bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Primary intracranial neuroendocrine tumor at the sphenoid ridge with metastasis to the spinal cord: A case report
Authors: Pan Siyuan , Chen Shuide , Richard Seidu A. , Lan Zhigang
Published: December 2024

Rationale:

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) originate from neuroendocrine cells and they are depicted with both nerve cells as well as hormone-producing cells. These tumors were initially discovered in extracranial locations and central nervous system involvement is often a result of metastasis. Herein, we present a very rare case of primary intracranial neuroendocrine tumor (PINET) that masqueraded as meningioma at the sphenoid ridge with metastasis to the spinal cord in a patient without a known history of extracranial NET at the time of diagnosis.

Patient concerns:

A 52-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of headache and decreased vision in the left eye accompanied by inarticulation in speech for 1 month.

Diagnoses:

Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed a space-occupying lesion in the left sphenoid ridge which was mistaken for meningioma.

Interventions:

The lesion was surgically resected and immunohistochemical evaluation revealed PINET. Postoperative positron emission tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracolumbar spine detected a tumor nodule in the thoracolumbar region which was a metastatic tumor. The metastatic lesion at the thoracolumbar spine was surgically resected and spinal fixation was carried out to stabilize the spine. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the spinal lesion also confirmed NET. He was further treated with several cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Outcomes:

Two years’ follow-up revealed no recurrence of the tumor and he is currently well. However, we are still following the patient because of the nature of the tumor.

Lesson:

PINET may be capable of metastasizing to spinal cord.
National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Recommendations for Transformative Change in Women’s Health Research at the National Institutes of Health
Authors: Barcelona Veronica
Published: December 2024

Background

Due to significant gaps in knowledge around women’s health, Congress commissioned the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a consensus study on funding allocation, workforce needs, and priority research areas for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Objectives

This manuscript summarizes the key points of the new NASEM report on women’s health research for NIH, presents the relevance and importance for nursing research, and briefly discusses the need for increased representation of nurse scientists on NASEM panels.

Methods

Beginning in the Fall of 2023, a multidisciplinary panel of 17 experts was convened by NASEM to address gaps in women’s health research at NIH. The committee was tasked to identify research priorities for NIH-funded research with a focus on conditions that are female specific, more common in women, or affect women differently. In addition, the committee was asked to make recommendations on NIH training and education to strengthen the women’s health research workforce, changes to NIH structural, systems, and review processes, and allocation of funding to more equitably reflect the burden of disease among women.

Results

The committee found that from 2013-2023, only 8.8% of NIH research dollars focused on women’s health research, and that basic knowledge about women’s physiological, hormonal fluctuations, and chromosomal differences is lacking. Data are also needed to better understand diseases that are female-specific, more common in women, or affect women differently. The committee made eight recommendations for transformative change at NIH related to women’s health research.

Discussion

Overall, the report describes the need for transformative change at NIH to advance the science on women’s health research and improve outcomes. This includes a comprehensive approach and recommendations that would double the NIH’s investment in women’s health research, enhance accountability, and provide rigorous oversight, prioritization, and integration of women’s health research across NIH.
Portomesenteric Venous Thrombosis after Pancreatic Cancer Surgery with Venous Resection and Reconstruction
Authors: Ishida Hiroyuki , Watanabe Shuichi , Rodriguez Franco Salvador , Franklin Oskar , Stoop Thomas F. , Kirsch Michael J. , Schulick Richard D. , Del Chiaro Marco
Published: December 2024

Objective:

To investigate the incidence and risk factors of portomesenteric venous thrombosis (PVT) after pancreatic cancer surgery with portomesenteric venous resection (PVR).

Summary Background Data:

Pancreatic cancer surgery with PVR can be complicated by PVT, but the long-term associations, risk factors, and consequences of PVT have not been clearly elucidated.

Methods:

This study included pancreatic cancer patients undergoing any type of pancreatic resection with PVR at the University of Colorado Hospital between January 2012 and June 2023. The study period was divided based on the implementation of local standardization of PVR techniques in August 2018. PVT was classified as early or late (≤ or >30 d postoperatively). Risk factors for late PVT were assessed with Cox regression models.

Results:

Among 152 patients, 3.3% (n=5) developed early PVT. Its incidence decreased from 12% (n=3/25) to 1.6% (n=2/127) after technical standardization (P=0.03). Of 130 patients with available postoperative imaging, 21.5% (n=28) developed late PVT at a median of 7.4 months from surgery. Late PVT was frequently diagnosed with local recurrence (75%) and was associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (median 9.0 vs. 16.3 mo, P=0.014). Multivariable analysis showed that neoadjuvant radiotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 2.19; 95% CI, 1.02-4.67) and local recurrence (HR, 5.21; 95% CI, 2.18-12.4) were associated with an increased risk of late PVT.

Conclusions:

Early PVT after pancreatectomy with PVR is rare. Late PVT is associated with neoadjuvant radiotherapy and local recurrence. These findings may inform risk assessment in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing PVR.
Trends in the Management and Outcomes of Neuroendocrine Liver Metastases
Authors: Frilling Andrea , Clift Ashley K. , Kaemmerer Daniel , Steinkraus Kira C. , Schrader Joerg , Wolter Stefan , Drymousis Panagiotis , Liedke Marc-Olaf , Hommann Merten , Habib Nagy , Baum Richard P. , Wasan Harpreet , Modlin Irvin M. , Izbicki Jakob R.
Published: December 2024

Objective:

To describe the evolution of management strategies for neuroendocrine liver metastases (NE LM) and trends in patient outcomes over the preceding 3 decades.

Summary Background Data:

Liver metastases are common in neuroendocrine neoplasms and impair prognosis. A broad therapeutic armamentarium has evolved over recent decades but there remains uncertainty regarding optimal treatment selection and sequencing.

Methods:

Retrospective cohort study pooling data from 4 specialist centres of excellence in the United Kingdom and Germany for individuals diagnosed with neuroendocrine liver metastases between 1st Jan 1990 and 31st December 2020. We explored trends in theranostic strategies over three decades and quantified overall survival (cohort, and by decade-defined temporal periods).

Results:

We identified 551 individuals with NE LM with a median age at diagnosis of 59.1 years; 453 (82.2%) had synchronous metastases, and 402 (73.0%) underwent multimodal therapy. In all centres somatostatin receptor-based PET/CT and MRI were the preferred imaging techniques. There were significant trends in the use of somatostatin analogues and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy but the number of surgical resections remained stable. Overall survival (OS) at 5- and 10-years was 77.5% and 58.1% respectively. Across the three time periods, 5-year OS significantly improved - period I: 45.2%, period II: 66.0%, and period III: 75.7%. Ten-year OS showed overlapping confidence intervals for Period I (23.5%) and Period II (18.3%) but doubled in period III (55.5%). On multivariate analysis, the use of multimodal therapy strategies was significantly associated with improved overall survival (HR=0.59, 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.88, P=0.009).

Conclusions:

Improved imaging modalities and modifications in specific therapies as components of multimodal treatment concepts are concordant with significantly improved survival outcomes in NELM over 30 years. The use of multimodal therapy improved overall survival in patients with NE LM. Future studies should determine optimal treatment selection and sequencing, and role of novel biomarkers to guide these.
Biochemical, Radiographic, or Pathologic Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Resected Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Ahmad M. Usman , Javadi Christopher S. , Chang Julia D. , Forgó Erna , Delitto Daniel J. , Dua Monica M. , Fisher George A. , Heestand Gregory M. , Chang Daniel T. , Pollom Erqi , Vitzthum Lucas K. , Kirane Amanda , Lee Byrne , Visser Brendan C. , Norton Jeffrey A. , Poultsides George A.
Published: December 2024

Objective:

To examine the optimal method of assessing response to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in operable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients.

Summary of Background Data:

PDAC response to NAT is measured with biochemical, radiographic and pathologic parameters, which can often be discordant with each other.

Methods:

PDAC patients undergoing resection after NAT at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor response was assessed using pre-/post-NAT Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) levels, radiographic decrease in tumor diameter, and pathologic Tumor Regression Grade (TRG). The association of these factors with overall survival (OS) was compared using Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression, and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), a machine learning technique that can validate prediction models for complex hierarchical relationships.

Results:

From 2011 to 2022, 225 patients underwent pancreatectomy after NAT (Folfirinox, 70%; Gem+nab-paclitaxel, 19%; radiation, 18%). Almost half required vascular resection (portal vein, 39%; celiac axis 8%). Improved OS was observed after CA 19-9 decrease >50% (32 vs. 24 mo, P=0.0028), but not after major pathologic (TRG 0-1, P=0.067) or radiographic response (tumor diameter decrease >30%, P=0.89). However, RPA identified that the co-existence of biochemical and major pathologic response (achieved in 9% of patients) was associated with the longest OS (40 mo, P=0.0086). This optimal dual response combination was more commonly observed after neoadjuvant radiotherapy was used after systemic chemotherapy (45% vs. 11%, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

CA19-9 response to NAT alone is not enough to identify long-term post-resection PDAC survivors. The co-existence of CA19-9 and major pathologic response was predictive of the most optimal survival outcome.
Resistance to antidepressant treatment among patients with major depressive disorder: a nationwide study
Authors: Chen Li-Chi , Chen Mu-Hong , Bai Ya-Mei , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Su Tung-Ping
Published: December 2024

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has great clinical importance because it has the highest disability burden of all depressive conditions. We investigated the prevalence of TRD and identified the risk and protective factors associated with antidepressant resistance among adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 176 132 adult patients with MDD were selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 2001 and 2010 and followed for 1 year. TRD was defined as nonresponse to at least two antidepressants, and treatment-resistant tendency was defined as nonresponse to at least the first antidepressant. General physical condition measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), psychiatric comorbidities, and economic status were assessed. Only 2.6% (n = 4608) of the adults with MDD met the TRD criteria, but 26.4% (n = 46 491) were classified as having treatment-resistant tendency. The following psychiatric comorbidities were related to TRD: anxiety disorders [odds ratio (OR): 1.88], substance use disorders (OR: 1.73), alcohol use disorders (OR: 1.27), and personality disorders (OR: 2.12). In addition, a more severe physical condition (higher CCI) increased the likelihood of TRD (OR: 1.12). Psychiatric comorbidities and poor general physical condition may increase the likelihood of antidepressant treatment failure.
Study of Clostridioides difficile associated diarrheain Acute care areas of atertiary care centre in Western Rajasthan-a prospective study
Authors: Roy Nithya S , Kombade Sarika Prabhakar , Abhishek Kumar S , Singh Kuldeep , Kothari Nikhil , Khera Daisy , Kumar Deepak
Published: December 2024

Purpose
The aim of this study is to identify Clostridioides difficile associated diarrhoea (CDAD) in patients admitted to acute care units of the hospital
 
Materials and Method
Cross sectional study conducted in the Department of microbiology over 2 years. Patients >1 year of age, who were admitted and passing atleast 3 unformed stool over 24 hours, with history of taking antibiotics were included in the study. A stool sample of included patients were collected, a part of sample for anaerobic culture and another part for serology by Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GDH) ELISA and Toxin A/B Elisa for C. difficile. Identification of isolate was done by MALDI TOF. Result was analysed by statistical methods.
 
Result
Out of 180 suspected cases of Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea (AAD), 95(52.8%) were males and rest females. Maximum cases were in age group, above 60 years (27.8%) & 51 to 60 years (15.6%). Majority of suspected cases (63.3%) had history of Beta Lactam-Beta lactamase Inhibitor (BL-BLI) followed by Carbapenems and Cephalosporins. Out of the 180 samples, GDH ELISA detected 29 (16%) to have C difficile, of which Toxin A/B ELISA detected toxin in 5 (2.8%) samples. Isolation of Clostridioides difficile from culture was positive in 3 (1.7%) in anaerobic culture. Thus, the prevalence was calculated as 2.8%.
 
Conclusion
This study in Western Rajasthan underscores the paramount importance of early CDAD detection and management to forestall fatal complications and mortality in critically ill patients, while fostering prudent antibiotic utilization and fortifying antimicrobial stewardship practices in hospital setting.
Super Resolved Structural Imaging of Mitochondrial Network using Orange Emissive Carbon Nanodot as Fluorescent Probe
Authors: Garg Richa , Kundu Runmi , Kaushik Kush , Salam Abdul , Nandi Chayan Kanti
Published: December 2024

Super-resolution microscopy (SRM), coupled with appropriate bright and photostable fluorescent probes, has revolutionized the ability to study organelle dynamics with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. An increasing trend of designing nanomaterial probes that has unprecedented advantages over the organic molecular probes has become the frontier in SRM based imaging of subcellular organelles. Herein, we report the development of orange-emissive fluorescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) via a one-pot synthesis that has excellent capabilities to target mitochondria. Spectroscopic analysis confirms the presence of guanidine on the surface of CNDs, thus facilitating its ability to selectively target mitochondria. The CNDs were highly capable for the super resolution radial fluctuation (SRRF) imaging of mitochondrial network and the morphology. The synthesized CNDs exhibited excellent photoluminescent properties along with high biocompatibility and non-toxicity, which could be used for their application in mitochondria-based imaging modalities.
Optogenetic inhibition of the locus coeruleus blocks vagus nerve stimulation-induced enhancement of extinction of conditioned fear in rats
Authors: Calderon-Williams Debora R. , de Souza Rimenez Rodrigues , Tseng Ching T. , Abdi Hervé , Sandoval-Flores Alfredo , Ploski Jonathan E. , Thorn Catherine A. , McIntyre Christa K.
Published: December 2024

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a therapeutic intervention previously shown to enhance fear extinction in rats. VNS is approved for use in humans for the treatment of epilepsy, depression, and stroke, and it is currently under investigation as an adjuvant to exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD. However, the mechanisms by which VNS enhances extinction of conditioned fear remain unresolved. VNS increases norepinephrine levels in extinction-related pathways, but recent studies indicate that norepinephrine release from the locus coeruleus interferes with extinction learning. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the role of the locus coeruleus (LC) in VNS-enhanced fear extinction. Adult male and female tyrosine hydroxylase (Th)-Cre rats were implanted with a stimulating cuff electrode around the left cervical vagus nerve, and a Cre-dependent viral vector expressing the inhibitory opsin ArchT3.0 was infused bilaterally into the LC. Rats then underwent auditory fear conditioning followed by extinction training. During extinction training, rats were divided into four treatment groups: Sham stimulation, Sham with LC inhibition, VNS, and VNS with LC inhibition. Consistent with previous findings, VNS treatment during extinction training significantly reduced freezing 24 h and 2 weeks later. This effect was blocked by optogenetic LC inhibition, suggesting that VNS enhances extinction by engaging the LC.
Social and nonsocial environmental loss have differential effects on ventral hippocampus-dependent behavior and inhibitory synaptic markers in adult male mice
Authors: Gore Isha R. , Brown Casey J. , Waters Renée C. , Gould Elizabeth
Published: December 2024

In humans, psychological loss, whether social or nonsocial, can lead to clinical depression, anxiety disorders, and social memory impairments. Researchers have modeled combined social and nonsocial loss in rodents by transitioning them from social, enriched environments (EE) to individual housing, affecting behaviors related to avoidance, stress coping, and cognitive function. However, it remains unclear if these effects are driven by social or nonsocial loss. We examined the effects of nonsocial loss by housing adult male mice in EE before moving them to standard cages, where they were pair-housed, and compared this to mice experiencing complete social loss. Continuous EE reduced social investigation time while leaving social memory intact, also decreasing avoidance behavior. Nonsocial loss restored social investigation and avoidance behavior to control levels, while social loss impaired social memory and increased avoidance. In rodents, social memory and avoidance require ventral hippocampus (vHIP) neuronal oscillations, which involve parvalbumin-positive (PV+) inhibitory interneurons. We found decreased vHIP PV intensity in the social loss group, with no differences in the nonsocial loss group. Most PV+ cells are surrounded by perineuronal nets (PNNs) concentrating GABAAreceptors in their lattice-like holes. Social loss decreased GABAA-δ expression, a subunit associated with extrasynaptic receptors, across PNN+ soma and in PNN holes, while nonsocial loss reduced gephyrin in these regions. These findings suggest social and nonsocial losses differentially affect vHIP function and behavior, with social loss having a more pronounced impact through mechanisms involving PV+ interneurons, PNN structure, and neurotransmitter receptor expression.
Emotional intensity produces a linear relationship on conditioned learning but an inverted U-shaped effect on episodic memory
Authors: Ouyang Lingwei , Dunsmoor Joseph E.
Published: December 2024

Emotional intensity can produce both optimal and suboptimal effects on learning and memory. While emotional events tend to be better remembered, memory performance can follow an inverted U-shaped curve with increasing intensity. The strength of Pavlovian conditioning tends to increase linearly with the intensity of the aversive outcome, but leads to greater stimulus generalization. Here, we combined elements of episodic memory and Pavlovian conditioning into a single paradigm to investigate the effects of varying outcome intensities on conditioned fear responses and episodic memory. Participants encoded trial-unique images from two semantic categories as conditioned stimuli (CS+and CS−) before (preconditioning), during, and after (extinction) acquisition. We systematically varied the intensity of the unconditioned stimulus (US) during acquisition between-groups as a nonaversive tone, a low-intensity electrical shock, or a high-intensity electrical shock paired with a loud static noise. Results showed that conditioned skin conductance responses scaled linearly with US intensity during acquisition, with a high-intensity US leading to greater resistance to extinction and stronger 24 h fear recovery. However, 24 h recognition memory produced an inverted U-shaped relationship, with better recognition memory for CSs encoded before (retroactive), during, and following conditioning using a low-intensity US. These findings suggest a dissociation between optimal levels of emotional intensity on explicit and implicit learning and memory performance.
Atoms near a conducting wedge: Decay rates and entanglement around a corner
Authors: Kilianski Romuald , Bennett Robert
Published: December 2024

The behavior of an atomic system is influenced by introducing a metallic surface. This work explores how the decay landscape can be altered by the presence of sharp corners. We utilize analytical expressions for Hertz and vector potentials in the presence of a perfectly conducting wedge with arbitrary opening angle to obtain the relevant electrostatic Green's functions. We use these to examine two scenarios: the modified spontaneous decay of a single atom, which leads us to speculate about potential applications in microscopy, and the case of a more fundamental, theoretical interest, the behavior of an entangled pair of atoms near a corner. The latter, when two atoms are positioned “out of the line of sight,” opens up a possible line of investigation into devices that are able to “see around corners.”

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Klystron type crystal-based x-ray volume free electron laser
Authors: Baryshevsky Vladimir G.
Published: December 2024

Typical parameters of electron bunches available now in undulator x-ray FELs enable generation of induced radiation in crystal-based x-ray volume free electron laser (XVFEL). An important peculiarity of an undulator x-ray FEL is electron bunch spatial modulation matching the radiation wavelength. Therefore, x-ray FEL can be considered as a modulator of electron bunch density. As a result, a facility combining an undulator, which produces a modulated beam, and a crystal, on which the modulated beam is incident, can be considered to be similar to a klystron, which is a well-known source for microwaves emission. The use of a premodulated beam enables to generate and observe superradiation and induced radiation in a crystal-based XVFEL. The number of quanta radiated in a crystal-based XVFEL corresponds (or even exceeds) the number of quanta produced by the XFEL in the same frequency range.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Nucleon tomography and total angular momentum of valence quarks from synergy between lattice QCD and elastic scattering data
Authors: Cichy Krzysztof , Constantinou Martha , Sznajder Paweł , Wagner Jakub
Published: December 2024

We present an exploratory work on integrating lattice-QCD results with experimental data for elastic scattering. Within the framework of generalized parton distributions, this approach allows for the extraction of detailed information about nucleon tomography and the total angular momentum carried by valence quarks. To accomplish this reliably, we introduce a new quantity, the “double ratio,” which significantly reduces the systematic uncertainties inherent in lattice QCD computations. Moreover, we introduce a “shadow” term in the extraction procedure, which is sensitive only to lattice-QCD results. This term allows us to investigate the model dependence of the extraction, providing a more flexible description of the nucleon that goes beyond the previously considered bell-shaped distribution.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Dark matter for Majorana neutrinos in a
Z4
symmetry
Authors: de la Vega Leon M. G. , Fitzpatrick Patrick J. , Martinez-Ramirez Rolando , Peinado Eduardo
Published: December 2024

In the minimal Scotogenic model with fermionic dark matter, the neutrino Yukawa matrix is fine-tuned to satisfy current bounds on μ→eγ while producing dark matter through thermal freeze-out. One way to avoid this bound is to open a new annihilation channel for dark matter (DM) with a scalar field that breaks the lepton number spontaneously. This introduces a physical Goldstone boson a, which can constitute a light relic and opens up the lepton flavor violating channel μ→ea. In this work, we introduce a model that contains the new annihilation channel for fermionic dark matter but avoids the introduction of the Goldstone boson by using a discrete Z4 instead of a continuous symmetry. In this way, cosmological constraints on the light relic and experimental limits on lepton flavor violating decays to the Goldstone boson are avoided. We analyze the experimental viability of the model, identifying the region of parameter space where lepton flavor violating constraints are not saturated, DM has the correct relic density, and DM direct detection experiments are sensitive to the DM candidate.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Measurement of the
B8
solar neutrino flux using the full
SNO+
water phase dataset
Authors: Allega A. , Anderson M. R. , Andringa S. , Askins M. , Asner D. M. , Auty D. J. , Bacon A. , Barão F. , Barros N. , Bayes R. , Beier E. W. , Bialek A. , Biller S. D. , Blucher E. , Caden E. , Callaghan E. J. , Chen M. , Cheng S. , Cleveland B. , Cookman D. , Corning J. , Cox M. A. , Dehghani R. , Deloye J. , Depatie M. M. , Di Lodovico F. , Dima C. , Dittmer J. , Dixon K. H. , Esmaeilian M. S. , Falk E. , Fatemighomi N. , Ford R. , Gaur A. , González-Reina O. I. , Gooding D. , Grant C. , Grove J. , Hall S. , Hallin A. L. , Hallman D. , Heintzelman W. J. , Helmer R. L. , Hewitt C. , Hreljac B. , Hu J. , Huang P. , Hunt-Stokes R. , Hussain S. M. A. , Inácio A. S. , Jillings C. J. , Kaluzienski S. , Kaptanoglu T. , Kladnik J. , Klein J. R. , Kormos L. L. , Krar B. , Kraus C. , Krauss C. B. , Kroupová T. , Lake C. , Lebanowski L. , Lefebvre C. , Lozza V. , Luo M. , Maio A. , Manecki S. , Maneira J. , Martin R. D. , McCauley N. , McDonald A. B. , Milton G. , Morris D. , Mubasher M. , Naugle S. , Nolan L. J. , O’Keeffe H. M. , Orebi Gann G. D. , Page J. , Paleshi K. , Parker W. , Paton J. , Peeters S. J. M. , Pickard L. , Quenallata B. , Ravi P. , Reichold A. , Riccetto S. , Rose J. , Rosero R. , Semenec I. , Simms J. , Skensved P. , Smiley M. , Svoboda R. , Tam B. , Tseng J. , Vázquez-Jáuregui E. , Virtue C. J. , Ward M. , Wilson J. R. , Wilson J. D. , Wright A. , Yang S. , Yeh M. , Ye Z. , Yu S. , Zhang Y. , Zuber K. , Zummo A. ,   SNO+ Collaboration
Published: December 2024

The SNO+ detector operated initially as a water Cherenkov detector. The implementation of a sealed cover gas system midway through water data taking resulted in a significant reduction in the activity of Rn222 daughters in the detector and allowed the lowest background to the solar electron scattering signal above 5 MeV achieved to date. This paper reports an updated SNO+ water phase B8 solar neutrino analysis with a total livetime of 282.4 days and an analysis threshold of 3.5 MeV. The B8 solar neutrino flux is found to be (2.32−0.17+0.18(stat)−0.05+0.07(syst))×106  cm−2 s−1 assuming no neutrino oscillations, or (5.36−0.39+0.41(stat)−0.16+0.17(syst))×106  cm−2 s−1 assuming standard neutrino oscillation parameters, in good agreement with both previous measurements and standard solar model calculations. The electron recoil spectrum is presented above 3.5 MeV.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
α
-surfaces and global coordinates in black hole spacetimes
Authors: Araneda Bernardo , Whiting Bernard F.
Published: December 2024

We present a discussion of the periodicity in imaginary time of maximally extended black hole spacetimes without reference to Euclidean manifolds. As motivation, we first demonstrate our approach for the Rindler geometry in flat space before then applying it for the case of Schwarzschild time in the maximally extended Kruskal geometry. One notable advantage of our approach is that it can be utilized in the Kerr case, again without reference to a Euclidean manifold, and without complexifying the angular momentum parameter, a. One unusual feature of our application in the Kerr case is that, even for the purely Lorentzian geometry, it is developed in terms of explicitly complex coordinates which are associated with distinct families of α-surfaces. Moreover, coordinatization of these gives a single set of coordinates which cover the entire geometry outside the inner horizon.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
New black ring with all independent conserved charges in five-dimensional minimal supergravity
Authors: Suzuki Ryotaku , Tomizawa Shinya
Published: December 2024

We present a new exact solution for a general non-BPS black ring in the bosonic sector of five-dimensional minimal supergravity. This obtained solution carries four independent conserved charges: the mass, two angular momenta, an electric charge, and an additional dipole charge related to other charges. By employing the Ehlers-Harrison transformation, we derive this solution by transforming a five-dimensional vacuum solution into a charged solution in the theory. Previously, our work produced a vacuum doubly rotating black ring solution possessing a Dirac-Misner string singularity by using the Ehlers transformation. In this study, we use the singular black ring as the seed for the Harrison transformation. The resultant solution is regular, free from curvature singularities, conical singularities, orbifold singularities, Dirac-Misner string singularities, and closed timelike curves both on and outside the horizon. We show that within a specific parameter range, the black ring presents two branches for the same mass, two angular momenta and electric charge but these are distinguished by a dipole charge, which exhibits discontinuous nonuniqueness. Furthermore, this newly obtained black ring seamlessly connects to various physically significant solutions, such as the Pomeransky-Sen’kov black ring, the extremal black ring, the supersymmetric black ring, and the charged singly spinning black ring.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Aspects of
TT¯+JT¯
deformed Schwarzian: From gravity partition function to late-time spectral form factor
Authors: Bhattacharyya Arpan , Ghosh Saptaswa , Pal Sounak
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we investigate different thermodynamic properties of TT¯+JT¯ deformed Schwarzian theory and its different gravitational perspectives. First, we compute the partition function of U(1) coupled 2D-gravity with fixed chemical potential, obtained from the dimensional reduction of the four-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell theory. Then, we compute the partition function of the gravity theory which is the dual to the deformed Schwarzian living on its boundary and study the genus expansion of the one and two-point correlation function of the partition function of the theory. Subsequently, we use the one-point function to compute the “annealed” and “quenched” free energy in low-temperature limits and make a qualitative comparison with the undeformed theory. Then, using the two-point function, we compute the spectral form factor of the deformed theory in early and late time. We find a dip and ramp structure in early and late time, respectively. We also get a plateau structure in the τ-scaling limit. Last but not least, we comment on the late-time topology change to give a physical interpretation of the ramp of the spectral form factor for our theory.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
More than meets the eye: the interplay of spending and product variety in organic shopping
Authors: Mata Pedro , Buil Tamar
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the growing global interest in organic food by examining the relationship between consumer spending patterns and the variety of organic product categories within shopping baskets. Expanding on prior research on intrinsic motivations for choosing organic products, this paper introduces differences between consumers based on their spending levels and the quantity and type – fresh vs processed – of organic products they purchase.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive analysis was conducted using data from an online panel survey in Spain, targeting regular consumers of ecological products. A total of 627 respondents were surveyed (e = 4%, N.C. = 95%; p = q = 0.5). Consumers were segmented based on the quantity of organic product categories in their baskets. The data were analysed using cross-tabulation, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA to identify significant differences in spending and product variety.

Findings

The study identified significant differences in spending patterns and in the variety of organic products purchased between the eco-consumer segments – essential, mindful and super – characterised by the variety of product categories in their shopping baskets. These findings align with global trends in eco-friendly consumption, providing a nuanced understanding of consumer behaviour in the organic food market.

Originality/value

To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore the impact of the variety of organic product categories within a shopping basket as a segmentation factor. The research contributes a novel perspective to the literature on organic food consumption by highlighting how the count and type of products influence consumer segmentation and spending behaviour.
Organizational capabilities for digital innovation: a systematic literature review
Authors: Motamedimoghadam Mohsen , Mira da Silva Miguel , Amaral Miguel
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The rapid advancement of digital technologies compels companies across all industries to develop new capabilities to foster innovation and sustain competitiveness. Consequently, scholarly debates have intensified regarding how these new capabilities contribute to companies’ innovation endeavors. This study addresses this imperative by exploring two primary research questions: first, identifying the essential organizational capabilities for digital innovation; and second, examining how these capabilities facilitate innovation. The objective is to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework that classifies digital innovation capability as a higher-order organizational capacity, offering valuable insights for both academic scholarship and practical applications in digital innovation management.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative approach, this study combines a systematic literature review with grounded theory principles to analyze 38 empirical papers from Scopus and Web of Science databases. The rigorous multi-stage coding process – open, axial and selective coding – facilitated the identification and synthesis of valuable insights for digital innovation capabilities. This approach ensures a comprehensive yet focused review, supporting the development of a robust theoretical framework.

Findings

Four critical capability clusters were identified to shape digital innovation capabilities: sensing, analytic-driven, digital platform and orchestration. Sensing capabilities enhance environmental awareness and enable organizations to detect market needs and opportunities, fostering customer-centric innovations. Analytic-driven capabilities leverage data for insightful decision-making and trend analysis. Digital platform capabilities highlight the strategic use of technological infrastructures to enable collaborative innovation, integrating diverse capabilities and objectives. Orchestration capabilities focus on effective coordination of resources and partnerships, ensuring sustained digital innovation by bridging capability gaps and reconfiguring resources. Collectively, these clusters offer a holistic framework for excelling in the dynamic digital innovation landscape.

Originality/value

While previous literature has focused on the impact of individual capabilities on digital innovation, this study offers a novel and integrative framework that categorizes digital innovation capabilities into four distinct yet interconnected clusters: sensing, analytic-driven, digital platforms and orchestration. This framework delineates the unique roles each capability plays in the digital innovation process. By synthesizing empirical studies and constructing a robust theoretical framework, this research significantly contributes to both academic scholarship and practical applications, offering essential strategies for organizations to enhance their digital innovation efforts through sustainable capability development.
Assessing the influence of supply chain collaboration on the performance of manufacturing SMEs in Rwanda
Authors: Uwamahoro Alexis , Nadeem Simon Peter , Shale Ismail Noor , Wachiuri Elizabeth
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This research examines how supply chain collaboration, underpinned by stakeholder trust, information sharing and strategic partnerships, impacts the performance of manufacturing SMEs in Rwanda. The focus on manufacturing SMEs is due to their vital role in the economy and their distinctive resource dynamics.

Findings

The study demonstrates that supply chain collaboration, particularly through strategic partnerships and stakeholder trust, positively impacts supply chain performance. While information sharing’s influence is currently limited by technological constraints, the findings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to address existing challenges and emphasise the crucial roles of stakeholders and policymakers in supporting SMEs’ performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to a broader understanding of supply chain collaboration, its impact on performance, its interactions with other organisational factors and its implications for managerial decision-making, academic research and supply chain partnerships.

Originality/value

This research is one of the few to demonstrate the impact of supply chain collaboration on the performance of manufacturing SMEs in developing countries, particularly Rwanda.
How does ethical leadership enhance employees’ innovative behavior? The roles of work group cohesiveness and openness to experience
Authors: Tran Pham Toan Khanh
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how ethical leadership impacts employees’ innovative work behavior among public employees through the mediating role of group cohesiveness. This work further offers deeper insight into the moderating mechanism of openness to experience in the relationship between ethical leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Three time-lagged sets of data (n = 532) were collected among Vietnamese public employees. The partial least squares – structural equation modeling method was applied to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Ethical leadership positively relates to employees’ innovative work behavior. Furthermore, group cohesiveness plays a mediating role in the link between ethical leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior. The moderating impact of openness to experience between ethical leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior is supported.

Originality/value

This inquiry is probably the first attempt to explore the mechanism linking ethical leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior through the mediator of group cohesiveness. Additionally, this study extends the current knowledge by investigating the moderating role of openness to experience in ethical leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior nexus.
Communication and job satisfaction among public employees: evidence from large-scale surveys with healthcare professionals
Authors: Pirrotta Luca , Ferrari Amerigo , Cantarelli Paola , Belle Nicola
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Communication and job satisfaction are two key factors for the success of public organisations. The study aims, firstly, to examine the effects of training activities and internal meetings on the perceived quality of communication processes; secondly, to explore the nuanced relationship between communication and job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a cross-sectional study based on results from organisational climate surveys conducted between 2019 and 2020 in six Italian Regional Healthcare Systems, involving a total of 58,888 employees. Linear regression models were performed.

Findings

Results highlight that employee satisfaction is positively influenced by high-quality internal communication. The organisation of frequent internal meetings and the offer of ad hoc training sessions on communication were found to be antecedents of good communication.

Practical implications

The study offers practical implications for healthcare organisations, highlighting specific strategies that can be employed to enhance internal communication and, subsequently, job satisfaction. The emphasis on training programmes and internal meetings provides actionable insights for organisational improvement.

Originality/value

The originality and value of this study lie in its unique large datasets, which significantly strengthen the reliability of the findings and make them more applicable to a wider range of contexts. Also, the exploration of the relationship between internal communication processes and job satisfaction within public healthcare organisations contributes to the growing body of knowledge in organisational studies.
Instance segmentation of on-line wear debris using deep convolutional neural network with transfer learning
Authors: Li Jingming , Chen Mingzhi
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to apply deep convolutional neural network Mask-R-CNN algorithm based on transfer learning to realize the segmentation of online wear fragments.

Design/methodology/approach

Wear debris analysis is considered to be one of the most effective methods to maintain the condition of mechanical equipment. In this paper, the friction and wear testing machine was used to design pin-disk rotation, pin-disk reciprocation and four-ball test to produce cutting, sliding, laminar and fatigue debris. A semi-online sampling system was designed to collect ferrographic images containing various fragments. The images were rotated and flipped to augment the data and enhance the generalization ability of the model. The data set required for data analysis is established. Using COCO pre-trained Mask R-CNN data set as a benchmark, the region proposal network (RPN) is trained with labeled wear debris images to enhance the ability of RPN to recognize background and wear debris. Two transfer learning scenarios are tested in the network head of the Mask R-CNN.

Findings

The results show that the deep convolutional neural network is suitable for the automatic classification and detection of wear fragments. Through transfer learning and proper training configuration, the ferrographic image recognition based on Mask R-CNN achieves high accuracy.

Originality/value

The results show that the deep convolutional neural network is suitable for the automatic classification and detection of wear fragments. Through transfer learning and proper training configuration, the ferrographic image recognition based on Mask R-CNN achieves high accuracy.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0182/
A design thinking approach to integrate supply chain networks for circular supply chain strategy in Industry 4.0
Authors: Lin Kuo-Yi , Chu I-Tien
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Embracing circular economy principles in integrating supply chain networks is pivotal for firms navigating the complex terrain of Industry 4.0, as it addresses the urgent need for sustainable competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving service design landscape. Moreover, promoting responsible consumption and production practices within these networks ensures the efficient use of resources, minimizing waste and environmental impact while fostering long-term sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

This study emphasizes the integration of design thinking principles as a strategic response to the challenges posed by emerging design systems in Industry 4.0, with a focus on effectively meeting user requirements and managing competitive pressures within circular supply chain strategies.

Findings

An empirical study validates the impact of the ROCKET model, utilizing data mining to uncover the underlying patterns of thought and action among participants, thereby providing insights into facilitating a circular supply chain strategy. The findings present a robust framework and identify key motivational factors from a project management perspective, specifically tailored for young innovators. The study underscores the importance of effectively integrating supply chain networks, not only to enhance collaborative experiences but also to empower innovators to develop operational protocols aligned with the ROCKET model, thus advancing the circular economy agenda within the Industry 4.0 landscape.

Originality/value

Leveraging design thinking, widely recognized for its versatility and pivotal role in fostering innovation, this research investigates the cognitive frameworks and mindsets that drive the innovation journey and its outcomes. Despite its potential, a noticeable gap between experienced design professionals and novices can result in prolonged R&D timelines, quality control issues and resource allocation challenges, which impede effective supply chain integration. To address this gap, the study introduces the ROCKET model, inspired by motivational strategies to support innovation management, with a particular emphasis on integrating supply chain networks to promote a circular economy within the Industry 4.0 context.
Gender diversity on boards and earnings forecast accuracy: insights from India
Authors: Reddy Sudheer , Jadhav Aditya Mohan , Prasad Krishna
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper explores the relationship between gender diversity on corporate boards and the accuracy of analysts’ earnings forecasts. The study focuses on gender-diverse boards as effective monitors, which are expected to influence corporate disclosures, reducing information asymmetry positively and improving forecast accuracy. The unique context of India’s gender quota policy on corporate boards and its relatively weak corporate governance structure offers an ideal setting to investigate this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilises the generalised method of moments dynamic panel regression to address this research objective, analysing data from 217 Indian firms listed on the National Stock Exchange from 2014 to 2019.

Findings

The findings reveal that greater gender diversity on corporate boards positively impacts forecast accuracy. Specifically, having more women directors on the board enhances forecast accuracy, with a critical mass of women directors (more than one woman) further amplifying this effect. The study also shows that independent women directors significantly improve forecast accuracy, whereas grey women directors (those with family connections or non-independent roles) negatively affect it.

Originality/value

This study contributes significantly in two key aspects. Firstly, it sheds light on the value of women directors on boards in a country where women’s representation is mandated. Secondly, the research highlights the crucial role of independent women directors in ensuring robust financial oversight, particularly in an emerging economy.