bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oscillatory impact of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at very weak-intensity on the primary motor cortex: A TMS-EEG study in the human brain
Authors: Corominas-Teruel Xavier , Bracco Martina , Lohof Anne , Sherrard Rachel , Colomina Maria Teresa , Mahon Severine , Charpier Stéphane , Valero-Cabré Antoni
Published: February 2025

Background

Very weak transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS, 10 mT, ∼0.05-10 V/m) has been explored in animal models showcasing potential for effective neuromodulation. However, the physiological effects of these type of pulsed fields remain rather unexplored in humans.

Objective

We here aimed to characterize the neural effects of very weak TMS pulsed fields (∼6V/m, ∼6% of the resting motor threshold, rMT) and explore their ability to evoke and/or modulate local oscillatory activity generated on human primary motor regions.

Methods

Neuronavigated TMS was employed in a cohort of healthy participants (n=18) to deliversingle pulsesandshort burstsofrhythmic(20 Hz) TMS at very weak intensity and at conventional levels (here referred as high intensity) usually employed in human applications (∼113V/m, ∼77% rMT), to the left primary motor cortex (M1). In parallel, their potential to evoke brain activity such as Transcranial Evoked Potentials (TEPs), and to entrain or modulate local ongoing oscillations was explored with scalp EEG recordings.

Results

Both, single TMS pulses and 4-pulse rhythmic TMS beta (20 Hz) bursts delivered at conventional intensity elicited consistent Transcranial Evoked Potentials (TEPs) and beta-synchronized Event Related Spectral Perturbations (ERSP) around the left M1 area. Most interestingly, very-weak-intensity TMS modulated in this same area oscillatory activity at a mu-alpha frequency (7-13 Hz) only for rhythmic TMS bursts time-locked to -the troughs of the local ongoing beta oscillations.

Conclusions

Our data provide first time support for the modulation of oscillatory signals with TMS delivered at an unprecedentedly weak intensity on the human primary motor cortex. This evidence enriches current knowledge on the impact of weak pulsed magnetic fields in humans, paving the way for future neurotherapeutics with a new generation of portable and autonomous low-intensity multichannel TMS devices.

HIGHLIGHTS

Very weak-intensity 20Hz TMS rhythmic patterns evoked significant mu-alpha central activity (7-13Hz) when bursts were aligned with the troughs of local ongoing beta oscillatory activity.

Conventional high-intensity single pulse and 20Hz TMS patterns elicited consistent TMS evoked potentials (TEP) and beta-synchronized local changes of Event Related Spectral Perturbations (ERSPs) in the left M1.

Fulfilling established criteria of TMS entrainment, the effects driven by high-intensity stimulation on M1 were TMS pattern- and oscillation-phase-dependent. Differences featured by very weak vs. conventional intensity TMS on entrained oscillatory activity suggests these two modalities operate on distinct physiological mechanisms.
Setting new boundaries of 16S rRNA gene identity for prokaryotic taxonomy
Authors: Hackmann Timothy J.
Published: February 2025

The 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene is frequently sequenced to classify prokaryotes and identify new taxa. If sequences from two strains share less than ∼99% identity, the strains are usually classified as different species. Classification thresholds for genera and other ranks have also been proposed, but they are based on dated datasets. Here we update these thresholds by determining sequence identity of the 16S rRNA gene for nearly 18,000 type strains. This represents 86.5% of all strains validly published, and it involved making more than 161 million pairwise sequence alignments. In 90% of all cases, sequences from the same species shared a minimum of 97.2 to 100% identity. The corresponding values for genus were 90.3 to 99.0%, 79.6 to 94.1% for family, 73.1 to 90.1% for order, 72.2 to 86.3% for class, and 69.7 to 83.6% for phylum. We propose these values serve as thresholds for classifying new prokaryotic taxa. A major change from previous guidelines is recognizing that these boundaries overlap. This overlap has already been observed for relative evolutionary divergence, a metric correlated with 16S rRNA gene identity. Together with other metrics, 16S rRNA gene identity allows classification of prokaryotes from species to phylum.
Solubilization of Membrane Proteins using designed protein WRAPS
Authors: Mihaljević Ljubica , Kim David E. , Eisenach Helen E. , Bandawane Pooja D. , Borst Andrew J. , Courbet Alexis , Bettin Everton , Liu Qiushi , Weidle Connor , Majumder Sagardip , Li Xinting , Lamb Mila , Azcárraga Murray Analisa Nicole , Ravichandran Rashmi , Williams Elizabeth C. , Hu Shuyuan , Stuart Lynda , Grillová Linda , Thomson Nicholas R. , Chang Pengxiang , Caimano Melissa J. , Hawley Kelly L. , King Neil P. , Baker David
Published: February 2025

The development of therapies and vaccines targeting integral membrane proteins has been complicated by their extensive hydrophobic surfaces, which can make production and structural characterization difficult. Here we describe a general deep learning-based design approach for solubilizing native membrane proteins while preserving their sequence, fold, and function using genetically encodedde novoprotein WRAPs (Water-solubleRFdiffusedAmphipathicProteins) that surround the lipid-interacting hydrophobic surfaces, rendering them stable and water-soluble without the need for detergents. We design WRAPs for both beta-barrel outer membrane and helical multi-pass transmembrane proteins, and show that the solubilized proteins retain the binding and enzymatic functions of the native targets with enhanced stability. Syphilis vaccine development has been hindered by difficulties in characterizing and producing the outer membrane protein antigens; we generated soluble versions of fourTreponema pallidumouter membrane beta barrels which are potential syphilis vaccine antigens. A 4.0 Å cryo-EM map of WRAPed TP0698 is closely consistent with the design model. WRAPs should be broadly useful for facilitating biochemical and structural characterization of integral membrane proteins, enabling therapeutic discovery by screening against purified soluble targets, and generating antigenically intact immunogens for vaccine development.
Local-photon model of the momentum of light
Authors: Waite Gabriel , Hodgson Daniel , Lang Ben , Alapatt Varghese , Beige Almut
Published: February 2025

Recently we introduced a local photon approach for modeling the quantized electromagnetic field in position space. Using this approach, we define the momentum of light in this paper as in quantum mechanics as the generator for spatial translation. Afterward, we analyze the momentum dynamics of photonic wave packets which transition from air into a denser dielectric medium. Our analysis shines new light onto the Abraham-Minkowski controversy, which highlights the intricacies involved in the characterization of the momentum of the electromagnetic field. Although our results align with Minkowski's theory and with the definition of the canonical momentum of light in quantum electrodynamics, there are also some crucial differences.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Calculation of rf-induced temporal jitter in ultrafast electron diffraction
Authors: Xu T. , Ji F. , Duncan C. J. R. , Weathersby S. P. , England R. J.
Published: February 2025

A significant contribution to the temporal resolution of an ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) instrument is arrival time jitter caused by amplitude and phase variation of radio-frequency (rf) cavities. In this paper, we present a semianalytical approach for calculating rf-induced temporal jitter from klystron and rf cavity parameters. Our approach allows fast estimation of temporal jitter for MeV-UED beamlines and can serve as a virtual timing tool when shot-to-shot measurements of rf amplitude and phase jitters are available. A simulation study for the SLAC MeV-UED instrument is presented, and the temporal resolution of several beamline configurations is compared.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Impact of time-retarded noise on dynamical decoupling schemes for qubits
Authors: Nakamura Kiyoto , Ankerhold Joachim
Published: February 2025

One of the simplest and least resource-intensive methods to suppress decoherence for qubit operations, namely, dynamical decoupling (DD), is investigated for a broad range of realistic noise sources with time-retarded feedback. By way of example, the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequence is analyzed in a numerically rigorous manner accounting also for correlations between qubits and environments. Since experimentally noise sources are characterized through spectral densities, we adopt the spin-boson model as a suitable framework to describe the qubit dynamics under DD for a given spectral density J(ω)∝ωs. Motivated by the situation for superconducting qubits, the spectral exponent s is varied from s=1 (Ohmic bath) to a substantially small value 0<s≪1 (deep sub-Ohmic bath), in order to investigate the impact of time-nonlocal back action on DD performances for enhanced coherence times. As reference to the DD schemes, dynamics of a single qubit subject to Ramsey sequences without any pules and Hahn echo sequences are also investigated.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Full minimal coupling Maxwell-TDDFT: An
ab initio
framework for light-matter interaction beyond the dipole approximation
Authors: Bonafé Franco P. , Albar Esra Ilke , Ohlmann Sebastian T. , Kosheleva Valeriia P. , Bustamante Carlos M. , Troisi Francesco , Rubio Angel , Appel Heiko
Published: February 2025

We report an , nonrelativistic QED method that couples light and matter self-consistently beyond the electric dipole approximation and without multipolar truncations. This method is based on an extension of the Maxwell-Pauli-Kohn-Sham approach to a full minimal coupling Hamiltonian, where the space- and time-dependent vector potential is coupled to the matter system, and its back reaction to the radiated fields is generated by the full current density. The implementation in the open-source code is designed for massively parallel multiscale simulations considering different grid spacings for the Maxwell and matter subsystems. Here, we show applications of this framework to simulate renormalized Cherenkov radiation of an electronic wave packet, magneto-optical effects with nonchiral light in nonchiral molecular systems, and renormalized plasmonic modes in a nanoplasmonic dimer. We show that in some cases, the beyond-dipole effects cannot be captured by a multipolar expansion Hamiltonian in the length gauge. Finally, we discuss further opportunities enabled by the framework in the field of twisted light and orbital angular momentum, inelastic light scattering, and strong-field physics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
TeV scale leptogenesis with a triplet fermion in connection to the muon
g−2
Authors: Arora Simran , Mahanta Devabrat , Chauhan B. C.
Published: February 2025

We propose an extension of the minimal scotogenic model with a triplet fermion and a singlet scalar. An imposed Z4×Z2 symmetry allows only diagonal Yukawa couplings among different generations of standard model (SM) leptons and right-handed singlet neutrinos. The Yukawa coupling of the triplet fermion with the inert doublet positively contributes to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. The imposed Z4×Z2 symmetry forbids the conventional leptogenesis from the lightest right-handed neutrino decay. A net lepton asymmetry can be generated in the muonic sector from N2 and triplet fermion decay through resonant leptogenesis scenario. The Yukawa coupling of triplet plays significant role both in leptogenesis and in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. We show a viable parameter space for TeV scale leptogenesis while explaining the Fermilab results. The inert scalar is the dark matter candidate in this model. The muon (g−2) and dark matter both favor the same parameter space for mass of the dark matter and the triplet fermion.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Study of
B→ρη
,
ρη′
decays in the modified perturbative QCD approach
Authors: Gui Yun-Han , Yang Mao-Zhi
Published: February 2025

We study the decay processes of B→ρη, ρη′ in the perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) approach with a few improvements incorporated in it, where the contributions with large momentum transfer are calculated perturbatively, and the contributions with lower energy scale are treated by introducing soft transition form factors. In addition, color-octet contributions are introduced which are essentially long-distance contributions. With reasonable input parameters selected, we find that the theoretical results of the branching ratios and CP violations are all consistent with experimental data. We also predict some unmeasured quantities, which can be tested by experiment in the future.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Confronting the dark matter capture rate with a continuous gravitational wave probe of local neutron stars
Authors: Bhattacharjee Pooja , Banik Amit Dutta
Published: February 2025

Continuous gravitational waves (CGWs) from various astrophysical sources are one of the many future probes of upcoming gravitational wave (GW) search missions. Neutron stars (NSs) with deformity are one of the leading sources of CGW emissions. In this work, for the first time, a novel attempt to estimate the dark matter (DM) capture rate is performed using CGW as the probe to the local NS population. Competitive bounds on DM capture from the local NS population are reported when compared with DM direct search experiments and other astrophysical observations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Ultraheavy multiscattering dark matter: DUNE, CYGNUS, other kilotonne detectors, and tidal streams
Authors: Aggarwal Harsh , Raj Nirmal
Published: February 2025

In direct searches of dark matter, multiscatter signatures are now being sought to probe scattering cross sections that are large enough to make the detector optically thick to incident particles. We provide some significant updates to the multiscatter program. Using considerations of energy deposition, we derive the reaches in cross section and mass of various proposed large-volume detectors: a kilotonne fiducial mass “module of opportunity” at DUNE, a kilotonne xenon detector suggested for neutrinoless double beta decay, the gaseous detector CYGNUS, and the dark matter detectors XLZD and Argo. Where the velocity vector can be reconstructed event-by-event, the Galactic dark matter velocity distribution may be inferred. We exploit this to show that halo substructure such as tidal streams can be picked up if they make up about 10% of the local dark matter density.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
6D large charge and 2D Virasoro blocks
Authors: Heckman Jonathan J. , Sharon Adar , Watanabe Masataka
Published: February 2025

We compute observables in the interacting rank-one 6D N=(2,0) superconformal field theory (SCFT) at large R-charge. We focus on correlators involving Φn, namely symmetric products of the bottom component of the supermultiplet containing the stress tensor. By using the moduli space effective action and methods from the large-charge expansion, we compute the operator product expansion coefficients ⟨ΦnΦmΦn+m⟩ in an expansion in 1/n. The coefficients of the expansion are only partially determined from the 6D perspective, but we manage to fix them order-by-order in 1/n numerically by utilizing the 6D/2D correspondence. This is made possible by the fact that this 6D observable can be extracted in 2D from a specific double-scaling limit of the vacuum Virasoro block, which can be efficiently computed numerically. We also extend the computation to higher-rank SCFTs, and discuss various applications of our results to 6D as well as 2D.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Semifinite von Neumann algebras in gauge theory and gravity
Authors: Ali Ahmad Shadi , Klinger Marc S. , Lin Simon
Published: February 2025

von Neumann algebras have been playing an increasingly important role in the context of gauge theories and gravity. The crossed product presents a natural method for implementing constraints through the commutation theorem, rendering it a useful tool for constructing gauge-invariant algebras. The crossed product of a Type III algebra with its modular automorphism group is semifinite, which means that the crossed product regulates divergences in local quantum field theories. In this article, we find a sufficient condition for the semifiniteness of the crossed product of a Type III algebra with locally compact group containing the modular automorphism group. Our condition surprisingly implies the centrality of the modular flow in the symmetry group, and we provide evidence for the necessity of this condition. Under these conditions, we construct an associated trace that computes physical expectation values. We comment on the importance of this result and its implications for subregion physics in gauge theory and gravity.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Electronic superradiance mediated by nuclear dynamics
Authors: Tao Xuecheng , Philbin John P. , Narang Prineha
Published: February 2025

Superradiance, in which the collective behavior of emitters can generate enhanced radiative decay, was first predicted by a model, now known as the Dicke model, that contains a collection of two-level systems (the emitters) all interacting with the same photonic mode. In this article, we extend the original Dicke model to elucidate the influence of nuclear motion on superradiant emission. Our dynamical simulations of the combined electronic, nuclear, and photonic system reveal a new time scale attributed to the population leakage of the dark, subradiant states. Furthermore, this dark-state emission pathway can be controlled by tuning the nuclear potential energy landscape. These findings impact how superradiant states and molecular degrees of freedom can be leveraged and utilized in quantum optical systems.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Scale-free behavior of weight distributions of connectomes
Authors: Cirunay Michelle , Ódor Géza , Papp István , Deco Gustavo
Published: February 2025

To determine the precise link between anatomical structure and function, brain studies primarily concentrate on the anatomical wiring of the brain and its topological properties. In this work, we investigate the weighted degree and connection length distributions of the KKI-113 and KKI-18 human connectomes, the fruit fly, and the mouse retina. We find that the node strength (weighted degree) distribution behavior differs depending on the considered scale. On the global scale, the distributions are found to follow a power-law behavior, with a roughly universal exponent close to 3. However, this behavior breaks at the local scale as the node strength distributions of the KKI-18 follow a stretched exponential, and the fly and mouse retina follow the log-normal distribution, respectively, which are indicative of underlying random multiplicative processes and underpins nonlocality of learning in a brain close to the critical state. However, for the case of the KKI-113 and the H01 human (1mm3) datasets, the local weighted degree distributions follow an exponentially truncated power law, which may hint at the fact that the critical learning mechanism may have manifested at the node level too.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
High-Dimensional Quantum Key Distribution by a Spin-Orbit Microlaser
Authors: Zhang Yichi , Zhao Haoqi , Wu Tianwei , Gao Zihe , Ge Li , Feng Liang
Published: February 2025

Quantum key distribution offers a promising avenue for establishing secure communication networks. However, its performance is significantly hampered by the conventional two-level information carriers (i.e., qubits) due to their limited information capacity and noise resilience. A fundamental approach to overcoming these limitations involves the adoption of high-dimensional qudits. Practical qudit platforms require robust propagation, outstanding controllability, and extreme compactness, to which integrated photonics provides a promising solution. Here, we achieved, for the first time, microlaser-enabled high-dimensional quantum communication through leveraging spin-orbit photon qudits, where the dynamical generation and manipulation of these multi-degrees-of-freedom complex quantum state are realized by a non-Hermitian-physics-driven integrated microlaser quantum transmitter. Such a microlaser photon manipulation, as a novel route towards high-dimensional quantum state generation, promises high energy efficiency, along with fast, compact, and precise qudit state reconfigurability. The four spin-orbit eigenstates emitted by the microlaser possess the same spatial-temporal structures, ensuring homogeneity between all qudit states used for key distribution, which effectively eliminates propagation dephasing and walk-off problems, thereby delivering the high-dimensional spin-orbit secret key generation to construct a robust quantum link. The demonstrated long-term system stability showcases the practical potential of the microlaser quantum transmitter, providing a critical step towards compact, high-information-capacity quantum communication networks.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Representations of foreign nationals in Japanese disaster risk reduction policy: increasing alignment with a “whole community” discourse
Authors: Cadwell Patrick
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This article examines how foreign nationals have been represented in the disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy discourse in Japan in recent decades and analyses the consequences these representations have had for foreign nationals’ DRR there.

Design/methodology/approach

The article reports on a monolingual, corpus-based, critical discourse analysis of 23 years of White Papers on Disaster Management in Japan to assess the discourse representations of foreign nationals in the policy texts over three chronological periods: 2001–2008, 2009–2016 and 2017–2023.

Findings

The article finds that the way the Government of Japan has communicated to stakeholders about foreign nationals through its policy has increasingly included them into a “whole community” discourse of DRR. This is significant because research has shown that foreign nationals have long gone un- or under-recognised in relevant DRR policies and have been insufficiently considered at local levels. If they are now better represented in policy as local community members, there is hope that their risk of negative consequences in times of disaster will truly be reduced.

Originality/value

This contribution is novel in that it addresses a nexus between discourse, policy communication and a social problem of inclusion and engagement of foreign nationals in DRR that has not been published elsewhere, but that nonetheless engages with ongoing academic conversations about inclusivity, vulnerability and community-based DRR approaches.
Application of artificial intelligence in demand planning for supply chains: a systematic literature review
Authors: Walter Arne , Ahsan Kamrul , Rahman Shams
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Demand planning (DP) is a key element of supply chain management (SCM) and is widely regarded as an important catalyst for improving supply chain performance. Regarding the availability of technology to process large amounts of data, artificial intelligence (AI) has received increasing attention in the DP literature in recent years, but there are no reviews of studies on the application of AI in supply chain DP. Given the importance and value of this research area, we aimed to review the current body of knowledge on the application of AI in DP to improve SCM performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a systematic literature review approach, we identified 141 peer-reviewed articles and conducted content analysis to examine the body of knowledge on AI in DP in the academic literature published from 2012 to 2023.

Findings

We found that AI in DP is still in its early stages of development. The literature is dominated by modelling studies. We identified three knowledge clusters for AI in DP: AI tools and techniques, AI applications for supply chain functions and the impact of AI on digital SCM. The three knowledge domains are conceptualised in a framework to demonstrate how AI can be deployed in DP to improve SCM performance. However, challenges remain. We identify gaps in the literature that make suggestions for further research in this area.

Originality/value

This study makes a theoretical contribution by identifying the key elements in applying AI in DP for SCM. The proposed conceptual framework can be used to help guide further empirical research and can help companies to implement AI in DP.
Metaverse retailing and the customer experience journey: a case study approach
Authors: Alexander Bethan , Blazquez Marta , Chrimes Courtney
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study adopts the customer journey framework to investigate the role of the metaverse in the customer purchase experience. It establishes the effect of the metaverse on the three stages of the customer purchase journey, namely pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase, in the context of the fashion industry, an early adopter of the metaverse.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is a qualitative case study explored through consumer diaries and focus groups. The resultant data are analysed thematically.

Findings

Metaverse usage is the most significant at the pre-purchase stage. However, technical problems and other sources of friction negatively impact the customer experience journey, providing insight into the reasons underlying the recent decline of metaverse marketplaces.

Originality/value

This study’s empirical findings have theoretical and practical implications related to metaverse retailing and the customer experience journey. The study benefits metaverse designers and customers and will influence retail strategy choice. Additionally, it contributes two conceptual frameworks to the underdeveloped metaverse retailing field and extends the customer experience journey framework to the metaverse context, thus contributing to the body of knowledge on omnichannel retailing.
The impact of financial distress on capital structure following Egypt's currency flotation: the moderating role of board characteristics and ownership structure
Authors: Balboula Mohamed Zaki , Shemes Mona Ahmed
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study examines how financial distress affects the capital structure of Egyptian firms following the 2016 currency flotation, examining the moderating roles of board characteristics and ownership structure.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing data from non-financial companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange from 2017 to 2022, we apply two-stage least squares (2SLS) and propensity score matching (PSM) to address endogeneity and selection bias.

Findings

Our findings indicate that financially distressed firms tend to increase their debt burden, but robust governance mechanisms, such as higher board independence, larger boards and strong blockholder and institutional ownership, significantly mitigate this effect. Managerial ownership shows a stabilizing influence during distress, while chief executive officer duality does not significantly impact leverage decisions. These findings underscore how robust corporate governance promotes more conservative capital structure decisions during economic volatility.

Research limitations/implications

Our study focus, country and period could limit the generalizability of our findings to other regions or sectors.

Practical implications

Investors and policymakers are advised to focus on firms with effective governance structures to mitigate distress-induced leverage increases. Governance reforms that enhance board effectiveness and ownership structure, e.g. increasing board independence requirements and promoting greater institutional investor participation, can further stabilize capital structure during downturns. Managers, in turn, should diversify financing and adopt prudent debt strategies to reduce overreliance on leverage.

Originality/value

In contrast to most studies, this research reverses the lens by exploring how financial distress shapes capital structure decisions in an emerging market context, specifically post-Egypt’s 2016 currency flotation. Employing both 2SLS and PSM to address endogeneity and selection bias, the study highlights the mitigating role of governance mechanisms, which can buffer firms against heightened debt reliance under economic volatility.
Analysts’ ESG attention and stock pricing efficiency: evidence from machine learning and text analysis
Authors: Tan Changchun , Yin Kangkang , Wu Huaqing , Zhou Peng
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Corporate ESG performance has attracted widespread attention from various sectors of society. This paper aims to investigate whether analysts’ ESG attention can convey additional information to the market and consequently influence stock pricing efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

Using A-share listed companies from 2014 to 2021 as the research subjects, this paper employs a deep learning algorithm, word2vec, to construct an ESG dictionary. Text analysis is then applied to create an analysts’ ESG attention index, delving into its impact on stock pricing efficiency.

Findings

Empirical research reveals that: (1) Analysts' ESG attention effectively enhances stock pricing efficiency, with a more significant impact from analysts’ attention to environmental (E) and social (S) factors compared to governance (G); (2) Further analysis indicates that this effect becomes more pronounced when there is higher disparity in corporate ESG ratings, greater marketization in the province where the company is located, and a higher institutional ownership percentage and (3) The mechanism by which analysts' ESG attention influences stock pricing efficiency is through an elevation in investor attention and stock liquidity. Additionally, it is observed that analysts prioritize ESG information to enhance their reputation and business capabilities.

Originality/value

From the perspective of ESG rating divergence, this paper innovatively uses analyst reports to construct ESG attention indicators and analyzes their impact on the efficiency of stock pricing.
Technophobia and the manager’s intention to adopt generative AI: the impact of self-regulated learning and open organisational culture
Authors: Zhao Li , He Qile , Kamal Muhammad Mustafa , O’Regan Nicholas
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Using the cognitive-affective-normative (CAN) model, this study highlights the role of self-regulated learning (SRL) and organisational culture and delves into the link between technophobia and a manager’s intention to adopt generative artificial intelligence (AI) in management practices.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted through a survey of 528 business managers from China.

Findings

The study reveals that technophobia is negatively related to a manager’s intention to adopt generative AI, while SRL is positively related to the intention to adopt generative AI. Moreover, SRL reduces the negative impact of technophobia on AI adoption. Open organisational cultures reduce the need for SRL.

Originality/value

This study goes beyond a purely technical perspective towards a “human-side” view on understanding managers’ adoption of generative AI. This study is an early attempt to apply the CAN model to analysing the connection between technophobia, SRL, organisational culture and the intention to adopt generative AI.
Thermo-mechanical analysis of 3D-printed continuous glass fiber reinforced onyx thermoplastic composites
Authors: Talha Muhammad , Khurram Aqeel , Munir Adnan , Nadeem Hammad
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of temperature and fiber volume fraction on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed composites of continuous glass fiber reinforced onyx.

Design/methodology/approach

Continuous glass fiber reinforced onyx (carbon-filled nylon) 3D-Printed composites have been designed and tested at 40°C, 60°C and 80°C for fiber volume fractions ranging from 13%, 20%, 27%, 33% and 40%.

Findings

The results of three-point bending tests have shown that at higher temperatures, i.e. greater than the room temperature the 3D-Printed onyx loses its mechanical properties as obvious for thermoplastic composites. However, the inclusion of high temperature glass fibers has improved the mechanical properties of the onyx polymer and its resistance to deformation at higher temperatures. At all temperatures, the increase in fiber fraction increases the yield strength and decreases the elongation of the composite in the strain region below the yield point. At Vf >0.27 the elongation in samples seems less affected by the fiber content. The comparison of the specimen with different fiber volume fractions (Vf) shows that the elongation of the samples at Vf = 0.4, the samples’ response to the applied load has become independent of the temperature above 40°C.

Originality/value

The experimental and numerically calculated results are well matched, showing the accuracy in the methodology of designing the fiber reinforced onyx composites.
Using dynamic documents to mend cracks in the reproducible research pipeline
Authors: Buckley Yvonne M. , Bardgett Richard , Gordon Rowena , Iler Amy , Mariotte Pierre , Ponton Samantha , Hector Andy
Published: February 2025

There is a research reproducibility crisis, including in ecology. The research pipeline from conception to publication has many cracks, which means that it may not be possible to repeat and verify published results.

Reproducibility means that the results of a study can be reproduced from the original data. It is a critical step in the quality assurance of a study; indeed, the re‐use and subsequent citation of methods from reproducible research can increase the impact of the work beyond the findings of the specific study.

Given the original data, code and documentation, in theory, all research results could be reproduced. However, sufficient information must be available to understand and reproduce the data handling, analysis and modelling. Information should also be accessible, enabling reproduction with reasonable effort.

Various open‐source software options exist that allow scientists to easily annotate their scripts in a way that makes it simple to produce dynamic documents that give a more accessible account of the analysis (html, pdf and various word processor file types). Popular software options—including Jupyter notebooks, the R markdown package and the new multi‐language Quarto application—produce documents that weave together the input code and software‐generated output (text, tables, and figures) with the author's explanatory text to produce a clear narrative of the analysis process.

Therefore, we now encourage the submission of supplementary dynamic documents to the Journal of Ecology to improve the reproducibility and transparency of research published in the journal. Reproducibility can be assessed prior to the submission of the work for publication, during peer review and post‐publication. Authors are encouraged to provide three file types: the data, an executable dynamic document and a static reproducibility PDF file that integrates and annotates the input code with the statistical output. We provide some basic examples of dynamic documents for reproducibility.
Evaluation of the conservation value and conservation difficulty of local populations of the rare plant Viola raddeana based on genetic diversity and gene expression information using next‐generation sequencers
Authors: Shiraishi Hiroaki , Suyama Yoshihisa , Makino Takashi , Hirota Shun K. , Obata Kazuo , Lee Jung‐Hyun , Choi Hyeok Jae , Tsumura Yoshihiko
Published: February 2025

Rare plant species identified in project areas where land is to be developed or altered may need to be extracted for ex situ conservation under human control. During ex situ conservation, it is important to minimize the impact of adverse factors including the potentially limited environmental adaptability of rare plants under cultivation and possible losses of genetic diversity due to inbreeding if the number of conserved individuals is low. Here we evaluate the conservation difficulty and genetic diversity of populations of the rare plant Violα raddeana at five sites based on harmful gene accumulation and gene duplication data gathered using RNA‐seq. Additionally, we evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of these populations using single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data acquired by multiplexed inter‐simple sequence repeat genotyping by sequencing (MIG‐seq). The results obtained indicate that the V. raddeana populations have declined but remain robust toward environmental changes and can undergo voluntary mating at all sites. Moreover, we observed clear genetic differentiation between two populations in close geographic proximity. We considered that if the majority of the remaining individuals of V. raddeana in each genetically related population were transplanted and cultivated, it would be possible to maintain their genetic diversity through ex situ conservation. It is important that V. raddeana be kept under ex situ conservation management. In order to achieve this, we should work with public organizations such as local government agencies and botanical gardens.
Ripping the public apart? Politicians’ dark personality and affective polarization
Authors: NAI ALESSANDRO , DA SILVA FREDERICO FERREIRA , AALDERING LOES , GATTERMANN KATJANA , GARZIA DIEGO
Published: February 2025

Growing evidence exists about the importance of dark personality traits – narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism – in political leaders, broadly leading to heightened political aggressiveness and partisan conflict. Building on this expanding research agenda, we study the possible association between dark personality in politicians and deepened affective polarization – that is, increased affective distance between partisan groups coupled with stronger dislike for out‐parties – in the public. We do so by linking a large‐scale expert survey (NEGex) and a collection of post‐election surveys (CSES), including information for more than 90 leading candidates having competed in 40 elections worldwide. Our results show that the dark personality of top politicians can be associated with upticks in affective polarization in the public – but only when it comes to the personality of in‐party candidates (that is, a candidate from voters' preferred party), and only for high levels of ideological proximity between the candidate and the voter.
How Renewable Energy, Environmental Policy Stringency, Trade Diversification Index, Impact Environmental Sustainability in G‐7 Nations
Authors: Bai Yu , Hassan Afnan , Niu Xing , Nassani Abdelmohsen A.
Published: February 2025

Ecological sustainability requires an understanding of the importance of natural resources (NAT), trade diversification (TRD), and the environment. We can develop methods to reduce the damaging environmental effects in developed and developing economies while promoting sustainable economic models. Therefore, this work analyzes the impact of TRD, NAT, renewable energy (RE), environmental stringent policy (EPS), and GDP on the load capacity factor (LCF) of G‐7 countries. For this purpose, the annual data of 1995–2022 is analyzed. The results of Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) show that NAT, RE, and TRD index are enhancing environmental quality, whereas EPS and GDP are harmful for the environment. MMQR is used to get coefficient values. On the other hand, TRD, the use of RE, and strict environmental laws lower the bad consequences of industrialization in the G‐7 countries. Evidently, whereas the influence of EPS is waning on the quantiles of LCF, the impact of TRD is rising. To verify the impacts of EPS on LCF, this work performs wavelet analysis on country specific data, and it is validated that EPS is arming the environmental quality. Policymakers should also impose strict measures gradually, giving firms time to adjust. This shift can be facilitated by offering green technology financial support and subsidies. The work offers practical solutions for maintaining the G‐7 region's environmental quality.
Reassessment of the Prognostic Implication of Ground‐Glass Opacity: An Investigation Into Hypermetabolic Clinical Stage IA Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Runze , Chen Jianchuan , Li Zhifei , Li Peng , Qiu Bin , Tan Fengwei
Published: February 2025

Background

Subsolid lung nodules represent a distinct group of lung cancers with less‐aggressive biological behavior and favorable survival. We aimed to examine the prognostic impact of the ground‐glass opacity (GGO) in clinical stage IA (cIA) lung adenocarcinoma with high metabolic activity.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted among patients with resected hypermetabolic and/or pure‐solid cIA lung adenocarcinoma from a single institution database. The primary outcome was recurrence‐free survival (RFS). The secondary outcomes included overall survival, pathological nodal upstaging, and recurrence rate.

Results

A total of 621 patients were reviewed and classified into three groups: patients with low metabolic, solid nodules (SNs) into group A (N = 128), patients with hypermetabolic ground‐glass nodules (GGNs) into group B (N = 105), and patients with hypermetabolic SNs into group C (N = 388). The five‐year RFS of group B was significantly better than that of group C in the cT1a + T1b (93.3% vs. 72.5%, p = 0.002) subgroup but not in the cT1c (73.4% vs. 69.0%, p = 0.23) subgroup. Multivariable analysis showed that GGO component was an independent prognostic factor of RFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19–0.89, p = 0.02) and protective factor of nodal upstaging (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.21–0.94, p = 0.03) among the hypermetabolic subgroup. All except one postoperative recurrence occurred in GGNs with solid component size > 2 cm.

Conclusions

The presence of GGO component was an independent prognostic factor even in hypermetabolic cIA lung adenocarcinoma. However, the oncologic outcomes of hypermetabolic GGNs were not equally favorable in different T categories.
Information capacity in the mirror of foreign trade data? A case study of Chinese Maritime Customs, 1864–1938
Authors: Wang Songlin
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces a new approach to explore the information capacity of the Chinese Maritime Customs from 1864 to 1938. It employs a mirror analysis by comparing Chinese Maritime Customs' international trade data with that of China's major trading partners: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Findings reveal that Chinese Maritime Customs' improvements in measuring foreign trade frequently coincided with its institutional reforms. The results highlight that these improvements were not uniform across different regions. Specifically, the persistent discrepancies between Chinese Maritime Customs’ and Japanese data underscore the influence of geopolitics since late 19th century.
Australian Sunscreens: The Price of Protection for Skin of Colour With Pigmentary Disorders
Authors: Hang Xiaozhun , Lim Davin Sui
Published: February 2025

Australia experiences some of the highest ultraviolet radiation (UVR) levels globally, known for causing sunburn, skin cancers, photoageing and immunosuppression. While effects of UVA and UVB are well‐studied, visible light (VL; 400–700 nm) is the driving force behind pigmentary disorders, especially in skin of colour (SOC) patients. Nearly 50% of Australians are affected, with significant impacts on appearance and psychological well‐being. Tinted sunscreens containing iron oxides and pigmentary‐grade titanium dioxide are the only effective options for blocking VL. However, Australia's stringent Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations limit the availability of colour‐matched tinted sunscreens, significantly impacting SOC patients. SOC patients may also underestimate their need for photoprotection, believing their skin provides sufficient natural protection. In dermatological practice, tailored sunscreen recommendations for darker skin tones may sometimes be overlooked. This review explores the barriers to effective treatment and the cost implications for SOC individuals suffering from pigmentary disorders in Australia. The goal is to guide both patients and dermatologists in making informed decisions on VL protection and skin tone matching.
The PASS method: Ecologically valid scaling for intergroup relations research
Authors: Buhagiar Luke J. , Sammut Gordon
Published: February 2025

Intergroup relations research remains characterised by a lack of ecological validity, particularly when different groups are studied. In this paper, we present the PASS Method for ecologically valid scaling, illustrating its efficacy via a study on Arab‐Maltese relations in Malta (EU). The PASS Method proceeds as follows: (1) A relevant Project (e.g., intercultural integration) is identified; (2) Argumentation on the project, by relevant groups, is analysed; (3) Scaling is pursued via expert ranking of items generated from the groups' arguments on the project, resulting in a self‐positioning scale and an other‐positioning scale relative to the same project; and (4) A Survey is distributed among the groups, asking participants for their own views (self‐positioning) and for their views on what the other group thinks (other‐positioning) on the project. We illustrate the PASS method by presenting scales built on the basis of Maltese and Arab arguments on the project of integration. Following item generation and scale validity and reliability tests, comparisons of Maltese and Arab distributions for the respective scales and single items are presented. We conclude by making critical recommendations for intergroup relations research and the application of PASS in community settings.