bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neutrino mass sum rules from modular
A4
symmetry
Authors: Chuliá Salvador Centelles , Kumar Ranjeet , Popov Oleg , Srivastava Rahul
Published: February 2024

Modular symmetries offer a dynamic approach to understanding the flavor structure of leptonic mixing. Using the modular A4 flavor symmetry integrated in a type-II seesaw, we propose a simple and minimalistic model that restricts the neutrino oscillation parameter space and, most importantly, introduces a sum rule in the physical neutrino masses. When combined with the mass squared differences observed in neutrino oscillations, this sum rule determines the absolute neutrino mass scale. This has significant implications for cosmology, neutrinoless double beta decay experiments, and direct neutrino mass measurements. In particular, the model predicts ∑imi≈0.1  eV for both normal and inverted ordering, and thus can be fully probed by the current generation of cosmological probes in the upcoming years.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Extreme mass-ratio inspirals as probes of fundamental dipoles
Authors: Lestingi Jacopo , Cannizzaro Enrico , Pani Paolo
Published: February 2024

Even if globally neutral, in various scenarios compact objects can have a nonvanishing dipole moment. Examples include neutron stars with magnetic dipoles, black-hole microstates in the string-theory fuzzball scenario, and classical black holes in modified theories of gravity with spin-induced scalarization or Lorentz-violating terms. A fundamental dipole moment would give rise to rich phenomenology, for example, to intrinsic precession and extra emission channels in binary systems. We show that extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) detectable by future gravitational-wave interferometers allow us to study a fundamental dipole on the secondary object in a model-agnostic fashion. By developing a general model for a fundamental scalar dipole, we compute the extra flux associated with it. This effect is suppressed by the square of the mass ratio relative to the case of fundamental charges, making its detection with EMRIs very challenging for the typical dipole moments predicted in various models. On the other hand, for the same reason, the impact of an extra dipole for constraints on extra fundamental charges is likely negligible, making the latter constraints more robust.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Principle of minimal singularity for Green’s functions
Authors: Li Wenliang
Published: February 2024

Analytic continuations of integer-valued parameters can lead to profound insights, such as angular momentum in Regge theory, the number of replicas in spin glasses, the number of internal degrees of freedom, the spacetime dimension in dimensional regularization, and Wilson’s renormalization group. In this work, we consider a new kind of analytic continuation of correlation functions, inspired by two recent approaches to underdetermined Dyson-Schwinger equations in D-dimensional spacetime. If the Green’s functions Gn=⟨ϕn⟩ admit analytic continuation to complex values of n, the two different approaches are unified by a novel principle for self-consistent problems: Singularities in the complex plane should be minimal. This principle manifests as the merging of different branches of Green’s functions in the quartic theories. For D=0, we obtain the closed-form solutions of the general gϕm theories, including the cases with complex coupling constant g or noninteger power m. For D=1, we derive rapidly convergent results for the Hermitian quartic and non-Hermitian cubic theories by minimizing the complexity of the singularity at n=∞.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Searching for axions with kaon decay at rest
Authors: Ema Yohei , Liu Zhen , Plestid Ryan
Published: February 2024

We describe a novel search strategy for axions (or hadronically coupled axionlike particles) in the mass range of ma≲350  MeV. The search relies on kaon decay at rest, which produces a monoenergetic signal in a large volume detector (e.g., a tank of liquid scintillator) from axion decays a→γγ or a→e+e−. The decay modes K+→π+a and a→γγ are induced by the axion’s coupling to gluons, which is generic to any model which addresses the strong CP problem. We recast a recent search from MicroBooNE for e+e− pairs and study prospects at JSNS2 and other near-term facilities. We find that JSNS2 will have world-leading sensitivity to hadronically coupled axions in the mass range of 40  MeV≲ma≲350  MeV.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Spherical collapse in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity: Taming ill-posedness with a Ricci coupling
Authors: Thaalba Farid , Bezares Miguel , Franchini Nicola , Sotiriou Thomas P.
Published: February 2024

We study spherical collapse of a scalar cloud in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity—a theory in which black holes can develop scalar hair if they are in a certain mass range. We show that an additional quadratic coupling of the scalar field to the Ricci scalar can mitigate loss of hyperbolicity problems that have plagued previous numerical collapse studies and instead lead to well-posed evolution. This suggests that including specific additional interactions can be a successful strategy for tackling well-posedness problems in effective field theories of gravity with nonminimally coupled scalars. Our simulations also show that spherical collapse leads to black holes with scalar hair when their mass is below a mass threshold and above a minimum mass bound and that above the mass threshold, the collapse leads to black holes without hair, in line with results in the static case and perturbative analyses. For masses below the minimum mass bound, we find that the scalar cloud smoothly dissipates, leaving behind flat space.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Open-inquiry opens doors to intriguing optics experiments at home: A case study
Authors: DeStefano Paul R. , Widenhorn Ralf
Published: February 2024

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] This manuscript presents a case study of an introductory physics student who, during the remote learning conditions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, found inspiration within a new, open-inquiry, project-based, laboratory curriculum designed at Portland State University. The phenomenon investigated by the study subject was intriguing to both the student and the lab instructors for its unfamiliar and instructive optical effect: a ring-shaped pattern or halo created by a laser diffusely reflected in a shallow body of water. Drawing on classwork and interview responses, this study shows that the subject achieved many expected curriculum outcomes, particularly with respect to experimental design and data analysis tasks, indicating that the course’s open-inquiry structure can be effective while offering students a free choice of what to investigate in a laboratory class. Additionally, the case study shows that the halo phenomenon is pedagogically rich as it combines refraction, diffuse reflection, and total internal reflection in a nontrivial way, thereby answering calls by physics education researchers for more complex, realistic examples in geometric optics instruction. Finally, this case also highlights challenges students may experience interpreting diffuse reflection and determining the position of optical features beyond image formation, not commonly a focus of introductory physics courses, textbooks, and education research.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Worried, anxious and uplifted: emotions of Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorder when expressing information needs
Authors: Han Zhengbiao , Zhong Huan , Hansen Preben
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To reveal the emotions and information needs expressed by Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in an online forum, and their relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The 10,062 data were from “Yi Lin”, China’s largest online forum for ASD. Open coding identified parents’ emotions and information needs, and a chi-squared test explored the correlation.

Findings

First, parents’ emotions were categorized into four themes: emotions about coping with their child’s care, emotions about the parents’ own behavior, emotions about social support with other parents and emotions about anticipating the future. Parents’ overall emotions were negative (72.47%), while the tendency of emotions varied among the four themes. Second, five information needs topics were expressed: intervention and training of ASD, parenting experiences, schooling issues, social interaction and support and future development. Different information needs topics contained different themes of emotions. Third, the tendency of emotions and expression of information needs were significantly correlated. Negative emotions had a statistically significant correlation in expression of information needs.

Originality/value

This study reveals the relationship between the emotions and information needs expressed by parents of children with ASD. The ASD forum could develop emotional support modules and functions for parents and facilitate emotional communication between parents.
Effect of lean-green practice and green human resource on supply chain performance: a resource-based view
Authors: Sahu Atul Kumar , Sharma Mahak , Raut Rakesh , Gedam Vidyadhar V. , Agrawal Nishant , Priyadarshinee Pragati
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The study examined a wide range of proactive supply chain practices to demonstrate a cross-linkage among them and to understand their effects on both practitioners of previous decision-making models, frameworks, strategies and policies. Here, six supply chain practices are empirically evaluated based on 28 constructs to investigate a comprehensive model and confirm the connections for achieving performance and competence. The study presents a conceptual model and examines the influence of many crucial factors, i.e. supply chain collaboration, knowledge, information sharing, green human resources (GHR) management and lean-green (LG) practices on supply chain performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling (SEM) examines the conceptual model and allied relationship. A sample of 175 respondents' data was collected to test the hypothesized relations. A resource based view (RBV) was adopted, and the questionnaires-based survey was conducted on the Indian supply chain professionals to explore the effect of LG and green human resource management (GHRM) practices on supply chain performance.

Findings

The study presented five constructs for supply chain capabilities (SCCA), five constructs for supply chain collaboration and integration (SCIN), four constructs for supply chain knowledge and information sharing (SCKI), five constructs for GHR, five constructs for LG practices (LGPR) and four constructs for lean-green SCM (LG-SCM) firm performance to be utilized for validation by the specific industry, company size and operational boundaries for attaining sustainability. The outcome emphasizes that SCCA positively influence GHRM, LG practices and LG supply chain firm performance. However, LG practices do not influence LG-SCM firm performance, particularly in India.

Originality/value

The study exploited multiple practices in a conceptual model to provide a widespread understanding of decision-making to assist in developing a holistic approach based on different practices for attaining organizational sustainability. The study stimulates the cross-pollination of ideas between many supply chain practices to better understand SCCA, SCIN, SCKI, GHRM and LG-SCM under a single roof for retaining organization performance.
The importance of emotions in contemporary human resource management
Authors: Juchnowicz Marta , Kinowska Hanna , Gąsiński Hubert
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The literature currently offers only fragmentary insights into the research on the relationship between employee emotions and human resource management (HRM). Therefore, further research is essential to bridge this knowledge gap. Our study aims to identify the mediating effects of positive employee emotions and exhaustion in the relationship between HRM and employee engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the literature review findings, a conceptual model was formulated to illustrate the relationship between HRM, employee emotions and engagement. A confirmatory analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling (SEM CFA) on a sample of 1,000 employees to validate the proposed model. The data were collected in 2021, with a particular emphasis on exploring the indirect influence of HRM on engagement through positive employee emotions and exhaustion.

Findings

The quantitative research aimed to test a model depicting the relationship between HRM and employee emotions. The findings indicate the robust effect of HRM on positive employee emotions and exhaustion. The authors observed significant variation in the level of impact depending on the size of the organisation (stronger in large firms) and the sector (stronger in the public sector).

Originality/value

The study bridges the gap in our understanding of the link between HRM and employee emotions. It would be advisable to further explore the specific impact of individual HRM practices on both positive and negative employee emotions. It is worth extending the scope of future research to explore components of the investigated constructs as well as mediators and moderators of the relationship between HRM and employee emotions.
Developing a big data analytics platform using Apache Hadoop Ecosystem for delivering big data services in libraries
Authors: Singh Ranjeet Kumar
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Although the challenges associated with big data are increasing, the question of the most suitable big data analytics (BDA) platform in libraries is always significant. The purpose of this study is to propose a solution to this problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study identifies relevant literature and provides a review of big data adoption in libraries. It also presents a step-by-step guide for the development of a BDA platform using the Apache Hadoop Ecosystem. To test the system, an analysis of library big data using Apache Pig, which is a tool from the Apache Hadoop Ecosystem, was performed. It establishes the effectiveness of Apache Hadoop Ecosystem as a powerful BDA solution in libraries.

Findings

It can be inferred from the literature that libraries and librarians have not taken the possibility of big data services in libraries very seriously. Also, the literature suggests that there is no significant effort made to establish any BDA architecture in libraries. This study establishes the Apache Hadoop Ecosystem as a possible solution for delivering BDA services in libraries.

Research limitations/implications

The present work suggests adapting the idea of providing various big data services in a library by developing a BDA platform, for instance, providing assistance to the researchers in understanding the big data, cleaning and curation of big data by skilled and experienced data managers and providing the infrastructural support to store, process, manage, analyze and visualize the big data.

Practical implications

The study concludes that Apache Hadoops’ Hadoop Distributed File System and MapReduce components significantly reduce the complexities of big data storage and processing, respectively, and Apache Pig, using Pig Latin scripting language, is very efficient in processing big data and responding to queries with a quick response time.

Originality/value

According to the study, there are significantly fewer efforts made to analyze big data from libraries. Furthermore, it has been discovered that acceptance of the Apache Hadoop Ecosystem as a solution to big data problems in libraries are not widely discussed in the literature, although Apache Hadoop is regarded as one of the best frameworks for big data handling.
Social capital and career adaptability: the mediating role of psychological capital
Authors: Gheyassi Abdolrahim , Alambeigi Amir
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study’s main objective is to determine the extent to which social capital and psychological capital can explain differences in career adaptability among higher education students.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey research design. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire completed by 384 fourth-year undergraduate agricultural students in Iran. The inverse square root and multistage sampling methods were used to determine the sample size. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method examined the associations between latent variables.

Findings

The results suggest that social and psychological capital significantly influence the career adaptability of agricultural students, highlighting their significance in enhancing career adaptability. Moreover, psychological capital positively mediates the relationship between social capital and career adaptability.

Practical implications

Agricultural higher education institutions must focus on developing students' social and psychological capital to cultivate career adaptability in agricultural students. Agricultural higher education institutions, for example, should help students develop soft skills.

Originality/value

This study offers novel insights into the significance of individual resources, such as social and psychological capital, in enhancing the career adaptability of students. In addition, the key contribution of this study is the researchers' empirical evidence that multiple career resources are interconnected (social capital, career adaptability, and psychological capital).
Influence mechanism of undergraduate students’ green innovation behavior: AMO perspective and multilevel empirical study
Authors: Liu Jiaqi , Wen Haitao , Wen Rong , Zhang Wenjue , Cui Yun , Wang Heng
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, this study aims to explore how to encourage innovative green behaviors among college students and the mechanisms behind the formation of green innovation behavior. Specifically, this study examines the influences of schools, mentors and college students themselves.

Design/methodology/approach

A multilevel, multisource study involving 261 students from 51 groups generally supported this study’s predictions.

Findings

Proenvironmental and responsible mentors significantly predicted innovative green behavior among college students. In addition, creative motivation mediated the logical chain among green intellectual capital, emotional intelligence and green innovation behavior.

Practical implications

The study findings offer new insights into the conditions required for college students to engage in green innovation. In addition, they provide practical implications for cultivating green innovation among college students.

Originality/value

The authors proposed and tested a multilevel theory based on the ability–motivation–opportunity framework. In this model, proenvironmental and responsible mentors, green intellectual capital and emotional intelligence triggered innovative green behavior among college students through creative motivation.
The mediating role of employee performance in the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and police service effectiveness
Authors: Otoo Frank Nana Kweku
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The efficiency of each of an organization’s individual workers determines its effectiveness. The study aims to explore the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and organizational effectiveness with employee performance as a mediating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 800 police officers in the Greater Accra and Tema regions. The data were supported by the hypothesized relationship. Construct reliability and validity was established through confirmatory factor analysis. The proposed model and hypotheses were evaluated using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results show that career planning and employee performance were significantly related. Self-managed teams and employee performance were shown to be nonsignificantly related. Similarly, performance management and employee performance were shown to be nonsignificantly related. Employee performance significantly influenced organizational effectiveness. The results further indicate that employee performance mediates the relationship between HRM practices and organizational effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the findings will be constrained due to the research’s police service focus and cross-sectional data.

Practical implications

The study’s findings will serve as valuable pointers for the police administration in the adoption, design and implementation of well-articulated and proactive HRM practices to improve the abilities, skills, knowledge and motivation of officer’s to inordinately enhance the effectiveness of the service.

Originality/value

By evidencing empirically that employee performance mediates the relationship between HRM practice and organizational effectiveness, the study extends the literature.
Are family businesses more gender inclusive in leadership succession today? A perspective article
Authors: Alvarado-Alvarez Cristina , Euwema Martin C.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Through this exploration, this article seeks to contribute to facilitate a greater female participation in power and leadership positions in the context of succession by presenting perspectives in research and practical implications for both family firms and business families.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review of seminal work on women’s involvement in the leadership succession of family firms and systematic reviews related to the topic published in the last 15 years.

Findings

Past research shows that the landscape of gender inclusion in the context of succession has evolved, offering women more access to leadership positions in family firms. Perceptions of women as invisible in business or playing emotional roles in the family, shifted to leaders, managing family business. However, access to leadership positions is not equitable to all regions and women leaders still face significant challenges to achieve legitimacy and recognition inside and outside the organisation. Future research should contribute to the enhancement of gender inclusion in leadership of family firms. Action research and interventions in both family firms and business families are ways to achieve this.

Originality/value

This paper elaborates on new research avenues and provides practical insights into how to enhance gender inclusion in the context of succession at both business family and family firm’s realms.
Who feels taught to lead? Assessing collegiate leadership skill development
Authors: Johnson C. Douglas , Routon P. Wesley
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Using a panel of over 433,000 college students from over 600 institutions of higher education in the USA, we investigate students’ opinions of leadership skill development during their undergraduate tenure.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this analysis come from the Higher Education Research Institute, which runs the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) housed at the University of California, Los Angeles. Among others, the CIRP administers two surveys known as The Freshman Survey (TFS) and the College Senior Survey (CSS).

Findings

The present research supports the extant literature and conventional wisdom of academic and student affairs professionals with regards to engagement in leadership classes or training where students have an opportunity to increase their knowledge bases through course content, and when there are opportunities for them to apply leadership principles, the students are more likely to report an increase in leadership capacity upon completion of their collegiate degree.

Originality/value

If colleges and universities are serious about fulfilling their espoused visions, then it is essential that awareness of leadership courses and applied opportunities be heightened and made a strategic priority to ensure resources are allocated in appropriate places to support these key efforts. It also suggests greater collaboration between academic and student affairs, as well as other departments (e.g. athletics and centers), is needed, as well as prioritizing experiential learning.
Cross-cultural adaptation of educational design patterns at scale
Authors: Vallis Carmen Jane , Nguyen Huyen Thi , Norman Adrian
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Educational design patterns offer practical strategies that can be shared and adapted to address problems in teaching and learning. This article explores how educational design patterns for connected learning at scale at an Australian university may be adapted to a Vietnamese higher education context.

Design/methodology/approach

12 educational design patterns that address the challenges of active learning and large teaching team management are discussed. The authors then critically reflect on their cross-cultural adaptation for the higher education context, from an Australian to a Vietnamese university.

Findings

Transitioning from passive to active learning strategies and effectively leading large teaching teams present similar challenges across our contexts. Educational design patterns, when dynamically adapted, may assist educators to teach skills that are critical for work and the future. Higher education institutions globally could enhance their practices by incorporating international best practice approaches to educational design.

Practical implications

The Connected Learning at Scale (CLaS) educational design patterns explored in this article offer solution-oriented strategies that promote a more active learning experience. This paper identifies adaptations for educators, especially those in Vietnamese higher education that respect traditional structures, cultural nuances and resource limitations in implementation.

Originality/value

Whilst educational design patterns are well-researched in the Western contexts, few studies analyse design patterns in an Asian, and in particular the Vietnamese context. More research is needed in the cross-cultural adaptation of educational design patterns that joins practice and theory.
Perceived climate of Cha-xu and trust on knowledge sharing: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Xia Fangfang , Wang Changfeng , Sun Rui , Qi Mingyue
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to identify an antecedent that hinders knowledge sharing, namely, the perceived climate of Cha-xu. Based on the social exchange perspective, the authors propose a theoretical model that links the perceived climate of Cha-xu to employee knowledge sharing. This model focuses on the mediating role of two types of trust (vertical and horizontal trust) and the moderating role of task interdependence in influencing the mediation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 509 Chinese employees, this study carried out a survey on an online platform. This study developed a structural equation model and tested the moderated mediation hypothesis by using Mplus 8.0.

Findings

The results showed that two types of trust act as mediators in the relationship between the perceived climate of Cha-xu and knowledge-sharing processes. The mediating effect of horizontal trust is stronger. Most significantly, findings show that this mediated relationship is contingent on the level of task interdependence.

Originality/value

This paper provides evidence for distinguishing vertical trust and horizontal trust in the field of knowledge management. From a managerial perspective, this study identifies traditional cultural factors for hindering knowledge-sharing processes within Chinese organizations.
Shifts from an extensive to an intensive root nutrient‐acquisition mode with stand development of three Pinus species
Authors: Wang Guangru , Lin Guigang , Zhang Yansong , Zheng Linlin , Zeng De‐Hui , Lambers Hans
Published: February 2024

Plant roots employ diverse strategies to acquire soil nutrients, including direct nutrient uptake through absorptive fine roots and root hairs, scavenging nutrients by forming symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi, and mining nutrients by releasing root exudates. However, whether these three strategies are differently coordinated among phylogenetically closely related tree species and how this coordination shifts with stand development remains largely unclear.

To fill these knowledge gaps, we measured 13 root morphological, architectural, physiological and mycorrhizal traits tightly related to nutrient‐acquisition of three Pinus species (P. sylvestris var. mongolica, P. densiflora and P. tabuliformis) at young (20‐year‐old) and mature (50‐year‐old) stages planted in nutrient‐impoverished sandy soils, in Northeast China.

We found that young trees had thinner absorptive fine roots and a higher specific root length than mature trees across three Pinus species, indicating that roots become morphologically less efficient in ‘do it yourself’ scavenging nutrients during stand development. Moreover, young stands had greater root length density and root area index, and mature stands had faster root‐exudation rates, suggesting that young stands rely more on expanding soil volumes to scavenge nutrients and mature stands depend more on root exudation to ‘mine’ nutrients. The three Pinus species exhibited different nutrient‐acquisition strategies at the mature stage; P. densiflora had higher root length density and root area index, and the other two Pinus species had greater ectomycorrhizal colonization rates.

Synthesis. Our findings highlight that phylogenetically closely related tree species may exhibit different nutrient‐acquisition strategies and suggest a shift from an extensive nutrient‐acquisition mode depending more on absorptive fine roots to an intensive nutrient‐acquisition mode relying more on root exudation during stand development.
Caesarean delivery: Global perspective on unwanted effects
Authors: Lumbiganon Pisake , Tungtang Paradee , Jampathong Nampet
Published: February 2024

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on Al Khalaf et al., pp. 1054‐1061 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471‐0528.17760.
Synergic kinetic and physiological control to improve the efficiency of Komagataella phaffii recombinant protein production bioprocesses
Authors: Sales‐Vallverdú Albert , Gasset Arnau , Requena‐Moreno Guillermo , Valero Francisco , Montesinos‐Seguí José Luis , Garcia‐Ortega Xavier
Published: February 2024

The yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) is currently considered a versatile and highly efficient host for recombinant protein production (RPP). Interestingly, the regulated application of specific stress factors as part of bioprocess engineering strategies has proven potential for increasing the production of recombinant products. This study aims to evaluate the impact of controlled oxygen‐limiting conditions on the performance of K. phaffii bioprocesses for RPP in combination with the specific growth rate (μ) in fed‐batch cultivations. In this work, Candida rugosa lipase 1 (Crl1) production, regulated by the constitutive GAP promoter, growing at different nominal μ (0.030, 0.065, 0.100 and 0.120 h−1) under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions in carbon‐limiting fed‐batch cultures is analysed. Hypoxic fermentations were controlled at a target respiratory quotient (RQ) of 1.4, with excellent performance, using an innovative automated control based on the stirring rate as the manipulated variable developed during this study. The results conclude that oxygen limitation positively affects bioprocess efficiency under all growing conditions compared. The shift from respiratory to respiro‐fermentative metabolism increases bioprocess productivity by up to twofold for the specific growth rates evaluated. Moreover, the specific product generation rate (qp) increases linearly with μ, regardless of oxygen availability. Furthermore, this hypoxic boosting effect was also observed in the production of Candida antarctica lipase B (CalB) and pro‐Rhizopus oryzae lipase (proRol), thus proving the synergic effect of kinetic and physiological stress control. Finally, the Crl1 production scale‐up was conducted successfully, confirming the strategy's scalability and the robustness of the results obtained at the bench‐scale level.
Indigenous populations of the Pacific and American West
Authors: La Croix Sumner , Maxwell‐Stewart Hamish
Published: February 2024

This special issue of the Asia Pacific Economic History Review explores the impact of colonisation on Indigenous populations across the Pacific and American West from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century. Three of the contributing articles examine ways of modelling Indigeous populations at point of contact and the scale and pace of subsequent declines. A further two explore the problematics of counting violent deaths on the frontier and reconstructing the factors motivating settler aggression. The last article examines the impact of colonisation on sex ratios and the implications of this for marriage rates between and within different ethnicities.
The neurobiological mechanisms and therapeutic prospect of extracellular ATP in depression
Authors: Wang Kaixin , Huang Shiqian , Fu Daan , Yang Xinxin , Ma Lulin , Zhang Tianhao , Zhao Wenjing , Deng Daling , Ding Yuanyuan , Zhang Yanyan , Huang Li , Chen Xiangdong
Published: February 2024

Background

Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder with high long‐term morbidities, recurrences, and mortalities. Despite extensive research efforts spanning decades, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of depression remain largely unknown. What's more, about one third of patients do not have effective anti‐depressant therapies, so there is an urgent need to uncover more mechanisms to guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) plays an important role in maintaining ion gradients essential for neuronal activities, as well as in the transport and release of neurotransmitters. Additionally, ATP could also participate in signaling pathways following the activation of postsynaptic receptors. By searching the website PubMed for articles about “ATP and depression” especially focusing on the role of extracellular ATP (eATP) in depression in the last 5 years, we found that numerous studies have implied that the insufficient ATP release from astrocytes could lead to depression and exogenous supply of eATP or endogenously stimulating the release of ATP from astrocytes could alleviate depression, highlighting the potential therapeutic role of eATP in alleviating depression.

Aim

Currently, there are few reviews discussing the relationship between eATP and depression. Therefore, the aim of our review is to conclude the role of eATP in depression, especially focusing on the evidence and mechanisms of eATP in alleviating depression.

Conclusion

We will provide insights into the prospects of leveraging eATP as a novel avenue for the treatment of depression.
Cognitive domains affected post‐COVID‐19; a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Fanshawe Jack B. , Sargent Brendan F. , Badenoch James B. , Saini Aman , Watson Cameron J. , Pokrovskaya Aleksandra , Aniwattanapong Daruj , Conti Isabella , Nye Charles , Burchill Ella , Hussain Zain U. , Said Khanafi , Kuhoga Elinda , Tharmaratnam Kukatharmini , Pendered Sophie , Mbwele Bernard , Taquet Maxime , Wood Greta K. , Rogers Jonathan P. , Hampshire Adam , Carson Alan , David Anthony S. , Michael Benedict D. , Nicholson Timothy R. , Paddick Stella‐Maria , Leek Charles E.
Published: February 2024

Background and purpose

This review aims to characterize the pattern of post‐COVID‐19 cognitive impairment, allowing better prediction of impact on daily function to inform clinical management and rehabilitation.

Methods

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of neurocognitive sequelae following COVID‐19 was conducted, following PRISMA‐S guidelines. Studies were included if they reported domain‐specific cognitive assessment in patients with COVID‐19 at >4 weeks post‐infection. Studies were deemed high‐quality if they had >40 participants, utilized healthy controls, had low attrition rates and mitigated for confounders.

Results

Five of the seven primary Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐5) cognitive domains were assessed by enough high‐quality studies to facilitate meta‐analysis. Medium effect sizes indicating impairment in patients post‐COVID‐19 versus controls were seen across executive function (standardised mean difference (SMD) −0.45), learning and memory (SMD −0.55), complex attention (SMD −0.54) and language (SMD −0.54), with perceptual motor function appearing to be impacted to a greater degree (SMD −0.70). A narrative synthesis of the 56 low‐quality studies also suggested no obvious pattern of impairment.

Conclusions

This review found moderate impairments across multiple domains of cognition in patients post‐COVID‐19, with no specific pattern. The reported literature was significantly heterogeneous, with a wide variety of cognitive tasks, small sample sizes and disparate initial disease severities limiting interpretability. The finding of consistent impairment across a range of cognitive tasks suggests broad, as opposed to domain‐specific, brain dysfunction. Future studies should utilize a harmonized test battery to facilitate inter‐study comparisons, whilst also accounting for the interactions between COVID‐19, neurological sequelae and mental health, the interplay between which might explain cognitive impairment.
Prevalence and clinical profiles of anti‐myelin‐associated glycoprotein neuropathy in Japan: A nationwide survey study of 133 patients
Authors: Aotsuka Yuya , Misawa Sonoko , Suichi Tomoki , Shibuya Kazumoto , Nakamura Keigo , Kano Hiroki , Otani Ryo , Morooka Marie , Ogushi Moeko , Nagashima Kengo , Sato Yasunori , Kuriyama Nagato , Kuwabara Satoshi
Published: February 2024

Background and purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti‐myelin‐associated glycoprotein (MAG) neuropathy and the current status of such patients in Japan.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide survey in 2021 using established epidemiological methods. Questionnaires were sent to all neurology and pediatric neurology departments throughout Japan to identify patients with anti‐MAG neuropathy. An initial questionnaire was used to determine the number of patients, with a second one used to collect detailed clinical information.

Results

The estimated number of patients with anti‐MAG neuropathy was 353, with a prevalence of 0.28 per 100,000 and an incidence of 0.05 per 100,000. The detailed clinical profiles of 133 patients were available. The median (range) age of onset was 67 (30–87) years, with a prominent peak in the age range 66–70 years, and the male‐to‐female ratio was 3.6. Most patients had distal sensory‐predominant polyneuropathy, and neuropathic pain (50%), or sensory ataxia (42%), while 18% had Waldenström's macroglobulinemia or multiple myeloma. Intravenous immunoglobulin was the most frequently used treatment (65%), but the response rate was <50%, whereas rituximab was given in 32% of patients, and 64% of these showed improvement. At the last visit, 27% of patients could not walk independently.

Conclusions

This study on anti‐MAG neuropathy provides updated insights into the epidemiology of this disease, clinical profiles, and treatment approaches in Japan. Rituximab therapy, used for only one‐third of the patients, demonstrated efficacy. During the final visit, a quarter of the patients were unable to walk independently. Further studies are warranted to determine the optimal management of this rare and intractable disorder.
Intraluminal administration of a carboxymethyl‐starch powder for bladder haemorrhage treatment in two adult horses
Authors: Memoli Giulia , Fontana Lucia , Basano Ilaria , Pallante Marcello , Bertuglia Andrea , Bullone Michela
Published: February 2024

Internal bleeding and mucosal bleeding in hollow organs are uncommon conditions in equine medicine and endoscopy. Most of the time, they respond to treatment of the underlying primary condition. However, there are cases in which a rapid and effective control of blood loss is required and the animal is not suited for surgery or general anaesthesia. We report two cases referred to our Veterinary Teaching Hospital with signs of urinary disease and bladder haemorrhage identified by cystoscopy which were successfully managed with topical application of a haemostatic carboxymethyl‐starch powder. The product was applied directly on the bleeding mucosa after bladder emptying either under endoscopic guidance or blindly, through a urinary catheter. The application of the haemostatic powder appears to be easy to perform, safe and helpful in controlling mucosal bleeding in hollow organs in a short time, with no adverse reactions noticed. This approach should be considered in cases where mucosal bleeding can be identified by endoscopy and a prompt control of blood loss is required, also in the field.
Climate regulation processes are linked to the functional composition of plant communities in European forests, shrublands, and grasslands
Authors: Kambach Stephan , Attorre Fabio , Axmanová Irena , Bergamini Ariel , Biurrun Idoia , Bonari Gianmaria , Carranza Maria Laura , Chiarucci Alessandro , Chytrý Milan , Dengler Jürgen , Garbolino Emmanuel , Golub Valentin , Hickler Thomas , Jandt Ute , Jansen Jan , Jiménez‐Alfaro Borja , Karger Dirk Nikolaus , Lososová Zdeňka , Rašomavičius Valerijus , Rūsiņa Solvita , Sieber Petra , Stanisci Angela , Thuiller Wilfried , Welk Erik , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Bruelheide Helge
Published: February 2024

Terrestrial ecosystems affect climate by reflecting solar irradiation, evaporative cooling, and carbon sequestration. Yet very little is known about how plant traits affect climate regulation processes (CRPs) in different habitat types. Here, we used linear and random forest models to relate the community‐weighted mean and variance values of 19 plant traits (summarized into eight trait axes) to the climate‐adjusted proportion of reflected solar irradiation, evapotranspiration, and net primary productivity across 36,630 grid cells at the European extent, classified into 10 types of forest, shrubland, and grassland habitats. We found that these trait axes were more tightly linked to log evapotranspiration (with an average of 6.2% explained variation) and the proportion of reflected solar irradiation (6.1%) than to net primary productivity (4.9%). The highest variation in CRPs was explained in forest and temperate shrubland habitats. Yet, the strength and direction of these relationships were strongly habitat‐dependent. We conclude that any spatial upscaling of the effects of plant communities on CRPs must consider the relative contribution of different habitat types.
Calcium hydroxide‐loaded nanoparticles dispersed in thermosensitive gel as a novel intracanal medicament
Authors: Roig Xavier , Halbaut Lyda , Elmsmari Firas , Pareja Rubén , Arrien Aizea , Duran‐Sindreu Fernando , Delgado Luis María , Espina Marta , García María Luisa , Sánchez José Antonio González , Sánchez‐López Elena
Published: February 2024

Aim

Design, produce and assess the viability of a novel nanotechnological antibacterial thermo‐sensible intracanal medicament This involves encapsulating calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) within polylactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) and dispersing them in a thermosensitive gel (Ca(OH)2‐NPs‐gel). In addition, perform in vitro and ex vivo assessments to evaluate tissue irritation and penetration capacity into dentinal tubules in comparison to free Ca(OH)2.

Methodology

Reproducibility of Ca(OH)₂‐NPs was confirmed by obtaining the average size of the NPs, their polydispersity index, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency. Moreover, rheological studies of Ca(OH)2‐NPs‐gel were carried out with a rheometer, studying the oscillatory stress sweep, the mean viscosity value, frequency and temperature sweeps. Tolerance was assessed using the membrane of an embryonated chicken egg. In vitro Ca(OH)2 release was studied by direct dialysis in an aqueous media monitoring the amount of Ca(OH)2 released. Six extracted human teeth were used to study the depth of penetration of fluorescently labelled Ca(OH)2‐NPs‐gel into the dentinal tubules and significant differences against free Ca(OH)2 were calculated using one‐way anova.

Results

Ca(OH)2‐NPs‐gel demonstrated to be highly reproducible with an average size below 200 nm, a homogeneous NPs population, negative surface charge and high entrapment efficiency. The analysis of the thermosensitive gel allowed us to determine its rheological characteristics, showing that at 10°C gels owned a fluid‐like behaviour meanwhile at 37°C they owned an elastic‐like behaviour. Ca(OH)2‐NPs‐gel showed a prolonged drug release and the depth of penetration inside the dentinal tubules increased in the most apical areas. In addition, it was found that this drug did not produce irritation when applied to tissues such as eggs' chorialantoidonic membrane.

Conclusion

Calcium hydroxide‐loaded PLGA NPs dispersed in a thermosensitive gel may constitute a suitable alternative as an intracanal antibacterial medicament.
A quasi‐31‐vibrator method for the characterization of piezoelectric full matrix parameters using a single sample
Authors: Huo Da , Wang Biao , Sun Changqing , Zhang Rui , Qi Xudong
Published: February 2024

The full matrix parameters of a piezoelectric material are crucial for designing and evaluating piezoelectric devices. However, due to their inverse problematic nature, commonly used single‐sample characterization methods heavily depend on the accuracy of initial values and mode matching. In this paper, we propose a quasi‐31‐vibrator method to directly evaluate these parameters by designing the sample geometry and establishing the relationship equation between the parameters. This approach completely bypasses the need for characteristic spectrum simulation and mode identification processes. Subsequently, we tested the full matrix parameters of PZT‐5H ceramics and compared the simulated impedance spectra with the measured ones. The presence of well‐fitting spectra validates the feasibility of the method. This method will contribute to characterize the parameters of new piezoelectric materials and advance the intelligent implementation of measuring full matrix parameters.