bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CORNICHON HOMOLOG 5-dependent ER export of membrane cargoes in phosphate-starvedArabidopsisroot as revealed by membrane proteomic analysis
Authors: Liu Tzu-Yin , Tsai Ming-Hsuan , Wang Jhih-Yi , Lung Hui-Fang , Chow Hong-Xuan , Chiu Chang-Yi , Lu Chiao-An
Published: December 2024

Developing plants with tolerance to low phosphate (Pi) is of interest to reducing the reliance on fertilizers and thus achieving agricultural sustainability. One strategy is to enhance the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export of cargoes associated with Pi starvation and their trafficking to final destinations. However, the mechanisms underlying this process are underexplored. We recently discovered that theArabidopsis thaliana CORNICHON HOMOLOG 5(AtCNIH5) encodes a Pi deficiency-induced ER cargo receptor regulating Pi homeostasis. To find potential membrane cargoes ofAtCNIH5, we applied the UV-cleavable 4-hexylphenylazosulfonate (Azo)-solubilized microsomal protein extraction for iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis. We identified 4,317 proteins in Pi-limitedArabidopsisroots, with 372 upregulated and 106 downregulated incnih5. Besides PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER 1 proteins (PHT1s), downregulation of enzymes catalyzing the biosynthesis of very long-chain fatty acids and their derivative extracellular aliphatic compounds and nucleotide sugar for cell walls is over-represented. Using the yeast split-ubiquitin and thein-plantatripartite split-GFP assays, we verified the interaction ofAtCNIH5 with the downregulated transporters incnih5, includingAtPHT1s,AtOCT1,AtURGT6,AtDTX21, andAtDTX35. Furthermore,AtCNIH5 increases in the root of the Pi overaccumulatorpho2, and its C-terminal acidic residue is not required for the interaction withAtPHT1;1, implying thatAtCNIH5 employs a distinct selection mechanism forAtPHT1;1. Importantly, increasingin-situ AtCNIH5 expression/activity boosts plant growth under Pi repletion and limitation. We proposeAtCNIH5 as a low Pi-responsive hub that controls the ER export of specific membrane cargoes, thus providing a potential engineering strategy to improve plant fitness under suboptimal Pi supply.
Transcriptional Dynamics Uncover the Role of BNIP3 in Mitophagy during Muscle Remodeling inDrosophila
Authors: Taoka Hiroki , Murakawa Tadayoshi , Kohei Kawaguchi , Koizumi Michiko , Kaminishi Tatsuya , Sakamaki Yuriko , Tanaka Kaori , Harada Akihito , Inoue Keiichi , Kanki Tomotake , Ohkawa Yasuyuki , Fujita Naonobu
Published: December 2024

Differentiated muscle cells contain myofibrils and well-organized organelles, enabling powerful contractions. Muscle cell reorganization occurs in response to various physiological stimuli; however, the mechanisms behind this remodeling remain enigmatic due to the lack of a genetically trackable system. Previously, we reported that a subset of larval muscle cells is remodeled into adult abdominal muscle through an autophagy-dependent mechanism inDrosophila. To unveil the underlying mechanisms of this remodeling, we performed a comparative time-course RNA-seq analysis of isolated muscle cells with or without autophagy. It revealed both transcriptional dynamics independent of autophagy and highlighted the significance of BNIP3-mediated mitophagy in muscle remodeling. Mechanistically, we found that BNIP3 recruits autophagic machinery to mitochondria through its LC3-interacting (LIR) motif and minimal essential region (MER), which interact with Atg8a and Atg18a, respectively. Loss of BNIP3 leads to a substantial accumulation of larval mitochondria, ultimately impairing muscle remodeling. In summary, this study demonstrates that BNIP3-dependent mitophagy is critical for orchestrating the dynamic process of muscle remodeling.
Inhibition of constitutive activity of the atypical chemokine receptor ACKR3 by the small-molecule inverse agonist VUF16840
Authors: Bosma Reggie , Nesheva Desislava , Rijnsburger Merel , Riemens Rick , Adamska Justyna M. , Meyrath Max , Mobach Simon , Buzink C. Maurice , de Esch Iwan J. P. , Szpakowska Martyna , Wijtmans Maikel , Chevigne Andy , Vischer Henry F. , Leurs Rob
Published: December 2024

The atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3) has emerged as a promising drug target for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases. In this study, we present the pharmacological characterization of VUF16840, the first small-molecule inverse agonist of ACKR3. VUF16840 effectively displaces CXCL12 binding to ACKR3 and inhibits chemokine-induced β-arrestin2 recruitment in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, VUF16840 stabilizes the inactive conformation of ACKR3, as demonstrated by its ability to suppress constitutive β-arrestin2 recruitment. This inverse agonism alters ACKR3 constitutive trafficking, leading to receptor enrichment at the plasma membrane and inhibition of intracellular CXCL12 uptake. Importantly, VUF16840 exhibits high selectivity for ACKR3 over a broad panel of human chemokine receptors.

These findings establish VUF16840 as a potent and selective ACKR3 inverse agonist capable of modulating constitutive and chemokine-induced signaling and internalization events. As such, VUF16840 represents a valuable pharmacological tool for exploring the molecular and translational roles of ACKR3 in both physiological and pathological contexts.
Investigating the role of sensorimotor spatial dependencies in shaping conscious access to virtual 3D objects
Authors: Motyka Paweł , Schwartzman David J. , Seth Anil K. , Suzuki Keisuke
Published: December 2024

According to sensorimotor accounts of perceptual experience, the subjective veridicality of an object (the sense of its ‘presence’) builds up gradually as one learns how changes in sensory inputs depend on bodily movements. To investigate how sensorimotor interactions shape visual experience, we designed a virtual-reality-based study that allowed us to manipulate the complexity of spatial dependencies governing interactions with unfamiliar 3D objects. Participants had to learn to manually control fully visible objects that could move in congruent, opposite, novel (orthogonal), or random directions in response to their movements. The sensorimotor control tasks occurred alternately with a continuous flash suppression (CFS) task evaluating the access of stationary objects to visual awareness, operationalised as the time taken for a 3D object to break the interocular suppression. We hypothesised that objects whose motion was experienced as depending on actions in a lawful, and thus encodable, manner (i.e., according to a congruent, opposite, or novel – but not random – dependency) would overcome suppression faster than objects moving randomly in response to actions (for which there is no world-related statistical structure to learn). However, while performance in the sensorimotor tasks consistently decreased along with the difficulty of the conditions (i.e., congruent > opposite > novel > random), the pre-registered analysis yielded no significant differences in breakthrough times of objects manipulated under different coupling rules. An exploratory analysis assessing whether the acquisition of ‘sensorimotor mastery’ was associated with reduced breakthrough times also revealed no significant effects. Thus, our results suggest that one’s knowledge of how an object responds to action does not play a salient role in determining conscious access to visual stimuli. This extends previous evidence for a general ineffectiveness of sensorimotor spatial manipulations in interocular suppression paradigms. Notably, in all conditions, object movement remained tightly coupled (i.e., contingent) to the participant’s actions – and given such stimuli have already been shown to break suppression faster than uncoupled/pre-recorded visual inputs – it is possible that sensorimotor contingency was a sufficiently salient factor to override any influences related to how identifiable specific spatial dependencies were.

Highlights

Learning sensorimotor control over objects was examined in novel VR tasks.

We varied the complexity of spatial dependencies between manual and visual rotations.

Controllable objects were expected to enter visual awareness faster in b-CFS.

No differences in breakthrough times for differently complex spatial coupling rules.

Sensorimotor contingency outweighs spatial congruence in affecting visual awareness.
The Novel Chaperone Activity of p47 Modulates Force-Mediated Retrotranslocation from the Endoplasmic Reticulum to the Cytosol
Authors: Chaudhuri Deep , Haldar Shubhasis
Published: December 2024

Protein quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) maintains cellular proteostasis by regulating protein folding, assembly, and degradation. While protein translocation from the cytosol into the ER is well-studied, the reverse process, known as retrotranslocation, which exports proteins from the ER lumen or membrane into the cytosol, is less understood.

In this study, we investigate the role of p47, a cofactor of the ATPase p97, in retrotranslocation and its chaperone-like activity on the model substrate talin using single-molecule magnetic tweezers. We find that p47 enhances the mechanical stability of talin, by increasing its folding probabilities by 8 pN, which generate a maximum work output of up to ∼199.5 zJ to facilitate the extraction of the protein from the ER lumen. These findings suggest that p47 interacts with substrates emerging from the ER, generating pulling forces that aid retrotranslocation, which uncovers a novel mechanistic role for p47 in ER-associated degradation, advancing the understanding of retrotranslocation.
A quantitative spatial atlas of transcriptomic, morphological, and electrophysiological cell type densities in the mouse brain
Authors: Verasztó Csaba , Roussel Yann , Kanari Lida , Markram Henry , Keller Daniel
Published: December 2024

Brain cells can be classified into transcriptomic, morphological, and electrophysiological types. We derived a quantitative spatial atlas of the distributions of these classes within the mouse brain. To do so, we first generated a 3D atlas of transcriptomic cell type densities, by scaling regional estimates of densities from brain slices using cell counts and slice dimensions. Adjustments for regions with high cell density, such as the cerebellum, were made using the average Nissl intensities as a density modifier on a voxel-by-voxel basis. To connect the transcriptomic-type signatures to cellular function (morphological-electrophysiological types), we leveraged patch-sequencing datasets, which integrate mRNA counts, morphology reconstructions, and electrophysiological recordings from single cortical neurons. We aligned mRNA counts with the established classifications of transcriptomic types, classified neuron morphologies according to morphological types, and derived electrophysiological types using K-means clustering. The resulting 3D atlas and computational framework can be used to probe neuronal cell-type diversity and its functional implications, setting the stage for further explorations into the cellular basis of brain function.
Layilin Regulates Treg Motility and Suppressive Capacity in Skin
Authors: Gouirand Victoire , Clancy Sean , Macon Courtney , Valle Jose , Pauli Mariela , Troung Hong-An , Cohen Jarish , Kinet Maxime , Lowe Margaret M. , Lord Samuel J. , Skruber Kristen , Harris Hobart , Kim Esther , Neuhaus Isaac , Reif Karin , Zarrin Ali A. , Mullins Dyche R. , Rosenblum Michael D.
Published: December 2024

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for maintaining immune tolerance in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues. We discovered that layilin, a C-type lectin receptor, is predominantly expressed on Tregs in skin. Layilin was highly expressed on a subset of clonally expanded ‘effector’ Tregs in both healthy and psoriatic skin. Layilin expressing Tregs exhibited a transcriptional profile indicative of enhanced adhesion. Deletion of layilin in Tregsin vivoresulted in significantly attenuated skin inflammation. Mechanistically, layilin enhanced Treg adhesionviamodulation of LFA-1, resulting in distinct cytoskeletal alterations consistent with enhanced focal adhesion and lamellipodia formation. Taken together, we define layilin as a critical regulator of Treg suppressive capacity through modulating motility and adhesion in a non-lymphoid tissue.
Breast Cancer Remodels Lymphatics in Sentinel Lymph Nodes
Authors: Eichin Dominik , Takeda Akira , Lehotina Diana , Kauko Anni , Uenaka Maki , Leppänen Meri , Elima Kati , Lönnberg Tapio , Boström Pia , Koskivuo Ilkka , Aittokallio Tero , Hollmén Maija , Jalkanen Sirpa
Published: December 2024

Cancer metastasis to sentinel lymph nodes (LNs) is often the first marker of potential disease progression. Although it is recognized that tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis facilitates metastasis into LNs in murine models, tumor-induced alterations in human lymphatic vessels remain obscure. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) subsets in paired metastatic and non-metastatic LNs obtained from patients with treatment-naïve breast cancer. Tumor metastasis decreases immunoregulatory LEC subsets, such as PD-L1+subcapsular sinus LECs, while inducing an increase in capillary-like CD200+HEY1+LECs. Matrix Gla protein (MGP) was the most upregulated gene in metastatic LN LECs, and its expression on LECs was TGF-β and VEGF dependent. Upregulated MGP promotes cancer cell adhesion to LN lymphatics. Thus, breast cancer cell metastasis to LNs remodels LEC subsets in human LNs and escalates MGP expression, potentially facilitating cancer cell dissemination through the lymphatic system.
Predicting tumour evolution and drug resistance from heterogenous longitudinal cancer data
Authors: Santacatterina Giovanni , Bergamin Riccardo , Zucchetto Antonella , Laureana Roberta , Del Principe Maria Ilaria , Gattei Valter , Egidi Leonardo , Caravagna Giulio
Published: December 2024

The kinetic parameters of cancer population dynamics are critical for developing reliable predictors of tumour growth patterns, extracting metrics for patient stratification and creating algorithms that can forecast clinically significant events. Here, we introduce a model-based Bayesian framework that leverages longitudinal phenotypic (e.g., tumour volume, cell counts) or genotypic (e.g., mutation frequency) data to infer critical parameters of tumour progression within a single patient. Our models uses population genetics to estimate probability distributions for tumour growth rates, initiation and extinction times, pinpointing abrupt shifts in tumour dynamics due to treatment response and revealing associations between drug resistance and pre-existing cancer cell populations. We apply our framework to address pivotal clinical questions across three major cancer types. In colorectal cancer, we use tumour markers data to identify extensive pre-existing RAS-linked resistance to cetuximab. In lung cancer, we use somatic mutation frequencies in circulating tumour DNA to determine prognostic growth rates and develop a test for monitoring minimal residual disease. In chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, we use white blood cell counts to stratify patients by growth patterns and predict time to treatment, advancing adaptive monitoring strategies.
Cytosolic Carboxypeptidase 5 maintains mammalian ependymal multicilia to ensure proper homeostasis and functions of the brain
Authors: Dad Rubina , Wang Yujuan , Fang Chuyu , Chen Yuncan , Zhang Yuan , Pan Xinwen , Zhang Xinyue , Swanekamp Emily , Patel Krish , Wolf Matthias T. F. , Yuchi Zhiguang , Zhu Xueliang , Wu Hui-Yuan
Published: December 2024

Ependymal multicilia position at one-side on the cell surface and beat synchronously across tissue to propel the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Loss of ependymal cilia often causes hydrocephalus. However, molecules contributing to their maintenance remain yet fully revealed. Cytosolic carboxypeptidase (CCP) family are erasers of polyglutamylation, a conserved posttranslational modification of ciliary-axoneme microtubules. CCPs possess a unique domain (N-domain) N-terminal to their carboxypeptidase (CP) domain with unclear function. Here, we show that a novel mutant mouse ofAgbl5, the gene encoding CCP5, with deletion of its N-terminus and partial CP domain (designatedAgbl5M1/M1), developed lethal hydrocephalus due to degeneration of ependymal multicilia. Interestingly, multiciliogenesis was not impaired inAgbl5M1/M1ependyma. The initially formed multicilia beat at a normal frequency, but in intercellularly diverse directions, indicative of aberrant tissue-level coordination. Moreover, actin networks are severely disrupted and basal body patches are improperly displaced in mutant cells, suggesting impaired cell polarity. In contrast,Agbl5mutants with disruption solely in the CP domain of CCP5 (Agbl5M2/M2) do not develop hydrocephalus despite increased glutamylation levels in ependymal cilia as similarly seen inAgbl5M1/M1. This study revealed an unappreciated role of CCP5, particularly its N-domain, in ependymal multicilia stability associated with their polarization and coordination.
Impact of ion exchange on vibrational modes in Rb-doped
KTiOPO4
: A Raman spectroscopy study on the interplay between ion exchange and polarization switching
Authors: Lee Cherrie S. J. , Canalias Carlota , Buschbeck Robin , Koppitz Boris , Hempel Franz , Amber Zeeshan , Eng Lukas M. , Rüsing Michael
Published: December 2024

Recently, ion exchange (IE) has been used to periodically modify the coercive field (Ec) of the crystal prior to periodic poling, to fabricate fine-pitch domain structures in Rb-doped KTiOPO4 (RKTP). Here, we use micro-Raman spectroscopy to understand the impact of IE on the vibrational modes related to the Rb/K lattice sites, TiO6 octahedra, and PO4 tetrahedra, which all form the basis of the RKTP crystal structure. We analyze the Raman spectra of three different RKTP samples: (1) a RKTP sample that shows a poled domain grating only, (2) a RKTP sample that has an Ec grating only, and (3) a RKTP sample that has both an Ec and a domain grating of the nominally same spacing. This allows us to determine the impact of IE on the vibrational modes of RKTP. We characterize the changes in the lower Raman peaks related to the alkali-metal ions, as well as observe lattice modifications induced by the incorporation of Rb+ that extend further into the crystal bulk than the expected IE depth. Moreover, the influence of IE on the domain walls is also manifested in their Raman peak shift. We discuss our results in terms of the deformation of the PO4 and TiO6 groups. Our results highlight the intricate impact of IE on the crystal structure and how it facilitates periodic poling, paving the way for further development of the Ec-engineering technique.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Exceptional Luttinger liquids from sublattice-dependent interaction
Authors: Schwardt Joachim , Michen Benjamin , Lehmann Carl , Budich Jan Carl
Published: December 2024

We demonstrate how exceptional points (EPs) naturally occur in the Luttinger liquid (LL) theory describing the low-energy excitations of a microscopic lattice model with sublattice-dependent electron-electron interaction. Upon bosonization, this sublattice dependence directly translates to a nonstandard sine-Gordon-type term responsible for the non-Hermitian matrix structure of the single-particle Green function (GF). As the structure in the lifetime of excitations does not commute with the underlying free Bloch Hamiltonian, non-Hermitian topological properties of the single-particle GF emerge—despite our Hermitian model Hamiltonian. Both finite temperature and a nontrivial Luttinger parameter K≠1 are required for the formation of EPs, and their topological stability in one spatial dimension is guaranteed by the chiral symmetry of our model. In the presence of the aforementioned sine-Gordon term, we resort to leading-order perturbation theory (PT) to compute the single-particle GF. All qualitative findings derived within LL theory are corroborated by comparison to both numerical simulations within the conserving second Born approximation and, for weak interactions and high temperatures, by fermionic plain PT. In certain parameter regimes, quantitative agreement can be reached by a suitable parameter choice in the effective bosonized model.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Inclusive and diffractive neutrino-nucleus scattering at high energy
Authors: Le Anh Dung , Mäntysaari Heikki
Published: December 2024

We calculate the energy dependence of inclusive and diffractive neutrino-nucleus deep-inelastic scattering cross sections within the dipole picture, focusing on the ultrahigh-energy regime. We predict an up to ∼10% nuclear suppression in the inclusive neutrino-oxygen scattering originating from the nonlinear QCD dynamics in the small-x Balitsky-Kovchegov evolution. Diffraction is found to be a small 1%−4% contribution to the total cross section across a wide range of neutrino energies relevant for current and near-future experiments. The diffractive cross section is calculated separately for the coherent and incoherent channels that are found to be of equal importance. Additionally, we include the dominant contribution from the |qq¯g⟩ Fock state of the W± and Z bosons in the high-Q2 limit, along with the lowest-order |qq¯⟩ contribution. The |qq¯g⟩ contribution is found to be numerically significant, reaching up to 40% of the diffractive cross section.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
QCD deconfinement transition line up to
μB=400  MeV
from finite volume lattice simulations
Authors: Borsányi Szabolcs , Fodor Zoltán , Guenther Jana N. , Parotto Paolo , Pásztor Attila , Pirelli Ludovica , Szabó Kálmán K. , Wong Chik Him
Published: December 2024

The QCD crossover line in the temperature (T)-baryochemical potential (μB) plane has been computed by several lattice groups by calculating the chiral order parameter and its susceptibility at finite values of μB. In this work we focus on the deconfinement aspect of the transition between hadronic and quark gluon plasma phases. We define the deconfinement temperature as the peak position of the static quark entropy [SQ(T,μB)] in T, which is based on the renormalized Polyakov loop. We extrapolate SQ(T,μB) based on high statistics finite temperature ensembles on a 163×8 lattice to finite density by means of a Taylor expansion to eighth order in μB (NNNLO) along the strangeness neutral line. For the simulations the 4HEX staggered action was used with 2+1 flavors at physical quark masses. In this setup the phase diagram can be drawn up to unprecedentedly high chemical potentials. Our results for the deconfinement temperature are in rough agreement with phenomenological estimates of the freeze-out curve in relativistic heavy ion collisions. In addition, we study the width of the deconfinement crossover. We show that up to μB≈400  MeV, the deconfinement transition gets broader at higher densities, disfavoring the existence of a deconfinement critical endpoint in this range. Finally, we examine the transition line without the strangeness neutrality condition and observe a hint for the narrowing of the crossover towards large μB.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
W
mass and muon
g−2
in an inert 2HDM extended by a singlet complex scalar
Authors: Bharadwaj Hrishabh , Dahiya Mamta , Dutta Sukanta , Goyal Ashok
Published: December 2024

The deviations of the recent measurements of the muon magnetic moment and the W-boson mass from their SM predictions hint to new physics beyond the SM. In this article, we address the observed discrepancies in the W-boson mass and muon anomalous magnetic moment in the Inert Two Higgs Doublet Model extended by a complex scalar field singlet under the SM gauge group. The model is constrained from the existing Large Electron Positron Collider (LEP) data and the measurements of partial decay widths to gauge bosons at LHC. It is shown that a large subset of the constrained parameter space of the model can accommodate both the experimentally measured as well as SM global fit value of W-boson mass while simultaneously explaining the observed muon g−2 anomaly.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Charged scalars at finite electric field and temperature in the optimized perturbation theory
Authors: Tavares William R. , Ramos Rudnei O. , Farias Ricardo L. S. , Avancini Sidney S.
Published: December 2024

We study the symmetry breaking and restoration behavior of a self-interacting charged scalar field theory under the influence of a constant electric field and finite temperature. Our study is performed in the context of the optimized perturbation theory. The dependence of the effective potential with constant electric fields is established by means of the bosonic propagators in the Schwinger proper-time method. Explicit analytical expressions for the electric and thermal contributions are found. Our results show a very weak decreasing behavior of the vacuum expectation value as a function of the electric field, which is strengthened by the temperature effect. A first-order phase transition that occurs at zero/weak electric fields changes to a second-order phase transition under strong electric fields. The critical temperature for the phase transition exhibited a very weak dependence on the electric field. Additionally, we computed the vacuum persistence probability rate for the interacting theory, finding a peak at the critical point. The maximum value of this rate at the critical point is found to be independent of the coupling constant but depended solely on the magnitude of the electric field.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Unified view of elastic and elasto-inertial turbulence in channel flows at low and moderate Reynolds numbers
Authors: Foggi Rota Giulio , Amor Christian , Le Clainche Soledad , Rosti Marco Edoardo
Published: December 2024

The chaotic flow of elastic fluids at low Reynolds number (Re) is typically distinguished into elasto-inertial and elastic turbulence (EIT/ET). However, the clear separation among these two turbulent regimes in parallel flows with a gradual Re decrease remains elusive. Here, spanning Re over four orders of magnitude, we investigate the statistical and structural nature of the flows computed by fully resolved 3D numerical simulations, revealing that as inertia becomes subdominant all flows share similar dynamical properties. Supported by the results, we thus propose a unified view of fully developed ET and EIT in parallel flows.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum Analog of Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert Dynamics
Authors: Liu Yuefei , Miranda Ivan P. , Johnson Lee , Bergman Anders , Delin Anna , Thonig Danny , Pereiro Manuel , Eriksson Olle , Azimi-Mousolou Vahid , Sjöqvist Erik
Published: December 2024

The Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) and Landau-Lifshitz (LL) equations play an essential role for describing the dynamics of magnetization in solids. While a quantum analog of the LL dynamics has been proposed in [], the corresponding quantum version of LLG remains unknown. Here, we propose such a quantum LLG equation that inherently conserves purity of the quantum state. We examine the quantum LLG dynamics of a dimer consisting of two interacting spin-12 particles. Our analysis reveals that, in the case of ferromagnetic coupling, the evolution of initially uncorrelated spins mirrors the classical LLG dynamics. However, in the antiferromagnetic scenario, we observe pronounced deviations from classical behavior, underscoring the unique dynamics of becoming a spinless state, which is nonlocally correlated. Moreover, when considering spins that are initially entangled, our study uncovers an unusual form of revival-type quantum correlation dynamics, which differs significantly from what is typically seen in open quantum systems.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Acceleration of enzymatic reactions due to nearby inactive binding sites
Authors: Katznelson Hila , Rahav Saar
Published: December 2024

Many biological molecular motors and machines are driven by chemical reactions that occur in specific catalytic sites. We study whether the arrival of molecules to such an active site can be accelerated by the presence of a nearby inactive site. Our approach is based on comparing the steady-state current in simple models to reference models without an inactive site. We identify two parameter regimes in which the reaction is accelerated. We then find the transition rates that maximize this acceleration and use them to determine the underlying mechanisms in each region. In the first regime, the inactive site stores a molecule to release it following a reaction, when the neighboring catalytic site is empty. In the second regime, the inactive site releases a molecule when the catalytic site is full, to impede the molecules from leaving the active site before they react. For the storage mechanism, which is more likely to be biologically relevant, the acceleration can reach up to 15%, depending on parameters.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Experimental Test of Nonlocality Limits from Relativistic Independence
Authors: Atzori Francesco , Virzì Salvatore , Rebufello Enrico , Avella Alessio , Piacentini Fabrizio , Cusini Iris , Haka Henri , Villa Federica , Gramegna Marco , Cohen Eliahu , Degiovanni Ivo Pietro , Genovese Marco
Published: December 2024

Quantum correlations, like entanglement, represent the characteristic trait of quantum mechanics and pose essential issues and challenges to the interpretation of this pillar of modern physics. Although quantum correlations are largely acknowledged as a major resource to achieve quantum advantage in many tasks of quantum technologies, their full quantitative description and the axiomatic basis underlying them are still under investigation. Previous works have suggested that the origin of nonlocal correlations is grounded in principles capturing (from outside the quantum formalism) the essence of quantum uncertainty. In particular, the recently introduced principle of relativistic independence has given rise to a new bound intertwining local and nonlocal correlations. Here, we test such a bound by realizing together sequential and joint weak measurements on entangled photon pairs, allowing us to simultaneously quantify both local and nonlocal correlations by measuring incompatible observables on the same quantum system without collapsing its state, a task typically forbidden in the traditional (projective) quantum measurement framework. Our results demonstrate the existence of a fundamental limit on the extent of quantum correlations, shedding light on the profound role of uncertainty in both enabling and balancing them.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Demystifying resistance: factors influencing users’ reluctance to share images on social media
Authors: Mir Umar Bashir , Shardeo Vipulesh
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The study aims to explore the factors that motivate social media (SM) users to abstain from sharing pictures on SM platforms through the lens of user resistance theory (URT).

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a mixed-method approach and utilizes the URT as a lens to explore user attitudes towards SM engagement. Insights were derived from consultations with ten domain experts possessing diverse professional backgrounds. To prioritize the identified resistance factors, the Fuzzy-OPA multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique was employed.

Findings

The study identifies 13 factors influencing users' choices to abstain from sharing images on SM platforms, categorized into 2 primary groups: personal and platform-related factors. Personal factors include privacy concerns, fear of negative judgment and anxiety over self-presentation. In contrast, platform factors include perceived risks of sharing images without consent, lack of control over the privacy settings and the lack of trust in SM platforms, contributing to users' reluctance to share pictures on SM.

Research limitations/implications

The study utilized ten experts' opinions to classify and prioritize factors, but results may vary with more experts from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, resistance factors may differ across SM platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. The study contributes to theory by identifying and classifying personal and platform barriers to SM non-use, filling a gap in existing literature. It offers a framework for future research on technology adoption and non-use, emphasizing the role of privacy, self-presentation and identity factors in user decision-making. This classification aids in designing measurement tools for further research.

Practical implications

The study contributes to theory by identifying and classifying personal and platform barriers to SM non-use, filling a gap in existing literature. It offers a framework for future research on technology adoption and non-use, emphasizing the role of privacy, self-presentation and identity factors in user decision-making. This classification aids in designing measurement tools for further research.

Originality/value

While most of the research on SM platforms has examined the drivers behind their adoption, reasons for non-adoption, remain relatively underexplored. The study fills this gap by investigating why users limit sharing content on SM platforms.
Perceptions of government performance and willingness to pay tax in Africa
Authors: Koomson Theodora Aba Abekah , Bekoe Rita Amoah , Owusu Godfred Matthew Yaw
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine citizens’ perceptions of government performance and its impact on their willingness to pay taxes.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from the Afrobarometer round eight surveys, with a substantial 39,624 observations across 34 African countries, was analysed using ordinary least squares.

Findings

The authors uncover compelling evidence that although Africans generally have a positive attitude towards paying taxes, their decision to pay taxes is influenced by their perceptions of the government’s performance. Specifically, they find that perceptions of how the government handles economic management, provides basic health needs and protects the rights of people with disabilities significantly influence individuals’ willingness to pay taxes. Surprisingly, the authors find that although Africans rate their governments as high performers in resolving conflicts, that demotivates them from paying taxes.

Practical implications

These findings emphasise that citizens’ tax compliance goes beyond simple willingness; they also expect governments’ performance to meet their expectations.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to examine individual taxpayers’ perceptions of their government’s performance and its role in enhancing tax compliance across Africa.
Integrated marketing communication as a strategic tool for geographical indication
Authors: da Silva Renata Kelly , Giraldi Janaina de Moura Engracia
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is a management tool that accompanies market dynamics, business environment and technological transformations and can become a competitive differential for organizations that use it. This study’s aim is to propose that IMC can be a strategic tool in the context of geographical indication (GI).

Design/methodology/approach

Exploratory research was conducted with a qualitative approach through an integrated unique case study, including bibliographic, documentary research, direct observation and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The case chosen was the GI of Matas de Rondônia coffee, located in the Amazonia biome, which is the first denomination in the world of the sustainable Coffea canephora species and, to date, Brazil’s only GI to include indigenous lands.

Findings

It was possible to confirm all propositions, and obtain theoretical, practical and public management contributions.

Originality/value

This research brings unpublished theoretical contributions, when presenting IMC as a strategic tool for GI, fills gaps and increases the literature in the areas of marketing, communication, food marketing and GI.
Employers’ perspectives on disability inclusion: exploring the dynamics between professed beliefs and actual practices
Authors: Alammar Fahad M. , Alfayez Nourah , Fallatah Mahmoud
Published: December 2024

Purpose

To examine the gap between employers’ espoused theories and theories-in-use regarding PwD inclusion in the Saudi Arabian workforce and identify factors that can bridge this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative grounded theory approach was employed, involving in-depth interviews with 24 employers in various industries in Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed using open coding, followed by the identification of second-order themes and aggregate dimensions.

Findings

The research reveals a significant gap between employers’ espoused beliefs, such as the value of diversity and social responsibility, and their theories-in-use, which reflect concerns about costs, accessibility and the competence of PwD. The study also highlights transformative incidents – education, leadership, cultural shifts, breaking of misconceptions and exposure to PwD – that can bridge this gap.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that merely creating policies is insufficient for meaningful change. Organizations and policymakers should adopt double-loop learning to challenge underlying assumptions and integrate practical, culturally informed strategies to support PwD inclusion in the workplace.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the limited research on employer attitudes toward PwD in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle Eastern context. It offers actionable insights through transformative incidents that help organizations align their stated values with actual practices, promoting a more inclusive and innovative work environment.
The influence of peer-to-peer accommodation platforms’ green marketing on consumers’ pro-environmental behavioural intention
Authors: Huang Songshan (Sam) , Wang Xuequn , Qu Hua
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation platforms’ green marketing on consumers’ pro-environmental behavioural intention through the mediation of consumer trust and engagement, following the social influence theory and the stimulus–organism–response model.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was designed to collect data from American P2P accommodation consumers. Data collection was conducted through an outsourced survey company. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data.

Findings

The study reveals that P2P accommodation platforms’ green marketing orientation was positively associated with consumer trust in the platform and consumer engagement with the platform. Both consumer trust and consumer engagement positively enhanced consumers’ pro-environmental behavioural intention in the P2P accommodation consumption, serving as effective mediators between consumers’ perceptions of green marketing orientation and pro-environmental behavioural intention.

Practical implications

The study offers practical insights for P2P accommodation platforms and operators in engaging in green marketing and fostering consumers’ pro-environmental consumption behaviours in P2P accommodations.

Originality/value

The study addresses the grand question of whether business operators’ responsible production behaviour can possibly lead to consumers’ responsible consumption behaviour in the P2P accommodation sector. It contributes to the literature on P2P accommodation by providing evidence to show green marketing practices of P2P accommodation platforms can lead to consumers’ pro-environmental behavioural intention. It provides both theoretical value for knowledge advancement and practical value to guide more sustainable industry practices.
Numerical simulation study on the forming process of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer riveting structure
Authors: Niu Chunliang , Bai Chunfei , Guo Liming , Liu BingZhuo , Chen Lei
Published: December 2024

Purpose

In order to improve the rationality of the design of carbon fiber composite riveting structures in engineering products and reduce physical tests, the stress changes of various parts during the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) riveting process, the influence area of hole edge stress and the damage of CFRP plates were studied from the perspective of numerical simulation. The reasonable arrangement requirements of composite riveted structures, installation speed and damage characteristics of CFRP plates in engineering applications are obtained. The research results provide technical references for the design and installation of composite riveting structures in engineering products.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking the forming process of the riveted structure between countersunk blind rivets and CFRP plates as the research object, the forming principle of countersunk blind rivets and the damage characteristics of CFRP plates were analyzed. Using contact nonlinearity theory, the anisotropic material modeling method and the Hashin failure criterion, the stress changes in various parts during the riveted joint forming process, the influence area of stress at the hole edge of the rivet holes and the damage of the CFRP plates were analyzed.

Findings

Reasonable rivet layout spacing was obtained; the peak stress of the rivet assembly increases with the increase of the rivet installation speed, and the influence area of the hole edge on the CFRP plate is a circular area with an outward extension radius of 0∼6 mm. Therefore, the arrangement distance between rivets is greater than the ring area, the damage law and installation speed of CFRP plates are given, the damage extends inward from the first layer of the laminates and the installation speed of 15 mm/s can satisfy the requirement of riveting installation better.

Originality/value

The riveting and forming process under different speeds is analyzed from the perspective of numerical simulation, and the stress variation rule of each part of the rivet and the damage of the CFRP plate under each speed are obtained. Reasonable rivet arrangement requirements and installation speed were given. This study provides technical support for the rivet arrangement method and mechanical property analysis of CFRP riveted structures in complex engineering products.
The political economy of banks’ cash holdings
Authors: Leite Rodrigo de Oliveira , Mendes Layla , Nascimento Icaro
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Our paper explores the political determinants of bank cash holdings. We selected as our sample banks from G7 (to proxy developed economies) and BRICS (to proxy emerging markets).

Design/methodology/approach

We collected data on banks' financial information from 2009 to 2019, totaling 5,438 banks. We employ regressions, two-staged least squares and matching to assess the impact of political determinants on bank cash holdings.

Findings

We find that banks in countries with higher corruption levels tend to accumulate more cash. Additionally, our paper shows that state-owned banks generally hoard more cash, except in election years, highlighting the political nature of these banks. We present further results regarding banks in G7 countries versus BRICS, the effects of the common law legal system, as well as the interplay between election years and unstable sources of funding.

Originality/value

Up to this point, no paper has analyzed the political determinants of banks' cash holdings. Our paper improves our current understanding on how legal systems, corruption levels, state ownership and elections play a role in bank cash holdings.
Who works! from fragmentation to coherence through collaborative, constructive communication
Authors: Olaitan Paul
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The paper seeks to assist public sector leaders to take a balanced and impactful approach to transformation programmes which aim to deliver integrated healthcare. The paper highlights the balance of attention paid in these programmes across elements of leadership, strategy, structure and people, and aims to highlight where this balance can sit to encourage more successful and sustainable transformations, with an increased focus on interpersonal and inter-professional engagement and interaction across workforce and service users.

Design/methodology/approach

The project involved a literature review which identified themes that were in turn used to inform an approach to a desk review of journal articles written about past integration programmes in healthcare. A coding framework was developed to assess the articles in the desk review to identify where the focus of attention lay in the approaches to integration.

Findings

There is a spread of activity across all four themes (leadership, strategy, structure and people) in the assessed cases, but the emphasis tends to be towards static, short-term approaches, with a noticeable lack of focus on the aspects required to deliver long-term sustained transformation. There is a need for improved balance between structural and relational approaches to transformation.

Research limitations/implications

The paper focuses on nine examples of transformation programmes and would benefit from further development and use of the coding framework.

Practical implications

The framework that emerges from this project can contribute to the development of a proactive model to assist transformation leads and decision makers bring a more balanced, thoughtful and impactful approach to integrating health and care services. In particular, the findings point to an overuse of structural approaches to change and transformation, which could include project management methods, for example, which become the product of the initiatives, rather than enablers of leaders’ visions and people’s interpersonal and interprofessional engagement and interactions.

Originality/value

Building on existing research, this paper makes a valuable contribution to the discourse on how to deliver the required health and care integration agenda in a more accessible way and sustainably, moving away from short-term, quick-fix approaches and considers how to accommodate the role of interpersonal interaction as the vehicle for change.