraiva Elvira M. , Takiya Christina M. , Coutinho-Silva Robson , Penido Carmen , Mermelstein Claudia , Meyer-Fernandes José R. , Canto Fábio B. , Neves Josiane S. , Melo Paulo A. , Canetti Claudio , Benjamim Claudia F.
Published: October 2020

Several studies have shown the importance of purinergic signaling in various inflammatory diseases. In diabetes mellitus, there is an increase in the activity of some nucleotidases suggesting that this signaling may be affected in the diabetic skin. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of ADP on wound healing in diabetic skin. Swis and C57BL/6 mice were pharmacologic induced to type 1 diabetes and submitted to a full-thickness excisional wound model to evaluate the effect of ADP as a topic treatment. Adenosine diphosphate accelerated cutaneous wound healing, improved the new tissue formation, and increased collagen deposit by positively modulating P2Y1and P2Y12and TGF-β production. In parallel, ADP reduced reactive oxygen species production and TNF-αlevels, while increased IFNγ, IL-10 and IL-13 levels in the skin. Also, ADP induced the migration of neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, TCRγ4+, and TCRγ5+cells while reduced Treg cells towards the lesion at day 7. In accordance, ADP increased the proliferation and migration of fibroblast, induced myofibroblast differentiation and keratinocyte proliferation in a P2Y12-dependent manner. We provide the first evidence of ADP acting as a potent mediator on skin wound resolution and a possible therapeutic approach for diabetic patients worldwide.
Deciphering the Agonist Binding Mechanism to the Adenosine A1 Receptor
Authors: Deganutti Giuseppe , Barkan Kerry , Preti Barbara , Leuenberger Michele , Wall Mark , Frenguelli Bruno , Lochner Martin , Ladds Graham , Reynolds Christopher A
Published: October 2020

Despite being amongst the most characterized G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), adenosine receptors (ARs) have always been a difficult target in drug design. To date, no agonist other than the natural effector and the diagnostic regadenoson has been approved for human use. Recently, the structure of the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) was determined in the active, Giprotein complexed state; this has important repercussions for structure-based drug design. Here, we employed supervised molecular dynamics simulations and mutagenesis experiments to extend the structural knowledge of the binding of selective agonists to A1R. Our results identify new residues involved in the association and dissociation pathway, suggest the binding mode of N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) related ligands, and highlight the dramatic effect that chemical modifications can have on the overall binding mechanism.
KRASsignalling in malignant pleural mesothelioma
Authors: Marazioti Antonia , Blanquart Christophe , Krontira Anthi C. , Pepe Mario A. A. , Hackl Caroline M. , Iliopoulou Marianthi , Lamort Anne-Sophie , Koch Ina , Lindner Michael , Hatz Rudolph A. , Wagner Darcy E. , Papadaki Helen , Antimisiaris Sophia G. , Psallidas Ioannis , Spella Magda , Giopanou Ioanna , Lilis Ioannis , Grégoire Marc , Stathopoulos Georgios T.
Published: October 2020

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) arises from mesothelial cells lining the pleural cavity of asbestos-exposed individuals and rapidly leads to the development of pleural effusion and death. MPM harbours loss-of-function mutations in genes likeBAP1, NF2, CDKN2A, andTP53, but isolated deletion of these genes alone in mice does not cause MPM and mouse models of the disease are sparse. Here we show that a significant proportion of human MPM harbour point mutations and copy number alterations in theKRASproto-oncogene. These mutations are likely pathogenic, since ectopic expression of mutantKRASG12Din the pleural mesothelium of conditional mice causes MPM. Murine MPM cell lines derived from these tumours carry the initiatingKRASG12Dlesions, secondaryBap1alterations, and human MPM-like gene expression profiles. Moreover, they are transplantable and actionable by KRAS inhibition. Our results indicate thatKRASmutations likely play an important and underestimated role in MPM, which warrants further exploration.
LPA/PKD-1 signaling promotes development of arteriolar niche that supports self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells and stemness
Authors: Jiang Yinan , Guo Yichen , Hao Jinjin , Guenter Rachael , Lathia Justin , Beck Adam , Hattaway Reagan , Hurst Doug , Wang Q Jane , Liu Yehe , Cao Qi , Krontiras Helen , Chen Herbert , Silverstein Roy , Ren Bin
Published: October 2020

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are essential for cancer growth, metastasis and recurrence. However, the regulatory mechanisms of self-renewal and interactions with the vascular niche within tumor microenvironment are currently under investigation. Here, we demonstrate that BCSCs are enriched within arteriolar niche within the tumor microenvironment of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) BC and bi-directionally interact with arteriolar endothelial cells (ECs). Mechanistically, this interaction is driven by the LPA/PKD-1 signaling pathway, which promotes arteriolar differentiation and self-renewal. Furthermore, this pathway directly promotes stemness features. These findings suggest that targeting LPA/PKD-1 signaling may disrupt the arteriolar niche within the tumor microenvironment and concomitantly eradicate BCSCs, thereby attenuating BC progression.
Spinal cord precursors utilize neural crest cell mechanisms to generate hybrid peripheral myelinating glia
Authors: Fontenas Laura , Kucenas Sarah
Published: October 2020

During development, oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells myelinate central and peripheral nervous system axons, respectively, while motor exit point (MEP) glia are neural tube-derived, peripheral glia that myelinate axonal territory between these populations at MEP transition zones. From which specific neural tube precursors MEP glia are specified, and how they exit the neural tube to migrate onto peripheral motor axons, remain largely unknown. Here, using zebrafish, we found that MEP glia arise from lateral floor plate precursors and requirefoxd3to delaminate and exit the spinal cord. Additionally, we show that similar to Schwann cells, MEP glial development depends on axonally-derivedneuregulin1. Finally, our data demonstrate that overexpressing axonal cues is sufficient to generate additional MEP glia in the spinal cord. Overall, these studies provide new insight into how a novel population of hybrid, peripheral myelinating glia are generated from neural tube precursors and migrate into the periphery.
6-[(2-Hydroxy-5-methylanilino)methylidene]-4-nitrocyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-one
Authors: Böhme Uwe , Fels Sabine
Published: October 2020

The title compound, C14H12N2O4, is nearly planar with a dihedral angle between the aromatic rings of 1.41 (8)°. The phenolic O atom is deprotonated and the N atom of the azomethine unit carries the proton, thereby forming an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, the molecules form inversion dimers via pairwise O—H...O hydrogen bonds.
(8-Hydroxy-6-methoxy-1-oxo-1H-isochromen-3-yl)methyl formate: a supramolecular framework
Authors: Tiouabi Mustapha , Tabacchi Raphaël , Stoeckli-Evans Helen
Published: October 2020

In the title compound, C12H10O6, an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond forms an S(6) ring motif. The molecule is essentially planar with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.051 Å for all non-H atoms. In the crystal molecules are linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds and a C—H...π interaction, forming a supramolecular framework.
Entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Vietnam: the mediating roles of self-efficacy and learning orientation
Authors: Hoang Giang , Le Thuy Thu Thi , Tran Anh Kim Thi , Du Tuan
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore the mediating roles of self-efficacy and learning orientation in the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from an online survey of 1,021 university students in Vietnam. The authors conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results of hierarchical regression analysis reveal that entrepreneurship education positively affects entrepreneurial intentions, and this relationship is mediated by both learning orientation and self-efficacy.

Research limitations/implications

This study confirms the importance of entrepreneurship education in encouraging university students' entrepreneurial intentions.

Practical implications

This study offers practical implications for universities and policy makers.

Social implications

This study is one of the first to empirically examine the concept of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions in an Asia-Pacific context.

Originality/value

This study emphasises the significance of entrepreneurship education and its effects on university students' entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, the findings confirm that self-efficacy and learning orientation play an important part in explaining how entrepreneurship education relates to entrepreneurial intentions.
Effect of the auditor’s behavioral and individual characteristics on integrated reporting quality: evidence from European companies
Authors: Chouaibi Jamel , Hichri Abir
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consist in examining the effect of the auditor’s behavioral and individual characteristics on the integrated reporting quality, in regard to a sample involving 130 European industrial companies, relevant to the year 2017.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study’s adopted methodology rests on the hypothetico-deductive approach. The relevant data applied are analyzed by means of multiple linear regression models.

Findings

The reached results prove to indicate well that both auditor specialization and auditor ethics factors appear to have a significantly positive effect on the integrated reporting quality. Noteworthy, also, is the fact that the audit firm size and auditor behavior have been discovered to have a positive and insignificant effect on the integrated reporting related quality.

Originality/value

Faced with the scarcity of studies linking the auditor characteristics and the integrated reporting quality, the present study is elaborated to provide some kind of modest contribution, whereby, the determinants of integrated reporting are distinguishably highlighted
Performance management in a networked organization: the OECD
Authors: Cepiku Denita
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The article aims at improving the authors’ understanding on how international organizations function by shedding light on management reforms at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The article shows the characteristics of the performance management system implemented at the OECD, the main obstacles encountered, adaptations addressing the low measurability of policy advice activities and other issues.

Design/methodology/approach

While multilateral collaboration could be an effective way to contrast several wicked problems, the global actors face multiple legitimacy and financial challenges. This makes understanding the way they function of outmost importance. Unfortunately, public management and administration research, while steadily grown around the reform efforts of national governments, has neglected the global level. The article addresses this literature gap through the in-depth analysis of a case study aimed at exploring the unfamiliar international organizations context. It relies on two literature streams: performance management and network management. The collaborative nature of international organizations makes the latter particularly useful.

Findings

Among the various public administration types, international organizations providing policy advise display several features that make performance measurement more difficult. The OECD case study analysis offers several insights into other international institutions struggling with managerial reforms in an effort to address legitimacy and financial issues. It shows that implementing a performance management system is possible and necessary to sustain the support of member countries and ensure a well-functioning multilateral system.

Research limitations/implications

The single case study offers only limited and analytical generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

Research on international organizations could help to unveil implementation obstacles or undesired effects of management reforms in other coping and networked organizations.

Originality/value

The article investigates the OECD, which is one of the less studied among the many global multilateral institutions. Other original features include the adoption of a public management approach to the study international organizations and the focus on network performance, a recent topic in the network management literature.
Strategic entrepreneurship and performance: an institutional perspective on Indian family businesses
Authors: Gill Suveera
Published: October 2020

Purpose

There is a growing consensus that entrepreneurial activity is essentially a collective family endeavour, with some configuration of family involvement in business (FIB) working better than others. This paper aims to examine the effects of FIB on strategy and financial performance (FP), drawing from the institutional theory for the Indian family businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprises of 105 pharmaceutical companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange for FY2013–2017. A two-way random effects panel model was invoked to examine the relationship between FIB and strategy, as well as the intermediating effect that strategy has on the FIB-FP link.

Findings

On average, the family has a high ownership concentration, with the founders predominantly holding the chief executive officer (CEO) and chair positions. The econometric results highlight that the founder’s descendants adopt a conservative strategy. A significant positive moderating effect of strategy on FIB-FP link was observed for the descendants as the largest owners, CEO and board chair. The presence of a professional CEO and independent chair, however, leads to an intervening adverse impact on FP. The ownership-management-governance configurations highlight that some combinations of family and non-FIB leads to better performance than others.

Originality/value

The study provides a plausible explanation for the conflicting evidence on the direct FIB-FP relationship through the strategy intermediation. The institutional perspective emphasizing the identity and role family members play in terms of strategy provides an unconventional epistemological underpinning to the present research.
Working capital and financial performance in MENA region
Authors: EL-Ansary Osama , Al-Gazzar Heba
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the possible non-linear effect of net working capital (NWC) level on profitability for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region listed companies. Furthermore, the study tests the possible interactive effect of cash levels on the relationship between NWC and profitability.

Design/methodology/approach

NWC level is the independent variable and profitability is the dependent variable using two proxies, return on assets (ROA) and returns on equity (ROE). Control variables are size, leverage, gross domestic product growth and sales revenue growth. The generalized method of moments was used to analyze the data of 134 consumer-goods listed firms in 12 MENA countries for the period 2013–2019.

Findings

The results demonstrate that NWC levels had a non-linear effect on profitability using ROA as a profitability proxy while results were insignificant using ROE as a profitability proxy. Furthermore, results show the absence of interactive effects between NWC, cash levels and both profitability proxies.

Originality/value

The study fills a gap in the working capital management (WCM) literature by providing new evidence on WCM’s non-linear effect of corporate performance in the MENA region emerging markets using the consumer-goods industry sample. The study contributes to the financial managers’ working capital optimization efforts in the MENA region by providing evidence on the usefulness of WC optimization efforts in the region from a financial performance point of view. According to the researchers’ knowledge, a few studies attempted to investigate this non-linear relationship for neither MENA region countries nor the consumer-goods industry.
Ego-network stability and exploratory innovation: the moderating role of knowledge networks
Authors: Wang Jingbei , Yang Naiding , Guo Min
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Previous studies examined the effect of inter-organizational collaboration relationships on organizational innovation. However, most focused on the configuration of the network from the static network perspective, and few examined the influence of network structure stability on an organization's exploratory innovation from the ego-network perspective. This study addresses this research gap by focusing on ego-network stability and its effect on an organization's exploratory innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical setting is the smartphone collaboration network from 2004 to 2017. We selected one-site schemes and panel data of patents from the Derwent Innovation Database. A negative binomial model with fixed effects was used to test our hypotheses.

Findings

The regression results show that an organization's ego-network stability has an inverted-U-shaped relationship with its exploratory innovation. Global cohesion of the focal organization's knowledge network moderates the process in such a way that when it is at a high level, an organization's exploratory innovation can benefit more from a moderate level of ego-network stability. However, local cohesion moderates in such a way that, at a low level, an organization's exploratory innovation can benefit more from a moderate level of ego-network stability.

Originality/value

This study highlights the importance of ego-network stability and its effect on the focal organization's exploratory innovation. It contributes to the literature on the relationship between ego-network stability and exploratory innovation by investigating the moderating role of global cohesion and local cohesion in knowledge networks.
Meta-analysis of the factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) using an aggregated co-occurrence matrix approach
Authors: Govindasamy Priyalatha , Green Kathy E. , Olmos Antonio
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) is a tool used to measure clinically relevant psychological symptoms to support clinical decision-making at intake and during the course of treatment in various settings. The BSI-18 has frequently been evaluated for construct validity via analysis of its structure. However, these studies showed mixed results of the factor solutions and no consensus on the dimensionality. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to synthesize the empirical findings about the factor structure to reach an overall conclusion about the factor structure of the BSI-18.

Design/methodology/approach

A meta-analysis of factor analysis results using an aggregated co-occurrence matrix approach was conducted to synthesize the factor structure. The item factor loading information from seven published studies is gathered, combined and summarized to conclude the factor structure of the instrument. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) was used to quantify the similarity between the underlying factor structures of BSI-18 from different empirical articles.

Findings

The perceptual map from MDS-found items was clustered into three distinctive factors matching the original intent. The findings highlight the consistency of the BSI-18’s factor structure. However, the findings should be used with caution owing to the small sample size and conclusions made from visual representation.

Originality/value

This original study contributes to research in the provision of empirically tested measures that take a focus on factor analysis and the use of meta-analysis technique to account for an understanding of the factor structure.
Research information encountering and keeping behaviour of post-graduate students of social sciences in an online environment
Authors: Awan Waqar Ahmad , Ameen Kanwal , Soroya Saira Hanif
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Literature divides information behaviours into two forms: first, interacting information with a purpose in mind and second, encountering accidently in three environments including person to person, analogue and online environment. However, the unique information encountering and encountered information keeping behaviour of social sciences research students of Asian culture in an online environment remained unexplored. Therefore, the present study is designed to investigate the research information encountering and encountered information keeping behaviour of the students of social sciences in an online environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative approach and survey technique were used for the study. The research students were approached using a multi-stage total population sampling technique. In total, 233 returned questionnaires were entered and analysed in SPSS (version 22). Descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistical techniques (t-tests, one-way ANOVA, effect sizes, correlations and regression) were applied to meet the objectives of the study.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that the respondents whether male or female, of MPhil or PhD, whichever frequency to use the Internet, often encounter research information. However, those who use the Internet for general browsing encounter more than those who purposively. This makes a change to the model of information encountering that the users encounter information while generally browsing and not only while actively working on foreground information searching. Moreover, the research students prefer to use simple tools on complex software based for keeping the encountered research information. The information if kept properly for use, may be useful in the course of research, ease its tasks and result in increasing the speed of research productivity.

Practical implications

The present study has theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically first, it fills the literature gap regarding research information encountering and its keeping and second, it came up with a proof that the researcher not only encounter research information while foreground information searching but while generally browsing also. Hence, information encountering model is equally applicable to research students who generally browse. Regarding practical implications, the study identifies that the research students prefer to keep using simple tools. Hence, information literacy instructors, either librarians or continuous education program designers are advised to incorporate instructional programs on the use of complex software-based tools for keeping information.

Originality/value

This is the first study in non-Western countries which investigated the research information encountering behaviour of social sciences MPhil and PhD students. The preferred tools to keep the encountered research information are first time identified in the literature.
Dynamics of person-supervisor fit in relationship quality and well-being of university academicians
Authors: Enwereuzor Ibeawuchi K. , Ugwu Lawrence E. , Nnadozie Ebele E.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the quality of a subordinate's relationship with his or her direct supervisor influences the subordinate's psychological well-being and to examine the moderating role of person-supervisor (P-S) fit between these two variables.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample for this study consists of 418 academic employees of two federal universities. Relationship quality, P-S fit, psychological well-being and demographics were self-reported by the participants using existing scales. Hypotheses were tested with partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 3.2.8.

Findings

Results of the PLS-SEM showed that the positive relationship between relationship quality and psychological well-being was moderated by P-S fit, such that the relationship was stronger when P-S fit was low rather than high.

Research limitations/implications

The small number of homogeneous sample size of university academic employees may not be representative of the general population of such employees within the country.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the importance of taking into account the complex interplay between relationship quality and P-S fit when optimising employee's psychological well-being is the focus.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, we are not aware of any studies that have examined the moderating role of P-S fit between relationship quality and subordinate's psychological well-being in the university context.
Phenological changes offset the warming effects on biomass production in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Ganjurjav Hasbagan , Gornish Elise , Hu Guozheng , Wu Jianshuang , Wan Yunfan , Li Yue , Gao Qingzhu
Published: October 2020

Phenology is an important indicator of plant responses to environmental changes and is closely correlated with biomass production. However, how changes in phenological events affect plant biomass production when exposed to changing temperature and precipitation remain unclear.

We conducted a 4‐year manipulative experiment of warming and precipitation addition to explore phenology–biomass interactions under climate change in a dry alpine meadow on the central Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau from 2015 to 2018.

In dry and warm years, warming delayed phenology and precipitation addition advanced them. Warming decreased the biomass of Kobresia pygmaea in 2018 and the biomass of Poa pratensis in 2015, 2017 and 2018. However, precipitation addition significantly increased the biomass of Poa pratensis and Potentilla multifida in most of the experimental years. Phenological changes regulated the responses of biomass to treatments. Specifically, delay of green up of P. pratensis and delay of withering of K. pygmaea induced by warming can increase biomass production, but it can be offset by the direct negative effects of warming on biomass.

Synthesis. Here we show how warming‐induced drought tend to decrease the biomass production of graminoids and the negative effects of warming on the biomass of P. pratensis and K. pygmaea were partially offset by green up postponement and withering postponement respectively. Our results highlights phenology is a crucial regulator for biomass production under climate change. Hence, both direct and indirect effects of warming and precipitation addition on phenology and biomass cannot be ignored when predicting biomass responses to climate change.