bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Removal of phosphorus and fluorine from wastewater containing PF6−via accelerated decomposition by Al3+ and chemical precipitation for hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Miyashita Takuto , Yasuda Kouji , Uda Tetsuya
Published: April 2024

During hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), one important challenge is the efficient treatment of wastewater containing LiPF6 used as a lithium salt in the LIBs.
A reflection on ‘The synthesis, structure and electronic properties of a lead-free hybrid inorganic–organic double perovskite (MA)2KBiCl6 (MA = methylammonium)’
Authors: Cheetham Anthony K. , Bristowe Paul D. , Tominaka Satoshi , Wei Fengxia
Published: April 2024

Cheetham et al. reflect on one of their first Materials Horizons papers (Mater. Horiz., 2016, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6MH00053C) published in the journal and discuss how their work may have influenced the research field.
Simultaneously improving the pore structure and electron conductive network of the anode catalyst layer via SnO2 doping for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis
Authors: Li Bang , Li Guangfu , Wan Qiqi , Yuan Lei , Liu Yingying , Li Longxu , Zhuang Xiaodong , Zhang Junliang , Ke Changchun
Published: April 2024

The enhanced catalyst layer decreases isolated Ir atoms, improving the electronic network. It also increases contact area, reducing interface resistance, and enhances porosity to increase the specific surface area for catalytic reactions.
Nanogel-based composites for bacterial antibiofilm activity: advances, challenges, and prospects
Authors: Ali Amaal Abdulraqeb , Al Bostami Rouba D. , Al-Othman Amani
Published: April 2024

Nano-based approaches, particularly nanogels, have recently emerged as a potential strategy for combating biofilm-related infections.
Unveiling the multifaceted incorporation of Musa acuminata peduncle juice as a bio-corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in seawater-simulated solution
Authors: Ezzat Abdelrahman Osama , Aigbodion Victor Sunday , Al-Lohedan Hamad A. , Ozoude Chinemerem Jerry
Published: April 2024

This work assessed the ability of Musa acuminata peduncle juice extract to sustainably inhibit mild steel under salinized conditions.
A microcapsule-based reusable self-reporting system using a donor–acceptor Stenhouse adduct
Authors: Choi Soonyoung , Kim Gyeong Eun , Bae Hyoungeun , Choi Su Jeong , Jeong Ji-Eun , Kim Jin Chul , Na Hanah , Jung Hyocheol , Jung Yu Jin , Lee Sang-Ho , Park Young Il
Published: April 2024

Self-reporting systems automatically indicate damaged or corroded surfaces via color changes or fluorescence.
A new green fluorimetric micelle complexation approach for reduction of the consumed solvent and quantification of avapritinib in biological fluids
Authors: Salman Baher I. , Batakoushy Hany A. , Saraya Roshdy E. , Abdel-Aal Mohamed A. A. , Ibrahim Adel Ehab , Hassan Yasser F. , Hassan Ahmed I. , El-Shoura Ehab A. M.
Published: April 2024

A novel green fluorimetric approach for quantifying avapritinib in biological fluids (pharmacokinetic study).
Hydrogenation of cyclohexene over single-atom Pt or Pd incorporated porous ceria nanoparticles under solvent-free conditions
Authors: Atran Amal A. , Hamdy Mohamed S.
Published: April 2024

Single-atom Pt or Pd incorporated porous CeO2 nanoparticles was prepared through one-step flash-combustion technique. The prepared catalysts exhibited high activity in the hydrogenation of cyclohexene under solvent-free conditions.
Polyacetylenes with (hetero)aryl-, styryl-, and amino-phenothiazinyl sidechains: synthesis and photophysics
Authors: Pisetsky Wladislaw , Müller Thomas J. J.
Published: April 2024

A new series of soluble monosubstituted polyacetylenes bearing phenothiazines units with various ligation patterns is readily available by modern rhodium-catalyzed polymerization of corresponding ethynyl-phenothiazines.
An Exploratory Study of Bimodal Electro-Aural Stimulation Through the Ear Canals for Tinnitus
Authors: Tyler Richard S. , Varghese Leonard , Furman Adam C. , Snell Kimberly , Ji Helena , Rabinowitz William M.
Published: April 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study was to explore the potential for bimodal auditory and noninvasive electrical stimulation at the ears to alleviate tonal, somatic tinnitus that was investigated in a small preliminary trial (11 participants).

Design:

Auditory stimulation took the form of short “notched noise” bursts customized to each participant's tinnitus percept. Simultaneous pulsed electrical stimulation, intended to facilitate neuroplasticity, was delivered via hydrogel electrodes placed in opposite ears.

Results:

After a 6-week intervention period, average Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) and Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire (TPFQ) scores were consistent with clinically meaningful improvements in the study population. Magnitudes and effect sizes of improvements in TFI and TPFQ are comparable to those reported in other recent bimodal therapy studies using different auditory and electrical stimulation parameters.

Conclusions:

Our results should be considered preliminary given the small sample size, lack of crossover data, and small subject pool. When considered alongside other recent bimodal therapy results, we do believe that there are therapeutic benefits of bimodal stimulation for tinnitus sufferers that have the potential to help some with tinnitus, with a variety of stimulation parameters and electrode placements.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25444546
Discussing Patient Emotions in Audiology: Provider Experiences With the Implementation Process of Hearing Loss Psychological Inflexibility Screenings
Authors: Grigsby Sydnee , Muñoz Karen , San Miguel Guadalupe G. , Twohig Michael P.
Published: April 2024

Purpose:

This study aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators experienced by clinical educators and graduate students when talking with patients about difficult emotions and thoughts related to their hearing.

Method:

A longitudinal observational design was used and an Implementation Research Logic Model guided the process. Five clinical educators and five graduate students participated in the study. Participants completed pre- and postmeasures and attended individual debriefing sessions during the 8-month study period.

Results:

Four themes emerged from the debriefing sessions: (a) learning process, (b) confidence, (c) barriers, and (d) supervision. Participants described that the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–Managing Child Hearing Loss and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–Adult Hearing Loss served as a reminder to ask about patients' internal barriers and increased awareness of their discomfort in talking about patient emotions. Participants also described barriers and struggles related to supporting students in gaining counseling skills.

Conclusions:

Screening for internal challenges helped clinicians remember to talk with patients about their difficult thoughts and emotions. Clinician hesitancy to engage in conversations with patients about their emotions can interfere with opportunities for patients to share their struggles and with training student in these skills.
Developmental Effects in the “Vocale Rapide dans le Bruit” Speech-in-Noise Identification Test: Reference Performances of Normal-Hearing Children and Adolescents
Authors: Fontan Lionel , Desreumaux Jeanne
Published: April 2024

Purpose:

The main objective of this study was to assess the existence of developmental effects on the performance of the Vocale Rapide dans le Bruit (VRB) speech-in-noise (SIN) identification test that was recently developed for the French language and to collect reference scores for children and adolescents.

Method:

Seventy-two native French speakers, aged 10–20 years, participated in the study. Each participant listened and repeated four lists of eight sentences, each containing three key words to be scored. The sentences were presented in free field at different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) using a four-talker babble noise. The SNR yielding 50% of correct repetitions of key words (SNR
50
) was recorded for each list.

Results:

A strong relationship between age and SNR
50
was found, better performance occurring with increasing age (average drop in SNR
50
per year: 0.34 dB). Large differences (Cohen's
d
≥ 1.2) were observed between the SNR
50
achieved by 10- to 13-year-old participants and those of adults. For participants aged 14–15 years, the difference fell just above the 5% level of significance. No effects of hearing thresholds or level of education were observed.

Conclusions:

The study confirms the existence of developmental effects on SIN identification performance as measured using the VRB test and provides reference data for taking into account these effects during clinical practice. Explanations as to why age effects perdure during adolescence are discussed.
A Protocol for the Review of Examples of Transformational Change in the Energy and Public Health Sectors to Inform Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Interventions
Authors: Aitmambet Zharas , Dickman Joseph , Frölich Markus , Pasha Atika , Prowse Martin , Puri Jyotsna , Sharma Neha , Weiss Arne R.
Published: April 2024

This article describes the approach for an evidence review that combines two different evidence gap maps into one learning exercise on transformational change. The review assesses the evidence in two sectors where there has been demonstrable progress in terms of scale, depth and permanence of change: in energy and in behavioural change in public health. The review uses causal evidence to assess how lessons about transformational change in these two sectors may inform climate change mitigation and adaptation investments in low- and middle-income countries. The evidence gap maps will inform the scope of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Evaluating harmonic oscillator propagator with stochastic decoupling
Authors: Shao Jiushu
Published: April 2024

By virtue of stochastic decoupling, the quantum evolution of a harmonic oscillator is converted into two virtual contributions dictated by either a stochastic creation operator or a stochastic annihilation operator. Two approaches are provided to resolve these virtual two evolution operators. One is based on the coherent-state representation and the other deals with the momentum representation after separating out the position and momentum factors. The quantum propagator of the harmonic oscillator is obtained by taking the random average of the combined virtual propagators. The main mathematical exercise of the whole procedure is the calculation of the Gaussian integral.
Possessive construction in the Kurdish language
Authors: Dehghan Masoud , Davari Hossein , Badakhshan Ebrahim
Published: April 2024

The present study investigates Possessive Constructions and domains of possession in Kalhori Kurdish (KK) from a
Cognitive Linguistics perspective to reveal the arrangement of constituents and relationships between the head (possessee) and
dependent (possessor). This qualitative descriptive-analytical study collected data by interviewing KK speakers in Iran. The
results indicate that KK speakers employ both the B-construction (­hin-e­) and Be-construction
(ha) at the clause level to denote predicative possession characterized by [−whole-part, −kinship]
relationships and [+alienable] ownership. Additionally, KK speakers were found to utilize the H-construction (/dire/) at the
clause level associated with [+whole-part, +kinship] relationships and [±alienable] ownership. KK speakers also employ possession
splits in nominal/attributive possession by attaching the possessor, marked by the [+human] feature, to the possessee, marked by
the [±human] feature, as an affix.
Expert consensus statements and summary of proceedings from the International Safety and Quality of Parenteral Nutrition Summit
Authors: Ayers Phil , Berger Mette M , Berlana David , Cogle Sarah V , De Cloet Joeri , Gray Brenda , Klek Stanislaw , Kumpf Vanessa J , Monczka Jessica , Ybarra Joe , Zeraschi Sarah , Wischmeyer Paul E
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The International Safety and Quality of Parenteral Nutrition (PN) Summit consisted of presentations, discussions, and formulation of consensus statements. The purpose here is to briefly summarize the summit and to present the consensus statements.

There was a high degree of consensus, with all statements approved by all authors/summit experts. These consensus statements should be regarded not as formal guidelines but rather as best-practice guidance intended to complement national and international nutrition society evidence-based guidelines and position statements. This article also summarizes key discussion topics from the summit, encompassing up-to-date knowledge and practical guidance concerning PN safety and quality in various countries and clinical settings, focusing on adult patients. Clear geographical differences exist between practices in Europe and the United States, and different approaches to improve the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of PN vary, particularly with regard to the delivery systems used. Discussion between experts allowed for an exchange of practical experience in optimizing PN use processes, opportunities for standardization, use of electronic systems, potential improvements in PN formulations, better management during PN component shortages, and practical guidance to address patients’ needs, particularly during long-term/home PN.

Conclusion

The consensus statements are the collective opinion of the panel members and form best-practice guidance. The authors intend that this guidance may help to improve the safety and quality of PN in a variety of settings by bridging the gap between published guideline recommendations and common practical issues.
Testing region selection and prognostic analysis of MLH1 promoter methylation in colorectal cancer in China
Authors: Tan Xiaoli , Fang Yongzhen , Fan Xinjuan , Deng Weihao , Huang Jinglin , Cai Yacheng , Zou Jiaxin , Chen Zhiting , Lin Hanjie , Xu Liang , Wang Guannan , Zhan Huanmiao , Huang Shuhui , Fu Xinhui
Published: April 2024

Background

MLH1 promoter methylation analysis is recommended in screening for Lynch syndrome (LS) in patients with MLH1-deficient colorectal cancer (CRC). The study aims to identify specific methylation regions in the MLH1 promoter and to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics of and prognosis for patients with MLH1 methylation.

Methods

A total of 580 CRC cases were included. The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression was assessed by using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The methylation status of the Regions A, B, C, D, and E in the MLH1 promoter was tested by using bisulfite sequencing PCR. The specificities of the five regions were calculated. Associations between MLH1 methylation and clinicopathologic characteristics were evaluated. Kaplan–Meier analyses for overall survival (OS) were carried out.

Results

In 580 CRC cases, the specificities of the methylation test in Regions D and E were both 97.8%. In the MLH1-deficient CRCs, the frequencies of MLH1 methylation and BRAFV600E mutation were 52.6% and 14.6%, respectively; BRAFV600E mutation occurred in 27.7% of patients with MLH1-methylated CRC. In the MMR-deficient patients, compared with MLH1 unmethylation, MLH1 methylation was more common in patients who were aged ≥50 years, female, had no family history of LS-related tumors, and had tumors located at the right colon. In the MMR-deficient patients, the MLH1-methylated cases had lower OS rates than the unmethylated cases with a family history of LS-related tumors (P = 0.047).

Conclusions

Regions D and E in the MLH1 promoter are recommended for determining the MLH1 methylation status in screening for LS in MLH1-deficient CRC. In MMR-deficient patients, the MLH1-methylated cases had a worse OS than the unmethylated cases with a family history of LS-related cancer.
The metropolitan parks of Quito as important carbon sinks
Authors: Rodríguez Laura Cifuentes , Cuesta Francisco
Published: April 2024

Despite the importance of urban forests as important carbon sinks, studies in Ecuador have yet to assess their potential to store carbon. We assessed the carbon stored in the aboveground biomass (AGB) and annual rates of AGB accumulation in the Guangüiltagua Metropolitan Park (GMP) and the Southern Metropolitan Park (SMP). We installed 11 plots per park of 0.063 ha, where we surveyed all stems with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥2.5 cm. To estimate annual increments in AGB, we installed dendrometer bands on 10% of the total stems recorded in each plot (only in stems with ≥10 cm DBH). We measured the dendrometer band segment increase every 4 months from September 2019 to October 2020. Our results show that the GMP stores 171 ± 96 Mg C ha−1, significantly higher than the amount of carbon storage recorded in the SMP (100 ± 41 Mg C ha−1). In contrast, the GMP sequestered 3.30 ± 1.71 Mg C ha year−1, while the SMP sequestered an average of 4.45 ± 2.63 Mg C ha year−1. At the landscape scale, the SMP contains 0.072 Tg C (0.058–0.091, 95% CI), while the GMP contains a reservoir of 0.096 Tg C (0.067–0.13, 95% CI). Likewise, the AGB in the SMP 3,165 Mg C year−1 (2209–4297, 95% CI), while that in the GMP sequestered 1859 Mg year−1 (1361–2430, 95% CI). Our results show that the metropolitan parks of Quito are important carbon sinks and constitute essential elements in mitigating climate change in urban spaces.
Second-generation immigrants and native attitudes toward immigrants in Europe
Authors: Barrera-Rodríguez Oscar , Bensidoun Isabelle , Edo Anthony
Published: April 2024

This article investigates the role immigrants and their native-born children play in shaping native attitudes toward immigrants in the European Union. By exploiting the 2017 Special Eurobarometer on immigrant integration, we show that countries with a relatively high share of immigrants are more likely to believe that immigrants are a burden on the welfare system and worsen crime. In contrast, native opinions on the impact of immigration on culture and the labor market are unrelated to the presence of immigrants. We also find that the effects of second-generation immigrants on pro-immigrant attitudes toward security and fiscal concerns are positive (as opposed to first-generation immigrants). Finally, we find no impact of the immigrant share on the attitudes of natives supporting far-left or left political parties, while it is the most negative among respondents affiliated with far-right parties.
Does exposure to books foster a taste for spatial mobility? Home library size in childhood and adult migration intentions
Authors: Brunarska Zuzanna , Ivlevs Artjoms
Published: April 2024

Does exposure to books in childhood encourage adult migration? We contend that it does—through reading, which provides a simulative experience and arouses readers’ curiosity, as well as raising their openness to new experiences, awareness of opportunities in other places, and confidence in social situations, all of which foster migration intentions. Using data from the Life in Transition-III Survey, we find that the number of books in a childhood home is positively related to adult migration intentions. This relationship holds after controlling for a set of socio-economic characteristics, including individual and parental education. We also show that the book effect increases with the respondents’ level of education.
Compilation, Translation and Vernacular Composition after Arundel: John Lydgate’s Life of Our Lady
Authors: Sweet W H E
Published: April 2024

John Lydgate’s Life of Our Lady (1416–1421), a digressive devotional poem centred on a biography of Mary and a liturgical cycle from Christmas to Candlemas, challenges recent critical opinions on the limited direct impact of Archbishop Thomas Arundel’s Constitutions of 1409. The poem both shapes and is shaped by the spirit of the age; it was likely intended for Henry V himself, survives in 50 manuscripts and was printed by William Caxton. In Life of Our Lady, Lydgate neither breaks the rules of Arundel’s Constitutions nor seeks reform. He experiences the rules as stimulation, not censorship. He will not straightforwardly apply Latinate authority to the vernacular. He draws attention to his authority as a writer, rather than to the language he uses, in order to create official ways to write an original, authoritative text for private use without Church intervention. He shows that neither compilation—as passive assembly of texts—nor translation—as a means of doing this in the vernacular—properly addressed the problems that Arundel had identified. Life of Our Lady purports to be an exercise in ‘dullness’ in the fifteenth century—self-effacement as the compiler and translator of authoritative sources—precisely because Lydgate uses the strictures of compilation and translation so cleverly to create his own vernacular authority. He uses this vernacular authority for original composition and to help readers in their private devotion.
Patterns of physiotherapy attendance in compensated Australian workers with low back pain: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Di Donato Michael , Sheehan Luke R. , Iles Ross , Gray Shannon , Buchbinder Rachelle , Collie Alex
Published: April 2024

Workers with low back pain (LBP) frequently seek care from physiotherapists. We sought to identify patterns of physiotherapy attendance and factors associated with these patterns in Australian workers with accepted compensation claims for LBP. We included workers with accepted workers' compensation claims for LBP from 4 Australian states between 2011 and 2015. We used trajectory modelling to identify distinct groups of workers based on the number (ie, volume) of monthly physiotherapy attendances over a 2-year period from claim acceptance. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to compare the characteristics of the groups. A small but significant proportion attend numerous times over a long period. 79.0% of the sample (N = 22,767) attended physiotherapy at least once in the 2 years after claim acceptance. Among these, trajectory modelling identified 4 distinct patterns of attendance. Most (N = 11,808, 51.9%) recorded a short-term low-volume pattern, 26.8% (n = 6089) recorded a short-term high-volume pattern, 14.3% (n = 3255) recorded a long-term low-volume pattern, and 7.1% (n = 1615) recorded a long-term high-volume pattern. Workers from Victoria (OR 0.34, 99% CI 0.31, 0.37), South Australia (OR 0.69, 99% CI 0.60, 0.80), and Western Australia (OR 0.79, 99% CI 0.69, 0.88) were significantly less likely to attend physiotherapy than workers from Queensland. Victorian workers were significantly more likely to be in one of the 2 long-term trajectory groups (OR 8.17, 99% CI 6.86, 9.73; OR 18.68, 99% CI 13.57, 25.70). In conclusion, most compensated Australian workers with LBP attend physiotherapy. Significant interjurisdictional differences between attendance patterns suggests that policy may play an important role in healthcare delivery.
Long-term outcome and prognostic value of angiographic slow/no-reflow phenomenon after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Bamarinejad Atefeh , Kermani-Alghoraishi Mohammad , Soleimani Azam , Roohafza Hamidreza , Yazdekhasti Safoura , MirmohammadSadeghi Amirhossein , Bamarinejad Fatemeh , Sadeghi Masoumeh
Published: April 2024

Background

The coronary slow flow/no-reflow phenomenon (CSF/NRP) is a common complication of emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Its long-term prognostic value, however, remains unclear. This study investigated the long-term outcome and prognostic value of CSF/NRP after emergency PCI for STEMI.

Methods

This retrospective, multicenter registry-based cohort study was conducted in STEMI patients who underwent emergency PCI between 2015 and 2016. Incidence of in-hospital mortality, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), and all-cause mortality during long-term follow-up were compared between CSF/NRP patients and the normal flow group. Cox proportional-hazards regression model was performed to identify the predictive impact of CSF/NRP in short- and long-term outcomes.

Results

A total of 649 STEMI patients were included in the study, of whom 193 (29.7%) developed CSF/NRP following emergency PCI. The CSF/NRP group had a higher incidence of in-hospital mortality than the non-CSF/NRP group (8.2 vs. 4.3%, P = 0.04). All-cause mortality incidence was also higher in the CSF/NRP group during 5-year follow-up (22.2 vs. 16.2%, P = 0.04). The Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for demographic and clinical variables identified the NRP as an independent predictor of 5-year cardiac mortality [hazard ratio: 1.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–3.31; P = 0.02]. In a landmark analysis, no difference was seen in overall mortality among the two study groups between 1 month and 5-year follow-up (hazard ratio: 1.33; 95% CI: 0.80–2.21, P-value: 0.23). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed lower 3-year cumulative MACCE-free survival in the CSF/NRP group compared with the normal flow group (P = 0.02).

Conclusion

CSF/NRP in STEMI patients is associated with a worse short- and long-term prognosis. These results, however, are mostly related to the acute phase, and CSF/NRP had limited influence on clinical outcomes in early survivors of STEMI.
Paraspinous Muscle Flaps in Complex Pediatric Spine Surgeries
Authors: Falade Israel , Park Keon Min , Conkling Nicole , Kim Esther A. , Hansen Scott L. , Hoffman William , Piper Merisa L.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The benefits of paraspinous flaps in adult complex spine surgery patients are established in the literature; however, their use in pediatric patients has not been well described. This study compares clinical outcomes with and without paraspinous muscle flap closure in pediatric patients who have undergone spine surgery.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of all pediatric spine surgeries at the University of California, San Francisco from 2011 to 2022. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts based on whether the plastic surgery service closed or did not close the wound with paraspinous muscle flaps. We matched patients by age, American Society of Anesthesiology classification, prior spinal surgical history, and diagnosis. Surgical outcomes were compared between the 2 cohorts.

Results

We identified 226 pediatric patients who underwent at least one spinal surgery, 14 of whom received paraspinous flap closure by plastic surgery. They were matched in a 1:4 ratio with controls (n = 56) that did not have plastic surgery closure. The most common indication for plastic surgery involvement was perceived complexity of disease by the spine surgeon with concern for inadequate healthy tissue coverage (78.6%), followed by infection (21.4%). Postoperative complications were similar between the two groups. The plastic surgery cohort had a higher rate of patients who were underweight (57.1% vs 14.3%, P < 0.01) and had positive preoperative wound cultures (28.6% vs 8.9%, P = 0.05), as well as a higher rate of postoperative antibiotic usage (78.6 vs 17.9%, P < 0.01). There was no difference in recorded postoperative outcomes.

Conclusions

Spine surgeons requested paraspinous flap closure for patients with more complex disease, preoperative infections, history of chemotherapy, or if they were underweight. Patients with paraspinous flap coverage did not have increased postoperative complications despite their elevated risk profile. Our findings suggest that paraspinous muscle flaps should be considered in high-risk pediatric patients who undergo spine surgery.
PROTGOAT : Improved automated protein function predictions using Protein Language Models
Authors: Chua Zong Ming , Rajesh Adarsh , Sinha Sanju , Adams Peter D.
Published: April 2024

Accurate prediction of protein function is crucial for understanding biological processes and various disease mechanisms. Current methods for protein function prediction relies primarily on sequence similarities and often misses out on important aspects of protein function. New developments in protein function prediction methods have recently shown exciting progress via the use of large transformer-based Protein Language Models (PLMs) that allow for the capture of nuanced relationships between amino acids in protein sequences which are crucial for understanding their function. This has enabled an unprecedented level of accuracy in predicting the functions of previously little understood proteins. We here developed an ensemble method called PROTGOAT based on embeddings extracted from multiple and diverse pre-trained PLMs and existing text information about the protein in published literature. PROTGOAT outperforms most current state-of-the-art methods, ranking fourth in the Critical Assessment of Functional Annotation (CAFA 5), a global competition benchmarking such developments among 1600 methods tested. The high performance of our method demonstrates how protein function prediction can be improved through the use of an ensemble of diverse PLMs. PROTGOAT is publicly available for academic use and can be accessed here:https://github.com/zongmingchua/cafa5
Genetic Diversity Analysis of a Multi-Gene Bank Collection of Eggplant (Solanum melongenaL.): Insights from Morphological Traits and SSR Markers
Authors: Lipio Patrick Louie G. , Oloc-Oloc Ian Bien M. , Guinto Timothy D. , Diamante Bryan Anthony A. , Caraan John Albert M. , Hermoso Richard T. , Huelgas Visitacion C. , Hautea Desiree M.
Published: April 2024

Multiple pests and diseases significantly affect eggplant (Solanum melongenaL.) yield. Its principal pest, the eggplant fruit and shoot borer [EFSB,Leucinodes orbonalisGuenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)], damages plants from the early vegetative stage to the late fruiting stage, while infestation by the green leafhopper [Amrasca biguttulaIshida (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)] stunts vegetative growth. Analyzing the diversity of the worldwide collections in different gene banks would allow for the effective use of stockpiled genetic resources for the breeding of insect-resistant eggplant. The genetic diversity and population structure of 96 accessions from four (4) germplasm collections were assessed using marker data from 20 poly-morphic microsatellite (SSR, simple sequence repeats) markers distributed among all 14 linkage groups. Phenotypes that were given focus included those linked to possible physical barriers to herbivory and possible presence of defensive compounds. The average number of alleles (n) across loci was 4.8, with an average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.59, suggesting that the SSR loci were moderately informative. Population structure analysis yielded two subgroups with moderate to highly significant differentiation within each cluster (Fst1and Fst2= 0.23 and 0.14, respectively). Taken together, hierarchical clustering and population structure analysis were able to discriminate accessions by vegetative characters but were not able to effectively discriminate based on geo-graphic provenance, fruit phenotype, nor mean EFSB incidence.
Human intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei transiently gate conscious perception through the thalamocortical loop
Authors: Fang Zepeng , Dang Yuanyuan , Ping Anan , Wang Chenyu , Zhao Qianchuan , Zhao Hulin , Li Xiaoli , Zhang Mingsha
Published: April 2024

Human high-order thalamic nuclei have been known to closely correlate with conscious states. However, given the great difference of conscious states and contents (conscious perception), it is nearly unknown how those thalamic nuclei and thalamocortical interactions directly contribute to the transient process of conscious perception. To address this question, we simultaneously recorded local field potentials (LFP) in the human intralaminar, medial and ventral thalamic nuclei as well as in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), while patients with implanted electrodes performing a visual consciousness task. Overall, compared to the ventral nuclei, intralaminar and medial nuclei showed earlier and stronger consciousness-related activity. Moreover, the transient thalamocortical neural synchrony and cross-frequency coupling were both driven by the theta phase of the intralaminar and medial nuclei during conscious perception. These results indicated that the intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei, rather than the commonly believed PFC, play a decisive ‘gate’ role in conscious perception.

Highlights

Intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei showed earlier and stronger visual consciousness-related activity, comparing to the ventral nuclei.

Intralaminar and medial thalamic transiently drove the thalamocortical synchronization through theta (2-8Hz) phase modulation during the emergence of visual consciousness.

Theta phase of intralaminar and medial thalamic activity dynamically regulated the amplitude of PFC activity during the emergence of consciousness.

Intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei showed more regulation on lateral PFC than on other PFC subregions during the emergence of consciousness.
Indirect Cooling of Weakly Coupled Trapped-Ion Mechanical Oscillators
Authors: Hou Pan-Yu , Wu Jenny J. , Erickson Stephen D. , Zarantonello Giorgio , Brandt Adam D. , Cole Daniel C. , Wilson Andrew C. , Slichter Daniel H. , Leibfried Dietrich
Published: April 2024

Cooling the motion of trapped ions to near the quantum ground state is crucial for many applications in quantum information processing and quantum metrology. However, certain motional modes of trapped-ion crystals can be difficult to cool due to weak or zero interaction between the modes and the cooling radiation, typically laser beams. We overcome this challenge by coupling a mode that interacts weakly with cooling radiation to one that interacts strongly with cooling radiation using parametric modulation of the trapping potential, thereby enabling indirect cooling of the weakly interacting mode. In this way, we demonstrate near-ground-state cooling of motional modes with weak or zero cooling radiation interaction in multi-ion crystals of the same and mixed ion species, specifically Be+9−Be+9, Be+9−Mg+25, and Be+9−Mg+25−Be+9 crystals. This approach can be generally applied to any Coulomb crystal where certain motional modes cannot be directly cooled efficiently, including crystals containing molecular ions, highly charged ions, charged fundamental particles, or charged macroscopic objects.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
How to interact with consumers to enhance their purchase intention? Evidence from China’s agricultural products live streaming commerce
Authors: Tan Si
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of interaction in agricultural product live rooms, including personalization, responsiveness, and entertainment, on consumers’ purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The SOR model has been applied to formulate hypotheses. This study is based on an online survey conducted with a sample of 433 valid questionnaires from Chinese consumers on the TikTok agricultural products live platform. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings indicate that (1) interactions (personalization, responsiveness, and entertainment) in the agricultural products live room have a positive effect on perceived values (utilitarian value, symbolic value, and entertainment value); (2) utilitarian value positively affects purchase intention and mediates the effects of personalization and entertainment interactions on purchase intention, respectively; (3) entertainment value positively influences purchase intention and mediates the influence of entertainment interaction on purchase intention.

Originality/value

This study offers theoretical insights into live marketing of agricultural products and practical implications for practitioners of agricultural products in live streaming commerce.
Empirical analysis of strategies to overcome the barriers of LSS implementation in Indian small manufacturing enterprises: an application of ISM-MICMAC
Authors: Singh Mahipal , Kaswan Mahender Singh Singh , Rathi Rajeev
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore and model the strategies to overcome the barriers of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in Indian small manufacturing enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, 31 strategies of LSS implementation in SMEs have been identified through detailed literature review and out of them, 13 are finalized using statistical tools like CIMTC and Importance-Index analysis. Moreover, the consistency of finalized strategies was examined through reliability test using SPSS software version 22. The finalized strategies are modelled through interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and classified them using MICMAC based on their driving and dependency power.

Findings

The key findings of this techno-managerial study are identification and modelling of 13 strategies to overcome adoption challenges of LSS in context of Indian SMEs. The usage of ISM-MICMAC approach provides the guidance to industrialist consider the mutual interaction of strategies during planning and scheduling for LSS projects.

Research limitations/implications

Due to human involvement and judgements, there may be chance of biasness and subjectivity during construction of self-interaction matrix. Also, the number of identified strategies to overcomes barriers of LSS adoption may vary by altering nature, scope and region of research.

Originality/value

Literature is full of studies regarding LSS barriers and its rankings. Also, few studies explored the solutions of LSS barriers and prioritized them. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, our study is very rare to witness which expose the strategies to overcome the barriers and frame the mutual interaction are per the driving and dependence power of strategies. The application of ISM-MICMAC approach suggests a roadmap for implementing LSS approach efficiently through considering developed ISM model of strategies in context of SMEs.
Frailty: perceptions of occupational therapists in Ireland
Authors: Griffin Niamh , O’Sullivan Leah , Usher Ruth
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Ireland’s ageing population has resulted in an increasing number of older adults living with frailty. Despite growing attention towards older adults’ and health professionals’ perspectives of frailty, occupational therapy research is limited. This study aims to explore occupational therapists’ perceptions of frailty and how their perceptions impact their approach to the assessment and management of frailty.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative descriptive design, 19 occupational therapists working with older adults participated in online focus groups. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

Perceptions of occupational therapists were constructed into three main themes: conceptualising frailty; management of frailty; and advancing frailty practice. Findings indicate that occupational therapists perceived frailty as a multidimensional concept but highlight a reluctance to use frailty terminology with patients. Findings also suggest that although occupational therapists are involved in provision of care for older adults living with frailty, the profession’s scope is not optimised in the assessment and management of frailty.

Originality/value

Findings provide insight into occupational therapists’ perceptions of frailty. Development of a shared understanding of frailty between clinicians and patients and enhancement of undergraduate frailty education are recommended to progress occupational therapy’s role in frailty management.
AI in software programming: understanding emotional responses to GitHub Copilot
Authors: Eshraghian Farjam , Hafezieh Najmeh , Farivar Farveh , de Cesare Sergio
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various areas of professional and knowledge work are growing. Emotions play an important role in how users incorporate a technology into their work practices. The current study draws on work in the areas of AI-powered technologies adaptation, emotions, and the future of work, to investigate how knowledge workers feel about adopting AI in their work.

Design/methodology/approach

We gathered 107,111 tweets about the new AI programmer, GitHub Copilot, launched by GitHub and analysed the data in three stages. First, after cleaning and filtering the data, we applied the topic modelling method to analyse 16,130 tweets posted by 10,301 software programmers to identify the emotions they expressed. Then, we analysed the outcome topics qualitatively to understand the stimulus characteristics driving those emotions. Finally, we analysed a sample of tweets to explore how emotional responses changed over time.

Findings

We found six categories of emotions among software programmers: challenge, achievement, loss, deterrence, scepticism, and apathy. In addition, we found these emotions were driven by four stimulus characteristics: AI development, AI functionality, identity work, and AI engagement. We also examined the change in emotions over time. The results indicate that negative emotions changed to more positive emotions once software programmers redirected their attention to the AI programmer's capabilities and functionalities, and related that to their identity work.

Practical implications

Overall, as organisations start adopting AI-powered technologies in their software development practices, our research offers practical guidance to managers by identifying factors that can change negative emotions to positive emotions.

Originality/value

Our study makes a timely contribution to the discussions on AI and the future of work through the lens of emotions. In contrast to nascent discussions on the role of AI in high-skilled jobs that show knowledge workers' general ambivalence towards AI, we find knowledge workers show more positive emotions over time and as they engage more with AI. In addition, this study unveils the role of professional identity in leading to more positive emotions towards AI, as knowledge workers view such technology as a means of expanding their identity rather than as a threat to it.
Influencing the follower behavior: the role of homophily and perceived usefulness, credibility and enjoyability of travel content
Authors: Machado Carvalho Maria Amélia
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The study examines how the three dimensions of homophily (attitude, background, and value) influence the perceived usefulness, credibility, and enjoyability of travel content and follower behavior (i.e. willingness to search for more information and intention to visit the destination and purchase the tourism product). Likewise, the study investigates how content perception influences follower behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 621 Instagram users from generations Y and Z who follow at least one travel influencer and intend to travel in the next twelve months was collected through an online survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was adopted to examine the data.

Findings

Attitudinal homophily influences follower behavior, value homophily impacts content perception, and background homophily has a counterproductive effect. Likewise, content perceived as useful and credible induces the intention to visit and purchase the tourism product.

Research limitations/implications

The generalization of the results must be performed with care, as the context of analysis is limited to a social platform and only includes Portuguese individuals.

Practical implications

The findings help managers better understand which homophily cues influence content perception and maximize influencer persuasion. Based on the results, they can better decide which travel influencers should endorse their tourism products.

Originality/value

Research on homophily has neglected the multidimensionality of the concept and its analysis in the tourism context. By using a consolidated approach to homophily, content perception, and follower behavior, this study contributes to the tourism marketing literature and expands influencer marketing research.
Sense and sensibility: dual routes from ethical leadership to moral voice
Authors: Chien ChungJen , Lin YuChi
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Ethical leadership has been recognized as a critical factor in encouraging employees’ moral voices. This study offers a dual-route model to understand this process. The boundary conditions of these two routes are discussed herein.

Design/methodology/approach

The data originate from a multiwave, multisource survey study of 212 leader–subordinate dyads in Taiwan drawn from a variety of industry sectors.

Findings

The findings validate both the cognitive (moral efficacy) and affective (affective attachment) pathways from ethical leadership to moral voice, influenced by the organizational factor of political climate. While the moral efficacy pathway is more pronounced in a situation of weak political climate, the affective attachment pathway remains effective regardless of the climate’s strength.

Practical implications

Managers need to identify if their organization prioritizes rational professionalism or interpersonal affection. In the former case, they should focus on the learning effects of ethical leadership. Conversely, in the latter, the emphasis should be on the leader-subordinate relationship. Doing so optimizes the effectiveness of ethical leadership in growing moral voices.

Originality/value

Considering both cognitive and affective routes from ethical leadership to moral voice could integrate social learning theory (SLT) and social exchange theory (SET). Identifying factors influencing these two routes resonates with the leader–situation interaction perspective. This research deepens the understanding of ethical leadership's effects on encouraging and protecting employee moral voice.
Unveiling the impact of SFDR on unlisted real estate funds: a J-Curve and panel regression analysis
Authors: Gloria Benedikt , Leutner Sebastian , Bienert Sven
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper investigates the relationship between the sustainable finance disclosure regulation (SFDR) and the performance of unlisted real estate funds.

Design/methodology/approach

While existing literature has primarily focused on the impact of voluntary sustainability disclosure, such as certifications or reporting standards, this study addresses a significant research gap by constructing and analyzing the financial J-Curve of 40 funds under the SFDR. The authors employ a panel regression analysis to examine the effects of different SFDR categories on fund performance.

Findings

The findings reveal that funds categorized under Article 8 of the SFDR do not exhibit significantly poorer performance compared to funds categorized under Article 6 during the initial phase after launch. On average, Article 8 funds even demonstrate positive returns earlier than their peers. However, the panel regression analysis suggests that Article 8 funds slightly underperform when compared to Article 6 funds over time.

Practical implications

While investors may not anticipate lower initial returns when opting for higher SFDR categories, they should nevertheless be aware of the limitations inherent in the existing SFDR labeling system within the unlisted real estate sector.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first quantitative examination of unlisted real estate fund performance under the SFDR. By providing unique insights into the J-Curves of funds, our research contributes to the existing body of knowledge on the impact of sustainability regulations in the financial sector.