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PurposeThe introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has had a substantial influence on the retail industry. However, AI adoption entails considerable responsibilities and risks for senior managers. In this study, the authors developed an evaluation and selection mechanism for successful AI technology adoption in the retail industry. The multifaceted measurement and identification of critical factors (CFs) can enable retailers to adopt AI technology effectively and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachThe evaluation and adoption of organisational AI technology involve multifaceted decision-making for management. Therefore, the authors used the analytic network process to develop an AI evaluation framework for calculating the weight and importance of each consideration. An expert questionnaire survey was distributed to senior retail managers and 17 valid responses were obtained. Finally, the Vlse Kriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method was used to identify CFs for AI adoption.FindingsThe results revealed five CFs for AI adoption in the retail industry. The findings indicated that after AI adoption, top retail management is most concerned with factors pertaining to business performance and minor concerned about the internal system's functional efficiency. Retailers pay more attention to technology and organisation context, which are matters under the retailers' control, than to external uncontrollable environmental factors.Originality/valueThe authors developed an evaluation framework and identified CFs for AI technology adoption in the retail industry. In terms of practical application, the results of this study can help AI service providers understand the CFs of retailers when adopting AI. Moreover, retailers can use the proposed multifaceted evaluation framework to guide their adoption of AI technology.

TRIM28/KAP1/TIF1β is a crucial epigenetic modifier. Genetic ablation of trim28 is embryonic lethal, although RNAi-mediated knockdown in somatic cells yields viable cells. Reduction in TRIM28 abundance at the cellular or organismal level results in polyphenism. Posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation and sumoylation have been shown to regulate TRIM28 activity. Moreover, several lysine residues of TRIM28 are subject to acetylation, but how acetylation of TRIM28 affects its functions remains poorly understood. Here, we report that, compared with wild-type TRIM28, the acetylation-mimic mutant TRIM28-K304Q has an altered interaction with Krüppel-associated box zinc-finger proteins (KRAB-ZNFs). The TRIM28-K304Q knock-in cells were created in K562 erythroleukemia cells by CRISPR-Cas9 (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein nuclease 9) gene editing method. Transcriptome analysis revealed that TRIM28-K304Q and TRIM28 knockout K562 cells had similar global gene expression profiles, yet the profiles differed considerably from wild-type K562 cells. The expression levels of embryonic-related globin gene and a platelet cell marker integrin-beta 3 were increased in TRIM28-K304Q mutant cells, indicating the induction of differentiation. In addition to the differentiation-related genes, many zinc-finger-proteins genes and imprinting genes were activated in TRIM28-K304Q cells; they were inhibited by wild-type TRIM28 via binding with KRAB-ZNFs. These results suggest that acetylation/deacetylation of K304 in TRIM28 constitutes a switch for regulating its interaction with KRAB-ZNFs and alters the gene regulation as demonstrated by the acetylation mimic TRIM28-K304Q.

Purpose Internet-based business-to-business electronic procurement (B2B e-procurement) systems are rapidly becoming the primary platform for interorganizational transactions and the delivery of products and services in the travel and tourism industries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the critical success factors (CSFs) and implementation strategies for B2B e-procurement systems in travel agency supply chains. Design/methodology/approach This study developed a multifaceted evaluation framework that draws on the relevant literature and the technology–organization–environment framework. The CSFs underlying B2B e-procurement adoption were identified using hybrid criteria decision-making methods. Purposive sampling was used, and 49 valid questionnaires were obtained from retail travel agencies in Taiwan. Findings The results reveal that the top four CSFs are system stability, system reliability, sales dynamics and product line availability. By focusing on these CSFs, travel wholesalers can most effectively allocate their limited resources to provide an extensive range of products and services to their clients, improve e-procurement services and enhance interorganizational collaboration in travel agency supply chains. Originality/value This study developed a multifaceted evaluation framework and identified four CSFs to assist in the adoption of B2B e-procurement systems in travel agency supply chains.

PurposeThis study employed the commitment–trust theory in social psychology and relationship marketing to explore female customers' perception of channel integration quality in omnichannel retailing and its influence on their relationship commitment to and trust in the relationship with retailers, and thus on their stickiness. Channel integration quality consists of two dimensions: channel service configuration (channel choice breadth and channel service transparency) and integrated interactions (content consistency, process consistency and perceived fluency).Design/methodology/approachThe study was carried out via a questionnaire survey, to which 868 valid responses were collected. The partial least squares technique was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsChannel service transparency and perceived fluency influence relationship commitment; content consistency, process consistency and perceived fluency all have significant effects on trust. Interestingly, although less influential than integrated interactions, channel service configuration is the foundation of channel integration quality, testifying to its significant role.Originality/valueThis study provides strong evidence on how channel integration quality affects customer stickiness. Moreover, this study replicates the finding of significant relationships among relationship commitment, trust and stickiness in omnichannel retailing.

Photothermal-responsive (PTR) and anti-oxidative silk fibroin/dopamine nanoparticles (SD NPs) mediated by tyrosinase were produced, and decorated either by curcumin or albumin (BSA) to produce SD/curcumin or SD/BSA NPs as drug delivery vehicles, respectively. Both drug loaded NPs were further blended into SF solutions to produce SD films, as a depot-based drug delivery. The reaction mechanisms for producing new SD NPs were proposed. Anti-oxidative activities for SD NPs were examined by H2O2 scavenge capacities of NPs. NPs were not cytotoxic at concentration of 1000μg/mL. Moreover, heparin was coated to SD films to produce SDH films for temporary implants. Cumulative release profiles for drugs loaded SDH films showed fast releases and then sustained releases stages. Furthermore, the releases of curcumin in sustained stages for varying SD/curcumin NPs loaded into SDH films were dependent on amounts of NPs. BSA releases profiles for SD/BSA NPs loaded into SDH films were similar to those profiles for the films carried with SD/curcumin NPs but release periods of BSA were short. Degrees of PTR effects with irradiation of near infrared on the releases of two drugs loaded films were different. Blood clot at wound areas of rats with SDH films implantations was not found for 24 h study.

TRIM28 is a scaffold protein that interacts with DNA-binding proteins and recruits corepressor complexes to cause gene silencing. TRIM28 contributes to physiological functions such as cell growth and differentiation. In the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562, we edited TRIM28 using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and the complete and partial knockout (KO) cell clones were obtained and confirmed using quantitative droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) technology. The amplicon sequencing demonstrated no off-target effects in our gene editing experiments. The TRIM28 KO cells grew slowly and appeared red, seeming to have a tendency towards erythroid differentiation. To understand how TRIM28 controls K562 cell proliferation and differentiation, transcriptome profiling analysis was performed in wild-type and KO cells to identify TRIM28-regulated genes. Some of the RNAs that encode the proteins regulating the cell cycle were increased (such as p21) or decreased (such as cyclin D2) in TRIM28 KO cell clones; a tumor marker, the MAGE (melanoma antigen) family, which is involved in cell proliferation was reduced. Moreover, we found that knockout of TRIM28 can induce miR-874 expression to downregulate MAGEC2 mRNA via post-transcriptional regulation. The embryonic epsilon-globin gene was significantly increased in TRIM28 KO cell clones through the downregulation of transcription repressor SOX6. Taken together, we provide evidence to demonstrate the regulatory network of TRIM28-mediated cell growth and erythroid differentiation in K562 leukemia cells.

A critical issue for ensuring long-term sustainability of pension funds is how the Public Service Pension Fund Management Board (PSPFMB) makes entrusting decisions to choose investment trust corpor...

Background Tristetraprolin (TTP) family proteins contain conserved tandem CCCH zinc-finger binding to AU-rich elements and C-terminal NOT1-binding domain. TTP is phosphorylated extensively in cells, and its mRNA destabilization activity is regulated by protein phosphorylation. Methods We generated an antibody against phospho-Serine316 located at the C-terminal NOT1-binding site and examined TTP phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Knockout of TTP was created in RAW264.7 cells using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to explore TTP functions. Results We demonstrated that Ser316 was phosphorylated by p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1) and p38-activated protein kinase (MK2) and dephosphorylated by Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A). A phosphorylation-mimic mutant of S316D resulted in dissociation with the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex through weakening interaction with CNOT1. Furthermore, Ser316 and serines 52 and 178 were independently contributed to the CCR4-NOT complex recruitment in the immunoprecipitation assay using phosphor-mimic mutants. In RAW264.7 macrophages, TTP was induced, and Ser316 was phosphorylated through RSK1 and MK2 by LPS stimulation. Knockout of TTP resulted in TNFα mRNA increased due to mRNA stabilization. Overexpression of non-phosphorylated S316A TTP mutant can restore TTP activity and lead to TNFα mRNA decreased. GST pull-down and RNA pull-down analyses demonstrated that endogenous TTP with Ser316 phosphorylation decreased the interaction with CNOT1. Conclusions Our results suggest that the TTP-mediated mRNA stability is modulated by Ser316 phosphorylation via regulating the TTP interaction with the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex.

The semi-fossil and pit-less Azemiops feae is possibly the most primitive crotalid species. Here, we have cloned and sequenced cDNAs encoding four serine proteases (vSPs) from the venom glands of Chinese A. feae. Full amino-acid sequences of the major vSP (designated as AzKNa) and three minor vSPs (designated as AzKNb, AzKNc and Az-PA) were deduced. Using Protein-BLAST search, the ten most-similar vSPs for each Azemiops vSP have been selected for multiple sequence alignment, and all the homologs are crotalid vSPs. The results suggest that the A. feae vSPs are structurally most like those of eastern-Chinese Gloydius, Viridovipera, Protobothrops and North American pitvipers, and quite different from more-specialized vSPs such as Agkistrodon venom Protein-C activators. The vSPs from Chinese A. feae and those from Vietnamese A. feae show significant sequence variations. AzKNa is acidic and contains six potential N-glycosylation sites and its surface-charge distribution differs greatly from that of AzKNb, as revealed by 3D-modeling. AzKNb and AzKNc do not contain N-glycosylation sites although most of their close homologs contain one or two. Az-PA belongs to the plasminogen-activator subtype with a conserved N20-glycosylation site. The evolution of this subtype of vSPs in Azemiops and related pitvipers has been traced by phylogenetic analysis.