bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Huntingtin inclusion bodies have distinct immunophenotypes and ubiquitination profiles in the Huntington’s disease human cerebral cortex
Authors: Swanson Molly E. V. , Tan Adelie Y. S. , Tippett Lynette J. , Turner Clinton P. , Curtis Maurice A. , Scotter Emma L. , Lashuel Hilal A. , Dragunow Mike , Faull Richard L. M. , Murray Helen C. , Singh-Bains Malvindar K.
Published: February 2025

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative condition caused by a CAG repeat expansion mutation in the gene encoding the huntingtin (Htt) protein. The accumulation of Htt inclusion bodies is a pathological hallmark of HD and a common target for therapeutic strategies. However, the limited efficacy of treatments targeting the Htt protein highlights the need for a better understanding of the role of Htt inclusion bodies in HD pathogenesis. This study examined the heterogeneity of Htt inclusion body composition by co-labelling with three Htt epitope-specific antibodies to characterize Htt inclusion body ‘immunophenotype’. We then characterized the size and sub-cellular location of Htt inclusions with distinct immunophenotypes. Using multiplex immunohistochemistry, we also examined the ubiquitination profile of each immunophenotype. Our findings demonstrate that Htt inclusions have a range of immunophenotypes, with some labelled by only one of the three antibodies and others exhibiting co-labelling by several antibodies, thus demonstrating the heterogeneity in inclusion composition and structure. We outline evidence that inclusion bodies exclusively labelled with the EM48 antibody are small, non-nuclear, and more abundant in HD cases with increased CAG repeat length, higher Vonsattel grade, and earlier age of onset. We also find that Htt inclusion bodies labelled by multiple antibodies are more likely to be ubiquitinated, predominantly by K63-rather than K48-linked ubiquitin, suggesting preferential degradation by autophagy. Lastly, we show that ubiquitinated Htt inclusion bodies are more highly immunoreactive for ubiquilin 2 than p62. Our findings highlight the need for multiple antibodies to capture the full spectrum of Htt pathology in HD and imply that future studies should consider the diversity of inclusion body composition and structure when correlating pathology formation to neurodegeneration, clinical symptoms, or disease severity.
TLR4 competence and mouse models of leptospirosis
Authors: Abil Olifan Zewdie , Kundu Suman , Midon Leonardo Moura , Gomes-Solecki Maria
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Mice are slowly being accepted as alternative models for investigation of leptospiral infection. The strain most used to analyse sublethal disease (C3H-HeJ) expresses atlr4gene in its immune cells that is hyporesponsive to leptospiral LPS and thus the model is deemed immunocompromised. To help resolve this valid scientific concern we did a study in which we compared infection withLeptospira interrogansserovar Copenhageni Fiocruz in mice expressing fully competenttlr4(C3H-HeN, C57BL6) versustlr4hyporesponsive mice (C3H- HeJ) over a period of two weeks. We found that the C3H-HeJ mouse was the only strain that sustained lethal infection, thus confirming the association betweentlr4function and acute disease. We found that the two mouse strains with a fully functionaltlr4gene (C3H-HeN and C57BL/6) also developed clinical and molecular signs of sublethal leptospirosis nearly on par with C3H-HeJ, as quantified by weight loss, survival curves, presence ofLeptospira16S rRNA in blood and urine, and burden of viable spirochetes in kidney. Regarding kidney markers of inflammation and fibrosis, C3H-HeN and C57BL/6 produced less IL-1 beta, iNOS and ColA1 than C3H-HeJ, which is consistent with increased resilience to infection expected of thetlr4competent strains. Regarding Leptospira-specific antibody, all mouse strains produced IgM and T-cell independent IgG3. Interestingly, in contrast to C57BL/6, both C3H strains produced circulating IgG1 but only C3H-HeN produced IgG2a toL. interroganstwo weeks post infection. Thus, TLR4-competent C3H-HeN and C57BL/6 may be more appropriate mouse models of sublethal leptospirosis, whereas C3H-HeJ can be used to further establish a mouse model of lethal leptospirosis. Our data strongly suggests that TLR4 function is important but not sufficient to cause susceptibility to leptospirosis.

Author summary

Previous studies by different laboratories have shown C3H-HeJ to be a susceptible mouse strain to sublethal and lethal leptospirosis. The goal of our study was to evaluate if lowtlr4responsiveness to leptospiral LPS in C3H-HeJ mice is the factor that drives susceptibility to infection with pathogenicLeptospira. We did a comparative study using mouse strains immunocompetent and hyporesponsive totlr4. The data shows that althoughtlr4does affect the virulence of leptospirosis (only C3H-HeJ succumbed to infection), thetlr4competent strains (C3H-HeN and C57BL/6) also developed measurable sublethal leptospirosis. Thus, competent recognition of leptospiral-LPS by murine TLR4 plays a role but it is not sufficient to determine susceptibility to leptospirosis. Furthermore, the data suggests that T-cell dependent responses could be involved in susceptibility to leptospirosis in the C3H models of infection.
Identification of a VPS29 isoform with restricted association to Retriever and Retromer accessory proteins through auto-inhibition
Authors: Daly James L. , Chen Kai-en , Butkovič Rebeka , Guo Qian , Healy Michael D. , Pennink Eva , Gamble-Strutt Georgia , Higham Zara , Moody Edmund R.R. , Lewis Philip A. , Heesom Kate J. , Williams Tom A. , McMillan Kirsty J. , Collins Brett M. , Cullen Peter J.
Published: February 2025

The endosomal-lysosomal network is a hub of organelles that orchestrate the dynamic sorting of hundreds of integral membrane proteins to maintain cellular homeostasis. VPS29 is a central conductor of this network through its assembly into Retromer, Retriever and Commander endosomal sorting complexes, and its role in regulating RAB GTPase activity. Two VPS29 isoforms have been described, VPS29A and VPS29B, that differ solely in their amino-terminal sequences. Here we identify a third VPS29 isoform, which we term VPS29C, that harbours an extended amino-terminal sequence compared to VPS29A and VPS29B. Through a combination of AlphaFold predictive modelling, in vitro complex reconstitution, mass spectrometry and molecular cell biology, we find that the amino-terminal VPS29C extension constitutes an autoinhibitory sequence that limits access to a hydrophobic groove necessary for effector protein recruitment to Retromer, and association with Retriever and Commander. VPS29C is therefore unique in its ability to uncouple Retromer-dependent cargo sorting from the broader roles of VPS29A and VPS29B in regulating the endosomal-lysosomal network through accessory protein recruitment. Our identification and characterisation of VPS29C points to additional complexity in the differential subunit assembly of Retromer, an important consideration given the increasing interest in Retromer as a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

The endosomal-lysosomal network is essential for normal cellular function with network defects being associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases. Two heterotrimeric complexes, Retromer and Retriever, control transmembrane protein recycling through the network. Of these, reduced Retromer expression is observed in Alzheimer’s disease and Retromer mutations lead to familial Parkinson’s disease. Here, we identify and characterise a new isoform of VPS29, a subunit shared between Retromer and Retriever. We reveal how this isoform, VPS29C, adopts an auto-inhibitory conformation to limit its association into Retriever and restrict the binding of VPS29C-containing Retromer to accessory proteins vital for regulating network function. By revealing added complexity in Retromer assembly and function, we provide new insight into Retromer’s potential as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases.
Decoupling diffusion, turnover, and advection in long-term FRAP
Authors: Nakashima Outa , Saito Takumi , Deguchi Shinji
Published: February 2025

Intracellular molecular turnover is a dynamic process governed by diffusion, biochemical reactions, and intracellular transport dynamics. While fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) has been widely used to quantify fluorescence recovery mechanisms, conventional models primarily focus on diffusion and reaction kinetics, often overlooking the influence of intracellular advection. However, in cytoskeletal structures such as stress fibers, myosin-driven actin retrograde flow generates a significant advective component, which complicates the interpretation of FRAP data, particularly in long-term observations where advective effects become sufficiently pronounced. Here, we develop an analytical framework that extends FRAP modeling to incorporate the coupled effects of diffusion, turnover, and intracellular advection within the photobleached region of interest. By deriving exact solutions to a reaction-diffusion-advection system, we identify three key dimensionless parameters that govern fluorescence recovery dynamics: the turnover-to-diffusion ratio, the monomer-to-filament ratio, and the advection magnitude. Our results demonstrate that, even in the absence of biochemical reactions, fluorescence recovery in a fixed region can occur due to advection, leading to potential misinterpretations of molecular exchange rates. The model provides a theoretical foundation for distinguishing these effects and offers a practical tool for long-term FRAP analysis, where the interplay of diffusion, turnover, and advection becomes increasingly relevant over extended timescales. By systematically characterizing the interplay between molecular diffusion, reaction kinetics, and intracellular transport, our framework provides deeper insight into protein turnover in complex biological environments.
The double life of mammalian DNA replication origins
Authors: Hyrien Olivier , Guilbaud Guillaume , Krude Torsten
Published: February 2025

Mammalian DNA replication origins have been historically difficult to identify and their determinants are still unresolved. Here, we first review methods developed over the last decades to map replication initiation sites either directly via initiation intermediates or indirectly via determining replication fork directionality profiles. We also discuss the factors that may specify these sites as replication initiation sites. Second, we address the controversy that has emerged from these results over whether origins are narrowly defined and localized to specific sites or are more dispersed and organized into broad zones. Ample evidence in favor of both scenarios currently creates an impression of unresolved confusion in the field. We attempt to formulate a synthesis of both models and to reconcile discrepant findings. It is evident that not only one approach is sufficient in isolation but that the combination of several is instrumental toward understanding initiation sites in mammalian genomes. We argue that an aggregation of several individual and often inefficient initiation sites into larger initiation zones and the existence of efficient unidirectional initiation sites and fork stalling at the borders of initiation zones can reconcile the different observations.
Consequences of the single-pair measurement of the Bell parameter
Authors: Genovese Marco , Piacentini Fabrizio
Published: February 2025

Bell inequalities represent a milestone for contemporary physics, both for quantum foundation investigations and technological applications (e.g., quantum communication and entanglement certification). Although loophole-free tests have been recently performed, a strong debate is still ongoing on the actual meaning of Bell inequality tests, for example, on the possible additional hypotheses and eventual loopholes to be included in Bell's theorem, as well as on the implications for certain interpretations of quantum mechanics. A recent work [S. Virzì , ] challenges some of the statements appeared in this debate, achieving an experimental estimation of the entire Bell-Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (Bell-CHSH) parameter from a single entangled pair owing to a weak-interaction-based measurement approach. Here, we analyze the implications of this result for quantum mechanics foundations investigation, illustrating how it can tackle some of the aforementioned interpretations of Bell inequality tests and, more in general, of quantum mechanics itself.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Error mitigation of BQP computations using measurement-based verification
Authors: Harris Joseph , Kashefi Elham
Published: February 2025

We present a modular error mitigation protocol for running bounded-error quantum polynomial time (BQP) computations on a quantum computer with time-dependent noise. Utilizing existing tools from quantum verification and measurement-based quantum computation, our protocol interleaves standard computation rounds alongside test rounds for noise sampling and inherits an exponential bound (in the number of circuit runs) on the probability that a returned classical output is correct. We introduce a postselection technique called to address time-dependent noise and reduce overhead. The result is an error mitigation protocol which requires minimal noise assumptions, making it straightforwardly implementable on existing, noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. We perform a demonstration of the protocol using classical noisy simulation, presenting a universal measurement pattern which directly maps to (and can be tiled on) the heavy-hex layout of current IBM hardware.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Quantum friction near the instability threshold
Authors: Oue Daigo , Shapiro Boris , Silveirinha Mário G.
Published: February 2025

In this work, we develop an analytical framework to understand quantum friction across distinct stability regimes, providing approximate expressions for frictional forces both in the deep stable regime and near the critical threshold of instability. Our primary finding is analytical proof that, near the instability threshold, the quantum friction force diverges logarithmically. This result, verified through numerical simulations, sheds light on the behavior of frictional instabilities as the system approaches criticality. Our findings offer new insights into the role of instabilities, critical divergence, and temperature in frictional dynamics across quantum and classical regimes.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Microscopic mechanism of displacive excitation of coherent phonons in a bulk Rashba semiconductor
Authors: Fischer P. , Bär J. , Cimander M. , Feuerer L. , Wiechert V. , Tereshchenko O. , Bossini D.
Published: February 2025

Changing the macroscopic properties of quantum materials by optically activating collective lattice excitations has recently become a major trend in solid state physics. One of the most commonly employed light-matter interaction routes is the displacive mechanism. However, the fundamental contribution to this process remains elusive, as the effects of free-carrier density modification and raised effective electronic temperature have not been disentangled yet. Here we use time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy to address this issue in the Rashba semiconductor BiTeI. Exploring the conventional regime of electronic interband transitions for different excitation wavelengths as well as the barely accessed regime of electronic intraband transitions, we answer this question regarding the displacive mechanism: the lattice modes are predominantly driven by the rise of the effective electronic temperature. In the intraband regime, which allows an increase of the effective carrier temperature while leaving the carrier density unaffected, the phonon coherence time does not display significant fluence-dependent variations. Our results thus reveal a pathway to displacive excitation of coherent phonons, free from additional scattering and dissipation mechanisms typically associated with an increase of the free-carrier density.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Pair production with capture by energetic cosmic ray nuclei in a photon background
Authors: Esmaeili AmirFarzan , Esmaili Arman , Serpico Pasquale Dario
Published: February 2025

We investigate the ionization state of very energetic cosmic ray nuclei in photon fields, such as the cosmic microwave background in extragalactic propagation and the environment surrounding the acceleration site in astrophysical sources. We focus on the process of pair production with electron capture (PPC), where the interaction of a single photon with a nucleus produces an e± pair (similar to Bethe-Heitler process) with the subsequent capture of electron by the nucleus. This process effectively reduces the nucleus charge by one unit and counteracts the photoionization process. We show that during cosmological propagation, where the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays interact predominantly with the cosmic microwave background, ionization dominates over PPC for all the cases of practical interest. However, within the source environment and at sufficiently high energies, ionization and PPC processes can reach an equilibrium, leading to a significant fraction of dressed heavy nuclei. This provides a further limitation to the acceleration of high-Z nuclei to very high energies in environments with hot and dense photon fields.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Microscopic entropy of static black holes in 3D Lovelock gravities
Authors: Alkaç Gökhan , Guajardo Luis , Özşahin Hikmet
Published: February 2025

We give a microscopic derivation of the semiclassical entropy of static black holes in 3D Lovelock gravities, which are certain 3D Horndeski theories that were recently discovered from higher-dimensional Lovelock gravities via various methods and admit black hole solutions analogous to higher-dimensional ones. Assuming the ground state is described by the soliton obtained from the black hole solution by performing a double Wick rotation, we reproduce the semiclassical entropy from the Cardy formula without central charges for the asymptotic growth of the number of states. We explain in detail how the mass of the soliton, which is needed in the Cardy formula, can be computed in the minisuperspace formalism.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Symmetry restoration and vacuum decay from accretion around black holes
Authors: Marsden James , Aurrekoetxea Josu C. , Clough Katy , Ferreira Pedro G.
Published: February 2025

Vacuum decay and symmetry breaking play an important role in the fundamental structure of the matter and the evolution of the Universe. In this work we study how the purely classical effect of accretion of fundamental fields onto black holes can lead to shells of symmetry restoration in the midst of a symmetry broken phase. We also show how it can catalyze vacuum decay, forming a bubble that expands asymptotically at the speed of light. These effects offer an alternative, purely classical mechanism to quantum tunneling for seeding phase transitions in the Universe.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Comparative analysis of spins-first and wave functions-first students’ understanding of expressions in quantum mechanics
Authors: Riihiluoma William D. , Topdemir Zeynep , Thompson John R.
Published: February 2025

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection in Investigating and Improving Quantum Education through Research.] Instructors teaching upper-division quantum mechanics have had two primary options when it comes to textbook choice and thus curriculum sequence: starting with wave functions and the Schrödinger equation, referred to as “wave functions-first;” and starting with discrete spin-1/2 systems and Dirac notation, known as “spins-first” courses. Given the very different structures of these courses, particularly as it pertains to the notations and formalisms both emphasized and used, it begs the question as to whether and to what extent students in these different courses conceptualize symbolic expressions in Dirac and wave function notations differently. To investigate this, online surveys were administered to students in spins-first courses at six institutions and in wave functions-first courses at four institutions. As a follow-up to a prior study focused on the results from the spins-first courses, network analysis and community detection techniques were used to compare the level of conceptual similarity between expressions as viewed by the students in both curricula. Conceptual interpretations of individual expressions in both Dirac and wave function notations were also directly compared between the two populations. The primary difference observed between the two populations appears to lie in the way they interpret Dirac bras and kets: spins-first students were found to more strongly connect these expressions to vectorlike interpretations, while wave functions-first students were found to interpret them as more wave functionlike. This suggests that the choice of text and/or curricular style should be informed by the interpretation that best matches the goals of the instructor.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Hybrid Josephson Rhombus: A Superconducting Element with Tailored Current-Phase Relation
Authors: Banszerus L. , Andersson C. W. , Marshall W. , Lindemann T. , Manfra M. J. , Marcus C. M. , Vaitiekėnas S.
Published: February 2025

Controlling the current-phase relation (CPR) of Josephson elements is essential for tailoring the eigenstates of superconducting qubits, tuning the properties of parametric amplifiers, and designing nonreciprocal superconducting devices. Here, we introduce the hybrid Josephson rhombus, a highly tunable superconducting circuit containing four semiconductor-superconductor hybrid Josephson junctions embedded in a loop. Combining magnetic frustration with gate-voltage-controlled tuning of individual Josephson couplings provides deterministic control of the harmonic content of the rhombus CPR. We show that, for balanced Josephson couplings at full frustration, the hybrid rhombus displays a π-periodic cos(2φ) potential, indicating coherent charge-4e transport. Tuning away from the balanced configuration, we observe a superconducting diode effect with efficiency exceeding 25%. These results showcase the potential of hybrid Josephson rhombi as fundamental building blocks for noise-resilient qubits and quantum devices with custom transport properties.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Crystallographic, electronic and vibrational properties of 2D silicate monolayers
Authors: Ulian Gianfranco , Valdrè Giovanni
Published: February 2025

Phyllosilicates are promising materials for optoelectronic applications because of their interesting electronic and magnetic properties that can be modulated by specific ionic substitutions. They can be easily exfoliated down to a single layer, enabling their use in specific 2D applications, such as the creation of van der Waals heterostructures and other materials with tailored physical properties. The present work reports a theoretical investigation of the structural, electronic, Raman and infrared properties of the (001) monolayer of phlogopite [K(Mg,Fe)3Si3AlO10(OH)2, with Mg/Fe ratio ≥ 2] and how they change with different Fe2+/Mg2+ substitutions in the structure. Although other cations could occupy the octahedral sheet positions in phlogopite (and phyllosilicate in general), here the focus is only on Fe2+/Mg2+ substitution. To this aim, density functional theory simulations were performed using the B3LYP functional, including long-range interactions in the physical treatment. The structure of the single layer of phlogopite showed a decrease of the tetrahedral rotation angle near the interlayer cations in comparison with that of the bulk mineral, which led to a tetrahedral sheet with a hexagonal pattern close to ideality, and an electronic band structure with a decreased band gap energy, down to about 3 eV. All results were discussed against the few available experimental and theoretical data in the scientific literature, finding good agreement but also further extending the knowledge of this interesting natural 2D material.
Crystal structures of six complexes of phosphane chalcogenides R
1
R
2
R
3PE (R = tert-butyl or isopropyl, E = S or Se) with the metal halides MX
2 (M = Pd or Pt, X = Cl or Br), two halochalcogenylphosphonium derivatives (
t
Bu2
iPrPEBr)2[Pd2Br6] and one hydrolysis product
Authors: Upmann Daniel , Jones Peter G.
Published: February 2025

The L
2
MX
2 complexes 1–5 (1: L =
t
BuiPr2PSe, M = Pd, X = Cl; 2: L =
t
Bu2
iPrPSe, M = Pd, X = Cl; 3: L =
t
Bu2
iPrPSe, M = Pd, X = Br; 4: L =
t
Bu2
iPrPS, M = Pd, X = Br; 5: L =
t
Bu2
iPrPS, M = Pt, X = Cl) {systematic names: (tert-butyldiisopropylphosphine selenide-κSe)dichloridopalladium(II), [PdCl2(C10H23PSe)2] (1), (di-tert-butylisopropylphosphine selenide-κSe)dichloridopalladium(II), [PdCl2(C11H25PSe)2] (2), dibromido(di-tert-butylisopropylphosphine selenide-κSe)palladium(II), [PdBr2(C11H25PSe)2] (3), dibromido(di-tert-butylisopropylphosphine sulfide-κS)palladium(II), [PdBr2(C11H25PS)2] (4), dichlorido(di-tert-butylisopropylphosphine sulfide-κS)palladium(II), [PdCl2(C11H25PS)2] (5)} all display a trans configuration with square-planar geometry at the metal atom. Compounds 2 and 3 are isotypic. The molecules of 1 and 4 display crystallographic inversion symmetry; compound 5 involves two independent molecules, each with inversion symmetry but with differing orientations of the trialkylphosphane groups. Chemically equivalent bond lengths all lie in narrow ranges, whereby the values for palladium and platinum compounds scarcely differ. Compound 6, (
t
BuiPr2PS)2Pd2Cl4 {systematic name: di-μ-chlorido-bis[(tert-butyldiisopropylphosphine sulfide-κS)chloridopalladium(II)], [PdCl2(C10H23PS)2]}, is dinuclear with a central Pd2Cl2 ring, and displays crystallographic inversion symmetry. The bonds to the bridging are longer than those to the terminal chlorine atoms; the Pd—S bond is shorter than the M—S bonds in 4 and 5, reflecting the weaker trans influence of (bridging) chlorine compared to sulfur. Compounds 7 and 8, 2(
t
Bu2
iPrPEBr)+ [Pd2Br6]2− with E = S for 7 and Se for 8 {systematic names: (bromosulfanyl)di-tert-butylisopropylphosphanium di-μ-bromido-bis[dibromidopalladium(II)], (C11H25BrPS)2[Pd2Br6] (7) and (bromoselanyl)di-tert-butylisopropylphosphanium di-μ-bromido-bis[dibromidopalladium(II)], (C11H25BrPS2)2[Pd2Br6], (8)}, were obtained by oxidizing the appropriate PdII precursors with elemental bromine; they are not isotypic. The ions are connected by very short halogen bonds Br...Br. For both compounds, two E...Br contacts further link the cations and anions to form ribbons. Compound 9 {systematic name: bis[dimethyl(sulfanylidene)phosphinito-κSe]bis(hydroxydiisopropylphosphine selenide-κSe)palladium(II), [Pd(C6H14OP)2(C6H15OP)2], {(iPr2PSeO)2H}2Pd, is a hydrolysis product with inversion symmetry and contains an intramolecular P—O...H—O—P group with a disordered hydrogen atom. Compounds 1–6 and 9 show few, if any, short intermolecular contacts, although some H...M contacts are observed. A problem with atom-type assignment for structure refinement is discussed.
Crystal structure of catena-poly[[[tetraaquacobalt(II)]-μ2-1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylato] dimethylformamide disolvate]
Authors: Kumagai Hitoshi , Kawata Satoshi , Ogihara Nobuhiro
Published: February 2025

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, {[Co(C12H6O6)(H2O)4]·2C3H7NO}
n
or {[Co(H2dondc)(H2O)4]·2DMF}
n
, comprises half of a CoII ion, half of a 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate dianion (H2dondc2−), two water molecules and a dimethylformamide (DMF) molecule. The CoII ion, which is located on a crystallographic inversion center, exhibits a distorted six-coordinated octahedral geometry with two oxygen atoms of the H2dondc2− ligand and four oxygen atoms of the water molecules. The carboxylate group is almost coplanar with the naphthalene moiety and shows monodentate coordination to the CoII ion. The CoII ions are bridged by the H2dondc2− ligand to form a one-dimensional chain. The hydroxy groups of the ligand have intra-chain hydrogen bonding interactions with coordinated water molecules. The coordinated water molecules exhibit not only intra-chain hydrogen bonding interactions, but also inter-chain hydrogen-bonding interactions. The chains are connected by inter-chain hydrogen-bonding interactions and are arranged in parallel to form a two-dimensional network. The chains are further connected by inter-chain hydrogen-bonding interactions via the DMF molecules and C—H...π interactions to give a three-dimensional network.
TomoCPT: a generalizable model for 3D particle detection and localization in cryo-electron tomograms
Authors: Shah Pranav N. M. , Sanchez-Garcia Ruben , Stuart David I.
Published: February 2025

Cryo-electron tomography is a rapidly developing field for studying macromolecular complexes in their native environments and has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of protein function. However, fast and accurate identification of particles in cryo-tomograms is challenging and represents a significant bottleneck in downstream processes such as subtomogram averaging. Here, we present tomoCPT (Tomogram Centroid Prediction Tool), a transformer-based solution that reformulates particle detection as a centroid-prediction task using Gaussian labels. Our approach, which is built upon the SwinUNETR architecture, demonstrates superior performance compared with both conventional binary labelling strategies and template matching. We show that tomoCPT effectively generalizes to novel particle types through zero-shot inference and can be significantly enhanced through fine-tuning with limited data. The efficacy of tomoCPT is validated using three case studies: apoferritin, achieving a resolution of 3.0 Å compared with 3.3 Å using template matching, SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins on cell surfaces, yielding an 18.3 Å resolution map where template matching proved unsuccessful, and rubisco molecules within carboxysomes, reaching 8.0 Å resolution. These results demonstrate the ability of tomoCPT to handle varied scenarios, including densely packed environments and membrane-bound proteins. The implementation of the tool as a command-line program, coupled with its minimal data requirements for fine-tuning, makes it a practical solution for high-throughput cryo-ET data-processing workflows.
Assessing bank financial performance in the context of digital financial service policy: empirical insights
Authors: Opuni-Frimpong Joseph , Dzorka Modupe , Oheneba Akomaning Justice
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The Digital Financial Services Policy (DFSP) was initiated by the Ghana Ministry of Finance in 2020, to promote the use of digital financial services by financial institutions to achieve financial inclusion. This study aims to examine the impact of the DFSP on bank financial performance (FP).

Design/methodology/approach

This study used data from 20 universal banks between 2017 and 2022. The ordinary least square, logistic regressions, heterogeneity analysis and robustness tests were used to examine whether DFSP affect FP.

Findings

This study finds that DFSP positively impacts return on assets and return on equity. In addition, adopting DFSP in Ghana has levelled the playing field for both large and small banks, as well as for listed, non-listed, domestic and foreign-owned banks, supporting the financial inclusion theory’s benefits associated with banks. However, DFSP negatively impacts the net interest margin.

Practical implications

As DFSP enhances financial inclusion with improved social ramifications, this highlights the need for Ghanaian universal banks to support digitalization policies, invest in digital infrastructure and develop innovative digital products and services to enhance their performance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides some of the first empirical evidence on the effect of the DFSP on FP in Ghana.
Harmonizing quality and sustainability: a comprehensive analysis of total quality management and green manufacturing practices in small and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: T.S. Nanjundeswaraswamy , Bharath Sindu , P. Nagesh , B.R. Manoj
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the association between total quality management (TQM) and green manufacturing practices (GMP).

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a rigorous methodology to investigate the association between TQM and GMP in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in Bengaluru, India. A questionnaire method was used in this research. Data were collected from 448 participants working in SMEs in Bengaluru. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha values are used to validate the instrument, and the structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to check the relationship between TQM and green manufacturing.

Findings

SEM confirmed a significant and positive association among TQM and GMP. The identified factors within TQM, including customer focus (CF), human resource management, information and analysis, leadership styles, process management and strategic planning (SP), highlighted the multifaceted nature of TQM practices influencing green manufacturing. Factors identified within GMP included green management, green process and green production. These factors represent key dimensions in the adoption of environmentally accountable manufacturing practices.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that assimilating environmental sustainability into quality management frameworks, particularly in areas such as leadership, SP and CF, can catalyze the adoption of GMP initiatives in SMEs.

Originality/value

This study’s originality lies in its association of TQM and GMP in SMEs located in Bengaluru, India. The comprehensive validation process, identification of specific TQM and GMP factors and practical implications contribute to the unique insights presented, making it a distinctive contribution to the field.
The drivers of intimacy toward social media-based brand communities: perspective of attachment theory
Authors: Wang Hui-Ju
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Social media-based brand communities (SMBBCs) have emerged as one of the most significant marketing tools due to their ability to create and maintain close relationships between SMBBCs and consumers. However, past studies have ignored intimacy toward SMBBCs, particularly the role of individual variances in their development. Researchers have revealed the significant impacts of individual differences in attachment styles on the development of brand–consumer relationships based on attachment theory. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the drivers of intimacy toward SMBBCs from the perspective of attachment theory.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines a proposed model that integrates two attachment styles – attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety – self-disclosure on social media and intimacy toward SMBBCs through two samples in the context of brands’ Facebook fan pages.

Findings

The results show that attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety have significantly negative and positive effects on self-disclosure on social media, respectively, which contribute to intimacy toward SMBBCs.

Practical implications

The results offer brand managers significant implications for segmenting markets and developing relationship marketing strategies for their brand communities on social media.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to explore the driving factors of intimacy toward SMBBCs from the attachment theory perspective.
A multi-disciplinary analysis of adult practice reviews
Authors: Rees Alyson , Slater Tom , Dehaghani Roxanna , Swann Rachel
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to read across 20 adult practice reviews (APRs) undertaken in Wales to identify cross-cutting themes.

Design/methodology/approach

The method was for each APR to be read and independently coded by four researchers from differing disciplines of criminology, law and social work.

Findings

Five overarching themes were identified of (safeguarding, capacity and duty to report; commissioning and inspection; transitions; voice of vulnerable people and family and carers. In addition, quality and good practice are reflected on

Research limitations/implications

A further study capturing more APRs since the implementation of the Social Services and Well-being Act (2014) should be undertaken to help review changes in practice since the new legislation was introduced. Future research into APRs should adopt a similar multi-disciplinary approach.

Practical implications

The study identified the benefit of adopting a single unified assessment tool.

Originality/value

This is only the second study of its type undertaking a multi-disciplinary perspective of APRs.
Scientometric review of strategies to mitigate embodied carbon emissions in the construction industry
Authors: Kukah Augustine Senanu Komla , Jin Xiaohua , Osei-Kyei Robert , Perera Srinath
Published: February 2025

Purpose

While operational carbon (OC) emission reduction strategies have received substantial attention in past literature, very few studies have focused on embodied carbon (EC) emission reduction in the construction industry. Therefore, this study aims at undertaking a scientometric review of strategies to mitigate EC emissions in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Scopus search engine was used to search for articles. VOSViewer software was used for scientometric analysis using science mapping approach. Using a total of 151 documents, keywords, authors, papers and their sources were analysed. Furthermore, scientometric analysis was undertaken comprising co-occurrence of keywords, documents source analysis and author co-citation analysis.

Findings

The significant strategies identified to mitigate EC emissions were: offsite manufacturing/use of prefabricated elements, decarbonisation of energy grid, enhanced policies and regulations by governments, construction sector policies and regulations, guidelines for increased use of low EC materials and reuse and recovery of EC construction materials.

Practical implications

This study identifies practical strategies that contribute to reduction of EC emissions.

Originality/value

This study is significant and contributes to the construction industry’s agenda to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Examining the asymmetric influence of tax revenue policy in an oil-dependent economy: evidence from Oman
Authors: Maashani Suhail Said Salim , Gamal Awadh Ahmed Mohammed , Shaarani Ahmad Zakirullah , AbdulJalil Norasibah , Abd. Hadi Fatimah Salwa
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to examine the asymmetric effects of tax revenue policies on the economic activity of Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model and uses data from 1980 to 2022.

Findings

The findings confirmed that economic activity has a cointegrating relation with the positive and negative shocks of the tax revenue policy and selected macroeconomic variables. In addition, the long-run results show that positive changes in tax revenues have a positive significant effect on the economy, while negative shocks in tax revenues have a negative effect on the economy at the 5% significance level. The study concludes that a significant long-term asymmetric relationship exists between taxation policy changes through the revenue channel for the economy of Oman.

Originality/value

No previous study has specifically investigated the asymmetric impact of tax revenue policies on the economy of Oman, which is an oil-dependent country. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to explore this relationship with respect to the Omani economy, and it uses extensive time series data and employs various contemporary econometric techniques. Given Oman’s reliance on oil and gas revenues, which typically fund approximately 70% of the country’s annual budget through taxation on oil and gas sold, fluctuations in global oil prices directly influence country’s fiscal position. Thus, this study contributes to the literature by empirically confirming the asymmetries impact of fiscal (tax) policies on Oman’s economy. The implication of the results suggests that the government cut back on tax incentives and tax exemptions for local and foreign businesses. This move can foster economic growth and reduce the negative competition effect among investors and taxpayers, which may ultimately improve the country’s tax revenue.
The dual impact of audit partner busyness and boardroom gender diversity on audit quality in Australia
Authors: Ahmed Ammad , Hussain Atia , Tessema Abiot M.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to examine the association between audit partner busyness and audit quality. Moreover, this research investigates whether boardroom gender diversity moderates the relationship between audit partner busyness and audit quality in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample consists of all public companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange from 2005 to 2014. The data is obtained from SIRCA and the Morning Star databases. The study uses fixed effects and logistic regression techniques to test the relationship between audit partner busyness, boardroom gender diversity and audit quality.

Findings

The collected empirical evidence shows that audit partner busyness is negatively associated with audit quality. In contrast, boardroom gender diversity moderates the relationship between audit partner busyness and audit quality. More specifically, the results suggest that board gender diversity mitigates the negative impact of audit partners’ busyness on the audit quality. The results are robust to endogeneity and alternative definitions of audit partner busyness, boardroom gender diversity and audit quality.

Practical implications

The study’s findings will be of interest to policymakers, regulators and investors in the Australian market. The results show the importance of gender-diverse boards in companies’ audit functions, particularly in the presence of busy audit partners, and hence support the call for more women on corporate boards in Australia. Moreover, the results call for a cap or upper limit on the number of clients an audit partner can take on based on their capacity.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the growing literature on board gender diversity, audit partner busyness and audit quality. Although a plethora of prior literature suggests a negative association between audit partner busyness and audit quality, the results suggest that women in the boardroom positively moderate the relationship between audit partner busyness and audit quality.
Integrating sustainability goals into the balanced scorecard: a bibliometric analysis of the sustainability balanced scorecard
Authors: Quesado Patricia , Costa Oliveira Helena , Silva Rui
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to analyse international publications about the Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) and the need to integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into a Balanced Scorecard (BSC), identifying trends in evolution and future research opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on bibliometric techniques, the outputs obtained in the Web of Science (n = 65) and Scopus (n = 80) databases were analysed in the bibliometrix R package to map and systematically review the literature. After removing duplicates, this paper obtained a final output of 96 articles.

Findings

The interconnection between SDGs and BSC is a pertinent and emerging topic in academic and business circles. Therefore, there has been a growing number of publications on SBSC in recent years, particularly in countries such as Qatar, Taiwan, Portugal, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Researchers in these countries have analysed the SBSC, Corporate Sustainability, Corporate Social Sustainability and Performance Evaluation as their main research themes. This research identifies four main research clusters: Strategy and Performance, Model Management Indicators, Balanced Scorecard Decision-Making and, finally, SBSC.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on Sustainability, BSC and SDGs. It can be useful for researchers and organizations that intend to integrate SDGs into a BSC and design an SBSC.
Durable wind energy harvesting by mode-switch triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered sensors
Authors: Zou Yulin , Xu Wei , Yang Weiqing
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The imperative for sustainable energy systems is increasingly pressing as the world transitions toward renewable energy sources. Among these, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a viable option for wind energy harvesting. However, they face significant challenges, including material durability under varying wind conditions; the intricacy of material selection and performance; and the trade-off between wear resistance and triboelectric efficiency. This study aims to address the above issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Herein, a mode-switch TENG (MS-TENG) was designed to overcome these limitations and serve as a self-powered energy solution for Internet of Things (IoT) sensor networks. The MS-TENG incorporates a multi-stage functional layer and an automatic mode-switching mechanism between contact and non-contact operation, thereby enhancing both efficiency and durability.

Findings

It is demonstrated that the MS-TENG achieves a maximum instantaneous output power of 0.069 mW with minimal mechanical wear, effectively capturing wind energy. Its capability to charge capacitors and power a range of electronic devices, such as temperature and humidity sensors, electronic watches and water immersion guards, underscores its practical utility across diverse settings.

Originality/value

This research situates the MS-TENG as a pioneering technology in smart sensor applications for future energy-harvesting endeavors, optimizing energy acquisition under fluctuating wind conditions and reinforcing the sustainability of IoT networks.