Epigenetic mechanisms underlying somatic reprogramming have been extensively studied, but little is known about the nuclear architecture of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Using circular chromosome conformation capture with high-throughput sequencing (4C-seq) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we identified chromosomal regions that colocalize frequently with the Oct4 locus in PSCs. These PSC-specific long-range interactions are established prior to transcriptional activation of endogenous Oct4 during reprogramming to induced PSCs and are facilitated by Klf4-mediated recruitment of cohesin. Depletion of Klf4 leads to unloading of cohesin at the Oct4 enhancer and disrupts long-range interactions prior to loss of Oct4 transcription and subsequent PSC differentiation, suggesting a causative role for Klf4 in facilitating long-range interactions independent of its transcriptional activity. Taken together, our results delineate the basic nuclear organization at the Oct4 locus in PSCs and suggest a functional role for Klf4-mediated higher-order chromatin structure in maintaining and inducing pluripotency.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov, COVID) in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 quickly escalated into a global health emergency. This study seeks to investigate the attitudinal and behavioral patterns of university students in Wuhan, the epicenter. Conducted in late January 2020, an online survey collected data from more than 8000 students of four elite national universities located in Wuhan. The students sampled included both Wuhan natives and non-locals who returned home in the early stages of the outbreak. The study notes widespread psychological stress among students but positive behavioral compliance with personal hygiene practices. Official announcements were the chief source of information for the respondents, who also demonstrated high demand for transparency of information disclosure. Some highly tight anti-epidemic measures were found at the local level. Albeit aggressive to certain extent, they may be necessary under such critical circumstances. The respondents offered varying evaluations of the performance of central government, local governments, civil society, and the health system in this public health crisis. The article concludes with policy implications and caveats. ARTICLE HISTORY

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to critically review the literature of performance measurement both in general and in the construction industry in particular. By doing so, it seeks to provide valuable insights into how to construct a comprehensive performance measurement model for the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachBased on a comprehensive literature review on performance measurement, the paper presents a critical review of the development of performance measurement, with a special focus on the construction sector. The strengths and weaknesses of most previous measurement frameworks and techniques are investigated. Performance information that each can generate is analyzed in the context of the construction industry.FindingsThe research findings showed that performance measurement studies in construction can be divided into three levels: project, organizational, and stakeholder levels. In addition, the major frameworks of performance measurement in construction were found to be: European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model, balanced scorecard model, and key performance indicators model. The most frequently applied research techniques of performance measurement in construction included: gap analysis, integrated performance index, statistical methods, and data envelopment analysis method. The performance information generated from the measurement encompasses frameworks and hierarchical indicators, and functions and score.Research limitations/implicationsThe research focuses on the performance measurement of construction. Further research work should be conducted to cover other industries.Practical implicationsThe paper provides an innovative and useful approach to defining the process of performance measurement in construction, which can be of great use to both the research community and industrial practitioners.Originality/valueThe paper summarizes the recent performance measurement research studies in construction, integrates the whole process of the performance measurement, and offers useful insights into future areas of research in this field.