bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decrypting the complex phenotyping traits of plants by machine learning
Authors: Zdrazil Jan , Kong Lingping , Klimeš Pavel , Jasso-Robles Francisco Ignacio , Saiz-Fernández Iñigo , Güder Firat , Spíchal Lukaš , Snášel Václav , De Diego Nuria
Published: November 2024

Phenotypes, defining an organism’s behaviour and physical attributes, arise from the complex, dynamic interplay of genetics, development, and environment, whose interactions make it enormously challenging to forecast future phenotypic traits of a plant at a given moment. This work reports AMULET, a modular approach that uses imaging-based high-throughput phenotyping and machine learning to predict morphological and physiological plant traits hours to days before they are visible. AMULET streamlines the phenotyping process by integrating plant detection, prediction, segmentation, and data analysis, enhancing workflow efficiency and reducing time. The machine learning models used data from over 30,000 plants, using theArabidopsis thaliana-Pseudomonas syringaepathosystem. AMULET also demonstrated its adaptability by accurately detecting and predicting phenotypes ofin vitropotato plants after minimal fine-tuning with a small dataset. The general approach implemented through AMULET streamlines phenotyping and will improve breeding programs and agricultural management by enabling pre-emptive interventions optimising plant health and productivity.
PYR1 biosensor-driven genome-wide CRISPR screens for improved monoterpenoid production inKluyveromyces marxianus
Authors: Robertson Nicholas R. , Lenert-Mondou Chase , Leonard Alison C. , Tafrishi Aida , Carrera Stephanie , Lee Sangcheon , Aguilar Yuna , Zamora Leonardo Sanchez , Nguyen Trinity , Beltrán Jesús , Li Mengwan , Cutler Sean R. , Whitehead Timothy A. , Wheeldon Ian
Published: November 2024

Monoterpenoids are valued for their roles as flavors, fragrances, insecticides, and energy-dense fuels. Microbial biosynthesis offers sustainable biosynthesis routes for these important molecules, but production levels remain limited. Here, we introduce a biosensor-driven microbial engineering strategy to enhance monoterpenoid production, specifically targeting geraniol. Using mutagenized libraries of the PYR1 receptor—a versatile biosensor from plant ABA signaling pathways with a malleable binding pocket—we screened 24 monoterpenoids and identified PYR1 variants responsive to eight, including geraniol. A low background, highly selective geraniol-sensitive PYR1 variant was expressed in the thermotolerant yeastKluyveromyces marxianusas a growth-based biosensor circuit, allowing for rapid strain engineering. By coupling the geraniol-sensitive PYR1 sensor with a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis approach, we identified six gene knockouts that enhance geraniol production, achieving up to a 2-fold increase in titer. This study demonstrates the power of the PYR1 biosensor platform to enable rapid strain engineering and the identification of mutants that improve titer of a desired metabolite.
Sulfatide deficiency-induced astrogliosis and myelin lipid dyshomeostasis are independent of Trem2-mediated microglial activation
Authors: Mittra Namrata , He Sijia , Bao Hanmei , Bhattacharjee Anindita , Dodds Sherry G , Dupree Jeffrey L , Han Xianlin
Published: November 2024

Disrupted lipid homeostasis and neuroinflammation often co-exist in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the intrinsic connection and causal relationship between these deficits remain elusive. Our previous studies show that the loss of sulfatide (ST), a class of myelin-enriched lipids, causes AD-like neuroinflammatory responses, cognitive impairment, bladder enlargement, as well as lipid dyshomeostasis. To better understand the relationship between neuroinflammation and lipid disruption induced by ST deficiency, we established a ST-deficient mouse model with constitutiveTrem2knockout and studied the impact of Trem2 in regulating ST deficiency-induced microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, astrocyte activation and lipid disruption. Our study demonstrates that Trem2 regulates ST deficiency-induced microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory pathways and astrogliosis at the transcriptomic level, but not astrocyte activation at the protein level, suggesting that Trem2 is indispensable for ST deficiency-induced microglia-mediated neuroinflammation but not astrogliosis. Meanwhile, ST loss-induced lipidome disruption and free water retention were consistently observed in the absence ofTrem2. Collectively, these results emphasize the essential role of Trem2 in mediating lipid loss-associated microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, but not both astrogliosis and myelin lipid disruption. Moreover, we demonstrated that attenuating neuroinflammation has a limited impact on brain ST loss-induced lipidome alteration or AD-like peripheral disorders. Our findings suggest that preserving lipidome and astrocyte balance may be crucial in decelerating the progression of AD.
Naturally-occurring, strain-specific defects in the retraction ofAcinetobacter baumanniitype IV pili promote biofilm formation
Authors: Yu Yafan , Mahdi Rabab , Leon Ahmad Al-Hilfy , Vo Nam , Lofgren Reese , Mutabazi Jean Luc , Piepenbrink Kurt H.
Published: November 2024

Type IV pili are helical filaments composed of protein subunits which are produced by numerous taxa of bacteria, includingAcinetobacter. Type IV pili are extended out from the cell by extension enzyme complexes, which extract subunits from the membrane and insert them into the base of the filament, but can also be retracted by reverse rotation catalyzed by a retraction enzyme. Type IV pili have diverse functions, and some (twitching motility, DNA-uptake) require retraction while others (host adhesion, bacterial aggregation) do not.Acinetobacterbacteria, including International Clone I (IC-I) and International Clone II (IC-II) strains, show variable phenotypes in assays of type IV pilus-dependent functions. We show this variation is the result of variable efficiency in pilus retraction between pilus subtypes, and from that, a differential balance between retraction-dependent and retraction-independent functions. We define type IV pilus subtypes based on the sequence of the major subunit, PilA. In both naturally-occurringpilAvariants from the IC-I and IC-II groups and isogenic strains complemented with IC-I or IC-IIpilA, the IC-I pilus subtype promotes greater twitching motility and DNA-uptake while the IC-II pilus subtype promotes biofilm formation while showing reduced capacity for DNA-uptake and twitching motility, similar to a retraction-deficient mutant and consistent with the hypothesis that pilus retraction of the IC-II pilus is naturally deficient. Testing the hypothesis that this defect in retraction was sufficient to increase the level of piliation on the cell surface, we compared the yields of T4P sheared from the cell surface and found that in an isogenic background, complementation with IC-IIpilAresults in greater levels of surface PilA per cell than equivalent complementation with an IC-IpilAgene.
Opposing action of photosystem II assembly factors RBD1 and HCF136 underlies light-regulatedpsbAtranslation in plant chloroplasts
Authors: Rojas Margarita , Chotewutmontri Prakitchai , Williams-Carrier Rosalind , Belcher Susan , Boyce Emily , Barkan Alice
Published: November 2024

The D1 reaction center protein of photosystem II (PSII) is subject to light-induced damage. In plants, D1 photodamage activates translation of the chloroplastpsbAmRNA encoding D1, providing D1 for PSII repair. Genetic data have implicated three D1 assembly factors in the regulatory mechanism: HCF244 and RBD1 activatepsbAtranslation whereas HCF136 repressespsbAtranslation in the dark. To clarify the regulatory circuit, we analyzedpsbAribosome occupancy in dark-adapted and illuminatedrbd1andhcf136;rbd1double mutants in Arabidopsis, and in Zm-hcf244and Zm-hcf136;Zm-hcf244double mutants in maize. The results show that RBD1 is required for the light-induced recruitment of ribosomes topsbAmRNA but has little effect onpsbAribosome occupancy in the dark. Furthermore, RBD1 is dispensable forpsbAtranslation when HCF136 is absent, indicating that RBD1 activatespsbAtranslation indirectly, by inhibiting HCF136’s repressive effect. By contrast, HCF244 is required to recruit ribosomes topsbAmRNA in light, dark, and in the absence of HCF136. These results demonstrate that the step in D1 assembly that is mediated by RBD1 is central to the perception of the D1 photodamage that triggers D1 synthesis, that RBD1 activatespsbAtranslation in the light by relieving the repressive effect of an HCF136-dependent assembly intermediate, and that HCF244 acts independently of these events to activatepsbAtranslation. The results implicate a feature of nascent D1 that is affected by both HCF136 and RBD1 as the signal that reports D1 photodamage to regulatepsbAtranslation rate as needed for PSII repair.

Significance Statement

The D1 subunit of photosystem II (PSII) is damaged by light and must be replaced with nascent D1 to maintain photosynthesis. In plants, D1 photodamage triggers D1 synthesis by activating translation of chloroplastpsbAmRNA encoding D1. Our results demonstrate that an antagonistic interplay between two photosystem II assembly factors, HCF136 and RBD1, is at the core of the signal transduction process that senses light-induced D1 damage to regulatepsbAtranslation. These findings implicate a feature of nascent D1 that is affected by both HCF136 and RBD1 as the signal that reports D1 photodamage to tunepsbAtranslation as needed for PSII repair. The results elucidate an assembly-coupled translational rheostat that maintains photosynthesis in the face of PSII photodamage.
Mesenchymal Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorate Age-Related Deficits in Working Memory as well as Brain MRI and CSFin vivoBiomarkers of Neurodegeneration in Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Mackie Evan C. , Cheng Chia-Hsin , Alibrio Maya , Rutledge Christine , Xin Hongqi , Chopp Michael , McCann Ryan , Rosene Douglas L. , Yang Qiong , Zeldich Ella , Medalla Maria , Koo Bang-Bon , Moore Tara L.
Published: November 2024

Normal aging in humans and non-human primates is associated with a decline in cognitive functions. Subject-wise differences in cognitive decline can be attributed to different degrees of damage to cortical white matter (WM) which is largely affected by neuroinflammation during aging. Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have recently been identified as a potential immunomodulatory therapeutic for brain damage and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias by suppressing neuroinflammation. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of MSC-EVs for slowing or ameliorating cognitive decline during aging in rhesus monkeys, a well-studied model of normal aging that is free of extensive AD pathology. We report that late middle-aged monkeys treated with MSC-EVs every two weeks for 18 months showed improved performance on a task of spatial working memory relative to vehicle control monkeys. In addition, we used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting state functional MRI to evaluate structural white matter and functional network changes in vivo. Imaging data revealed that MSC-EV treatment preserved prefrontal and temporal WM structural integrity and large-scale functional network connectivity that are correlated with early, increased CSF levels of amyloid beta protein. Amyloid beta levels at 12 months are also correlated with improved cognitive performance at the end of the 18 months of treatment. These findings suggest that MSC-EVs can mitigate age-related cognitive decline by potentially enhancing the CSF clearance of neurodegenerative proteins, which correlates with greater WM integrity and functional brain connectivity.
Quasinormal mode expansion in thin elastic plates
Authors: Vial Benjamin , Martí Sabaté Marc , Wiltshaw Richard , Guenneau Sébastien , Craster Richard V.
Published: November 2024

Elastic wave manipulation using large arrays of resonators is driving the need for advanced simulation and optimization methods. To address this we introduce and explore a robust framework for wave control: quasinormal modes (QNMs). Specifically, we consider the problem for thin elastic plates, where the Green's function formalism is well known and readily exploited to solve multiple scattering problems. By studying the associated nonlinear eigenvalue problem we derive a dispersive QNM expansion, providing a reduced-order model for efficient forced response computations which reveals physical insight into the resonant mode excitation. Furthermore, we derive eigenvalue sensitivities with respect to resonator parameters and apply a gradient-based optimization to design quasi-bound states in the continuum and position eigenfrequencies precisely in the complex plane. Scattering simulations validate our approach in structures such as graded line arrays and quasicrystals. Drawing on QNM concepts from electromagnetism we demonstrate significant advances in elastic metamaterials, highlighting their potential for tailored wave manipulation.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Adaptive time stepping for the two-time integro-differential Kadanoff-Baym equations
Authors: Blommel Thomas , Gardner David J. , Woodward Carol S. , Gull Emanuel
Published: November 2024

The nonequilibrium Green's function gives access to one-body observables for quantum systems. Of particular interest are quantities such as density, currents, and absorption spectra which are important for interpreting experimental results in quantum transport and spectroscopy. We present an integration scheme for the Green's function's equations of motion, the Kadanoff-Baym equations (KBE), which is both adaptive in the time integrator step size and method order as well as the history integration order. We analyze the importance of solving the KBE self-consistently and show that adapting the order of history integral evaluation is important for obtaining accurate results. To examine the efficiency of our method, we compare runtimes to a state-of-the-art fixed time step integrator for several test systems and show an order of magnitude speedup at similar levels of accuracy.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum real-time evolution of entanglement and hadronization in jet production: Lessons from the massive Schwinger model
Authors: Florio Adrien , Frenklakh David , Ikeda Kazuki , Kharzeev Dmitri , Korepin Vladimir , Shi Shuzhe , Yu Kwangmin
Published: November 2024

The possible link between entanglement and thermalization, and the dynamics of hadronization are addressed by studying the real-time response of the massive Schwinger model coupled to external sources. This setup mimics the production and fragmentation of quark jets, as the Schwinger model and quantum chromodynamics (QCD) share the properties of confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. By using simulations of quantum dynamics on classical hardware, we study the entanglement between the produced jets, and observe the growth of the corresponding entanglement entropy in time. This growth arises from the increased number of contributing eigenstates of the reduced density matrix with sufficiently large and close eigenvalues. We also investigate the physical nature of these eigenstates, and find that at early times they correspond to fermionic Fock states. We then observe the transition from these fermionic Fock states to mesonlike bound states as a function of time. In other words, we observe how hadronization develops in real time. At late times, the local observables at midrapidity (such as the fermion density and the electric field) approach approximately constant values, suggesting the onset of equilibrium and approach to thermalization.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Deciphering twist-3 chiral-even GPDs in the light-front quark-diquark model
Authors: Jain Sameer , Sharma Shubham , Dahiya Harleen
Published: November 2024

We investigate quantum chromodynamics (QCD) in this study by computing chiral-even generalized parton distributions (GPDs) at twist-3 in the framework of the light-front quark-diquark model, particularly in the zero skewness scenario. We provide a detailed examination of twist-3 chiral-even GPDs, illustrating their behavior through extensive two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) visualizations, which demonstrate their dependence on the longitudinal momentum fraction (x) and the momentum transfer (t). Our investigation also reveals the intricate relationships between these GPDs and other distribution functions such as generalized transverse-momentum dependent distributions, transverse momentum-dependent parton distributions, and parton distribution functions (PDFs). Our study also includes the connected form factors at this twist, which are crucial in understanding the internal structure of hadrons. Additionally, we provide impact parameter-dependent PDF plots to offer insights into the spatial distribution of partons.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Resonant conversion of axion dark radiation into terahertz electromagnetic radiation in a neutron star magnetosphere
Authors: Long Andrew J. , Schiappacasse Enrico D.
Published: November 2024

In the strong magnetic field of a neutron star’s magnetosphere, axions coupled to electromagnetism develop a nonzero probability to convert into photons. Past studies have revealed that the axion-photon conversion can be resonantly enhanced. We recognize that the axion-photon resonance admits two parametrically distinct resonant solutions, which we call the mass-matched resonance and the Euler-Heisenberg assisted resonance. The mass-matched resonance occurs at a point in the magnetosphere where the radially-varying plasma frequency crosses the axion mass ωpl≈ma. The Euler-Heisenberg assisted resonance occurs where the axion energy satisfies ω≈(2ωpl2/7gγγγγB¯2)1/2. This second resonance is made possible though the strong background magnetic field B¯, as well as the nonzero Euler-Heisenberg four-photon self-interaction, which has the coupling gγγγγ=8α2/45me4. We study the resonant conversion of relativistic axion dark radiation into photons via the Euler-Heisenberg assisted resonance, and we calculate the expected electromagnetic radiation assuming different values for the axion-photon coupling gaγγ and different amplitudes for the axion flux onto the neutron star Φa. We briefly discuss several possible sources of axion dark radiation. Achieving a sufficiently strong axion flux to induce a detectable electromagnetic signal seems unlikely.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Asymmetric limit cycles within Lorenz chaos induce anomalous mobility for a memory-driven active particle
Authors: Valani Rahil N. , Dandogbessi Bruno S.
Published: November 2024

On applying a small bias force, nonequilibrium systems may respond in paradoxical ways such as with giant negative mobility (GNM)—a large net drift opposite to the applied bias, or giant positive mobility (GPM)—an anomalously large drift in the same direction as the applied bias. Such behaviors have been extensively studied in idealized models of externally driven passive inertial particles. Here, we consider a minimal model of a memory-driven active particle inspired from experiments with walking and superwalking droplets, whose equation of motion maps to the celebrated Lorenz system. By adding a small bias force to this Lorenz model for the active particle, we uncover a dynamical mechanism for simultaneous emergence of GNM and GPM in the parameter space. Within the chaotic sea of the parameter space, a symmetric pair of coexisting asymmetric limit cycles separate and migrate under applied bias force, resulting in anomalous transport behaviors that are sensitive to the active particle's memory. Our work highlights a general dynamical mechanism for the emergence of anomalous transport behaviors for active particles described by low-dimensional nonlinear models.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Correlators of
N=4
Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory on Real Projective Space at Strong Coupling
Authors: Zhou Xinan
Published: November 2024

We consider type IIB supergravity on a Z2 quotient of AdS5×S5 as the holographic dual of strongly coupled 4D N=4 SYM on RP4 space with the gauging of charge conjugation. Using bootstrap techniques, we determine all two-point functions of 12-BPS operators of arbitrary weights at the leading order in the large central charge expansion.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Entanglement Smectic and Stripe Order
Authors: Chakraborty Nilotpal , Moessner Roderich , Doucot Benoit
Published: November 2024

Spontaneous symmetry breaking and more recently entanglement are two cornerstones of quantum matter. We introduce the notion of anisotropic entanglement ordered phases, where the spatial profile of spin-pseudospin entanglement spontaneously lowers the fourfold rotational symmetry of the underlying crystal to a twofold one, while the charge density retains the full symmetry. The resulting phases, which we term and , exhibit a rich Goldstone mode spectrum and a set of phase transitions as a function of underlying anisotropies. We discuss experimental consequences of such anisotropic entanglement phases distinguishing them from more conventional charge or spin stripes. Our discussion of this interplay between entanglement and spontaneous symmetry breaking focuses on multicomponent quantum Hall systems realizing textured Wigner crystals, as may occur in graphene or possibly also in moiré systems, highlighting the rich landscape and properties of possible entanglement ordered phases.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Majorana representation for topological edge states of massless Dirac fermion with nonquantized Berry phase
Authors: Pratama F. R. , Nakanishi Takeshi
Published: November 2024

We study the bulk-boundary correspondences for zigzag ribbons (ZRs) of massless Dirac fermion in the two-dimensional α−T3 lattice. By tuning the hopping parameter α∈[0,1], the α−T3 lattice interpolates between pseudospin S=1/2 (graphene) and S=1 (T3 or dice lattice), for α=0 and 1, respectively, which is followed by a continuous change of the Berry phase from π to 0. The range of existence for edge states in the momentum space is determined by solving tight-binding equations at the boundaries of the ZRs. We find that the transitions of in-gap bands from bulk to edge states in the momentum space do not only occur at the positions of the Dirac cones but also at additional points depending on α∈(0,1). The α−T3 ZRs are mapped onto stub Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chains by performing unitary transformations of the bulk Hamiltonian. The nontrivial topology of the bulk bands is revealed by the Majorana representation of the eigenstates, where the topological invariant is manifested by winding numbers on the complex plane and the Bloch sphere.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Gapped quantum spin liquid in a triangular-lattice Ising-type antiferromagnet
PrMgAl11O19
Authors: Tu C. P. , Ma Z. , Wang H. R. , Jiao Y. H. , Dai D. Z. , Li S. Y.
Published: November 2024

In the search of quantum spin liquid (QSL), spin-1/2 triangular-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnets have always been viewed as fertile soils. Despite the true magnetically ordered ground state, anisotropy has been considered to play a significant role in stabilizing a QSL state. However, the nature and ground state of the most anisotropic case, the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet (TLIAF), remain elusive and controversial. Here, we report specific-heat and thermal-conductivity measurements on a newly discovered Ising-type QSL candidate PrMgAl11O19. At zero field, the magnetic specific heat shows a quadratic temperature dependence. On the contrary, no direct positive magnetic contribution to thermal conductivity is detected, ruling out the presence of mobile gapless fermionic excitations. Further analysis of phonon thermal conductivity reveals that the phonons are strongly scattered by thermally activated magnetic excitations out of a gap, which exhibits a linear dependence with magnetic field. These results demonstrate that the spin-1/2 TLIAF PrMgAl11O19 has a gapped Z2 QSL ground state.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Impact of microwave phase noise on diamond quantum sensing
Authors: Berzins Andris , Saleh Ziabari Maziar , Silani Yaser , Fescenko Ilja , Damron Joshua T. , Barry John F. , Jarmola Andrey , Kehayias Pauli , Richards Bryan A. , Smits Janis , Acosta Victor M.
Published: November 2024

Precision optical measurements of the electron-spin precession of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond form the basis of numerous applications. The most sensitivity-demanding applications, such as femtotesla magnetometry, require the ability to measure changes in GHz spin transition frequencies at the sub-millihertz level, corresponding to a fractional resolution of better than 10−12. Here we study the impact of microwave (MW) phase noise on the response of an NV sensor. Fluctuations of the phase of the MW waveform cause undesired rotations of the NV spin state. These fluctuations are imprinted in the optical readout signal and, left unmitigated, are indistinguishable from magnetic-field noise. We show that the phase noise of several common commercial MW generators results in an effective pTs1/2-range noise floor that varies with the MW carrier frequency and the detection frequency of the pulse sequence. The data are described by a frequency-domain model incorporating the MW phase-noise spectrum and the filter-function response of the sensing protocol. For controlled injection of white and random-walk phase noise, the observed NV magnetic noise floor is described by simple analytic expressions that accurately capture the scaling with pulse sequence length and the number of π pulses. We outline several strategies to suppress the impact of MW phase noise and implement a version, based on gradiometry, that realizes a >10-fold suppression. Our study highlights an important challenge in the pursuit of sensitive diamond quantum sensors and is applicable to other qubit systems with a large transition frequency.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Variants of Surface Charges and Capacitances in Electrocatalysis: Insights from Density-Potential Functional Theory Embedded with an Implicit Chemisorption Model
Authors: Huang Jun , Domínguez-Flores Fabiola , Melander Marko
Published: November 2024

Prevalent electrolyte effects across a wide range of electrocatalytic reactions underscore the general importance of the local reaction conditions in the electrical double layer (EDL). Compared to traditional EDLs, the electrocatalytic siblings feature partially charged chemisorbates that could blur our long-held views of surface charge densities and differential capacitances—two interrelated quantities shaping the crucial local reaction conditions. Herein, five variants of surface charge density and three variants of differential capacitance in the presence of chemisorbates are defined and compared. A semiclassical model of electrocatalytic EDLs is developed for a quantitative analysis of the differences and interrelationships between these variants of surface charge densities and differential capacitances. It is revealed that the potential- and concentration-dependent net charge on these chemisorbates dramatically changes the surface charge densities and differential capacitances. Specifically, the free surface charge density could decrease as the electrode potential becomes more positive, implying that the . The relationship between the free and total surface charge densities is analyzed with aid of the concept of electrosorption valency. By linking the electrosorption valency with the differential capacitance in the absence of chemisorbates, we explain the potential and concentration dependence of the former. The conceptual analysis presented in this work has important implications for experimental characterization and first-principles-based atomistic simulations of electrocatalysis and EDL effects. Particularly, we disclose a hidden yet potentially crucial disadvantage of widely employed atomistic simulation models that fix the coverage of chemisorbates. Proposing the self-consistent implicit model as an expedient remedy for this disadvantage, this work contributes to more realistic modeling of electrocatalytic EDLs.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Structural transformations and stability of benzo[a]pyrene under high pressure
Authors: Zhou Wenju , Aslandukov Andrey , Minchenkova Anastasiia , Hanfland Michael , Dubrovinsky Leonid , Dubrovinskaia Natalia
Published: November 2024

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), C20H12, is a representative of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are ubiquitous in nature and the universe, where they are subjected to extreme conditions. This paper reports the results of investigations of the high-pressure behavior of BaP up to 28 GPa using in situ synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction. We identified two previously unknown polymorphs, BaP-II (P21/c) at 4.8 GPa and BaP-III (P
1) at 7.1 GPa. The structural transformation from BaP-I (P21/c) to BaP-II (P21/c) manifests as an abrupt change in the intermolecular angle and the unit-cell parameters a and b, whereas the transformation from BaP-II (P21/c) to BaP-III (P
1) is characterized by a decrease in symmetry. According to density functional theory calculations, BaP-III is the most stable phase above 3.5 GPa. These studies advance our understanding of the structural dynamics and stability of PAHs under high pressure.
Online penetration trajectory planning using blind areas of network radar system for an unmanned combat aerial vehicle
Authors: Ge Jiahao , Xiang Jinwu , Li Daochun
Published: November 2024

Purpose

A densely distributed network radar system compensates for the disadvantages of sparse radars and poses a significant threat to low-altitude penetration by an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). Unlike previous studies, this paper aims to consider radar blind areas and proposes a rapid online method for planning low-altitude penetration paths.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the optimization problem coupling digital elevation map (DEM), radar detection probability model and nonholonomic UCAV kinematic model is established. Second, an online solution framework of penetration path planning is constructed. An intervisibility method and map scaling are proposed to generate a detection probability map (DPM). Through completeness and consistency analysis, an adaptive hybrid A* algorithm with fast local replanning strategy is proposed to search a path that takes into account time-consuming, detection probability under nonholonomic constraints. Finally, three scenarios of multiple known, pop-up and vanished static radars are simulated using C++. The computational performance is compared and analyzed.

Findings

The results showed that the proposed online method can generate low-detection-probability penetration paths within subseconds.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new online method to plan UCAV penetration trajectory in military and academic contexts.
Corporate governance characteristics and involvement in ESG activities: current trends and research directions
Authors: Kumar Anand , King Tatiana , Ranta Mikko
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review to examine the relationship between corporate governance characteristics and firms’ engagement in environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities. The review focuses specifically on academic papers published in ranked accounting and finance journals.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis combines a structured literature review with citation analysis, topic modeling using a machine learning (ML) approach and a manual review of selected articles published between 2000 and 2021.

Findings

This paper contributes to corporate governance and ESG literature by conducting an in-depth review, offering a comprehensive analysis of the existing findings and identifying future research directions. From the reviewed literature, this paper proposes the following thematic areas: board characteristics, ownership structure and their impact on a company’s engagement in ESG activities; CEO characteristics and their influence on a company’s involvement in ESG activities; corporate governance and ESG as sources for transparency and legitimacy; internal and external assurance of a company’s involvement in ESG activities; and gender diversity and a company’s involvement in ESG activities.

Originality/value

The study provides a comprehensive understanding of corporate governance and ESG literature. The innovative combination of methods, including ML and manual techniques, enhances the ability to identify key research topics and uncover research directions in the field. Moving forward, this paper suggests several promising directions for future research, including examining the influence of emerging technologies on ESG reporting and assessing the impact of regulatory changes and context on the link between corporate governance and firms’ involvement in ESG practices.
Crafting brand love: role of perceived brand localness, foreignness, coolness and consumer identities in digital retail banking
Authors: Safeer Asif Ali , Nazir Mehrab
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study seeks to examine the effects of perceived brand localness and foreignness on brand love via perceived brand coolness by incorporating the moderating impacts of local and global consumer identities on brand love while controlling the confounding effects of brand familiarity in the context of local and foreign digital retail banks.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected 1,960 online responses (on local and foreign banks) from 980 consumers who often used local and foreign digital retail banking services. The analysis was performed on 1,766 responses through co-variance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

This study discovered that perceived brand localness and foreignness were essential factors for driving brand love and perceived brand coolness toward local and foreign digital retail banks. However, perceived brand foreignness was a more effective driver than perceived brand localness. Importantly, perceived brand coolness emerged as a key mediator for shaping brand perceptions and love. Additionally, local and global consumer identities were effective moderators and brand familiarity was significant in enhancing brand love for local and foreign digital retail banks.

Practical implications

This study gives managers essential knowledge about crafting positioning, relationships and segmentation strategies to boost brand love and perceived coolness for local and foreign digital retail banks.

Originality/value

This novel study contributes new insights to the stimulus-organism-response and cultural identity theories by examining consumers’ brand perceptions and their impacts on consumer behavior in digital retail banking.
Supply chain learning and environmental performance: leveraging relational capital and information technology
Authors: Haq Muhammad Zia Ul , Cao Guangming
Published: November 2024

Purpose

While the importance of supply chain learning (SCL) is widely recognized by both academia and industry, the mechanisms through which SCL is developed and its effects on environmental performance remain insufficiently understood. This study conceptualizes and empirically investigates the role of relational capital and information technology (IT) in enhancing SCL and improving environmental performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on socio-technical system theory (STS) and a knowledge-based view, this research employs structural equation modeling to test the proposed model, utilizing survey data collected from Chinese manufacturing companies.

Findings

The results demonstrate that relational capital with supplier and customer significantly enhances both supplier and customer learning. While IT does not directly impact supplier and customer learning, it exerts an indirect influence through its positive effect on relational capital. In other words, relational capital mediates the relationship between IT and supplier and customer learning. Additionally, this study finds that both supplier and customer learning enhance environmental performance.

Practical implications

This study provides actionable insights for managers, emphasizing the importance of relational capital in fostering SCL and improving environmental performance. By understanding these relationships, managers can develop more effective strategies for leveraging SCL as a tool for sustainability.

Originality/value

This study adds to the existing body of knowledge in supply chain management by offering a more nuanced and holistic model to explain how relational capital, IT and SCL interact to influence environmental performance, particularly within the context of Chinese manufacturing companies.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of a diversity and inclusion committee on a psychologically informed planned environment in a UK prison
Authors: Sewell Hannah
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Psychologically Informed Planned Environments (PIPEs) are designed to support individuals to develop positive relationships. This can be achieved through social activities and engagement with committees. Developing understanding of diversity and inclusion (D&I) continues to be an area of need in criminal justice. A custodial PIPE therefore developed a D&I committee, which included the planning and delivery of community events. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of the committee and events in increasing understanding of protected characteristics, enabling individuals to raise D&I-related issues, developing positive relationships and increasing feelings of safety.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight participants residing on a PIPE engaged in semi-structured interviews to explore their experience of the D&I committee and events. Thematic analysis was used to explore the responses and to identify common themes within the data.

Findings

Four themes were identified: “you’re in a safe environment here”, connectedness, opportunities to learn and grow and “it could be better”. The research indicated that the D&I committee and events support several of the enabling environments standards and provide prisoners with an opportunity to build on their strengths and capabilities, in line with the Good Lives Model (Ward, 2002; Ward and Gannon, 2006), which underpins the ethos of PIPEs (NOMS and DoH, 2012; HMPPS and NHS, 2023).

Practical implications

There is scope for similar committees to be implemented in other psychologically informed environments, which could potentially be extended to other therapeutic environments and “standard wings” within prisons. However, future research should consider the influence of prisoners’ individual characteristics on their experience of such committees and events.

Originality/value

PIPEs provide a unique environment in which various committees can be implemented. A D&I committee has provided the space and opportunity for staff and prisoners to develop their knowledge and understanding and to build positive relationships. This research has evaluated the effectiveness of this and aims to promote the use of such committees in other services.
Analysis of the competitiveness development of China’s marine industry clusters
Authors: Huang Chong , Zhang Shilong , Zhang Hongshuo
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the current situation of the competitiveness development of China’s marine industrial clusters, reveal the existing problems and challenges, provide theoretical support and practical guidance for improving the competitiveness of China’s marine industrial clusters so as to promote industrial upgrading and high-quality development and help China realize the strategic transformation from a marine power to a marine power.

Design/methodology/approach

This report first provides a detailed review of the current development status and existing issues of marine industry clusters in China. Second, it constructs an evaluation index system for the competitiveness development of China’s marine industry clusters and conducts competitiveness analysis and evaluation of typical marine industry clusters in China. Third, it explores the development trends and prospects of typical marine industry clusters in China. Finally, the report proposes countermeasures and suggestions for enhancing the competitiveness of marine industry clusters in China, focusing on resource optimization, cluster structure and cluster efficiency.

Findings

(1) Significant competitiveness of marine shipbuilding and ocean engineering equipment clusters: Through technological innovation and policy support, the marine shipbuilding and ocean engineering equipment clusters have shown a marked improvement in competitiveness, advancing toward high-quality development despite facing macroeconomic fluctuations. (2) Continuous improvement in marine energy and offshore wind power clusters: The competitiveness of marine energy and offshore wind power clusters has been continuously enhanced under supportive policies. However, there is still a need to optimize resource allocation and strengthen innovation stability to meet market challenges. (3) Strong growth potential of desalination and comprehensive utilization clusters: The desalination and comprehensive utilization clusters demonstrate robust growth potential in technological innovation and regional collaborative development. Future efforts should focus on the application of environmentally friendly and energy-saving technologies to ensure a balance between economic and ecological benefits.

Originality/value

By strengthening the competitiveness of industrial clusters, China can effectively respond to international competition, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the marine industry and support its transition from a maritime power to a strong maritime nation. Hence, this study will focus on analyzing the competitiveness development of China’s marine industry clusters, identifying existing problems and challenges and providing theoretical support and practical guidance for enhancing the competitiveness of China’s marine industry clusters.
Theoretical rigor of customer experience scales: a systematic review and a roadmap for researchers
Authors: Hollebeek Linda D. , Sarstedt Marko , Menidjel Choukri , Urbonavicius Sigitas , Dikcius Vytautas
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Prior research has proposed a number of scales measuring the customer experience (CX), which tend to conceptualize and operationalize CX differently, raising potential confusion among researchers (e.g. regarding which scale to use). Addressing this issue, this article conducts a systematic review to inventorize key CX scales and assess their theoretical rigor, with a focus on the identification of potential scale-related drawbacks or risks.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach, 104 CX scale development studies published between 1996 and 2024 are identified and analyzed in terms of their respective CX conceptualization, dimensionality, itemization, and adopted theoretical perspective to evaluate their theoretical rigor.

Findings

The findings reveal the existence of five main risks associated with the adoption of specific CX or related scales, including (1) defining experience with explicit reference to other extant constructs, (2) failure to accurately and comprehensively capture the experience, (3) experience-based tautology and theoretical indeterminacy, (4) experience-based composite constructs, and (5) lacking robustness of experience-based conceptual models. Based on these observations, recommendations are offered for scholars to improve the rigor of their adopted, refined, or proposed CX or related scales.

Originality/value

This article assesses the benefits and potential risks inherent in the adoption of particular CX scales, equipping researchers with a CX roadmap.
New insights for the development of efficient DNA vaccines
Authors: Berger Simone , Zeyn Yanira , Wagner Ernst , Bros Matthias
Published: November 2024

Despite the great potential of DNA vaccines for a broad range of applications, ranging from prevention of infections, over treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases to cancer immunotherapies, the implementation of such therapies for clinical treatment is far behind the expectations up to now. The main reason is the poor immunogenicity of DNA vaccines in humans. Consequently, the improvement of the performance of DNA vaccines in vivo is required. This mini‐review provides an overview of the current state of DNA vaccines and the various strategies to enhance the immunogenic potential of DNA vaccines, including (i) the optimization of the DNA construct itself regarding size, nuclear transfer and transcriptional regulation; (ii) the use of appropriate adjuvants; and (iii) improved delivery, for example, by careful choice of the administration route, physical methods such as electroporation and nanomaterials that may allow cell type‐specific targeting. Moreover, combining nanoformulated DNA vaccines with other immunotherapies and prime‐boost strategies may help to enhance success of treatment.
Tend to one's own house: The effect of firm CSR on employee effort
Authors: Douthit Jeremy , Mao Zhiping (Kyle) , Martin Patrick
Published: November 2024

We examine whether a firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions that benefit external parties can cause the firm's employees to reduce their effort. We expect employees will reduce their effort in response to their firm's external CSR actions when they perceive that they are treated poorly by the firm and that the firm's external CSR actions use resources that could have been readily transferred toward improving employee treatment. We expect that, when employees hold both of these perceptions, they will react negatively to the firm's CSR actions due to heightened feelings of unfairness. Results support our expectations and theory. We find that employees respond negatively to CSR only when they perceive that they are treated poorly by their firm and that CSR uses transferable resources. Further, we find these effects are driven by employees' perceptions of the fairness of their firm's actions toward employees. Our study suggests that firms should consider how employees perceive their treatment by the firm and the transferability of the resources used for CSR actions that benefit external parties.
Public enforcement through independent directors
Authors: Li Xiaoxi , Rao Pingui , Yang Yong George , Yue Heng
Published: November 2024

We examine how public enforcement and private enforcement interact to contain self‐dealing activities in emerging markets. Using data from China, we find that firms receiving comment letters concerning related party transactions (RPTs) from stock exchanges significantly reduce their RPTs in subsequent years. We further find that (1) the subsequent reduction in RPTs is more pronounced when independent directors have higher career or reputation concerns and (2) independent directors are more likely to dissent or resign if their firms do not significantly reduce RPTs after receiving RPT comment letters, especially if they have high reputation concerns. Our study sheds light on a within‐firm mechanism through which public enforcement takes effect. Our empirical findings also illustrate how “sunshine enforcement”—maintaining timely transparency of the enforcement process—can significantly enhance the effectiveness of regulatory programs.