bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dodecaploid Xenopus longipes provides insight into the emergence of size scaling relationships during development
Authors: Miller Kelly , Cadart Clotilde , Heald Rebecca
Published: August 2022

Genome and cell size are strongly correlated across species1–6 and influence physiological traits like developmental rate7–12. Although size scaling features such as the nuclear-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio are precisely maintained in adult tissues13, it is unclear when during embryonic development size scaling relationships are established. Frogs of the genus Xenopus provide a model to investigate this question, since 29 extant Xenopus species vary in ploidy from 2 to 12 copies (n) of the genome, ranging from 20 to 108 chromosomes14,15. The most widely studied species, X. laevis (4n=36) and X. tropicalis (2n=20), scale at all levels from body size to cellular and subcellular16. Paradoxically, the rare, critically endangered dodecaploid (2n=108) X. longipes is a small frog15,17. We observed that despite some morphological differences, X. longipes and X. laevis embryogenesis occurred with similar timing, with genome to cell size scaling emerging at the swimming tadpole stage. Across the three species, cell size was determined primarily by egg size, while nuclear size correlated with genome size during embryogenesis, resulting in different nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios at the mid-blastula transition. At the subcellular level, nuclear size correlated more strongly with genome size, whereas mitotic spindle size scaled with cell size. Our cross-species study indicates that scaling of cell size to ploidy is not due to abrupt changes in cell division timing, that different size scaling regimes occur during embryogenesis, and that the developmental program of Xenopus is remarkably consistent across a wide range of genome and egg sizes.

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY

Comparison of size metrics in embryos from different ploidy Xenopus species, including the dodecaploid X. longipes, reveals distinct size scaling regimes during development.
The genome of a vestimentiferan tubeworm (Ridgeia piscesae) provides insights into its adaptation to a deep-sea environment
Authors: Wang Muhua , Ruan Lingwei , Liu Meng , Liu Zixuan , He Jian , Zhang Long , Wang Yuanyuan , Shi Hong , Chen Mingliang , Yang Feng , Zeng Runying , He Jianguo , Guo Changjun , Chen Jianming
Published: August 2022

Vestimentifera (Polychaeta, Siboglinidae) is a taxon of deep-sea worm-like animals living in the deep-sea hydrothermal vent and cold seep areas. The morphology and lifespan of Ridgeia piscesae, which is the only vestimentiferan tubeworm species found in the hydrothermal vents on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, vary greatly according to the endemic environments. Recent analyses have revealed the genomic basis of adaptation in three vent- and seep-dwelling vestimentiferan tubeworms. However, the evolutionary history and mechanism of adaptation in R. piscesae, a unique species in the family Siboglinidae, is remained to be investigated. Here we report a high-quality genome of R. piscesae collected at Cathedral vent of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that that the high growth rates of vent-dwelling tubeworms might derive from small genome size. The small genome sizes of these tubeworms are attributed to the repeat content but not the number of genes and intron sizes. Additionally, four genes involved in cell proliferation were subject to positive selection in the genome of R. piscesae, suggesting that, besides apoptosis, cell proliferation is important for regulating growth rate in this species.
DeepDetect: deep learning of peptide detectability enhanced by peptide digestibility
Authors: Yang Jinghan , Gong Fuzhou , Fu Yan
Published: August 2022

In tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomics, proteins are digested by specific protease(s) into peptides, but generally only a fraction of theoretical peptides can be detected. To explore the characteristics of proteotypic peptides, we have developed a series of methods for peptide digestibility and detectability prediction, and this is the latest one of them. Specifically, we propose here a bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM)-based algorithm, named DeepDetect, for the prediction of peptide detectability enhanced by peptide digestibility. Compared with existing algorithms, DeepDetect is featured by its improved accuracy of prediction and wide applicability to commonly used proteases covering Trypsin, ArgC, Chymotrypsin, GluC, LysC, AspN, LysN, and LysargiNase. On eleven independent test data sets, DeepDetect achieved AUCs of 0.858~0.957, superior to the state-of-the-art algorithms, AP3 and PepFormer, which either used conventional machine learning methods or disregarded the digestibility feature. As an application, the predicted peptide detectability was utilized to re-rank and validate the peptide-spectrum matches, and showed the potential to promote the sensitivity of peptide identification.
Modulation of Capsid Dynamics in Bromoviruses by the Host and Heterologous Viral Replicase
Authors: Chakravarty Antara , Rao A. L. N.
Published: August 2022

The tripartite genome of Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus is packaged into three morphologically indistinguishable icosahedral virions with T=3 symmetry. The two virion types, C1V and C2V, package genomic RNAs 1 (C1) and 2 (C2), respectively. The third virion type, C3+4V, co-packages genomic RNA3 and its sub-genomic RNA (RNA4). In this study, each virion type was separately assembled in planta using a previously established agroinfiltration approach. The three virion types are indistinguishable under the EM and by electrophoretic mobility. However, the stability and the capsid dynamics evaluated respectively by the differential scanning fluorimetry and MALDI-TOF analysis following trypsin digestion distinguished the three virions type. Proteolytic analysis revealed that, while retaining the structural integrity, C1V and C2V virions released peptide regions encompassing the N-terminal arginine-rich RNA binding motif. In contrast, a minor population of the C3+4V virion type was sensitive to trypsin-releasing peptides encompassing the entire capsid protein region. In addition, we also evaluated the effect of the two host organisms on the capsid dynamics. The wild-type CCMV virions purified from cowpea are highly susceptible to trypsin digestion, while those from N. benthamiana remained resistant. Finally, the MALDI-TOF evaluated the relative dynamics of C3+4V and B3+4V virions assembled under the control of the homologous vs. heterologous replicase. The significance of the viral replicase in modulating the capsid dynamics was evident by the differential sensitivity to protease exhibited by B3+4V and C3+4V virions assembled under the homologous vs. heterologous replicase. The significance of these results in relation to viral biology is discussed.

IMPORTANCE

Infectious virus particles or virions are considered static structures and undergo various conformational transitions to replicate and infect many eukaryotic cells. Although viral capsid fluctuations, referred to as dynamics or breathing, have been well studied in RNA viruses pathogenic to animals, such information is limited among plant viruses. Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) and Brome mosaic virus (BMV), RNA viruses pathogenic to plants, contain a segmented genome distributed among three physically and structurally homogenous icosahedral virion types. This study examines the role of the host organism and the heterologous viral replicase in modulating the thermal stability and capsid dynamics in CCMV and BMV. The results accentuate that alteration of the capsid dynamics by the host type and heterologous replicase are likely to affect the biology of the virus.
Fasting-sensitive SUMO-switch on Prox1 controls hepatic cholesterol metabolism
Authors: Alfaro Nunez Ana Jimena , Dittner Claudia , Becker Janina , Loft Anne , Mhamane Amit , Maida Adriano , Georgiadi Anastasia , Tsokanos Phivos , Klepac Katarina , Molocea Eveline , Merahbi Rabih , Motzler Karsten , Geppert Julia , Karikari Rhoda Anane , Szendrödi Julia , Feuchtinger Annette , Hofmann Susanna , Melchior Frauke , Herzig Stephan
Published: August 2022

The liver is the major metabolic hub, ensuring appropriate nutrient supply during fasting and feeding. In obesity, accumulation of excess nutrients hampers proper liver function and is linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Understanding the signaling mechanisms that enable hepatocytes to quickly adapt to dietary cues, might help to restore balance in liver diseases. Post-translational modification by attachment of the Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO), allows for a dynamic regulation of numerous processes including transcriptional reprograming. Here, we demonstrate that the specific SUMOylation of transcription factor Prox1 represents a nutrient-sensitive determinant of hepatic fasting metabolism. Prox1 was highly modified by SUMOylation on lysine 556 in the liver of ad libitum and re-fed mice, while this modification was strongly abolished upon fasting. In a context of diet-induced obesity, Prox1 SUMOylation became insensitive to fasting cues. Hepatocyte-selective knock in of a SUMOylation-deficient Prox1 mutant into mice fed a high fat/high fructose diet led to reduction of systemic cholesterol levels, associated with the induction of bile acid detoxifying pathways in mutant livers during fasting. As appropriate and controlled fasting protocols have been shown to exert beneficial effects on human health, tools to maintain the nutrient-sensitive SUMOylation switch on Prox1 may thus contribute to the development of “fasting-based” approaches for the maintenance of metabolic health.
Assembly of a pangenome for global cattle reveals missing sequences and novel structural variations, providing new insights into their diversity and evolutionary history
Authors: Zhou Yang , Yang Lv , Han Xiaotao , Han Jiazheng , Hu Yan , Li Fan , Xia Han , Peng Lingwei , Boschiero Clarissa , Rosen Benjamin D. , Bickhart Derek M. , Zhang Shujun , Guo Aizhen , Van Tassell Curtis P. , Smith Timothy P.L. , Yang Liguo , Liu George E.
Published: August 2022

A cattle pangenome representation was created based on the genome sequences of 898 cattle representing 57 breeds. The pangenome identified 83 Mb of sequence not found in the cattle reference genome, representing 3.1% novel sequence compared with the 2.71-Gb reference. A catalog of structural variants developed from this cattle population identified 3.3 million deletions, 0.12 million inversions, and 0.18 million duplications. Estimates of breed ancestry and hybridization between cattle breeds using insertion/deletions as markers were similar to those produced by single nucleotide polymorphism–based analysis. Hundreds of deletions were observed to have stratification based on subspecies and breed. For example, an insertion of a Bov-tA1 repeat element was identified in the first intron of the APPL2 gene and correlated with cattle breed geographic distribution. This insertion falls within a segment overlapping predicted enhancer and promoter regions of the gene, and could affect important traits such as immune response, olfactory functions, cell proliferation, and glucose metabolism in muscle. The results indicate that pangenomes are a valuable resource for studying diversity and evolutionary history, and help to delineate how domestication, trait-based breeding, and adaptive introgression have shaped the cattle genome.
Do demographic, and clinical characteristics influence meeting NICE quality standards for young people transitioning to adult intellectual disability services?
Authors: Soper Paul , Stewart Alex G. , Nathan Rajan , Nall-Evans Sharleen , Mills Rachel , Michelet Felix , Jaydeokar Sujeet
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the quality of transition from child and adolescent services to adult intellectual disability services, using the relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) standard (QS140). In addition, this study also identifies any differences in transition quality between those young people with intellectual disability with and without autism.

Design/methodology/approach

Using routinely collected clinical data, this study identifies demographic and clinical characteristics of, and contextual complexities experienced by, young people in transition between 2017 and 2020. Compliance with the quality standard was assessed by applying dedicated search terms to the records.

Findings

The study highlighted poor recording of data with only 22% of 306 eligible cases having sufficient data recorded to determine compliance with the NICE quality standard. Available data indicated poor compliance with the standard. Child and adolescent mental health services, generally, did not record mental health co-morbidities. Compliance with three out of the five quality statements was higher for autistic young people, but this only reached statistical significance for one of those statements (i.e. having a named worker, p = 0.02).

Research limitations/implications

Missing data included basic clinical characteristics such as the level of intellectual disability and the presence of autism. This required adult services to duplicate assessment procedures that potentially delayed clinical outcomes. This study highlights that poor compliance may reflect inaccurate recording that needs addressing through training and introduction of shared protocols.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the transition process between children’s and adults’ intellectual disability health services using NICE quality standard 140.
Mass customization: the role of consumer preference measurement, manufacturing flexibility and customer participation
Authors: Shi Jingjing , Huang Fang , Jia Fang , Yang Zhilin , Rui Mingjie
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Existing empirical studies emphasize the role of customer preference measurement accuracy (CPMA) on customized product quality while neglecting the role of manufacturing flexibility. However, the rise of web-based technology has highlighted consumer-manufacturer interaction in mass customization (MC). This paper explores the relationships between CPMA, manufacturing flexibility, customer participation and customized product quality, inspired by module decomposition and integration theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The study carried out a questionnaire survey of 241 directors who are specifically responsible for MC in the apparel industry in China and tested hypotheses with structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

CPMA has a direct positive influence on customized product quality and an indirect positive effect through manufacturing flexibility. Also, customer participation after placing an order (CPAPO) has a negative moderating effect on the linkage between CPMA and manufacturing flexibility.

Research limitations/implications

A more dynamic relationship between CPMA and MF can be explored in the future, and the findings can be tested in other industries with more abundant data.

Practical implications

Manufacturing flexibility should be improved along with CPMA in MC. Also, disruptions caused by customer participation in the post-design stage should be noticed. In this context, better consumer service in the early design stage may be one possible solution.

Originality/value

First, the essential but unexplored mediating role of manufacturing flexibility is identified, adding knowledge to the consumer–manufacturer interaction literature in MC production. Second, module decomposition and integration are applied to unify consumers and manufacturers into one empirical model, enriched theoretical research on modular theory. Third, this study opens new discussions on the moderating role of customer participation.
Workers' relational identification with supervisors influences safety behaviour in construction projects
Authors: Ashraf Hassan , Ali Alishbah , Sunindijo Riza Yosia , Maqsoom Ahsen , Memon Shoeb Ahmed , Hassan Muhammad Usman
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This research aims to examine the influence of workers' identification with their supervisors on safety behaviour in construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Employing the job demands–resources theory, this research tested the relationships among relational identification as a personal resource, respectful engagement as a job resource, employee safety voice as a positive work behaviour and safety behaviour as the outcome. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse 120 quantitative data collected using a questionnaire survey.

Findings

Relational identification, which reflects workers' identification with their supervisors, is a significant predictor of safety behaviour. Furthermore, respectful engagement and employee safety voice sequentially mediate the relationship between relational identification and safety behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The internalisation of safety norms, values and practices in construction projects is contingent on the identification of workers with their supervisors.

Originality/value

Safety behaviour of workers is a significant predictor of safety performance in construction projects. Research on numerous antecedents of safety behaviour points out that leadership is a significant predictor of construction workers' safe behaviour. Contributing to research on construction safety leadership, this research found that leader-subordinate relationship is key to make construction workers more psychologically ready to internalise the importance of safety behaviours at work.
GLAM metadata in museums and university collections: a state-of-the-art (Spain and other European countries)
Authors: Salse Marina , Guallar-Delgado Javier , Jornet-Benito Núria , Mateo Bretos Maria Pilar , Silvestre-Canut Josep Oriol
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine which metadata schemas are used in the museums and university collections of the main universities in Spain and other European countries. Although libraries and archives are also university memory institutions (according to a Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums perspective), their collections are not included in this study because their metadata systems are highly standardized and their inclusion would, therefore, skew our understanding of the diverse realities that the study aims to capture.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis has three components. The first is a bibliographic review based on Web of Science. The second is a direct survey of the individuals responsible for university collections to understand their internal work and documentation systems. Finally, the results obtained are complemented by an analysis of collective university heritage portals in Europe.

Findings

The results of this study confirmed the hypothesis that isolation and a lack of resources are still major issues in many cases. Increasing digitalization and the desire to participate in content aggregation systems are forcing change, although the responsibility for that change at universities is still vague.

Originality/value

Universities, particularly those with a long history, have an important heritage whose parts are often scattered or hidden. Although many contemporary academic publications have focused on the dissemination of university collections, this study focuses on the representation of information based on the conviction that good metadata are essential for dissemination.
Motivational regulation and physical activity in future emergency responders – staying fit, healthy and safe in a demanding occupational context
Authors: Jenssen Ole Ragnar Norheim , Dillern Thomas
Published: August 2022

Purpose

To meet physically demanding occupational tasks, reduce occupational stress and work-related injuries and to uphold general health, emergency responders need to maintain a certain level of physical fitness. However, among emergency responders a career-long decreasing physical fitness constitutes a challenge. Based on the self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to explore if there is any relationship between motivational regulation and physical activity patterns among future emergency responders.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a survey design including two questionnaires: Sport Motivation Scale-2 (SMS-2) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ–SF), and 258 students at the Norwegian Police University College (NPUC) participated.

Findings

The authors’ findings revealed a significant relationship between motivational regulation and physical activity patterns amongst police students. The study reveals the value of the SDT in understanding exercise behaviour and physical activity adherence amongst emergency responders, and moreover, the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation, in the educational institutions, to increase physical activity and physical activity adherence throughout their career.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, there is limited research which uses the motivation theory to explain the development of physical fitness and health amongst emergency responders. With this approach, this study is something new to this discussion and should be of interest for both educational institutions and authorities managing emergency responders.
An empirical investigation of home buying behavior in a high-context culture: a strategic marketing-oriented approach
Authors: Kaynak Erdener , Kara Ali , Maksüdünov Azamat
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The housing/real estate sector is one of the most important sectors in any country. However, existing marketing literature on the home buying behavior and the decision-making process is still in the early stage of development. The purpose of this study is to examine the home buying behavior from the consumers’ perspective in a high-context culture, namely, Kyrgyzstan and its managerial and/or public policy implications to other countries which are at a similar level of socio-economic development as Kyrgyzstan.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a questionnaire, data for the study (n = 300) is collected from households in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Personal interviews were used to collect data from the four administrative regions of Bishkek.

Findings

Results of this study show that the physical, environmental and financial dimensions of the homes influenced consumers’ home buying intentions. A few statistically significant differences in terms of preferences for the proximity of the property to schools and shopping districts, having public sewer and water connections, and safety characteristics of the neighborhood were found between the first-time homebuyers and the repeat homebuyers.

Research limitations/implications

The most important limitation of the study is the use of convenience sampling. Although the sample size is reasonably large, the selection of the responses was done based on using convenience and connections. Representativeness of the results may be limited.

Practical implications

Along with the physical, environmental and financial dimensions of the homes, home buying is a high-involvement decision; it is not as much of an emotional purchase but rather a main residence and a good long-term value for Kyrgyz households. Both marketing and social stimuli did not have any statistically significant effect on purchase intentions. Therefore, housing and real estate developers should focus on understanding how their offering meets individual customers’ tangible and intangible expectations and assist them in their highly involved decision-making process.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to conduct an empirical study to analyze the home buying decisions of Kyrgyz households. This study contributes to marketing literature by filling the existing gaps in understanding various facets of the high-context consumers’ home buying decision-making.
Entrepreneurial tendencies in franchisors: evidence from India
Authors: Shah Gowsia , Saqib Natasha
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to develop an instrument that examines the franchisor as an entrepreneurial form. Although examining the entrepreneurial tendencies of the franchisors has been a central goal of the present research, the study also uncovers the factors that lead firms to offer franchises and promote franchisor growth.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from the population of franchisor organizations in India by following a survey approach. Statistical techniques including descriptive and inferential statistics like correlation and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The study results show that franchisors possess entrepreneurship traits and reveal entrepreneurial behavior. The study also provides empirical evidence toward various dimensions that contribute to franchisor growth.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the present study propose research implications toward clarification of the entrepreneurial position of the franchisors in the extensively unclear research area.

Originality/value

Considerable ambiguity surrounds franchisors’ activities running and managing their business as entrepreneurial firms. By indicating franchisors’ entrepreneurial traits, the study expatiates on major franchising and entrepreneurship literature arguments.
Study of machining parameters in reciprocating magnetorheological polishing process based on response surface methodology
Authors: Wang Rensheng , Sun Cong , Xiu Shichao , Liang Dongming , Li Bo
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the significance of machining parameters (workpiece’s rotational speed, magnet coil current and working gap) on final Ra (surface roughness) and material removal rate (MRR) of workpiece in reciprocating magnetorheological polishing (RMRP) process.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is planned to analyze, model and predict the optimum machining parameters to anticipate final Ra and MRR by applying response surface methodology (RSM) and multiresponse optimization (desirability function approach). The experiments have been planned by design of experiments (DOE). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is applied to determine the significances of machining parameters on RMRP performance characteristics.

Findings

Response surface plots for final Ra and MRR by RSM show that machining parameters are significant for the responses. The optimum machining parameters obtained are optimized by desirability function approach (DFA), and the optimum parametric combination has been validated by confirmatory experiments. The experimental results of the final Ra and MRR are deviated by 5.12% and 2.31% from the response results under the same optimization conditions, respectively.

Originality/value

In this study, the RMRP responses (final Ra and MRR) are improved at predicted input machining parameters condition obtained by RSM and DFA approach. Furthermore, the research results provide a reference for experimental design and optimization of MRP process.
A critical reflection on voluntary corporate non-financial and sustainability reporting and disclosure: lessons learnt from two case studies on integrated reporting
Authors: Pigatto Giacomo , Cinquini Lino , Dumay John , Tenucci Andrea
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to provide a critical assessment of developments in the field of voluntary corporate non-financial and sustainability reporting and disclosure (VRD). The assessment is grounded in the empirical material of a three-year research project on integrated reporting (IR).

Design/methodology/approach

Alvesson and Deetz’s (2021) critical management framework structures the arguments in this paper. By investigating local phenomena and the extant literature, the authors glean insights that they later critique, drawing on the empirical evidence collected during the research project. Transformative redefinitions are then proposed that point to future opportunities for research on voluntary organisational disclosures.

Findings

The authors argue that the mainstream approaches to VRD, namely, incremental information and legitimacy theories, present shortcomings in addressing why and how organisations voluntarily disclose information. First, the authors find that companies adopting the International IR Council’s (IIRC, 2021) IR framework tend to comply with the framework only in an informal, rather than a substantial way. Second, the authors find that, at times, organisations serendipitously chance upon VRD practices such as IR instead of rationally recognising the potential ability of such practices to provide useful information for decision-making by investors. Also, powerful groups in organisations may use VRD practices to establish, maintain or restore power balances in their favour.

Research limitations/implications

The paper’s limitations stem directly from its aim to be a critical reflection. Even when grounded on empirics, a reflection is mainly a subjective effort. Therefore, different researchers could come to different conclusions and offer different lessons from the two case studies.

Practical implications

The different rationales the authors found for VRD should make a case for reporting institutions to tone down any investor-centric rhetoric in favour of more substantial disclosures. The findings imply that reporting organisations should approach the different frameworks with a critical eye and read between the lines of these frameworks to determine whether the purported normative arguments are achievable practice.

Originality/value

The authors reflect on timely and relevant issues linked to recent developments in the VRD landscape. Further, the authors offer possible ways forward for critical research that may rely on different methodological choices, such as interventionist and post-structuralist research.
Donors’ attitude towards fundraising efforts in UAE during COVID-19 pandemic: the moderating role of ethics
Authors: Sarea Adel , Raza Rabbani Mustafa , Rahiman Habeeb Ur , Echchabi Abdelghani
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the antecedents of donors’ attitudes toward fundraising campaigns to fight COVID-19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the pandemic crisis. This manuscript identified how moderating effects of ethical dimensions can strengthen the relationship between trust in charity and charity projects with their attitude to raise funds to mitigate pandemic repercussions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study follows a quantitative approach by administering survey instruments to collect the data from the sample of respondents. A total of 391 responses were obtained adopting snowball sampling and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM) to derive meaningful results for path analysis.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that certain insights need to be considered to trigger the donors’ attitude toward raising or participating in charity-oriented campaigns, especially during pandemic situations. For instance, organizing more transformable processes in charity projects and establishing more trust factors among donors is highly essential in charity activities. Similarly, promoting ethical dimensions of the donors toward supporting the vulnerable more effectively and encouraging them to participate or organize philanthropic activities certainly benefit and support this noble cause.

Practical implications

This study will help the government and nonprofit organizations in devising their campaigns for raising funds. The findings of this study suggest that ethics is an important consideration and driver for donors in philanthropy-serving organizations and individuals.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on donation and philanthropic studies focusing on fundraising campaigns attitudes during COVID-19. This study contributes influential factors and attitudes of individuals and organizations toward charity and philanthropic service.
Evaluation of removal of acid dyes using PAM-FeSO4 hybrid polymer as flocculant
Authors: Shaki Hanieh
Published: August 2022

Purpose

In this study, the removal of a series of acid dyes by hybrid polymer adsorbent was investigated. Textile industry wastewater is mainly consisted of suspended solid particles and organic compounds with complex and nondecomposable structures. Treatment of such wastewaters has received much attention by researchers because of high water consumption and the presence of various chemical compounds, especially dyes. The use of polymers has recently attracted much attention for the treatment of textile wastewaters. According to the literature, hybrid polymers are highly capable of adsorbing dyes. In this research work, polyacrylamide/iron sulfate (PAM-FeSO4) hybrid polymer was successfully synthesized through solution polymerization of acrylamide with ammonium persulfate and sodium thiosulfate and gradual addition of iron sulfate. The hybrid polymeric adsorbent was then used for removing acidic dyes with different chemical structures.

Design/methodology/approach

The effects of various experimental conditions and parameters, such as initial concentrations of dye and adsorbent, on the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent were investigated. The dye concentration was measured by an UV–vis spectrophotometer. The adsorption equilibrium was studied by plotting adsorption isotherms. The experimental data was fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.

Findings

The adsorption experiments indicated that the PAM-FeSO4 hybrid polymer has a high adsorption capacity (117.64 mg g−1 for the Orange ІІ and 80.64 mg g−1 for the Sunset Yellow [SY]) when 80 mg of adsorbent was immersed in the dye solution (1 g L−1) with a pH of 11 at 25°C. The analysis of the equilibrium isotherms using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms indicated that the Langmuir model fit well to the experimental data.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is original. The removal of acid dyes such as Sunset Yellow and Methyl Orange using PAM-FeSO4 hybrid polymer as flocculant was done for the first time.
The scratch dilemma
Authors: López-Hernández Carlos , Chávez Ana Laura
Published: August 2022

Theoretical basis

Ethic code moral and ethic dilemma.

Research methodology

The case study is based on a series of in-depth interviews carried out with the owners and directors. The data were complemented by documentary analysis, including descriptions of internal processes, and industry information. The teaching note opted for an exploratory study using the open-ended approach of grounded theory.It is important to mention to the students that although the names of the characters and the company were modified for confidentiality reasons, the case actually happened.

Case overview/synopsis

Roberto Rodarte, an employee of Internet Architects Interactive, won a luxury car in a raffle from the hotel where he was staying in a business trip. Roberto decided to keep the car and did not inform the company of what had happened.The company did not have any established policies for these situations. Manuel de la Torre, a partner, thought that it would be fair if either Roberto give the car to the company Roberto, thought that the car belonged to him.The company decided to fire him. What could be done to avoid similar situations arising in the future?

Complexity academic level

The case can be used by administrative program students and Master of Business Administration students in courses such as management, good management practices, human resources, leadership and business ethics.
Air transportation and tourism interactions and actions for competitive destinations: the case of Cyprus
Authors: Liasidou Sotiroula , Garanti Zanete , Pipyros Kosmas
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Air connectivity is one of the most important aspects of tourism development, especially for island state destinations (ISD) which rely on air travel for accessibility. The complexity of the tourism industry necessitates close interaction among involved stakeholders to ensure successful policy implementation of air transportation operations that facilitate tourism mobility at a destination.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper self-administered questionnaires in a structured format were distributed to 200 managers. Additionally, seven unstructured follow-up interviews were conducted to enrich the content and better support the conclusions.

Findings

The results of the study suggest that air transportation and connectivity are not fully integrated with tourism policy and strategy planning. Yet it is crucial that a stakeholder approach is adopted that accounts for the needs of diverse stakeholders and airline strategies, along with a diversified tourism policy that can establish Cyprus as year-round destination.

Originality/value

The role of the airline industry in overall tourism strategy and policy is examined and the unique problems and challenges ISDs like Cyprus face in developing as a tourism destination and overcoming tourism seasonality are underlined.
Matrix quality determines the strength of habitat loss filtering on bird communities at the landscape scale
Authors: de Souza Leite Melina , Boesing Andrea Larissa , Metzger Jean Paul , Prado Paulo Inácio
Published: August 2022

Habitat loss represents a major threat to biodiversity, however, the modulation of its effects by the nonhabitat matrix surrounding habitat patches is still undervalued. The landscape matrix might change community assembly in different ways. For example, low‐quality matrices can accentuate environmental filtering by reducing resource availability and/or deteriorating abiotic conditions but they may also excessively limit dispersal of organisms and make communities more prone to ecological drift.

To understand how matrix quality modulates the effects of habitat loss, we quantified the relative importance of environmental filter and ecological drift in bird communities across more local (400 m buffer around sampling sites) and broader (2 km focal landscapes) gradients of habitat loss embedded in low‐ and high‐quality matrices. We used a trait‐based approach to understand habitat loss filtering effects on occurrences of forest specialist and habitat generalist birds.

We found that low‐quality matrices, composed mainly of low‐productive pasturelands, increased the severity of habitat loss filtering effects for forest specialist birds, but only at the landscape scale. Bird occurrences were in general higher in high‐quality matrices, that is, more heterogeneous and with low‐contrasting edges, indicating the role of the matrix quality in attenuating species extinction risks at the landscape scale, probably due to mass effect. Moreover, forest specialists presented a strong negative response to habitat loss filtering across different functional traits, while generalists presented a high variability in traits response to habitat loss.

Synthesis and applications: We raised evidence in supporting that landscape habitat loss filtering may be relaxed or reinforced depending on the quality of the matrix, evidencing that matrix quality has a strong impact in modulating community assembly processes in fragmented landscapes. In practical terms, it means that improving matrix quality may help in maintaining the high diversity of birds even without any increase in native forest cover.
Can microbes be harnessed to reduce atmospheric loads of greenhouse gases?
Authors: Ahn Yeah‐Ji , Lee Jong An , Choi Kyeong Rok , Bang Junho , Lee Sang Yup
Published: August 2022

Reducing atmospheric loads of greenhouse gases (GHGs), especially CO2 and CH4, has been considered the key to alleviating global crises we are facing, such as climate change, sea level elevation and ocean acidification. To this end, development of strategies and technologies for carbon capture, sequestration and utilization (CCSU) is urgently needed. Although physicochemical methods have been the most actively studied in the early stages of developing CCSU technologies, there have recently been growing interests in developing microbe‐based CCSU processes. In this article, we discuss advantages of microbe‐based CCSU technologies over physicochemical approaches and even plant‐based approaches. Next, various parts of the global carbon cycle where microorganisms can contribute, such as sequestering atmospheric GHGs, facilitating the carbon cycle, and slowing down the depletion of carbon reservoirs are described, emphasizing the impacts of microbes on the carbon cycle. Strategies to upgrade microbes and increase their performance in assimilating GHGs or converting GHGs to value‐added chemicals are also provided. Moreover, several examples of exploiting microbes to address environmental crises are discussed. Finally, we discuss things to overcome in microbe‐based CCSU technologies and provide future perspectives.
Nodulation and nitrogen fixation in Medicago truncatula strongly alters the abundance of its root microbiota and subtly affects its structure
Authors: Tkacz Andrzej , Ledermann Raphael , Martyn Anna , Schornack Sebastian , Oldroyd Giles E. D. , Poole Philip S.
Published: August 2022

The plant common symbiosis signalling (SYM) pathway has shared function between interactions with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, the two most important symbiotic interactions between plants and microorganisms that are crucial in plant and agricultural yields. Here, we determine the role of the plant SYM pathway in the structure and abundance of the microbiota in the model legume Medicago truncatula and whether this is controlled by the nitrogen or phosphorus status of the plant. We show that SYM mutants (dmi3) differ substantially from the wild type (WT) in the absolute abundance of the root microbiota, especially under nitrogen limitation. Changes in the structure of the microbiota were less pronounced and depended on both plant genotype and nutrient status. Thus, the SYM pathway has a major impact on microbial abundance in M. truncatula and also subtly alters the composition of the microbiota.
Ecophysiological and genomic analyses of a representative isolate of highly abundant Bacillus cereus strains in contaminated subsurface sediments
Authors: Goff Jennifer L. , Szink Elizabeth G. , Thorgersen Michael P. , Putt Andrew D. , Fan Yupeng , Lui Lauren M. , Nielsen Torben N. , Hunt Kristopher A. , Michael Jonathan P. , Wang Yajiao , Ning Daliang , Fu Ying , Van Nostrand Joy D. , Poole Farris L. , Chandonia John‐Marc , Hazen Terry C. , Stahl David A. , Zhou Jizhong , Arkin Adam P. , Adams Michael W. W.
Published: August 2022

Bacillus cereus strain CPT56D‐587‐MTF (CPTF) was isolated from the highly contaminated Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) subsurface. This site is contaminated with high levels of nitric acid and multiple heavy metals. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes (V4 region) in sediment from this area revealed an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) with 100% identity to the CPTF 16S rRNA sequence. Notably, this CPTF‐matching ASV had the highest relative abundance in this community survey, with a median relative abundance of 3.77% and comprised 20%–40% of reads in some samples. Pangenomic analysis revealed that strain CPTF has expanded genomic content compared to other B. cereus species—largely due to plasmid acquisition and expansion of transposable elements. This suggests that these features are important for rapid adaptation to native environmental stressors. We connected genotype to phenotype in the context of the unique geochemistry of the site. These analyses revealed that certain genes (e.g. nitrate reductase, heavy metal efflux pumps) that allow this strain to successfully occupy the geochemically heterogenous microniches of its native site are characteristic of the B. cereus species while others such as acid tolerance are mobile genetic element associated and are generally unique to strain CPTF.
Biodegradation of microplastic in freshwaters: A long‐lasting process affected by the lake microbiome
Authors: Taipale Sami J. , Vesamäki Jussi , Kautonen Petra , Kukkonen Jussi V. K. , Biasi Christina , Nissinen Riitta , Tiirola Marja
Published: August 2022

Plastics have been produced for over a century, but definitive evidence of complete plastic biodegradation in different habitats, particularly freshwater ecosystems, is still missing. Using 13C‐labelled polyethylene microplastics (PE‐MP) and stable isotope analysis of produced gas and microbial membrane lipids, we determined the biodegradation rate and fate of carbon in PE‐MP in different freshwater types. The biodegradation rate in the humic‐lake waters was much higher (0.45% ± 0.21% per year) than in the clear‐lake waters (0.07% ± 0.06% per year) or the artificial freshwater medium (0.02% ± 0.02% per year). Complete biodegradation of PE‐MP was calculated to last 100–200 years in humic‐lake waters, 300–4000 years in clear‐lake waters, and 2000–20,000 years in the artificial freshwater medium. The concentration of 18:1ω7, characteristic phospholipid fatty acid in Alpha‐ and Gammaproteobacteria, was a predictor of faster biodegradation of PE. Uncultured Acetobacteraceae and Comamonadaceae among Alpha‐ and Gammaproteobacteria, respectively, were major bacteria related to the biodegradation of PE‐MP. Overall, it appears that microorganisms in humic lakes with naturally occurring refractory polymers are more adept at decomposing PE than those in other waters.
The structure of ownership and control in organizations: does organizational identification attenuate the relationships of work‐to‐family conflict and job strain with job search behavior?
Authors: Park Rhokeun , Kim Minseo , Beehr Terry A
Published: August 2022

Based on conservation of resources theory, this study investigates how work‐to‐family conflict may lead to job strain and job search behavior. Using social identity theory, it also examines how organizational identification and worker cooperatives influence the relationships of both work‐to‐family conflict and job strain with job search behavior. Using a longitudinal data set of 305 employees in 25 worker cooperatives and 27 matched conventional corporations, we tested a set of hypotheses through multilevel moderated mediation and mediated moderation analyses. We found that worker cooperatives indirectly moderate, via organizational identification, the associations between work‐to‐family conflict and job search behavior and between job strain and job search behavior. Our findings suggest that the effects of work‐to‐family conflict and job strain on job search behavior may be contingent on the structure of ownership and control in organizations and the degree of employees' organizational identification.
Differences in the closeness of spatial relationship between Ricanidae in their prime and natural enemies in five kinds of tea gardens
Authors: Cheng Xian , Zhang Lin , Wu Xiaomeng , Xu Yue , Sun Jiazhao , Zhou Xiazhi , Zou Yunding , Bi Shoudong
Published: August 2022

To identify the natural enemy species which are close to Ricanidae in spatial relationship and to provide scientific basis for biological control and reasonable protection of natural enemies, geostatistics and the angular cosine coefficient method were used to analyze the population of Ricanidae in their prime and their natural enemies in the Anji white tea garden, the Longjing43 tea garden, the Nongkangzao tea garden, the Pingyangtezao tea garden and the Wuniuzao tea garden. The spatial relationship between six natural enemies and Ricanidae was also studied. The angular cosine coefficients were normalized to obtain the intimacy index. According to the sum of the intimacy index and the serial number of the intimacy index of each natural enemy in five tea gardens, the following conclusions could be drawn: the top three natural enemies closely related to Ricanidae in spatial relationship were Clubiona reichlini, Clubiona japonicola and Misumenops tricuspidatus; at least two species of the top three natural enemies in each tea garden were the same as the top three natural enemies in the comprehensive analysis of the five tea gardens; one of the factors that determined the spatial relationship between natural enemies and Ricanidae was the ratio of the number of Ricanidae and natural enemies. The results of this study identified the spider species of natural enemies which should be rationally used and protected in the five tea gardens.