bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges in modelling the sediment retention ecosystem service for an ecosystem account – Examples from the Mitchell catchment
Authors: McMahon Joseph M. , Hasan Syezlin , Brooks Andrew , Curwen Graeme , Dyke Josh , Ange Chantal Saint , Smart James C. R.
Published: August 2021

If soil resources and the benefits derived from water quality are to be maintained, the on- and off-site effects of soil erosion must be adequately represented and communicated to decision makers so that appropriate management responses can be identified. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting - Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA), is one approach to quantify both the contributions that ecosystems make to the economy, and the impacts of economic activity on ecosystems. However, due to the difficulty of obtaining empirical data on ecosystem service flows, in many cases such quantification is informed by ecosystem service models. Previous research on the Mitchell catchment, Queensland Australia allowed us to explore the implications of using a model of hillslope erosion and sediment delivery in isolation (as represented in one of the most frequently used ecosystem service models - InVEST) by comparing such estimates against multiple lines of local empirical data, and a more comprehensive representation of locally important erosion and deposition processes through a sediment budget model. Estimates of the magnitude of hillslope erosion modelled using an approach similar to InVEST and the calibrated sediment budget differed by an order of magnitude. If an uncalibrated InVEST-type model was used to inform the relative distribution of erosion magnitude, findings suggest the incorrect erosion process would be identified as the dominant contributor to suspended sediment loads. However, the sediment budget model could only be calibrated using data on sediment sources and sinks that had been collected in the catchment through a sustained research effort. A comparable level of research investment may not be available to inform ecosystem service assessments elsewhere. The results summarised here for the Mitchell catchment demonstrate that practitioners must exercise caution when using estimates of the sediment retention ecosystem service flow which have not been calibrated and validated against locally collected empirical data.
Thalamo-hippocampal pathway regulates incidental memory load in mice
Authors: Torromino G. , Loffredo V. , Cavezza D. , Sonsini G. , Esposito F. , Crevenna A. H. , Gioffrè M. , De Risi M. , Treves A. , Griguoli M. , De Leonibus E.
Published: August 2021

Incidental memory can be challenged by increasing either the retention delay or the memory load. The dorsal hippocampus (dHP) appears to help with both consolidation from short-term (STM) to long-term memory (LTM), and higher memory loads, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Here we find that female mice, despite having the same STM capacity of 6 objects and higher resistance to distraction in our different object recognition task (DOT), when tested over 1h or 24h delays appear to transfer to LTM only 4 objects, whereas male mice have an STM capacity of 6 objects in this task. In male mice the dHP shows greater activation (as measured by c-Fos expression), whereas female mice show greater activation of the ventral midline thalamus (VMT). Optogenetic inhibition of the VMT-dHP pathway during off-line memory consolidation enables 6-object LTM retention in females, while chemogenetic VMT-activation impairs it in males. Thus, removing or enhancing sub-cortical inhibitory control over the hippocampus, leads to differences in incidental memory.

One Sentence Summary

The sex-dependent recruitment of a subcortical pathway regulates how many items are spontaneously memorized in mice.
Visual association cortex links cues with conjunctions of reward and locomotor contexts
Authors: McGuire Kelly L. , Amsalem Oren , Sugden Arthur U. , Ramesh Rohan N. , Burgess Christian R. , Andermann Mark L.
Published: August 2021

Postrhinal cortex (POR) and neighboring lateral visual association areas are necessary for identifying objects and interpreting them in specific contexts, but how POR neurons encode the same object across contexts remains unclear. Here, we imaged excitatory neurons in mouse POR across tens of days throughout initial cue-reward learning and reversal learning. As such, neurons were tracked across sessions/trials where the same cue was rewarded or unrewarded, during both locomotor and stationary contexts. Surprisingly, a large class of POR neurons were minimally cue-driven prior to learning. After learning, distinct clusters within this class responded selectively to a given cue when presented in a specific conjunction of reward and locomotion contexts. In addition, another class involved clusters of neurons whose cue responses were more transient, insensitive to reward learning, and adapted over thousands of presentations. These two classes of POR neurons may support context-dependent interpretation and context-independent identification of sensory cues.
Temporal change in chromatin accessibility predicts regulators of nodulation in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Knaack Sara A. , Conde Daniel , Chakraborty Sanhita , Balmant Kelly M. , Irving Thomas B. , Silva Maia Lucas Gontijo , Triozzi Paolo M. , Dervinis Christopher , Pereira Wendell J. , Maeda Junko , Schmidt Henry W. , Ané Jean-Michel , Kirst Matias , Roy Sushmita
Published: August 2021

Rhizobia can establish symbiotic associations with legumes to provide plants with nitrogen needed in agricultural systems. Symbiosis triggers extensive genome and transcriptome remodeling in the plant, yet the extent of chromatin changes and impact on gene expression is unknown. We profiled the temporal chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) and transcriptome (RNA-seq) dynamics of M. truncatula roots treated with rhizobia lipo-chitooligosaccharides. Using a novel approach, Dynamic Regulatory Module Networks, we predicted gene expression as a function of chromatin accessibility and accessible cis-regulatory elements. This approach identified the cis-regulatory elements and associated transcription factors that most significantly contribute to transcriptomic changes triggered by lipo-chitooligosaccharides. Regulators involved in auxin (IAA4-5,SHY2), ethylene (EIN3, ERF1) and abscisic acid (ABI5) hormone response, as well as histone and DNA methylation (IBM1), emerged among those most predictive of transcriptome dynamics. RNAi-based knockdown of EIN3 and ERF1 reduced nodule number in M. truncatula validating the role of these predicted regulators in symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia.

Significance Statement

Legumes can fix nitrogen through symbiosis with rhizobia in root nodules, a critical mutualistic relationship for crop productivity and agricultural sustainability. Introducing this symbiotic relationship into non-legume crops is of great interest, but limited knowledge of host genome modifications induced by rhizobia has hampered such efforts. We applied time-course analysis of chromatin accessibility and gene expression of M. truncatula roots treated with rhizobia lipochitooligosaccharides. We show that extensive remodeling of genome accessibility drives a large component of the temporal transcriptome dynamics. By predicting gene expression as a function of accessibility of regulatory features, we identified known and novel regulators that are associated with early nodule development, which may be critical for its engineering into crops.
Cross-Frequency Multilayer Network Analysis with Bispectrum-based Functional Connectivity: A Study of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Klepl Dominik , He Fei , Wu Min , Blackburn Daniel J. , Sarrigiannis Ptolemaios G.
Published: August 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder known to affect functional connectivity (FC) across many brain regions. Linear FC measures have been applied to study the differences in AD by splitting neurophysiological signals, such as electroencephalography (EEG) recordings, into discrete frequency bands and analysing them in isolation from each other. We address this limitation by quantifying cross-frequency FC in addition to the traditional within-band approach. Cross-bispectrum, a higher-order spectral analysis approach, is used to measure the nonlinear FC and is compared with the cross-spectrum, which only measures the linear FC within bands. This work reports the reconstruction of a cross-frequency FC network where each frequency band is treated as a layer in a multilayer network with both inter- and intra-layer edges. Cross-bispectrum detects cross-frequency differences, mainly increased FC in AD cases inδ-θcoupling. Overall, increased strength of low-frequency coupling and decreased level of high-frequency coupling is observed in AD cases in comparison to healthy controls (HC). We demonstrate that a graph-theoretic analysis of cross-frequency brain networks is crucial to obtain a more detailed insight into their structure and function. Vulnerability analysis reveals that the integration and segregation properties of networks are enabled by different frequency couplings in AD networks compared to HCs. Finally, we use the reconstructed networks for classification. The extra cross-frequency coupling information can improve the classification performance significantly, suggesting an important role of cross-frequency FC. The results highlight the importance of studying nonlinearity and including cross-frequency FC in characterising AD.
Enhanced soil quality after forest conversion to vegetable cropland and tea plantation has contrasting effects on soil microbial structure and functions
Authors: Fan Lichao , Shao Guodong , Pang Yinghua , Dai Hongcui , Zhang Lan , Yan Peng , Zou Zhenhao , Zhang Zheng , Xu Jianchu , Zamanian Kazem , Dorodnikov Maxim , Li Xin , Gui Heng , Han Wenyan
Published: August 2021

Land-use changes could potentially exert a strong influence on soil quality and soil microbial communities. Moreover, microbial taxa are also important drivers of soil ecological functions. However, the linkage between soil quality and soil microbial communities is in need of deeper understanding. In this study, we examined the effects of soil quality on microbial community structure and functions after forest conversion to vegetable cropland and tea plantations. Soil quality index was significantly increased after natural forest conversion to vegetable cropland and tea plantations. Soil bacterial beta diversity significantly correlated to soil quality, but the sensitivity of individual microbial groups varied in response to changes in soil quality. Higher soil quality promoted bacterial diversity in vegetable cropland but decreased it in tea plantations, which implied soil quality was a structural factor in bacterial community composition but had contrasting effects for croplands versus plantations. Agricultural management played a negative role in maintaining microbial interactions, as identified by the network analysis, and furthermore the analysis revealed key functions of the microbial communities. After land-use change, the abundance (e.g., level, intensity) of microbial N-cycling function increased in tea plantations but decreased in vegetable cropland. The abundance of C-cycling function featured an opposite trend. Higher level of N-fixation in tea plantations but the higher abundance of N-oxidation in vegetable cropland was demonstrated. Higher abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing archaea as identified by qPCR in vegetable cropland corroborated the FAPROTAX function prediction. Therefore, the key taxa of soil microbial communities and microbial functions were largely dependent on changes in soil quality and determined responses to specific agricultural management.
Genomic constraints to drought adaptation
Authors: Ahrens Collin W , Murray Kevin , Mazanec Richard A , Ferguson Scott , Bragg Jason , Jones Ashley , Tissue David T , Byrne Margaret , Borevitz Justin O , Rymer Paul D
Published: August 2021

Global shifts in climate and precipitation patterns are altering the diversity and structure of forests. The ability for species to adapt is especially difficult for long lived foundation species with unknown genetic and trait diversity. We harnessed genomic, physiological, and climate data to determine adaptation constraints. We used denovo assembly and 6.5 million genomic variants with drought related traits from 432 individuals sourced from across the complete range of the foundation tree speciesCorymbia calophylla. We found genomic variants determining traits predominantly in gene regulatory regions. The ability for populations to adapt was limited by within population genetic diversity associated with traits, and epistatic interactions within traits and pleiotropic interactions among traits. Nevertheless, we could accurately predict adaptive traits using genomic and climate data to guide reforestation. Our study indicated that some populations may contain variation sufficient for the species to adapt to the effects of drought, while other populations will need increased variability from those sources.
Automated tracking reveals the social network of beach mice and their burrows
Authors: Bedford Nicole L. , Gable Jacob T. , Hu Caroline K. , Wooldridge T. Brock , Sokolov Nina A. , Lassance Jean-Marc , Hoekstra Hopi E.
Published: August 2021

Evolutionary biologists have long sought to understand the selective pressures driving phenotypic evolution. While most experimental data come from the study of morphological evolution, we know much less about the ultimate drivers of behavioral variation. Among the most striking examples of behavioral evolution are the long, complex burrows constructed by oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotusssp.). Yet how these mice use burrows in the wild, and whether burrow length may affect fitness, remains unknown. A major barrier to studying behavior in the wild has been the lack of technologies to continuously monitor – in this case, nocturnal and underground – behavior. Here, we designed and implemented a novel radio frequency identification (RFID) system to track patterns of burrow use in a natural population of beach mice. We combine RFID monitoring with burrow measurements, genetic data, and social network analysis to uncover how these monogamous mice use burrows under fully natural ecological and social conditions. We first found that long burrows provide a more stable thermal environment and have higher juvenile activity than short burrows, underscoring the likely importance of long burrows for rearing young. We also find that adult mice consistently use multiple burrows throughout their home range and tend to use the same burrows at the same time as their genetic relatives, suggesting that inclusive fitness benefits may accrue for individuals that construct and maintain multiple burrows. Our study highlights how new automated tracking approaches can provide novel insights into animal behavior in the wild.
Stabilizing proteins through saturation suppressor mutagenesis
Authors: Ahmed Shahbaz , Manjunath Kavyashree , Chattopadhyay Gopinath , Varadarajan Raghavan
Published: August 2021

While there have been recent, transformative advances in the area of protein structure prediction, prediction of point mutations that improve protein stability remains challenging. It is possible to construct and screen large mutant libraries for improved activity or ligand binding, however reliable screens for mutants that improve protein stability do not exist, especially for proteins that are well folded and relatively stable. We demonstrate that incorporation of a single, specific destabilizing, (parent inactive) mutation into each member of a deep mutational scanning library followed by screening for suppressors, allows for robust and accurate identification of stabilizing mutations. When coupled to FACS sorting of a yeast surface display library of the bacterial toxin CcdB, followed by deep sequencing of sorted populations, multiple stabilizing mutations could be identified after a single round of sorting. Multiple libraries with different parent inactive mutations could be pooled and simultaneously screened to further enhance the accuracy of identification of stabilizing mutations. Individual stabilizing mutations could be combined to result in a multimutant with increase in thermal melting temperature of about 20 °C and enhanced tolerance to high temperature exposure. The method employs small library sizes and can be readily extended to other display and screening formats to rapidly isolate stabilized protein mutants.
A divide and conquer metacell algorithm for scalable scRNA-seq analysis
Authors: Ben-Kiki Oren , Bercovich Akhiad , Lifshitz Aviezer , Tanay Amos
Published: August 2021

Scaling scRNA-seq to profile millions of cells is increasingly feasible. Such data is crucial for the construction of high-resolution maps of transcriptional manifolds. But current analysis strategies, in particular dimensionality reduction and two-phase clustering, offers only limited scaling and sensitivity to define such manifolds. Here we introduce Metacell-2, a recursive divide and conquer algorithm allowing efficient decomposition of scRNA-seq datasets of any size into small and cohesive groups of cells denoted as metacells. We show the algorithm outperforms current solutions in time, memory and quality. Importantly, Metacell-2 also improves outlier cell detection and rare cell type identification, as we exemplify by analysis of human bone marrow cell atlas and mouse embryonic data. Metacell-2 is implemented over the scanpy framework for easy integration in any analysis pipeline.
Topological morphogenesis of neuroepithelial organoids
Authors: Ishihara Keisuke , Mukherjee Arghyadip , Gromberg Elena , Brugués Jan , Tanaka Elly M. , Jülicher Frank
Published: August 2021

Animal organs exhibit complex topologies involving cavities and tubular networks, which underlie their form and function. However, how topology emerges during organ morphogenesis remains elusive. Here, we combine tissue reconstitution and quantitative microscopy to show that trans and cis epithelial fusion govern tissue topology and shape. These two modes of topological transitions can be regulated in neuroepithelial organoids, leading to divergent topologies. The morphological space can be captured by a single control parameter which is analogous to the reduced Gaussian rigidity of an epithelial surface. Finally, we identify a pharmacologically accessible pathway that regulates the frequency of trans and cis fusion, and demonstrate the control of organoid topology and shape. The physical principles uncovered here provide fundamental insights into the self-organization of complex tissues.
ATR facilitates the degradation of Api5 through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway via FBXW2 to regulate apoptosis upon DNA damage
Authors: Sharma Virender Kumar , Islam Sehbanul , Borkar Janhavi , Mishra Sudiksha , Panda Debiprasad , Santra Manas K , Lahiri Mayurika
Published: August 2021

Apoptosis inhibitor 5 (Api5) is an inhibitor of apoptosis, which is found to be upregulated in several cancers and promotes invasion as well as metastasis. Over-expression of Api5 is positively co-related with poor survival of cancers and inhibition of DNA damage induced apoptosis in cancerous cells. Acetylation at lysine 251 (K251) on Api5 facilitates the stability of the protein and thus functionally provides resistance to cancer cells against chemotherapeutic or anti-cancerous agents. However, the regulation of Api5 upon DNA damage is not yet known. In this study, we demonstrate that Api5 undergoes degradation following DNA damage via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Upon DNA damage, ATR was observed to phosphorylate Api5 at serine 138 which led to the cytoplasmic localisation of Api5. The E3-ubiquitin ligase, SCF-FBXW2 ubiquitinates Api5 leading to its proteasomal degradation.
Direct observation of Hsp90-induced compaction in a protein chain
Authors: Mashaghi Alireza , Moayed Fatemeh , Koers Eline J. , Kramer Günter , Mayer Matthias P. , Tans Sander J.
Published: August 2021

The chaperone Hsp90 is well known to undergo important conformational changes, which depend on nucleotide, co-chaperones, substrate interactions and post-translational modifications. Conversely, how the conformations of its unstable and disordered substrates are affected by Hsp90 is difficult to address experimentally, yet central to its function. Here, using optical tweezers and luciferase and glucocorticoid receptor substrates, we find that Hsp90 promotes local contractions in unfolded chains that drive their global compaction down to dimensions of folded states. This compaction has a gradual nature while showing small steps, is stimulated by ATP, and performs mechanical work against counteracting forces that expand the chain dimensions. The Hsp90 interactions suppress the formation of larger-scale folded, misfolded and aggregated structures. The observations support a model in which Hsp90 alters client conformations directly by promoting local intra-chain interactions while suppressing distant ones. We conjecture that chain compaction may be central to how Hsp90 protects unstable kinases and receptor clients, regulates their activity, and how Hsp90 cooperates with Hsp70.
Autologous human immunocompetent white adipose tissue-on-chip
Authors: Rogal Julia , Xu Raylin , Roosz Julia , Teufel Claudia , Cipriano Madalena , Eisler Wiebke , Weiss Martin , Schenke-Layland Katja , Loskill Peter
Published: August 2021

Obesity and associated diseases, such as diabetes, have reached epidemic proportions globally. In the era of ‘diabesity’ and due to its central role for metabolic and endocrine processes, adipose tissue (specifically white adipose tissue; WAT) has become a target of high interest for therapeutic strategies. To gain insights in cellular and molecular mechanisms of adipose (patho-)physiology, researchers traditionally relied on animal models sincein vitrostudies on human WAT are challenging due to the large size, buoyancy, and fragility of mature white adipocytes. Leveraging the Organ-on-Chip technology, we introduce a next-generation microphysiologicalin vitromodel of human WAT based on a tailored microfluidic platform featuring vasculature-like perfusion. The platform integrates a 3D tissue comprising all major WAT-associated cellular components in an autologous manner, including not only mature adipocytes but also organotypic endothelial barriers and stromovascular cells featuring tissue-resident innate immune cells, specifically adipose tissue macrophages. This microphysiological tissue model recapitulates pivotal WAT functions, such as energy storage and mobilization as well as endocrine and immunomodulatory activities. The combination of all individual cell types with extra cellular matrix-like hydrogels in a precisely controllable bottom-up approach enables the generation of a multitude of replicates from the same donors circumventing issues of inter-donor variability and paving the way for personalized medicine. Moreover, it allows to adjust the model’s degree of complexity to fit a specific purpose via a flexible mix- and-match approach with different cell component modules. This novel WAT-on-chip system constitutes a human-based, autologous and immunocompetentin vitromodel of adipose tissue that recapitulates almost full tissue heterogeneity. In the future, the new WAT-on-chip model can become a powerful tool for human-relevant research in the field of metabolism and its associated diseases as well as for compound testing and personalized- and precision medicine applications.
Extreme Heterogeneity in Genomic Differentiation between Phenotypically Divergent Songbirds: A Test of Mitonuclear Co-introgression
Authors: Nikelski Ellen , Rubtsov Alexander S. , Irwin Darren
Published: August 2021

Comparisons of genomic variation among closely related species often show more differentiation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and sex chromosomes than in autosomes, a pattern expected due to the differing effective population sizes and evolutionary dynamics of these genomic components. Yet, introgression can cause species pairs to deviate dramatically from general differentiation trends. The yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) and the pine bunting (E. leucocephalos) are hybridizing avian sister species that differ greatly in appearance and moderately in nuclear DNA, but that show no mtDNA differentiation. This mitonuclear discordance is best explained by adaptive mtDNA introgression—a process that can select for co-introgression at nuclear genes with mitochondrial functions (mitonuclear genes). To better understand the extent of mitonuclear discordance and characterize nuclear differentiation patterns in this system, we investigated genome-wide differentiation between allopatric yellowhammers and pine buntings and compared it to what was seen previously in mtDNA. We found significant nuclear differentiation that was highly heterogeneous across the genome, with a particularly wide differentiation peak on the sex chromosome Z. We further tested for preferential introgression of mitonuclear genes and found statistical support for this process in yellowhammers. A role for mitonuclear coevolution in this system is supported by a stronger signal of co-introgression in genes coding for subunits of the mitoribosome and electron transport chain complexes. Altogether, our study emphasizes the extreme variation seen in differentiation across genomic components and study systems as well as highlights the ramifications of this variation in species evolution.
Today's wastage is tomorrow's shortage: a systematic literature review on food waste from social responsibility perspective
Authors: Chang Yee-Shan , Lim Xin-Jean , Cheah Jun-Hwa
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Recognizing food waste as a global issue, it has attracted scholars to conduct numerous relevant studies in the area. Growing concerns about the social and environmental impacts have intensified food waste attention to the practice of socially responsible consumption. The purpose of this study is to undertake a review of existing knowledge to edify and provide a platform for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study retrieved and reviewed a total of 76 articles from Web of Science (WoS) database, which were published from 2011 to 2020 in food and nutrition related journals from social responsibility perspective.

Findings

In accordance with the proposed research questions, the findings demonstrate the publication trend, distribution of article sources, research regions, thematic classification, theoretical and methodology framework. The findings also reveal research gaps in the literature and facilitate scholars with extensive gap-specific research directions to explore.

Research limitations/implications

This review is limited in its consideration of articles from the (WoS) database and focused in food or nutrition related journals.

Originality/value

By mapping what is known in the current state of food waste research, this study identifies existing gaps and opportunities for future research in this area.
Green cost premium for attaining energy-efficiency rating in Nigeria's hot-humid residential buildings
Authors: Ekung Samuel , Odesola Isaac Abiodun , Adewuyi Timothy
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The dearth of green standards (GS) in sub-Saharan Africa is alarming and the green cost premiums (GCP) in seeking certification in emerging markets are scanty. This paper studied the Building Energy-Efficiency Code of Nigeria (BEEC) and estimated the potential GCPs associated with the various energy-efficiency ratings.

Design/methodology/approach

The study retrofitted 150 conventional residential bungalow and maisonette buildings using BEEC's energy-efficiency interventions and performed analytical estimating of the retrofitted designs. The mean cost premium associated with each energy-efficiency intervention is presented as well as their financial benefits and payback periods. The benefits are achievable financial-savings due to a reduction in energy consumption and savings in electricity payment estimated from the average energy demands of each building. An independent t-test was further conducted to determine the cost differential between energy-efficient design (ED) and conventional design over a five-year period.

Findings

The potential GCPs and their payback periods are actually less than feared. The study showed that less than 5% and 21% extra funding would be required to achieve 1 to 4-Star and 5-Star energy-efficiency ratings involving passive design interventions and photovoltaic systems. Passive and active design interventions produced a financial savings of $8.08/m2 in electricity payment and $2.84/m2 per annum in energy consumption reduction. The financial-savings ($10.92/m2) was objective to pay-off the GCPs in less than four years. The independent t-test analysis showed the cost of ED is more economical after four years into the project lifecycle.

Originality/value

The research provides cost benchmarks for navigating cost planning and budgetary decisions during ED implementation and births a departure point for advancing energy-efficient construction in developing markets from the rational economic decision perspective.
CDEC: a constrained deep embedded clustering
Authors: Amirizadeh Elham , Boostani Reza
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The aim of this study is to propose a deep neural network (DNN) method that uses side information to improve clustering results for big datasets; also, the authors show that applying this information improves the performance of clustering and also increase the speed of the network training convergence.

Design/methodology/approach

In data mining, semisupervised learning is an interesting approach because good performance can be achieved with a small subset of labeled data; one reason is that the data labeling is expensive, and semisupervised learning does not need all labels. One type of semisupervised learning is constrained clustering; this type of learning does not use class labels for clustering. Instead, it uses information of some pairs of instances (side information), and these instances maybe are in the same cluster (must-link [ML]) or in different clusters (cannot-link [CL]). Constrained clustering was studied extensively; however, little works have focused on constrained clustering for big datasets. In this paper, the authors have presented a constrained clustering for big datasets, and the method uses a DNN. The authors inject the constraints (ML and CL) to this DNN to promote the clustering performance and call it constrained deep embedded clustering (CDEC). In this manner, an autoencoder was implemented to elicit informative low dimensional features in the latent space and then retrain the encoder network using a proposed Kullback–Leibler divergence objective function, which captures the constraints in order to cluster the projected samples. The proposed CDEC has been compared with the adversarial autoencoder, constrained 1-spectral clustering and autoencoder + k-means was applied to the known MNIST, Reuters-10k and USPS datasets, and their performance were assessed in terms of clustering accuracy. Empirical results confirmed the statistical superiority of CDEC in terms of clustering accuracy to the counterparts.

Findings

First of all, this is the first DNN-constrained clustering that uses side information to improve the performance of clustering without using labels in big datasets with high dimension. Second, the author defined a formula to inject side information to the DNN. Third, the proposed method improves clustering performance and network convergence speed.

Originality/value

Little works have focused on constrained clustering for big datasets; also, the studies in DNNs for clustering, with specific loss function that simultaneously extract features and clustering the data, are rare. The method improves the performance of big data clustering without using labels, and it is important because the data labeling is expensive and time-consuming, especially for big datasets.
4.0 digital transition and human capital: evidence from the Italian Fintech market
Authors: Izzo Filomena , Tomnyuk Viktoriia , Lombardo Rosaria
Published: August 2021

Purpose

In the intellectual capital literature, no studies have examined the causal relationship between Italian Fintech companies' performance and intellectual capital, especially the impact of digital industrialization on human capital. This paper aims to fill this gap in measuring human capital efficiency in the Italian Fintech market.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt Pulic's model and define the intellectual capital through three components (human capital, structural capital and capital employed) and perform an exploratory analysis of the Italian Fintech companies by using principal component analysis. Then the authors investigate the effects of the intellectual capital and its components on the Italian Fintech companies' performance by using parametric and nonparametric regression models.

Findings

Results of regression models reveal that human capital and employed capital are positively related to the companies' performance, except for the structural capital.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses on the Italian level, and future research could be extended to different European countries or to the global Fintech market. Moreover, it is advised to explore more components that contribute to intellectual capital measurement inside the companies operating in the 4.0 industrial revolution, such as the innovative capital and the relational capital.

Practical implications

This study proposes a new vision for managerial procedures to find which features are critical for achieving profitability in this digital era. The study offers interesting reflections on the management decisions for both companies and public decision-makers. Results suggest that, among intellectual capital components, human capital plays a strategic role for the knowledge-intensive companies that are interested in potentiating their performance and competitiveness. Furthermore, this study finds that human capital is critical factor for achieving profitability in this digital era.

Social implications

The Fintech sector is one that most benefited from the Digital Revolution, and if it is adequately managed, it can bring great benefits in terms of major employment, especially for the young population, and bring major financial inclusiveness all over the world.

Originality/value

This is the first study that examines the Italian Fintech market and analyzes the dependence relationship between companies' performance and intellectual capital components, identifying the role of human capital in a new completely digital sector. The analysis findings are strategic for the business decisions-making process.
Why and how do individual entrepreneurs use digital channels in an emerging market? Determinants of use and channel coordination
Authors: Bellaaj Moez
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Many studies have examined the use of social media by either customers or firms, especially in developed markets. However, little is known about why young individual entrepreneurs use digital channels (DCs) as business platforms in emerging markets (EMs) and how they integrate them into their marketing activities. This paper aims to try filling this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

Given the exploratory nature of this research, the authors employ a qualitative approach based on a focus group (12 participants) and semi-structured interviews (8 participants) with young entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. The authors adopted a deductive thematic analysis based on pre-determined theoretical frameworks to analyse and interpret the data.

Findings

The authors found that the young entrepreneurs mainly used Instagram, Snapchat and, to a moderate extent, YouTube as digital marketing channels for advertising purposes. However, they used WhatsApp for establishing direct contact and personalising communication with customers. The entrepreneurs used these channels because they are useful, easy to use, cost-effective, fun and widely used by local customers. The authors also found that the entrepreneurs used social media and offline channels conjointly in three main marketing activities (communication/promotion, transactions and customer service) to boost the customer purchasing process. The complementarity of social media and offline channels was found to improve brand visibility, enlarge markets and strengthen the customer relationship. However, the achievement of these benefits varied across small firms depending on the entrepreneurs' abilities in coordinating multiple channels and according to the distinctiveness of their businesses.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the entrepreneurial literature by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explain the motives behind the use of DCs amongst individual entrepreneurs. Furthermore, this paper proposes a novel theoretical framework for studying the interaction between online and offline marketing channels during the purchasing process. Through this framework, the study provides new insights into channel coordination and multi-channel customer behaviours from the entrepreneur's perspective.

Practical implications

This study helps understand why small firms use different DCs. Likewise, it shows how young entrepreneurs coordinate online/offline channels in a complementary manner. The findings could also help in designing appropriate programmes encouraging young entrepreneurs to use online channels and social media to enhance their business activities.

Originality/value

This study offers a novel attempt at explaining the use of DCs and their interaction with traditional channels from the entrepreneur's perspective and brings new insights to why and how young entrepreneurs use DCs in an emerging market.
Exploring key enablers of sustainable transportation in small-and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises
Authors: Karuppiah Koppiahraj , Sankaranarayanan Bathrinath , Ali Syed Mithun
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The transportation sector is frequently criticized for its adverse environmental impacts. Industrial managers and decision-makers in the transportation sector have difficulty embracing sustainable transportation. Taking this difficulty into consideration, this study intends to locate and evaluate the enablers of sustainable transportation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Pareto analysis, the study finalized 20 enablers from the list of 25 enablers. The finalized enablers are prioritized, and their causal inter-relationships are revealed using the grey-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (grey-DEMATEL) method. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the influence of experts' weight in the final results.

Findings

Findings reveal enhancement of cross-departmental cooperation, decision synchronization, technology cooperation, policy cooperation and route optimization as the five most critical enablers of sustainable transportation. Based on the results, the study proposes some policy implications for the decision-makers to proactively incorporate sustainability concepts.

Originality/value

This paper is the first of its kind to evaluate the enablers of sustainable transportation in the Indian leather industry. This paper proposes a comprehensive list of enablers of sustainable transportation and reveals their causal interrelationships using grey-DEMATEL. The weight of the provided enablers will help the industrial managers to more proactively take sequential actions to incorporate sustainable transportation.
Exotics are more complementary over time in tree biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments
Authors: Belluau Michael , Paquette Alain , Gravel Dominique , Reich Peter B. , Stefanski Artur , Messier Christian
Published: August 2021

The Biodiversity–Ecosystem Functioning (BEF) literature proposes that ecosystem functioning increases with biodiversity because of complementarity in resource‐use among species, associated with functional diversity. In this study, we challenge the trait‐based ecology framework by comparing congeneric exotic (European) and native (North American) tree species showing similar resource‐use functional trait values. The trait‐based framework suggests that two functionally equivalent species should play similar roles in a community, resulting in similar interactions and performances. However, several studies showed that when growing in mixtures, exotic species that are functionally equivalent to native species benefitted from enemy release, resulting in a reduced apparent competition. We hypothesize that exotic species should be more productive than native species because the exotic species benefit from reduced apparent competition due to enemy release rather than from possessing more competitive resource‐use functional traits.

We study a diversity experiments, part of the International Diversity Experiment Network with Trees (IDENT), composed of two identical sites, each with two orthogonal diversity gradients: species richness and functional diversity. The functional gradient consists of species combinations of equal richness but increasing functional diversity, using different combinations of species provenance to assess the relationship between productivity, functional diversity and species provenance, independently of species richness. We grew a total of 12 species (six native and six exotic) in different combinations of one‐, two‐ and six‐species mixtures. The exotic species were selected based on their functional equivalence to their native congeneric species.

Eight years after planting, we found that exotic species were more productive than native species, but only at high functional diversity. Results indicate that exotic species overall benefit from a reduced apparent competition, and that exotic‐increased productivity at high functional diversity is consistent with the enemy release hypothesis.

After 8 years, exotic species were more productive overall than their native counterparts, but only in the most functionally diverse communities. This study represents a first step in understanding the relative importance of complementarity in resource‐use and apparent competition in a context of an exotic tree species invasion.

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Special needs educators’ roles and work in relation to recently arrived immigrant pupils in need of special educational support
Authors: Johansson Anna , Klang Nina , Lindqvist Gunilla
Published: August 2021

Migration to Europe in recent years has made the issue of educational support for recently arrived immigrant pupils critically important, and, especially for pupils who are in need of special educational support. Schools in Sweden have special needs educators (SNEs) supporting pupils in need of special education, but little is known about the work of SNEs in regard to special educational support for recently arrived immigrants. This article reports the results of 483 SNEs answering a survey on their views of their role and work tasks in relation to recently arrived immigrant pupils in need of special educational support in Swedish compulsory schools. SNEs report that their actual tasks include compiling individual educational plans (IEPs), developing learning environments, and supervising staff. Less than 50% of the participants responded that they work directly with the pupils, and around 19% of the SNEs wanted to do more of such work. Class and subject teachers and mother tongue tutors are the occupational groups seen as providing the most support for recently arrived immigrant pupils. The empirical results are discussed from different theoretical perspectives on special education (Emanuelsson, 2001; Persson, 1998), Hughes’ (1958) concept of ‘dirty work’ and Abbott’s theory of profession (1988).
A scoping review of person and family engagement in the context of multiple chronic conditions
Authors: Vick Judith B. , Wolff Jennifer L.
Published: August 2021

Objective

To review definitions, concepts, and evidence regarding person and family engagement for persons with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) in order to identify opportunities to advance the field.

Data Source

Ovid MEDLINE.

Study Design

We performed a two‐step process as follows: (1) a critical review of conceptual models of engagement to identify key concepts most pertinent to engagement among persons with MCC as a “launch pad” to our scoping review and (2) a scoping review of reviews of engagement for persons living with MCC.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

First, we critically reviewed six models of engagement. Second, our scoping review identified 1297 citations, with 67 articles meeting criteria for inclusion. Of these, we focused on reviews, of which there were nine titles/abstracts retained for full‐text consideration. Six full‐text reviews were included in the final analysis. The purpose, review type, population, number/type of included studies, theoretical framework, and findings of each study were extracted and analyzed thematically.

Principal Findings

Conceptual models of engagement differ with respect to areas of emphasis (e.g., systems or clinical encounters) as well as attention to vulnerable populations, involvement of family, consideration of cost–benefit trade‐offs, and attention to outcomes that matter most. Our scoping review of reviews identified just one article explicitly focused on engagement interventions for those with MCC. Other reviews examined elements of self‐management and involvement in decision making, conceptually related to engagement without explicit use of the word. We find that existing evidence has predominantly described individual‐level strategies rather than targeting organizations, systems, or policies. Barriers to engagement are not well described nor are potential downsides to engagement. Family engagement is rarely considered.

Conclusions

Promising areas of future work include attention to barriers to engagement including trust, goal‐based care, the design of structural changes to care delivery, trade‐offs between benefits and costs, and family engagement.