bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A diploid chromosome-level genome ofEucalyptus regnans: unveiling haplotype variance in structure and genes within one of the world’s tallest trees
Authors: Ferguson Scott , Bar-Ness Yoav D , Borevitz Justin , Jones Ashley 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundEucalyptus regnans(Mountain Ash) is an Australian native giant tree species which form forests that are among the highest known carbon-dense biomasses in the world. To enhance genomic studies in this ecologically important species, we assembled a high-quality, mostly telomere-to-telomere complete, chromosome-level, haplotype-resolved reference genome. We sampled a single tree, the Centurion, which is currently a contender for the world’s tallest flowering plant.ResultsUsing long-read sequencing data (PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore ultra-long reads) and chromosome conformation capture data (Hi-C), we assembled the most contiguous and completeEucalyptusreference genome to date. For each haplotype, we observed contig N50s exceeding 36 Mbp, scaffold N50s exceeding 43 Mbp, and genome BUSCO completeness exceeding 99%. The assembled genome revealed extensive structural variations between the two haplotypes, consisting mostly of insertions, deletions, duplications and translocations. Analysis of gene content revealed haplotype-specific genes, which were enriched in functional categories related to transcription, energy production and conservation. Additionally, many genes reside within structurally rearranged regions, particularly duplications, suggesting that haplotype-specific variation may contribute to environmental adaptation in the species.ConclusionsOur study provides a foundation for future research intoE. regnansenvironmental adaptation, and the high-quality genome will be a powerful resource for conservation of carbon-dense giant tree forests.
Delivery determinants of anAcinetobacter baumanniitype VI secretion system bifunctional peptidoglycan hydrolase
Authors: Bezkorovayna Valeriya , Hayes Brooke K. , Gillett Francesca N. , Wright Amy , Roper David I. , Harper Marina , McGowan Sheena , Boyce John D. 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACTAcinetobacter baumanniiis a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is a common cause of nosocomial infections. The increasing development of antibiotic resistance in this organism is a global health concern. TheA. baumanniiclinical isolate AB307-0294 produces a type VI secretion system (T6SS) that delivers three antibacterial cargo effector proteins (Tse15, Tde16 and Tae17) that give this strain a competitive advantage against other bacteria in polymicrobial environments. These effectors are delivered via specific non-covalent interactions with the T6SS needle tip proteins VgrG15, VgrG16 and VgrG17, respectively. Here we determine the molecular function of the Tae17 effector protein and define the regions of Tae17 and VgrG17 essential for its delivery. Specifically, we show that Tae17 is a multidomain, bifunctional peptidoglycan-degrading enzyme. Tae17 has both lytic transglycosylase activity, which targets the peptidoglycan sugar backbone, and amidase activity, which targets the sugar-peptide bonds. Moreover, we show that the transglycosylase activity was more important for killingEscherichia coli. Using deletion constructs and bacterial two-hybrid analyses, we identify that amino acids 1051-1085 of the VgrG17 needle tip protein and amino acids 1-162 of the Tae17 effector protein are necessary for the Tae17:VgrG17 interaction. Furthermore, we identify the VgrG17 amino acids G1069 and W1075 as crucial for the delivery of Tae17; the first time such specific delivery determinants of T6SS cargo effectors have been defined. This study provides molecular insight into how the T6SS allowsA. baumanniistrains to gain dominance in polymicrobial communities and thus improve their chances of survival and transmission.IMPORTANCEWe have shown that theAcinetobacter baumanniiT6SS effector Tae17 is a modular, bifunctional, peptidoglycan-degrading enzyme that has both lytic transglycosylase and amidase activity. Both activities contribute to the ability to degrade peptidoglycan, but the glycosyltransferase activity was more important for the interbacterial killing ofEscherichia coli. We have defined the specific regions of Tae17 and its cognate delivery protein VgrG17 that are necessary for the non-covalent interactions and, for the first time, identified specific amino acids essential for delivery. This work contributes to our molecular understanding of bacterial competition strategies in polymicrobial environments and may provide a window to the design of new therapeutic approaches for combating infection byA. baumannii.
Development of modular geminivirus-based vectors for high cargo expression and gene targeting in plants
Authors: Neubauer Matthew , Vollen Katie , Ascencio-Ibanez Jose T. , Hanley-Bowdoin Linda , Stepanova Anna N. , Alonso Jose M. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractViral vectors can be useful tools for expressing recombinant proteins as well as delivering gene-editing machinery. Despite their utility, the development and subsequent optimization of these tools is often a difficult and tedious process. Thus, although considerable work has been done to create useful viral vectors for gene editing and protein expression, there is a lack of understanding of how best to design these vectors for specific applications. For instance, it is often unclear whether the inclusion of heterologous promoter sequences or different viral components will improve cargo expression or replicon accumulation. To address some of these hurdles, we designed a GoldenBraid (GB)-compatible viral vector system based on the geminivirus – Beet curly top virus (BCTV). This system allows for simple, modular cloning of a variety of reporter constructs. Making use of this modular cloning strategy, we compared a variety of alternative viral vector architectures. Interestingly, native BCTV promoters outperformed the constitutive35Spromoter, while the removal of the BCTV virion-sense genes promoted reporter expression. Intriguingly, these modifications had no effect on total replicon accumulation. These results show the utility of the new modular BCTV-based viral vectors for protein expression and gene targeting applications, as well as uncover design principles that may inform future geminivirus-based viral vector architectures. We anticipate that the availability of this new modular system will spark the broad adoption of replicon-based strategies in protein expression and gene editing experiments in plants.
Divergence and convergence in epiphytic and endophytic phyllosphere bacterial communities of rice landraces
Authors: Sanjenbam Pratibha , Agashe Deepa 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACTPhyllosphere-associated microbes can significantly alter host plant fitness, with distinct functions provided by bacteria inhabiting the epiphytic (external surface) vs. endophytic niches (internal leaf tissue). Hence, it is important to understand the assembly and stability of these phyllosphere communities, especially in field conditions. Broadly, epiphytic communities should encounter more environmental changes and immigration, whereas endophytic microbiomes should face stronger host selection. We analysed the structure and stability of leaf phyllosphere microbiomes of four traditionally cultivated rice landraces and one commercial variety from northeast India grown in the field for three consecutive years, supplemented with opportunistic sampling of 8 other landraces. Epiphytic and endophytic bacterial communities shared dominant core genera such asMethylobacteriumandSphingomonas. Consistent with an overall strong environmental effect, both communities varied more across sampling years than across host landraces. Seeds sampled from a focal landrace did not support vertical transmission of phyllosphere bacteria, suggesting that both types of communities are assembled anew each generation. Despite these points of convergence, epiphytic communities had distinct composition and significantly higher microbial load, and were more rich, diverse, modular, and unstable than endophytic communities. Finally, focused sampling of one landrace across developmental stages showed that the divergence between the two types of communities arose primarily at the flowering stage. Thus, our results show both convergent and divergent patterns of community assembly and composition in distinct phyllosphere niches in rice, identifying key bacterial genera and host developmental stages that may aid agricultural interventions to increase rice yield.
Unveiling Novel Biocontrol Strategies: Serratia marcescens chiA Gene Against Myzus persicae
Authors: Can Ahmet , Baysal Ömür 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundMicroorganisms produce a diverse array of enzymes with potential applications in biological control and pest management. Among these enzymes, chitinase stands out due to its safety for non-target organisms and the environment. Chitinase enzymes play a crucial role in breaking down chitin, which serves as a critical component in insect exoskeletons and fungal cell walls. As a result, they emerge as valuable tools for managing both agricultural pests and pathogens.ResultsThe chiA gene region ofSerratia marcescensGBS19 was successfully amplified via PCR and cloned into expression vectors. The resulting chiA protein was expressed and purified through His-tag affinity chromatography. The purified chiA enzyme exhibited optimal activity at 40 °C and pH 5. The insecticidal properties of the purified chiA enzyme were tested against the agricultural pestMyzus persicae, revealing an LD50value of 15,804 ppm. Comparative analysis with ref_seq chiA enzymes demonstrated that our purified enzyme shows 98.93% similarity, indicating a high degree of conservation and likely functional similarity. Bioinformatics modelling highlighted a strong binding affinity (-4.10 kcal/mol) between the enzyme and chitin, which was also confirmed with modelled chitin layer and enzyme interaction.ConclusionThe study underscores the potential ofS. marcescensGBS19 chitinase as an effective and environmentally safe biocontrol agent. The chiA enzyme exhibits promising insecticidal properties, specifically againstM. persicae, and its strong binding affinity to chitin supports its effectiveness. Given its safety for non-target organisms and the environment,S. marcescensGBS19 chitinase holds significant promise as a tool for integrated pest management, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices using directed recombinant DNA technology.
PBRM1 directs PBAF to pericentromeres and protects centromere integrity
Authors: Lane Karen A. , Harrod Alison , Wu Lillian , Roumeliotis Theodoros I. , Feng Hugang , Foo Shane , Begg Katheryn A. G. , Schiavoni Federica , Zenke Frank T. , Melcher Alan A. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Downs Jessica A. 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACTThe specialised structure of the centromere is critical for effective chromosome segregation, but its repetitive nature makes it vulnerable to rearrangements.Centromere fragility can drive tumorigenesis, but protective mechanisms preventing fragility are still not fully understood. The PBAF chromatin remodelling complex is frequently misregulated in cancer, but its role in cancer is still not fully characterized. Here, we identify PBAF as a protector of centromere and pericentromere structure with profound consequences for genome stability. A conserved feature of isogenic cell lines lacking PBRM1, a subunit of PBAF, is compromised centromere and pericentromere integrity. PBAF is present at these regions, and the binding pattern changes when PBRM1 is absent. PBRM1 loss creates a dependence on the spindle assembly checkpoint, which represents a therapeutic vulnerability. Importantly, we find that even in the absence of any perturbations, PBRM1 loss leads to centromere fragility, thus identifying a new player in centromere protection.
R&D investment and SMEs performance: the role of capital structure decisions
Authors: Ali Sarmad , Muhammad Hussain , Migliori Stefania 
Published: June 2024

PurposeThis paper examines the moderating role of capital structure decisions in the relationship between research and development (R&D) investment and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) performance.Design/methodology/approachBased on panel data of 1,357 European SMEs from 2014 to 2020, this study employs a generalized method of moments (GMM) regression to examine the R&D-performance link through the moderating role of capital structure.FindingsThe results show that R&D investment and equity financing positively and significantly influence SMEs performance. Debt financing, however, is negatively and significantly associated with SME performance. In addition, we show that capital structure choice significantly moderates the relationship between R&D investment and SME performance. Specifically, debt financing attenuates the positive impact of R&D investment on SMEs performance, whereas equity financing accentuates this relationship.Practical implicationsThis study helps policymakers formulate appropriate policies to overcome the challenges of underinvestment in R&D projects to enhance SMEs performance.Originality/valueOur findings provide new evidence on R&D-performance literature by refining the deeper understanding of the role of capital structure, which has previously been examined in partial and fragmented ways.
Exploring higher education students’ continuance usage intention of ChatGPT: amalgamation of the information system success model and the stimulus-organism-response paradigm
Authors: Duong Cong Doanh , Nguyen Thanh Hieu , Ngo Thi Viet Nga , Dao Van Thanh , Do Ngoc Diep , Pham Thanh Van 
Published: June 2024

PurposeThe advent of artificial intelligence technologies, exemplified by platforms such as ChatGPT, has created a profound global impact, with a particular resonance in education. This research aims to integrate the information systems success (ISS) model with the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) paradigm to explore how information quality and service quality individually, jointly, congruently, and incongruently affect higher education students’ trust in ChatGPT, satisfaction, and continuance usage intention.Design/methodology/approachWe employed a sophisticated methodology - polynomial regression with response surface analysis - and conducted our study with a sample of 468 higher education students selected in Vietnam using a three-phase stratified random sampling approach to evaluate the hypotheses developed.FindingsThe findings indicate that both information and service quality influence higher education students’ trust directly and positively in ChatGPT, satisfaction, and continuance usage intention. Moreover, a balance between information quality and service quality can increase students’ level of trust in ChatGPT, satisfaction, and intention to continue using it. Nevertheless, a significant incongruity between information quality and service quality will likely reduce trust in ChatGPT, satisfaction, and the intention to continue using the service.Originality/valueThis research is one of the first to offer a shred of empirical evidence about how information quality and service quality interact congruently and incongruently with each other to trigger higher education students’ trust in ChatGPT, satisfaction, and continuance usage intention of ChatGPT. It thus offers valuable insights for leveraging the benefits and mitigating potential challenges associated with adopting this innovative technology in educational settings.
Examining the relationship of country-level digital ad spend and cross-border e-commerce buyers under cultural and political globalization
Authors: Lee Hannah S. , Yalcinkaya Göksel , Griffith David A. 
Published: June 2024

PurposeCross-border e-commerce continues to garner much attention within the international marketing literature as the world becomes hyperconnected through digital channels. Although there is an abundance of international marketing research on cross-border e-commerce, there is a lack of information regarding the influences of meta-institutional factors, such as a country’s level of globalization, on the relationship between digital advertising and cross-border e-commerce buyers. The objective of this research is to examine the effects of digital media ad spend at the country level on cross-border e-commerce buyers across countries under differing degrees of formal (i.e. political) and informal (i.e. cultural) institutional globalization.Design/methodology/approachThis work examines the influence of digital ad spend at the country level and the degree of the country’s formal and informal institutional globalization on the share of cross-border e-commerce buyers. We examine this issue within a 21-country, 8-year, unbalanced panel dataset.FindingsWe find that there is substantive heterogeneity in degrees of formal (i.e. political) and informal (i.e. cultural) institutional globalization and cross-border e-commerce across countries. Digital ad spend at the country level is positively associated with cross-border e-commerce buyers within a country. A country’s level of political globalization enhances, but cultural globalization was found to dampen the positive association. The results indicate that political and cultural globalization of a country both contribute to increased interconnectedness with the global market, yet the nature of the interconnection differs.Originality/valueThe findings are informative to international marketing managers navigating the digital landscape and highlight the importance of institutions in international marketing activities. The study specifically demonstrates the varying effects of the meta-institutional factors of a country’s level of political and cultural globalization on the association between digital ad spend and cross-border e-commerce buyers at the country level, across a wide variety of countries, thus also contributing to the effort to improve generalizations from multi-country comparisons in international marketing research.
Pursuing sustainable performance in healthcare organizations: a sustainable business model perspective
Authors: Cosenz Federico , Noto Guido , Cavadi Giuliana , Bivona Enzo , Scirè Giovanni 
Published: June 2024

PurposeThis paper explores the use of Dynamic Business Modeling for Sustainability (DBMfS) in healthcare management settings as a holistic approach to integrating economic, social, and environmental dimensions into the business formula of these complex organizations.Design/methodology/approachAfter framing sustainable value in healthcare in terms of organizational complexity, wicked problems, and emerging managerial challenges, the paper proposes and illustrates the DBMfS approach that adopts a systemic view of sustainable value in healthcare. According to a qualitative perspective, a single-case study of a maternity-related healthcare treatment is also described to explore the implications and limitations of using this approach to sustainable business modeling in healthcare organizations.FindingsFindings show that, by embracing sustainability through DBMfS, healthcare organizations can improve operational efficiency, reduce waste (like energy, water, and medical supplies), and enhance cost-effectiveness, thus contributing significantly to societal well-being.Originality/valueIn recent years, the healthcare sector has faced numerous challenges and wicked problems, including escalating costs, resource constraints, and growing environmental concerns. As a result, the concept of sustainability has gained significant attention, thus calling scholars and practitioners to develop methods and tools able to integrate it into strategic management systems of healthcare organizations. By proposing the adoption of DBMfS in the healthcare sector, this paper contributes to feeding up the current debate.
Multimedia technologies for Chinese art and culture education in the museum: a quantitative study using the 5E instructional model
Authors: Chan Yin Ping , Lam Apple Hiu Ching , Chiu Dickson K.W. 
Published: June 2024

PurposeThe Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) showcases China’s rich heritage with multimedia technologies. This research examines the effectiveness of the museum’s exhibition, visitors’ perceptions of multimedia technologies, and the educational role of multimedia technologies in Chinese art and culture.Design/methodology/approachThis research fills the gap with a survey to investigate sociodemographic factors and user perceptions guided by the 5E Instructional Model.FindingsResults indicated that the younger generation is enthusiastic about utilizing multimedia technologies as educational tools when visiting the HKPM museum. Incorporating such technologies in museums can also benefit visitors, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of Chinese art and culture.Originality/valueResults support recommendations for improving the use of multimedia technologies in museums for educational programs and visitor experiences in Chinese art and culture appreciation. Few studies have investigated the effectiveness of recent multimedia technologies for museum education, especially in East Asia.
Factors influencing IoT adoption for sustainable facilities management in Saudi Arabia: a stakeholder assessment
Authors: Hassanain Mohammad A. , Al-Marzooq Ali , Alshibani Adel , Zami Mohammad Sharif 
Published: June 2024

PurposeThis paper evaluates the factors influencing the utilization of the Internet of Things (IoT) for sustainable facilities management (SFM) practices in Saudi Arabia.Design/methodology/approachA mixed approach, combining a literature review, pilot-testing and questionnaire survey, was adopted to evaluate the factors. Twenty-seven factors were identified and grouped into four groups: technical, business and organizational, operational and security and privacy. The questionnaire was distributed to 30 facilities managers and 30 IoT specialists, totaling 60 practitioners, to determine the effect index of each factor. The practitioners' consensus on the ranking of the factors was then determined.FindingsThe study identifies the top-ranking factors as: “Difficulty in ensuring data security and protection,” “Difficulty in ensuring data privacy and confidentiality” and “Limited awareness and understanding of IoT benefits and capabilities.” These factors highlight the challenges to successful IoT implementation in the FM sector. The FM sector could benefit from utilizing IoT while maintaining the security, privacy and effectiveness of building operations by successfully addressing these concerns. A high level of consensus on the ranking of the factors was observed between facilities managers and IoT specialists. This was substantiated by a Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of 0.79.Originality/valueThis study enriches the literature by combining practical insights from facilities managers with technical expertise from IoT specialists on the factors impacting IoT implementation in the Saudi Arabian FM sector. Beyond academic contributions, it provides practical insights for industry professionals, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing and guiding future research in this field.