bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fibrilpaint targets amyloid fibrils for ubiquitination
Authors: Dekker Françoise A. , Pedrola Júlia Aragonès , Poza-Rodriguez Adriana , Mayer Guy , Singh Shalini , Heesink Gobert , Claessens Mireille M. A. E. , Friedler Assaf , Rüdiger Stefan G. D.
Published: August 2024

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by the progressive loss of neuronal tissue, and the accumulation of amyloid fibrils. Currently, there are no therapeutics that remove these amyloids. Targeted protein degradation could be a promising strategy to remove fibrils or oligomeric precursors. This approach requires degraders that specifically recognise amyloid fibrils, preferentially in early stages. Here, we introduce FibrilPaint20 (FP20), a peptide that specifically mediates the ubiquitination of amyloid fibrils. It acts as a PROTAC, containing both of a fibril recognition module and a recruitment motif for the E3 ubiquitin ligase CHIP. Importantly, FP20 does not bind to the functional monomer but exclusively to fibrils. Remarkably, FP20 ubiquitinates a set chemically diverse fibrils, unrelated in sequence and morphology. This includes fibrils of the disease-related proteins of α-synuclein, Aβ, Huntingtin and various Tau species, such as patient-derived fibrils from Alzheimer, Frontotemporal Dementia and Corticobasal Degeneration. This makes FP20 interesting for targeting mixed pathologies. Together, FP20 is an attractive lead compound for targeted protein degradation of amyloid fibrils.
Bioorthogonal labeling of chitin in pathogenic Candida species reveals biochemical mechanisms of hyphal growth and homeostasis
Authors: Williams Caroline , Carnahan Bella R. , Hyland Stephen N. , Grimes Catherine L.
Published: August 2024

Pathogenic fungi rely on the cell wall component, chitin, for critical structural and immunological functions. Here a chitin labeling method to visualize the hyphal pathogenic response was developed. The data show that filamentous fungi,Candida albicans, transportN-acetylglucosamine (NAG) bio-orthogonal probes and incorporate them into the cell wall, indicating the probes utility forin vivostudy of the morphological, pathogenic switch. As yeast reside in complex microenvironments, The data show that the opportunistic microbeC. albicans, has developed processes to utilize surrounding bacterial cell wall fragments to initiate the morphogenic switch. The probes are utilized for visualization of growth patterns of pathogenic fungi, providing insights into novel mechanisms for the development of antifungals. Remodeling chitin in fungi using NAG derivatives will advance yeast pathogenic studies.
Therapeutic suppression ofTubb4arescues H-ABC leukodystrophy
Authors: Sase Sunetra , Hacker Julia L , Napit Prabhat R. , Woidill Sarah , Bhagavatula Anjali , D’Alessandro Annemarie , Almad Akshata , Takanohashi Asako , Padiath Quasar , Marsh Eric D. , Vanderver Adeline
Published: August 2024

Hypomyelination and atrophy of basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC) is a rare leukodystrophy associated with causal variants in β-tubulin 4A (TUBB4A). The recurring variant p.Asp249Asn (D249N) presents in infancy with dystonia, communication deficits, and loss of ambulation during the first decade of life. In this study, we characterized a genetic murine series (Tubb4aKO/KO,Tubb4aD249N/+,Tubb4aD249N/KO,andTubb4aD249N/D249N) to demonstrate that disease severity correlates with the expression of mutant Tubb4a and relative preservation of WT tubulin. To further evaluate the translational potential ofTubb4asuppression as a therapy in H-ABC, we identified a well-toleratedTubb4a-targeted antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) candidate that selectively reduces Tubb4ain vitroandin vivo. Notably, single intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of ASO in postnatalTubb4aD249N/KOmice drastically extends its lifespan, improves motor phenotypes, and reduces seizures. Neuropathologically, ASO treatment inTubb4aD249N/KOmice restores myelin and oligodendrocyte survival. Furthermore,in vivovisual evoked potential latencies recover in ASO-treatedTubb4aD249N/KOmice. This is the first preclinical proof-of-concept forTubb4asuppression via ASO as a disease-modifying therapy for H-ABC.
The role of β-defensin 103 (DEFB103) copy number variation in bull fertility
Authors: Sidekli Ozge , Hollox Edward J. , Fair Sean , Meade Kieran G.
Published: August 2024

Pregnancy rates for elite bulls used in artificial insemination (AI) can vary significantly and therefore the identification of molecular markers for fertility and targets to improve bull selection is important. β-defensins are peptides which have diverse regulatory roles in sperm function across multiple species. In this study, Holstein-Friesian bulls were screened based on field fertility data to identify two groups (High and Low fertility (HF and LF, respectively)) of n=10 bulls per group which were genotyped for copy number variation (CNV) in theDEFB103gene. Overall, lowDEFB103copy number (CN) was associated with increased sperm motility across all bulls (n=20, p<0.05). As genetic diversity ofDEFB103CN was only apparent in the LF group, three bulls per CNV class (low, intermediate and high CN) were chosen for functional analysis. Sperm from LF bulls with low CN exhibited higher binding to the oviduct epitheliumin vitro, while high CN affected sperm membrane fluidity in non-capacitating conditionsin vitro(p<0.05). To investigate the functional effect ofDEFB103CNV on the uterine responsein vivo, 18 heifers were inseminated with sperm from bulls with low, intermediate and high CN. Transcriptomic analysis on uterine tissue harvested 12 h post-insemination showed significant differential expression of 58 genes (FDR<0.1) involved in sperm migration, immune signalling and chemotaxis. These novel results confirm an important role forDEFB103CN in both sperm function and the uterine response to bull sperm, thereby potentially influencing pregnancy outcomes in cattle.

Summary Sentence

DEFB103copy number (CN) is associated with sperm motility and binding to the oviduct epithelium and uterine gene expression, thereby potentially influencing fertility outcomes.
Dimensionality reduction simplifies synaptic partner matching in an olfactory circuit
Authors: Lyu Cheng , Li Zhuoran , Xu Chuanyun , Lam Wong Kenneth Kin , Luginbuhl David J. , McLaughlin Colleen N. , Xie Qijing , Li Tongchao , Li Hongjie , Luo Liqun
Published: August 2024

The distribution of postsynaptic partners in three-dimensional (3D) space presents complex choices for a navigating axon. Here, we discovered a dimensionality reduction principle in establishing the 3D glomerular map in the fly antennal lobe. Olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) axons first contact partner projection neuron (PN) dendrites at the 2D spherical surface of the antennal lobe during development, regardless of whether the adult glomeruli are at the surface or interior of the antennal lobe. Along the antennal lobe surface, axons of each ORN type take a specific 1D arc-shaped trajectory that precisely intersects with their partner PN dendrites. Altering axon trajectories compromises synaptic partner matching. Thus, a 3D search problem is reduced to 1D, which simplifies synaptic partner matching and may generalize to the wiring process of more complex brains.
Mice colonized with the defined microbial community OMM19.1 are susceptible toC. difficileinfection without prior antibiotic treatment
Authors: Chua Michelle , Collins James
Published: August 2024

Diverse gut microorganisms present in humans and mice are essential for the prevention of microbial pathogen colonization. However, antibiotic-induced dysbiosis of the gut microbiome reduces microbial diversity and allowsC. difficileto colonize the intestine. The Oligo Mouse Microbiota 19.1 (OMM19.1) is a synthetic community that consists of bacteria that are taxonomically and functionally designed to mimic the specific pathogen-free (SPF) mouse gut microbiota. Here, we examined the susceptibility of OMM19.1 colonized mice toC. difficileinfection at a range of infectious doses (103, 105, and 107spores) without prior antibiotic treatment. We found that mice colonized with OMM19.1 were susceptible toC. difficileinfection regardless of the dose. The clinical scores increased with increasingC. difficiledosage. Infection withC. difficilewas correlated with a significant increase inLigilactobacillus murinusandEscherichia coli, while the abundance ofBacteroides caecimuris, Akkermansia muciniphila, Extibacter muris, and Turicimonas murissignificantly decreased followingC. difficileinfection. Our results demonstrate that the OMM19.1 community requires additional bacteria to enable colonization resistance.
Reusing excess staple oligonucleotides for economical production of DNA origami
Authors: Isinelli Giorgia , Wintersinger Christopher M. , Lill Pascal , Young Olivia J. , Deng Jie , Shih William M. , Zeng Yang C.
Published: August 2024

DNA origami has enabled the development of responsive drug-delivery vehicles with precision features that were previously not attainable in bionanotechnology. To reduce the costs of creating therapeutics-scale amounts of DNA origami that need to bear costly modifications with high occupancy, we reused the excess staple oligonucleotides that are leftover from the folding process to fold additional origami. We determined that a DNA origami can be successfully folded with up to 80% cost savings by cyclic recovery and reuse of excess staple strands. We found evidence that higher quality staple strands are preferentially incorporated into origami, consistent with past reports, and therefore are preferentially depleted from the free-strand pool. The folding of DNA origami with staple strands that were reused up to eleven times was indistinguishable by our panel of assays versus a control folded with new strands, so long as the reused oligonucleotides were replenished each cycle with a small excess of fresh strands. We also observed a high degree of incorporation of guests on the DNA origami. By recovering, reusing, and replenishing excess staple oligonucleotides, it is possible to significantly lessen production costs to create well-formed origami, which is useful to allow more therapeutic designs to be tested.
Hemodynamics Affects Factor XI/XII Anticoagulation Efficacy in Patient-Specific Left Atrial Models
Authors: Guerrero-Hurtado M. , Garcia-Villalba M. , Gonzalo A. , Durán E. , Martinez-Legazpi P. , Kahn A. M. , Chen M. Y. , McVeigh E. , Bermejo J. , del Álamo J. C. , Flores O.
Published: August 2024

Atrial fibrillation (AF) disrupts the circulation of blood through the left atrium (LA), and may result in relative stasis in the left atrial appendage (LAA), increasing thromboembolic risk. Anticoagulant agents can lower this risk, but currently used agents target the common pathway central to the coagulation cascade, increasing bleeding risk. Anticoagulants such as factor XI/XII inhibitors target the initial phase of the intrinsic pathway, with a significantly lower associated bleeding risk. However, these agents’ efficacy in preventing thrombosis in patient-specific flow conditions is not fully understood. We hypothesized that patient-specific flow patterns in the LA and LAA not only influence the risk of thrombosis but also the effectiveness of anticoagulation agents. We simulated blood flow and the intrinsic coagulation pathway in patient-specific LA anatomies with and without factor XI/XII inhibition to test this hypothesis. We considered thirteen patients in sinus rhythm and AF, several of whom had an LAA clot or a history of transient ischemic attacks. We used computational fluid dynamics based on 4D CT imaging and a detailed 32-species coagulation system to run 247 simulations for 13 patients, systematically sweeping over a wide range of factor XI/XII inhibition levels. Implementing a novel multi-fidelity coagulation modeling approach accelerated computations by two orders of magnitude, enabling the large number of simulations performed. Our simulations provide spatiotemporally resolved maps of thrombin concentration throughout the LA, showing it peaks inside the LAA. Coagulation metrics based on peak LAA thrombin dynamics suggested patients could be classified asnon-coagulating, moderatelyandseverely coagulatingcases.Severely coagulatingcases had significantly slower flow and higher residence time thanmoderately coagulatingpatients inside the LAA, requiring stronger factor XI/XII inhibition to blunt thrombin growth. The methodology outlined in this study has the potential to enable personalized assessments of coagulation risk and tailor anticoagulation therapy based on medical imaging.
Improving N-Glycosylation and Biopharmaceutical Production Predictions Using AutoML-Built Residual Hybrid Models
Authors: Seber Pedro , Braatz Richard D.
Published: August 2024

N-glycosylation has many essential biological roles, and is important for biotherapeutics as it can affect drug efficacy, duration of effect, and toxicity. Its importance has motivated the development of mechanistic models for quantitatively predicting the distribution of N-glycans during therapeutic protein production. Here we present a residual hybrid modeling approach that integrates mechanistic modeling with machine learning to produce significantly more accurate predictions for production of monoclonal antibodies in batch, fed-batch, and perfusion cell culture. For the largest dataset, the residual hybrid models have an average 736-fold reduction in testing prediction error. Furthermore, the residual hybrid models have lower prediction errors than the mechanistic models for all of the predicted variables in the datasets. We provide the automatic machine learning software used in this work, allowing other researchers to reproduce this work and use our software for other tasks and datasets.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in agricultural soil appraised against non-agricultural soil: case in one of the most agriculturally-active settings in West Cameroon
Authors: Kamgaing Nkamguia Loïc Kevin , Youté O'Neal Dorsel , Tamatcho Kweyang Blandine Pulcherie , Kougang Esther Guladys , Well a Well a Koul Pascal Blaise , Nana Feukeu Adolarice , Domngang Noche Christelle , Fotsing Kwetche Pierre René
Published: August 2024

Background: Agriculture is also concerned by the problem of bacterial resistance because agricultural soils are reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistant genes. Objective: An investigation about ARB was carried out on agricultural farms soils in Mangoum, a neighborhood of the Foumbot municipality (Noun division, West Cameroon). Method: It was conducted as a cross-sectional descriptive study with a total of 46 soil specimens collected from plant farms and a control plot. Isolation, enumeration and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed according to standard protocols. Results: The bacteria recovered basically includedAeromonasspp.,Chryseobacteriumspp.,Pseudomonasspp.,Staphylococcusspp., and Gram-positive rods. Their loads in the farmland soils were significantly lower than in the control plot. Overall, susceptibility tests performed with 169 bacterial colony morphotypes revealed high resistant rates. Also, most of isolates expressed multidrug-resistance to the antibiotics used, while highest resistance rates were recorded with isolates form agricultural plots. Levofloxacin, Imipenem, Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin were globally the most effective. Conclusion: Agreeing with previous surveys conducted on animal farms with similar environmental conditions, these findings could provide support to sustainable orientation of policies regarding control of antimicrobial resistance in Cameroon from the One Health perspective.
Membrane potential modulates ERK activity and cell proliferation
Authors: Sasaki Mari , Nakahara Masanobu , Hashiguchi Takuya , Ono Fumihito
Published: August 2024

The plasma membrane potential has been linked to cell proliferation for more than 40 years. Here we experimentally showed that membrane depolarization upregulates cell mitosis, and that this process is dependent on voltage-dependent activation of ERK. ERK activity exhibits a membrane potential-dependency that is independent from the growth factor. This membrane potential dependence was observed even close to the resting membrane potential, indicating that small changes in resting membrane potential can alter cell proliferative activity. The voltage-dependent ERK activity is derived from changed dynamics of phosphatidylserine which is present in the plasma membrane and not by extracellular calcium entry. The data suggests that crucial biological processes such as cell proliferation are regulated by the physicochemical properties of the lipid. This study suggests that membrane potential may have diverse physiological functions beyond the action potential, which is well-established in the neural system.
Wound-initiated hair regeneration by adhesive and shrinkable materials
Authors: Kokabu Shoichiro , Tsuji Kunikazu , Washio Ayako , Murata Kazumasa , Nakatomi Mitsushiro , Ono Yusuke , Kaminuma Osamu , Matsubara Takuma
Published: August 2024

Although there is a global demand for hair regrowth, particularly among middle-aged and older individuals, an effective hair growth technology has not yet been established1. Hair follicle neogenesis is restricted to the embryonic period, but hair regeneration accompanied by wound healing has been observed under some conditions2–4; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that creating a wound without dermal defects effectively induced postneonatal hair follicle neogenesis. Separating the epidermis from the dermis by topical application of adhesive and shrinkable materials to mouse skin promoted epidermal regeneration, followed by new hair follicle formation. Hair follicle regeneration, accompanied by the upregulation of related genes, can be induced in mice, including middle-aged and aged mice, regardless of species, sex, skin location, or age. The cycle of the regenerated hair eventually synchronized with that of the surrounding physiological hairs. Our new hair regeneration technique based on reproduction of epidermis–dermis interactions provides a novel means to treat hair loss, including androgenetic alopecia.
Single-molecule analysis of protein targeting from the endoplasmic reticulum to lipid droplets
Authors: Mizrak Arda , Kæstel-Hansen Jacob , Matthias Jessica , Harper J. Wade , Hatzakis Nikos S. , Walther Tobias C. , Farese Robert V.
Published: August 2024

Numerous proteins migrate from the bilayer membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the monolayer surface of lipid droplets (LD) to perform critical metabolic functions. How cargoes move between these organelles and accumulate on LDs is unclear, particularly for mammalian cells. Here, we developed a synchronized ER-to-LD protein-trafficking assay and combined it with MINFLUX- and HILO-based single-molecule tracking and machine-learning analysis. Trafficking of a model proteinLiveDropbetween the ER and LDs occurs by diffusion through seipin- associated ER-LD membrane bridges that allow bidirectional protein movement. Unexpectedly,LiveDropmoves with the same apparent diffusion coefficient in the ER and LDs, but becomes molecularly confined at LD surfaces through a mechanism requiring its tryptophan residues. These data show how a specific LD-targeting membrane sequence leads to confined motion and LD protein accumulation, and directly demonstrate intra-organellar protein trafficking through membrane contact sites.

Highlights

Single-molecule tracking reveals the path of ER-to-LD trafficking

Cargo diffuses with similar speeds in both organelles

Protein accumulating on LDs exhibits more confined motion on the LD surface

Cargo moves bidirectionally between ER and LDs via seipin-mediated membrane bridges
Changes in affect variability after starting gender-affirming hormone therapy
Authors: Morssinkhof Margot W. L. , Schipper Marijn , Kreukels Baudewijntje P. C. , van der Tuuk Karin , den Heijer Martin , van den Heuvel Odile A. , Doyle David Matthew , Broekman Birit F. P.
Published: August 2024

Affect variability is determined by how often and how strongly negative affect changes over time. Cisgender women report greater variability in affect than cisgender men. It has been suggested that sex hormone changes may influence affect variability. Transgender people frequently opt to use sex hormones in the form of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), but the extent to which GAHT can change negative affect variability is not yet clear. Therefore, this study aims to study changes in negative affect variability after starting GAHT.

We have included data from 94 participants from the RESTED study: 49 transmasculine (TM) participants (assigned female at birth, starting testosterone) and 45 transfeminine (TF) participants (assigned male at birth, starting estrogens and anti-androgens). Participants completed up to 7 consecutive daily diaries at each of three time points: before starting GAHT, and after 3 and 12 months of GAHT. The daily diaries collected participants’ reports on symptoms related to negative affect: experienced low mood, less interest, tense feelings and restless feelings. We have used linear mixed models to compare negative affect variability during one week, corrected for mean negative affect, between gender groups (TM versus TF) and measurement time points.

Results show that in the TM group, variability in low mood, tense feelings and restless feelings decreases after 12 months of GAHT. In the TF group, variability in low mood increases after 3 months and 12 months of GAHT, as does variability in restless feelings after 3 months of GAHT. Group comparisons indicate significant group differences in changes in variability in low mood and restless feelings, with stronger increases in variability of negative affect in the TF group compared to TM group after 3 and 12 months of GAHT.

Our findings indicate that variability patterns in negative affect in transgender persons tend to cross- over from being consistent with sex assigned at birth before GAHT to being more in line with gender identity after 12 months of GAHT. Future studies should focus on measuring both negative and positive affect variability during GAHT, preferably through multiple measurements per day, taking into account diverse social and daily contextual factors during GAHT.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

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Cisgender women report greater affect variability than cisgender men.

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The impact of GAHT on affect variability in transgender people is unclear.

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We examined affect variability in transmasculine (TM) and transfeminine (TF) people.

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We find decreased variability in negative affect after starting masculinizing GAHT.

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We find increased variability in negative affect after starting feminizing GAHT.
Reconstitution of BNIP3/NIX-mediated autophagy reveals two pathways and hierarchical flexibility of the initiation machinery
Authors: Adriaenssens Elias , Schaar Stefan , Cook Annan S.I. , Stuke Jan F. M. , Sawa-Makarska Justyna , Nguyen Thanh Ngoc , Ren Xuefeng , Schuschnig Martina , Romanov Julia , Khuu Grace , Lazarou Michael , Hummer Gerhard , Hurley James H. , Martens Sascha
Published: August 2024

Selective autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis by disposing of harmful cellular material. While the mechanisms by which soluble cargo receptors recruit the autophagy machinery are becoming increasingly clear, the principles governing how organelle-localized transmembrane cargo receptors initiate selective autophagy remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that transmembrane cargo receptors can initiate autophagosome biogenesis not only by recruiting the upstream FIP200/ULK1 complex but also via a WIPI-ATG13 complex. This latter pathway is employed by the BNIP3/NIX receptors to trigger mitophagy. Additionally, other transmembrane mitophagy receptors, including FUNDC1 and BCL2L13, exclusively use the FIP200/ULK1 complex, while FKBP8 and the ER-phagy receptor TEX264 are capable of utilizing both pathways to initiate autophagy. Our study defines the molecular rules for initiation by transmembrane cargo receptors, revealing remarkable flexibility in the assembly and activation of the autophagy machinery, with significant implications for therapeutic interventions.
Horizontal gene transfer can reshape bacterial warfare
Authors: Granato Elisa T. , Palmer Jacob D. , Kirk Christian , Sharp Connor , Shillcock George , Foster Kevin R.
Published: August 2024

Bacteria commonly use molecular weaponry to kill or inhibit competitors. Genes encoding many of these weapons can be transmitted horizontally, but the impact on bacterial warfare is not understood. Here, we develop an ecological model of bacterial warfare where there is potential for horizontal gene transfer. Our model predicts that weapon gene transfer from an attacker to a target strain is possible, but at a low rate such that transfer has a negligible impact on competition outcomes. We tested the model empirically using a transmissible plasmid encoding colicin E2, a potent antibacterial toxin produced byEscherichia coli. As predicted by the model, we find that toxin plasmid transfer is feasible during warfare, but the resulting transconjugants remain rare. However, exploring the model further reveals realistic conditions where transfer has major impacts. Specifically, the model predicts that whenever competing strains have access to some unique nutrients, transconjugants can proliferate and reach high abundances. In support of these predictions, short- and long-term experiments show that transconjugants can thrive when nutrient competition is relaxed. Our work shows how horizontal gene transfer can reshape bacterial warfare in a way that can benefit a weapon gene but not the bacteria that carries it.
Could SBND-PRISM probe lepton flavor violation?
Authors: Alves Gustavo F. S. , Funchal Renata Zukanovich , Machado Pedro A. N.
Published: August 2024

We investigate the possibility of using the Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND) at Fermilab to constrain lepton flavor violating decays of pions and kaons. We study how to leverage SBND-PRISM, the use of the neutrino beam angular spread to mitigate systematic uncertainties, to enhance this analysis. We show that SBND-PRISM can put stringent limits on the flavor violating branching ratios BR(π+→μ+νe)=8.9×10−4, BR(K+→μ+νe)=3.2×10−3, improving previous constraints by factors 9 and 1.25, respectively. We also estimate the SBND-PRISM sensitivity to lepton number violating decays, BR(π+→μ+ν¯e)=2.1×10−3 and BR(K+→μ+ν¯e)=7.4×10−3, though not reaching previous Big European Bubble Chamber limits. Last, we identify several ways how the SBND collaboration could improve this analysis.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Asymmetric self-interacting dark matter with a canonical seesaw model
Authors: Borah Debasish , Mahapatra Satyabrata , Paul Partha Kumar , Sahu Narendra , Shukla Prashant
Published: August 2024

We study the possibility of generating dark matter (DM) and baryon asymmetry of the Universe (BAU) simultaneously in an asymmetric DM framework, which also alleviates the small-scale structure issues of cold DM. While the thermal relic of such self-interacting DM remains underabundant due to efficient annihilation into light mediators, a nonzero asymmetry in the dark sector can lead to the survival of the required DM in the Universe. The existence of a light mediator leads to the required self-interactions of DM at small scales while keeping DM properties similar to cold DM at large scales. It also ensures that the symmetric DM component annihilates away, leaving the asymmetric part in the spirit of cogenesis. The particle physics implementation is done in canonical seesaw models of light neutrino mass, connecting it to the origin of DM and BAU. In particular, we consider type-I and type-III seesaw origin of neutrino mass for simplicity and minimality of the field content. We show that the desired self-interactions and relic of DM together with BAU while satisfying relevant constraints lead to strict limits on DM mass O(GeV)≲MDM≲460  GeV. In spite of being a high-scale seesaw, the models remain verifiable in different experiments, including direct and indirect DM searches as well as colliders.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Uniqueness of the static vacuum asymptotically flat spacetimes with massive particle spheres
Authors: Kobialko Kirill , Bogush Igor , Gal’tsov Dmitri
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we establish that a four-dimensional static vacuum asymptotically flat spacetime containing a massive particle sphere is isometric to the Schwarzschild spacetime. Our results expand upon existing uniqueness theorems for static vacuum asymptotically flat spacetimes, which focus on scenarios featuring event horizons or photon spheres. Similarly to the uniqueness theorems concerning photon spheres or event horizons, only a single massive particle sphere is sufficient to obtain a unique solution. However, in contrast to previous theorems, our result leads to the existence of an entire spacetime foliation sliced by a set of massive particle spheres spanning various energies.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Probing the Shape of the Weyl Fermi Surface of NbP Using Transverse Electron Focusing
Authors: Balduini F. , Rocchino L. , Molinari A. , Paul T. , Mariani G. , Hasse V. , Felser C. , Zota C. , Schmid H. , Gotsmann B.
Published: August 2024

Weyl semimetals are defined by their unique Fermi surface, comprising pairs of Weyl points of opposite chirality, connected through topological surface states. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has been used to verify the existence of the Weyl points and the Fermi arcs. However, ARPES is limited in resolution, leading to significant uncertainty when characterizing the shape of the Fermi surface of semimetals and measuring features such as the distance between the Weyl points. Here, to surpass the resolution of ARPES, we combine quantum oscillation measurements with transverse electron focusing experiments. These techniques offer complementary information, enabling the reconstruction of the distinctive peanut-shaped cross section of the Weyl Fermi surface and accurately determining the separation between Weyl points in the Weyl semimetal NbP. Our Letter showcases the integration of quantum oscillations and transverse electron focusing, allowing for the measurements of complex Fermi surface geometries, concurrently with carriers’ transport properties, in high-mobility quantum materials.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Higher-Order Cellular Automata Generated Symmetry-Protected Topological Phases and Detection Through Multi Point Strange Correlators
Authors: Zhang Jie-Yu , Li Meng-Yuan , Ye Peng
Published: August 2024

In computer and system sciences, higher-order cellular automata (HOCA) are a type of cellular automata that evolve over multiple time steps and generate complex patterns, which have various applications, such as secret-sharing schemes, data compression, and image encryption. In this paper, we introduce HOCA to quantum many-body physics and construct a series of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of matter, in which symmetries are supported on a great variety of subsystems embbeded in the SPT bulk. We call these phases HOCA-generated SPT (HGSPT) phases. Specifically, we show that HOCA can generate not only well-understood SPTs with symmetries supported on either regular (e.g., linelike subsystems in the two-dimensional cluster model) or fractal subsystems, but also a large class of unexplored SPTs with symmetries supported on more choices of subsystems. One example is that has either fractal and linelike subsystem symmetries simultaneously or two distinct types of fractal symmetries simultaneously. Another example is in which chaotic-looking symmetries are significantly different from and thus cannot reduce to fractal or regular subsystem symmetries. We also introduce a new notation system to characterize HGSPTs. We prove that all possible subsystem symmetries in a square lattice can be locally simulated by an HOCA-generated symmetry. As the usual two-point strange correlators are trivial in most HGSPTs, we find that the nontrivial SPT orders can be detected by what we call . We propose a universal procedure to design the spatial configuration of the multi point strange correlators for a given HGSPT phase. Specifically, we find deep connections between multi point strange correlators and the spurious topological entanglement entropy (STEE), both exhibiting long-range behavior in a short-range entangled state. Our HOCA approaches and multi point strange correlators pave the way for a unified paradigm to design, classify, and detect phases of matter with symmetries supported on a great variety of subsystems, and also provide potential useful perspective in surpassing the computational irreducibility of HOCA in a quantum mechanical way.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
British consumer perspectives on terroir in cheese
Authors: Charters Steve , Agnoli Lara
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper reports on a project looking at consumer perceptions of terroir in the UK, using cheese as a stimulus for the data collection.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection was based on a consumer survey using a discrete choice experiment which included a number of cues to, and stories about, terroir. Analysis of preferences produced three latent classes with varying attitudes towards terroir cues for cheese. There was also an open-ended question giving rise to a qualitative analysis of respondents understanding of the work “terroir”.

Findings

When faced with the terroir cues most used some positively to make their choices. A PDO label and stories about the production region and method and business structure all generally offered positive utility.

Originality/value

Terroir is a widely used term in the marketing of (especially) wine, particularly in Europe, offering a form of authenticity and has been very important in policies to sustain the economies of otherwise declining rural areas. It has been adopted by producers in the English-speaking world but is less widely recognised, by consumers. The significance of this study is that it is the first large-scale survey of British consumer perceptions around a key tool for rural businesses – terroir – and one of the first around a non-wine product, and it explores the stories which resonate most effectively with consumers.
Identifying enablers for the successful deployment of prescriptive analytics – a multiple case study
Authors: Hirvonen Marjut , Kauppi Katri , Liesiö Juuso
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Although it is commonly agreed that prescriptive analytics can benefit organizations by enabling better decision-making, the deployment of prescriptive analytics tools can be challenging. Previous studies have primarily focused on methodological issues rather than the organizational deployment of analytics. However, successful deployment is key to achieving the intended benefits of prescriptive analytics tools. Therefore, this study aims to identify the enablers of successful deployment of prescriptive analytics.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine the enablers for the successful deployment of prescriptive analytics through five organizational case studies. To provide a comprehensive view of the deployment process, each case includes interviews with users, managers and top management.

Findings

The findings suggest the key enablers for successful analytics deployment are strong leadership and management support, sufficient resources, user participation in development and a common dialogue between users, managers and top management. However, contrary to the existing literature, the authors found little evidence of external pressures to develop and deploy analytics. Importantly, the success of deployment in each case was related to the similarity with which different actors within the organization viewed the deployment process. Furthermore, end users tended to highlight user participation, skills and training, whereas managers and top management placed greater emphasis on the importance of organizational changes.

Originality/value

The results will help practitioners ensure that key enablers are in place to increase the likelihood of the successful deployment of prescriptive analytics.
Critical measures for the prevention and control of respiratory infectious diseases in the workplace: a South African facilities management perspective
Authors: Adewunmi Yewande Adetoro , Nelson Margaret , Mompati Lerato , Molloy Steven , Adeyemi Samson
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to comprehensively examine the respiratory infection prevention and control measures used in South African workplaces, particularly in the context of facilities management (FM), during the 2020–2022 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The present research involved pre-crafted semi-structured interviews conducted by University of the Witwatersrand students with FM heads in Johannesburg, South Africa. Recurrent themes were generated using NVIVO software and analysed using frequencies, word counts and word clouds.

Findings

This study identified 119 measures and placed these into two broad categories. Twelve critical measures were found. These measures were further validated by five FM experts, separate from FM heads, who cross-referenced them with WHO guidelines, enhancing the credibility of the findings. Subsequently, challenges with implementing these measures were explored.

Practical implications

The findings have direct relevance to the work of FM professionals, as they suggest that applying timely and comprehensive infection prevention and control measures can help employees to safely continue to work or return to the workplace during any future epidemic outbreaks.

Originality/value

Thus far, limited studies have explored critical measures used to prevent and control COVID-19 in the workplaces of developing countries during the 2020–2022 pandemic.
From business owner to retiree: understanding life satisfaction's impact on entrepreneurial exit
Authors: Rönkkö Mikko , von Bonsdorff Monika E. , Mansikkamäki Susanna
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Entrepreneurial exit research has overlooked the unique context of exits at retirement age when an exit marks the end of an entrepreneurial career (i.e. retirement). To better understand retirement exit decisions and transitions, this study introduces the concept of work ability (i.e. an individual’s ability to meet work demands) into the entrepreneurial exit literature and, based on role theory, hypothesises its effect and interaction with general life satisfaction in explaining the entrepreneurial exits to retirement. The study clarifies the dynamics between the voluntary and non-voluntary aspects behind exit to retirement.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression with four-wave panel data on 198 Finnish small business entrepreneurs who intend to retire to test hypotheses on the relationship between work ability, general life satisfaction and entrepreneurial exit to retirement.

Findings

The study provides partial support for the hypothesis that work ability negatively impacts entrepreneurial exit to retirement and strong support for the idea that this effect is affected by general life satisfaction. Entrepreneurs who experience higher life satisfaction are likely to retire on their own terms, whereas those less satisfied continue working until declining work ability forces them to retire.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the entrepreneurial exit literature by showing how the exit dynamics unfold in the unique context of entrepreneurial exit to retirement. The theoretical discussion opens up the potential psychological mechanisms behind such dynamics.
Investigations on tribological behavior under lubricated condition of post heat treated additively manufactured SS316L parts
Authors: M. Veluchamy , Somasundaram Kumanan , V. Satheeshkumar
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the friction and wear mechanisms in lubricated sliding conditions of additively manufactured SS316L parts. The different viscous oils 5W30, 15W40, 20W50 and SAE140 are used. These investigations provide a theoretical basis for the high performance of printed and postheattreated SS316L.

Design/methodology/approach

Tribological tests were carried out on selective laser melting-made SS316L printed specimens and heat-treated specimens. The parameters in 15 min of test duration are 20 N of load, 200 rpm, 8 mm of pin diameter, 25 mm length, 80 mm of track diameter and EN31 counter disc body. This work presented the phenomena of lubrication regimes and their characterization, as identified by the Stribeck curve, and these regimes affect the tribological properties of additively manufactured SS316L under the influence of industrial viscous lubricants. The results are observed using Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and wear tests.

Findings

The observations indicate that additively manufactured SS316L shows a reduced coefficient of friction (COF) and specific wear rate (SWR). This is credited to the utilization of different viscous lubricants.

Originality/value

This exclusive research demonstrates how various viscous lubricants affect the COF and SWR of printed and post-heat-treated SS316L parts. Lambda (λ), lubricant film thickness (h0), surface roughness and wear mechanisms are studied and reported.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-04-2024-0110/
“Racialized persons have a completely different experience”: the experiences of older adults with the Toronto Police Service
Authors: Kokorelias Kristina Marie , Grosse Anna , Dillion Dara , Wyman Joshua , Nzepa Elsa Nana , Bhardwaj Meena , Austen Andrea , Sinha Samir K.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an in-depth examination of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults’ perceptions of and experiences with the Toronto Police Service to inform the development of a training curriculum for police officers working with older persons.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative descriptive study using virtual focus groups with 26 older adults from Toronto was conducted.

Findings

Three main themes emerged: understanding intersectionality; the impact of police officer attitudes and biases; and the need for age-friendly policing. Although many older adults rely on police services to keep them safe, there is dissatisfaction with some aspects of how police interact with older adults, particularly from minority groups.

Originality/value

Participants were older adults from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are not usually included in studies on improving police services.
Does female board directorship affect the quality of KPI voluntary disclosure? Some evidence from French family firms
Authors: Boujelben Chourouk
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of female board directorship on the quality of key performance indicators voluntary disclosure (hereafter QKPI). Further, this paper explores whether the presence of family board members mitigates the female directors’ effect on the QKPI.

Design/methodology/approach

This study explores closely held family firms listed on the CAC All-Tradable during 2015–2022.

Findings

The initial findings provide consistent evidence indicating a positive association between female board directorship and the QKPI. However, testing for the moderating effect of family board members on the linkage between female representation in the company’s boardroom and the QKPI reveals a negative relation.

Originality/value

This study focuses on gender equality in French-listed companies, a topic that has received little attention from researchers. The country and the period considered in this paper are noteworthy characteristics that enhance the value of this research. This study sheds light on issues concerning the 2016 law that requires quotas for women on boards of directors in French firms.
How does green finance affect human well-being in the context of aging populations? Evidences from China
Authors: Yao Yourong , Wang Zixuan , Lei Chun Kwok
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of green finance on human well-being in China in the context of urbanization and aging population. It aims to explore the contributions of green finance in such demographic scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

This study innovates and optimizes the calculation of the carbon intensity of human well-being (CIWB) index and strengthens the integrity of the assessment model for green finance development. It uses the serial multiple mediator model and moderation effect analysis to address the impact of green finance on human well-being in China on the provincial level from 2009 to 2020.

Findings

Green finance has a significant, positive and direct impact on human well-being. Simultaneously, it influences human well-being indirectly through three transmission channels. Urbanization and an ageing population are significant individual mediators through which green finance contributes to human well-being improvement. Notably, these two mediators also work together to transfer the promotional impact of green finance to human well-being.

Practical implications

The government can perfect the regulations to strengthen the market ecosystem to accelerate the development of green finance. Reforms on the administrative division to expand the size of cities with the implementation of ageing friendly development strategy is also necessary. Attracting incoming foreign direct investment in sustainable projects and adjusting public projects and trade activities to fulfil the sustainable principles are also regarded as essential.

Social implications

The findings challenge traditional views on the impact of aging populations, highlighting the beneficial role of green finance in improving well-being amidst demographic changes. This offers a new perspective on economic and environmental sustainability in aging societies.

Originality/value

A multi-dimensional well-being indicator, CIWB and the serial multiple mediator model are used and direct and indirect impacts of green finance on human well-being is exhibited. It offers novel insights on the transmission channels behind, identifies the mediating role of urbanization and ageing population and offers empirical evidences with strong academic and policy implications.