bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ciliR: an R package for determining ciliary beat frequency using fast Fourier transformation
Authors: Grant Oriane , Larken Isobel , Reitemeier Samuel C. , Mitchison Hannah M. , Dawes William , Phillips Angus , Cortina-Borja Mario , Smith Claire M.
Published: December 2023

Cilia are motile hair-like structures that play a vital role in our body. Accurate assessment of ciliary beat frequency is pivotal for investigating ciliary dynamics and diagnosing ciliopathies. This study aims to develop software for accurately measuring the beat frequency of cilia captured using high-speed video microscopy.

To achieve this, we developed theciliRpackage in R, which was validated against manual counting and three other automated methods of counting cilia beat frequency. The results showed thatciliRproduced results that were comparable to manual counting. The accuracy ofciliRwas defined by its ability to reduce noise, including only counting data in a biologically significant range (0-60 Hz).

Our software is a valuable tool for researchers in the field of ciliobiology as it offers a reliable method for detailed ciliary function analysis, thereby contributing to the broader understanding of mechanisms underlying ciliary-related disease.

We encourage researchers to try this package and feed-back their findings to the authors. Instructions for use and processes for providing feedback are provided in supplementary material.

ciliR is a novel R package designed for analysing ciliary beat frequency (CBF) via ImageJ and RStudio. The advantage of the ciliR system, lies in its integration with the R environment, increasing processing speed and access to data visualization tools and analysis pipelines available in other R packages. The open-source platform invites community feedback to refine functionality, aiming to advance ciliopathy research with an accessible, comprehensive toolkit.
P-NADs:PUX-basedNAnobody Degraders for Ubiquitin-Independent Degradation of Target Proteins
Authors: Wang Jun , Chistov Georgy , Zhang Junrui , Huntington Brandon , Salem Israa , Sandholu Anandsukeerthi , Arold Stefan T.
Published: December 2023

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) allows cells to maintain a functional proteome and to rapidly adapt to changing conditions. Methods that repurpose TPD for the deactivation of specific proteins have demonstrated significant potential in therapeutic and research applications. Most of these methods are based on proteolysis targeting chimaera (PROTAC) which link the protein target to an E3 ubiquitin ligase binding moiety, resulting in the ubiquitin-based degradation of the target protein. In this study, we introduce a method for ubiquitin-independent TPD based on nanobody-conjugated plant ubiquitin regulatory X domain-containing (PUX) adaptor proteins. We show that thePUX-basedNAnobodyDegraders (P-NADs) can unfold a target protein through the Arabidopsis and human orthologues of the CDC48 unfoldase without the need for ubiquitination or initiating motifs. Despite originating from plants, P-NAD plasmids can be transfected into a human cell line, where produced proteins use the endogenous CDC48 machinery for ubiquitin-independent TPD. Thus, P-NADs pave the road for ubiquitin-independent therapeutic TPD approaches. The P-NAD design combined with establishedin vitroand cellular assays make this system also a versatile platform for elucidating functional aspects of CDC48-based TPD in plants and animals.
Natural variation inArabidopsis thalianaidentifies GlyoxalaseI;2 as key for the detoxification of glucose-derived reactive carbonyl species
Authors: Balparda Manuel , Kerim Aylin , Bouzid Maroua , Alvarez Clarisa E. , Alseekh Saleh , Fernie Alisdair R. , Maurino Veronica G.
Published: December 2023

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS) are highly toxic molecules produced during normal metabolism and increased under conditions of oxidative stress. Here we show thatArabidopsis thalianaecotypes exhibit natural variation in the degree of detoxification of RCS. We have isolated the ecotype IP-Pal-0 as an ecotype that has evolved a higher resistance to the toxic effects of glucose-derived RCS by acquiring a higher activity of the glyoxalase system through increased expression of some of its components. In particular, Viridiplantae-specific GLXI;2, GLXII;4 and GLXII;5 isoforms are highly expressed when plants are grown in the presence of 2-keto-D-glucose (KDG; glucosone) or methylglyoxal. We found that specific motif/cis-regulatory elements of the Col-0 and IP-Pal-0 GLXI;2 promoter regions may be involved in the differences in GLXI;2 gene expression associated with KDG detoxification. IP-Pal-0 GLXI;2 contains two different amino acids compared to Col-0, but these do not affect the basic kinetics of the protein. Interestingly, we found that the simultaneous change of these amino acids also occurs together in the GLXI proteins of some other organisms, suggesting a convergence in the simultaneous change of both amino acid residues. Our study of natural variants ofA. thalianasuggests that the Viridiplantae-specific isoforms of the glyoxalase system are involved in the detoxification of glucose-derived RCS, particularly KDG.
A myristoyl switch at the plasma membrane triggers cleavage and oligomerization of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus matrix protein
Authors: Častorálová Markéta , Sýs Jakub , Prchal Jan , Pavlů Anna , Prokopová Lucie , Briki Zina , Hubálek Martin , Ruml Tomáš
Published: December 2023

For most retroviruses, including HIV, association with the plasma membrane (PM) promotes the assembly of immature particles, which occurs simultaneously with budding and maturation. In these viruses, maturation is initiated by oligomerization of polyprotein precursors. In contrast, several retroviruses, such as Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV), assemble in the cytoplasm into immature particles that are transported across the PM. Therefore, protease activation and specific cleavage must not occur until the preassembled particle interacts with the PM. This interaction is triggered by a bipartite signal consisting of a cluster of basic residues in the matrix (MA) domain of Gag polyprotein and a myristoyl moiety N-terminally attached to MA. Here, we provide evidence that myristoyl exposure from the MA core and its insertion into the PM occurs in M-PMV. By a combination of experimental methods, we show that this results in a structural change at the C-terminus of MA allowing efficient cleavage of MA from the downstream region of Gag. This suggests that, in addition to the known effect of the myristoyl switch of HIV-1 MA on the multimerization state of Gag and particle assembly, the myristoyl switch may have a regulatory role in initiating sequential cleavage of M-PMV Gag in immature particles.
Xylosyltransferase Bump-and-hole Engineering to Chemically Manipulate Proteoglycans in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Li Zhen , Di Vagno Lucia , Chawla Himanshi , Ni Cheallaigh Aisling , Critcher Meg , Sammon Douglas , Briggs David C. , Chung Nara , Chang Vincent , Mahoney Keira E. , Cioce Anna , Murphy Lloyd D. , Chen Yen-Hsi , Narimatsu Yoshiki , Miller Rebecca L. , Willems Lianne I. , Malaker Stacy A. , Huang Mia L. , Miller Gavin J. , Hohenester Erhard , Schumann Benjamin
Published: December 2023

Mammalian cells orchestrate signalling through interaction events on their surfaces. Proteoglycans are an intricate part of these interactions, carrying large glycosaminoglycan polysaccharides that recruit signalling molecules. Despite their importance in development, cancer and neurobiology, a relatively small number of proteoglycans have been identified. In addition to the complexity of glycan extension, biosynthetic redundancy in the first protein glycosylation step by two xylosyltransferase isoenzymes XT1 and XT2 complicates annotation of proteoglycans. Here, we develop a chemical genetic strategy that manipulates the glycan attachment site of cellular proteoglycans. By employing a tactic termed bump- and-hole engineering, we engineer the two isoenzymes XT1 and XT2 to specifically transfer a chemically modified xylose analogue to target proteins. The chemical modification contains a bioorthogonal tag, allowing the ability to visualise and profile target proteins modified by both transferases in mammalian cells. The versatility of our approach allows pinpointing glycosylation sites by tandem mass spectrometry, and exploiting the chemical handle to manufacture proteoglycans with defined GAG chains for cellular applications. Engineered XT enzymes permit a view into proteoglycan biology that is orthogonal to conventional techniques in biochemistry.
High-resolution structures illuminate key principles underlying voltage and LRRC26 regulation of Slo1 channels
Authors: Kallure Gopal S. , Pal Kamalendu , Zhou Yu , Lingle Christopher J. , Chowdhury Sandipan
Published: December 2023

Multi-modal regulation of Slo1 channels by membrane voltage, intracellular calcium, and auxiliary subunits enables its pleiotropic physiological functions. Our understanding of how voltage impacts Slo1 conformational dynamics and the mechanisms by which auxiliary subunits, particularly of the LRRC (Leucine Rich Repeat containing) family of proteins, modulate its voltage gating remain unresolved. Here, we used single particle cryo-electron microscopy to determine structures of human Slo1 mutants which functionally stabilize the closed pore (F315A) or the activated voltage-sensor (R207A). Our structures, obtained under calcium-free conditions, reveal that a key step in voltage-sensing by Slo1 involves a rotameric flip of the voltage-sensing charges (R210 and R213) moving them by ∼6 Å across a hydrophobic gasket. Next we obtained reconstructions of a complex of human Slo1 with the human LRRC26 (γ1) subunit in absence of calcium. Together with extensive biochemical tests, we show that the extracellular domains of γ1 form a ring of interlocked dominos that stabilizes the quaternary assembly of the complex and biases Slo1:γ1 assembly towards high stoichiometric complexes. The transmembrane helix of γ1 is kinked and tightly packed against the Slo1 voltage-sensor. We hypothesize that γ1 subunits exert relatively small effects on early steps in voltage-gating but structurally stabilize non-S4 helices of Slo1 voltage-sensor which energetically facilitate conformational rearrangements that occur late in voltage stimulated transitions.
The S-component fold: A link between bacterial transporters and receptors
Authors: Partipilo Michele , Slotboom Dirk Jan
Published: December 2023

The processes of nutrient uptake and signal sensing are crucial for microbial survival and adaptation. Membrane-embedded proteins involved in these functions (transporters and receptors) are commonly regarded as unrelated in terms of sequence, structure, mechanism of action and evolutionary history. Here, we analyze the protein structural universe using recently developed artificial intelligence-based structure prediction tools, and find an unexpected link between prominent groups of microbial transporters and receptors. The so-called S-components of energy-coupling factor (ECF) transporters, and the membrane domains of sensor histidine kinases of the 5TMR cluster share a structural fold. The discovery of their relatedness manifests a widespread case of prokaryotic “transceptors” (related proteins with transport or receptor function), showcases how artificial intelligence-based structure predictions reveal unchartered evolutionary connections between proteins, and provides new avenues for engineering transport and signaling functions in bacteria.
Deep learning models to map osteocyte networks can successfully distinguish between young and aged bone
Authors: Vetter Simon D. , Schurman Charles A. , Alliston Tamara , Slabaugh Gregory G. , Verbruggen Stefaan W.
Published: December 2023

Osteocytes, the most abundant and mechanosensitive cells in bone tissue, play a pivotal role in bone homeostasis and mechano-responsiveness, orchestrating the intricate balance between bone formation and resorption under daily activity. Studying osteocyte connectivity and understanding their intricate arrangement within the lacunar canalicular network (LCN) is essential for unraveling bone physiology. This is particularly true as our bones age, which is associated with decreased integrity of the osteocyte network, disrupted mass transport, and lower sensitivity to the mechanical stimuli that allow the skeleton to adapt to changing demands. Much work has been carried out to investigate this relationship, often involving high resolution microscopy of discrete fragments of this network, alongside advanced computational modelling of individual cells. However, traditional methods of segmenting and measuring osteocyte connectomics are time-consuming and labour-intensive, often hindered by human subjectivity and limited throughput. In this study, we explore the application of deep learning and computer vision techniques to automate the segmentation and measurement of osteocyte connectomics, enabling more efficient and accurate analysis. We compare several state-of-the-art computer vision models (U-Nets and Vision Transformers) to successfully segment the LCN, finding that an Attention U-Net model can accurately segment and measure 81.8% of osteocytes and 42.1% of dendritic processes, when compared to manual labelling. While further development is required, we demonstrate that this degree of accuracy is already sufficient to distinguish between bones of young (2 month old) and aged (36 month old) mice, as well as capturing the degeneration induced by genetic modification of osteocytes. By harnessing the power of these advanced technologies, further developments can unravel the complexities of osteocyte networks in unprecedented detail, revolutionising our understanding of bone health and disease.
Surpassing Light Inhomogeneities in Structured-Illumination Microscopy with FlexSIM
Authors: Soubies Emmanuel , Nogueron Alejandro , Pelletier Florence , Mangeat Thomas , Leterrier Christophe , Unser Michael , Sage Daniel
Published: December 2023

Super-resolution structured-illumination microscopy (SIM) is a powerful technique that allows one to surpass the diffraction limit by up to a factor two. Yet, its practical use is hampered by its sensitivity to imaging conditions which makes it prone to reconstruction artifacts. In this work, we present FlexSIM, aflexibleSIM reconstruction method capable to handle highly challenging data. Specifically, we demonstrate the ability of FlexSIM to deal with the distortion of patterns, the high level of noise encountered in live imaging, as well as out-of-focus fluorescence. Moreover, we show that FlexSIM achieves state-of-the-art performance over a variety of open SIM datasets.
Egr1 is a sex-specific regulator of neuronal chromatin, synaptic plasticity, and behaviour
Authors: Rocks Devin , Purisic Eric , Gallo Eduardo F. , Greally John M. , Suzuki Masako , Kundakovic Marija
Published: December 2023

Sex differences are found in brain structure and function across species, and across brain disorders in humans1-3. The major source of brain sex differences is differential secretion of steroid hormones from the gonads across the lifespan4. Specifically, ovarian hormones oestrogens and progesterone are known to dynamically change structure and function of the adult female brain, having a major impact on psychiatric risk5-7. However, due to limited molecular studies in female rodents8, very little is still known about molecular drivers of female-specific brain and behavioural plasticity. Here we show that overexpressing Egr1, a candidate oestrous cycle-dependent transcription factor9, induces sex-specific changes in ventral hippocampal neuronal chromatin, gene expression, and synaptic plasticity, along with hippocampus-dependent behaviours. Importantly, Egr1 overexpression mimics the high-oestrogenic phase of the oestrous cycle, and affects behaviours in ovarian hormone-depleted females but not in males. We demonstrate that Egr1 opens neuronal chromatin directly across the sexes, although with limited genomic overlap. Our study not only reveals the first sex-specific chromatin regulator in the brain, but also provides functional evidence that this sex-specific gene regulation drives neuronal gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and anxiety- and depression-related behaviour. Our study exemplifies an innovative sex-based approach to studying neuronal gene regulation1in order to understand sex-specific synaptic and behavioural plasticity and inform novel brain disease treatments.
Re-assessment of the subcellular localization of Bazooka/Par-3 inDrosophila: No evidence for localization to the nucleus and the neuromuscular junction
Authors: Kim Soya , Shahab Jaffer , Wodarz Andreas
Published: December 2023

Bazooka/Par-3 (Baz) is an evolutionarily conserved scaffold protein that together with its binding partners atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and Par-6 forms the Par complex. This protein complex functions as a master regulator for the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity in many different cell types. In the vast majority of published research papers Par complex members have been reported to localize at the cell cortex and at intercellular junctions. However, there have also been several reports claiming localization and function of Par complex members at additional subcellular sites, in particular the nucleus, the nuclear envelope and the neuromuscular junction. In this study we have re-assessed this issue for Baz in a systematic manner. We used a variety of antibodies raised in different host animals against different epitopes of Baz for confocal imaging ofDrosophilatissues. We tested the specificity of these antisera by using mosaic analysis with null mutantbazalleles and tissue-specific RNAi againstbaz.In addition, we used a GFP-tagged gene trap line for Baz and a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) expressing GFP-tagged Baz under control of its endogenous promoter in abaznull mutant background to compare the subcellular localization of the respective GFP-Baz fusion proteins to the staining results with anti-Baz antisera. Together, these experiments did not provide any evidence for specific localization of Baz to the nucleus or the neuromuscular junction.
Umbrella protectors? Analysing valuing, hybridity and compromises for Chinese middle managers
Authors: Ren Chao , Situ Hui , Vesty Gillian Maree
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This paper examines the ways in which Chinese university middle managers evaluate subordinate performance in response to the Chinese Double First-Class University Plan, a national project that ranks the performance of universities. In exploring compromise arrangements, the hybridised valuing activity of middle managers is found to be shaped by emergent and extant macro-foundations.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative data from 49 semi-structured interviews at five Chinese public universities were conducted. Drawing on macro-foundational studies and the sociology of worth (SW) theory, the analysis helps to identify socially shared patterns of actions and outcomes.

Findings

The findings elucidate the interplay between diverse economic, social, political and institutional values and the compromise-making by middle managers. The authors find that contextual factors restrict Chinese academic middle managers' autonomy, preventing workable compromise. Through the selective adoption of international and local management practices, compromise has evolved into a private differential treaty at the operational level.

Originality/value

A nuanced explanation reveals how the macro-foundations of Chinese society influence middle managers who engage with accounting when facilitating compromise. This study helps outsiders better understand the complex convergence and divergence of performance evaluative practices in Chinese universities against the backdrop of global market-based forces and the moral dimensions of organisational life. The findings have wider implications for the Chinese government in navigating institutional steps and developing supportive policies to enable middle managers to advance productive but also sustainable compromise.
A decision model for international market selection by entrepreneurs: a cross-country investigation
Authors: Al Qur’an Marwan N.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the international market selection process of entrepreneurs operating internationally.

Design/methodology/approach

Four small and medium-sized comparative and rich-information case studies were purposefully selected from among Australian and Arabian firms. Data were collected via in-depth personal interviews, follow-up interviews and questionnaire instrument.

Findings

The results revealed that entrepreneurs used a four-stage systematic decision-making process to attain profitable foreign market choices. The decision process was influenced by cognitive boundaries as entrepreneurs relied on the availability experiential, anchoring and adjustment heuristic.

Research limitations/implications

The research’s findings and the proposed decision model will, significantly, assist entrepreneurs, willing to expand internationally, in enhancing their decision-making to attain profitable foreign market choices. Further, it provides benefits to foreign investment policymakers in host countries by assisting them to attract more inward foreign direct investments, and, accordingly, enhance the economic and social development movement in their countries.

Originality/value

This study provides a significant theoretical contribution to the literature on the internationalization process of entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized enterprises through developing a decision model for selecting and entering foreign markets by entrepreneurs in a cross-country context. Further, the study provides significant methodological contributions with regard to the effectiveness of the qualitative case study method in capturing elements of the foreign market selection process.
A new adaptive grey seasonal model for time series forecasting tasks
Authors: Wang Ran , Xu Yunbao , Yang Qinwen
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This paper intends to construct a new adaptive grey seasonal model (AGSM) to promote the application of the grey forecasting model in quarterly GDP.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, this paper constructs a new accumulation operation that embodies the new information priority by using a hyperparameter. Then, a new AGSM is constructed by using a new grey action quantity, nonlinear Bernoulli operator, discretization operation, moving average trend elimination method and the proposed new accumulation operation. Subsequently, the marine predators algorithm is used to quickly obtain the hyperparameters used to build the AGSM. Finally, comparative analysis experiments and ablation experiments based on China's quarterly GDP confirm the validity of the proposed model.

Findings

AGSM can be degraded to some classical grey prediction models by replacing its own structural parameters. The proposed accumulation operation satisfies the new information priority rule. In the comparative analysis experiments, AGSM shows better prediction performance than other competitive algorithms, and the proposed accumulation operation is also better than the existing accumulation operations. Ablation experiments show that each component in the AGSM is effective in enhancing the predictive performance of the model.

Originality/value

A new AGSM with new information priority accumulation operation is proposed.
Assembly line balancing and capacity evaluation based on interval grey processing time
Authors: Dang Zihan , Xie Naiming
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Assembly line is a common production form and has been effectively used in many industries, but the imprecise processing time of each process makes production line balancing and capacity forecasting the most troublesome problems for production managers. In this paper, uncertain man-hours are represented as interval grey numbers, and the optimization problem of production line balance in the case of interval grey man-hours is studied to better evaluate the production line capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

First, this paper constructs the basic model of assembly line balance optimization for the single-product scenario, and on this basis constructs an assembly line balance optimization model under the multi-product scenario with the objective function of maximizing the weighted greyscale production line balance rate, second, this paper designs a simulated annealing algorithm to solve problem. A neighborhood search strategy is proposed, based on assembly line balance optimization, an assembly line capacity evaluation method with interval grey man-hour characteristics is designed.

Findings

This paper provides a production line balance optimization scheme with uncertain processing time for multi-product scenarios and designs a capacity evaluation method to provide managers with scientific management strategies so that decision-makers can scientifically solve the problems that the company's design production line is quite different from the actual production situation.

Originality/value

There are few literary studies on combining interval grey number with assembly line balance optimization. Therefore, this paper makes an important contribution in this regard.
Two-phase flow regime identification using multi-method feature extraction and explainable kernel Fisher discriminant analysis
Authors: Khan Umair , Pao William , Pilario Karl Ezra Salgado , Sallih Nabihah , Khan Muhammad Rehan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Identifying the flow regime is a prerequisite for accurately modeling two-phase flow. This paper aims to introduce a comprehensive data-driven workflow for flow regime identification.

Design/methodology/approach

A numerical two-phase flow model was validated against experimental data and was used to generate dynamic pressure signals for three different flow regimes. First, four distinct methods were used for feature extraction: discrete wavelet transform (DWT), empirical mode decomposition, power spectral density and the time series analysis method. Kernel Fisher discriminant analysis (KFDA) was used to simultaneously perform dimensionality reduction and machine learning (ML) classification for each set of features. Finally, the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was applied to make the workflow explainable.

Findings

The results highlighted that the DWT + KFDA method exhibited the highest testing and training accuracy at 95.2% and 88.8%, respectively. Results also include a virtual flow regime map to facilitate the visualization of features in two dimension. Finally, SHAP analysis showed that minimum and maximum values extracted at the fourth and second signal decomposition levels of DWT are the best flow-distinguishing features.

Practical implications

This workflow can be applied to opaque pipes fitted with pressure sensors to achieve flow assurance and automatic monitoring of two-phase flow occurring in many process industries.

Originality/value

This paper presents a novel flow regime identification method by fusing dynamic pressure measurements with ML techniques. The authors’ novel DWT + KFDA method demonstrates superior performance for flow regime identification with explainability.
Energy, gender and development: the impact of energy efficient cookstoves intervention on the welfare of women in Ethiopia
Authors: Sepee Sankaa , Tesfahun Azmeraw Ayehu
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The use of energy efficient cookstoves (EECS) has been promoted for a long and considered as instrumental in the efforts to mitigate the multiple social, economic and environmental consequences of traditional biomass cookstoves. Despite this, the adoption of EECS in pre-urban and rural Ethiopia is still very low. In response to this, the government of Ethiopia, in collaboration with international development organizations, implemented numerous initiatives aimed at improving the availability and use of EECS as part of the effort to support sustainable development. However, very little is known about the impact of the introduced EECS on improving the welfare of women. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to assess the impact of improved cookstoves projects on the welfare of women in Yaya Gullele district, Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed research design was adopted to conduct the study. The quantitative data for the study were collected using a structured questionnaire by interviewing 388 randomly selected respondents. The data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential data analysis techniques, including the propensity score matching model using STATA.

Findings

Results of the study revealed that adoption of EECS has reduced fuel wood expense (124.65 Ethiopian Birr [ETB]/week), reduced five-year stove expense (404.67 ETB) and increased regular savings (116.58 ETB/month), which contributed for an increased annual income of participants (5,594.42 ETB). The result of the study also indicated that the use of EECS enabled the beneficiary women to reduce the amount of fuel wood use by 29.4 kg/week, which in turn reduced forest degradation and emission by 2.34 tons of CO2e/year/household. Besides, it reduced the drudgery on women in terms of reduced time to cook (53 min/day), reduced time to collect fuelwood and prepare food (3.95 h/week) and reduced frequency of fuelwood collection trips (3.42 trips/week). The study results, in general, indicated that the adoption of EECS improved the welfare of women in the study area, where the majority of women have been suffering from the burden of using traditional stoves and associated impacts for a long.

Practical implications

Energy is central to most of the development-related challenges and opportunities every country faces today. The result of the study implied that policies and strategies intended at improving the availability and use of EECS as part of the effort to support sustainable development need to consider integrating such context-referenced, locally manageable and affordable EECS into the clean developmental strategies of the country.

Originality/value

Insights from this study can support development practitioners and policymakers to make informed decisions regarding future interventions in the use of energy efficient that have the potential to several economic, social and environmental positive development outcomes.
Implementation of work-life balance strategies among construction companies in Lagos, Nigeria: construction workers’ perspectives
Authors: Osuizugbo Innocent Chigozie , Oshodi Olalekan Shamsideen , Kukoyi Patricia Omega , Yohanna Hosea Shemang , Edike Uche Emmanuel
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The construction industry in Nigeria has a complex environment, comprising several combinations of consulting professions, clients, contractual arrangement and investors, with longer working hours than other industries. Work–life balance (WLB) strategies are used to balance professional life and personal life. This study aims to assess the extent of implementation of WLB strategies among construction companies in Lagos, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a survey research technique. Snowball sampling technique was adopted to identify the targeted respondents for the administration of questionnaire. A total of 156 questionnaires were distributed and a response rate of 66% (103 questionnaires were completely filled and returned) was attained. Data elicited were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Findings

Results from this study provides evidence that the level of implementation of WLB strategies among construction companies in Lagos state, Nigeria is on the average. The results also revealed organisational understanding, paternity/maternity leave and flexible working arrangement as the top most three WLB strategies implemented among the construction companies in Lagos, Nigeria.

Originality/value

This study contributed to more effective WLB studies by identifying new information on the extent of usage of WLB practices in the Nigerian construction sector as well as offers a fresh perspective on the usage of WLB in a developing country. An understanding of these strategies is significant for companies’ stakeholders, such as management personnel, top construction professionals and policymakers, and for facilitating the adoption and implementation of WLB strategies among construction organisations.
What drives the effectiveness of public startup support programs? Empirical insights from the “EXIST-business startup grant”
Authors: Mueller Christoph Emanuel
Published: December 2023

Purpose

In a recent quasi-experimental study, the effects of a large German public startup support measure entitled “EXIST – Business Startup Grant” (EGS) on a variety of outcomes were determined, but without examining which factors are responsible for these program effects. The present study investigates the contribution of several factors to the success of the program in promoting product development and business planning.

Design/methodology/approach

By means of a two-wave panel design and fixed-effects panel regressions, evidence is generated that provides unique insights into the effect mechanisms of a publicly funded startup grant. The data for the study come from the program monitoring of the startup support measure.

Findings

Several factors were identified that significantly drive the effects of the program on the product development and business planning stages, namely the program-induced improvement of the skills of the startup team, intensification of cooperation with pilot customers/users, increase in the degree of networking and advice/support from third parties and the effort put into business plan preparation.

Originality/value

Startup support programs are a crucial aspect of technology and innovation policies, which are often evaluated in order to find out whether they generate effects. Assessing whether a program is effective or not, however, does not usually allow specific recommendations on how to improve the measure to be developed. Further information on the mechanisms of intervention is needed for this purpose. The present study takes up on this idea and provides this information for a specific type of public startup support measure.
Further evidence on non-audit fees: using the context of female directors on audit committees
Authors: Abbasi Kaleemullah , Alam Ashraful , Brohi Noor Ahmed , Nasim Shahzad
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the association between non-audit fees and audit quality by using the context of gender-diverse audit committees. Further, the authors assess whether this link is moderated by industry-specialist auditors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used non-financial FTSE-350 firms over the period of seven years. In addition, the authors use ordinary least squares regression to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find that female directors on audit committees are negatively related to non-audit fees, suggesting that non-audit fees reduce audit quality. Moreover, the results indicate that industry-specialist auditors positively moderate the link between gender-diverse audit committees and non-audit fees. This suggests that non-audit fees improve audit quality when the auditor is an industry-specialist.

Practical implications

The study does not support blanket restrictions on non-audit fees. It recommends regulators to consider industry expertise of auditors when devising non-audit fee restrictions. Moreover, the findings of this study have implications for firms aiming to understand whether non-audit fees could be used for enhancing audit quality.

Originality/value

By using the context of female directors on audit committees, the authors conclusively assess the link between non-audit fees and audit quality. Further, this study provides a more robust evidence on whether industry-specialist auditors affect the relationship between non-audit fees and audit quality.
Is halal tourism taking off in OIC and non-OIC countries? A systematic study of published research
Authors: Mohsin Asad , Rodrigues Helena , Penela Daniela , Luz Ana
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to systematically examine and compare the growth of halal tourism and hospitality in OIC and non-OIC countries based on published literature.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical systematic review of 154 academic papers published in the last decade involving halal tourism in OIC and non-OIC countries constituted the sample for this study. The study uses an integrated antecedents, decisions and outcomes and theories, contexts and methods framework, and a coding protocol based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Findings

Halal tourism is not developed in non-OIC countries where Islam does not predominate, which represents an opportunity for many countries to incorporate new trends in their tourism offerings. This research increases awareness of non-OIC destinations to welcome a growing halal tourism market, enabling them to foster innovation to meet new demands for Muslim travelers.

Originality/value

This study is different as we compare the pertinent needs that are based on religion in various geographical locations while focusing on tourism and hospitality research in Islamic and non-Islamic nations.
Co-creating sustainability performance accounts in cities via tinkering and bricolage
Authors: Bekier Justyna , Parisi Cristiana
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Existing performance assessment frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), struggle to incorporate diverse voices and representations of heterogeneous contexts. Cities, in particular, present a challenging context for sustainability performance assessment as they pursue new forms of governance based on the multiplicity of actors and inter-organisational collaboration. This study explores how sustainability performance accounts are created at the urban level within collaborative forms of governance and amidst the plethora of available devices for performance assessment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a case study approach. Qualitative methods are mobilised to study a large European project focused on the urban transition to a circular economy in six participating cities. The construction of sustainability performance accounts is studied via the Actor-Network Theory lens.

Findings

The study highlights that when it comes to sustainability assessment in city initiatives, existing performance assessment devices are adapted and modified to fit local needs and other sources of performance information are spontaneously mobilised to address the different dimensions of sustainability.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the public sector accounting literature by explaining the process of modifying existing devices for performance assessment to allow for the co-creation of accounts and by illuminating the spontaneous way in which performance information is generated and combined.
Digital reading: a bibliometric and visualization analysis
Authors: Yu Wenyan , Jiang Yiping , Fu Tingting
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study holistically and systematically consolidates the available research on digital reading to reveal the research trends of the past 20 years. Moreover, it explores the thematic evolution, hotspots and developmental characteristics of digital reading. This study, therefore, has the potential to serve as a research guide to researchers and educators in relevant fields.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied a bibliometric approach using Derwent Data Analyzer and VOSviewer to retrieve 2,456 publications for 2003–2022 from the Web of Science (WoS) database.

Findings

The results revealed that most studies' participants were university students and the experimental methods and questionnaires were preferred in digital reading researches. Among the influential countries or regions, institutions, journals and authors, the United States of America, University of London, Electronic Library and Chen, respectively, accounted for the greatest number of publications. Moreover, the authors identified the developmental characteristics and research trends in the field of digital reading by analyzing the evolution of keywords from 2003–2017 to 2018–2022 and the most frequently cited papers by year. “E-books,” “reading comprehension” and “literacy” were the primary research topics. In addition, “attention,” “motivation,” “cognitive load,” “dyslexia,” “engagement,” “eye-tracking,” “eye movement,” “systematic analysis,” “meta-analysis,” “smartphone” and “mobile reading/learning” were potential new research hotspots.

Originality/value

This study provides valuable insights into the current status, research direction, thematic evolution and developmental characteristics in the field of digital reading. Therefore, it has implications for publishers, researchers, librarians, educators and teachers in the digital reading field.
Catalyzing transformational leadership in Chinese hospitality industry – complexity theory perspective: mix method approach
Authors: Aslam Nadia , Sahibzada Umar Farooq
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The study seeks to propose a linear model by applying complexity theory and resource-based theory to investigate how hotels achieve competitive advantage and organizational performance during the Covid-19 pandemic from the perspective of hotel leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a standardized questionnaire and convenience sampling approach hotel managers and administrative employees were surveyed online. A total of 354 participants from five provinces in China were examined using Smart PLS and fsQCA 3.0 for analysis. The utilization of the asymmetric method facilitates the elucidation of relationships that may not be readily apparent when employing conventional symmetric approaches.

Findings

The results display a significant impact of transformational leadership (TL) on market orientation (MO), competitive advantage (CA) and organizational performance (OP). The results show numerous combinations using fsQCA that can be utilized to increase OP within the hotel industry.

Originality/value

At present, there is a lack of substantial empirical evidence to comprehensively investigate the impact of TL on MO, CA and OP in the field of hospitality research specifically in the context of the Covid-19. The study also contributes by providing an explanation of the factors that contribute to the development of a higher organizational performance base through TL, MO and CA during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A tolerance analysis method based on assembly deformation simulation with stable contact
Authors: Sa Guodong , Bai Haodong , Liu Zhenyu , Liu Xiaojian , Tan Jianrong
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The assembly simulation in tolerance analysis is one of the most important steps for the tolerance design of mechanical products. However, most assembly simulation methods are based on the rigid body assumption, and those assembly simulation methods considering deformation have a poor efficiency. This paper aims to propose a novel efficient and precise tolerance analysis method based on stable contact to improve the efficiency and reliability of assembly deformation simulation.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method comprehensively considers the initial rigid assembly state, the assembly deformation and the stability examination of assembly simulation to improve the reliability of tolerance analysis results. The assembly deformation of mating surfaces was first calculated based on the boundary element method with optimal initial assembly state, then the stability of assembly simulation results was assessed by the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise algorithm to improve the reliability of tolerance analysis. Finally, combining the small displacement torsor theory, the tolerance scheme was statistically analyzed based on sufficient samples.

Findings

A case study of a guide rail model demonstrated the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Research limitations/implications

The present study only considered the form error when generating the skin model shape, and the waviness and the roughness of the matching surface were not considered.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the proposed method is original in the assembly simulation considering stable contact, which can effectively ensure the reliability of the assembly simulation while taking into account the computational efficiency.
Just a matter of size? Evaluating allometry and intersexual heterometry in Pagurus bernhardus using ratios and indices (Decapoda, Anomura)
Authors: SCHMIDT Michel , MARTIN Ines , MELZER Roland R.
Published: December 2023

Heterochely denotes the presence of dissimilarly sized chelipeds on opposite sides of the body, a prevalent occurrence in diverse crustaceans. Conversely, heterometry pertains to the quantifiable disparities in size between these chelipeds. Both chelipeds hold pivotal roles in activities such as foraging, mating, and defense. Consequently, individuals of both genders in heterochelic species exhibit this morphological pattern. Previous studies have identified sexual dimorphism in cheliped size, with males displaying larger major chelipeds compared to females, albeit solely relying on propodus length as a size proxy and focusing solely on the major cheliped. In our study, we meticulously examined 190 specimens of the common European hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus from two collections. We sought to elucidate allometric relationships and assess whether heterometry exhibited sex‐based differences when adjusting for body size by using ratios. Our findings revealed that male chelipeds displayed hyperallometric growth relative to females, and all three calculated heterometry indices exhibited significant disparities between the sexes. Consequently, male specimens exhibited larger major and minor chelipeds, even when theoretically matched for body size with females. This phenomenon may be attributed, among other factors, to male–male contests. Should indirect mate selection favor males with larger chelipeds in proportion to their body size, this dynamic could potentiate sexual selection in their favor.
Commensal Enterococcus faecalis W5 ameliorates hyperuricemia and maintains the epithelial barrier in a hyperuricemia mouse model
Authors: Liu Xin , Han Chun Hua , Mao Tao , Wu Jie , Ke Le Yong , Guo Ying Jie , Han Rong Shuang , Tian Zi Bin
Published: December 2023

Objective

The intestine is responsible for approximately one‐third of uric acid (UA) excretion. The effect of commensal Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), one of the most colonized bacteria in the gut, on UA excretion in the intestine remains to be investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of commensal E. faecalis on UA metabolism and gut microbiota.

Methods

The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to examine the species of Enterococcus in mouse fecal content. E. faecalis strain was isolated from mouse feces and identified to be E. faecalis W5. The hyperuricemia (HUA) animal model was established with yeast‐rich forage and 250 mg·kg−1·day−1 potassium oxonate. Oral administration of E. faecalis W5 was given for 20 days, serving as the Efa group.

Results

Disrupted intestinal barrier, activated proinflammatory response and low UA excretion in the intestine were found in HUA mice. After E. faecalis W5 treatment, the gut barrier was restored and serum UA level was decreased. Additionally, fecal and intestinal UA levels were elevated, intestinal urate transporter ABCG2 and purine metabolism were upregulated. Moreover, short‐chain fatty acid levels were increased, and intestinal inflammation was ameliorated.

Conclusions

Commensal E. faecalis W5 ameliorated HUA through reversing the impaired gut barrier, promoting intestinal UA secretion by regulating ABCG2 expression, and decreasing intestinal UA synthesis by regulating purine metabolism. The results may provide the potential for developing treatments for HUA through the intestine.