bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accurate Detection of RNA Stem-Loops in Structurome Data Reveals Widespread Association with Protein Binding Sites
Authors: Radecki Pierce , Uppuluri Rahul , Deshpande Kaustubh , Aviran Sharon
Published: April 2021

RNA molecules are known to fold into specific structures which often play a central role in their functions and regulation.In silicofolding of RNA transcripts, especially when assisted with structure profiling (SP) data, is capable of accurately elucidating relevant structural conformations. However, such methods scale poorly to the swaths of SP data generated by transcriptome-wide experiments, which are becoming more commonplace and advancing our understanding of RNA structure and its regulation at global and local levels. This has created a need for tools capable of rapidly deriving structural assessments from SP data in a scalable manner. One such tool we previously introduced that aims to process such data ispatteRNA, a statistical learning algorithm capable of rapidly mining big SP datasets for structural elements. Here, we present a reformulation ofpatteRNA’s pattern recognition scheme that sees significantly improved precision without major compromises to computational overhead. Specifically, we developed a data-driven logistic classifier which interpretspatteRNA’s statistical characterizations of SP data in addition to local sequence properties as measured with a nearest neighbor thermodynamic model. Application of the classifier to human structurome data reveals a marked association between detected stem-loops and RNA binding protein (RBP) footprints. The results of our application demonstrate that upwards of 30% of RBP footprints occur within loops of stable stem-loop elements. Overall, our work arrives at a rapid and accurate method for automatically detecting families of RNA structure motifs and demonstrates the functional relevance of identifying them transcriptome-wide.
SPIRE, Surface Projection Image Recognition Environment for bicontinuous phases: application for plastid cubic membranes
Authors: Hain Tobias M. , Bykowski Michał K. , Saba Matthias , Evans Myfanwy E. , Schröder-Turk Gerd E. , Kowalewska Łucja M.
Published: April 2021

Bicontinuous membranes in cell organelles epitomise nature’s ability to create complex functional nanostructures. Like their synthetic counterparts, these membranes are characterised by continuous membrane sheets draped onto topologically complex saddle-shaped surfaces with a periodic network-like structure. In cell organelles, their structure sizes around 50–500 nm and fluid nature make Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) the analysis method of choice to decipher nanostructural features. Here we present a tool to identify bicontinuous structures from TEM sections by comparison to mathematical “nodal surface” models, including the hexagonal lonsdaleite geometry. Our approach, following pioneering work by Deng and Mieczkowski (1998), creates synthetic TEM images of known bicontinuous geometries for interactive structure identification. We apply the method to the inner membrane network in plant cell chloroplast precursors and achieve a robust identification of the bicontinuous diamond surface as the dominant geometry in several plant species. This represents an important step in understanding their as yet elusive structure-function relationship.
Fetal maturation revealed by amniotic fluid cell-free transcriptome in rhesus macaques
Authors: Schmidt Augusto F. , Schnell Daniel , Eaton Kenneth , Chetal Kashish , Kannan Paranthaman S. , Miller Lisa A. , Chougnet Claire A. , Swarr Daniel T. , Jobe Alan H. , Salomonis Nathan , Kamath-Rayne Beena D.
Published: April 2021

Accurate estimate of fetal maturity could provide individualized guidance for delivery of complicated pregnancies. However, current methods are invasive, have low accuracy, and are limited to fetal lung maturation. To identify diagnostic gestational biomarkers, we performed transcriptomic profiling of lung and brain, as well as cell-free RNA from amniotic fluid of preterm and term rhesus macaque fetuses. These data predict new and prior associated gestational age differences in distinct lung and neuronal cell populations when compared to existing single-cell and bulk RNA-Seq data. Comparative analyses found over 200 genes coincidently induced in lung and amniotic fluid, and dozens in brain and amniotic fluid. This data enabled creation of computational models that accurately predicted lung compliance from amniotic fluid and lung transcriptome of preterm fetuses treated with antenatal corticosteroids. Cell-free RNA in amniotic fluid may provide a substrate of global fetal maturation markers for personalized management of at-risk pregnancies.
Refined quantification of infection bottlenecks and pathogen dissemination with STAMPR
Authors: Hullahalli Karthik , Pritchard Justin R. , Waldor Matthew K.
Published: April 2021

Pathogen population dynamics during infection are critical determinants of infection susceptibility and define patterns of dissemination. However, deciphering these dynamics, particularly founding population sizes in host organs and patterns of dissemination between organs, is difficult because measuring bacterial burden alone is insufficient to observe these patterns. Introduction of allelic diversity into otherwise identical bacteria using DNA barcodes enables sequencing-based measurements of these parameters, in a method known as STAMP (Sequence Tag-Based Analysis of Microbial Population dynamics). However, bacteria often undergo unequal expansion within host organs, resulting in marked differences in the frequencies of barcodes in input and output libraries. Here, we show that these differences confound STAMP-based analyses of founding population sizes and dissemination patterns. We present STAMPR, a successor to STAMP that accounts for such population expansions. Using data from systemic infection of barcoded Extraintestinal PathogenicE. coliwe show that this new framework along with the metrics it yields enhances the fidelity of measurements of bottlenecks and dissemination patterns. STAMPR was also validated on an independent, barcodedPseudomonas aeruginosadataset, uncovering new patterns of dissemination within the data. This framework (available athttps://github.com/hullahalli/stampr_rtisan), when coupled with barcoded datasets, enables a more complete assessment of within-host bacterial population dynamics.

Importance

Barcoded bacteria are often employed to monitor pathogen population dynamics during infection. The accuracy of these measurements is diminished by unequal bacterial expansion rates. Here, we develop computational tools to circumvent this limitation and establish additional metrics that collectively enhance the fidelity of measuring within-host pathogen founding population sizes and dissemination patterns. These new tools will benefit future studies of the dynamics of pathogens and symbionts within their respective hosts and may have additional barcode-based applications beyond host-microbe interactions.
Genomic imprinting drives eusociality
Authors: Matsuura Kenji , Ito Hiromu , Kobayashi Kazuya , Osaki Haruka , Yoshimura Jin , Vargo Edward L.
Published: April 2021

The origin of eusociality, altruistically foregoing personal reproduction to help others, has been a long-standing paradox ever since Darwin. Most eusocial insects and rodents likely evolved from subsocial precursors, in which older offspring “helpers” contribute to the development of younger siblings without a permanent sterile caste. The driving mechanism for the transition from subsociality (with helpers) to eusociality (with lifelong sterile workers) remains an enigma because individuals in subsocial groups are subject to direct natural selection rather than kin selection. Our genomic imprinting theory demonstrates that natural selection generates eusociality in subsocial groups when parental reproductive capacity is linked to a delay in the sexual development of offspring due to sex-antagonistic action of transgenerational epigenetic marks. Focusing on termites, our theory provides the missing evolutionary link to explain the evolution of eusociality from their subsocial wood-feeding cockroach ancestors, and provides a novel framework for understanding the origin of eusociality.
Gene Family Complexity and Expression Divergence as a Mechanism of Adaptation In Coral
Authors: Dimos Bradford , Emery Madison , MacKnight Nicholas , Brandt Marilyn , Demuth Jeffery , Mydlarz Laura
Published: April 2021

Gene family complexity and its influence on expression dynamics has long been theorized to be an important source of adaptation in natural systems through providing novel genetic material and influencing gene dosage. There is now growing empirical support for this theory; however, this process has only been demonstrated in a limited number of systems typically using recently diverged species or populations. In particular, examples of how this process operates in basal animals with deeper species splits has not been well explored. To address this issue, we investigated the evolution of gene family complexity in five species of common Caribbean coral. We demonstrate widespread divergence in gene repertoires owing to slow rates of gene turnover occurring along deep species splits. The resulting differences in gene family complexity involve numerous biologic processes, shedding light on to the selective forces that have influenced the evolution of each species. By coupling these findings with gene expression data, we show that increased gene family complexity promotes increased expression divergence between species, indicating an interplay between gene family complexity and expression divergence. Finally, we show that immune genes are evolving particularly fast demonstrating the importance of interactions with other organisms in the evolutionary history of Caribbean corals. Overall, these findings provide support for gene copy number change as an important evolutionary force in Caribbean corals, which may influence their ability to persist in a rapidly changing environment.
DAXX safeguards heterochromatin formation in embryonic stem cells
Authors: Canat Antoine , Veillet Adeline , Batrin Renaud , Dubourg Clara , Illingworth Robert , Fabre Emmanuelle , Therizols Pierre
Published: April 2021

Genomes comprise a large fraction of repetitive sequences folded into constitutive heterochromatin to protect genome integrity and cell identity.De novoformation of heterochromatin during preimplantation development is an essential step for preserving the ground-state of pluripotency and the self-renewal capacity of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Yet, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the remodeling of constitutive heterochromatin are largely unknown. Here, we find that DAXX, an H3.3 chaperone, is essential for ESCs maintenance in the ground-state of pluripotency. DAXX accumulates at pericentromeric regions, and recruits PML and SETDB1, thereby promoting heterochromatin formation. In absence of DAXX or PML, the 3D-architecture and physical properties of pericentric and peripheral heterochromatin are disrupted, resulting in derepression of major satellite DNA, transposable elements and genes associated with the nuclear lamina. Using epigenome editing tools, we observe that H3.3, and specifically H3.3K9 modification, directly contribute to maintaining pericentromeric chromatin conformation. Altogether, our data reveal that DAXX is crucial for the maintenance and 3D-organization of the heterochromatin compartment and protects ESCs viability.
Mechanism and role of astrogliosis in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated pain One Sentence Summary: Neuron-to-astrocyte Wnt5a signaling-activated astrogliosis is essential for the development of pathological pain induced by HIV-1 gp120
Authors: Liu Xin , Bae Chilman , Gelman Benjamin , Chung Jin Mo , Tang Shao-Jun
Published: April 2021

Pathological pain is the most common neurological disorder in people living with HIV-1/AIDS (PLWHA), and rationale-based effective treatment is not available. Multiple neuropathologies develop in the pain transmission pathways in of HIV patients, consistent with their nociceptive dysfunction1,2. One of the prominent neuropathologies associating with the manifestation of pain in HIV patients is astrogliosis (a.k.a. reactive astrocytes) in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH)1, the spinal center for the transmission of pain signals from peripheral organs to the brain. However, the pathogenic role and the activation mechanism of astrogliosis are unclear. Here, we show that the astrogliosis is crucial for the pain pathogenesis induced by HIV-1 gp120, a key etiologically relevant protein2, and that a neuron-to-astrocyte Wnt5a signal controls the astrogliosis. We found that ablation of astrogliosis blocked the development of gp120-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, and concomitantly the expression of neural circuit polarization (NCP) in the SDH. In addition, we demonstrated that conditional knockout (CKO) of either Wnt5a in neurons or its receptor ROR2 in astrocytes abolished not only gp120-induced astrogliosis but also the hyperalgesia and the NCP. Furthermore, we found that the astrogliosis promoted expression of the NCP and the hyperalgesia via IL-1β regulated by a Wnt5a-ROR2-MMP2 axis. Our results elucidate an important role and a novel mechanism of astrogliosis in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated pain. Targeting reactive astrocytes by manipulating the mechanistic processes identified here may lead to the development of effective therapy to treat the pain syndrome in HIV patients.
Co-Infection of cattle in Virginia withTheileria orientalis ikedagenotype andAnaplasma marginale
Authors: Oakes Vanessa J. , Todd S. Michelle , Carbonello Amanda A. , Michalak Pawel , Lahmers Kevin K.
Published: April 2021

Theileria orientalis ikedais a newly identified agent of bovine infectious anemia in the United States. Although it is transmitted by separate tick hosts thanAnaplasma marginale– a bacterial etiology of bovine infectious anemia –the geographic distributions of these two infectious organisms overlap, with co-infection reported in some cattle. Only anaplasmosis has approved effective treatment in the United States. To provide rapid diagnostic information for producers with anemic animals, we developed a duplex qPCR forA. marginaleandT. orientalis. With a cut-off of 38 cycles, the duplex assay has a sensitivity of 96.97% and a specificity of 100% forA. marginale; with a cut-off of 45 cycles, the duplex assay has a sensitivity and a specificity of 100% forT. orientalis. In addition to providing a tool for improved clinical decision-making for veterinarians and producers, this qPCR facilitates the study of co-infection rate of cattle in Virginia. Of 1,359 blood samples analyzed, 174 were positive for the presence ofT. orientalis, 125 were positive for the presence ofA. marginale, and 12 samples were positive for bothT. orientalisandA. marginale.This indicated that co-infection of both of these etiologies of bovine infectious anemia does occur within the state of Virginia. It is likely that this pattern of infection will be seen in regions whereT. orientalisandA. marginaleare endemic, despite the difference in tick vectors.
A Dual-Site Inhibitor of CBP/p300 KIX is a Selective and Effective Modulator of Myb
Authors: Joy Stephen T. , Henley Matthew J. , De Salle Samantha N. , Beyersdorf Matthew S. , Vock Isaac W. , Huldin Allison J.L. , Mapp Anna K.
Published: April 2021

The protein-protein interaction between the KIX motif of the transcriptional coactivator CBP/p300 and the transcriptional activator Myb is a high value target due to its established role in certain acute myeloid leukemias (AML) and potential contributions to other cancers. However, the CBP/p300 KIX domain has multiple binding sites, several structural homologues, many binding partners, and substantial conformational plasticity, making it challenging to specifically target using small molecule inhibitors. Here, we report a picomolar dual-site inhibitor (MybLL-tide) of the Myb-CBP/p300 KIX interaction. MybLL-tide has higher affinity for CBP/p300 KIX than any previously reported compounds while also possessing 16,000-fold selectivity for the CBP/p300 KIX domain over other coactivator domains. MybLL-tide blocks the association of CBP and p300 with Myb in the context of the proteome leading to inhibition of key Myb•KIX-dependent genes in AML cells. These results show that MybLL-tide is an effective, modifiable tool to selectively target the KIX domain and assess transcriptional effects in AML cells and potentially other cancers featuring aberrant Myb behavior. Additionally, the dual-site design has applicability to the other challenging coactivators that bear multiple binding surfaces
Gonadal hormones and sex chromosome complement differentially contribute to ethanol intake, preference, and relapse-like behavior in Four Core Genotypes mice
Authors: Sneddon Elizabeth A. , Rasizer Lindsay N. , Cavalco Natalie G. , Jaymes Asa H. , Ostlie Noah J. , Minshall Brianna L. , Masters Brianna M. , Hrncir Haley , Arnold Arthur P. , Radke Anna K.
Published: April 2021

Alcohol use and high-risk alcohol drinking behaviors among women are rapidly rising. In rodent models, females typically consume more ethanol (EtOH) than males. Here, we used the Four Core Genotypes (FCG) mouse model to investigate the influence of gonadal hormones and sex chromosome complement on EtOH drinking behaviors. FCG mice were given access to escalating concentrations of EtOH in a two-bottle, 24-h continuous access drinking paradigm to assess consumption and preference. Relapse-like behavior was measured by assessing escalated intake following repeated cycles of deprivation and re-exposure. Twenty-four hour EtOH consumption was greater in mice with ovaries (Sry-), relative to those with testes, and in mice with the XX chromosome complement, relative to those with XY sex chromosomes. EtOH preference was higher in XX vs. XY mice. Escalated intake following repeated cycles of deprivation and re-exposure emerged only in XX mice (vs. XY). Mice with ovaries (Sry-FCG mice and C57Bl/6J females) were also found to consume more water than mice with testes. These results demonstrate that aspects of EtOH drinking behavior may be independently regulated by sex hormones and chromosomes and inform our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms which contribute to EtOH dependence in male and female mice. Future investigation of the contribution of sex chromosomes to EtOH drinking behaviors is warranted.
Tributyltin Protects Against Ovariectomy-Induced Trabecular Bone Loss in C57BL/6J Mice with an Attenuated Effect in High Fat Fed Mice
Authors: Freid Rachel , Hussein Amira I , Schlezinger Jennifer J
Published: April 2021

Risk factors for poor bone quality include estrogen loss at menopause, a high fat diet and exposures to drugs/chemicals that activate peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). We observed that the PPARγ and retinoid X receptor dual ligand, tributyltin (TBT), repressed periosteal bone formation but enhanced trabecular bone formation in female C57BL6/J mice. Here, we examined the interaction of diet, ovariectomy (OVX) and TBT exposure on bone structure. C57BL/6J mice underwent either sham surgery or OVX at 10 weeks of age. At 12 weeks of age, they were placed on a low (10% kcal) or high (45% kcal) fat, sucrose-matched diet and treated with Vh or TBT (1 or 5 mg/kg) for 14 weeks. OVX increased body weight gain in mice on either diet. TBT enhanced body weight gain in intact mice fed a high fat diet, but decreased weight gain in OVX mice. Elemental tin concentrations increased dose-dependently in bone. TBT had marginal effects on cortical and trabecular bone in intact mice fed a low- or high- fat diet. OVX caused a reduction in cortical and trabecular bone, regardless of diet. In high-fat fed OVX mice, TBT further reduced cortical thickness, bone area and total area. Interestingly, TBT protected against OVX-induced trabecular bone loss in low fat fed mice. The protective effect of TBT was nullified by the high fat diet and accompanied by a significant decrease in serum bone formation markers. Our novel observations will provide new information on basic bone biology, potential therapeutic targets and toxicological pathways.
Using total RNA quality metrics for time since deposition estimates in degrading bloodstains
Authors: Elliott Colin I. , Stotesbury Theresa E. , Shafer Aaron B.A.
Published: April 2021

Determining the time since deposition (TSD) of bloodstains would provide forensic scientists with critical information regarding the timeline of the events involving bloodshed. The physicochemical changes occurring to biomolecules as a bloodstain degrades can be used to approximate the TSD of bloodstains. Our study aims to quantify the timewise degradation trends and temperature dependence found in total RNA from bloodstains without the use of amplification, expanding the scope of the RNA TSD research which has previously targeted mRNA molecules. Whole bovine blood was stored in plastic microcentrifuge tubes at 21°C or 4°C and tested over different timepoints spanning one week. Nine RNA metrics were visually assessed and quantified using linear and mixed models; the RNA Integrity Number equivalent (RINe) and the DV200 demonstrated strong negative trends over time and statistical independence. The RINe model fit was high (R2= 0.60), and while including the biological replicate as a random effect increased the fit for all RNA metrics, no significant differences were found between biological replicates stored at the same temperature for the RINe and DV200 metrics. Importantly, this suggests that these standardized metrics can likely be directly compared between scenarios and individuals, with DV200 having an inflection point at ∼28 hrs. This study provides a novel approach for blood TSD estimates, producing metrics that are not affected by inter-individual variation and improving our understanding of the rapid degradation occurring in bloodstains.

HIGHLIGHTS

Amplification-free analysis of total RNA in degrading bloodstains.

Short-term RNA degradation assessment using high-resolution size measurements.

Total RNA quality and quantity metrics were assessed across a one-week.

Total RNA quality metrics demonstrated the strongest timewise trends.

Biological replicates produced similar results for RNA quality metrics.
Automating UbiFast for High-throughput and Multiplexed Ubiquitin Enrichment
Authors: Rivera Keith D. , Olive Meagan E. , Bergstrom Erik J. , Nelson Alissa J. , Lee Kimberly A. , Satpathy Shankha , Carr Steven A. , Udeshi Namrata D.
Published: April 2021

Robust methods for deep-scale enrichment and site-specific identification of ubiquitylation sites is necessary for characterizing the myriad roles of protein ubiquitylation. To this end we previously developed UbiFast, a sensitive method for highly multiplexed ubiquitylation profiling where K-ε-GG peptides are enriched with anti-K-ε-GG antibody and labeled on-antibody with isobaric labeling reagents for sample multiplexing. Here, we present robotic automation of the UbiFast method using a magnetic bead-conjugated K-ε-GG antibody (mK-ε-GG) and a magnetic particle processor. We report the identification of ∼20,000 ubiquitylation sites from a TMT10-plex with 500 μg input per sample processed in ∼2 hours. Automation of the UbiFast method greatly increased the number of identified and quantified ubiquitylation sites, improved reproducibility and significantly reduced processing time. The workflow enables processing of up to 96 samples in a single day making it suitable to study ubiquitylation in large sample sets. Here we demonstrate the applicability of this method to profile small amounts of tissue using breast cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tissue samples.
Systematic over-crediting in California’s forest carbon offsets program
Authors: Badgley Grayson , Freeman Jeremy , Hamman Joseph J. , Haya Barbara , Trugman Anna T. , Anderegg William R.L. , Cullenward Danny
Published: April 2021

Carbon offsets are widely used by individuals, corporations, and governments to mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions on the assumption that offsets reflect equivalent climate benefits achieved elsewhere. These climate-equivalence claims depend on offsets providing “additional” climate benefits beyond what would have happened, counterfactually, without the offsets project. Here, we evaluate the design of California’s prominent forest carbon offsets program and demonstrate that its climate-equivalence claims fall far short on the basis of directly observable evidence. By design, California’s program awards large volumes of offset credits to forest projects with carbon stocks that exceed regional averages. This paradigm allows for adverse selection, which could occur if project developers preferentially select forests that are ecologically distinct from unrepresentative regional averages. By digitizing and analyzing comprehensive offset project records alongside detailed forest inventory data, we provide direct evidence that comparing projects against coarse regional carbon averages has led to systematic over-crediting of 30.0 million tCO2e (90% CI: 20.5 to 38.6 million tCO2e) or 29.4% of the credits we analyzed (90% CI: 20.1 to 37.8%). These excess credits are worth an estimated $410 million (90% CI: $280 to $528 million) at recent market prices. Rather than improve forest management to store additional carbon, California’s offsets program creates incentives to generate offset credits that do not reflect real climate benefits.

Significance Statement

Forest carbon offsets are increasingly prominent in corporate and government “net zero” emission strategies, but face growing criticism about their efficacy. California’s forest offsets program is frequently promoted as a high-quality approach that improves on the failures of earlier efforts. Our analysis demonstrates, however, that substantial ecological and statistical shortcomings in the design of California’s forest offset protocol generate offset credits that do not reflect real climate benefits. Looking globally, our results illustrate how protocol designs with easily exploitable rules can undermine policy objectives and highlight the need for stronger governance in carbon offset markets.
Fragmentation of macrophages during isolation confounds analysis of single cell preparations from mouse hematopoietic tissues
Authors: Millard Susan M , Heng Ostyn , Opperman Khatora S , Sehgal Anuj , Irvine Katharine M , Kaur Simranpreet , Summers Kim M , Sandrock Cheyenne J , Wu Andy C , Magor Graham W , Batoon Lena , Perkins Andrew C , Noll Jacqueline E , Zannettino Andrew CW , Sester David P , Levesque Jean-Pierre , Hume David A , Raggatt Liza J , Pettit Allison R
Published: April 2021

Mouse hematopoietic tissues contain abundant and heterogeneous populations of tissue-resident macrophages attributed trophic functions in control of immunity, hematopoiesis and bone homeostasis. A systematic strategy to characterise macrophage subsets in mouse bone marrow (BM), spleen and lymph node, unexpectedly revealed macrophage surface marker staining typically emanated from membrane-bound subcellular remnants associated with unrelated cell types. Remnant-restricted macrophage-specific membrane markers, cytoplasmic fluorescent reporters and mRNA were all detected in non-macrophage cell populations including isolated stem and progenitor cells. The profile of macrophage remnant association reflects adhesive interactions between macrophages and other cell types in vivo. Applying this knowledge, reduced macrophage remnant attachment to BM granulocytes inSiglec1deficient mice was associated with compromised emergency granulocytosis, revealing a function forSiglec1-dependent granulocyte-macrophage interactions. Analysis of published RNA-seq data for purified macrophage and non-macrophage populations indicates that macrophage fragmentation is a general phenomenon that confounds bulk and single cell analysis of disaggregated tissues.
Expression of a CO2-permeable aquaporin enhances mesophyll conductance in the C4speciesSetaria viridis
Authors: Ermakova Maria , Osborn Hannah , Groszmann Michael , Bala Soumi , McGaughey Samantha , Byrt Caitlin , Alonso-Cantabrana Hugo , Tyerman Steve , Furbank Robert T. , Sharwood Robert E. , von Caemmerer Susanne
Published: April 2021

A fundamental limitation of photosynthetic carbon fixation is the availability of CO4. In C4plants, primary carboxylation occurs in mesophyll cytosol, and little is known about the role of CO2diffusion in facilitating C4photosynthesis. We have examined the expression, localization, and functional role of selected plasma membrane intrinsic aquaporins (PIPs) fromSetaria italica(foxtail millet) and discovered thatSiPIP2;7 isCO2-permeable. When ectopically expressed in mesophyll cells ofS. viridis(green foxtail), SiPIP2;7 was localized to the plasma membrane and caused no marked changes in leaf biochemistry. Gas-exchange and C18O16O discrimination measurements revealed that targeted expression of SiPIP2;7 enhanced the conductance to CO2diffusion from the intercellular airspace to the mesophyll cytosol. Our results demonstrate that mesophyll conductance limits C4photosynthesis at lowpCO2and that SiPIP2;7 is a functional CO2permeable aquaporin that can improve CO2diffusion at the airspace/mesophyll interface and enhance C4photosynthesis.
Transplantation of high fat fed mouse microbiota into zebrafish larvae identifies MyD88-dependent acceleration of hyperlipidaemia by Gram positive cell wall components
Authors: Cholan Pradeep Manuneedhi , Morris Simone , Luo Kaiming , Chen Jinbiao , Boland Jade A , McCaughan Geoff W , Britton Warwick J , Oehlers Stefan H
Published: April 2021

Gut dysbiosis is an important modifier of pathologies including cardiovascular disease but our understanding of the role of individual microbes is limited. Here, we have used transplantation of mouse microbiota into microbiota-deficient zebrafish larvae to study the interaction between members of a mammalian high fat diet-associated gut microbiota with a lipid rich diet challenge in a tractable model species. We find zebrafish larvae are more susceptible to hyperlipidaemia when exposed to the mouse high fat-diet-associated microbiota and that this effect can be driven by two individual bacterial species fractionated from the mouse high fat-diet-associated microbiota. We findStenotrophomonas maltophiliaincreases the hyperlipidaemic potential of chicken egg yolk to zebrafish larvae independent of direct interaction betweenS. maltophiliaand the zebrafish host. Colonisation by live, or exposure to heat-killed,Enterococcus faecalisaccelerates hyperlipidaemia via host Myd88 signalling. The hyperlipidaemic effect is replicated by exposure to the Gram positive Toll-like receptor agonists peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid in a MyD88-dependent manner. In this work, we demonstrate the applicability of zebrafish as a tractable host for the identification of gut microbes that can induce conditional host phenotypes via microbiota transplantation and subsequent challenge with a high fat diet.
Customer loyalty and value anticipation: does perceived competition matter?
Authors: Christian Ishmael Ofoli , Anning-Dorson Thomas , Tackie Nii Nookwei
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Drawing on customer value theory and the demanding nature of today's customers, this paper examines the moderating effects of competition, as perceived by customers, on the nexus between customer value anticipation (CVA), satisfaction and loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing data from the Ghanaian banking sector, which has been going through some reforms that are changing the banking landscape, the study analyzes data from 587 customers. Respondents were drawn from a cluster of banks within an enclave with different types of customers and epitomize the competitive nature of Ghana's banking sector.

Findings

CVA drives customer satisfaction, attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty among bank customers. However, between attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, customers will be more behaviorally loyal to banks that successfully anticipate their needs than they would be in attitude. The relationships between CVA and satisfaction and loyalty are such that the level of competition among sector players does not alter the effect; thus, when a bank is able to anticipate customer value, customers are going to stay loyal to such a bank irrespective of the competitive offers.

Originality/value

Although the impact CVA has on satisfaction and loyalty is justified in the existing literature, extant research has not systematically examined the influence of external boundary and situational effects on the potency of anticipating customer value in detail. The current study shows the effect of competition on CVA and customer behavioral outcome. The study further concludes that irrespective of competition, banks that are perceived to be high on CVA will have their customers being loyal. This is very important in the development of bank marketing and product innovation strategies.
Passionate and engaged? Passion for inventing and work engagement in different knowledge work contexts
Authors: Toth Ilona , Heinänen Sanna , Puumalainen Kaisu
Published: April 2021

Purpose

In response to the increasing interest in entrepreneurs' well-being in both the entrepreneurship and management research fields, this study builds and tests a research model on the role of entrepreneurial passion for inventing in work engagement in the context of modern knowledge work. The research argument is built on the job demands–resources model, the most commonly used frame for measuring employee well-being in work and organization psychology. The research setting in this study compares digital entrepreneurs and freelancers with traditional knowledge workers and part-time platform workers in terms of passion and engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative research design, the authors collected data from 349 highly specialized knowledge workers through anonymous questionnaires. The research hypotheses were tested with linear and logit models.

Findings

The results show that entrepreneurial passion is positively related to increased job demands and work engagement and that job demands can have a positive effect on work engagement in highly complex knowledge work.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by expanding the analysis of entrepreneurial passion outside the entrepreneurship context and into work engagement theory by adding passion for inventing as an important motivational factor in modern knowledge work. Extant literature on the consequences of work digitalization is still scarce, and this study provides insights into successful working on digital platforms.
The event experiences of attendees with food allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease: risk loaded value-creation/destruction
Authors: Weber Lina , Lugosi Peter
Published: April 2021

Purpose

For attendees with allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease, accessing safe, nutritious and good quality food and drink is a vital but challenging dimension of events. This study sought to capture and analyse the lived event experiences of individuals with a variety of food-related health, wellbeing and safety needs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted an inductive approach, using semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative data from participants with various food allergies and intolerances or coeliac disease.

Findings

Attendees had low expectations regarding food choice, quality and value, which stemmed from past event experiences. Poor information about suitable food and drink, coupled with frontline staffs' perceived knowledge, responsiveness and care were frequently seen as sources of service failures. The data stress how exposure to potentially harmful foods and food avoidance influenced attendees' experiences. The findings also help to appreciate consumers' agency, identifying various coping strategies used by affected individuals to anticipate risks, engage in compensatory behaviours and mitigate the effects of unsuitable food and drink.

Originality/value

This study is unique in examining the event experiences of individuals with food allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease. It demonstrates how practices in the crucial domain of food and drink provision can affect the overall event experience, with potential consequences at, across and potentially beyond the venue and occasion. From a theoretical perspective, the study conceptualises intersections of risk, value-creation/destruction and experiential consumption. It shows the “episodic” and “perpetual” impacts of “risk loaded” consumption, while arguing that diverse value-creation/destruction practices mediate pathways leading to different experiential outcomes.
Cascade control for heterogeneous multirotor UAS
Authors: Hoshu Ayaz Ahmed , Wang Liuping , Fisher Alex , Sattar Abdul
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Despite of the numerous characteristics of the multirotor unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), they have been termed as less energy-efficient compared to fixed-wing and helicopter counterparts. The purpose of this paper is to explore a more efficient multirotor configuration and to provide the robust and stable control system for it.

Design/methodology/approach

A heterogeneous multirotor configuration is explored in this paper, which employs a large rotor at the centre to provide majority of lift and three small tilted booms rotors to provide the control. Design provides the combined characteristics of both quadcopters and helicopters in a single UAS configuration, providing endurance of helicopters keeping the manoeuvrability, simplicity and control of quadcopters. In this paper, rotational as well as translational dynamics of the multirotor are explored. Cascade control system is designed to provide an effective solution to control the attitude, altitude and position of the rotorcraft.

Findings

One of the challenging tasks towards successful flight of such a configuration is to design a stable and robust control system as it is an underactuated system possessing complex non-linearities and coupled dynamics. Cascaded proportional integral (PI) control approach has provided an efficient solution with stable control performance. A novel motor control loop is implemented to ensure enhanced disturbance rejection, which is also validated through Dryden turbulence model and 1-cosine gust model.

Originality/value

Robustness and stability of the proposed control structure for such a dynamically complex UAS configuration is demonstrated with stable attitude and position performance, reference tracking and enhanced disturbance rejection.
The contingent nature of warehouse flexibility
Authors: Sadowski Adam , Wojciechowski Piotr , Engelseth Per
Published: April 2021

Purpose

In a volatile marketplace, warehouse management is fundamentally contingent of changes in its supply network environment. Flexibility is therefore a key logistics issue in distribution centre management. This study probes into the nature of warehouse flexibility in a supply network through simulation.

Design/methodology/approach

By using the FlexSim simulation tool the dynamic behaviour of the warehouse system are conceptualised, documented, simulated, analysed and evaluated.

Findings

Simulation revealed that external changes affect daily processes and the reorganisation of warehouse processes. Given the extensity of resource use, simulation also revealed that process reorganisation should not be a daily undertaking. This is because warehouse processes react in unpredictable and different manners to even the smallest disturbance from the environment. This reaction is not necessarily negative impending more long-term change of warehouse processes.

Originality/value

The warehouse is a complex system that self-adapts with limited need to calculate new optimised warehouse processes to counter changes in its environment. Rather than following deterministic optimisation procedures, the development of flexible resources is a key issue in warehouse management. The applied simulation model is generic and therefore applicable in other distribution centres pointing to how to monitor warehouse processes to in a pre-emptively develop warehouse flexibility through change of process context.
Measuring supply chain performance: the triple E model
Authors: Simão Luiz Eduardo , Somensi Karine , Dávalos Ricardo Villarroel , Rodriguez Carlos Manuel Taboada
Published: April 2021

Purpose

This work aims to measure the performance of an electric motors supply chain (SC) by using the Triple E performance measurement model to assess three performance dimensions simultaneously: efficiency, efficacy and environmental impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This research presents a real case of a Brazilian company as an example for applying the Triple E performance measurement model and the discrete-event simulation to assess the performance of an SC.

Findings

Performance measurements for the three dimensions were the following: (1) for efficiency, a high inventory cost in the SC, driven by the distribution center (DC) (49.7% total cost); an order cycle time operating with an average of 21.7 days and a logistic channel transport capacity of 88%; (2) for efficacy, a service level of 98% for all channels; (3) for environmental impact, the SC emits a total of 395,733 kg of CO2 annually, with the DC and the regional distribution center (RDC2) being the largest emitters.

Originality/value

This work allowed to measure the performance of an SC interface (manufacturing process, a DC and three regional distribution centers). It was possible to measure the inventory holding cost and out-of-stock inventory costs, order cycle time, SC service level, transport capacity utilization and CO2 emissions in the transportation process of each SC stage and the whole SC. This study can be used as a decision support guide for academics and practitioners to measure and improve the SC performance.
Impact of advertising puffery and celebrity trustworthiness on attitude and purchase intent: a study on Indian youth
Authors: Punjani Krunal K. , Kumar V.V. Ravi
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to investigate the mediating role of attitude toward advertising for the relationship between the exogenous constructs – advertising puffery and celebrity trustworthiness, and an endogenous construct purchase intent.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has proposed a conceptual model based on the previous relevant studies and conducted a survey of 223 youth respondents from India. Further, structural equation model with the help of AMOS software was used to test the relationship among the proposed constructs.

Findings

This paper has considered advertising puffery and celebrity trustworthiness as exogenous constructs, attitude toward advertising as a mediating construct and purchase intent as an endogenous construct. The results revealed that advertising puffery influenced purchase intent and attitude toward advertising inversely, whereas celebrity trustworthiness positively influenced both purchase intent and attitude toward advertising. Additionally, attitude toward advertising was found to be a significant predictor of the purchase intent. Moreover, attitude toward advertising is found to have significant partial mediation between the constructs, celebrity trustworthiness and purchase intent.

Practical implication

This paper is useful for the marketers of soft drinks and other low-involvement products in India to understand the perceptions of the youth toward advertising with puffery content and celebrity endorser.

Originality/value

This study is a unique attempt to build a framework involving a combination of advertising puffery and celebrity trustworthiness to analyze the mediating effect of attitude toward advertising on the purchase Intent.
The impact of enterprise social media use on employee performance: a grounded theory approach
Authors: Ma Liang , Zhang Xin , Wang Gaoshan
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Enterprise social media (ESM) are frequently used in enterprises for daily operation. Although many researchers have attempted to understand the antecedents and consequences of ESM use, the integrated model, boundary conditions and mechanism of the impact of ESM use on performance are still unclear. This study fill this research gap by adopting a grounded theory approach to study how ESM use affects employee performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Choosing representative cases, the authors collected interview data and analyzed the data using open coding, axial coding and selective coding.

Findings

The results showed four main categories including ESM use, work efficiency, emotional maintenance and work performance, as well as 14 sub-categories. This paper also constructs a model of the impact of ESM use on work performance. In addition, results showed that ESM use affects employees' work performance through work efficiency and emotional maintenance, and frequency of use and individual characteristics may moderate this process.

Originality/value

This study’s results contribute to the existing ESM literature by finding the integrated model, boundary conditions and mechanism of the impact of ESM use on performance. The authors also contributed to the social media literature by finding 14 sub-categories and four main categories including ESM use, work efficiency, emotional maintenance and work performance. The conclusion of this paper provides guidance and reference for the use and management of internal social media in enterprises.
When learning how to lead, an exploratory look at role models
Authors: Posner Barry Z.
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify who people indicate are their role models for learning how to lead and explore how demographic characteristics may affect these choices.

Design/methodology/approach

A global online survey, involving over 34,000 respondents, indicated, from a list of 14 possibilities, the role model category from whom they learned to lead. Respondents indicated their age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, educational level, hierarchical level and job function. Chi-square analysis was used to identify how these factors may have affected the choice of role models distribution.

Findings

Family member (parents, siblings and other family outside of the immediate family) was found to be the most important role model category when it came to learning how to lead. Ranked second was immediate supervisor/manager. The rank order in terms of frequency of role model choices was not substantially different across demographic characteristics, though there were statistically significant differences regarding the relative importance of the various role model categories by demographics.

Research limitations/implications

The results offer plentiful opportunities for future scholars to delve more into both the nature and actions of role models, in keeping with social learning theory. Future scholars can investigate the nature of people's relationships with leadership role models, especially conceptualizing why and how various demographic factors affect how people learn to lead.

Practical implications

Understanding who people have as role models for what they have learned about leadership can provide important insights for those responsible for leadership development. Similarly, individuals who are in role model “positions” (e.g. parents, teachers, managers) can be more aware of how their behaviors have implications for how their audience learns what effective leadership looks like in action.

Originality/value

This study addressed a relatively unexplored area in the leadership literature, namely within what category of role model have people found to be most important in helping them learn to lead. The large and diverse sample, across a multitude of demographic characteristics, strengthens the generalizability of the findings.