bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial diffusion of heavy quarks in a background magnetic field
Authors: Satapathy Sarthak , De Sudipan , Dey Jayanta , Ghosh Sabyasachi
Published: February 2024

The ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density shows a valley-shaped pattern well-known in the community of heavy-ion physics. Diffusion coefficients of heavy quark and meson show a similar structure, and both sketches have become quite popular in the community. Present work has attempted a finite magnetic field extension of the diffusion coefficients of heavy quark and meson. Using Einstein's diffusion relation, we calculated heavy quark and heavy meson diffusion by the ratio of conductivity to susceptibility in the kinetic theory framework of relaxation time approximation. The relaxation time of heavy quark and meson are tuned from the knowledge of earlier works on spatial diffusion estimations, and then we have extended the framework for a finite magnetic field, where our outcomes have revealed two aspects—anisotropic and quantum aspects of diffusion with future possibilities of phenomenological signature.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Atomic mass determination of uranium-238
Authors: Kromer Kathrin , Lyu Chunhai , Bieroń Jacek , Door Menno , Enzmann Lucia , Filianin Pavel , Gaigalas Gediminas , Harman Zoltán , Herkenhoff Jost , Huang Wenjia , Keitel Christoph H. , Eliseev Sergey , Blaum Klaus
Published: February 2024

The atomic mass of uranium-238 has been determined to be 238.050787618(15) u, improving the literature uncertainty by two orders of magnitude. It is obtained from a measurement of the mass ratio of U47+238 and Xe26+132 ions with an uncertainty of 3.5×10−12. The measurement was carried out with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer and was accompanied by a calculation of the binding energies EU and EXe of the 47 and 26 missing electrons of the two highly charged ions, respectively. These binding energies were determined using an multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock method to be EU=39927(10) eV and EXe=8971.2(21) eV. The new mass value will serve as a reference for high-precision mass measurements in the heavy mass region of the nuclear chart up to transuranium nuclides.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Odderon as a Regge spin-3 oddball in
pp
and
pp¯
elastic scattering
Authors: Magallanes Jingle B. , Sawasdipol Prin , Pongkitivanichkul Chakrit , Samart Daris
Published: February 2024

In this work, we propose that the odderon is a Regge spin-3 odd-glueball tensor. To demonstrate the proposal, we study the pp and pp¯ elastic scattering by including the contributions of the spin-3 odderon and spin-2 pomeron exchange in the processes. The phenomenological effective Lagrangian approach is used to calculate the pp and pp¯ elastic scattering amplitudes at the tree level. Additionally, the Donnachie-Landschoff ansatz of the odderon and pomeron propagators was used in further analysis. We fit the theoretical results with the various experimental data of the pp and pp¯ scattering at the TeV scale to determine the model parameters in the present work. By using the model parameters, the Chew-Frautschi plot of the tensor odderon Regge trajectory is evaluated. As a result, the odderon spin-3 mass is predicted to be 3.2 GeV. In addition, a phase rotation is applied to the amplitude of our model in order to satisfy the geometric scaling at a very low t region. Moreover, the total cross section of our model is compatible with the results from TOTEM and its extrapolation from D0 collaboration. It was found that the total cross section also satisfies the Friossart bound at the Regge limit.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Improving sensitivity of trilinear R-parity violating SUSY searches using machine learning at the LHC
Authors: Choudhury Arghya , Mondal Arpita , Mondal Subhadeep , Sarkar Subhadeep
Published: February 2024

In this work, we have explored the sensitivity of multilepton final states in probing the gaugino sector of a R-parity violating supersymmetric scenario with specific lepton number violating trilinear couplings (λijk) being nonzero. The gaugino spectrum is such that the charged leptons in the final state can arise from the R-parity violating decays of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) as well as R-parity conserving decays of the next-to-LSP (NLSP). Apart from a detailed cut-based analysis, we have also performed a machine learning-based analysis using a boosted decision tree algorithm, which provides much better sensitivity. In the scenarios with nonzero λ121 and/or λ122 couplings, the LSP pair in the final states decays to 4l (l=e,μ)+ET final states with a 100% branching ratio. We have shown that under this circumstance, a final state with

≥

4

l

has the highest sensitivity while probing for gaugino masses. We also discuss how the sensitivity can change in the presence of τ lepton(s) in the final state due to other choices of trilinear couplings. We present our results through the estimation of the discovery and exclusion contours in the gaugino mass plane for both the high luminosity LHC (HL-LHC with s=14  TeV and L=3000  fb−1) and high energy LHC (HE-LHC with s=27  TeV and L=3000  fb−1). For the λ121 and/or λ122 nonzero scenario, the projected 2σ exclusion limit on NLSP masses reaches upto 2.37 TeV and 4 TeV for the HL-LHC and the HE-LHC, respectively, by using a machine learning based algorithm. We observe an enhancement of ∼380 (190)  GeV in the projected 2σ exclusion limit on the NLSP masses at the 27 (14) TeV LHC. Considering the same final state (Nl≥4) for the λ133 and/or λ233 nonzero scenario, we find that the corresponding 2σ projected limits are ∼1.97  TeV and ∼3.25  TeV for the HL-LHC and HE-LHC, respectively.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Applying module analysis to the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment
Authors: Wheatley Christopher , Wells James , Stewart John
Published: February 2024

The Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA) is a multiple-choice instrument commonly used to measure introductory undergraduate students’ conceptual understanding of electricity and magnetism. This study used a network analysis technique called modified module analysis-partial (MMA-P) to identify clusters of correlated responses, also known as communities, within 12214 BEMA responses. MMA-P identifies both communities related to the structure of the instrument and communities related to incorrect student reasoning. Every community resulting from MMA-P came from blocked items; groups of items that all refer to the same physical system. The most prevalent and consistently selected incorrect answers involved the relation of the electric field to the electric potential difference. The community structure identified in the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) by a prior MMA-P study on items shared by the CSEM and BEMA differed because of the different incorrect responses available in the two instruments. One pair of items in the BEMA involving the induced electric field by a changing magnetic field showed evidence of students applying a variety of incorrect models; the scores on these items indicate their inclusion in the instrument should be reconsidered.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Controlling collisional loss and scattering lengths of ultracold dipolar molecules with static electric fields
Authors: Mukherjee Bijit , Hutson Jeremy M.
Published: February 2024

Trapped samples of ultracold molecules are often short-lived because close collisions between them result in trap loss. We investigate the use of shielding with static electric fields to create repulsive barriers between polar molecules to prevent such loss. Shielding is very effective even for RbCs, with a relatively low dipole moment, and even more effective for molecules such as NaK, NaRb, and NaCs, with progressively larger dipoles. Varying the electric field allows substantial control over the scattering length, which will be crucial for the stability or collapse of molecular Bose-Einstein condensates. This arises because the dipole-dipole interaction creates a long-range attraction that is tunable with electric field. For RbCs, the scattering length is positive across the range where shielding is effective because the repulsion responsible for shielding dominates. For NaK, the scattering length can be tuned across zero to negative values. For NaRb and NaCs, the attraction is strong enough to support tetra-atomic bound states, and the scattering length passes through resonant poles where these states cross threshold. For KAg and CsAg, there are multiple bound states and multiple poles. For each molecule, we calculate the variation of the scattering length with field and comment on the possibilities for exploring new physics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quasilocalized modes in crystalline and partially crystalline high-entropy alloys
Authors: Bonfanti Silvia , Guerra Roberto , Alvarez-Donado Rene , Sobkowicz Paweł , Zapperi Stefano , Alava Mikko
Published: February 2024

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are designed by mixing multiple metallic species in nearly the same amount to obtain crystalline or amorphous materials with exceptional mechanical properties. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the role of positional and compositional disorder in determining the low-frequency vibrational properties of CrMnFeCoNi HEAs with a varying degree of amorphous order. Our results show that the expected dependence of the density of states on the frequency as D(ω)∼ω4 is recovered for amorphous HEAs and is also observed for partially crystallized alloys with deviations that depend on the degree of crystallization. We find that the quasilocalized vibrations are still visible in crystalline HEAs, albeit suppressed compared to the corresponding amorphous alloys. Our work offers a unified perspective to describe HEA mechanical properties in terms of their vibrational density of states.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Analyzing Prospects for Quantum Advantage in Topological Data Analysis
Authors: Berry Dominic W. , Su Yuan , Gyurik Casper , King Robbie , Basso Joao , Barba Alexander Del Toro , Rajput Abhishek , Wiebe Nathan , Dunjko Vedran , Babbush Ryan
Published: February 2024

Lloyd [Nat. Commun. , 10138 (2016)] were first to demonstrate the promise of quantum algorithms for computing Betti numbers, a way to characterize topological features of data sets. Here, we propose, analyze, and optimize an improved quantum algorithm for topological data analysis (TDA) with reduced scaling, including a method for preparing Dicke states based on inequality testing, a more efficient amplitude estimation algorithm using Kaiser windows, and an optimal implementation of eigenvalue projectors based on Chebyshev polynomials. We compile our approach to a fault-tolerant gate set and estimate constant factors in the Toffoli complexity. Our analysis reveals that superquadratic quantum speedups are only possible for this problem when targeting a multiplicative error approximation and the Betti number grows asymptotically. Further, we propose a dequantization of the quantum TDA algorithm that shows that having exponentially large dimension and Betti number are necessary, but insufficient conditions, for superpolynomial advantage. We then introduce and analyze specific problem examples which have parameters in the regime where superpolynomial advantages may be achieved, and argue that quantum circuits with tens of billions of Toffoli gates can solve seemingly classically intractable instances.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Synthesis and crystal structure of the adduct between 2-pyridylselenyl chloride and isobutyronitrile
Authors: Temesgen Ayalew W. , Sapronov Alexander A. , Kubasov Alexey S. , Novikov Alexander S. , Le Tuan Anh , Tskhovrebov Alexander G.
Published: February 2024

The reaction between 2-pyridylselenenyl chloride and isobutyronitrile results in the formation of the corresponding cationic pyridinium-fused 1,2,4-selenodiazole, namely, 3-(propan-2-yl)-1,2,4-[1,2,4]selenadiazolo[4,5-a]pyridin-4-ylium chloride, C9H11N2Se+·Cl−, in high yield (89%). The structure of the compound, established by means of single-crystal X-ray analysis at 100 K, has monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry and revealed the presence of bifurcated chalcogen-hydrogen bonding Se...Cl−...H—Cl, and these non-covalent contacts were analysed by DFT calculations followed by a topological analysis of the electron-density distribution (ωB97XD/6-311++G** level of theory).
Structural characterization of a new samarium–sodium heterometallic coordination polymer
Authors: Hastings Ashley M. , Williams Ashley , Surbella III Robert G. , Hixon Amy E. , Arteaga Ana
Published: February 2024

Lanthanide-containing materials are of interest in the field of crystal engineering because of their unique properties and distinct structure types. In this context, a new samarium–sodium heterometallic coordination polymer, poly[tetrakis(μ2-2-formyl-6-methoxyphenolato)samarium(III)sodium(I)], {[SmNa(C8H7O3)4]·solvent}
n
(Sm-1), was synthesized and crystallized via slow evaporation from a mixture of ethanol and acetonitrile. The compound features alternating SmIII and NaI ions, which are linked by ortho-vanillin (o-vanillin) ligands to form a mono-periodic chain-like coordination polymer. The chains propagate along the [001] direction. Residual electron density of disordered solvent molecules in the void space could not be reasonably modeled, thus the SQUEEZE function was applied. The structural, vibrational, and optical properties are reported.
Crystal structure of diethylammonium dioxido{Z)-N-[(pyridin-2-yl)carbonylazanidyl]pyridine-2-carboximidato}vanadate(1−) monohydrate
Authors: Mondal Bipul
Published: February 2024

The title compound, (C4H12N)[V(C12H8N4O2)O2]·H2O, was synthesized via aerial oxidation on refluxing picolinohydrazide with ethyl picolinate followed by addition of VIVO(acac)2 and diethylamine in methanol. It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system in space group P\overline{1}. In the complex anion, the dioxidovanadium(V) moiety exhibits a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. In the crystal, extensive hydrogen bonding links the water molecule to two complex anions and one diethylammonium ion. One of the CH2 groups in the diethylamine is disordered over two sets of sites in a 0.7:0.3 ratio.
Does it bug you eating bugs? The emotions of anthropoentomophagy
Authors: Ferreira Andreia C.B. , Rodrigues Ricardo Gouveia , Gouveia Ana R. , Martins Oliva M.D. , Ferreira Hugo , Pereira João Alfredo , Duarte Paulo
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The use of insects as food is a proposed solution for the increased demand for food worldwide, but it lacks acceptance because of restrictive emotional factors. This article aims to understand better customers' emotions’ role in considering and consuming insect-based food.

Design/methodology/approach

To assess their acceptance, an experiment was developed with 38 participants living in Portugal to identify how people feel when consuming processed insect bars compared to cereal bars (of equal flavour). A video was recorded “before”, “during” and “after” the consumption of such foods, and the triggered emotions and affective states were identified using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and the circumplex model of affect, respectively. After consumption, the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) was asked to be completed.

Findings

It was observed that the valence and arousal of the emotions and affective states triggered during consumption were higher in the insect bar than in the cereal bar. Its consumption resulted in surprise and a positive evaluation. Processed insect-based foods may result in a potentially increased acceptance of this new food alternative in the market.

Originality/value

Prior studies briefly identified disgust as a primary emotion activated by insect-based food. The current research deeply studied emotional responses to insect-based processed foods in the Western world using the dimensional emotional models. This study offers arguments for the insect-based food industry to invest in processed food justified by its potential for acceptance. In addition, it motivates further research focused on other insect-based products (e.g. non-processed ones).
Are stock buybacks in hospitality firms associated with outstanding executive stock options?
Authors: Iyengar Raghavan , Shuster Barry
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Outstanding unexercised stock options can motivate managers to engage in actions that increase the value of their company’s stock, including buying back their firm’s stock. The objective of granting stock options to managers is to align their interests with stockholders by tying a portion of their compensation to the company’s stock performance. However, unexercised stock options may have unintended consequences by providing managers with a vested interest in artificially boosting stock prices via stock buybacks. The primary objective of this research is to study the main factors that influence firms' buyback decisions amongst hospitality firms at a time when these firms were clamoring for taxpayer bailouts. Results from logistic regression seem to suggest that outstanding executive stock options are a major contributory factor in a firm’s buyback decision. Estimates also indicate that larger, more profitable firms will likely engage in stock buybacks. These findings survive a battery of tests.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use logistic regression to predict the probability of a firm’s buyback decision based on a given set of exogenous explanatory variables.

Findings

The paper supports the hypothesis that buyback decisions are guided by the motive to prop support stock prices in the presence of outstanding restricted stock options/warrants granted to firms' executives.

Research limitations/implications

The paper focuses on the buyback decision of U.S. hospitality firms. The results, therefore, might not be generalizable to firms in other industries or countries.

Practical implications

U.S. share repurchase corporate policy and government regulation needs to be revisited given the economic imperative for firms to invest in activities to restore employment and put them in a position for economic recovery.

Social implications

Public criticism of the size, structure and form (i.e. loan vs grant) of COVID-19 bailouts warrants an examination of whether the factors that drive hospitality and tourism firms to repurchase shares support economic recovery.

Originality/value

Consistent with agency theory, the authors find a significant positive association between outstanding restricted stocks and a firm’s decision to support the stock prices by buying back shares.
Personality metatraits and managerial AC dimensions in assessment center performance: the moderating effect of age in strong and weak VUCA simulations
Authors: Baczyńska Anna Katarzyna , Skoczeń Ilona , Thornton George C. , Chen Shihua
Published: February 2024

Purpose

We investigated the relationship between personality and managerial assessment center (AC) dimensions, emphasizing age’s moderating role within volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity (VUCA) simulations.

Design/methodology/approach

We analyzed 327 managers and applied the AC method, examining areas like social skills, problem-solving, management and goal striving, openness to change, employee development using the VUCA framework.

Findings

We assessed personality metatraits through a questionnaire based on the circumplex model (CPM; Strus, Cieciuch, & Rowinski, 2014), identifying four bipolar metatraits. Results highlighted passiveness and disharmony as negatively correlated with all managerial AC dimensions, with passiveness adversely affecting social skills and problem-solving.

Originality/value

Age’s moderating role emerged as pivotal in the relationship between personality and managerial AC dimensions, especially in specific VUCA contexts. This underscores age’s influence on the interplay between personality and managerial efficacy, suggesting varying predictive capabilities across age groups. The research illuminates the complexities of these relationships, spotlighting age’s nuanced impact.
Elite versus grassroots sports events sponsorship in China: an exploration of sponsors’ motives and objectives
Authors: Wang Qian , Fuchs Stéphan , Bodet Guillaume
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study explores the motives and objectives of sports sponsorship in China, taking into account the sports, social and cultural contexts. It also adopts a comparative approach to examine the sponsorship of elite and grassroots sports events in China.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a qualitative approach, employing semi-structured interviews with representatives of nine companies sponsoring elite and/or grassroots sports events in Western China. The data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis.

Findings

In China, sponsors are frequently driven to sponsor elite sport events by a sense of obligation and responsibility to the country, whereas their motives to sponsor grassroots sport events is primarily influenced by sincerity and goodwill. Chinese companies consider brand awareness, exposure and the relationship with the government and authorities as key factors for sponsorship, and use sponsorship to achieve market-related objectives.

Originality/value

Companies’ sponsorship motives and objectives have received significant attention in the literature, but mainly in Western countries. In the context of China, this study identifies how sponsors utilize social networks to shape their motives and objectives. It also reveals certain patterns common with the current literature, as well as specificities such as how the roles of the government and authorities are linked to the contingent economic and social context of the country. Furthermore, the differences between elite and grassroots sports events sponsorship are explained.
Founder ownership concentration and risk disclosures: an emerging economy view
Authors: Jain Surbhi , Raithatha Mehul
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This paper examines the impact of founder ownership concentration (FOC) on risk disclosures. It further investigates the moderating role of risk governance in the association between FOC and risk disclosures.

Design/methodology/approach

We use data from the top 200 Indian listed firms as our sample and rely on ordinary least squares (OLS) for our results. In addition, we use the propensity score matching, Heckman selection model and instrumental variable estimates for robustness checks.

Findings

We find that FOC decreases the risk disclosures. However, the effectiveness of risk management committee composition (risk governance) mitigates the negative influence of FOC on risk disclosures.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is built on the agency theory. Based on the agency theory, the ownership concentration has two implications: first, it reduces the conflicts between managers and shareholders. Here, the managers act in favour of shareholders and therefore, brings more risk disclosers. Second, it invites conflicts between controlling and minority shareholders. The study is, therefore, interesting to see the cost and benefits of FOC on risk disclosures.

Practical implications

The study has practical implications for the regulatory bodies to encourage risk disclosures and benefit the outsiders of the firm. It also has implications for the companies to see the benefits of risk management committee as improved risk governance.

Originality/value

It contributes to the literature of risk disclosures and risk governance in emerging economies. It is the first study to investigate the role of risk governance in mitigating the adverse effects of founder’s ownership on risk disclosures in developing economies. It also contributes to the theory of agency cost and information asymmetry.
Innovation-driven clustering for better national innovation benchmarking
Authors: Alqararah Khatab , Alnafrah Ibrahim
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This research paper aims to contribute to the field of innovation performance benchmarking by identifying appropriate benchmarking groups and exploring learning opportunities and integration directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a multi-dimensional innovation-driven clustering methodology to analyze data from the 2019 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII). Hierarchical and K-means Cluster Analysis techniques are applied using various sets of distance matrices to uncover and analyze distinct innovation patterns.

Findings

This study classifies 129 countries into four clusters: Specials, Advanced, Intermediates and Primitives. Each cluster exhibits strengths and weaknesses in terms of innovation performance. Specials excel in the areas of institutions and knowledge commercialization, while the Advanced cluster demonstrates strengths in education and ICT-related services but shows weakness in patent commercialization. Intermediates show strengths in venture-capital and labour productivity but display weaknesses in R&D expenditure and the higher education quality. Primitives exhibit strength in creative activities but suffer from weaknesses in digital skills, education and training. Additionally, the study has identified 35 indicators that have negligible variance contributions across countries.

Originality/value

The study contributes to finding the relevant countries’ grouping for the enhancement of communication, integration and learning. To this end, this study highlights the innovation structural differences among countries and provides tailored innovation policies.
First insights into post-pandemic distress in a high secure hospital: correlates among staff and patients
Authors: Levtova Yara , Melunovic Irma , Mead Caroline Louise , Ireland Jane L.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This preliminary investigation aims to examine the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients and staff within a high secure service.

Design/methodology/approach

To discern the connection between COVID-19-related distress and multiple factors, the study involved 31 patients and 34 staff who completed assessments evaluating coping strategies, resilience, emotional reactivity, ward atmosphere and work-related aspects.

Findings

Results demonstrated that around a third of staff (31.2%) experienced COVID-19-related distress levels that met the clinical cut-off for possible post-traumatic stress disorder. Emotional reactivity, staff shortages, secondary traumatic stress and coping strategies were all positively correlated with COVID-19-related-distress. Resilience was negatively associated with distress, thus acting as a potential mitigating factor. In comparison, the prevalence of distress among patients was low (3.2%).

Practical implications

The authors postulate that increased staff burdens during the pandemic may have led to long-term distress, while their efforts to maintain minimal service disruption potentially shielded patients from psychological impacts, possibly lead to staff “problem-focused coping burnout”. This highlights the need for in-depth research on the enduring impacts of pandemics, focusing on mechanisms that intensify or alleviate distress. Future studies should focus on identifying effective coping strategies for crisis situations, such as staff shortages, and strategies for post-crisis staff support.

Originality/value

The authors postulate that the added burdens on staff during the pandemic might have contributed to their distress. Nonetheless, staff might have inadvertently safeguarded patients from the pandemic’s psychological ramifications by providing a “service of little disruption”, potentially leading to “problem-focused coping burnout”. These findings underscore the imperative for further research capturing the enduring impacts of pandemics, particularly scrutinising factors that illuminate the mechanisms through which distress is either intensified or alleviated across different groups. An avenue worth exploring is identifying effective coping styles for pandemics.
Forensic accounting, socio-economic factors and value added tax evasion in emerging economies: evidence from Jordan
Authors: Alshira’h Ahmad Farhan , Alshirah Malek Hamed , Lutfi Abdalwali
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to determine the impact of forensic accounting, probability of detections, tax penalties, government spending, tax justice and tax ethics on value-added tax (VAT) evasion.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses partial least squares-structural equation modeling to examine the connection between tax sanction, probability of detection, tax ethics, tax justice, forensic accounting and government spending on VAT evasion based on 248 responses collected from the retail industry in Jordan.

Findings

The findings also demonstrate that there is a negative correlation between tax sanctions, probability of detection, tax ethics, tax justice, forensic accounting, government spending and VAT evasion efficiency.

Practical implications

The results, considering forensic accounting and government expenditure considerations, may emphasize the importance of the tax sanction, probability of detection, tax ethics, adoption of tax justice in the public sector and tax authority. Additionally, the findings are important for regulators and decision-makers in announcing new laws and strategies for VAT evasion.

Social implications

It turns out that the tax authority and public sector can definitely improve their capacity to protect public funds and limit VAT evasion practices within SMEs by adopting increased tax sanctions, probability of detection, tax ethics, tax justice, forensic accounting and government spending.

Originality/value

Numerous studies have been conducted at the individual level in the context of income tax on the link between tax punishment, probability of detection, tax ethics, tax justice, forensic accounting and tax evasion. This study expands on the scant evidence of this connection to the retail business in the context of VAT avoidance. Additionally, it advances prior studies by integrating fresh elements, such as forensic accounting and government expenditure, that have never been considered in connection to VAT evasion in the retail sector.
Balancing prosperity and sustainability: unraveling financial risks and green finance through a COP27 lens
Authors: Sajjad Shakeel , Bhuiyan Rubaiyat Ahsan , Dwyer Rocky J. , Bashir Adnan , Zhang Changyong
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between financial development (FD), financial risk, green finance and innovation related to carbon emissions in the G7 economies.

Design/methodology/approach

This quantitative study examines the roles that financial development [FD: Domestic credit to private sector by banks as percentage of gross domestic product (GDP)], economic growth (GDP: Constant US$ 2015), financial risk index (FRI), green finance (GFIN: Renewable energy public research development and demonstration (RD&D) budget as percentage of total RD&D budget), development of environment-related technologies (DERTI: percentage of all technologies) and human capital (HCI: index) have on the environmental quality of developed economies. Based on panel data, the study uses a novel approach method of moments quantile regression as a main method to tackle the issue of cross-sectional dependency, slope heterogeneity and nonnormality of the data.

Findings

The study confirms that increasing economic development increases emissions and negatively impacts the environment. However, efficient resource allocation, improved financial systems, and green innovation are likely to contribute to emission mitigation and the overall development of a sustainable viable economy. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of risk management in financial systems for future emissions prevention.

Practical implications

The study uses a reliable estimation procedure, which extends the discussion on climate policy from a COP-27 perspective and offers practical implications for policymakers in developing more effective emission mitigation strategies.

Social implications

The study offers policy suggestions for a sustainable economy, focusing on both COP-27 and the G7 countries. Recommendations include implementing carbon pricing, developing carbon capture and storage technologies, investing in renewables and energy efficiency and introducing financial instruments for emission mitigation. From a COP-27 standpoint, the G7 should prioritize transitioning to low-carbon economies and supporting developing nations in their sustainability efforts to address the pressing challenges of climate change and global warming.

Originality/value

In comparison to the literature, this study examines the importance of financial risk for G7 economies in promoting a sustainable environment. More specifically, in the context of FD and national income with carbon emissions, previous researchers have disregarded the importance of green innovation and human capital, so the current study fills the gap in the literature related to G7 economies by exploring the link between the identified variables related to carbon emissions.
Study the effect of axially perforated baffle plate with multiple opposite-oriented trapezoidal flow deflectors in an air–water tubular heat exchanger
Authors: Rahman Md Atiqur
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The research focused on analysing a unique type of heat exchanger that uses swirling air flow over heated tubes. This heat exchanger includes a round baffle plate with holes and opposite-oriented trapezoidal air deflectors attached at different angles. The deflectors are spaced at various distances, and the tubes are arranged in a circular pattern while maintaining a constant heat flux.

Design/methodology/approach

This setup is housed inside a circular duct with airflow in the longitudinal direction. The study examined the impact of different inclination angles and pitch ratios on the performance of the heat exchanger within a specific range of Reynolds numbers.

Findings

The findings revealed that the angle of inclination significantly affected the flow velocity, with higher angles resulting in increased velocity. The heat transfer performance was best at lower inclination angles and pitch ratios. Flow resistance decreased with increasing angle of inclination and pitch ratio.

Originality/value

The average thermal enhancement factor decreased with higher inclination angles, with the maximum value observed as 0.94 at a pitch ratio of 1 at an angle of 30°.
Effect of gasoline-ethanol blends on the performance of a four stroke engine using Ricardo Wave software
Authors: Ukachi Paul O. , Ekpu Mathias , Ikpeseni Sunday C. , Sada Samuel O.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of fuel blends containing ethanol and gasoline in spark ignition engines. The aim is to explore alternative fuels that can enhance performance while minimizing or eliminating adverse environmental impacts, particularly in the context of limited fossil fuel availability and the need for sustainable alternatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used the Ricardo Wave software to evaluate the performance of fuel blends with varying ethanol content (represented as E0, E10, E25, E40, E55, E70, E85 and E100) in comparison to gasoline. The assessment involved different composition percentages and was conducted at various engine speeds (1,500, 3,000, 4,500 and 6,000 rpm). This methodology aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how different ethanol-gasoline blends perform under different conditions.

Findings

The study found that, across all fuel blends, the highest brake power (BP) and the highest brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were observed at 6,000 rpm. Additionally, it was noted that the presence of ethanol in gasoline fuel blends has the potential to increase both the BP and BSFC. These findings suggest that ethanol can positively impact the performance of spark-ignition engines, highlighting its potential as an alternative fuel.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the ongoing efforts in the automotive industry to find sustainable alternative fuels. The use of Ricardo Wave software for performance assessment and the comprehensive exploration of various ethanol-gasoline blends at different engine speeds add to the originality of the study. The emphasis on the potential of ethanol to enhance engine performance provides valuable insights for motor vehicle manufacturers and researchers working on alternative fuel solutions.
Simulation and Verification of a Magnetically Controlled System for a Wireless Capsule Robot
Authors: Yan Rongguo , Gui Xinrui , Guo Xudong , Chen Shaoming
Published: February 2024

The incidence of digestive system disease is increasing with the development of society, the environmental transition, and changes in people's lifestyles. A magnetically controlled system (MCS) aimed at the examination of the digestive tract based on octupole electromagnets was proposed to manipulate a wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) with an internal permanent magnet inside. The parameterization was utilized to optimize the magnetic field of the MCS by determining the structure of the electromagnets. Theoretical calculation and numerical simulation were carried out to compare the external magnetic field generated by the electromagnets with the internal magnetic field generated by the WCE. In vitro tests were studied on the experimental platform to evaluate the performance of the MCS, and it was found that the MCS performed well in directing the WCE's movement and causing the WCE to execute the prescribed action. The system, as a preliminary exploration of the magnetic field control system, was supposed to be employed in gastrointestinal examinations in the future.
simMACT, a Software Demonstrator to Improve Maximum Actuation Joint Torques Simulation for Ergonomics Assessment
Authors: Savin Jonathan H. , Rezzoug Nasser
Published: February 2024

The maximum actuation joint torques that operators can perform at the workplace are essential parameters for biomechanical risk assessment. However, workstation designers generally only have at their disposal the imprecise and sparse estimates of these quantities provided with digital manikin digital human model (DHM) software. For instance, such tools consider only static postures and ignore important specificities of the human musculoskeletal system such as interjoints couplings. To alleviate the weaknesses of existing approaches implemented in digital human modeling tools relying on torque databases, this paper describes a methodology based on a class of polytopes called zonotopes and musculoskeletal simulation to assess maximum actuation torques. It has two main advantages, the ability to estimate maximum joint torques for any posture and taking into account musculoskeletal specificities unlike existing digital human modeling tools. As a case study, it also compares simulated maximum actuation torques to those recorded during an experiment described in the literature, focusing on an isometric task of the upper limb. This simulation has led to similar or smaller errors than DHM software tools. Hence, this methodology may help in interpreting interjoint couplings, choosing appropriate mathematical models or design experimental protocols. It may also be implemented in DHM software to provide designers with more comprehensive and more reliable data.
Free Vibration and Buckling Analyses of Functionally Graded Plates With Graphene Platelets Reinforcement
Authors: Roun Sunchhorng , Nguyen Van-Loi , Rungamornrat Jaroon
Published: February 2024

While existing research has focused on using graphene platelets (GPLs) as reinforcement for homogeneous matrices, this study proposes a new nanocomposite for plate structures consisting of GPLs incorporated into a conventional functionally graded matrix with the aim of enhancing their overall stiffness. The performance of such plates is evaluated via free vibration and buckling analyses in the present study. Note that the matrix phase is graded continuously with the power law distribution across the plate's thickness, whereas various GPL dispersion patterns along the thickness are studied. The material properties of the typical functionally graded matrix are determined by the rule of mixture, and then those of the composite are estimated by the modified Halpin–Tsai model as well as the rule of mixture. Based on Hamilton's principle and the novel four-unknown refined plate theory (RPT4), the governing equations of the plate are developed. The Navier-type solution scheme is then adopted to get the critical buckling load and natural frequency of the nanocomposite plate. Numerical findings are examined to evaluate the novel nanocomposite plate model, and a parametric study is also conducted. In addition, high-accurate results are provided via the Navier-type solution here as benchmark solutions for further studies on functionally graded material structures reinforced by GPLs.
ERGO-II: An Improved Bayesian Optimization Technique for Robust Design With Multiple Objectives, Failed Evaluations, and Stochastic Parameters
Authors: Wauters Jolan
Published: February 2024

In this work, the efficient robust global optimization (ERGO) method is revisited with the aim of enhancing and expanding its existing capabilities. The original objective of ERGO was to address the computational challenges associated with optimization-under-uncertainty through the use of Bayesian optimization (BO). ERGO tackles robust optimization problems which are characterized by sensitivity in the objective function due to stochasticity in the design space. It does this by concurrently minimizing the mean and variance of the objective in a multi-objective setting. To handle the computational complexity arising from the uncertainty propagation, ERGO exploits the analytical expression of the surrogate model underlying BO. In this study, ERGO is extended to accommodate multiple objectives, incorporate an improved predictive error estimation approach, investigate the treatment of failed function evaluations, and explore the handling of stochastic parameters next to stochastic design variables. To evaluate the effectiveness of these improvements, the enhanced ERGO scheme is compared with the original method using an analytical test problem with varying dimensionality. Additionally, the novel optimization technique is applied to an aerodynamic design problem to validate its performance.
A Sustainable Product Multi-Platform Planning Model for Assembly and Disassembly Process
Authors: Zou Guangyu , Li Zhongkai , He Chao
Published: February 2024

The development of a product platform is an effective strategy to respond to dynamic market demands, decrease lead time, and delay product differentiation. However, the traditional product platform configuration method cannot satisfy the sustainability requirements for modern products. To solve this problem, a sustainable product multi-platform (SPMP) model for assembly/disassembly technology is proposed in this article. The proposed SPMP model measures the energy consumption of module instances during the installation based on the platform-based assembly index (PAI) and platform-based disassembly index (PDI), and provides a multi-platform solution for the assembly of the product family. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, two product family cases are discussed. A simplified case shows that multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm has a stronger optimization ability than the linear programing method in reducing the product processing cost. The hair dryer family case demonstrates that the proposed method reduces the energy consumption during assembly by linking sustainability to the product design.
Small molecule inhibitors of transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases impose HIV-1 latency, presenting “block and lock” treatment strategies
Authors: Horvath Riley M. , Brumme Zabrina L. , Sadowski Ivan
Published: February 2024

Current antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection does not represent a cure for infection as viral rebound inevitably occurs following discontinuation of treatment. The “block and lock” therapeutic strategy is intended to enforce proviral latency and durably suppress viremic reemergence in the absence of other intervention. The transcription-associated cyclin-dependent protein kinases (tCDKs) are required for expression from the 5´ HIV-1 long-terminal repeat, but the therapeutic potential of inhibiting these kinases for enforcing HIV-1 latency has not been characterized. Here, we expanded previous observations to directly compare the effect of highly selective small molecule inhibitors of CDK7 (YKL-5-124), CDK9 (LDC000067), and CDK8/19 (Senexin A), and found each of these prevented HIV-1 provirus expression at concentrations that did not cause cell toxicity. Inhibition of CDK7 caused cell cycle arrest, whereas CDK9 and CDK8/19 inhibitors did not, and could be continuously administered to establish proviral latency. Upon discontinuation of drug administration, HIV immediately rebounded in cells that had been treated with the CDK9 inhibitor, while proviral latency persisted for several days in cells that had been treated with CDK8/19 inhibitors. These results identify the mediator kinases CDK8/CDK19 as potential “block and lock” targets for therapeutic suppression of HIV-1 provirus expression.
Harnessing the endogenous Type I-C CRISPR-Cas system for genome editing in
Bifidobacterium breve
Authors: Han Xiao , Chang Lulu , Chen Haiqin , Zhao Jianxin , Tian Fengwei , Ross R. Paul , Stanton Catherine , van Sinderen Douwe , Chen Wei , Yang Bo
Published: February 2024

The lack of effective genetic tools for
Bifidobacterium breve
is an obstacle to studying the molecular mechanisms of its health-promoting effects, hindering the development of next-generation probiotics. Here, we introduce a gene editing method based on the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system, which can achieve gene deletion, single-base substitution, gene insertion, and successive gene editing in
B. breve
. This study will facilitate discovery of functional genes and elucidation of molecular mechanisms of
B. breve
pertaining to health-associated benefits.
The effect of seed germination and
Bacillus
spp. on the ripening of plant cheese analogs
Authors: Xie Jin , Yap Gloria , Simpson David , Gänzle Michael
Published: February 2024

The development of novel plant-based fermented food products for which no traditional templates exist requires the development of starter cultures. Although the principles of microbial flavor formation in plant-based analogs partially overlap with dairy fermentations, the composition of the raw materials and thus likely the selective pressure on the activity of starter cultures differs. Experiments that are described in this study explored the use of seed germination, the use of lactic acid bacteria, and the use of bacilli to reduce hygienic risks, to acidify plant milk, and to generate taste-active compounds through proteolysis and fermentative conversion of carbohydrates. The characterization of fermentation microbiota by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods also confirmed that the starter cultures used were able to control microbial communities throughout 90 d of ripening. Taken together, the results provide novel tools for the development of plant-based analogs of fermented dairy products.