bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chromosome biorientation requires Aurora B’s spatial separation from its outer kinetochore substrates but not its turnover at kinetochores
Authors: Li Shuyu , Garcia-Rodriguez Luis J. , Tanaka Tomoyuki U.
Published: February 2023

For correct chromosome segregation in mitosis, sister kinetochores must interact with microtubules from opposite spindle poles (biorientation). For this, aberrant kinetochore– microtubule interaction must be resolved (error correction) by Aurora B kinase. Once biorientation is formed, tension is applied across sister kinetochores, stabilizing kinetochore– microtubule interactions. The mechanism for this tension-dependent process has been debated. Here we study how localizations of Aurora B at different kinetochore sites affect the establishment and maintenance of biorientation in budding yeast. In the absence of the physiological Aurora B–INCENP recruitment mechanisms, engineered recruitment of Aurora B–INCENP to the inner kinetochore (Mif2) prior to biorientation supports the subsequent establishment of biorientation. By contrast, an engineered Aurora B–INCENP recruitment to the outer kinetochore (Ndc80) fails to support biorientation establishment. Furthermore, when the physiological Aurora B–INCENP recruitment mechanisms are present, an engineered Aurora B–INCENP recruitment to Mif2 during metaphase (after biorientation establishment) does not affect biorientation maintenance. By contrast, an engineered Aurora B–INCENP recruitment to Ndc80 during metaphase leads to disruption of biorientation, which is dependent on the kinase activity of Aurora B. Taken together, our results suggest that spatial separation of Aurora B from its outer kinetochore substrates is required to stabilize kinetochore–microtubule interaction when biorientation is formed and tension is applied on this interaction. Meanwhile, Aurora B shows dynamic turnover (or exchange) on the centromere and kinetochore during early mitosis. It has been thought that this turnover is crucial for error correction and biorientation, as it may help Aurora B reach its substrates in distance and/or may facilitate the Aurora B activation on the mitotic spindle. However, using the engineered Aurora B–INCENP recruitment to the inner kinetochore, we demonstrate that, even without such a turnover, Aurora B–INCENP can efficiently support biorientation. Altogether, our study provides important insights into how Aurora B promotes error correction and biorientation in a tension-dependent manner.
Bactabolize: A tool for high-throughput generation of bacterial strain-specific metabolic models
Authors: Vezina Ben , Watts Stephen C. , Hawkey Jane , Cooper Helena B. , Judd Louise M. , Jenney Adam W. J. , Monk Jonathan M. , Holt Kathryn E. , Wyres Kelly L.
Published: February 2023

Metabolic capacity can vary substantially within a bacterial species, leading to ecological niche separation, as well as differences in virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility. Genome-scale metabolic models are useful tools for studying the metabolic potential of individuals, and with the rapid expansion of genomic sequencing there is a wealth of data that can be leveraged for comparative analysis. However, there exist few tools to construct strain-specific metabolic models at scale.

Here we describe Bactabolize (github.com/kelwyres/Bactabolize), a reference-based tool which rapidly produces strain-specific metabolic models and growth phenotype predictions. We describe a pan reference model for the priority antimicrobial-resistant pathogen,Klebsiella pneumoniae(github.com/kelwyres/KpSC-pan-metabolic-model), and a quality control framework for using draft genome assemblies as input for Bactabolize.

The Bactabolize-derived model forK. pneumoniaereference strain KPPR1 performed comparatively or better than currently available automated approaches CarveMe and gapseq across 507 substrate and 2317 knockout mutant growth predictions. Novel draft genomes passing our systematically-defined quality control criteria resulted in models with a high degree of completeness (≥99% genes and reactions captured compared to models derived from matched complete genomes) and high accuracy (mean 0.97, n=10).

We anticipate the tools and framework described herein will facilitate large-scale metabolic modelling analyses that broaden our understanding of diversity within bacterial species and inform novel control strategies for priority pathogens.
Metagenome diversity illuminates origins of pathogen effectors
Authors: Verhoeve Victoria I. , Lehman Stephanie S. , Driscoll Timothy P. , Beckmann John F. , Gillespie Joseph J.
Published: February 2023

Recent metagenome assembled genome (MAG) analyses have profoundly impacted Rickettsiology systematics. Discovery of basal lineages (Mitibacteraceae and Athabascaceae) with predicted extracellular lifestyles reveals an evolutionary timepoint for the transition to host dependency, which occurred independent of mitochondrial evolution. Notably, these basal rickettsiae carry the Rickettsialesvirhomolog (rvh) type IV secretion system (T4SS) and purportedly uservhto kill congener microbes rather than parasitize host cells as described for derived rickettsial pathogens. MAG analysis also substantially increased diversity for genusRickettsiaand delineated a basal lineage (Tisiphia) that stands to inform on the rise of human pathogens from protist and invertebrate endosymbionts. Herein, we probed Rickettsiales MAG and genomic diversity for the distribution ofRickettsia rvheffectors to ascertain their origins. A sparse distribution of mostRickettsia rvheffectors outside of Rickettsiaceae lineages indicates uniquervhevolution from basal extracellular species and other rickettsial families. Remarkably, nearly every effector was found in multiple divergent forms with variable architectures, illuminating profound roles for gene duplication and recombination in shaping effector repertoires inRickettsiapathogens. Lateral gene transfer plays a prominent role shaping thervheffector landscape, as evinced by the discover of many effectors on plasmids and conjugative transposons, as well as pervasive effector gene exchange betweenRickettsiaandLegionellaspecies. Our study exemplifies how MAGs can provide incredible insight on the origins of pathogen effectors and how their architectural modifications become tailored to eukaryotic host cell biology.
Keystone taxa responsible for the microbial community stability and performance of activated sludges
Authors: Liu Xiaonan , Wang Miaoxiao , Liu Bingwen , Chen Xiaoli , An Liyun , Nie Yong , Wu Xiao-Lei
Published: February 2023

Background

The functions and stability of a community depend on its species, which form complex interaction networks. The keystone taxa identified by network analysis are generally considered to play a vital role in the structure and function of microbial communities, but there is no uniformly accepted operational definition of such taxa. Further, what species and how they affect the community’s stability and function are still poorly understood.

Methods

To solve this problem, we performed a large-scale network analysis of the microbial communities residing in 1186 activated sludge (AS) samples.

Results

We found that the AS co-occurrence network is a typical scale-free network. While most taxa in the AS co-occurrence network have little association, there are still a small number of taxa that are strongly interconnected. We defined a group of keystone taxa that have an important impact on network stability. Further analysis results indicate that the communities harboring the keystone taxa maintain higher stability, but these communities possess lower pollutant removal rates. In addition, we found that keystone taxa were more likely to appear in samples with lower sludge load.

Conclusions

Our work identified the keystone taxa that maintain the stability of microbial communities in the AS systems but at the cost of reducing their function. This finding shed light on the relationship between composition, stability, and function within microbial communities. It also provides novel insights into manipulating the function of microbial communities by modifying their composition.
Clonal phylogenies inferred from bulk, single cell, and spatial transcriptomic analysis of cancer
Authors: Erickson Andrew , Figiel Sandy , Rajakumar Timothy , Rao Srinivasa , Yin Wencheng , Doultsinos Dimitrios , Magnussen Anette , Singh Reema , Poulose Ninu , Bryant Richard J , Cussenot Olivier , Hamdy Freddie C , Woodcock Dan , Mills Ian G , Lamb Alastair D
Published: February 2023

Epithelial cancers are typically heterogeneous with primary prostate cancer being a typical example of histological and genomic variation. Prostate cancer is the second most common male cancer in western industrialized countries. Prior studies of primary prostate cancer tumor genetics revealed extensive inter and intra-patient tumor heterogeneity. Recent advances have enabled extensive single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling of tissue specimens. The ability to resolve accurate prostate cancer tumor phylogenies at high spatial resolution would provide tools to address questions in tumorigenesis, disease progression, and metastasis. Recent advances in machine learning have enabled the inference of ground-truth genomic single-nucleotide and copy number variant status from transcript data. The inferred SNV and CNV states can be used to resolve clonal phylogenies, however, it is still unknown how faithfully transcript-based tumor phylogenies reconstruct ground truth DNA-based tumor phylogenies. We sought to study the accuracy of inferred-transcript to recapitulate DNA-based tumor phylogenies.

We first performed in-silico comparisons of inferred and directly resolved SNV and CNV status, from single cancer cells, from three different cell lines. We found that inferred SNV phylogenies accurately recapitulate DNA phylogenies (entanglement = 0.097). We observed similar results in iCNV and CNV based phylogenies (entanglement = 0.11). Analysis of published prostate cancer DNA phylogenies and inferred CNV, SNV and transcript based phylogenies demonstrated phylogenetic concordance. Finally, a comparison of pseudo-bulked spatial transcriptomic data to adjacent sections with WGS data also demonstrated recapitulation of ground truth (entanglement = 0.35). These results suggest that transcript-based inferred phylogenies recapitulate conventional genomic phylogenies. Further work will need to be done to increase accuracy, genomic, and spatial resolution.
Comparative experimental studies on Trypanosoma isolates in goats and response to diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride treatment
Authors: Ayele Abrham , Dagnachew Shimelis
Published: February 2023

The objective of this study was to characterize and compare the clinically visible pathological features and drug resistance patterns of two Trypanosoma isolates from two tsetse infested areas of northwest Ethiopia in experimentally infected goats. From the 37 trypanosome free goats, two goats (trypanosome donors) were used to take trypanosome isolates from naturally infected cattle (one from Jawi and the other from Jabitehenen areas). The remaining thirty five goats were randomly assigned into seven experimental groups, each containing five goats. These groups were again randomly selected, and three of them—Group 1 (JWI-1), Group 2 (JWI-DA), and Group 3 (JWI-ISM)—were inoculated with the Trypanosoma of Jawi isolate. Group-4 (JBI-1), Group-5 (JBI-DA), and Group-6 (JBI-ISM) were inoculated with the Trypanosoma of Jabitehenan isolate. The remaining group, Group 7 (NIC), was under negative control. Each experimental goat received 2 ml of trypanosoma positive blood at the 1×106parasites/ml from donor goats through the jugular vein. Group NIC received 2 mL of sterile water as a negative control. For ten weeks following infection, parameters such as parasitaemia, body weight, PCV, and hemoglobin value were measured once per week. When peak parasitaemia was detected on day 14 of post infection, trypanocidal treatment was administered. Diminazine diaceturate (DA) was given at a dose of 28 mg/kg, and isomethamedium chloride (ISM) was given at a dose of 4 mg/kg. Trypanosomosis was detected on days 5 and 6 of post-infection (Pi) in Jabitehenan and Jawi,T. congolenseisolates from infected groups, respectively. When peak parasitaemia was detected on day 14 of post infection, trypanocidal treatment was administered. 7 mg/kg for Group 2 and Group 5 and 1 mg/kg for Group 3 and Group 6 were the treatment doses for DA and ISM, respectively. All of the infected groups (groups 1 and 4; positive control) had severe clinical signs and recumbence within 27-59 days of infection. The mean PCV, total RBC, and Hgb concentration values of Jabitehenan isolate infected groups were significantly (P<0.05) lower than Jawi isolate infected groups, and severe clinical signs in group 4 occurred earlier than in group 1. These findings point to the presence of inter-isolateT. congolensevariation. Neither of the DA nor ISM treatment groups attained complete recovery, and this shows the presence of disease resistance. A molecular-based study was this study’s limitation, and it is recommended to confirm interisolate differences.
TheWolbachiaWalE1 effector altersDrosophilaendocytosis
Authors: Martin MaryAnn , Newton Irene L.G.
Published: February 2023

The most common intracellular bacterial infection isWolbachia pipientis, a microbe that manipulates host reproduction and is used in control of insect vectors. Phenotypes induced byWolbachiahave been studied for decades and range from sperm-egg incompatibility to male killing. HowWolbachiaalters host biology is less well understood. Previously, we characterized the firstWolbachiaeffector – WalE1, which encodes a synuclein domain at the N terminus. Purified WalE1 sediments with and bundles actin and when heterologously expressed in flies, increasesWolbachiatiter in the developing oocyte. In this work, we first identify the native expression WalE1 byWolbachiainfecting both fly cells and whole animals. WalE1 appears as aggregates, separate fromWolbachiacells. We next show that WalE1 co-immunoprecipitates with the host protein Past1 and that WalE1 manipulates host endocytosis. Yeast expressing WalE1 show deficiency in uptake of FM4-64 dye, and flies harboring mutations inPast1or overexpressing WalE1 are sensitive to AgNO3, a hallmark of endocytosis defects. Finally, we also show thatPast1null flies harbor moreWolbachiaoverall and in late egg chambers. Our results identify interactions between aWolbachiasecreted effector and a host protein and point to yet another important host cell process impinged upon byWolbachia.
The effect of deep brain stimulation on cortico-subcortical networks in Parkinson’s disease patients with freezing of gait: Exhaustive exploration of a basic model
Authors: Popova Mariia , Messé Arnaud , Gulberti Alessandro , Gerloff Christian , Pötter-Nerger Monika , Hilgetag Claus C
Published: February 2023

Current treatments of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have limited efficacy in alleviating freezing of gait (FoG). In this context, concomitant deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) has been suggested as a potential therapeutic approach. However, the mechanisms underlying this approach are unknown. While the current rationale relies on network-based hypotheses of intensified disinhibition of brainstem locomotor areas to facilitate the release of gait motor programs, it is still unclear how simultaneous high-frequency DBS in two interconnected basal ganglia nuclei affects large-scale cortico-subcortical network activity. Here, we use a basic model of neural excitation, the susceptible-excited-refractory (SER) model, to compare effects of different stimulation modes of the network underlying FoG. We develop a network-based computational framework to compare subcortical DBS targets through exhaustive analysis of the brain attractor dynamics in the healthy, PD and DBS states. We demonstrate the validity of the approach and the superior performance of combined STN+SNr DBS in the normalization of spike propagation flow in the FoG network. The framework aims to move towards a mechanistic understanding of the network effects of DBS and may be applicable to further perturbation-based therapies of brain disorders.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

Parkinson’s disease patients with Freezing of Gait (FoG) may be treated by deep brain stimulation, which produces effects mediated by brain networks. Currently, the approach of combined DBS of the subthalamic nucleus and the substantia nigra pars reticulata is investigated for being particularly beneficial for patients with axial symptoms, but the exact mechanisms of this effect are unknown. Here, we present a network-based computational framework using a basic excitable model that enables us to simulate the complete activity patterns of the brain network involved in FoG. These simulations reveal network mechanisms underlying STN+SNr DBS and its efficacy in alleviating FoG. The proposed framework can capture the influence of the DBS target sites on cortico-subcortical networks and help to identify suitable stimulation targets.
Dissociable contributions of the amygdala and ventral hippocampus to stress-induced changes in defensive behavior
Authors: Pennington Zachary T. , LaBanca Alexa R. , Sompolpong Patlapa , Abdel-Raheim Shereen D. , Ko Bumjin , Wick Zoe Christenson , Feng Yu , Dong Zhe , Francisco Taylor R. , Bacon Madeline E. , Chen Lingxuan , Fulton Sasha L. , Maze Ian , Shuman Tristan , Cai Denise J.
Published: February 2023

Background

Severe stress can produce multiple persistent changes in defensive behavior relevant to psychiatric illness. While much is known about the circuits supporting stress-induced associative fear, how stress-induced circuit plasticity supports non-associative changes in defensive behavior remains unclear.

Methods

Mice were exposed to an acute severe stressor, and subsequently, both associative and non-associative defensive behavioral responses were assessed. A mixture of local protein synthesis inhibition, pan-neuronal chemogenetic inhibition, and projection-specific chemogenetic inhibition were utilized to isolate the roles of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampus (vHC) to the induction and expression of associative and non-associative defensive behavioral changes.

Results

Stress-induced protein synthesis in the BLA was necessary for enhancements in stress sensitivity but not enhancements in anxiety-related behaviors, whereas protein synthesis in the vHC was necessary for enhancements in anxiety-related behavior but not enhancements in stress sensitivity. Like protein synthesis, neuronal activity of the BLA and vHC were found to differentially support the expression of these same defensive behaviors. Additionally, projection-specific inhibition of BLA-vHC connections failed to alter these behaviors, indicating that these defensive behaviors are regulated by distinct BLA and vHC circuits. Lastly, contributions of the BLA and vHC to stress sensitivity and anxiety-related behavior were independent of their contributions to associative fear.

Conclusions

Stress-induced plasticity in the BLA and vHC were found to support dissociable non-associative behavioral changes, with BLA supporting enhancements in stress sensitivity and vHC supporting increased anxiety-related behavior. These findings demonstrate that independent BLA and vHC circuits are critical for stress-induced defensive behaviors, and that differential targeting of BLA and vHC circuits may be needed in disease treatment.
Airway secretory cell-derived p63+progenitors contribute to alveolar regeneration after sterile lung injury
Authors: Lv Zan , Liu Zixin , Liu Kuo , Pu Wenjuan , Li Yan , Zhao Huan , Xi Ying , Vaughan Andrew E. , Gillich Astrid , Zhou Bin
Published: February 2023

Lung injury activates epithelial stem or progenitor cells for alveolar repair and regeneration. However, the origin and fate of injury-induced progenitors are poorly defined. Here, we report that p63-expressing progenitors emerge upon bleomycin-induced lung injury. These p63+progenitors proliferate rapidly and differentiate into alveolar type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) cells through distinct trajectories. Dual recombinase-mediated sequential genetic lineage tracing reveals that p63+progenitors originate from airway secretory cells and subsequently generate alveolar cells. Functionally, p63 activation is required for efficient alveolar regeneration from secretory cells. Our study identifies a secretory cell-derived p63+progenitor that contributes to alveolar repair, indicating a potential therapeutic avenue for lung regeneration after injury.
Mutual regulation of transcriptomes between pneumocytes and fibroblasts mediates alveolar regeneration
Authors: Yao Yiwen , Miethe Sarah , Kattler Kathrin , Walter Jörn , Schneider-Daum Nicole , Herr Christian , Garn Holger , Ritzmann Felix , Bals Robert , Beisswenger Christoph
Published: February 2023

Alveolar type 2 (AT2) and club cells are part of the stem cell niche of the lung and their differentiation is required for pulmonary homeostasis and tissue regeneration. A disturbed crosstalk between fibroblasts and epithelial cells contributes to the loss of lung structure in chronic lung diseases. Therefore, it is important to understand how fibroblasts and lung epithelial cells interact during regeneration. Here we analyzed the interaction of fibroblasts and the alveolar epithelium modelled in air-liquid interface cultures. Single-cell transcriptomics showed that co-cultivation with fibroblasts leads to increased expression of type 2 markers in pneumocytes, activation of regulons associated with maintenance of alveolar type 2 cells, and trans-differentiation of club cells towards pneumocytes. This was accompanied by an intensified transepithelial barrier. Vice versa, activation of NFκB pathways and the CEBPB regulon as well as the expression of IL-6 and other differentiation factors (e.g. FGFs) were increased in fibroblasts co-cultured with epithelial cells. Recombinant IL-6 enhanced epithelial barrier formation. Therefore, in our co-culture model, regulatory loops were identified by which lung epithelial cells mediate regeneration and differentiation of the alveolar epithelium in a cooperative manner with the mesenchymal compartment.
Plants cultivated for ecosystem restoration can evolve towards a domestication syndrome
Authors: Conrady Malte , Lampei Christian , Bossdorf Oliver , Hölzel Norbert , Michalski Stefan , Durka Walter , Bucharova Anna
Published: February 2023

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration calls for upscaling restoration efforts, but many terrestrial restoration projects are constrained by seed availability. To overcome these constraints, wild plants are increasingly propagated on farms to produce seeds for restoration projects. During on-farm propagation, the plants face non-natural conditions with different selection pressures, and they might evolve adaptations to cultivation that parallel those of agricultural crops, which could be detrimental to restoration efforts. To test this, we compared traits of 19 species grown from wild-collected seeds to those from their farm-propagated offspring of up to four cultivation generations, produced by two European seed growers, in a common garden experiment. We found that some plants rapidly evolved across cultivated generations towards increased size and reproduction, lower within-species variability, and more synchronized flowering. In one species, we found evolution towards less seed shattering. These trait changes are typical signs of the crop domestication syndrome, and our study demonstrates that it can also occur during cultivation of wild plants, within only few cultivated generations. However, there was large variability between cultivation lineages, and the observed effect sizes were generally rather moderate, which suggests that the detected evolutionary changes are unlikely to compromise farm-propagated seeds for ecosystem restoration. To mitigate the potential negative effects of unintended selection, we recommend to limit the maximum number of generations the plants can be cultivated without replenishing the seed stock from new wild collections.

Significance Statement

Globally upscaling demands for native seeds for ecosystem restoration can be covered by agricultural seed propagation. Yet, agricultural practice can unintentionally select for specific traits and reduce adaptive variability, which could affect plant performance once sown back to the wild. We show, across 19 wild species, two seed producers and up to four consecutive cultivated generations, that some plants under cultivation evolved higher vigor, reduced adaptive variability, synchronized flowering and in one case, reduced seed shattering. Yet, there were substantial differences among cultivation lineages, with negligible changes in most, and large changes only in a few cases. Substantial unintended evolution in cultivation is thus rather an exception than the rule.
Damage activatesEVG1to suppress vascular differentiation during regeneration inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Mazumdar Shamik , Zhang Ai , Musseau Constance , Anjam Muhammad Shahzad , Marhavy Peter , Melnyk Charles W.
Published: February 2023

Plants possess remarkable regenerative abilities to formde novovasculature after damage and in response to pathogens that invade and withdraw nutrients. To look for common factors that affect vascular formation upon stress, we searched forArabidopsis thalianagenes differentially expressed duringAgrobacteriuminfection, nematode infection and plant grafting. One such gene was cell-wall associated and highly induced by all three stresses. Mutations in it enhanced ectopic xylem formation in Vascular cell Induction culture System Using Arabidopsis Leaves (VISUAL) and enhanced graft formation and was thus namedENHANCER OF VISUAL AND GRAFTING 1(EVG1). Mutatedevg1inhibited cambium development and callus formation yet promoted tissue attachment, syncytium size, phloem reconnection and xylem formation.evg1affected abscisic acid and cell wall responses and was itself down regulated by ABA. We found mutations in a receptor-like gene,RLP44, had the same regeneration phenotype asEVG1mutations including enhancing VISUAL and grafting.evg1andrlp44mutants affected the expression of many genes in common including those important for successful regeneration and vascular formation. We propose thatEVG1integrates information from cutting, wounding or parasitism stresses and functions withRLP44to suppress vascular differentiation during regeneration.
Financing innovation in agri-food industries: an analysis of the Italian micro, small and medium enterprises
Authors: Paoloni Mauro , Tutino Marco , Paoloni Niccolò , Santolamazza Valentina
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This work aims to investigate the current financial structure of Italian agri-food micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to understand how MSMEs face innovation challenges, which are also required to support sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

To reach the goal, an empirical longitudinal analysis is performed on a sample of Italian agri-food firms. In detail, to highlight the changes in the use of financial sources between 2013 and 2019, a descriptive ratio analysis is carried out on the data extracted by the AIDA database. In addition, statistical analyses were performed, including t-tests and U Mann–Whitney. Finally, a fixed-effects model is created to analyse the panel data. To ensure homogeneity, the sub-sectors of production and transformation are separately considered.

Findings

The financial structure analysis shows an increase in the equity percentage in the funding sources, attributable to an attempt to compensate for the reduction of banks' funding. However, even though this change has not compromised firms' profitability, the undercapitalisation of companies is still present. Therefore, more equity investments are required to support the innovation process.

Originality/value

The value of the present research is to highlight the choice of using new alternative financing sources instead of traditional banks' credit to implement sustainable and innovative development Italian agri-food sector (AFS). This choice is forced by reducing finance from banks and other financial institutions because of the credit crunch. This issue is even more relevant, considering that MSMEs have structural financial problems but have to fulfil the mission of pursuing innovation in the same way as large companies. Therefore, this paper expands the literature on agri-food, delving into an issue typical of MSMEs and combining agri-food with the need for innovation.
A process mining impacts framework
Authors: Mamudu Azumah , Bandara Wasana , Leemans Sander J.J. , Wynn Moe Thandar
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Process mining (PM) specialises in extracting insights from event logs to facilitate the improvement of an organisation's business processes. Industry trends show the proliferation and continued growth of PM techniques. To address the minimal attention given to developing empirically supported frameworks to assess the nature of impact in the PM domain, this study proposes a framework that identifies the key categories of PM impacts and their interrelationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitatively derived framework is built, re-specified and validated from a diverse collection of 62 PM case reports. With multiple rounds of coding supported by coder corroborations, inductively extracted concepts relating to impact from a first set of 12 case reports were grouped into themes and sub-themes to derive an a-priori framework by adopting the balanced scorecard as a theoretical lens. Concepts from the remaining 50 case reports were deductively grouped to re-specify and validate the proposed PM impacts framework. Further analysis identified interrelationships between impacts, which extends our understanding of the identified PM impacts.

Findings

The proposed framework captures PM impacts in four main categories: (a) impact on the process, (b) customer impact, (c) financial impact, and (d) impact on innovation and learning. The authors extended this analysis to identify the interrelationships between these categories, which vividly demonstrates how impact on the process mediates the attainment of the other three impact types.

Originality/value

The need for a deeper understanding of PM impacts within the context of contemporary PM practice is addressed by this work. The PM impacts framework provides a classification of PM impacts into four categories with 19 subcategories. It also identifies direct, moderating and mediating relationships between categories and subcategories whilst highlighting the role of impact on the process as a precursor to the other types of PM impact.
A behavioral study on villagers’ adoption intention and carbon neutrality toward rooftop solar photovoltaic systems in India
Authors: Kumar Parveen , Kumar Pankaj , Aggarwal Vaibhav
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the determinants of adoption intention toward the rooftop solar photovoltaic (RSPV) systems among residents of peri-urban villages of Gurugram, Haryana, India. This study also analyzes the impact of the adoption of RSPV systems on carbon neutrality from a behavioral perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected using a self-administrated structured questionnaire from 208 male villagers (195 usable) of 22 villages using the purposive sampling technique.

Findings

Results revealed that relative advantage, followed by simplicity, trialability, observability and compatibility, positively and significantly impact villagers’ attitude toward adopting RSPV systems in their homes. Perceived severity and perceived vulnerability significantly influence the perceived behavioral control of villagers toward adopting the RSPV systems. The results show villagers’ attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are the essential predictors of their adoption intention of the RSPV systems. Most notably, carbon neutrality was significantly affected by villagers’ adoption intention of RSPV systems as the renewable energy source in their homes.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide that innovation attributes are important factors in shaping the adoption intentions of customers toward RSPV systems. This study is also the extent of previous studies measuring customers’ perception of adopting renewable energy in developed and emerging countries worldwide.
Signaling or tunneling: the dividend policies of Chinese ADRs listed in the US
Authors: Zhao Kevin M.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study tests the signaling and tunneling models of dividend policies by examining the relationship between the ownership structure and the dividend payout in a setting where strong institutional governance and weak firm-level governance coexist.

Design/methodology/approach

Chinese American Depository Receipts (ADRs) listed in the US offer an excellent opportunity to study dividend policy where strong institutional governance and weak firm-level governance coexist. Using a sample of 161 Chinese ADRs from 2004 to 2018, this study examines the relationship between the firm's ownership structure and cash dividend policy.

Findings

This study shows that high levels of controlling shareholder ownership and high levels of state ownership are associated with high dividend payouts. A high level of controlling shareholder ownership has a negative effect on its firm value. Dividend payments in those firms mitigate the negative effect, consistent with the signaling (substitution) model. A high level of state ownership is beneficial to its firm value. However, high dividend payment in those firms decreases the benefit, supporting the tunneling model.

Practical implications

This study covers 161 Chinese ADRs listed in the US with a total market capitalization of over $2 trillion and reveals that dividend tunneling could occur in Chinese government controlled ADRs. Findings in this study would offer valuable insights for US investors and regulators.

Originality/value

This paper extends the tunneling hypothesis to the topic of dividend policy in a setting where strong institutional governance and weak firm-level governance coexist. This study shows that tunneling through dividends can happen among Chinese government controlled ADRs in the US. It also complements the literature by extending the examination of the dividend tunneling model from a relatively small universe of master limited partnership (Atanssov and Mandell, 2018) to a larger universe of Chinese ADRs listed in the US with a total market capitalization over $2 trillion US dollars.
Wine label design proposals: an eye-tracking study to analyze consumers’ visual attention and preferences
Authors: Barbierato Elena , Berti Danio , Ranfagni Silvia , Hernández-Álvarez Luis , Bernetti Iacopo
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to analyze how consumers’ visual attention to wine label design correlates with their preferences. Accordingly, this study uses quantitative eye-tracking metrics to understand which design proposal has greater visual salience. A more specific objective was to assess which design proposal was preferred to be marketed.

Design/methodology/approach

The experiment involved evaluating of three different labeling proposals of an Italian winery. Infrared eye-tracking was used to measure implicit eye movements on the three bottles displayed, simultaneously, on a computer screen. A generalized linear model was used to test how consumers' visual attention to wine label design correlated with their preferences.

Findings

The design proposals were evaluated significantly differently, with one set being preferred. In general, a strong positive relationship was found between pausing to peruse a specific design proposal and making an explicit choice of the same bottle.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of the experiment concerns the sample interviewed. As the sample is homogeneous, the results may not be generalizable to other segments. Furthermore, the addition of electroencephalographic devices that monitor brain activity could provide crucial information for understanding consumer behavior during the purchase decision-making process.

Practical implications

Eye-tracking methods could be useful for designers and wine producers during the evaluation process of design projects.

Originality/value

The use of eye-tracking for evaluating design proposals before placing a product on the market is relatively novel. This method provides objective, quantitative and predictive information on consumer preferences contributing guidelines to designers and marketers during the product conception phase.
Does corporate environmental performance affect corporate biodiversity reporting decision? The Finnish evidence
Authors: Dutta Probal , Dutta Anupam
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine whether there exists any relationship between corporate biodiversity reporting decision (CBRD) and corporate environmental performance (CEP).

Design/methodology/approach

The primary sample contains 442 firm-year observations over a period of 13 years (2008–2020) for 34 listed Finnish companies. Based on both legitimacy theory and voluntary disclosure theory, 2 logit regression models are estimated to test the CBRD–CEP nexus. CBRD is a dichotomous variable. Three proxies for CEP, namely propensity to emit greenhouse gas (GHG), propensity to consume water and propensity to generate waste are employed.

Findings

This study finds that firms having higher propensity to consume water and generate waste are inclined to release biodiversity-related information. The findings support legitimacy theory suggesting that firms with inferior environmental performance may decide on reporting biodiversity information for legitimation purpose.

Research limitations/implications

The study uses Finnish data and hence, the results may lack in generalizability to other national contexts.

Practical implications

The results of this study should be valuable to policy makers for formulating mandatory biodiversity reporting standards to ensure disclosure of standard, extensive and authentic biodiversity-related information by companies. The results should also be valuable to corporate managers and eco-friendly investors.

Originality/value

Corporate biodiversity reporting (CBR) is an under-researched area of environmental accounting literature. Using the Finnish context, this paper extends the existing literature by investigating whether any association exists between CBRD and CEP, which has not been examined before.
Centered and decentered: toward a knowledge organization perspective on social reality
Authors: Andersen Jack
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose is to offer a discussion of how we can conceive of the organization of knowledge in digital culture and its changing nature. The article proposes to view of it as both a decentered (communicative) and centered (analytical gaze).

Design/methodology/approach

This study involves comparative analysis and discussion.

Findings

The analysis and discussion argue for the two positions of the organization of knowledge and point to how and what we can understand about features of digital culture’s collection practices.

Originality/value

The originality of this article is the conceptualization of the organization of knowledge as both a decentered and centered practice in digital culture, from which is developed a particular knowledge organization perspective on social reality.
When internal organizational factors improve detecting corruption in state-owned companies
Authors: Siahaan Magda , Suharman Harry , Fitrijanti Tettet , Umar Haryono
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The phenomenon of corruption requires extra handling to achieve zero corruption. The purpose of this paper is to examine the integrated governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) implementation, the quality of internal audits and management's commitment to improving the ability to detect corruption and its impact on the company's financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used primary and secondary data. Financial statement data and survey results from participants in 69 state-owned companies were analyzed using the Partial Least Square method.

Findings

There was a positive and significant effect of the integrated GRC implementation, quality of internal audit and management's commitment to increasing the organization's internal capability in detecting corruption. However, the failure to detect corruption mediates the effect of management commitment on financial performance. Besides, the organization's three internal factors could be better because their functions could be more optimal and require further improvement.

Research limitations/implications

State-owned companies are continuing to be restructured, so these results can be helpful for now. However, they must update continuously with developments related to the composition and classification of state-owned companies.

Practical implications

Organizations can improve their ability to detect corruption in the workplace by using an early warning system such as the integrated GRC, internal audit quality and a high commitment from management.

Originality/value

To the author's limited knowledge, empirical research on integrated GRC implementation, internal audit quality and management commitment are still rare if they improve the detection of corruption ability. It uses the factors that cause corruption in the fraud hexagon to analyze the financial performance.
Promoting the right attitude: exploring the ethical fashion attitudes of fashion aficionados and materialists
Authors: Bae Su Yun , Yan Ruoh-Nan
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This research applied Homer and Kahle's (1988) theoretical framework, which describes the hierarchical relations of personal values, attitude and behavior to test the moderated mediation model. The major focus of this study was to evaluate how individual characteristics such as fashion involvement and materialism influenced the formation of socially responsible attitudes and ethical fashion purchasing intentions. By focusing on fashion aficionados and materialists, this research examines each step of the hierarchical model by exploring the relation between values and attitude and evaluating the attitude–behavior gap. The main finding highlights the critical role that attitude plays in ethical fashion consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

Different sets of latent models with each ethical quality such as ethical concern and ethical obligation were tested to explore if those consumer characteristics had any moderating effects on both front-end (IV-M) and back-end (M-DV) relations of Homer and Kahle's (1988) hierarchical model.

Findings

Both ethical values failed to instill a socially responsible mindset in individuals who were heavily immersed in fashion or materialism. Once such attitudes were formed, however, those who were fashion-conscious or materialistic were more likely to purchase ethical apparel than those who were less interested in fashion or materialism.

Originality/value

Previous research has mainly identified external or situational factors that create the attitude or intention and behavior gap in ethical consumption. Given the lack of understanding about psychological factors in understanding the gap, this study added to the literature by identifying fashion involvement and materialism as critical factors positively influencing attitude and behavioral intention associations.
Gamification in the customer journey: a conceptual model and future research opportunities
Authors: Silva Jorge H.O. , Mendes Glauco H.S. , Teixeira Jorge G. , Braatz Daniel
Published: February 2023

Purpose

While academics and practitioners increasingly recognize the impacts of gamification on customer experience (CX), its role in the customer journey remains undeveloped. This article aims to identify how gamification can leverage each customer journey stage, integrate the findings into a conceptual model and propose future research opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

Since CX and customer journey are interrelated concepts, the authors rely on CX research to identify research themes that provide insights to propose the conceptual model. A systematic review of 154 articles on the interplay between gamification and CX research published from 2013 to 2022 was performed and analyzed by thematic content analysis. The authors interpreted the results according to the service customer journey stages and the taxonomy of digital engagement practices.

Findings

This article identified five main thematic categories that shape the conceptual model (design, customer journey stages, customer, technology and context). Gamification design can support customer value creation at any customer journey stage. While gamification can leverage brand engagement at the pre-service stage by enhancing customer motivation and information search, it can leverage service and brand engagement at the core and post-service stages by enhancing customer participation and brand relationships. Moreover, customer-, technology- and context-related factors influence the gamified service experience in the customer journey.

Originality/value

This article contributes to a conceptual integration between gamification and customer journey. Additionally, it provides opportunities for future research from a customer journey perspective.
Assessing the feasibility of hyperlocal delivery model as an effective distribution channel
Authors: Guru Sunita , Verma Subir , Baheti Pratibha , Dagar Vishal
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The successive waves of the Covid-19 SARS-II pandemic and the attendant lockdown imposed by the governments worldwide drove the economic activities to a halt. Offices and factories closed, production of goods and services declined and supply chains got severely disrupted. Many companies were embattled with the grim reality of shrinkage of aggregate demand, first due to supply shock and later due to loss of jobs and wages. Amidst all this, the handling and shipping of commodities became extremely complex. As the pandemic shifted consumer preference in favour of digital platforms, more and more fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies were confronted with multiple strategies and choices of an appropriate distribution channel to ensure smooth delivery of raw materials and products. The present study aims to study this shift and its implications in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

A mix-method approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis, is employed to investigate the factors influencing the selection of distribution channels amongst general trade, modern trade, e-commerce and hyperlocal for FMCG companies in India. The first phase of the study uses exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by the application of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach in a fuzzy environment to realise the priority weights and ranking of the identified factors. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed to confirm the robustness of the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) outcomes.

Findings

The study revealed that modern trade has emerged as the most favoured channel in the post-pandemic Indian economy. It has the potential to disrupt general trade. The study also revealed that the hyperlocal delivery model is not economically viable, and the partnership of FMCG companies with these applications is at best a short-term solution. However, it must be submitted that due to its sheer capability to ensure quick deliveries within a confined geographic area, hyperlocal delivery will gain momentum with the advancement of technology.

Originality/value

This study can be seen as the first attempt to investigate the issues related to the selection of the distribution channels in the FMCG sector of India using multi-criteria decision-making technique (MCDM).