bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Refining Brain Stimulation Therapies: An Active Learning Approach to Personalization
Authors: Sendi Mohammad S. E. , Cole Eric R. , Piallat Brigitte , Ellis Charles A. , Eggers Thomas E. , Laxpati Nealen G. , Mahmoudi Babak , Gutekunst Claire-Anne , Devergnas Annaelle , Mayberg Helen , Gross Robert E. , Calhoun Vince D.
Published: September 2024

Brain stimulation holds promise for treating brain disorders, but personalizing therapy remains challenging. Effective treatment requires establishing a functional link between stimulation parameters and brain response, yet traditional methods like random sampling (RS) are inefficient and costly. To overcome this, we developed an active learning (AL) framework that identifies optimal relationships between stimulation parameters and brain response with fewer experiments. We validated this framework through three experiments: (1) in silico modeling with synthetic data from a Parkinson’s disease model, (2) in silico modeling with real data from a non-human primate, and (3) in vivo modeling with a real-time rat optogenetic stimulation experiment. In each experiment, we compared AL models to RS models, using various query strategies and stimulation parameters (amplitude, frequency, pulse width). AL models consistently outperformed RS models, achieving lower error on unseen test data in silico (p<0.0056,N=1,000) and in vivo (p=0.0036,N=20). This approach represents a significant advancement in brain stimulation, potentially improving both research and clinical applications by making them more efficient and effective. Our findings suggest that AL can substantially reduce the cost and time required for developing personalized brain stimulation therapies, paving the way for more effective and accessible treatments for brain disorders.
Non-canonical DNA in human and other ape telomere-to-telomere genomes
Authors: Smeds Linnéa , Kamali Kaivan , Kejnovská Iva , Kejnovský Eduard , Chiaromonte Francesca , Makova Kateryna D.
Published: September 2024

Non-canonical (non-B) DNA structures—e.g., bent DNA, hairpins, G-quadruplexes, Z-DNA, etc.—which form at certain sequence motifs (e.g., A-phased repeats, inverted repeats, etc.), have emerged as important regulators of cellular processes and drivers of genome evolution. Yet, they have been understudied due to their repetitive nature and potentially inaccurate sequences generated with short-read technologies. Here we comprehensively characterize such motifs in the long-read telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genomes of human, bonobo, chimpanzee, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan, and siamang. Non-B DNA motifs are enriched at the genomic regions added to T2T assemblies, and occupy 9-15%, 9-11%, and 12-38% of autosomes, and chromosomes X and Y, respectively. Functional regions (e.g., promoters and enhancers) and repetitive sequences are enriched in non-B DNA motifs. Non-B DNA motifs concentrate at short arms of acrocentric chromosomes in a pattern reflecting their satellite repeat content and might contribute to satellite dynamics in these regions. Most centromeres and/or their flanking regions are enriched in at least one non-B DNA motif type, consistent with a potential role of non-B structures in determining centromeres. Our results highlight the uneven distribution of predicted non-B DNA structures across ape genomes and suggest their novel functions in previously inaccessible genomic regions.

Graphical Abstract
Elucidating the Selection Mechanisms in Context-Dependent Computation through Low-Rank Neural Network Modeling
Authors: Zhang Yiteng , Feng Jianfeng , Min Bin
Published: September 2024

Humans and animals exhibit a remarkable ability to selectively filter out irrelevant information based on context. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this context-dependent selection process remain elusive. Recently, the issue of discriminating between two prevalent selection mechanisms— input modulation versus selection vector modulation—with neural activity data has been highlighted as one of the major challenges in the study of individual variability underlying context-dependent decision-making (CDM). Here, we investigated these selection mechanisms through low-rank neural network modeling of the CDM task. We first showed that only input modulation was allowed in rank-one neural networks and additional dimensions of network connectivity were required to endow neural networks with selection vector modulation. Through rigorous information flow analysis, we gained a mechanistic understanding of why additional dimensions are required for selection vector modulation and how additional dimensions specifically contribute to selection vector modulation. This new understanding then led to the identification of novel neural dynamical signatures for selection vector modulation at both single neuron and population levels readily testable in experiments. Together, our results provide a rigorous theoretical framework linking network connectivity, neural dynamics and selection mechanisms, paving the way towards elucidating the circuit mechanisms when studying individual variability in context-dependent computation.
β-barrel proteins dictate the effect of core oligosaccharide composition on outer membrane mechanics
Authors: Fitzmaurice Dylan , Amador Anthony , Starr Tahj , Hocky Glen M. , Rojas Enrique R.
Published: September 2024

The outer membrane is the defining structure of Gram-negative bacteria. We previously demonstrated that it is critical for the mechanical integrity of the cell envelope and therefore to the robustness of the bacterial cell as a whole. Here, to determine the key molecules and moieties within the outer membrane that underlie its contribution to cell envelope mechanics, we measured cell-envelope stiffness across several sets of mutants with altered outer-membrane sugar content, protein content, and electric charge. To decouple outer membrane stiffness from total cell envelope stiffness, we developed a novel microfluidics-based “osmotic force extension” assay. In tandem, we developed a simple method to increase throughput of microfluidics experiments by performing them on color-coded pools of mutants. UsingEscherichia colias a model Gram-negative bacterium, we found that truncating the core oligosaccharide, deleting the β-barrel protein OmpA, or deleting lipoprotein outer membrane-cell wall linkers all had the same modest, convergent effect on total cell-envelope stiffness but had large, varying effects on the ability of the cell wall to transfer tension to the outer membrane during large hyperosmotic shocks. Surprisingly, altering lipid A charge had little effect on the mechanical properties of the envelope. Importantly, the presence or absence of OmpA determined whether truncating the core oligosaccharide decreased or increased envelope stiffness (respectively), revealing sign epistasis between these components. Based on these data we propose a specific structural model in which the chemical interactions between lipopolysaccharides, β-barrel proteins, and phospholipids coordinately determine cell envelope stiffness, and the ability of the outer membrane to functionally share mechanical loads with the cell wall.

Statement of Significance

The outer membrane is the defining cellular structure of Gram-negative bacteria, a group that contains many important pathogens likeEscherichia coli,Vibrio cholerae, andPseudomonas aeruginosa. One role of the outer membrane is to block the uptake of small molecules like antibiotics. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that it also functions as a structural exoskeleton that is critical for the cell’s ability to cope with internal and external mechanical forces. Here, we carefully dissect the molecular basis for the load-bearing capacity of the outer membrane by screening a set of mutants with a new cell biophysics assay.
ApoE4 disrupts intracellular trafficking and iron homeostasis in an improved iPSC-based model of human brain endothelial cells
Authors: Bell Luisa , Stokar-Regenscheit Nadine , Simonneau Claire , Augustin Angélique , Höllbacher Barbara , D’Abate Lia , Ficek-Pascual Joanna , Schneider Kim , Von Tell Desiree , Zanini Chiara , Zundel Christelle , Golling Sabrina , Becker Christine , Odermatt Alex , Foo Lynette , Pigoni Martina , Villaseñor Roberto
Published: September 2024

Transferrin receptor in brain endothelial cells can deliver therapeutic antibodies to the brain via transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier. Whether receptor transport remains intact in Alzheimer’s disease is still a major open question. Here, we investigated whether apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4), the major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, altered intracellular transport in human brain endothelial cells. To achieve this, we first developed an optimized protocol for induced pluripotent stem cells based on a definedchemical cocktail andextracellular-matrix support to differentiatebrainendothelialcells (iCE-BECs). Multi-omic profiling and functional transport assays showed that iCE-BECs have a brain endothelial gene signature and recapitulate receptor-mediated transcytosis of a clinically validated BrainshuttleTMantibody against transferrin receptor. Engineered iCE-BECs homozygous for ApoE4 had altered spatiotemporal organization of early endosomes, increased transferrin receptor expression and reduced cytoplasmic iron. Our data revealed that ApoE4 can impact intracellular transport and iron homeostasis at the BBB in a cell-autonomous manner. This finding could be relevant for the brain delivery of therapeutic antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease.
LL-37 modulates IL-17A/F-mediated airway inflammation by selectively suppressing Lipocalin-2
Authors: Altieri Anthony , Lloyd Dylan , Ramotar Padmanie , van der Does Anne M , Hemshekhar Mahadevappa , Mookherjee Neeloffer
Published: September 2024

Background

Levels of the human cationic host defence peptide (CHDP) LL-37 is enhanced in the lungs during neutrophilic airway inflammation. LL-37 drives Th17 differentiation, and Th17 cells produce IL-17A and IL-17F which forms the biologically active heterodimer IL-17A/F. While IL-17 is a critical mediator of neutrophilic airway inflammation, LL-37 exhibits contradictory functions; LL-37 can both promote and mitigate neutrophil recruitment depending on the inflammatory milieu. The impact of LL-37 on IL-17-induced responses in the context of airway inflammation remains largely unknown. Therefore, we examined signaling intermediates and downstream responses mediated by the interplay of IL-17A/F and LL-37, in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC). As LL-37 can get citrullinated during airway inflammation, we also examined LL-37-mediated downstream response compared to that with citrullinated LL-37 (citLL- 37), in HBEC.

Results

Using an aptamer-based proteomics approach, we identified proteins that are altered in response to IL-17A/F in HBEC. Proteins enhanced in response to IL-17A/F were primarily neutrophil chemoattractants, including chemokines and proteins associated with neutrophil migration such as lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) and Elafin. We showed that selective depletion of LCN-2 mitigated neutrophil migration, thus functionally demonstrating LCN-2 as a critical neutrophil chemoattractant. We further demonstrated that LL-37 and citLL-37 selectively suppresses IL- 17A/F-induced LCN-2 production, in bronchial epithelial cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that LL-37 and citLL-37 suppressed IL-17A/F-mediated C/EBPβ, a transcription factor required for LCN-2 production. In contrast, LL-37 and citLL-37 enhanced the ribonuclease Regnase-1, which is a negative regulator of IL-17 and LCN-2. In an animal model of neutrophilic airway inflammation with elevated IL-17A/F in the lungs, we demonstrated that CRAMP (mouse ortholog of LL-37) negatively correlates with LCN-2.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings showed that LL-37 and citLL-37 can selectively suppress the abundance of IL-17A/F-mediated LCN-2, a protein that is critical for neutrophil migration, in bronchial epithelial cells. These results suggest that LL-37, and its modified citrullinated form, has the potential to negatively regulate IL-17-mediated neutrophil migration to control airway inflammation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report that the immunomodulatory function of LL-37 engages an RNA binding protein, Regnase-1, indicating post-transcriptional regulation of airway inflammation by the peptide.
Inference in wolves and dogs: The “cups task”, revisited
Authors: Rivas-Blanco Dániel , Krause Sophia D. , Marshall-Pescini Sarah , Range Friederike
Published: September 2024

Inferential reasoning —the process of arriving at a conclusion from a series of premises— has been studied in a multitude of animal species through the use of the “cups task” paradigm. In one of the versions of this set-up, two opaque cups —one baited, one empty— are shaken in front of the animal. As only the baited cup makes a noise when shaken, the animals can locate the reward by inferring that only a baited cup would make noise, that an empty cup would make no noise, or both. In a previous iteration of this paradigm in wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canis familiaris), wolves seemed to outperform dogs. However, due to the lack of control conditions, it was not possible to assess each species’ inference capabilities, nor how they related to each other. The current study adds several conditions in which the baited cup, the empty cup, or no cups are shaken, in order to tackle this issue. Our results seem to indicate that wolves and dogs made their choices not based on inference but on the saliency and order of the stimuli presented, something that seems in line with the previous study. We discuss the potential causes behind the animals’ performance, as well as proposing alternative paradigms that may be more apt to measure inference abilities in wolves and dogs.
USP37 prevents unscheduled replisome unloading through MCM complex deubiquitination
Authors: Bolhuis Derek L. , Fleifel Dalia , Bonacci Thomas , Wang Xianxi , Mouery Brandon L. , Cook Jeanette Gowen , Brown Nicholas G. , Emanuele Michael J.
Published: September 2024

The CMG helicase (CDC45-MCM2-7-GINS) unwinds DNA as a component of eukaryotic replisomes. Replisome (dis)assembly is tightly coordinated with cell cycle progression to ensure genome stability. However, factors that prevent premature CMG unloading and replisome disassembly are poorly described. Since disassembly is catalyzed by ubiquitination, deubiquitinases (DUBs) represent attractive candidates for safeguarding against untimely and deleterious CMG unloading. We combined a targeted loss-of-function screen with quantitative, single-cell analysis to identify human USP37 as a key DUB preventing replisome disassembly. We demonstrate that USP37 maintains active replisomes on S-phase chromatin and promotes normal cell cycle progression. Proteomics and enzyme assays revealed USP37 interacts with the CMG complex to deubiquitinate MCM7, thus antagonizing replisome disassembly. Significantly, USP37 protects normal epithelial cells from oncoprotein-induced replication stress. Our findings reveal USP37 to be critical to the maintenance of replisomes in S-phase and suggest USP37-targeting as a potential strategy for treating malignancies with defective DNA replication control.
Magnetic symmetries of terbium tetraboride
(TbB4)
revealed by resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction
Authors: Johnson R. D. , Lovesey S. W.
Published: September 2024

A recent experimental study of TbB4 at a low temperature using resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction implies a magnetic symmetry not found in any other rare-earth tetraboride. The evidence for this assertion is a change in the intensity of a TbB4 Bragg spot on reversing the handedness (chirality) of the primary x-ray beam [R. Misawa, K. Arakawa, T. Yoshioka, H. Ueda, F. Iga, K. Tamasaku, Y. Tanaka, and T. Kimura, ]. It reveals a magnetic chiral signature in TbB4 that is forbidden in phases of rare-earth tetraborides known to date, as the previous magnetic symmetries are parity-time (PT) symmetric with anti-inversion present in the magnetic crystal class. Misawa appeal to a PT-symmetric diffraction pattern to interpret their interesting diffraction patterns. In addition to the use of symmetry that does not permit a chiral signature, calculated patterns impose cylindrical symmetry on Tb sites with no justification. We review magnetic symmetries for TbB4 consistent with a published neutron powder diffraction pattern and susceptibility measurements. On the basis of this information, noncollinear antiferromagnetic order exists below a temperature ≈44 K with no ferromagnetic component. Our symmetry-informed patterns encapsulate Tb electronic degrees of freedom in terms of multipoles consistent with established sum rules for dichroic signals. The investigated symmetry templates are noncentrosymmetric, noncollinear antiferromagnetic constructions with propagation vector k=(0,0,0). An inferred chiral signature for a parity-even absorption event has an interesting composition. There is the anticipated product of Tb axial dipoles and chargelike quadrupoles (from Templeton-Templeton scattering). Beyond this contribution, though, symmetry allows a product of dipoles in the chiral signature. A predicted change in the intensity of a Bragg spot with rotation of the crystal about the reflection vector (an azimuthal angle scan) can be tested in future experiments. Likewise contributions to Bragg diffraction patterns from Tb anapoles and higher-order Dirac multipoles.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Tunneling away the relic neutrino asymmetry
Authors: Kalia Saarik
Published: September 2024

The Earth acts as a matter potential for relic neutrinos which modifies their index of refraction from vacuum by δ∼10−8. It has been argued that the refractive effects from this potential should lead to a large O(δ) neutrino-antineutrino asymmetry at the surface of the Earth. This result was computed by treating the Earth as flat. In this work, we revisit this calculation in the context of a perfectly spherical Earth. We demonstrate, both numerically and through analytic arguments, that the flat-Earth result is only recovered under the condition δ3/2kR≫1, where k is the typical momentum of the relic neutrinos and R is the radius of the Earth. This condition is required to prevent antineutrinos from tunneling into classically inaccessible trajectories below the Earth’s surface and washing away the large asymmetry. As the physical parameters of the Earth do not satisfy this condition, we find that the asymmetry at the surface should only be O(δ). While the asphericity of the Earth may serve as a loophole to our conclusions, we argue that it is still difficult to generate a large asymmetry even in the presence of local terrain.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Reduction of pseudocritical temperatures of chiral restoration and deconfinement phase transitions in a magnetized PNJL model
Authors: Mao Shijun
Published: September 2024

We investigate the chiral restoration and deconfinement phase transitions under an external magnetic field in the frame of a Pauli-Villars regularized Polyakov loop extended Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. A running Polyakov loop scale parameter T0(eB) is introduced to mimic the reaction of the gluon sector to the presence of magnetic fields. It is found that a decreasing T0(eB) with magnetic fields can realize the inverse magnetic catalysis phenomena of chiral condensates of u and d quarks, increase of Polyakov loop, and the reduction of pseudocritical temperatures of chiral restoration and deconfinement phase transitions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Inclusive reactions from finite Minkowski spacetime correlation functions
Authors: Carrillo Marco A. , Briceño Raúl A. , Sturzu Alexandru M.
Published: September 2024

The need to determine scattering amplitudes of few-hadron systems for arbitrary kinematics expands a broad set of subfields of modern-day nuclear and hadronic physics. In this work, we expand upon previous explorations on the use of real-time methods, like quantum computing or tensor networks, to determine few-body scattering amplitudes. Such calculations must be performed in a finite Minkowski spacetime, where scattering amplitudes are not well defined. Our previous work presented a conjecture of a systematically improvable estimator for scattering amplitudes constructed from finite-volume correlation functions. Here we provide further evidence that the prescription works for larger kinematic regions than previously explored as well as a broader class of scattering amplitudes. Finally, we devise a new method for estimating the order of magnitude of the error associated with finite time separations needed for such calculations. In units of the lightest mass of the theory, we find that to constrain amplitudes using real-time methods within O(10%), the spacetime volumes must satisfy mL∼O(10–102)) and mT∼O(102–104).

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Signatures of light new particles in
B→K(*)Emiss
Authors: Bolton Patrick D. , Fajfer Svjetlana , Kamenik Jernej F. , Novoa-Brunet Martín
Published: September 2024

The recent Belle II observation of B→KEmiss challenges theoretical interpretations in terms of Standard Model neutrino final states. Instead, we consider new physics scenarios where up to two new light-invisible particles of spin 0 up to 3/2 are present in the final state. We identify viable scenarios by reconstructing the (binned) likelihoods of the relevant B→K(*)Emiss and also Bs→Emiss experimental analyses and present preferred regions of couplings and masses. In particular, we find that the current data prefer two-body decay kinematics involving the emission of a single massive scalar or a vector particle or, alternatively, three-body decays involving pairs of massive scalars or spin 1/2 fermions. When applicable, we compare our findings with existing literature and briefly discuss some model-building implications.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Incoherent fermionic dark matter absorption with nucleon Fermi motion
Authors: Ge Shao-Feng , Titov Oleg
Published: September 2024

We investigate the incoherent regime of the fermionic dark matter absorption by nuclei using the relativistic Fermi gas model and nuclear form factors. With the momentum transfer being roughly equal to the dark matter mass mχ, the incoherent regime contributes significantly to the absorption process for mχ≳100  MeV with a spin-independent operator and for even smaller mass with a spin-dependent one. We also compare the situations for various target nuclei (Xe131, Ge72, Ar40, Ne20, and He4) that are typically used in the dark matter direct detection. A heavier nucleus actually has the advantage of probing the incoherent scattering of the fermionic absorption dark matter. Observing both the coherent and incoherent contributions would be an important justification of the fermionic dark matter absorption.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Investigating generalized minimal supergravity in the MSSM through the long-lived bino NLSP at the HL-LHC
Authors: Zhang Wenxing , Ahmed Waqas , Khan Imtiaz , Li Tianjun , Raza Shabbar
Published: September 2024

The axino, the supersymmetric partner of the axion, is a well-motivated warm/hot dark/cold matter candidate and provides a natural solution to the relic density problem for the binolike neutralino if it is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP). With the generalized minimal supergravity, we study such kind of the viable parameter space where the binolike neutralino is the next-to-LSP (NLSP) and the axino is the LSP. In addition, we consider a scenario where the bino is a long-lived NLSP with the lifetime varying from 10−6 to 10−4  s and then propose a new signal searching scheme involving one displaced photon together with the large missing transverse momentum at the HL-LHC. The binolike lightest neutralino lies under or around 100 GeV and is produced as a decay product of the right-handed sleptons. The relevant axion coupling fa can be probed up to O(109)  GeV at 2σ level for the right-handed slepton mass under 800 GeV.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Constraining axion-gluon coupling in monohadron processes
Authors: Bao Shou-shan , Gao Wenhai , Zhang Hong , Zhou Jian
Published: September 2024

The axion-gluon coupling can be constrained directly through hard exclusive processes at the LHC. Specifically, we study the associated production of a long-lived axion with a ρ0 meson in ultraperipheral AA collisions and in pp collisions. With the axion escaped from the detector, the final state is characterized by a monohadron signature. The main background in our analysis originates from the ρ0+π0 process, where the photons from the π0 decay are undetected due to limited detector performance. Our analysis yields an exclusion limit of the axion-gluon coupling that is comparable to the limit obtained from the monojet process at the LHC.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Gravitational vacua in the Newman-Penrose formalism
Authors: Mao Pujian
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we derive the generic solution of the Newman-Penrose equations in the Newman-Unti gauge with vanishing curvature tensor. The obtained solutions are the vacua of the gravitational theory which are connected to the derivations in metric formalism from exponentiating the infinitesimal BMS generators in the Bondi-Metzner-Sachs (BMS) gauge in Compère and Long [ and ] by a radial transformation. The coordinate transformations in the Newman-Unti gauge connecting each vacuum are also obtained. We confirm that the supertranslation charge of the gravitational vacua with respect to global considerations vanishes exactly not only in the Einstein theory but also when including the Holst, Pontryagin, and Gauss-Bonnet terms, which verifies that the gravitational vacua are not affected by those trivial or boundary terms.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum field theories of relativistic Luttinger fermions
Authors: Gies Holger , Heinzel Philip , Laufkötter Johannes , Picciau Marta
Published: September 2024

We propose relativistic Luttinger fermions as a new ingredient for the construction of fundamental quantum field theories. We construct the corresponding Clifford algebra and the spin metric for relativistic invariance of the action using the spin-base invariant formalism. The corresponding minimal spinor has 32 complex components, matching with the degrees of freedom of a standard-model generation including a right-handed neutrino. The resulting fermion fields exhibit a canonical scaling different from Dirac fermions and thus support the construction of novel relativistic and perturbatively renormalizable, interacting quantum field theories. In particular, new asymptotically free self-interacting field theories can be constructed, representing first examples of high-energy complete quantum field theories based on pure matter degrees of freedom. Gauge theories with relativistic Luttinger fermions exhibit a strong paramagnetic dominance, requiring large non-Abelian gauge groups to maintain asymptotic freedom. We comment on the possibility to use Luttinger fermions for particle physics model building and the expected naturalness properties of such models.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
To lead or not to lead? A cultural examination of leadership in independent hotels
Authors: Nazarian Alireza , Zaeri Ehsan , Foroudi Pantea , Afrouzi Amirreza , Atkinson Peter
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study explores the impact of ethical and authentic leadership on employees' workplace perceptions, focusing on organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB), trust in leader, commitment, employee voice and empowerment in independent hotels across two contrasting Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE) clusters: Germanic and Middle-Eastern clusters. It examines how national culture influences these relationships in the hospitality industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 1,678 employees in independent hotels in the Germanic European cluster (Germany and the Netherlands) and the Middle-Eastern cluster (Qatar and Turkey) using selective and snowball sampling techniques. Hypotheses were tested using two-stage structural equation modelling.

Findings

Ethical leadership significantly affects employee voice in Germany and the Netherlands but not in Qatar and Turkey. Authentic leadership positively influences employee voice in Qatar, Turkey and Germany but does not significantly impact trust in leader in any of the four countries. The study underscores the role of cultural dimensions, particularly power distance, in shaping these relationships.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature by investigating the effects of ethical and authentic leadership on key organisational variables in culturally diverse contexts within the hospitality industry. The findings highlight the necessity of considering national culture in leadership practices and suggest practical implications for independent hotels to adapt their leadership approaches to enhance employee outcomes. Future research should explore cultural dimensions as moderators in organisational relationships.
Young adults’ perceptions of personal loan commercials
Authors: Fan Fei , Chan Kara
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Personal debt is a common problem among Hong Kong people. Personal loan marketers promote their products and services aggressively, especially to young consumers. The purpose of this paper is to examine how young consumers respond to personal loan advertisements.

Design/methodology/approach

Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 38 interviewees in the age group of 18-25 years. They were asked to report their perceptions of three selected personal loan TV commercials and their attitudes toward personal loan advertisements in general.

Findings

Four themes were identified from the data analysis: a personal loan is a modern way of solving a debt problem; personal loan advertisements encourage materialism and overspending; personal loan advertisements are misleading; and personal loan advertisements do not affect me. The overall perception of these commercials is that borrowing money is easy and quick. Some report that they would try the product if they need to borrow money in the future.

Research limitations/implications

Given the small sample size, the findings cannot be generalized to the population. Future studies can use survey methodology to compare perceptions of personal loan advertisements by demographics.

Practical implications

Despite their effectiveness in communicating product features and benefits, personal loan advertisers suffer from negative brand image among young adults. The study has implications for socially responsible marketing for lenders.

Social implications

Credit counselors, policy makers, universities and employers should look into the need for raising the financial literacy of young adults.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on consumers’ response to personal loan advertisements among young adults.
The New Keynesian Phillips Curve and r* ${r}^{* }$
Authors: Abbas Syed Kanwar
Published: September 2024

In this article, I argue that shifts in the natural rate of interest provide important insights for the New Keynesian Phillips Curve (NKPC). The deviation of the real interest rate from the natural interest rate (interest rate gap) captures the monetary policy stance, which is important for the dynamics of inflation and the output gap in the wake of persistent and permanent variation in the natural rate of interest. I present the evolution of the estimates of the Taylor‐rule consistent‐ natural interest rate, and thus the associated path of the expectations of future inflation via the Fisherian relationship. The path of these two variables has implications for estimation of the NKPC.
Insights into decision‐maker's perceptions of good versus bad decisions in emergency services—A modified Delphi study
Authors: Penney Greg , Thompson Matthew B. , Codreanu Tudor , Launder David
Published: September 2024

Decision‐making in emergency situations, such as those faced by fire, police, and health service personnel, presents unique challenges due to the high‐stakes and time‐pressured environment. Here we aim to better understand what emergency responders regard as constituting ‘good’ and ‘bad’ decisions in emergency situations. We administered a modified Delphi study, eliciting opinions from decision‐makers across all these sectors towards consensus around the key elements of good and bad decision‐making. Participants were first asked to define what makes a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ decision, and subsequently to identify the top five most important elements of each. While consensus was not found, important insights were identified that can assist improve the standard of decision making at all levels of emergency response and management. We observed (i) a lack of a common understanding between participants of what a decision is, and how a decision differs from pre‐decision and postdecision components; (ii) responses varied according to whether a free text description or the identification of separate elements was requested; (iii) respondents valued ‘goodness’ across different and at times unrelated components a scaled measure of decision quality as opposed to a binary evaluation of ‘rightness’; and (iv) pre‐ and postdecision elements are considered more important than the decision itself when determining the quality of a decision. To address the issues highlighted by the study we recommend improvements in training, and improvements to organization doctrine related to decision making, risk tolerance, assessment of decision quality and development of intent‐based or principle‐based operational guidance. Ultimately, incident controllers from all services must remain cognizant that they will face considerable scrutiny if they cannot explain how they arrived at the decision they made.
Tracking implementation strategies in real‐world settings: VA Office of Rural Health enterprise‐wide initiative portfolio
Authors: Reisinger Heather Schacht , Barron Sheila , Balkenende Erin , Steffen Melissa , Steffensmeier Kenda , Richards Chris , Ball Dan , Chasco Emily E. , Van Tiem Jennifer , Johnson Nicole L. , Jones DeShauna , Friberg Julia E. , Kenney Rachael , Moeckli Jane , Arora Kanika , Rabin Borsika
Published: September 2024

Objective

To use a practical approach to examining the use of Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategies by Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE‐AIM) dimensions for rural health innovations using annual reports on a diverse array of initiatives.

Data Sources and Study Setting

The Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) funds initiatives designed to support the implementation and spread of innovations and evidence‐based programs and practices to improve the health of rural Veterans. This study draws on the annual evaluation reports submitted for fiscal years 2020–2022 from 30 of these enterprise‐wide initiatives (EWIs).

Study Design

Content analysis was guided by the RE‐AIM framework conducted by the Center for the Evaluation of Enterprise‐Wide Initiatives (CEEWI), a Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI)‐ORH partnered evaluation initiative.

Data Collection and Extraction Methods

CEEWI analysts conducted a content analysis of EWI annual evaluation reports submitted to ORH. Analysis included cataloguing reported implementation strategies by Reach, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE‐AIM) dimensions (i.e., identifying strategies that were used to support each dimension) and labeling strategies using ERIC taxonomy. Descriptive statistics were conducted to summarize data.

Principal Findings

A total of 875 implementation strategies were catalogued in 73 reports. Across these strategies, 66 unique ERIC strategies were reported. EWIs applied an average of 12 implementation strategies (range 3–22). The top three ERIC clusters across all 3 years were Develop stakeholder relationships (21%), Use evaluative/iterative strategies (20%), and Train/educate stakeholders (19%). Most strategies were reported within the Implementation dimension. Strategy use among EWIs meeting the rurality benchmark were also compared.

Conclusions

Combining the dimensions from the RE‐AIM framework and the ERIC strategies allows for understanding the use of implementation strategies across each RE‐AIM dimension. This analysis will support ORH efforts to spread and sustain rural health innovations and evidence‐based programs and practices through targeted implementation strategies.
Advances in extraction, utilization, and development of chitin/chitosan and its derivatives from shrimp shell waste
Authors: Gao Mingyue , Tang Hanqi , Zhu Hongguang
Published: September 2024

Shrimp consumption is in great demand among the seafood used globally. However, this expansion has resulted in the substantial generation and disposal of shrimp shell waste. Through literature search, it has been observed that since 2020, global scholars have shown unprecedented interest in shrimp shell waste and its chitin/chitosan. However, these new insights lack corresponding and comprehensive summarization and analysis. Therefore, this article provides a detailed review of the extraction methods, applications, and the latest research developments on chitin/chitosan from shrimp shells, including micro‐nano derivatives, from 2020 to the present. The results indicate that chemical extraction remains the primary technique for the extraction and preparation of chitin/chitosan from shrimp shells. With further refinement and development, adjusting parameters in the chemical extraction process or employing auxiliary techniques such as microwave and radiation enable the customization of target products with different characteristics (e.g., deacetylation degree, molecular weight, and degree of acetylation) according to specific needs. Additionally, in pursuit of environmentally friendly, efficient, and gentle extraction processes, recent research has shifted toward microbial fermentation and green solvent methods for chitin/chitosan extraction. Beyond the traditional antibacterial, film‐forming, and encapsulation functionalities, research into the applications of chitosan in biomedical, food processing, new materials, water treatment, and adsorption fields is gradually deepening. Chitin/chitosan derivatives and their modified products have also been a focal point of research in recent years. However, with the rapid expansion, the future development of chitin/chitosan and its derivatives still faces challenges related to the unclear mechanism of action and the complexities associated with industrial scale‐up.
A nondestructive technique for the sex identification of third instar Cochliomyia macellaria larvae
Authors: Holman Aidan P. , Pickett Davis N. , Orr Abigail E. , Tarone Aaron M. , Kurouski Dmitry
Published: September 2024

Forensic entomology plays an important role in medicolegal investigations by using insects, primarily flies, to estimate the time of colonization. This estimation relies on the development of the flies found at the (death) scene and can be affected (and sometimes corrected) by external factors, such as temperature and humidity, and internal factors, such as species and sex. This study leverages infrared (IR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning models—Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS‐DA) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting trees Discriminant Analysis (XGBDA)—to differentiate between male and female Cochliomyia macellaria larvae, commonly found on human remains. Significant vibrational differences were detected in the infrared spectra of third instar C. macellaria larvae, with distinct peaks showing variations in relative absorbance between sexes, suggesting differences in biochemical compositions such as cuticular proteins and lipids. The application of PLS‐DA and XGBDA yielded high classification accuracies of about 94% and 96%, respectively, with female spectra consistently having higher sensitivity than males. This non‐destructive approach offers the potential to refine supplemental post‐mortem interval estimations significantly, enhancing the accuracy of forensic analyses.
Fkbp5 gene deletion: Circadian rhythm profile and brain proteomics in aged mice
Authors: Gebru Niat T. , Guergues Jennifer , Verdina Laura A. , Wohlfahrt Jessica , Wang Shuai , Armendariz Debra S. , Gray Marsilla , Beaulieu‐Abdelahad David , Stevens Stanley M. , Gulick Danielle , Blair Laura J.
Published: September 2024

FKBP51, also known as FK506‐binding protein 51, is a molecular chaperone and scaffolding protein with significant roles in regulating hormone signaling and responding to stress. Genetic variants in FKBP5, which encodes FKBP51, have been implicated in a growing number of neuropsychiatric disorders, which has spurred efforts to target FKBP51 therapeutically. However, the molecular mechanisms and sub‐anatomical regions influenced by FKBP51 in these disorders are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to examine the impact of Fkbp5 ablation using circadian phenotyping and molecular analyses. Our findings revealed that the lack of FKBP51 did not significantly alter circadian rhythms, as detected by wheel‐running activity, but did offer protection against stress‐mediated disruptions in rhythmicity in a sex‐dependent manner. Protein changes in Fkbp5 KO mice, as measured by histology and proteomics, revealed alterations in a brain region‐ and sex‐dependent manner. Notably, regardless of sex, aged Fkbp5 KOs showed elevated MYCBP2, FBXO45, and SPRYD3 levels, which are associated with neuronal‐cell adhesion and synaptic integrity. Additionally, pathways such as serotonin receptor signaling and S100 family signaling were differentially regulated in Fkbp5 KO mice. Weighted protein correlation network analysis identified protein networks linked with synaptic transmission and neuroinflammation. The information generated by this work can be used to better understand the molecular changes in the brain during aging and in the absence of Fkbp5, which has implications for the continued development of FKBP51‐focused therapeutics for stress‐related disorders.
Unacylated Ghrelin Protects Against Age‐Related Loss of Muscle Mass and Contractile Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Kim Hyunyoung , Ranjit Rojina , Claflin Dennis R. , Georgescu Constantin , Wren Jonathan D. , Brooks Susan V. , Miller Benjamin F. , Ahn Bumsoo
Published: September 2024

Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and function, universally affects older adults and is closely associated with frailty and reduced quality of life. Despite the inevitable consequences of sarcopenia and its relevance to healthspan, no pharmacological therapies are currently available. Ghrelin is a gut‐released hormone that increases appetite and body weight through acylation. Acylated ghrelin activates its receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a), in the brain by binding to it. Studies have demonstrated that acyl and unacylated ghrelin (UnAG) both have protective effects against acute pathological conditions independent of receptor activation. Here, we investigated the long‐term effects of UnAG in age‐associated muscle atrophy and contractile dysfunction in mice. Four‐month‐old and 18‐month‐old mice were subjected to either UnAG or control treatment for 10 months. UnAG did not affect food consumption or body weight. Gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscle weights were reduced by 20%–30% with age, which was partially protected against by UnAG. Specific force, force per cross‐sectional area, measured in isolated extensor digitorum longus muscle was diminished by 30% in old mice; however, UnAG prevented the loss of specific force. UnAG also protected from decreases in mitochondrial respiration and increases in hydrogen peroxide generation of skeletal muscle of old mice. Results of bulk mRNA‐seq analysis and our contractile function data show that UnAG reversed neuromuscular junction impairment that occurs with age. Collectively, our data revealed the direct role of UnAG in mitigating sarcopenia in mice, independent of food consumption or body weight, implicating UnAG treatment as a potential therapy against sarcopenia.
Rapamycin's lifespan effect is modulated by mito‐nuclear epistasis in Drosophila
Authors: Ibrahim Rita , Bahilo Martinez Maria , Dobson Adam J.
Published: September 2024

The macrolide drug rapamycin is a benchmark anti‐ageing drug, which robustly extends lifespan of diverse organisms. For any health intervention, it is paramount to establish whether benefits are distributed equitably among individuals and populations, and ideally to match intervention to recipients' needs. However, how responses to rapamycin vary is surprisingly understudied. Here we investigate how among‐population variation in both mitochondrial and nuclear genetics shapes rapamycin's effects on lifespan. We show that epistatic “mito‐nuclear” interactions, between mitochondria and nuclei, modulate the response to rapamycin treatment. Differences manifest as differential demographic effects of rapamycin, with altered age‐specific mortality rate. However, a fitness cost of rapamycin early in life does not show a correlated response, suggesting that mito‐nuclear epistasis can decouple costs and benefits of treatment. These findings suggest that a deeper understanding of how variation in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes shapes physiology may facilitate tailoring of anti‐ageing therapy to individual need.
Does Bold Forecast After Job Change Improve Forecast Accuracy? Evidence From Korean Sell‐Side Analysts
Authors: Park Sohee
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates how incentives generated by intrafirm tournaments affect the informativeness of bold forecasts issued by sell‐side analysts who have recently switched employers. Prior literature suggests that bold forecasts may lose accuracy when they are influenced by tournament‐induced incentives. Extending this literature, I find that bold forecasts from transitioning analysts tend to result in decreased forecast accuracy. This negative effect is mitigated when analysts are less concerned about their disadvantages in the new intrafirm tournament—specifically, when they are more experienced, more competent, or have moved to more prosperous brokerage houses. These findings suggest that bold forecasts by transitioning analysts are partly influenced by intrafirm tournament‐induced risk‐taking, which can deteriorate performance quality.
Editorial: Solving the acute kidney injury puzzle in alcohol‐associated hepatitis—Challenges and insights
Authors: Girish Vishnu , Maiwall Rakhi
Published: September 2024

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Ma et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18158
Weeping womb (uretero‐uterine fistula) after cesarean section managed with robotic surgery
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Deshpande Rohit Sanjay , Chandramouli Sivaraman
Published: September 2024

Since the last decade, iatrogenic injuries of ureter are increasingly common. We describe a case of 36‐year‐old young female, who underwent emergency cesarean section, presented to us after 3 weeks, with clear vaginal discharge. After evaluated with clinical examination and radiological investigations, she was found to have left uretero‐uterine fistula and was successfully treated with robotic‐assisted left uretero‐uterine fistula repair by Lich‐Gregoir technique.