bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Skeletal muscle DNA methylation and mRNA responses to a bout of higher versus lower load resistance exercise in previously trained men
Authors: Sexton Casey L. , Godwin Joshua S. , McIntosh Mason C. , Ruple Bradley A. , Osburn Shelby C. , Hollingsworth Blake R. , Kontos Nicholas J. , Agostinelli Philip J. , Kavazis Andreas N. , Ziegenfuss Tim N. , Lopez Hector L. , Smith Ryan , Young Kaelin C. , Dwaraka Varun B. , Fruge Andrew D. , Mobley Christopher B. , Sharples Adam P. , Roberts Michael D.
Published: November 2022

We sought to determine the skeletal muscle genome-wide DNA methylation and mRNA responses to one bout of lower-load (LL) versus higher-load (HL) resistance exercise. Trained college-aged males (n=11, 23±4 years old, 4±3 years self-reported training) performed LL or HL bouts to failure separated by one week. The HL bout (i.e., 80 Fail) consisted of four sets of back squats and four sets of leg extensions to failure using 80% of participants estimated one-repetition maximum (i.e., est. 1-RM). The LL bout (i.e., 30 Fail) implemented the same paradigm with 30% of est. 1-RM. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were collected before, 3 hours, and 6 hours after each bout. Muscle DNA and RNA were batch-isolated and analyzed using the 850k Illumina MethylationEPIC array and Clariom S mRNA microarray, respectively. Performed repetitions were significantly greater during the 30 Fail versus 80 Fail (p<0.001), although total training volume (sets x reps x load) was not significantly different between bouts (p=0.571). Regardless of bout, more CpG site methylation changes were observed at 3-versus 6-hours post exercise (239,951 versus 12,419, respectively; p<0.01), and nuclear global ten-eleven translocation (TET) activity, but not global DNA methyltransferase activity, increased 3- and 6-hours following exercise regardless of bout. The percentage of genes significantly altered at the mRNA level that demonstrated opposite DNA methylation patterns was greater 3- versus 6-hours following exercise (~75% versus ~15%, respectively). Moreover, high percentages of genes that were up- or downregulated 6 hours following exercise also demonstrated significantly inversed DNA methylation patterns across one or more CpG sites 3 hours following exercise (65% and 82%, respectively). While 30 Fail decreased DNA methylation across various promoter regions versus 80 Fail, transcriptome-wide mRNA and bioinformatics indicated that gene expression signatures were largely similar between bouts. Bioinformatics overlay of DNA methylation and mRNA expression data indicated that genes related to “Focal adhesion”, “MAPK signaling”, and “PI3K-Akt signaling” were significantly affected at the 3- and 6-hour time points, and again this was regardless of bout. In conclusion, extensive molecular profiling suggests that post-exercise alterations in the skeletal muscle DNA methylome and mRNA transcriptome elicited by LL and HL training bouts to failure are largely similar, and this could be related to equal volumes performed between bouts.
ImprintedDlk1dosage as a size determinant of the mammalian pituitary gland
Authors: Scagliotti Valeria , Vignola Maria Lillina , Willis Thea , Howard Mark , Marinelli Eugenia , Gaston-Massuet Carles , Andoniadou Cynthia , Charalambous Marika
Published: November 2022

Co-regulated genes of the Imprinted Gene Network are involved in the control of growth and body size, and imprinted gene dysfunction underlies human paediatric disorders involving the endocrine system. Imprinted genes are highly expressed in the pituitary gland, among them,Dlk1, a paternally expressed gene whose membrane-bound and secreted protein products can regulate proliferation and differentiation of multiple stem cell populations. Dosage of circulating DLK1 has been previously implicated in the control of growth through unknown molecular mechanisms. Here we generate a series of mouse genetic models to modify levels ofDlk1expression in the pituitary gland and demonstrate that the dosage of DLK1 modulates the process of stem cell commitment with lifelong impact on pituitary gland size. We establish that stem cells are a critical source of DLK1, where embryonic disruption alters proliferation in the anterior pituitary, leading to long-lasting consequences on growth hormone secretion later in life.
Validation of species-specificity of two commercial antibodies directed against RILP (Rab-interacting lyosomal protein)
Authors: Yap Chan Choo , Digilio Laura , Winckler Bettina
Published: November 2022

RILP is one of many effectors of RAB7 which bind to RAB7 in its activated GTP-bound state. The exact mechanism by which RAB7 effectors interact with RAB7 in time and space is not well understood. One of the known functions of RILP is to recruit dynein to RAB7-positive late endosomes. Dynein has been shown to be responsible for retrograde transport of RAB7-positive late endosomes in neuronal dendrites. We thus became interested in studying RILP in cultured neurons. We herein validate two commonly used anti-RILP antibodies which are commercially available. We find that both recognize only human RILP, but not mouse or rat RILP. These antibodies are thus not suitable for experiments carried out in mouse or rat cells. Furthermore, we find an unexpected difference between neurons and HEK293 cells in their ability to recruit overexpressed RILP to endosomes and cluster them in the cell center.
Multiplex DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization to analyze maternal vs. paternalC. eleganschromosomes
Authors: Gutnik Silvia , Sawh Ahilya , Mango Susan E.
Published: November 2022

Recent advances in high-throughput microscopy have paved the way to study chromosome organization at the single-molecule level and have led to a better understanding of genome organization in space and time. During development, distinct maternal and paternal contributions ensure the formation of an embryo proper, yet little is known about the organization of chromosomes inherited from mothers versus fathers. To tackle this question, we have modified single-molecule chromosome tracing to distinguish between the chromosomes of two well-studied strains ofC. eleganscalled Bristol and Hawai’ian. We find that chromosomes from these two strains have similar folding patterns in homozygous hermaphrodites. However, crosses between Bristol and Hawai’ian animals reveal that the paternal chromosome adopts the folding parameters of the maternal chromosome in embryos. This is accomplished by an increase in the polymer step size and decompaction of the chromosome. The data indicate that factors from the mother impact chromosome folding in trans. We also characterize the degree of intermixing between homologues within the chromosome territories. Sister chromosomes overlap frequently inC. elegansembryos, but pairing between homologues is rare, suggesting that transvection is unlikely to occur. This method constitutes a powerful tool to investigate chromosome architecture from mothers and fathers.
Mechanism of repression of the glycerol utilization operon inBorrelia burgdorferi
Authors: Zhang Jun-Jie , Ranghunandanan Sajith , Wang Qian , Lou Yongliang , Yang X. Frank
Published: November 2022

Lyme disease pathogenBorrelia burgdorferi, switches carbohydrate utilization while transmitting between two disparate hosts, anIxodestick vector and a mammalian host. The ability to use glycerol is important forB. burgdorferito colonize and persist in the tick vector, and expression of theglpFKD(glp) operon for glycerol uptake/utilization is tightly regulated during the enzootic cycle ofB. burgdorferibetween ticks and mammals. In present study, we identified aciselement within the 5’ untranslated region ofglpthat negatively regulates theglpexpression. This repression ofglpis independent of RpoS. We further show that BadR directly binds to thisciselement and repressesglp. The efficiency of BadR binding in the presence of c-di-GMP and various carbohydrates were also assessed. This finding, along with previous findings of positive regulation ofglpexpression by the c-di-GMP signaling pathway and negative regulation by the alternative sigma factor RpoS, demonstrates thatB. burgdorferiemploys multi-layer regulatory mechanisms to coordinateglpexpression during its enzootic cycle.
A Checking Model of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Based on the Hypothalamic Defensive System Against a Potential Threat
Authors: Horii-Hayashi Noriko , Masuda Kazuya , Kato Taika , Kobayashi Kenta , Nishi Mayumi
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior. While some theories imply that OCD patients have cognitive biases and dysfunctional motivation regarding a potential threat, these views are not adequately supported by neurological evidence. Hypothalamic perifornical (PeF) urocortin-3 (UCN3) neurons are involved in defensive responses to a potential threat, and the activation of these neurons in mice induces repetitive and excessive checking and burying of novel objects. In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that mice in which PeF UCN3 neurons are activated can serve as an OCD model.

METHODS

PeF UCN3 neurons were chemogenetically activated with clozapine-N oxide (CNO) inUcn3-Cremice. Marble-burying activity, repetitive/stereotypic behaviors in the homecage, and excessive responses to a novel object were measured as OCD-like behaviors. The effects of clinically used drugs for treating OCD on these behaviors were evaluated. The effect of CNO on neural activity in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop (which is regarded as an OCD circuit) was assessed with c-Fos immunolabeling.

RESULTS

CNO increased marble-burying activity, evoked homecage-specific repetitive/stereotypic behaviors that probably aimed to seal entrances, and induced repetitive and excessive checking and burying of novel objects. These behaviors were suppressed by selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors but not by diazepam. CNO increased neural activity in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that mice whose PeF UCN3 neurons are activated can serve as a model of OCD, particularly as a checking model. This supports theories concerning the role of potential threats in the pathophysiology of OCD.
Structural insights into 3Fe-4S ferredoxins diversity inM.tuberculosishighlighted by a first redox complex with P450
Authors: Gilep Andrei , Varaksa Tatsiana , Bukhdruker Sergey , Kavaleuski Anton , Ryzhykau Yury , Smolskaya Sviatlana , Sushko Tatsiana , Tsumoto Kouhei , Grabovec Irina , Kapranov Ivan , Okhrimenko Ivan , Marin Egor , Shevtsov Mikhail , Mishin Alexey , Kovalev Kirill , Kuklin Alexander , Gordeliy Valentin , Kaluzhskiy Leonid , Gnedenko Oksana , Yablokov Evgeniy , Ivanov Alexis , Borshchevskiy Valentin , Strushkevich Natallia
Published: November 2022

Ferredoxins are small iron-sulfur proteins and key players in essential metabolic pathways. Among all types, 3Fe-4S ferredoxins are less studied mostly due to anaerobic requirements. Their complexes withcytochromeP450 redox partners have not been structurally characterized. In the present work, we solved the structures of both 3Fe-4S ferredoxins fromM. tuberculosis- Fdx alone and the fusion FdxE–CYP143. Our SPR analysis demonstrated a high affinity binding of FdxE to CYP143. According to SAXS data, the same complex is present in solution. The structure reveals extended multipoint interactions and the shape/charge complementarity of redox partners. Furthermore, FdxE binding induced conformational changes in CYP143 as evident from the solved CYP143 structure alone. The comparison of FdxE–CYP143 and modeled Fdx–CYP51 complexes further revealed the specificity of ferredoxins. Our results illuminate the diversity of electron transfer complexes for the production of different secondary metabolites.
The IgCAM CAR regulates gap junction mediated coupling on embryonic cardiomyocytes and affects their beating frequency
Authors: Matthaeus Claudia , Jüttner René , Gotthardt Michael , Rathjen Fritz G.
Published: November 2022

The IgCAM coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) is essential for embryonic heart development and for electrical conduction in the mature heart. However, it is not well-understood how CAR exerts these effects at the cellular level. To address this question, we analysed the spontaneous beating of cultured embryonic hearts and cardiomyocytes from wildtype and CAR knockout (KO) embryos. Surprisingly, in the absence of CAR, cultured cardiomyocytes showed an increased frequency of beating and calcium cycling. Increased beating of heart organ cultures was also induced by application of reagents that bind to the extracellular region of CAR, such as the adenovirus fiber knob. However, the calcium cycling machinery, including calcium extrusion via SERCA2 and NCX, was not disrupted in CAR KO cells. In contrast, CAR KO cardiomyocytes displayed an increase in the size, but decrease in total number, of membrane-localized C×43 clusters. This was accompanied by improved cell-cell coupling between CAR KO cells, as demonstrated by increased intercellular dye diffusion. Our data indicate that CAR may modulate the localization and oligomerization of C×43 at the plasma membrane, which could in turn influence electrical propagation between cardiomyocytes via gap junctions.

Simple summary

CAR is implicated in higher-order gap junction structure by regulating clustering of connexins in embryonic cardiomyocytes. In the absence of CAR, cardiomyocytes in culture showed an increased frequency of beating and calcium cycling. Perturbation experiments suggest that CAR could be a potential new candidate in cardiac diseases.
Coupling chromatin folding with histone modifications reveals dynamical asymmetry in the epigenetic landscape
Authors: Sood Amogh , Schuette Greg , Zhang Bin
Published: November 2022

Genomic regions adopt heritable epigenetic states with unique histone modifications, resulting in bistable gene expression without changes to the underlying DNA sequence. The significance of chromatin conformational dynamics to epigenetic stability is not well understood. We introduce a kinetic model to simulate the dynamic fluctuation of histone modifications. The model explicitly incorporates the impact of chemical modifications on chromatin stability as well as the contribution of chromatin contacts to the cooperativity of chemical reactions. Leveraging the model’s computational efficiency, we study the disparate time scales of chromatin relaxation and epigenetic spread to account for the recent discovery of both liquid and gel-like properties of chromatin. Strikingly different results were obtained for the steady state and kinetic behavior of histone modification patterns in fast and slow chromatin structural relaxation regimes. Our study suggests that the timescale of chromatin conformational dynamics maybe an important axis that biology fine tunes to regulate epigenetic stability.
Electron density and thermal motion of diamond at elevated temperatures
Authors: Beyer Jonas , Grønbech Thomas Bjørn Egede , Zhang Jiawei , Kato Kenichi , Brummerstedt Iversen Bo
Published: November 2022

The electron density and thermal motion of diamond are determined at nine temperatures between 100 K and 1000 K via synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data collected on a high-accuracy detector system. Decoupling of the thermal motion from the thermally smeared electron density is performed via an iterative Wilson–Hansen–Coppens–Rietveld procedure using theoretical static structure factors from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The thermal motion is found to be harmonic and isotropic in the explored temperature range, and excellent agreement is observed between experimental atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) and those obtained via theoretical harmonic phonon calculations (HPC), even at 1000 K. The Debye temperature of diamond is determined experimentally to be ΘD = 1883 (35) K. A topological analysis of the electron density explores the temperature dependency of the electron density at the bond critical point. The properties are found to be constant throughout the temperature range. The robustness of the electron density confirms the validity of the crystallographic convolution approximation for diamond in the explored temperature range.
A clustering approach for data quality results of research information systems
Authors: Edris Abadi Reza , Ershadi Mohammad Javad , Niaki Seyed Taghi Akhavan
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The overall goal of the data mining process is to extract information from an extensive data set and make it understandable for further use. When working with large volumes of unstructured data in research information systems, it is necessary to divide the information into logical groupings after examining their quality before attempting to analyze it. On the other hand, data quality results are valuable resources for defining quality excellence programs of any information system. Hence, the purpose of this study is to discover and extract knowledge to evaluate and improve data quality in research information systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Clustering in data analysis and exploiting the outputs allows practitioners to gain an in-depth and extensive look at their information to form some logical structures based on what they have found. In this study, data extracted from an information system are used in the first stage. Then, the data quality results are classified into an organized structure based on data quality dimension standards. Next, clustering algorithms (K-Means), density-based clustering (density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise [DBSCAN]) and hierarchical clustering (balanced iterative reducing and clustering using hierarchies [BIRCH]) are applied to compare and find the most appropriate clustering algorithms in the research information system.

Findings

This paper showed that quality control results of an information system could be categorized through well-known data quality dimensions, including precision, accuracy, completeness, consistency, reputation and timeliness. Furthermore, among different well-known clustering approaches, the BIRCH algorithm of hierarchical clustering methods performs better in data clustering and gives the highest silhouette coefficient value. Next in line is the DBSCAN method, which performs better than the K-Means method.

Research limitations/implications

In the data quality assessment process, the discrepancies identified and the lack of proper classification for inconsistent data have led to unstructured reports, making the statistical analysis of qualitative metadata problems difficult and thus impossible to root out the observed errors. Therefore, in this study, the evaluation results of data quality have been categorized into various data quality dimensions, based on which multiple analyses have been performed in the form of data mining methods.

Originality/value

Although several pieces of research have been conducted to assess data quality results of research information systems, knowledge extraction from obtained data quality scores is a crucial work that has rarely been studied in the literature. Besides, clustering in data quality analysis and exploiting the outputs allows practitioners to gain an in-depth and extensive look at their information to form some logical structures based on what they have found.
Construction and validation of a perceived financial well-being scale (PFWBS)
Authors: Vieira Kelmara Mendes , Matheis Taiane Keila , Bressan Aureliano Angel , Potrich Ani Caroline Grigion , Klein Leander Luiz , Rosenblum Tamara Otilia Amaral
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The aim of the study is to build and validate a perceived financial well-being scale (PFWBS).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 34 items were developed on a five-point Likert scale. Validation involved two phases and four steps. In the qualitative phase, interviews, validation by specialists and the pre-test were carried out. In the quantitative phase, a sample of 1,020 cases was used in the exploratory stage and another sample of 2,293 individuals in the confirmatory validation stage.

Findings

The PFWBS is composed of 23 items distributed in four dimensions (financial security, financial tranquility, financial freedom and satisfaction with financial management) that identify the perception of financial well-being of the consumers of financial products.

Practical implications

The authors propose a methodological framework that allows researchers, managers and policy makers to use the indicator to assess citizens' perception of financial well-being.

Social implications

The PFWBS can be useful in evaluating the results of different public policies, such as income transfer programs and financial education policies. It can also serve as a parameter for the financial system to assess the perception of its customers, helping to evaluate products and services.

Originality/value

Financial well-being lacks valid measurement scales in the literature. This study advances by creating a scale for the assessment of the perception of financial well-being, which can be applied in different contexts.
Smallholder farmers’ perceptions and adaptation strategies to climate change risks in northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Likinaw Aimro , Bewket Woldeamlak , Alemayehu Aragaw
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to examine smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change risks, adaptation responses and the links between adaptation strategies and perceived/experienced climate change risks in South Gondar, Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used a convergent mixed methods design, which enables us to concurrently collect quantitative and qualitative data. Survey data was collected from 352 households, stratified into Lay Gayint 138 (39%), Tach Gayint 117 (33%) and Simada district 97 (28%). A four-point Likert scale was used to produce a standardised risk perception index for 14 climate events. Moreover, using a one-way analysis of variance, statistical differences in selecting adaptation strategies between the three districts were measured. A post hoc analysis was also carried out to identify the source of the variation. The findings of this paper are supplemented by qualitative data gathered through focus group discussions and key informant interviews of households who were chosen at random.

Findings

The standardised climate change risk perception index suggests that persistent drought, delayed onset of rainfall, early termination of rainfall and food insecurity were the major potentially dangerous climate change risks perceived by households in the study area. In response to climate change risks, households used several adaptation strategies such as adjusting crop planting dates, crop diversification, terracing, tree planting, cultivating drought-tolerant crop varieties and off-farm activities. A Tukey’s post hoc test revealed a significant difference in off-farm activities, crop diversification and planting drought-tolerant crop types among the adaptation strategies in the study area between Lay Gayint and Simada districts (p < 0.05). This difference reconfirms that adaptation strategies are location-specific.

Originality/value

Although many studies are available on coping and adaptation strategies to climate change, this paper is one of the few studies focusing on the linkages between climate change risk perceptions and adaptation responses of households in the study area. The findings of this paper could be helpful for policymakers and development practitioners in designing locally specific, actual adaptation options that shape adaptation to recent and future climate change risks.
Unethical pro-organizational behavior: how employee ethical ideology and unethical organizational culture contribute
Authors: Vem Linus Jonathan , Cheah Jun-Hwa , Ng Siew Imm , Ho Jo Ann
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The corporate atmosphere in recent times speaks volumes about the crises of confidence and credibility brewing among professionals due to the rising incidences of unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). The study developed a model to demonstrate the underlying mechanisms through which unethical organizational culture (UOC) influences UPB through the mediating roles of idealism and relativism.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a cross-sectional approach, data were collected through questionnaires that were distributed to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Plateau state in Nigeria. A total of 269 responses were obtained and analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique via Smart-PLS software.

Findings

The results revealed that the relationship between UOC and UPB was significant. The indirect predictive role of UOC on UPB was established via relativism but not through idealism. The results indicate that the preponderance of UPB among SMEs is a product of UOC which breeds a relativist ideology that ultimately promotes UPB. Finally, implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Originality/value

This study contributes to UPB in two unique ways. First, the authors bring to the fore the critical role of UOC in the debate on UPB which has been under-explored. Second, the study also established the mediating role of relativism in the relationship between UOC and UPB.
Social media and international business: views and conceptual framing
Authors: Saari Matti , Haapanen Lauri , Hurmelinna-Laukkanen Pia
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to increase understanding of social media in international business context. To this end, the authors make an attempt to integrate the existing, still somewhat limited views in a framework that advances the knowledge of scholars and decision-makers on this topic.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a conceptual study supported by use of a systematic literature review method.

Findings

This study shows marketing as a dominant area of discussion and reveals that many firm functions where social media plays a role have received relatively little attention. Furthermore, the study shows that the positive features of social media in international activity tend to be more widely acknowledged and better understood than the potentially problematic aspects.

Research limitations/implications

The number of articles analyzed in this study was relatively small, resonating with the nature of an emerging research area. Research on social media has only taken off over the last years, and it is understandable that there is limited research that connects it specifically to phenomena of international business.

Practical implications

This study reminds managers to be cautious when using social media in international markets. The relationship between social media and international business exhibits dynamism and is dependent on a variety of factors. Social media does not come without costs, nor is easily transferred from one market to another. Efficient use of this media in the international context may increase the need of specific and qualified human resources, and it may necessitate having the whole process from R&D to delivery, and beyond, ready for adaptation.

Originality/value

It can be argued that we know too little about the relevant factors and relationships between social media and international business. The authors hope that this study revealing the scarcely studied aspects and suggesting a tentative framework for capturing the dynamics of social media and international business can guide subsequent research and accelerate its emergence.
Identifying the capacity needs of built environment professionals to deliver environmentally sustainable buildings: a scientometric review
Authors: Afful Aba Essanowa , Ayarkwa Joshua , Acquah Godwin Kojo Kumi , Ossei Assibey Ama Antwi Darkwa , Osei-Asibey Dickson
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the capacity needs of building professionals to deliver environmentally sustainable buildings (ESBs) globally, from a unique systems approach. Through a review of extant literature, this study contributes to knowledge of the global delivery of ESBs by identifying research trends and gaps that can be tackled in future research, and current hotspots in capacity building (CB) research within the built environment (BE). The adopted systems approach to CB postulates that the construction industry is systemized in nature, and thus, CB solutions within the industry should be approached from a systems approach.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature search was conducted using the Scopus search engine, augmented by Google Scholar and Web of Science, to produce 54 relevant articles for analysis. The scientometric analysis was undertaken with the use of VOSViewer to better understand the broad literature on CB in the construction industry which would not have been possible with traditional data analysis. The content analysis allowed, for a systematic review of selected articles, to reveal key themes in this study.

Findings

Through a content analysis, four levels of CB were identified within the construction industry; individual level, organizational level, industry level and state level. Nine sub-capacities were subsumed under the four identified levels adopted from Potter and Brough (2004), including but not limited to Performance capacity, Workload capacity, Supervisory capacity, Industry Role capacity and Systems capacity. Under each sub-capacity, key questions were posed to aid identify the capacity needs of BE professionals. A framework for identifying capacity needs in the BE is proposed.

Practical implications

The findings of this study serve as a useful reference for practitioners and policymakers to assess their level of commitment to CB efforts for ESB delivery. The findings of this study have revealed that building the capacities of BE professionals to deliver ESBs should be addressed as part of a broader framework, interdependent on the other levels of CB in the systemic construction industry.

Originality/value

As a review study identifying capacity needs for BE professionals to deliver ESBs, this study enhances knowledge of CB within the construction industry.
Reinvesting in equity crowdfunding: the case of digital workers
Authors: Makki Rayan Faisal A. , Van Hemmen Stefan
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the initial investment's motivations and study the reinvesting motivations. The results revealed differences in reinvestors' motivations of reinvestors in both winning and losing situations. Specifically, financial return and excitement motives were supported for win and loss situations, while recognition was supported for loss and pleasure in win situations.

Design/methodology/approach

The impact of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on reinvestors was tested using the structural equation model. Furthermore, the framework was analysed with survey data from a total of 355 digital workers from Amazon Mechanical Turk, one of the world's largest crowdsourcing platforms.

Findings

The results indicate that there are differences in the motivations for reinvestors when they are in both winning and losing situations. Financial return and excitement motives were supported for win and loss situation, while recognition was supported in loss and pleasure in win situation.

Research limitations/implications

This study makes it possible to better understand the motivations behind crowdfunding reinvestment among digital workers. To build on this work, more studies should be conducted with different samples to test the generalisability of these results. Moreover, future studies on different samples could determine whether the same motivations would hold for other investors or whether another motivation would have greater impact on these reinvestment decisions.

Originality/value

While previous research on equity crowdfunding has predominantly focused on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for participating and investing in equity crowdfunding platforms, the motives that specifically affect winning or losing situations for reinvestors have been largely overlooked.
Strengthening consumer–brand relationships through avatars
Authors: Elsharnouby Mohamed H. , Jayawardhena Chanaka , Liu Hongfei , Elbedweihy Alaa M.
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Avatars have become increasingly prevalent on brand websites, yet their impact on consumers' use of these sites remains underexplored. The current study focuses on avatars, which are three-dimensional animated graphical web interfaces that verbally aid the brand stakeholders (e.g. customers, employees and suppliers). Avatars provide administrative and technical information through the brand website. Drawing upon the stimuli–organism–response (S-O-R) paradigm, this research examines the impact of avatars as an information provision and interacting tool (vs a traditional format) on consumers' perceptions, attitudes and behaviors toward a brand. It also investigates the roles of familiarity with avatar use and the language used by an avatar in shaping consumers' responses.

Design/methodology/approach

Across two laboratory experiments, the authors examined and confirmed causal relationships between the use of avatars (vs a traditional format) on a website and attitudinal and behavioral constructs.

Findings

We show that avatars (vs written information) had a significant effect on controlling information. The users in our experiments had greater control over the information provided when it was presented as text on a website compared to the case of avatars “telling” the information. Different languages and familiarity with avatar use also affected the consumers' hedonism in terms of website use.

Originality/value

We advance the understanding of avatar use in website design, particularly avatars' verbal interaction, in shaping consumers' cognitive, affective, attitudinal and behavioral responses and add important empirical evidence to the growing body of research and practices involving avatar use in interactive marketing.
A service lens on cybersecurity continuity and management for organizations’ subsistence and growth
Authors: Thomas Godwin , Sule Mary-Jane
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This paper proposes a holistic, proactive and adaptive approach to cybersecurity from a service lens, given the continuously evolving cyber-attack techniques, threat and vulnerability landscape that often overshadow existing cybersecurity approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

Through an extensive literature review of relevant concepts and analysis of existing cybersecurity frameworks, standards and best practices, a logical argument is made to produce a dynamic end-to-end cybersecurity service system model.

Findings

Cyberspace has provided great value for businesses and individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly motivated the move to cyberspace by organizations. However, the extension to cyberspace comes with additional risks as traditional protection techniques are insufficient and isolated, generally focused on an organization's perimeter with little attention to what is out there. More so, cyberattacks continue to grow in complexity creating overwhelming consequences. Existing cybersecurity approaches and best practices are limited in scope, and implementation strategies, differing in strength and focus, at different levels of granularity. Nevertheless, the need for a proactive, adaptive and responsive cybersecurity solution is recognized.

Originality/value

This paper presents a model that promises proactive, adaptive and responsive end-to-end cybersecurity. The proposed cybersecurity continuity and management model premised on a service system, leveraging on lessons learned from existing solutions, takes a holistic analytical view of service activities from source (service provider) to destination (Customer) to ensure end-to-end security, whether internally (within an organization) or externally.
Predicting the police code of silence in China: does rural or urban setting matter?
Authors: Wu Guangzhen
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine disparities in the code of silence between rural and urban police officers in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a national police university in China in 2017. In total, 608 Chinese police officers were surveyed, all of whom attended the in-service training program at the university.

Findings

Results suggest that rural officers in China are more likely to embrace the code of silence than their urban counterparts. Additionally, this study demonstrates significant influences of such organizational and environmental factors as police type, agency location and perception of misconduct seriousness on adherence to the code of silence.

Research limitations/implications

This study used a convenient sampling approach, which restricts the generalizability of the results.

Practical implications

Given the stronger code of silence among rural officers, there should be more efforts devoted to cultivating a positive ethical climate within rural police organizations. These efforts may need to come from higher levels of government, given the administrative structure in China. In addition, police supervisors in rural agencies should play an important role, given that they are the first line of defense in detecting and responding to misconduct, and are essential in fostering and sustaining a good ethical environment within the police agency.

Originality/value

Using unique policing data collected from China, this study addresses an important gap in the literature regarding research on rural-urban differences in the police code of silence.
Pastoral power in leadership work: the relational leadership idiom in the construction industry
Authors: Styhre Alexander , Fasth Jonas , Löwstedt Martin
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Drawing on the literature on pastoral power, a term introduced by Foucault that denotes a specific form of authority based on the subordinate's open communication regarding aspirations, interests and personal concerns, having the full faith in the leader's care of the subordinate's welfare, this article report empirical material from a study of Swedish construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Leadership practices are contingent on context and situation, and over time, authoritative leadership practices have been complemented by relational leadership that increasingly emphasizes the bilateral communication between manager and subordinate. The more communicative and “soft” leadership idiom may have both benefits and incur unanticipated consequences and conditions that need to be studied on basis of empirical materials.

Findings

Managers in the construction industry emphasize how subordinates increasingly turn to their closest managers to address a variety of concerns. Even though managers recognizes the value of providing personalized support, there is a risk that such a leadership idiom distract both managers and subordinates, i.e. counseling activities consume too much resources, making agents less prone to fully attend to proper project goals.

Originality/value

To consider contemporary leadership practices as partially premised on pastoral power provides new analytical possibilities that shed light on how leadership practice needs to correspond with new demands in the corporate setting.
Spatial consistency in drivers of population dynamics of a declining migratory bird
Authors: Nater Chloé R. , Burgess Malcolm D. , Coffey Peter , Harris Bob , Lander Frank , Price David , Reed Mike , Robinson Robert A.
Published: November 2022

Many migratory species are in decline across their geographical ranges. Single‐population studies can provide important insights into drivers at a local scale, but effective conservation requires multi‐population perspectives. This is challenging because relevant data are often hard to consolidate, and state‐of‐the‐art analytical tools are typically tailored to specific datasets.

We capitalized on a recent data harmonization initiative (SPI‐Birds) and linked it to a generalized modelling framework to identify the demographic and environmental drivers of large‐scale population decline in migratory pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) breeding across Britain.

We implemented a generalized integrated population model (IPM) to estimate age‐specific vital rates, including their dependency on environmental conditions, and total and breeding population size of pied flycatchers using long‐term (34–64 years) monitoring data from seven locations representative of the British breeding range. We then quantified the relative contributions of different vital rates and population structure to changes in short‐ and long‐term population growth rate using transient life table response experiments (LTREs).

Substantial covariation in population sizes across breeding locations suggested that change was the result of large‐scale drivers. This was supported by LTRE analyses, which attributed past changes in short‐term population growth rates and long‐term population trends primarily to variation in annual survival and dispersal dynamics, which largely act during migration and/or nonbreeding season. Contributions of variation in local reproductive parameters were small in comparison, despite sensitivity to local temperature and rainfall within the breeding period.

We show that both short‐ and long‐term population changes of British breeding pied flycatchers are likely linked to factors acting during migration and in nonbreeding areas, where future research should be prioritized. We illustrate the potential of multi‐population analyses for informing management at (inter)national scales and highlight the importance of data standardization, generalized and accessible analytical tools, and reproducible workflows to achieve them.
Pinpointing stage‐specific causes of recruitment bottlenecks to optimize seed‐based wetland restoration
Authors: Zhao Zhiyuan , Zhang Liquan , Yuan Lin , Bouma Tjeerd J.
Published: November 2022

Attaining the goals of ‘The UN‐Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’ requires efficient methods for large‐scale restoration of degraded ecosystems. Seed‐based approaches may offer opportunities for massive recovery of native vegetation but are prone to failure when applied to highly valued coastal wetlands such as salt marshes. Pinpointing the impact of early life stage transitions on recruitment variation across species and contexts is a critical first step toward amplifying seed‐based restoration efficiency.

Large‐scale field experiments were conducted in 100 microhabitats across eight salt marshes to investigate root causes of variation in seed retention and seedling emergence, using four globally occurring salt marsh species as models. The resulting insights and dataset were then translated into predictors using machine learning, for targeted application in disentangling recruitment bottlenecks.

Seed retention, regardless of species, was identified as the principal bottleneck in recruitment with hydrodynamic intensity, bed‐level dynamics, and burial depth as critical governing factors. Seedling emergence was discerned as the critical bottleneck driving cross‐species recruitment variability and was pivotally influenced by soil salinity and burial depth.

Predictions using machine learning under different restoration scenarios indicated that simple management, such as seed burial or species selection, can create opportunities to bypass potential recruitment bottlenecks.

Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that the failure of seed‐based coastal wetland restoration should be attributed to multiple recruitment bottlenecks that arise from different life stage transitions and are context/species dependent. In planning future seed‐based restoration practices, managers should assess the variability of life stage‐specific dominant factors at target sites to identify site‐specific recruitment bottleneck(s). Our work underscores the need for strategic management that buffers against recruitment bottlenecks to improve restoration efficiency and advances the application of data‐driven techniques to make seed‐based restoration predictive.
Place in legal geography: Agency and application in agriculture research
Authors: Bartel Robyn , Graham Nicole
Published: November 2022

Systemic failure of our land management, legal, and regulatory institutions is revealed by the serious and adverse social and environmental impacts of land use practices in private agriculture, evident in severe land and water degradation, precipitous decline in biodiversity, and reduced resilience to natural hazards and climate change. The efficacy of the standard treatment of environmental law and regulation is often hampered by the cultural and legal priority of property rights. We take a different approach, using legal geography to refocus attention on the salience and agency of place and responses to degradation, such as conservation farming and regenerative agriculture, which are reforming dominant land management cultures and institutions from within. By recognising the role of place in leading geographically responsive land use decision‐making and more sustainable, resilient, and productive agricultural practices, an alternative model of private land ownership may be possible, as well as greater environmental sustainability. For researchers, our approaches too must be sensitive and responsive to place agency and our methodologies must evolve to acknowledge the agency of place. Place agency in legal geography has great potential for application in reforming suboptimal industrial agricultural practices and legal models of property ownership, and also for revitalising our scholarship.
Green credit policy and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Weiping , Chen Xiaoqi , Yuan Tao
Published: November 2022

In 2012, China implemented a green credit policy (GCP) that restricts bank credits to heavily polluting firms. Using a difference‐in‐differences research design, we find that polluting firms increased their cash reserves by 9.5% after the GCP's issuance relative to non‐polluting firms. We also document that the GCP significantly reduces firms' access to bank finance but increases the value of cash. Cross‐sectional analysis shows that the increase in cash holdings is more significant for firms with greater financial constraints, firms with more investment opportunities, and high‐tech companies. Overall, our findings are consistent with a constraint explanation: when external financing is restricted, firms retain more cash to meet future investment needs.