bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topology of synaptic connectivity constrains neuronal stimulus representation, predicting two complementary coding strategies
Authors: Reimann Michael W. , Riihimäki Henri , Smith Jason P. , Lazovskis Jānis , Pokorny Christoph , Levi Ran
Published: November 2020

1

In motor-related brain regions, movement intention has been successfully decoded from in-vivo spike train by isolating a lower-dimension manifold that the high-dimensional spiking activity is constrained to. The mechanism enforcing this constraint remains unclear, although it has been hypothesized to be implemented by the connectivity of the sampled neurons. We test this idea and explore the interactions between local synaptic connectivity and its ability to encode information in a lower dimensional manifold through simulations of a detailed microcircuit model with realistic sources of noise. We confirm that even in isolation such a model can encode the identity of different stimuli in a lower-dimensional space. We then demonstrate that the reliability of the encoding depends on the connectivity between the sampled neurons by specifically sampling populations whose connectivity maximizes certain topological metrics. Finally, we developed an alternative method for determining stimulus identity from the activity of neurons by combining their spike trains with their recurrent connectivity. We found that this method performs better for sampled groups of neurons that perform worse under the classical approach, predicting the possibility of two separate encoding strategies in a single microcircuit.
Loss of a plant receptor kinase recruits beneficial rhizosphere-associatedPseudomonas
Authors: Song Yi , Wilson Andrew J. , Zhang Xue-Cheng , Thoms David , Sohrabi Reza , Song Siyu , Geissmann Quentin , Liu Yang , Walgren Lauren , He Sheng Yang , Haney Cara H.
Published: November 2020

Maintaining microbiome structure is critical for the health of both plants1and animals2. In plants, enrichment of beneficial bacteria is associated with advantageous outcomes including protection from biotic and abiotic stress3,4. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms by which plants enrich for specific beneficial microbes without general dysbiosis have remained elusive. Here we show that through regulation of NADPH oxidase,FERONIAkinase negatively regulates beneficialPseudomonas fluorescensin theArabidopsisrhizosphere microbiome. By rescreening a collection ofArabidopsismutants that affect root immunity under gnotobiotic conditions, followed by microbiome sequencing in natural soil, we identified aFERONIAmutant (fer-8) with a rhizosphere microbiome enriched inP. fluorescenswithout phylum-level dysbiosis. Using microbiome transplant experiments, we found that thefer-8microbiome was beneficial and promoted plant growth. The effect ofFERon rhizosphere Pseudomonads was independent of its immune coreceptor function, role in development, and jasmonic acid autoimmunity. We found that thefer-8mutant has reduced basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in roots and that mutants deficient in NADPH oxidase showed elevated rhizosphere Pseudomonad levels. Overexpression of theROP2gene (encoding a client of FER and positive regulator of NADPH oxidase5) infer-8plants suppressed Pseudomonad overgrowth. This work shows thatFER-mediated ROS production regulates levels of beneficial Pseudomonads in the rhizosphere microbiome.
D614G substitution enhances the stability of trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
Authors: Yazhini Arangasamy , Sidhanta Das Swayam Prakash , Srinivasan Narayanaswamy
Published: November 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with D614G substitution has become the dominant variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Several studies to characterize the new virus expressing G614 variant show that it exhibits increased infectivity compared to the ancestral virus having D614 spike protein. Here, usingin-silicomutagenesis and energy calculations, we analyzed inter-residue interaction energies and thermodynamic stability of the dominant (G614) and the ancestral (D614) variants of spike protein trimer in ‘closed’ and ‘partially open’ conformations. We find that the local interactions mediated by aspartate at the 614thposition are energetically frustrated and create unfavourable environment. Whereas, glycine at the same position confers energetically favourable environment and strengthens intra-as well as inter-protomer association. Such changes in the local interaction energies enhance the thermodynamic stability of the spike protein trimer as free energy difference (ΔΔG) upon glycine substitution is −2.6 kcal/mol for closed conformation and −2.0 kcal/mol for open conformation. Our results on the structural and energetic basis of enhanced stability hint that G614 may confer increased availability of functional form of spike protein trimer and consequent in higher infectivity than the D614 variant.
Relating farmers’ perceptions to long term dynamics in maize (Zea maysL.) production: The production of improved maize is coming to a standstill in central Malawi
Authors: Nyirenda Harrington , Mwangomba Wantwa , Nyirenda Ellen M.
Published: November 2020

Maize production, area and yield dynamics were assessed based on farmer perceptions and production data from 2004/05-2018/19 using 36 000 households in Salima, central Malawi. The results showed that farmers used 16, six and two varieties for hybrid, Open-pollinated varieties (OPV) and local maize respectively. Farmers sourced Hybrid and OPV maize seed from Private Agro dealers while local maize was own-sourced. Farmers preferred local maize for being cheap, good taste, low storage costs, and pest resistance although low yielding. They preferred hybrid and OPV maize for high yielding and early maturity despite demanding high storage costs, pest susceptibility, and low flour. From 2004/05-2018/19, the area under local and OPV maize reduced by 61% and 12% respectively, while that of hybrid maize increased by 49%. However, the consistent decrease in area for hybrid and OPV and significant increase of that of local maize from 2014/15-2018/19 may signal a catastrophic maize production in the region. From 2019/20-2025/26 production of all maize was projected at 44 172 tons by 2025/26, representing a 1.6% increase from the base year 2019/20. This increase will be due to favorable climatic conditions and not increase in area or yield. If maize yield was improved by 30% production would increase to 110 430 tons representing 67% of the food requirement in the study area. The current maize production trend in Salima does not guarantee food security prospects. Therefore, policymakers should consider reviewing the past interventions (input pricing, promotion strategies, sustainable practices, policies) in the maize subsector to enhance maize productivity.
Choice of library preparation and its effects on sequence quality, genome assembly, and precisein silicoprediction of virulence genes in shiga toxin producingEscherichia coli
Authors: Haendiges Julie , Jinneman Karen , Gonzalez-Escalona Narjol
Published: November 2020

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides essential public health information and is used worldwide for pathogen surveillance, epidemiology, and source tracking. The sequencing of foodborne pathogens is commonly performed with Illumina sequencing chemistry to obtain data with high accuracy. The choice of library preparation method for highly complex organisms is very critical and can affect the final data output. The majority of Illumina sequencing platforms use rapid library preparation such as Nextera XT (transposon-based technology) (Illumina San Diego, CA), but this preparation has the potential to miss randomly distributed segments of genomes that might be important for downstream analyses. The Illumina Nextera DNA Prep library preparation kit, the successor of Nextera XT, shows better overall coverage of the complete genome. This study compared the quality of sequence data generated using Nextera XT and Nextera DNA Prep kits for DNA library preparation on an Illumina MiSeq, using a set of 30 O121:H19 shiga-toxin positiveEscherichia colistrains isolated from flour during a 2016 outbreak. The performance of the two kits were evaluated using several metrics including sequencing quality, assembly quality, uniformity of genome coverage, and virulence gene identification. Overall, the results showed that in all of the analysed metrics, the Nextera DNA Prep kit performed outstanding in comparison to Nextera XT. The Nextera DNA Prep kit allowed for comprehensive detection of all virulence genes, which is of extremely high importance for making an educated assessment of the virulence potential ofEscherichia coli. This comprehensive side-by-side comparison will be of significance for those interested in improving their sequencing workflow for STECs and the determination of health risks using WGS data.
ATF-4 and hydrogen sulfide signalling mediate longevity from inhibition of translation or mTORC1
Authors: Statzer Cyril , Meng Jin , Venz Richard , Bland Monet , Robida-Stubbs Stacey , Patel Krina , Petrovic Dunja , Emsley Raffaella , Liu Pengpeng , Morantte Ianessa , Haynes Cole , Mair William B. , Longchamp Alban , Filipovic Milos , Blackwell T. Keith , Ewald Collin Y.
Published: November 2020

Inhibition of the master growth regulator mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1) slows ageing across phyla, in part by reducing protein synthesis. Various stresses globally suppress protein synthesis through the integrated stress response (ISR), resulting in preferential translation of the transcription factor ATF-4. Here we show inC. elegansthat inhibition of translation or mTORC1 increases ATF-4 expression, and that ATF-4 mediates longevity under these conditions independently of ISR signalling. ATF-4 promotes longevity by activating canonical anti-ageing mechanisms, but also by elevating expression of the transsulfuration enzyme CTH-2 to increase hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production. This H2S boost increases protein persulfidation, a protective modification of redox-reactive cysteines. The ATF-4/CTH-2/H2S pathway also mediates longevity and increased stress resistance from mTORC1 suppression. Increasing H2S levels, or enhancing mechanisms that H2S influences through persulfidation, may represent promising strategies for mobilising therapeutic benefits of the ISR, translation suppression, or mTORC1 inhibition.
CENP-C regulates centromere assembly, asymmetry and epigenetic age in Drosophila germline stem cells
Authors: Carty Ben L , Dattoli Anna A , Dunleavy Elaine M
Published: November 2020

Germline stem cells divide asymmetrically to produce one new daughter stem cell and one daughter cell that will subsequently undergo meiosis and differentiate to generate the mature gamete. The silent sister hypothesis proposes that in asymmetric divisions, the selective inheritance of sister chromatids carrying specific epigenetic marks between stem and daughter cells impacts cell fate. To facilitate this selective inheritance, the hypothesis specifically proposes that the centromeric region of each sister chromatid is distinct. In Drosophila germ line stem cells (GSCs), it has recently been shown that the centromeric histone CENP-A (called CID in flies) - the epigenetic determinant of centromere identity - is asymmetrically distributed between sister chromatids. In these cells, CID deposition occurs in G2phase such that sister chromatids destined to end up in the stem cell harbour more CENP-A, assemble more kinetochore proteins and capture more spindle microtubules. These results suggest a potential mechanism of ‘mitotic drive’ that might bias chromosome segregation. Here we report that the inner kinetochore protein CENP-C, is required for the assembly of CID in G2phase in GSCs. Moreover, CENP-C is required to maintain a normal asymmetric distribution of CID between stem and daughter cells. In addition, we find that CID is lost from centromeres in aged GSCs and that a reduction in CENP-C accelerates this loss. Finally, we show that CENP-C depletion in GSCs disrupts the balance of stem and daughter cells in the ovary, shifting GSCs toward a self-renewal tendency. Ultimately, we provide evidence that centromere assembly and maintenance via CENP-C is required to sustain asymmetric divisions in female Drosophila GSCs.
Synaptotagmin-7 places dense-core vesicles at the cell membrane to promote Munc13-2- and Ca2+-dependent priming
Authors: Tawfik Bassam , Martins Joana S. , Houy Sébastien , Imig Cordelia , Pinheiro Paulo S. , Wojcik Sonja M. , Brose Nils , Cooper Benjamin H. , Sørensen Jakob B.
Published: November 2020

The functional consequences of the co-expression of synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 are unclear. We show that when present separately, synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 act as standalone fast and slow Ca2+-sensors for vesicle fusion in mouse chromaffin cells. When present together, synaptotagmin-7 stimulates Ca2+-dependent vesicle priming and inhibits depriming. The priming effect of Synaptotagmin-7 extends to the Readily Releasable Pool, whose fusion is executed by synaptotagmin-1, indicating synergistic action of the two Ca2+-sensors, although they are only partially colocalized. Synaptotagmin-7 promotes ubMunc13-2-dependent priming and the absence of synaptotagmin-7 renders phorbolesters less effective in stimulating priming, although synaptotagmin-7 independent priming is also observed. Morphologically, synaptotagmin-7 places vesicles in close membrane apposition (< 6 nm); in its absence vesicles accumulate out of reach of the fusion complex (20-40 nm). We suggest that a synaptotagmin-7-dependent movement toward the membrane is involved in Munc13-2/phorbolester/Ca2+-dependent priming and sets the stage for fast and slow exocytosis triggering.
Rare instances of haploid inducer DNA in potato dihaploids and ploidy-dependent genome instability
Authors: Amundson Kirk R , Ordoñez Benny , Santayana Monica , Nganga Mwaura Livingstone , Henry Isabelle M , Bonierbale Merideth , Khan Awais , Tan Ek Han , Comai Luca
Published: November 2020

In cultivated tetraploid potato, reduction to diploidy (dihaploidy) allows hybridization to diploid germplasm, introgression breeding, and may facilitate the production of inbreds. Pollination with haploid inducers yields maternal dihaploids, as well as triploid and tetraploid hybrids. It is not known if dihaploids result from parthenogenesis, entailing development of embryos from unfertilized eggs, or genome elimination, entailing missegregation and loss of paternal chromosomes. A sign of genome elimination is the occasional persistence of haploid inducer DNA in some of the dihaploids. We characterized the genomes of 1,001 putative dihaploids and 134 hybrids produced by pollinating tetraploid clones with three haploid inducers, IVP35, IVP101, and PL4. We detected inheritance of full or partial chromosomes from the haploid inducer parent in 0.87% of the overall dihaploid progeny, irrespective of the combination of parental genotypes. Chromosomal breaks commonly affected the paternal genome in the dihaploid and tetraploid progeny, but not in the triploid progeny. Residual haploid inducer DNA is consistent with genome elimination as the mechanism of haploid induction. Further, the fact that paternal chromosome breaks are specific to dihaploids and tetraploid progeny suggests that they may be specific to 2x sperms, and supports the hypothesis that 2x sperms facilitate genome elimination.
Direct detection of coupled proton and electron transfers in human manganese superoxide dismutase
Authors: Azadmanesh Jahaun , Lutz William E. , Coates Leighton , Weiss Kevin L. , Borgstahl Gloria E. O.
Published: November 2020

Human manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a critical oxidoreductase found in the mitochondrial matrix. Concerted proton and electron transfers (CPETs) are used by the enzyme to rid the mitochondria of O2•−, a precursor to other harmful reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The mechanisms of CPET-utilizing enzymes are typically unknown due to the difficulties in detecting the protonation states of specific residues and solvent molecules involved in catalysis while controlling the redox state of the enzyme. Here, neutron diffraction of redox-controlled MnSOD crystals revealed the all-atom structures of Mn3+SOD and Mn2+SOD delivering unique data on sites that change protonation state. A novel mechanism is proposed from the direct observation of glutamine deprotonation, the involvement of Tyr and His with altered pKas, and four unusual strong-short hydrogen bonds, including a low barrier hydrogen bond, that change with the oxidation state of the metal. Quantum calculations provide insight into the electronic modulation of the observed structures and the enzymatic mechanism.
A new look at two polymorphic crystal structures of dibenzoylmethane: relationship between the crystal packing and the hydrogen atom position revealed by quantum chemistry and quantum crystallography methods
Authors: Wojtulewski Sławomir , Strawa Jakub Wladyslaw , Tomczyk Michal , Gawel Magdalena , Brzezinski Krzysztof
Published: November 2020

Chalcones, including dibenzoylmethane, are an important subgroup of natural polyphenolic compounds that exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological and industrial applications. Dibenzoylmethane was isolated fromHottonia palustrisL. (Primulaceae). The compound was crystallized in two polymorphic forms: in monoclinic space groupP21/cand orthorhombic space groupPbca. Crystal structures of the polymorphs were solved and refined against diffraction data measured at 100 and 293 K. In both crystal structures, the chalcone occurs in its keto–enol tautomeric form with the hydroxyl H atom mutually bound by two oxygen atoms rather than covalently attached to a particular oxygen atom. To explain this phenomenon in more detail, density functional theory and quantum theory of atoms in molecules based quantum chemistry calculations were applied. Additionally, high-resolution experimental data of very high quality measured for the monoclinic and orthorhombic crystals at 100 K allowed the engagement of the quantum crystallography method, based on Hirshfeld atom refinement, to determine the position of each individual H atom. It is suggested that the presence of the particular tautomeric form of dibenzoylmethane with a centred H atom position results from the π-stacking interaction between the phenyl ring and the malondialdehyde quasi-ring causes delocalization of the electron density in the latter.
A cocrystal of L-ascorbic acid with picolinic acid: the role of O—H...O, N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds and L-ascorbic acid conformation in structure stabilization
Authors: Evtushenko Diana N. , Arkhipov Sergey G. , Fateev Alexander V. , Izaak Tatyana I. , Egorova Lidia A. , Skorik Nina A. , Vodyankina Olga V. , Boldyreva Elena V.
Published: November 2020

A new 1:1 cocrystal (L-Asc–Pic) of L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) with picolinic acid was prepared as a powder and as single crystals. The crystal structure was solved and refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) data collected at 293 (2) and 100 (2) K. The samples of the L-Asc–Pic cocrystal were characterized by elemental (HCNS) analysis and titrimetric methods, TG/DTG/DSC, and IR and Raman spectroscopy. The asymmetric unit comprises a picolinic acid zwitterion and an L-ascorbic acid molecule. The stabilization energy of intermolecular interactions involving hydrogen bonds, the vibrational spectrum and the energies of the frontier molecular orbitals were calculated using the GAUSSIAN09 and the CrystalExplorer17 programs. The charge distribution on the atoms of the L-Asc–Pic cocrystal, L-ascorbic acid itself and its 12 known cocrystals (structures from Version 5.40 of the Cambridge Structural Database) were calculated by the methods of Mulliken, Voronoi and Hirshfeld charge analyses (ADF) at the bp86/TZ2P+ level of theory. The total effective charges and conformations of the L-ascorbic acid molecules in the new and previously reported cocrystals were compared with those of the two symmetry-independent molecules in the crystals of L-ascorbic acid. A correlation between molecular conformation and its effective charge is discussed.
Crystallographic and spectroscopic characterization of 3-chloro-5-fluorosalicylaldehyde
Authors: Triggs Christopher T. , Tanski Joseph M.
Published: November 2020

The title compound (systematic name: 3-chloro-5-fluoro-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde), C7H4ClFO2, is a dihalogenated salicylaldehyde derivative that has been studied for its antibacterial characteristics. The salicylaldehyde engages in intramolecular hydrogen bonding with an O—H...O distance of 2.6231 (19) Å while the molecules pack together via weak intermolecular C—H...O, C—H...F and F...O interactions and offset face-to-face π-stacking.
cis-{1-Butyl-3-[2-(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]-4-imidazolin-2-yl-κ2
C
2,S′}dichloridoplatinum(II)
Authors: Liang Bing-Bing , Xiong Hong-Gang , Hong Wan-Yu , Yao Hua-Gang
Published: November 2020

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [PtCl2(C15H20N2S)], comprises one PtII ion, one N-heterocyclic carbene(NHC)-thioether ligand and two chloride ions. The PtII ion is four-coordinated by one C atom and one S atom of the NHC-thioether ligand, and by two chloride ions, forming an approximately square-planar geometry. In the crystal, the molecules are linked via C—H...Cl and C—H...π interactions, forming a layer parallel to the ab plane.
An academic digital library advancing an equitable and inclusive educational environment
Authors: La Macchia Karen
Published: November 2020

Purpose

At an academic digital library of a graduate business school in Berlin, Germany, the librarian reflects on the “new normal” following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its increased faculty and student engagement with digital resources and heightened awareness of and activity in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper details the concepts and practices of an academic library that is a center for information resources and services, as well as a contact point for DEI advocacy and student conflict mediation. The librarian is the only information professional at the school, and this is a reflective essay written from her perspective.

Findings

This case study suggests that a librarian cross-trained as a conflict mediator or coach can offer both information literacy and support services to further the development of an inclusive campus environment. Educators in both roles build students’ competence and confidence, focus on their achievements and progress and contribute to their sense of belonging. Combining these activities in a central institution builds on the strengths of both disciplines and is consistent with inclusion as a core principle of librarianship.

Originality/value

The findings will be useful for librarians wishing to expand their existing mandate to provide inclusive information access and services to include DEI initiatives.
The representation of homosexuals in Arabic-language news outlets
Authors: Al-Abbas Linda S. , Haider Ahmad S.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the most frequent countries and prevalent discourses in the context of homosexuality in the headlines of Arabic-language media outlets.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combined both corpus linguistic (CL) quantitative and critical discourse analysis (CDA) qualitative approaches to analyse five thousand two hundred news headlines that were retrieved from the Factiva news database from 2010 to 2019.

Findings

There were six main categories of subjects covered by the media in the context of homosexuality, namely crime, extremist groups, legislation, authority figures and scandals, culture and countries. The analysis showed that the countries whose laws criminalize homosexuals were more frequent than those seen to be supportive of homosexuals. The findings revealed that homosexuals are under-covered in the Arab media, and whenever they are present in the news reports, they are depicted negatively.

Research limitations/implications

This study examined the representation of homosexuals in Arabic headlines from 2010 to 2019. Future researchers may investigate their construction in the body of the articles in different periods and languages.

Practical implications

The present research has implications regarding the necessity of objectivity in covering news about minority groups without being influenced by the stock of ideas circulating in the culture where media outlets report.

Social implications

The social implications include enhancing the principles and values of solidarity and respecting all groups in society.

Originality/value

Although there is considerable literature on the representation of homosexuals in media outlets, the number of articles that investigated the same concept in the Arab region is relatively limited to the best knowledge of the researchers. Therefore, this study can add great significance to existing knowledge as it tackles a limitedly investigated topic in the Arab world.
Geographical aggregation and incubator graduation performance: the role of incubator assistance
Authors: Hou Bojun , Hong Jin , Yang Yang
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper attempts to use agglomeration theory and ecological theory to explore how geographic agglomeration affects the graduation performance of incubator community. The authors argue that increasing the incubator community density can improve the opportunities for mutualism and learning among incubators. However, as the competition intensifies, the above positive relationship will weaken when the incubator density exceeds a certain level.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a unique panel dataset of 438 National Technology Business Incubators (NTBIs) in China spanning from 2008 to 2012. Since each NTBIs contains multiple observations for different years, these observations that belong to a cross-section are not completely independent of each other; therefore, the regression using ordinary least squares method underestimates the standard deviations of the variables. To solve this problem, the authors regress this cluster panel data using the Newey–West robust variance estimator.

Findings

The empirical results show that incubator community density is conducive to promoting incubation performance, while the positive relationship between the incubator community density and incubation performance gradually weakens as the population density of incubators surpasses a certain level. Further, the authors examine how incubator assistance (technical assistance and business assistance) moderates the relationship between incubator density and incubation performance. The results indicate that this positive relationship is stronger when more business assistance is provided by incubator managers, while the moderating role of technical assistance is not supported.

Originality/value

This paper enriches the research on the relationship between incubator community density and graduation performance from the perspective of incubator assistance which helps start-ups to understand, absorb and transform external knowledge and resources, thereby promoting their growth.
Campaign participation, spreading electronic word of mouth, purchase: how to optimise corporate social responsibility, CSR, effectiveness via social media?
Authors: Bialkova Svetlana , Te Paske Stephanie
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how to optimise corporate social responsibility (CSR) when communicating via social media. In particular, the communication type, cause proximity and CSR motives are addressed facing the increased demand for transparency and the grown consumers' expectations towards socially responsible brands.

Design/methodology/approach

Online survey was developed, based on a profound literature review and a field research we did on the actual social media behaviour of socially responsible brands. Consumers attitudes and behavioural reactions in terms of willingness to participate in a campaign, to spread e-WOM and to purchase were investigated, as a function of CSR motives (value vs performance vs value and performance) and cause proximity (national vs international), respectively, with monologue (study 1) and dialogue communication type (study 2).

Findings

Cause proximity enhanced the campaign participation, and this effect was pronounced for both, monologue and dialogue type of communication. CSR motives modulated the willingness to spread electronic word-of-mouth, and this holds for both, monologue and dialogue communication. Attitudes and purchase intention were highest when value- and performance-driven motives were communicated, but these effects appeared only when the message was in a dialogue form of communication. Message credibility and CSR motives credibility perception further modulated consumers response.

Practical implications

The outcomes could be used in developing marketing (communication) strategies leading to values and revenues optimisation.

Originality/value

The results are discussed in a framework of how CSR resonates via social media.
A qualitative study of soft skills development opportunities: perceptions of university information professionals
Authors: Ahmad Sajjad , Ahmad Shehzad , Ameen Kanwal
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the self-perceptions of university information professionals about continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities regarding their soft skills.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative design using in-depth interviews was used. The population was all the information professionals working in the public sector universities of Pakistan, but the geographic range of the population, to reduce travelling expenses and to complete the study in time, the interviews were restricted to the universities of the capital city Islamabad and provincial capital Peshawar. A total of 21 interviews were conducted using a snowball sampling technique to select information professionals.

Findings

The findings revealed that only three information professionals attended CPD opportunities in soft skills. More than half of the information professionals stated that CPD programmes have an overall “good” impact on the development of their soft skills. Similarly, more than half of the participants stated that CPD training opportunities on soft skills are very limited. The majority of the participants held professional associations responsible for the development of information professionals’ soft skills. It was also found that communication and persuasion skills, self-management skills and interpersonal skills were the top three soft skill categories for which they urged CPD programmes.

Research limitations/implications

During interviews, most of the Assistant Librarians were not expressive and comfortable. This might be because of a lack of their soft skills knowledge, poor communication skills and interview anxiety.

Originality/value

According to the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind in Pakistan that dealt with the CPD opportunities regarding soft skills of university information professionals using a qualitative research design.
Intrinsic irreversibility of Al2O3–H2O nanofluid Poiseuille flow with variable viscosity and convective cooling
Authors: Almeida Felicita , Gireesha B.J. , Venkatesh P. , Ramesh G.K.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the flow behavior of aluminum oxide–water nanofluid with variable viscosity flowing through the microchannel parallel with the ground, with low aspect ratio. The study focuses on the first and second law analyses of Poiseuille flow using water as the base fluid with alumina nanoparticles suspended in it. Combined effects of thermal radiation, viscous dissipation, variable viscosity, nanoparticle shape factor and volume fraction on the thermal performance are studied and the in-built irreversibility in the process is examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations with dimensions are reduced to non-dimensional equations by using dimensionless quantities. Then, the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg shooting scheme tackles the present non-linear equations.

Findings

The outcomes of the present analysis reveal that the activation energy parameter with its increase, depletes the exergetic effectiveness of the system, thus defending the fact to keep the activation energy parameter the lowest as possible for the system efficiency. In addition, thermal radiation and Biot number enhance the release of heat energy, thereby cooling the system. Bejan number graph exhibits the decreasing behavior for the increased nanoparticle shape factor, whereas the temperature enhances with the rise in nanoparticle shape factor.

Originality/value

The effects of nanoparticle shape factor in Poiseuille flow for alumina–water nanoliquid in low aspect ratio microchannel is inspected at the earliest. Exergetic effectiveness of the system is studied and heat transfer characteristics are explored for thermal radiation effect and activation energy parameter. Besides,

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Do front-line employees in the Chinese commercial banks have the rights to experience psychological well-being?
Authors: Hu Shi
Published: November 2020

Purpose

By drawing on leader–member exchange theory, this study aims to understand the relationship between job autonomy, transformational leadership and psychological well-being mediated by job satisfaction among front-line employees in Chinese commercial banks.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study which consists of 96 respondents from 5 Chinese commercial banks is conducted.

Findings

Through data analysis, the results reveal that transformational leadership and job autonomy are significantly positively related to job satisfaction and directly related to the psychological well-being of front-line employees in Chinese commercial banks. Another interesting finding is that there is a mean difference between male and female front-line employees in Chinese commercial banks on the preference of job autonomy and transformational leadership.

Originality/value

The current study offers further evidence for which strategies Chinese commercial banks should adopt to enhance and protect the rights of front-line employees’ psychological well-being. As front-line employees in commercial banks play a vital role in contributing to bank profits and operational efficiency. They are not only the employees for making profits but also have the right to experience the psychological well-being as a human. Employees with a high level of job satisfaction and psychological well-being benefit both their own health and organizational performance in the long run.
Developing a fair currency system
Authors: Hanif Muhammad
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the role of the prevailing currency systems in achieving (or departing from) the socio-economic objectives of a progressive and just society; i.e. featuring stability and equitable distribution of wealth.

Design/methodology/approach

After documenting historical developments in currency systems, the study reviews the Islamic perspective on the matter. Features of an ideal currency system are listed and then a critical evaluation of existing currency systems – fiat, banking and cryptocurrency – is undertaken.

Findings

It is found that existing currency systems – fiat, banking and cryptocurrency – are not compatible with the socio-economic objectives of a forward-looking, progressive society, which upholds transparency and justice as its core values. The study documents that Sharīʿah norms have no preference or dislike for any of the existing currency systems. Any prudent currency system compatible with the objectives of the Islamic financial system (i.e. stability and equitable distribution of wealth) is acceptable. A single international reserve currency (with country-specific legal tendering) is subject to the risk of destabilisation across global markets.

Practical implications

This paper recommends autonomy of central banking, the spending of seigniorage for the welfare of community members, development of asset-backed currencies (followingṣukūkstructures), as well as multiple international reserve currencies and joining of hands by professionals and Sharīʿah scholars to design a currency system compatible with the Islamic financial system. This paper’s recommendation is against the adoption of cryptocurrency that lacks the backing of real assets.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature by evaluating the compatibility of existing currency systems in the achievement of socio-economic objectives of a welfare state which seeks to uphold justice and equitable resource distribution as core values in the financial system.
Population growth and human resource utilization nexus in Nigeria
Authors: Adeosun Oluyemi Theophilus , Popogbe Oluwaseyi Omowunmi
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Population growth has remained a key issue facing developing economies in the world. While developed countries are experiencing diminished or negative population growth, many countries in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria are having population growth above the economic growth rate. With the deadline for the sustainable development goals approaching, attention is increasingly being focused on population growth and human capital development. Extant literature focused on population growth, human resource utilization and economic growth but this study aims to examine the effect of population growth on human resource utilization.

Design/methodology/approach

Using secondary data for the period 1990-2018, the study conducted unit root test and co-integration analyses to determine the stationarity and correlation in the long-run in the variables. The study used the error correction model to ascertain the speed at which shocks can be corrected in the long-run. Granger causality test was also carried out to ascertain the direction of causality among the variables.

Findings

The empirical results revealed that population growth has a negative and significant effect on human resource utilization. The study also revealed that unidirectional causality runs from employment rate to population growth rate and a unidirectional causality runs from employment growth rate to expected years of schooling. The Nigerian Government needs to not only control population growth but also focus on the quality of education.

Originality/value

The paper provides insights into the relationship between population growth and human capital utilization in Nigeria focusing on the 1986-2018 period.
Using deep learning to investigate digital behavior in culinary tourism
Authors: Hasan Md Rajibul , Abdunurova Assem , Wang Wenwen , Zheng Jiawei , Shams S.M. Riad
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to gather insights into digital consumer behaviour related to Chinese restaurents by examining visual contents on Tripadvisor platform.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the deep learning approach, this research assessed consumer-posted online content of dining experiences by implementing image analysis and clustering. Text mining using word cloud analysis revealed the most frequently repeated keywords.

Findings

First, 4,000 photos of nine Chinese restaurants posted on Tripadvisor’s website were analyzed using image recognition via Inception V3 and Google’s deep learning network; this revealed 12 hierarchical image clusters. Then, an open-questionnaire survey of 125 Chinese respondents investigated consumers’ information needs before visiting a restaurant and after purchasing behavior (motives to share).

Practical implications

This study contributes to culinary marketing development by introducing a new analysis methodology and demonstrating its application by exploring a wide range of keywords and visual images published on the internet.

Originality/value

This research extends and contributes to the literature regarding visual user-generated content in culinary tourism.
Determinants of recovery satisfaction and service loyalty: the differing effects of service recovery system and service recovery performance
Authors: Kamath Pallavi R. , Pai Yogesh P. , Prabhu Nandan K.P.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore whether frontline employees' service recovery performance as well as customers' recovery satisfaction (RS) act as mediating mechanisms that simultaneously transmit the positive influence of an integrated service recovery system (SRS) on customers' service loyalty (SL).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 134 useable retail banking branch cases (including responses from 134 branch heads, 439 frontline employees and 941 customers) were used to test our model using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach.

Findings

Service recovery system, measured as a higher-order multidimensional construct, has a strong and positive influence on customers' SL. Besides, service recovery performance partially mediates, along with RS, the relationship between SRS and SL. Finally, customers' recovery satisfaction has the strongest influence on service loyalty.

Practical implications

This study strongly suggests that practitioners not only focus on implementing an effective SRS but also on leveraging service recovery performance and RS to build sustained customers' loyalty. Practitioners must provide more attention to training their frontline employees, reward and recognize employees and continually evaluate their employees' recovery efforts.

Originality/value

The role of frontline employees' service recovery performance and customers' RS as mediating mechanisms in transmitting the positive effect of SRS on customers' SL is investigated using the combined perspectives of social-technical system theory and interdependence theory.
Differential effect of inter‐ and intraspecific competition on the performance of invasive and native Taraxacum species
Authors: Lee Sangsun , Woo Sunghyun , Kim Eunsuk
Published: November 2020

Inter‐ and intraspecific competitive abilities are significant determinants of invasive success and the ecological impact of non‐native plants. We tested two major hypotheses on the competitive ability of invasive species using invasive (Taraxacum officinale) and native (T. platycarpum) dandelions: differential interspecific competitive ability between invasive and native species and the kin recognition of invasive species. We collected seeds from two field sites where the two dandelion species occurred nearby. Plants were grown alone, with kin (plants from the same maternal genotype) or strangers (plants from different populations) of the same species, or with different species in a growth chamber, and the performance at the early developmental stage between species and treatments was compared. The invasive dandelions outcompeted the native dandelions when competing against each other, although no difference between species was detected without competition or with intraspecific competition. Populations of native species responded to interspecific competition differently. The effect of kinship on plant performance differed between the tested populations in both species. A population produced more biomass than the other populations when grown with a stranger, and this trend was manifested more in native species. Our results support the hypothesis that invasive plants have better competitive ability than native plants, which potentially contributes to the establishment and the range expansion of T. officinale in the introduced range. Although kin recognition is expected to evolve in invasive species, the competitive ability of populations rather than kinship seems to affect plant growth of invasive T. officinale under intraspecific competition.
Antarctic desert soil bacteria exhibit high novel natural product potential, evaluated through long‐read genome sequencing and comparative genomics
Authors: Benaud Nicole , Edwards Richard J. , Amos Timothy G. , D'Agostino Paul M. , Gutiérrez‐Chávez Carolina , Montgomery Kate , Nicetic Iskra , Ferrari Belinda C.
Published: November 2020

Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria are important producers of bioactive natural products (NP), and these phyla dominate in the arid soils of Antarctica, where metabolic adaptations influence survival under harsh conditions. Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which encode NPs, are typically long and repetitious high G + C regions difficult to sequence with short‐read technologies. We sequenced 17 Antarctic soil bacteria from multi‐genome libraries, employing the long‐read PacBio platform, to optimize capture of BGCs and to facilitate a comprehensive analysis of their NP capacity. We report 13 complete bacterial genomes of high quality and contiguity, representing 10 different cold‐adapted genera including novel species. Antarctic BGCs exhibited low similarity to known compound BGCs (av. 31%), with an abundance of terpene, non‐ribosomal peptide and polyketide‐encoding clusters. Comparative genome analysis was used to map BGC variation between closely related strains from geographically distant environments. Results showed the greatest biosynthetic differences to be in a psychrotolerant Streptomyces strain, as well as a rare Actinobacteria genus, Kribbella, while two other Streptomyces spp. were surprisingly similar to known genomes. Streptomyces and Kribbella BGCs were predicted to encode antitumour, antifungal, antibacterial and biosurfactant‐like compounds, and the synthesis of NPs with antibacterial, antifungal and surfactant properties was confirmed through bioactivity assays.
COVID‐19 Pandemic in the New Era of Big Data Analytics: Methodological Innovations and Future Research Directions
Authors: Sheng Jie , Amankwah‐Amoah Joseph , Khan Zaheer , Wang Xiaojun
Published: November 2020

Although scholars in management recognize the value of harnessing big data to understand, predict and respond to future events, there remains little or very limited overview of how various analytics techniques can be harnessed to provide the basis for guiding scholars in studying contemporary management topics and global grand challenges raised by the COVID‐19 pandemic. In this Methodology Corner, we present a review of the methodological innovations in studying big data analytics and how they can be better utilized to examine contemporary organizational issues. We provide insights on methods in descriptive/diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics, and how they can be leveraged to study ‘black swan’ events such as the COVID‐19‐related global crisis and its aftermath's implications for managers and policymakers.
Releasing the socio‐imagination: children's voices on creativity, capability and mental well‐being
Authors: Stephenson Lisa , Dobson Tom
Published: November 2020

With increasing concerns in the UK about the positive mental well‐being and flourishing of children, this research, using drama and creative writing with primary school teachers, children and a theatre company, looks at the links between creative processes and children's well‐being. This pedagogy applies a capability approach and we use this lens to examine children's critical reflections on the project. Interview data highlight the link between agency, social imagination and subjective well‐being. The study offers some concrete examples of the ways in which creative processes can move beyond an outcome‐based understanding of the curriculum by offering a legitimate space for children to explore their values and develop competencies which are crucial for well‐being in the 21st century.