bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endosomes deliver ceramide phosphoethanolamine with unique acyl chain 2 anchors to the cleavage furrow during male meiotic cytokinesis
Authors: Kunduri Govind , Le Si-Hung , Baena Valentina , Vijaykrishna Nagampalli , Harned Adam , Nagashima Kunio , Blankenberg Daniel , Yoshihiro Izumi , Narayan Kedar , Bamba Takeshi , Acharya Usha , Acharya Jairaj K.
Published: March 2022

This manuscript has been withdrawn following erroneous duplicate posting. The appropriate version is available at 10.1101/2021.04.27.441622.
First assessment of Iranian pomegranate germplasm using targeted metabolites and morphological traits to develop the core collection and modeling of the current and future spatial distribution under climate change conditions
Authors: Farsi Maryam , Kalantar Mansoor , Zeinalabedini Mehrshad , Vazifeshenas Mohammad Reza
Published: March 2022

Pomegranate has been considered a medicinal plant due to its rich nutrients and bioactive compounds. Since environmental conditions affect the amount and composition of metabolites, selecting suitable locations for cultivation would be vital to achieve optimal production. In this study, the diversity of targeted metabolites and morphological traits among 152 Iranian pomegranate genotypes was evaluated to establish a core collection. The multivariate analyses were conducted including principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis. In addition, the current and future geographical distribution of pomegranate in Iran was predicted to identify suitable locations using the MaxEnt model. The results showed high diversity in the studied morphological and metabolic traits. The PCA results indicated that FFS, NFT, JA, and AA are the most important traits in discriminating the studied genotypes. A constructed core collection using maximization strategy consisted of 20 genotypes and accounted for 13.16% of the entire collection. Shannon-Weaver diversity index of a core collection was similar or greater than the entire collection. Evaluation of the core collection using four parameters of MD, VD, CR, and VR also indicated the maintenance of the genetic diversity of the original set. According to the MaxEnt model, altitude, average temperature of coldest quarter, and isothertmality were the key factors for the distribution of pomegranate. The most suitable areas for pomegranate cultivation were also determined which were located in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. The geographic distribution of pomegranate in the future showed that the main provinces of pomegranate cultivation would be less affected by climatic conditions by the middle of the century. The results of this study provide valuable information for selection of elite genotypes to develop the breeding programs to obtain the cultivars with the highest levels of metabolic compounds for pharmaceutical purposes, as well as identification of the most suitable agro-ecological zones for orchard establishment.
Formulation of substrates with agricultural and forestry wastes for Camellia oleifera Abel seedling cultivation
Authors: Wang Nianjin , Zhou Fei , Zhang Jinping , Yao Xiaohua , Zhang Xiaofeng , Zhan Lingyan , Li Jieman
Published: March 2022

Abstracts

Five compound substrates for the cultivation of Camellia oleifera Abel seedlings were obtained by substituting the peats in conventional substrate formulas with the composts of Camellia oleifera shell, pine chips, palm fiber residues, chicken manure, and sheep manure. The changes in the physical and chemical properties of the substrate after seedling cultivation were determined and the effects of these substrates on the development of Camellia oleifera seedling were analyzed. It was found that the survival rates of the one-year-old seedlings produced from stem cuttings in all groups were greater than 97.5% after 6 months cultivation. The seedlings exhibited greater seedling heights, larger ground diameters, longer root systems and larger total root volume than those obtained with conventional substrates. The compound substrate formulated with the compost of Camellia oleifera shell+ palm fiber residue+ chicken manure (A3), vermiculite and perlite (6:3:1) is the most optimal, which gives the 100% survival rate of cultivated seedlings, the greatest seedling heights, and the largest ground diameters. In particular, the ground diameters and 26.67% of the seedling heights reach the grade 1 standard for the two-year-old seedlings.
Oxidative phosphorylation pathway disruption is an alternative pathological mechanism leading to Diamond-Blackfan anemia
Authors: Xiao Rudan , Zhang Lijuan , Xin Zijuan , Zhu Junwei , Zhang Qian , Chu Siyun , Wu Jing , Zhang Lu , Wan Yang , Chen Xiaojuan , Yuan Weiping , Zhang Zhaojun , Zhu Xiaofan , Fang Xiangdong
Published: March 2022

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by the failure of erythroid progenitor differentiation; however, the molecular mechanisms leading to erythroid defects remain unclear. By analyzing the transcriptomic profiles of bone marrow from patients with DBA (n = 10), we identified the dysfunction of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway as a possible cause of DBA. We established a DBA cell model using differentiating hematopoietic stem progenitor cells in which the OXPHOS pathway was suppressed to completely recapitulate the defects in erythroid progenitor differentiation, ribosome biogenesis, and heme biosynthesis, which are representative characteristics of patients with DBA. Disruption of the OXPHOS pathway led to ribosomal defects and associated erythroid defects via abolishment of the Ran GTPase activating protein RanGAP1, which is pivotal in the RNA transport pathway. The composition of the ribosomal proteins in the established DBA cells was unchanged, but an overall reduction in ribosomal protein levels was observed, leading to an alteration in the translation of a subset of transcripts specific to erythropoiesis. We revealed that the OXPHOS pathway participates in erythropoiesis, particularly at an early stage, and reinforced the relationship between the OXPHOS pathway and erythropoiesis. Coenzyme Q10, an activator of OXPHOS, largely rescued the erythroid defects in DBA cells. Our results reveal that OXPHOS repression is an alternative pathological mechanism leading to DBA, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic pathway.

Key Points

Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway disruption is an alternative pathological mechanism underlying Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA).

Suppression of OXPHOS leads to defects in erythropoiesis and ribosomal biogenesis via the RanGAP1 protein.
The Regulatory Mendelian Mutation score for GRCh38
Authors: Nazaretyan Lusiné , Kircher Martin , Schubach Max
Published: March 2022

Motivation

Various genome sequencing efforts for individuals with rare Mendelian disease have increased the research focus on the non-coding genome and the clinical need for methods that prioritize potentially disease causal non-coding variants. Some methods and annotations are not available for the current human genome build (GRCh38), for which the adoption in databases, software and pipelines was slow.

Results

Here, we present an updated version of the Regulatory Mendelian Mutation (ReMM) score, re-trained on features and variants derived from the GRCh38 genome build. Like its GRCh37 version, it achieves good performance on its highly imbalanced data. To improve accessibility and provide users with a toolbox to score their variant files and lookup scores in the genome, we developed a website and API for easy score lookup.

Availability and Implementation

Pre-scored whole genome files of GRCh37 and GRCh38 genome builds are available on Zenodo https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6576087. The website and API are available at https://remm.bihealth.org.
Interferon-induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization and death cause cDC1-deserts in tumors
Authors: Aerakis E. , Chatzigeorgiou A. , Alvanou M. , Matthaiakaki-Panagiotaki M. , Angelidis I. , Koumadorakis D. , Galaras A. , Hatzis P. , Kerdidani D. , Makridakis M. , Vlachou A. , Malissen B. , Henri S. , Merad M. , Tsoumakidou M.
Published: March 2022

T cell immunity requires antigen capture by conventional dendritic cells (cDCs), digestion and transfer to draining lymph nodes for presentation to antigen-inexperienced T cells. cDCs type I excel as cancer-antigen presenting cells, due to their ability to phagocytose, slowly digest apoptotic cancer cells and translocate cancer antigens to the cytosol for loading to MHCI and cross-presentation to CD8 T cells1–3. In tumor tissues cDCs1 become particularly scarce and this restricts anti-tumour immunity, immunotherapy responses and patient survival4–8. Tumor cDC1 paucity is not fully understood and no specific treatment currently exists. Here, we find that type I interferons (IFN) induce lysosomal stress, lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) and lysosomal-dependent cell death (LDCD) in cDCs1. Two parallel pathways downstream of IFNAR1 converged to induce cDC1 LDCD. Up-regulation of expression of lysosomal genes enhanced the proteolytic activity of lysosomes, while IFN-inducible guanylate binding protein-2 (GBP-2) accumulated in the membrane of the stressed lysosomes, leading to LMP, proteolytic enzyme release and death. Protease inhibition or GBP-2 repression rescued cDCs1 from LDCD and boosted their anti-tumor efficacy. GBPs are amongst the most abundant IFN-induced genes and known to form toxic pores in pathogen-containing vacuoles and pathogen membranes9. GBP-2-driven LMP is likely due to the ability of GBP-2 to form pores on the lysosomes of cDC1s. This might have evolved as a physiological mechanism of antigen translocation to the cytosol for cross-presentation10. We anticipate our findings to be a starting point for more rational cDC1-directed immunotherapies. For instance, protease inhibition, GBP-2 downregulation or induced expression of LMP repair machinery may boost cDC1 efficacy in adoptive cell therapies or their use as live vaccines11–13.
Neutrophils initiate the destruction of the olfactory epithelium during SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters
Authors: Clara Bourgon , Audrey St Albin , Ophélie Ando-Grard , Bruno Da Costa , Roxane Domain , Brice Korkmaz , Bernard Klonjkowski , Sophie Le Poder , Nicolas Meunier
Published: March 2022

The loss of smell related to SARS-CoV-2 infection is one of the most prevalent symptoms of COVID-19. It is now clear that this symptom is related to the massive infection by SARS-CoV-2 of the olfactory epithelium leading to its desquamation. However, the molecular mechanism behind the destabilization of the olfactory epithelium is less clear. Using golden Syrian hamster, we show here that while apoptosis remains at a low level in damaged infected epithelium, the latter is invaded by innate immunity cells. By depleting the neutrophil population or blocking the activity of neutrophil elastase-like proteinases, we reduced the damage induced by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Surprisingly, the impairment of neutrophil activity led to a decrease of SARS-CoV-2 infection levels in the nasal cavity. Our results indicate a counterproductive role of neutrophils leading to the release of infected cells in the lumen of the nasal cavity and thereby enhanced spreading of the virus.
Pulmonary lesions following inoculation with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) variant in Syrian golden hamsters
Authors: Rissmann Melanie , Noack Danny , van Riel Debby , Schmitz Katharina S. , de Vries Rory D. , van Run Peter , Lamers Mart M. , GeurtsvanKessel Corine H. , Koopmans Marion P. G. , Fouchier Ron A. M. , Kuiken Thijs , Haagmans Bart L. , Rockx Barry
Published: March 2022

The Omicron BA.1 (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant is characterized by a high number of mutations in the viral genome, associated with immune-escape and increased viral spread. It remains unclear whether milder COVID-19 disease progression observed after infection with Omicron BA.1 in humans is due to reduced pathogenicity of the virus or due to pre-existing immunity from vaccination or previous infection. Here, we inoculated hamsters with Omicron BA.1 to evaluate pathogenicity and kinetics of viral shedding, compared to Delta (B.1.617.2) and to animals re-challenged with Omicron BA.1 after previous SARS-CoV-2 614G infection. Omicron BA.1 infected animals showed reduced clinical signs, pathological changes, and viral shedding, compared to Delta-infected animals, but still showed gross- and histopathological evidence of pneumonia. Pre-existing immunity reduced viral shedding and protected against pneumonia. Our data indicate that the observed decrease of disease severity is in part due to intrinsic properties of the Omicron BA.1 variant.
Decision uncertainty during hypothesis testing enhances memory accuracy for incidental information
Authors: Shen Xinxu , Ballard Ian C. , Smith David V. , Murty Vishnu P.
Published: March 2022

Humans actively seek information to reduce uncertainty, providing insight on how our decisions causally affect the world. While we know that episodic memories can help support future goal-oriented behaviors, little is known about how hypothesis testing during exploration influences episodic memory. To investigate this question, we designed a hypothesis testing paradigm, in which participants figured out rules to unlock treasure chests. Using this paradigm, we characterized how hypothesis testing during exploration influenced memory for the contents of the treasure chests. We found that there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between decision uncertainty and memory, such that memory was best when decision uncertainty was moderate. An exploratory analysis also showed that surprising outcomes lead to lower memory confidence independent of accuracy. These findings support a model in which moderate decision uncertainty during hypothesis testing enhances incidental information encoding.
X-ray zooming optics for analyzer-based multi-contrast computed tomography
Authors: Hirano Keiichi , Sugiyama Hiroshi , Nishimura Ryutaro , Wakabayashi Daisuke , Suzuki Yoshio , Igarashi Noriyuki , Funamori Nobumasa
Published: March 2022

An X-ray analyzer-based optics with a zoom function is proposed for observing various samples with apparent-absorption contrast, phase contrast and scattering contrast. The proposed X-ray optics consists of a collimator crystal and an analyzer crystal arranged in a nondispersive (+, −) geometry with a sample placed between them. For the implementation of the zoom function, an asymmetrically cut crystal in the rotated-inclined geometry was used for the analyzer. Proof-of-principle experiments were performed at the vertical wiggler beamline BL-14B of the Photon Factory. First, the magnification was set to 1×, and then it was zoomed into the optimal magnification (10×). At these magnifications, tri-modal contrast cross-sectional images of a sample were obtained by computed tomography. It was confirmed that the image quality at 10× was superior to that at 1×. This achievement opens up new possibilities for observing an entire sample or regions of interest within a sample at optimal magnification, and is expected to be useful for materials science, condensed matter physics, archeology and biomedical science.
Investigation of crystal structures, energetics and isostructurality in halogen-substituted phosphoramidates
Authors: Hasija Avantika , Som Shubham , Chopra Deepak
Published: March 2022

A total of 14 compounds, one unsubstituted and 13 halogen-substituted phosphoramidates, have been synthesized from unsubstituted and halogenated (fluoro-, difluoro-, chloro-, bromo-, iodo-substituted) aniline and diphenyl phosphoryl chloride to investigate their molecular assembly in solid-state structures. Amongst them, six groups were formed based on similarities in unit-cell dimensions, space group and molecular assembly of the crystal. The analysis reveals that all the crystal structures contain robust N—H...O hydrogen bonds which are the primary building blocks with ancillary interactions such as C—H...O, C—H...π, C—H...F/Cl/Br/I, F...F, F...π, I...π, Br...π, I...O and Br...O. The role of short and directional C—H...O and C—H...π interactions providing significant stabilization to the densely packed crystalline arrangement is discussed. The contribution of these interactions in stabilizing the crystalline assembly was deduced via computing total interaction energy between dimers and the overall lattice energies using the computer programs Crystal Explorer 17.5 and PIXELC, respectively. Additionally, the occurrence of 3D isostructurality in phosphoradimates and their halogenated analogs was investigated using the XPac program. A comparison of the magnitudes of the torsion angles in the compounds substantiates the role of conformational flexibility in the solid state.
Revisiting the antiferromagnetic structure of Tb14Ag51: the importance of distinguishing alternative symmetries for a multidimensional order parameter
Authors: Pomjakushin Vladimir , Perez-Mato Juan Manuel , Fischer Peter , Keller Lukas , Sikora Wiesława
Published: March 2022

The antiferromagnetic structure of Tb14Ag51 with the propagation vector [1/3, 1/3, 0] and the parent space group P6/m is revisited using both magnetic symmetry and irreducible representation arguments. A new magnetic structure under the hexagonal Shubnikov magnetic space group P
6′ which fits much better the experimental data is found. This new solution was obtained by constraining the spin arrangement to one of the three possible magnetic space groups of maximal symmetry that can be realized by a magnetic ordering transforming according to the four-dimensional physically irreducible representation that is known to be relevant in this magnetic phase. The refined model, parameterized under P
6′, implicitly includes the presence of a third harmonic with the propagation vector at the gamma point [0, 0, 0], which has an important weight in the final result. The structure consists of 13 symmetry-independent Tb magnetic moments with the same size of 8.48 (2) μB, propagating cycloidally in the ab plane. The modulation has a substantial deviation from being purely sinusoidal due to the contribution of the mentioned third harmonic.
Bis(catecholato-κ2
O,O′)bis(dimethyl sulfoxide-κO)titanium(IV)
Authors: Hewage Nisansala , Mastriano Carolyn , Brückner Christian , Zeller Matthias
Published: March 2022

Bis(benzene-1,2-diolato-κ2
O,O′)bis(dimethyl sulfoxide-κO)titanium(IV), [Ti(C6H4O2)2(C2H6OS)2], crystallizes with two crystallographically independent molecules in the space group P21/c emulating orthorhombic Pbca symmetry (β = 90.0445 (9)°]. The two molecules are related by pseudo-glide symmetry, broken by modulation of each one catecholate and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) ligand. Twinning by pseudomerohedry was observed [twin ratio 0.5499 (7):0.4401 (7)]. Complex 3 was obtained by heating of diprotonated titanium tris-catecholate precursor 2H
in DMSO, by formal displacement of a catechol molecule by two DMSO molecules. Complex 3 is just the second heteroleptic, mono-nuclear, neutral bis-catecholate complex with TiO6 metal coordination, the only other one being its bis-DMF analogue 6. The two molecules of 3 exhibit a distorted octahedral geometry. The geometry and distortions from ideal symmetry of 3 are discussed and compared to 6 and to cationic tris-catecholate titanium complexes.
The development of a digitally enhanced visual inspection framework for masonry bridges in the UK
Authors: Talebi Saeed , Wu Song , Al-Adhami Mustafa , Shelbourn Mark , Serugga Joas
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The utilisation of emerging technologies for the inspection of bridges has remarkably increased. In particular, non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies are deemed a potential alternative for costly, labour-intensive, subjective and unsafe conventional bridge inspection regimes. This paper aims to develop a framework to overcome conventional inspection regimes' limitations by deploying multiple NDT technologies to carry out digital visual inspections of masonry railway bridges.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts an exploratory case study approach, and the empirical data is collected through exploratory workshops, interviews and document reviews. The framework is implemented and refined in five masonry bridges as part of the UK railway infrastructure. Four NDT technologies, namely, terrestrial laser scanner, infrared thermography, 360-degree imaging and unmanned aerial vehicles, are used in this study.

Findings

A digitally enhanced visual inspection framework is developed by using complementary optical methods. Compared to the conventional inspection regimes, the new approach requires fewer subjective interpretations due to the additional qualitative and quantitative analysis. Also, it is safer and needs fewer operators on site, as the actual inspection can be carried out remotely.

Originality/value

This research is a step towards digitalising the inspection of bridges, and it is of particular interest to transport agencies and bridge inspectors and can potentially result in revolutionising the bridge inspection regimes and guidelines.
The effect of XBRL adoption on corporate tax avoidance: empirical evidence from an emerging country
Authors: Saragih Arfah Habib , Ali Syaiful
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to study the impact of the adoption of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) on corporate tax avoidance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used a quantitative method with panel data regression models using a sample of firms listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2018.

Findings

The regression results demonstrate that XBRL implementation does not have any impact on corporate tax avoidance. The results indicate that tax avoidance is not reduced following XBRL adoption. This report shows unexpected and unfavourable outcomes of XBRL financial reporting in a developing country.

Research limitations/implications

This study employs a sample of firms from one emerging country only.

Practical implications

The study proposes several implications for using XBRL in tax reporting, which may help the tax authorities reduce tax avoidance. Regulators need to develop adequate taxonomies with standardized extensions related to tax information in the XBRL format. They include tax tags from financial statements and tax tags from the disclosure section, to gain more comprehensive corporate tax information.

Originality/value

This study proposes and tests an explanation for the effect of XBRL adoption on corporate tax avoidance in the context of a developing country.
The effect of corporate lobbying on fraud and money laundering
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Norouzi Fatemeh
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to assess the effect of corporate lobbying power on fraud and money laundering in listed firms on the Tehran Stock Exchange. For the study, the information of 173 firms is assessed during 2013–2020, and a total number of 1,384 year-companies are analysed.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the Beneish model is used for fraud detection, and the clause of the auditor’s report on money laundering is used for the variable of money laundering. The multivariate regression, Logistic regression, the fixed effects of panel data, additional random effects tests, Hausman, least generalised squares and T + 1 are used by using the Stata Software.

Findings

The obtained results indicate a direct and significant relationship between lobbying and fraud and lobbying and money laundering. Suppose the board members of firms are among the parliament members or the government cabinet (politicians) and/or major shareholders affiliated with state-owned and/or quasi-governmental institutions. In that case, the likelihood of corporate lobbying will be increased.

Originality/value

The outcomes of the current study give great insight to developing countries due to the high volume of money laundering to reduce such a financial crime.
Navigating the emergence of brand meaning in service ecosystems
Authors: Baker Jonathan J. , Fehrer Julia A. , Brodie Roderick J.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify how brand meaning evolves as an emergent property through the cocreation processes of stakeholders on multiple levels of a brand's service ecosystem. This provides new insight into the intersection between brands, consumers and society, and emphasizes the institutionally situated nature of brand meaning cocreation processes. It further lays a holistic foundation for a much-needed discussion on purpose-driven branding.

Design/methodology/approach

Combining the ecosystem perspective of branding with the concept of social emergence allows clarification of brand meaning cocreation at different levels of aggregation. Emergence means collective phenomena – like social structures, concepts, preferences, states, mechanisms, laws and brand meaning – manifest from the interactions of individuals. Drawing on Sawyer's (2005) social emergence perspective, the authors propose a processual multi-level framework to explore brand meaning emergence.

Findings

Our framework spans five levels of brand meaning emergence: individual (e.g. employees and customers); interactional (e.g. where work teams or friend groups interact); relational (e.g. where internal and external actors meet); strategic (e.g. markets and strategic alliances); and systemic (e.g. regulators, NGOs and society). It acknowledges that brand positioning is an inherently co-creative process of negotiating value propositions and aligning behaviors and beliefs among broad sets of actors, as opposed to a firm-centric task.

Originality/value

Service research has only recently embraced a macro–micro perspective of branding processes. This paper extends that perspective by paying attention to the nested service ecosystems in which brand meaning emerges and the degree to which this process can (and cannot) be navigated by individual actors.
Is social media marketing worth it for luxury brands? The dual impact of brand page satisfaction and brand love on word-of-mouth and attitudinal loyalty intentions
Authors: Song Sanga , Kim Hye-Young
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationships between customer perceptions of luxury companies’ brand pages (i.e. brand page value and self-expressive brands) and customers’ affective (i.e. brand page satisfaction and brand love) and behavioral (i.e. word-of-mouth [WOM] and attitudinal loyalty intentions) responses.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data of 290 social media users in the USA who followed at least one luxury brand on social media.

Findings

The results demonstrated that consumers’ brand page satisfaction, influenced by the brand page’s information and entertainment value, was related to brand love and WOM intentions. Meanwhile, brand love – defined as emotional devotion to a brand – was influenced by self-expressive brands and was positively related to both WOM and attitudinal loyalty intentions.

Originality/value

This study identifies a set of customer perceptions that drive consumers’ affective and behavioral responses and that can be used to guide luxury brands to best use their brand pages on social media. By developing and testing a dual-impact model consisting of brand page satisfaction and brand love, this study provides practical directions for luxury brand managers and marketers who wish to transform their followers into both brand advocates who elevate the brand through WOM communications and loyal customers who are committed to affiliating with and supporting the brand.
Revitalising the enterprise university post-COVID 19: a focus on business schools
Authors: O'Connell Brendan , Tharapos Meredith , De Lange Paul , Beatson Nicola
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide a polemic on the evolution of universities and business schools over the past two decades. During this period, universities have increasingly adopted a self-interested stance using business-like practices and behaviours to justify their transformation. The authors provide recommendations aimed at enhancing universities’ contributions and relevance to society, increasing their sustainability broadly defined and better positioning them to help solve wicked problems in a post-COVID-19 world.

Design/methodology/approach

This polemic analyses prior literature relating to the evolution of universities and uses this to generate a framework for ways forward for their improvement.

Findings

The authors argue that the evolution of universities into entities with missions and operations designed to mimic business and commercial imperatives has yielded undesirable outcomes including the muddling of the core mission of universities, alienation of key stakeholders and an excessive focus on income growth. Business schools face a tension between forging their own, unique identities and simultaneously striving to meet university university objectives. We term this “the Business School identity paradox”. The authors contend that the way forward requires senior management to re-discover the essence of what it means to be a university, re-establish collegial decision-making within universities that includes built-in feedback loops and a fundamental emphasis on developing graduates with an enlightened perspective that goes beyond technical skills.

Originality/value

This paper is novel in that it analyses the evolution of the “Enterprise University” some 20 years after this term was first coined and in a radically changed environment following the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis is also forward-looking as the authors re-imagine universities and business schools by identifying opportunities for renewal and improvement in their focus and societal impact. The authors also develop a schema that identifies major influences on universities and business schools, the impact of COVID-19 and strategies for them post-COVID-19.
Development and characterization of biodegradable film from marine red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii)
Authors: Rajasekar Veeramani , Karthickumar Paramasivan , Rose Ashokkumar Hozen Richhie , Manimmehalai Nagarajan , Subhasri Dharmaraj
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was carried out to explore the potential use of carrageenan extracted from marine red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) collected from Munaikadu, Mandapam region, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu.

Design/methodology/approach

Biodegradable film was developed by using carrageenan extracted by using alcohol extraction method. To improve the mechanical properties of the film, rice starch was incorporated. The biodegradable films were made by phase inversion method with varied carrageenan concentration of 1%, 1.5% and 2% (w/v) and rice starch with concentration of 0%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% (w/v). Physical properties, optical properties, mechanical properties and other properties such as biodegradability, solubility and water vapor permeability of the developed biodegradable films were characterized. The results were analyzed in design expert software using Box–Behnken design.

Findings

Results show that the biodegradable film’s mechanical and water vapor permeability increases with an increase in carrageenan and rice starch concentration. The optimized film structure was obtained with carrageenan and rice starch composition of 1.5% and 2%, respectively.

Originality/value

The results shown a broad spectrum of commercial applications and future rice starch possibilities incorporated in the carrageenan-based biodegradable film.
Performance analysis of shell and helical tube heat exchanger using CuO/water and Al2O3/water nanofluids
Authors: Soni Palash , Verma Fanindra Kumar , Ranjan Ranjeet , Gaba Vivek Kumar
Published: March 2022

Purpose

A computational fluid dynamics based parametric analysis for shell and helical tube heat exchanger (SHTHE) using CuO/water and Al2O3/water nanofluids is the main purpose of the present work. The parameters having impact on the performance of a heat exchanger have been studied in depth. As the solid nanoparticle shows higher thermal conductivity compared to liquid particles, inclusion of this nanoparticle into the base fluid significantly enhances the thermal conductivity of the liquid. Incorporation of nanofluid in the heat exchanger can increase its performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The simulation is performed in Solid-Works flow simulation, and the performance of SHTHE is observed by varying the pitch of helical tube from 0.013 to 0.018 m and coil diameter from 0.0813 to 0.116 m, keeping the other parameters constant. The tube side and shell side flow rate is kept as 2 LPM.

Findings

The results indicate that the effectiveness of the heat exchanger increases with the increase of pitch and coil diameter. The maximum effectiveness of 0.5022 for CuO/water and 0.4928 for Al2O3/water nanofluid is observed at a pitch of 0.018 m and the coil diameter of 0.116 m.

Originality/value

It is observed that CuO/water nanofluid shows better performance compared with Al2O3/water nanofluid. For a coil diameter of 0.116 m and pitch of 0.018 m, the SHTHE with CuO/water nanofluid shows 1.82% greater effectiveness compared to the effectiveness with Al2O3/water nanofluid.
Bacteriophage S6 requires bacterial cellulose for Erwinia amylovora infection
Authors: Knecht Leandra E. , Heinrich Nadine , Born Yannick , Felder Katja , Pelludat Cosima , Loessner Martin J. , Fieseler Lars
Published: March 2022

Bacteriophages are highly selective in targeting bacteria. This selectivity relies on the specific adsorption of phages to the host cell surface. In this study, a Tn5 transposon mutant library of Erwinia amylovora, the causative agent of fire blight, was screened to identify bacterial receptors required for infection by the podovirus S6. Phage S6 was unable to infect mutants with defects in the bacterial cellulose synthase operon (bcs). The Bcs complex produces and secretes bacterial cellulose, an extracellular polysaccharide associated with bacterial biofilms. Deletion of the bcs operon or associated genes (bcsA, bcsC and bcsZ) verified the crucial role of bacterial cellulose for S6 infection. Application of the cellulose binding dye Congo Red blocked infection by S6. We demonstrate that infective S6 virions degraded cellulose and that Gp95, a phage‐encoded cellulase, is involved to catalyse the reaction. In planta S6 did not significantly inhibit fire blight symptom development. Moreover, deletion of bcs genes in E. amylovora did not affect bacterial virulence in blossom infections, indicating that sole application of cellulose targeting phages is less appropriate to biologically control E. amylovora. The interplay between cellulose synthesis, host cell infection and maintenance of the host cell population is discussed.
Clathrin heavy chain is essential for the development and reproduction of Locusta migratoria
Authors: Shi Xuekai , Li Shuai , Yang Lin , Liu Xiaojian , Merzendorfer Hans , Zhu Kun Yan , Zhang Jianzhen
Published: March 2022

Clathrin heavy chain (Chc) is a constituent of clathrin‐coated vesicles and serves important functions in endocytosis and intracellular membrane trafficking but appears to have physiological roles also at the organismal level. Most of what we know about Chc functions originates from studies performed in fungal or vertebrate cells. However, the physiological functions of Chc in insects remain poorly understood. Here, we identified a Chc ortholog from a Locusta migratoria transcriptome database. RT‐qPCR revealed that LmChc was constitutively expressed in fifth‐instar nymphs. In this developmental stage, LmChc showed the highest expression in the ovary followed by hemolymph, testis, hindgut, midgut, and foregut. In isolated hemocytes, we detected the Chc protein in patches at the plasma membrane. To examine the role of LmChc in L. migratoria during development, RNA interference was performed by injecting dsRNA into the early fifth‐instar nymphs. Silencing of LmChc caused a lethal phenotype with molting defect from nymph to adult. In addition, silencing of LmChc resulted in abnormal development of the ovaries, the size of which was significantly smaller than that in controls. Taken together, our results suggest that LmChc is a vital gene in L. migratoria that plays an important role in growth, development, and reproduction. LmChc may be used as an efficient RNAi target gene for developing dsRNA‐based biological insecticides to manage insect pests.
Testing the systematic status of Homalictus and Rostrohalictus with weakened cross‐vein groups within Halictini (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) using low‐coverage whole‐genome sequencing
Authors: Zhang Dan , Niu Ze‐Qing , Luo A‐Rong , Orr Michael C. , Ferrari Rafael R. , Jin Jian‐Feng , Wu Qing‐Tao , Zhang Feng , Zhu Chao‐Dong
Published: March 2022

The halictid genus Lasioglossum, as one of the most species‐rich bee groups with persistently contentious subgeneric boundaries, is one of the most challenging bee groups from a systematic standpoint. An enduring question is the relationship of Lasioglossum and Homalictus, whether all halictine bees with weakened distal wing venation comprise one or multiple genera. Here, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationships among the subgroups within Lasioglossum s.l. based on thousands of single‐copy orthologs and ultraconserved elements, which were extracted from 23 newly sequenced low‐coverage whole genomes alongside a published genome (22 ingroups plus 2 outgroups). Both marker sets provided consistent results across maximum likelihood and coalescent‐based species tree approaches. The phylogenetic and topology test results show that the Lasioglossum and Hemihalictus series are reciprocally monophyletic and Homalictus and Rostrohalictus are valid subgenera of Lasioglossum. Consequently, we lower Homalictus to subgenus status within Lasioglossum again, and we also raise Rostrohalictus to subgenus status from its prior synonymy with subgenus Hemihalictus. Lasioglossum przewalskyi is also transferred to the subgenus Hemihalictus. Ultimately, we redefine Lasioglossum to include all halictine bees with weakened distal wing venation.
Germinated chickpea–maize extrudates with high protein content and reduced starch digestibility
Authors: Serrano‐Sandoval Sayra N. , Guardado‐Félix Daniela , De la Rosa‐Millán Julián , Heredia‐Olea Erick , Gutiérrez‐Uribe Janet A.
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to produce maize extrudates supplemented with germinated chickpea flour to increase the contents of resistant starch (RS) and protein. Six extrudates were formulated using maize grits (ME), germinated chickpea flour (GCE) and different blends of maize and 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% of germinated chickpea flour (MGCE‐10, MGCE‐20, MGCE‐30, or MGCE‐40). Increase of RS was observed in the defatted samples due to germinated chickpea flour addition. In the nondefatted samples, the highest content of RS was observed in GCE followed by ME and the different MGCE. Interaction between fat, starch, and protein by improved intramolecular association was assessed by Fourier transform‐ infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Amylose–lipid complexes in nondefatted samples increased the content of RS in comparison to defatted samples. The highest expansion index was obtained in MGCE‐30 and MGCE‐40. ME had the highest hardness and crispiness. Germinated chickpea flour increased the water absorption index (WAI), but reduced water solubility index (WSI) when it was combined with maize grits to produce extrudates. The in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) was higher in the GCE and MGCE with more than 20% of germinated chickpea flour compared to ME. MGCE‐20 and MGCE‐30 showed the highest acceptability of the supplemented extrudates with 50% more protein than ME, a similar IVPD to that of GCE, and good functional characteristics.

Practical Application

Combining maize and germinated chickpea flour is a good strategy to have a controlled digestibility of starch and increase the plant based protein content in healthier snacks.
Characterization of a novel squalene‐rich oil: Pachira macrocarpa seed oil
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Chen Mingshun , Liu Chengmei , Liang Ruihong , Shuai Xixiang , Chen Jun
Published: March 2022

Pachira macrocarpa is a woody oil crop with high economic and ornamental value. Although P. macrocarpa seeds are rich in oil, little information has been reported about its characterization. In this study, the fatty acids, minor components (tocopherols, squalene, phytosterols, and total phenols), antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity, thermal, and rheological behavior of the P. macrocarpa seed oil (PSO) were investigated for the first time. The results showed that the seeds contained 43.34% lipid, which was mainly composed of palmitic acid (49.96%), linoleic acid (31.22%), and oleic acid (13.48%). The contents of tocopherols, squalene, phytosterols, and total phenols in PSO were 42.01 mg/100 g, 96.78 mg/100 g, 119.67 mg/100 g, and 3.79 mg GAE/100 g, respectively. PSO showed relatively strong DPPH radical scavenging capacity (93.47 µmol TE/100 g) and high melting point (20.8°C). In addition, the oil exhibited Newtonian flow behavior and was not toxic to normal L929 cells at concentrations of 500–8000 µg/ml. As a whole, PSO may be considered as a valuable source for new multipurpose products for industrial utilization.

Practical Application

Pachira macrocarpa is a woody oil crop and its seeds are rich in oil. Our study has investigated the physicochemical properties and chemical composition of the P. macrocarpa seed oil (PSO). The present study revealed PSO had potential as an edible oil, and it may be considered as a valuable source for new multipurpose products for food industrial utilization.
Gluten–starch interface characteristics and wheat dough rheology—Insights from hybrid artificial systems
Authors: Brandner Silvia , Becker Thomas , Jekle Mario
Published: March 2022

Referring to the total surface existing in wheat dough, gluten–starch interfaces are a major component. However, their impact on dough rheology is largely unclear. Common viewpoints, based on starch surface modifications or reconstitution experiments, failed to show unambiguous relations of interface characteristics and dough rheology. Observing hybrid artificial dough systems with defined particle surface functionalization gives a new perspective. Since surface functionalization standardizes particle–polymer interfaces, the impact on rheology becomes clearly transferable and thus, contributes to a better understanding of gluten–starch interfaces. Based on this perspective, the effect of particle/starch surface functionality is discussed in relation to the rheological properties of natural wheat dough and modified gluten–starch systems. A competitive relation of starch and gluten for intermolecular interactions with the network‐forming polymer becomes apparent during network development by adsorption phenomena. This gluten–starch adhesiveness delays the beginning of non‐linearity under large deformations, thus contributing to a high deformability of dough. Consequently, starch surface functionality affects the mechanical properties, starting from network formation and ending with the thermal fixation of structure.
You’re Fired! International Courts, Re‐contracting, and the WTO Appellate Body during the Trump Presidency
Authors: Zaccaria Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

A long‐standing debate amongst international relations scholars has surrounded the question of whether international institutions with judicial authority enjoy more autonomy and discretion than other global institutions. This is mainly because international courts are established as impartial third‐party actors tasked with performing adjudicative functions for conflicting parties. As such, the delegation contracts of international institutions with judicial authority are expected to minimize control by states, even in cases where the members of a court engage in judicial overreach. This article contributes to that debate by examining the case of the crisis of the WTO Appellate Body. The article analyzes the Trump administration's successful efforts at rendering dysfunctional one of the most powerful courts in the international system. The findings showcase how powerful states are capable and willing to take advantage of the available control mechanisms and the institutional opportunity structures inherent in the design of international courts. The article speaks to the scholarship on the contestation of international institutions. The analysis relies on original data obtained through 22 interviews with WTO officials, state representatives, and experts.
CAR‐T cell therapy for lung cancer: Potential and perspective
Authors: Chen Long , Chen Fukun , Li Jindan , Pu Yongzhu , Yang Conghui , Wang Yue , Lei Yujie , Huang Yunchao
Published: March 2022

Lung cancer is the highest incidence and mortality of all cancers around the world. In the present immunotherapy era, an increasing number of immunotherapeutic agents including monoclonal antibody‐targeted drugs have been used in the clinical treatment of malignancy, but it still has many limitations. Chimeric antigen receptor‐modified T (CAR‐T) cells, a novel adoptive immunotherapy strategy, have not only been used successfully against hematological tumors, but have also opened up new avenues for immunotherapy of solid tumors, including lung cancer. However, targeting lung cancer‐specific antigens using engineered CAR‐T cells is complicated by the lack of proper tumor‐specific antigens, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a low level of CAR‐T cell infiltration into tumor tissues, along with off‐target effect, etc. Simultaneously, the clinical application of CAR‐T cells remains limited because of many challenges such as tumor lysis syndrome, neurotoxicity syndrome, and cytokine release syndrome. In this review, we outline the basic structure and generation characteristic of CAR‐T cells and summarize the common tumor‐associated antigens in clinical trials of CAR‐T cell therapy for lung cancer, and point out the current challenges and new strategies, aiming to provide new ideas and approaches for the pre‐clinical experiments and clinical trials of CAR‐T cell therapy in lung cancer.
Laparoscopic dome resection for pediatric nonparasitic huge splenic cyst safely performed using indocyanine green fluorescence and percutaneous needle grasper
Authors: Masuya Ryuta , Nakame Kazuhiko , Tahira Kosei , Kai Kengo , Hamada Takeomi , Yano Koichi , Imamura Naoya , Hiyoshi Masahide , Nanashima Atsushi , Ieiri Satoshi
Published: March 2022

Introduction

In recent years, dome resection, which preserves the splenic immunological function, has been the primary technique used to treat splenic cysts. We herein report a surgical technique using a needle grasper and indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence to perform dome resection of a huge nonparasitic splenic cyst in a pediatric patient.

Patient and Surgical Technique

A 13‐year‐old girl was incidentally diagnosed with a splenic cyst during follow‐up for scoliosis. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a 17 × 14 × 14 cm unifocal cyst. Laparoscopic dome resection was planned. The intraoperative findings showed that the spleen was distended, but there was no apparent prominence of the thin cyst wall on the surface of the spleen. An ICG fluorescence camera overlay revealed poor coloration in the thinning area. We punctured the area and aspirated the cyst contents. We grasped the cyst wall with a percutaneous needle grasper and dissected the cyst wall with a vessel sealing system. We placed anti‐adhesion agent at the dissection line to prevent recurrence.

Discussion

ICG fluorescence was useful for identifying the thinning area of a splenic cyst. The use of a percutaneous needle grasper facilitated the performance of dome resection of a huge splenic cyst in a pediatric patient with minimal invasiveness and an improved cosmetic outcome.