bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A naturalistic study of the efficacy and acceptability of rTMS in treating major depressive disorder in Australian youth
Authors: Miljevic Aleksandra , Hoath Kyle , Leggett Kerry S. , Hennessy Lauren A. , Boax Caitlan A. , Hryniewicki Jaroslaw , Rodger Jennifer
Published: July 2024

Objective

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective, evidence-based treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) and is publicly funded in Australia. However, there is no published data to date concerning its use in private TMS service provider clinics in Australia. There is further limited data as to its efficacy and safety in treating MDD in youth populations.

Methods

This retrospective study examined routinely collected data of 46 outpatients aged 17 to 25 years old, who received rTMS treatment for MDD in a private TMS clinic. Primary outcomes measures were the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the depression subscale of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Secondary measures included the anxiety and stress sub-scales of the DASS-21, a measure of Quality of Life (QoL) Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ).

Results

A 4–7-week course of rTMS significantly reduce symptoms of self-reported depression (42.5% response) and clinician-assessed depression (40.7% response). Both anxiety and stress significantly reduced across the course of rTMS treatment and significant improvements to QoL and self-reported cognition were observed. Reported side effects following rTMS in youth included a mild headache and fatigue.

Conclusions

The findings of this naturalistic study suggest that an acute course of rTMS provided in private clinical settings is safe and effective – resulting in similar response rates in youth patients as reported in adult patients. In real world practice, rTMS proves to be a well-tolerated and highly effective intervention for MDD in youth, across diverse clinical settings.

Implications and Contribution

The findings of this naturalistic study suggest that in real world practice, rTMS proves to be a well-tolerated and highly effective intervention for treating depression and anxiety in youth (17–25-year-olds), with additional benefits to cognitive symptoms of depression and overall well-being.
CryoViT: Efficient Segmentation of Cryogenic Electron Tomograms with Vision Foundation Models
Authors: Gupte Sanket R. , Hou Cathy , Wu Gong-Her , Galaz-Montoya Jesús G. , Chiu Wah , Yeung-Levy Serena
Published: July 2024

Cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET) directly visualizes subcellular structures in 3D at the nanometer scale. Quantitative analyses of cryoET data can reveal structural biomarkers of diseases, provide novel mechanistic insights, and inform the effects of treatments on phenotype. However, existing automated annotation approaches primarily focus on localizing molecular features with few methods accurately quantifying complex structures such as organelles. We address this challenge with CryoViT, a paradigm shift from traditional convolutional neural networks that leverages vision transformers to enhance the segmentation of large pleomorphic structures that can occupy almost the entire field of view in high-magnification images, such as mitochondria. CryoViT is powered by a large-scale vision foundation model and overcomes limitations of popular U-Net based methods, particularly when training data are scarce. We demonstrate the efficacy of CryoViT on a large cryoET dataset of neurons differentiated from iPSCs derived from Huntington disease (HD) patients and cultured HD mouse model neurons.
MuCST: restoring and integrating heterogeneous morphology images and spatial transcriptomics data with contrastive learning
Authors: Wang Yu , Ma Xiaoke
Published: July 2024

Spatially resolved transcriptomics simultaneously measure the spatial location, histology images, and transcriptional profiles of the same cells or regions in undissociated tissues. Integrative analysis of multi-modal spatially resolved data holds immense potential for understanding the mechanisms of biology. Here we present a flexible multi-modal contrastive learning for the integration of spatially resolved transcriptomics (MuCST), which jointly perform denoising, elimination of heterogeneity, and compatible feature learning. We demonstrate that MuCST robustly and accurately identifies tissue subpopulations from simulated data with various types of perturbations. In cancer-related tissues, MuCST precisely identifies tumor-associated domains, reveals gene biomarkers for tumor regions, and exposes intra-tumoral heterogeneity. We also validate that MuCST is applicable to diverse datasets generated from various platforms, such as STARmap, Visium, and omsFISH for spatial transcriptomics, and hematoxylin and eosin or fluorescence microscopy for images. Overall, MuCST not only facilitates the integration of multi-modal spatially resolved data, but also serves as pre-processing for data restoration (Python software is available athttps://github.com/xkmaxidian/MuCST).
A level adjusted cochlear frequency-to-place map for estimating tonotopic frequency mismatch with a cochlear implant
Authors: Sagi Elad , Svirsky Mario A.
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To provide a level-adjusted correction to the current standard relating anatomical cochlear place to characteristic frequency in humans, and to re-evaluate anatomical frequency mismatch in cochlear implant (CI) recipients considering this correction. It is hypothesized that a level-adjusted place-frequency function may represent a more accurate tonotopic benchmark for CIs in comparison to the current standard.

Design

The present analytical study compiled data from fifteen previous animal studies that reported iso-intensity responses from cochlear structures at different stimulation levels. Extracted outcome measures were characteristic frequencies and centroid-based best frequencies at 70 dB SPL input from 47 specimens spanning a broad range of cochlear locations. A simple relationship was used to transform these measures to human estimates of characteristic and best frequencies, and non-linear regression was applied to these estimates to determine how the standard human place-frequency function should be adjusted to reflect best frequency rather than characteristic frequency. The proposed level-adjusted correction was then compared to average place-frequency positions of commonly used CI devices when programmed with clinical settings.

Results

The present study showed that the best frequency at 70 dB SPL (BF70) tends to shift away from characteristic frequency (CF). The amount of shift was statistically significant (signed-rank test z = 5.143, p < 0.001), but the amount and direction of shift depended on cochlear location. At cochlear locations up to 600° from the base, BF70 shifted downwards in frequency relative to CF by about 4 semitones on average. Beyond 600° from the base, BF70 shifted upwards in frequency relative to CF by about 6 semitones on average. In terms of spread (90% prediction interval), the amount of shift between CF and BF70 varied from relatively no shift to nearly an octave of shift. With the new level-adjusted frequency-place function, the amount of anatomical frequency mismatch for devices programmed with standard of care settings is less extreme than originally thought, and may be nonexistent for all but the most apical electrodes.

Conclusions

The present study validates the current standard for relating cochlear place to characteristic frequency, and introduces a level-adjusted correction for how best frequency shifts away from characteristic frequency at moderately loud stimulation levels. This correction may represent a more accurate tonotopic reference for CIs. To the extent that it does, its implementation may potentially enhance perceptual accommodation and speech understanding in CI users, thereby improving CI outcomes and contributing to advancements in the programming and clinical management of CIs.
Optimal targeted therapy for multiple cancers based on contrastive Notch signaling networks
Authors: Wakamoto Tamaki , Seirin-Lee Sungrim
Published: July 2024

Over decades, cancer understanding has advanced significantly at molecular and cellular levels, leading to various therapies based on intra-/inter-cellular networks. Despite this, cancer still remains a leading cause of death globally. The primary driver of cancer mortality is metastasis, responsible for about 90% of cancer deaths, due to unclear pathophysiological mechanisms that complicate treatment development. The Notch signaling pathway, a crucial intercellular network in many cancers, has been extensively studied and therapies targeting the Notch pathway also have been well-studied based on inhibiting various stages of Notch activation. On the other hand, Notch signaling’s role varies between cancers; for instance, in non-small cell lung cancer, Notch1 and Notch2 have opposing effects compared to their roles in embryonal brain tumors. In this study, we assumed a scenario of multiple cancers with contrasting Notch signaling pathways and explored optimal targeted therapies for reducing cancer cells by developing two mathematical models with contrasting Notch signaling pathways. The proposed therapies were compared with existing ones, and strategies were investigated to reduce cancer cell numbers for different stage of cancer. We found that that multiple cancers with contrasting Notch networks can be controlled by a common targeted signal network. Combination therapy enhancing Notch production may be most effective in early-stage cancer, while cleavage therapies may be more effective in late-stage cancer. Our study also suggests that optimal treatment should consider the cancer stage, with careful selection and ordering of medication therapies.
PathoGFAIR: a collection of FAIR and adaptable (meta)genomics workflows for (foodborne) pathogens detection and tracking
Authors: Nasr Engy , Henger Anna , Grüning Björn , Zierep Paul , Batut Bérénice
Published: July 2024

Background

Food contamination by pathogens poses a global health threat, affecting an estimated 600 million people annually. During a foodborne outbreak investigation, microbiological analysis of food vehicles detects responsible pathogens and traces contamination sources. Metagenomic approaches offer a comprehensive view of the genomic composition of microbial communities, facilitating the detection of potential pathogens in samples. Combined with sequencing techniques like Oxford Nanopore sequencing, such metagenomic approaches become faster and easier to apply. A key limitation of these approaches is the lack of accessible, easy-to-use, and openly available pipelines for pathogen identification and tracking from (meta)genomic data.

Findings

PathoGFAIR is a collection of Galaxy-based FAIR workflows employing state-of-the-art tools to detect and track pathogens from metagenomic Nanopore sequencing. Although initially developed to detect pathogens in food datasets, the workflows can be applied to other metagenomic Nanopore pathogenic data. PathoGFAIR incorporates visualisations and reports for comprehensive results. We tested PathoGFAIR on 130 samples containing different pathogens from multiple hosts under various experimental conditions. For all but one sample, workflows have successfully detected expected pathogens at least at the species rank. Further taxonomic ranks are detected for samples with sufficiently high Colony-forming unit (CFU) and low Cycle Threshold (Ct) values.

Conclusions

PathoGFAIR detects the pathogens at species and subspecies taxonomic ranks in all but one tested sample, regardless of whether the pathogen is isolated or the sample is incubated before sequencing. Importantly, PathoGFAIR is easy to use and can be straightforwardly adapted and extended for other types of analysis and sequencing techniques, making it usable in various pathogen detection scenarios. PathoGFAIR homepage:https://usegalaxy-eu.github.io/PathoGFAIR/
Comprehensive characterization of mitochondrial bioenergetics at different larval stages reveals novel insights about the developmental metabolism ofCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Mello Danielle F. , Perez Luiza , Bergemann Christina M. , Morton Katherine S. , Ryde Ian T. , Meyer Joel N.
Published: July 2024

Mitochondrial bioenergetic processes are fundamental to development, stress responses, and health.Caenorhabditis elegansis widely used to study developmental biology, mitochondrial disease, and mitochondrial toxicity. Oxidative phosphorylation generally increases during development in many species, and genetic and environmental factors may alter this normal trajectory. Altered mitochondrial function during development can lead to both drastic, short-term responses including arrested development and death, and subtle consequences that may persist throughout life and into subsequent generations. Understanding normal and altered developmental mitochondrial biology inC. elegansis currently constrained by incomplete and conflicting reports on how mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters change during development in this species. We used a Seahorse XFe24 Extracellular Flux (XF) Analyzer to carry out a comprehensive analysis of mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates (OCR) throughout larval development inC. elegans. We optimized and describe conditions for analysis of basal OCR, basal mitochondrial OCR, ATP-linked OCR, spare and maximal respiratory capacity, proton leak, and non-mitochondrial OCR. A key consideration is normalization, and we present and discuss results as normalized per individual worm, protein content, worm volume, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) count, nuclear DNA (ncDNA) count, and mtDNA:ncDNA ratio. Which normalization process is best depends on the question being asked, and differences in normalization explain some of the discrepancies in previously reported developmental changes in OCR inC. elegans. Broadly, when normalized to worm number, our results agree with previous reports in showing dramatic increases in OCR throughout development. However, when normalized to total protein, worm volume, or ncDNA or mtDNA count, after a significant 2-3-fold increase from L1 to L2 stages, we found small or no changes in most OCR parameters from the L2 to the L4 stage, other than a marginal increase at L3 in spare and maximal respiratory capacity. Overall, our results indicate an earlier cellular shift to oxidative metabolism than suggested in most previous literature.
Polyphyletic domestication and inter-lineage hybridization magnified genetic diversity of cultivated melon,Cucumis meloL
Authors: Tanaka Katsunori , Shigita Gentaro , Dung Tran Phuong , Nhi Phan Thi Phuong , Takahashi Mami , Monden Yuki , Nishida Hidetaka , Ishikawa Ryuji , Kato Kenji
Published: July 2024

A total of 212 melon accessions with diverse geographical origins were classified into large and small seed-types by length of seed at the boundary of 9 mm, and into five populations based on polymorphisms in the nuclear genome. They were further divided into three maternal lineages, Ia, Ib, and Ic, by polymorphisms in the chloroplast genome. By combining these three classifications, the Europe/US subsp.meloand the East Asian subsp.agrestiswere characterized as [large seed, Ib, PopA1 or A2] and [small seed, Ia, PopB1 or B2], respectively, indicating nearly perfect divergence in both nuclear and cytoplasm genomes. In contrast, in South and Southeast Asia, in addition to the Europe/US and East Asian types, recombinant types were also frequently found, indicating unclear genetic differentiation in South and Southeast Asia. Such an intermixed structure of genetic variation supported the Indian origin of Ia and Ib types of melon. Seed length was intermediate, between the large and small seed-types, and chloroplast type was a mixture of Ia and Ib in Momordica, suggesting its origin from the recombinant type. In Africa, three lineages of melon were distributed allopatrically and showed distinct divergence. Subsp.agrestisof the Ic type proved to be endemic to Africa, indicating its African origin.
Matching Patients to Clinical Trials using LLaMA 2 Embeddings and Siamese Neural Network
Authors: Chowdhury Shaika , Rajaganapathy Sivaraman , Yu Yue , Tao Cui , Vassilaki Maria , Zong Nansu
Published: July 2024

Patient recruitment is a key desideratum for the success of a clinical trial that entails identifying eligible patients that match the selection criteria for the trial. However, the complexity of criteria information and heterogeneity of patient data render manual analysis a burdensome and time-consuming task. In an attempt to automate patient recruitment, this work proposes a Siamese Neural Network-based model, namely Siamese-PTM. Siamese-PTM employs the pretrained LLaMA 2 model to derive contextual representations of the EHR and criteria inputs and jointly encodes them using two weight-sharing identical subnetworks. We evaluate Siamese-PTM on structured and unstructured EHR to analyze their predictive informativeness as standalone and collective feature sets. We explore a variety of deep models for Siamese-PTM's encoders and compare their performance against the Single-encoder counterparts. We develop a baseline rule-based classifier, compared to which Siamese-PTM improved performance by 40%. Furthermore, visualization of Siamese-PTM's learned embedding space reinforces its predictive robustness.
Evaluating the Performance of Artificial Intelligence in Generating Differential Diagnoses for Infectious Diseases Cases: A Comparative Study of Large Language Models
Authors: Mondal Agnibho , Karad Rucha , Bhattacharjee Boudhayan , Saha Bibhuti
Published: July 2024

Background

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has potential to transform healthcare including the field of infectious diseases diagnostics. This study assesses the capability of three large language models (LLMs), GPT 4, Llama 3, and Gemini 1.5 to generate differential diagnoses, comparing their outputs against those of medical experts to evaluate AI’s potential in augmenting clinical decision-making.

Methods

This study evaluates the differential diagnosis capabilities of three LLMs, GPT 4, Llama 3, and Gemini 1.5, using 50 simulated infectious disease cases. The cases were diverse, complex, and reflective of common clinical scenarios, including detailed histories, symptoms, lab results, and imaging findings. Each model received standardized case information and produced differential diagnoses, which were then compared to reference differential diagnosis lists created by medical experts. The analysis utilized the Jaccard index and Kendall’s Tau to assess similarity and order accuracy, summarizing findings with mean, standard deviation, and combined p-values.

Results

The mean numbers of differential diagnoses generated by GPT 4, Llama 3, and Gemini 1.5 were 6.22, 5.06, and 10.02 respectively which was significantly different (p<0.001) from the medical experts. The mean Jac-card index of GPT 4, Llama 3, and Gemini 1.5 were 0.3, 0.21, and 0.24 while the mean Kendall’s Tau were 0.4, 0.7, and 0.33 respectively. The combined p-value of GPT 4, Llama 3, and Gemini 1.5 were 1, 1, 0.979 respectively indicating no significant association between the differential diagnosis generated by the LLMs and the medical experts.

Conclusion

Although LLMs like GPT 4, Llama 3, and Gemini 1.5 exhibit varying effectiveness, none align significantly with expert-level diagnostic accuracy, emphasizing the need for further development and refinement. The findings highlight the importance of rigorous validation, ethical considerations, and seamless integration into clinical workflows to ensure AI tools enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes effectively.
Long-term effects of ocean acidification and its interaction with warming on calcifying organisms and their associated microbiome: bryozoans as emerging sentinels of global change?
Authors: Figuerola Blanca , Capdevila Pol , Cerda-Domenech Marc , Garrabou Joaquim , Mirasole Alice , Bassols Pol , del Campo Javier , Teixido Nuria
Published: July 2024

Global ocean warming and acidification are two of the major threats to many marine calcifying habitat-forming species, potentially affecting entire ecosystems. Consequently, the need for a better understanding and predicting the response of marine calcifiers has never been more pressing. Paradoxically, the individual and combined long-term effects of these stressors on bryozoans have remained largely unexplored, despite their great abundance and diversity globally. Here, we first evaluate the changes in skeletal structure and mineralogy, and the associated microbiome composition on the populations ofPentapora ottomuelleriana(encrusting) andMyriapora truncata(erect) bryozoan species living inside and outside a volcanic CO2 vent in Ischia Island. We then examine the effects of a long-term exposure to elevated pCO2 and its combined effects of ocean warming on the proportion of cover of populations of the encrusting species through time after summer. Both bryozoan species show indicators of acclimatization by adjusting skeletal properties and having stable microbial communities under acidification conditions. However, we document novel patterns about microbiome shifts in response to future ocean acidification in bryozoans for the first time. Microbial genera known to have essential functions to the host such as biosynthesis of defense compounds or thermal protection were depleted at the acidified site, which suggest early warnings of potential deterioration of bryozoan health under near future ocean conditions. The proportion of cover of the encrusting species also decreased from 2016 to 2020 in both studied sites, with faster declines at the acidified ones. Our model suggests that the increasing seawater temperature drove a decline in the bryozoan cover although the combined effects with acidification accelerated its mortality rates in the CO2 vent. More multidisciplinary research combining both environmental stressors on a wider range of calcifying species is needed to better understand the adaptive capacity of the holobiont to a changing environment.
Coherence-Sense experiencing of Ukrainian Forced Migrants in The Conditions of a Full-Scale Russian Military Invasion: Behavioral Patterns, Mental Health, Believes and Everyday Challenges
Authors: Lunov Vitalii
Published: July 2024

Considering the Russia-Ukraine war and its profound impact on displaced populations, this study investigates the psychological, behavioral, and cultural characteristics of Ukrainian forced migrants, emphasizing gender-based differences. Using a diverse set of assessment tools, the research explores how male and female migrants cope with the complex challenges of displacement, focusing on their sense of coherence, mental health, physical well-being, learning behaviors, work attitudes, self-organization, cultural values, and religiosity.Materials and Methods. The study sampled 742 Ukrainian migrants, including 253 males and 489 females, from various European countries. Assessments included the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), Screening-Questionnaire of Negative and Positive Symptoms, Health Functionality Questionnaire, Learning Behavior Survey, Work Attitude Test, Self- Organization Questionnaire, Cultural Value Differential, and Religiosity Structure Test. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-28, incorporating factor analysis to identify key trends and differences.Results.Key findings reveal higher SOC scores among male migrants, indicating better life manageability and meaningfulness. Female migrants report higher levels of anxiety, depressive states, and health issues, reflecting greater emotional and physical burdens. Differences in learning behaviors show females face more organizational challenges but exhibit higher learning motivation. Male migrants demonstrate greater work engagement and regularity in self- organization, while females emphasize respect for authority and traditional values. Religiosity patterns indicate females derive emotional support from faith, whereas males use religiosity for identity and community bonding.Conclusions.The study underscores the necessity for gender-sensitive interventions to support Ukrainian forced migrants. Tailored approaches addressing the distinct psychological, behavioral, and cultural needs of male and female migrants are crucial for enhancing their well-being and integration into new communities during times of crisis.
Co-occurrence of VIM-positive non-aeruginosa Pseudomonasspp. andPseudomonas aeruginosain the hospital: A detailed molecular comparison ofblaVIM-2-containing plasmids from environmental and clinical isolates
Authors: Pirzadian Jannette , Zandijk Willemien H. A. , Heikema Astrid P. , Koene Heidy H. H. T. , Goessens Wil H. F. , Vos Margreet C. , Klaassen Corné H. W. , Severin Juliëtte A.
Published: July 2024

Background

Pseudomonas aeruginosais a bacterial pathogen responsible for severe hospital-acquired infections, and is capable of forming persistent reservoirs in hospital sink drains, creating a transmission risk. In our hospital, we have cultured not only carbapenemase-producing, Verona Integron-encoded Metallo-beta-lactamase (VIM)-positiveP. aeruginosa, but also VIM-positive non-aeruginosa Pseudomonasspp., from sink drains. Previously, ablaVIM-2-containing, conjugative plasmid conferring carbapenem resistance was found in a clinicalP. aeruginosaisolate in our hospital.

Objective

To investigate if otherPseudomonasspp. from our hospital also carried ablaVIM-2-containing plasmid, genetically characterize these plasmids, and compare these plasmids to publicly-available plasmid sequences to identify their source.

Methods

Whole-genome sequencing was used to sequence chromosomes and possible plasmids from VIM-positive non-aeruginosa Pseudomonasspp. and VIM-positiveP. aeruginosastrains. Hybrid assemblies were generated to reconstruct plasmid sequences. All isolates were obtained from environmental sampling or clinical cultures during a prolonged VIM-positiveP. aeruginosaoutbreak in our hospital.

Results

An identicalblaVIM-2-containing plasmid was found in six non-aeruginosa Pseudomonas(P. carnis,P. oleovorans, and a novel species) and in threeP. aeruginosaisolates. The previously-reportedblaVIM-2-containing plasmid was found in three additionalP. aeruginosaisolates. AllP. aeruginosabelonged to high-risk clones ST111 or ST446. The two plasmids were derived from both clinical isolates and isolates from sink cultures, and were unique to our hospital when compared to other publicly-available plasmid sequences.

Conclusions

During a VIM-positiveP. aeruginosaoutbreak in our hospital, two closely-related,blaVIM-2-containing plasmids co-occurred in multiple non-aeruginosa Pseudomonasspp. and in high-riskP. aeruginosaclones ST111 and ST446. Non-aeruginosa Pseudomonasspp. cultured from either patient or sink samples may be important sources of carbapenem resistance genes, and should not be overlooked during outbreak investigations. Moreover, plasmid analysis is essential to fully understand transmission routes in hospitals.
Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in Ni/Cu(001)
Authors: Allenspach R. , Bischof A. , Boehm B. , Drechsler U. , Reich O. , Sousa M. , Tacchi S. , Carlotti G.
Published: July 2024

Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) is found in the epitaxial Ni/Cu(001) system by imaging magnetic domain wall profiles with high resolution and by Brillouin light scattering. The domain walls have right-handed chirality and deviate from both the Néel and Bloch configurations for Ni thicknesses up to 9 nm. From a detailed structural analysis it is found that strain in the Ni film is inhomogeneous with film thickness. We suggest that this strain field is responsible for the symmetry breaking that is required for a sizable DMI to appear, even in absence of a heavy metal.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Unscrambling of single-particle wave functions in systems localized through disorder and monitoring
Authors: Szyniszewski Marcin
Published: July 2024

In systems undergoing localization-delocalization quantum phase transitions due to disorder or monitoring, there is a crucial need for robust methods capable of distinguishing phases and uncovering their intrinsic properties. In this paper, we develop a process of finding a Slater determinant representation of free-fermion wave functions that accurately characterizes localized particles, a procedure we dub “unscrambling.” The central idea is to minimize the overlap between envelopes of single-particle wave functions or, equivalently, to maximize the inverse participation ratio of each orbital. This numerically efficient methodology can differentiate between distinct types of wave functions: exponentially localized, power-law localized, and conformal critical, also revealing the underlying physics of these states. The method is readily extendable to systems in higher dimensions. Furthermore, we apply this approach to a more challenging problem involving disordered monitored free fermions in one dimension, where the unscrambling process unveils the presence of a conformal critical phase and a localized area-law quantum Zeno phase. Importantly, our method can also be extended to free fermion systems without particle number conservation, which we demonstrate by estimating the phase diagram of Z2-symmetric disordered monitored free fermions. Our results unlock the potential of utilizing single-particle wave functions to gain valuable insights into the localization transition properties in systems such as monitored free fermions and disordered models.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Ising fracton spin liquid on the honeycomb lattice
Authors: Placke Benedikt , Benton Owen , Moessner Roderich
Published: July 2024

We study a classical Ising model on the honeycomb lattice with local two-body interactions and present strong evidence that at low temperature it realizes a higher-rank Coulomb liquid with fracton excitations. We show that the excitations are (type-I) fractons, appearing at the corners of membranes of spin flips. Because of the threefold rotational symmetry of the honeycomb lattice, these membranes can be locally combined such that no excitations are created, giving rise to a set of ground states described as a liquid of membranes. We devise a cluster Monte Carlo algorithm purposefully designed for this problem that moves pairs of defects, and use it to study the finite-temperature behavior of the model. We show evidence for a first order transition from a high-temperature paramagnet to a low-temperature phase whose correlations precisely match those predicted for a higher-rank Coulomb phase.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Estimation of electric field in intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions
Authors: Taya Hidetoshi , Nishimura Toru , Ohnishi Akira
Published: July 2024

We estimate the spacetime profile of the electric field in head-on heavy-ion collisions at intermediate collision energies sNN=O(3–10GeV). Using a hadronic cascade model (JAM; Jet AA Microscopic transport model), we numerically demonstrate that the produced field has strength eE=O((30–60MeV)2), which is supercritical to the Schwinger limit of QED and is non-negligibly large compared even to the hadron/QCD scale, and survives for a long time τ=O(10fm/c) due to the baryon stopping. We show that the produced field is nonperturbatively strong in the sense that the nonperturbativity parameters (e.g., the Keldysh parameter) are sufficiently large. This is in contrast to high-energy collisions sNN≳100GeV, where the field is extremely short-lived and hence is perturbative. Our results imply that the electromagnetic field may have phenomenological impacts on hadronic/QCD processes in intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions and that heavy-ion collisions can be used as a new tool to explore strong-field physics in the nonperturbative regime.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Effects of mechanical stress, chemical potential, and coverage on hydrogen solubility during hydrogen-enhanced decohesion of ferritic steel grain boundaries: A first-principles study
Authors: Azócar Guzmán Abril , Janisch Rebecca
Published: July 2024

Hydrogen-enhanced decohesion (HEDE) is one of the many mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement, a phenomenon that severely impacts structural materials such as iron and iron alloys. Grain boundaries (GBs) play a critical role in this mechanism, where they can provide trapping sites or act as hydrogen diffusion pathways. The interaction of H with GBs and other crystallographic defects, and thus the solubility and distribution of H in the microstructure, depends on the concentration, chemical potential, and local stress. Therefore, for a quantitative assessment of HEDE, a generalized solution energy in conjunction with the cohesive strength as a function of hydrogen coverage is needed. In this paper, we carry out density functional theory calculations to investigate the influence of H on the decohesion of the Σ5(310)[001] and Σ3(112)[11¯0] symmetrical tilt GBs in bcc Fe, as examples for open and close-packed GB structures. A method to identify the segregation sites at the GB plane is proposed. The results indicate that at higher local concentrations, H leads to a significant reduction of the cohesive strength of the GB planes, significantly more pronounced at the Σ5 than at the Σ3 GB. Interestingly, at finite stress, the Σ3 GB becomes more favorable for H solution, as opposed to the case of zero stress, where the Σ5 GB is more attractive. This suggests that, under certain conditions, stresses in the microstructure can lead to a redistribution of H to the stronger grain boundary, which opens a path to designing H-resistant microstructures. To round up our study, we investigate the effects of typical alloying elements in ferritic steel, C, V, Cr, and Mn, on the solubility of H and the strength of the GBs.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Global synchronization in generalized multilayer higher-order networks
Authors: Pal Palash Kumar , Anwar Md Sayeed , Perc Matjaž , Ghosh Dibakar
Published: July 2024

Networks incorporating higher-order interactions are increasingly recognized for their ability to introduce novel dynamics into various processes, including synchronization. Previous studies on synchronization within multilayer networks have often been limited to specific models, such as the Kuramoto model, or have focused solely on higher-order interactions within individual layers. Here, we present a comprehensive framework for investigating synchronization, particularly global synchronization, in multilayer networks with higher-order interactions. Our framework considers interactions beyond pairwise connections, both within and across layers. We demonstrate the existence of a stable global synchronous state, with a condition resembling the master stability function, contingent on the choice of coupling functions. Our theoretical findings are supported by simulations using Hindmarsh-Rose neuronal and Rössler oscillators. These simulations illustrate how synchronization is facilitated by higher-order interactions, both within and across layers, highlighting the advantages over scenarios involving interactions within single layers.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Thermodynamically optimal protocols for dual-purpose qubit operations
Authors: Dunlop Joe , Cerisola Federico , Tabanera-Bravo Jorge , Anders Janet
Published: July 2024

Information processing, quantum or classical, relies on channels transforming multiple input states to different corresponding outputs. Previous research has established bounds on the thermodynamic resources required for such operations, but no protocols have been specified for their optimal implementation. For the insightful case of qubits, we here develop explicit protocols to transform two states in an energetically optimal manner. We first prove conditions on the feasibility of carrying out such transformations at all, and then quantify the achievable work extraction. Our results uncover a fundamental incompatibility between the thermodynamic ideal of slow, quasistatic processes and the information-theoretic requirement to preserve distinguishability between different possible output states.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
High harmonic generation from an atom in a squeezed-vacuum environment
Authors: Wang ShiJun , Yu ShaoGang , Lai XuanYang , Liu XiaoJun
Published: July 2024

We investigate high harmonic generation (HHG) of an atom in the presence of squeezed vacuum of a single harmonic mode. Based on a fully quantum time-dependent Schrödinger equation, we derive an analytical formula for the harmonic amplitude. Our simulations of the HHG spectrum with this formula show that the harmonic amplitude of the corresponding squeezed mode can undergo significant changes with different parameters of the squeezed vacuum. Using the time-frequency analysis method, the physics underlying the effects of the vacuum quantum fluctuation (VQF) on the harmonic generation is revealed, which is found to be consistent with the explanation of Fermi's golden rule. Our work establishes a profound connection between harmonic generation and VQF, and may provide an unconventional approach to manipulating harmonic emission.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Observation of highly correlated ultrabright biphotons through increased atomic ensemble density in spontaneous four-wave mixing
Authors: Shiu Jiun-Shiuan , Liu Zi-Yu , Cheng Chin-Yao , Huang Yu-Chiao , Yu Ite A. , Chen Ying-Cheng , Chuu Chih-Sung , Li Che-Ming , Wang Shiang-Yu , Chen Yong-Fan
Published: July 2024

The pairing ratio, a crucial metric assessing a biphoton source's ability to generate correlated photon pairs, remains underexplored despite theoretical predictions. This study presents experimental findings on the pairing ratio, utilizing a double-Λ spontaneous four-wave mixing biphoton source in cold atoms. At an optical depth (OD) of 20, we achieved an ultrahigh biphoton generation rate of up to 1.3×107 per second, with a successful pairing ratio of 61%. Increasing the OD to 120 significantly improved the pairing ratio to 89%, while maintaining a consistent biphoton generation rate. This achievement, marked by high generation rates and robust biphoton pairing, holds great promise for advancing efficiency in quantum communication and information processing. Additionally, in a scenario with a lower biphoton generation rate of 5.0×104 per second, we attained an impressive signal-to-background ratio of 241 for the biphoton wavepacket, surpassing the Cauchy-Schwarz criterion by approximately 1.5×104 times.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Priming tourists with traditional gastronomic delicacies: embracing a responsible approach towards sustainable consumption practice
Authors: Samaddar Kaushik , Mondal Sanjana
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Amidst the rising awareness of sustainable consumption, this study aims to delve into the dimensions shaping individuals' preferences for traditional gastronomic delicacies taking an emerging economy’s perspective, India.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research methodology in the form of a Grounded Theory Approach is used to develop theories. Important dimensions that drive attitude and intention towards experiencing traditional gastronomic delicacies are explored. Based on literary inputs and qualitative study, a research framework is developed and empirically validated thereon with SEM analysis using SPSS-AMOS.

Findings

Drawing on the Theory of Consumption Values and Stakeholder Theory, key influencers (consumption values) of traditional gastronomic delicacies were identified as Travel Motivation (Functional Values), Tourist Expectations (Emotional Values), Socio-economic Perspectives (Socio-economic Values), Mindful Consumption Practice (Epistemic Values), Community Awareness (Epistemic Values) and Sustainable Marketing Stimuli (Conditional Values).

Practical implications

This research has a multifaceted impact. At the macro-level, it supports stakeholders in Gastronomic Tourism (GT) – marketers, regional tourism bodies, policymakers and tour operators with distinct consumer values – in crafting regional culinary tourism, influencing economic policies and advocating for cultural conservation. At the micro-level, it aids scholars in initiating future research to elevate dining experiences, promote consumer education and tackle health and nutritional aspects within the evolving gastronomic industry.

Originality/value

This study makes a novel attempt to explore important drivers, categorizing the drivers into distinct consumer values that influence tourists and food connoisseurs towards traditional gastronomic delicacies by blending an innovative qualitative research methodology like grounded theory approach supported by the empirical validation process (quantitative). Additionally, it proposes a theoretical framework for future advancement of gastronomic literature.
“Don't you worry ‘bout a thing” – the moderating role of age in the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and career sustainability
Authors: Van der Heijden Beatrice , Hofer Annabelle , Semeijn Judith
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Building on a stress-related view, this study examines the impact of qualitative job insecurity on three indicators of career sustainability. It also examines the moderating role of employee age in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Dutch respondents (N = 398) working in various sectors responded to an online survey. Our hypotheses were tested using path modeling with Mplus.

Findings

Qualitative job insecurity was negatively related to job satisfaction, general health, and employability. Moreover, a moderating effect of employee age on the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and job satisfaction was found.

Practical implications

Organizations need to take measures to prevent qualitative job insecurity, as this appears to be an essential hindering factor that might endanger an employee's career sustainability. Especially younger workers (<40 years) seem to suffer from qualitative job insecurity as this decreases their job satisfaction, urging management and HR professionals to protect them against it.

Originality/value

By focusing on qualitative job insecurity, this study helps to close an essential gap in the literature that so far has mainly focused on quantitative job insecurity. Besides, this is the very first empirical work investigating the link between qualitative job insecurity and multiple indicators of career sustainability. Finally, this research adds a developmental approach to sustainable careers by comparing younger and older workers.
CEO’s early-life extreme experiences and corporate social responsibility: the moderating role of CEO power
Authors: Liu Yanzhao , Hooy Wooi Chee
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the relation between CEO’s early-life extreme experiences and firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) taking while also examining the moderating influence of CEO power.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of public listed companies in China over 2010–2020 (with 6,008 firm-year observations), this study examines the context of multiple early-life extreme experiences by dividing CEO’s early-life extreme experiences into two distinct types: environment-based and individual-based experiences. The environment based early-life experiences include that of World War II and the Great Famine era (1959–1961), while the individual based early-life experiences cover individual experiences from poor families and military services.

Findings

This study finds that firm with CEOs poses all these early-life experiences tends to have higher CSR taking. Moreover, this study also finds that CEO power enhances the effect of CEO’s early-life extreme experiences on CSR.

Originality/value

This study provides a new perspective on the role of individual traits in driving altruistic CSR motivations by considering the impact of various events on the CEO’s values, perceptions and decision-making processes. In addition, this study also constructs a multiple-event measure of the early-life extreme experiences of CEOs that combines both external environmental and individual factors.
Revisiting the (disappearing) cost of data breach disclosures
Authors: Charoen Danuvasin , Khern-am-nuai Warut
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The detrimental impact of data breaches on organizations and their customers has been well documented in the literature. These breaches expose sensitive information, raising concerns about reputational damage and substantial financial losses for affected firms. Prior research has consistently demonstrated the significant financial repercussions of data breach disclosures, with a significant decline in the market value of breached firms following the incident’s revelation. However, recent literature has documented the shift in consumer perception toward data breaches, warranting a revisit of this important and relevant issue with more recent data. This study aims to revisit the cost of data breach disclosures by empirically analyzing the impact of recent data breach incidents on the market value of affected firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collect the data regarding data breach incidents among publicly traded companies in the USA listed in the S&P 500 index from 2013 to 2021. The empirical analysis relies on the event study approach, and the market value of each firm is estimated using the Fama-French three-factor model.

Findings

This study finds that the negative market reaction to data breach announcements in recent years has been significantly weaker than those reported in prior works from the past decade. This result confirms the shift in consumer perception toward data breaches in the market.

Originality/value

While prior research has quantified the cost of data breach disclosures, the authors posit that a renewed examination is essential within the contemporary digital environment. Consumer behavior and market sentiment have undergone significant transformations in recent years, necessitating a revisit of this important issue with updated data. This study not only documents this evolving phenomenon but also yields crucial policy recommendations. Notably, it challenges the conventional wisdom to rely on market forces as an adequate deterrent against data breaches. Consequently, updated regulations may be necessary to effectively navigate the complexities of the evolving digital landscape.
Role of e-learning for the continuing professional development of university librarians of Pakistan to deliver value-added services: an explanatory study
Authors: Shahzad Khurram , Khan Shakeel Ahmad
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to identify the role of e-learning for the continuing professional development (CPD) of university librarians in Pakistan to deliver value-added library services.

Design/methodology/approach

Explanatory sequential design was applied to address this study’s objectives. First, quantitative data were gathered from 341 respondents working in 244 universities and then qualitative data were gathered through an interview guide from 27 subjects working in different university libraries of Pakistan.

Findings

The findings of this study revealed that respondents realized the benefits of e-learning for continuing professional development positively. E-learning enabled university librarians to perform IT-based tasks through an adequate usage of digital technologies. The findings also manifested that the majority of the respondents faced the challenges of the lack of technical support, and inadequate organizational support to adopt e-learning for CPD. Results displayed e-learning courses should be conducted by local trainers.

Originality/value

This study has provided pertinent theoretical, practical and social contributions by identifying the role of e-learning for the CPD of university librarians of Pakistan to deliver value-added services.