bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wnt signaling alters CTCF binding patterns and global chromatin structure
Authors: Nordin Anna , Chakraborty Chaitali , Jonasson Mattias , Dano Orgena , Zambanini Gianluca , Pagella Pierfrancesco , Remeseiro Silvia , Cantù Claudio
Published: January 2024

Wnt signaling plays a pivotal role during development, stem cell maintenance, and tissue homeostasis. Upon Wnt pathway activation, β-catenin translocates to the nucleus where it binds the TCF/LEF transcription factors to drive the context-specific expression of Wnt target genes. Coordinating gene expression programs in vertebrates requires a complex interplay between the regulatory and the 3D organization of the genome. However, the impact of Wnt signaling on genome structure has been poorly explored. Here we investigated how Wnt signaling activation influences the binding patterns of CTCF, one of the core architectural proteins that helps establish the 3D genome organization be demarcating topologically associated domains (TAD). This study uncovered a series of CTCF rearrangements under Wnt, that we termed RUW. Notably, RUW sites that were gained upon Wnt activation were typically dependent on β-catenin and were characterized by both CTCF and TCF/LEF binding. Accordingly, many CTCF RUWs aligned with β-catenin binding patterns, and β-catenin and CTCF co-localized in vivo in discreet nuclear puncta only upon pathway activation. Genome-wide investigation of CTCF-mediated 3D genomic interactions upon Wnt pathway stimulation supported the role of the identified RUWs in mediating Wnt-dependent chromatin loops. Lastly, targeted disruption of selected CTCF binding sites demonstrated their functional contribution to Wnt target gene regulation, implicating regulation of the 3D genomic structure in the execution of transcriptional programs orchestrated by developmental pathways.
Dynamic transient brain states in preschoolers mirror parental report of behavior and emotion regulation
Authors: Toffoli Lisa , Zdorovtsova Natalia , Epihova Gabriela , Duma Gian Marco , Del Popolo Cristaldi Fiorella , Pastore Massimiliano , Astle Duncan E. , Mento Giovanni
Published: January 2024

The temporal dynamics of resting-state networks (RSNs) may represent an intrinsic functional repertoire supporting cognitive control performance across the lifespan (Kupis et al., 2021). However, little is known about brain dynamics during the preschool period, which is a sensitive time window for cognitive control development. The fast timescale of synchronization and switching characterizing cortical network functional organization gives rise to quasi-stable patterns (i.e., brain states) that recur over time. These can be inferred at the whole-brain level using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), an unsupervised machine learning technique that allows the identification of rapid oscillatory patterns at the macro-scale of cortical networks (Vidaurre et al., 2018). The present study used a HMM technique to investigate dynamic neural reconfigurations and their associations with behavioral (i.e., parental questionnaires) and cognitive (i.e., neuropsychological tests) measures in typically developing preschoolers (4-6 years old). We used high density EEG to better capture the fast reconfiguration patterns of the HMM-derived metrics (i.e., switching rates, entropy rates, transition probabilities and fractional occupancies). Our results revealed that the HMM-derived metrics were reliable indices of individual neural variability and differed between boys and girls. However, only brain state transition patterns toward prefrontal and default-mode brain states, predicted differences on parental-report questionnaire scores. Overall, these findings support the importance of resting-state brain dynamics as functional scaffolds for behavior and cognition. Brain state transitions may be crucial markers of individual differences in cognitive control development in preschoolers.

Keypoints

HMM-derived metrics are reliable hallmarks of individual neural variability and show gender-related differences.

Brain state transition patterns toward prefrontal and default-mode brain states predict differences on parental-report questionnaires scores.

Brain state transitions may be crucial markers of individual differences in cognitive control development in preschoolers.
NeuroCSF: an fMRI method to measure contrast sensitivity function in human visual cortex
Authors: Goulet Laurie , Farivar Reza
Published: January 2024

The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) describes a range of spatial frequencies (SF) that are detectable at a given level of contrast and is a very valuable tool both in clinical and fundamental research. However, despite its immense value, the full potential of the CSF has not been utilized in every aspect of clinical research due to time limits and patient factors. We propose neuroCSF as a new method for measuring the CSF across the visual field directly from brain activity, and with minimal demand from participants. NeuroCSF is a computational model that estimates voxel-wise CSF parameters (i.e., peak contrast sensitivity, peak spatial frequency, and spatial frequency bandwidth) from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals, under controlled visual stimulation conditions. The approach extends the population spatial frequency tuning (Aghajari, Vinke, & Ling, 2020) and population receptive field (Dumoulin & Wandell, 2008) methods to provide the first characterization of a full CSF using neuroimaging. We observe that across early visual areas (V1, V2 and V3), the CSF peak spatial frequency and spatial frequency cutoff are significantly higher for foveal eccentricity and decrease at parafoveal eccentricities. Conversely, SF bandwidth slowly increases with eccentricity, while peak contrast sensitivity remains constant with eccentricity for all early visual areas. Thus, cortical CSF estimates vary systematically with eccentricity. The neuroCSF approach opens new perspectives for the study of cortical visual functions in various disorders where the CSF is impacted, such as amblyopia, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis.
Dimensions of early life adversity are differentially associated with patterns of delayed and accelerated brain maturation
Authors: Beck Dani , Whitmore Lucy , MacSweeney Niamh , Brieant Alexis , Karl Valerie , de Lange Ann-Marie G , Westlye Lars T. , Mills Kathryn L , Tamnes Christian K.
Published: January 2024

Different types of early-life adversity have been associated with childrens brain structure and function. However, understanding the disparate influence of distinct adversity exposures on the developing brain remains a major challenge. This study investigates the neural correlates of 10 robust dimensions of early-life adversity identified through exploratory factor analysis in a large community sample of youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Brain age models were trained, validated, and tested separately on T1-weighted (T1; N = 9524), diffusion tensor (DTI; N = 8834), and resting-state functional (rs-fMRI; N = 8233) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from two time points (mean age = 10.7 years, SD = 1.2, range = 8.9-13.8 years). Bayesian multilevel modelling supported distinct associations between different types of early-life adversity exposures and younger- and older-looking brains. Dimensions generally related to emotional neglect, such as lack of primary and secondary caregiver support, and lack of caregiver supervision, were associated with lower brain age gaps (BAGs), i.e., younger-looking brains. In contrast, dimensions generally related to caregiver psychopathology, trauma exposure, family aggression, substance use and separation from biological parent, and socio-economic disadvantage and neighbourhood safety were associated with higher BAGs, i.e., older-looking brains. The findings suggest that dimensions of early-life adversity are differentially associated with distinct neurodevelopmental patterns, indicative of dimension-specific delayed and accelerated brain maturation.
Salivary extracellular vesicles isolation methods impact the robustness of downstream biomarkers detection
Authors: Boulestreau Jérémy , Molina Laurence , Ouedraogo Alimata , Laramy Louën , Grich Ines , Van Thi Nhu Ngoc , Molina Franck , Kahli Malik
Published: January 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), crucial mediators in cell-to-cell communication, are implicated in both homeostatic and pathological processes. Their detectability in easily accessible peripheral fluids like saliva positions them as promising candidates for non-invasive biomarker discovery. However, the lack of standardized methods for salivary EVs isolation greatly limits our ability to study them. Therefore, we rigourously compared salivary EVs isolated using two scalable techniques—co-precipitation and immuno-affinity—against the long-established but labor-intensive ultracentrifugation method. Employing Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, Western blots (WB), and proteomics, we identified significant method-dependent variances in the size, concentration, and protein content of EVs. Importantly, our study uniquely demonstrates the ability of EV isolation to detect specific biomarkers that remain undetected in whole saliva by WB. RT-qPCR analysis targeting six miRNAs confirmed a consistent enrichment of these miRNAs in EV-derived cargo across all three isolation methods. We also found that pre-filtering saliva samples with 0.22 or 0.45 µm pores adversely affects subsequent analyses. Our findings highlight the untapped potential of salivary EVs in diagnostics and advocate for the co-precipitation method as an efficient, cost-effective, and clinically relevant approach for small-volume saliva samples. This work not only sheds light on a neglected source of EVs but also paves the way for their application in routine clinical diagnostics.
Sensory Input, Sex, and Function Shape Hypothalamic Cell Type Development
Authors: Kaplan Harris S. , Logeman Brandon L. , Zhang Kai , Santiago Celine , Sohail Noor , Naumenko Serhiy , Ho Sui Shannan J. , Ginty David D. , Ren Bing , Dulac Catherine
Published: January 2024

Mammalian behavior and physiology undergo dramatic changes in early life. Young animals rely on conspecifics to meet their homeostatic needs, until weaning and puberty initiate nutritional independence and sex-specific social interactions, respectively. How neuronal populations regulating homeostatic functions and social behaviors develop and mature during these transitions remains unclear. We used paired transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiling to examine the developmental trajectories of neuronal populations in the hypothalamic preoptic region, where cell types with key roles in physiological and behavioral control have been identified1–6. These data reveal a remarkable diversity of developmental trajectories shaped by the sex of the animal, and the location and behavioral or physiological function of the corresponding cell types. We identify key stages of preoptic development, including the perinatal emergence of sex differences, postnatal maturation and subsequent refinement of signaling networks, and nonlinear transcriptional changes accelerating at the time of weaning and puberty. We assessed preoptic development in various sensory mutants and find a major role for vomeronasal sensing in the timing of preoptic cell type maturation. These results provide novel insights into the development of neurons controlling homeostatic functions and social behaviors and lay ground for examining the dynamics of these functions in early life.
Taste cells expressingIonotropic Receptor 94ereciprocally impact feeding and egg laying inDrosophila
Authors: Guillemin Jacqueline , Li Viktoriya , Davis Grace , Audette Kayla , Li Jinfang , Jelen Meghan , McDowell Sasha A.T. , Slamani Samy , Kelliher Liam , Gordon Michael D. , Stanley Molly
Published: January 2024

Chemosensory cells across the body ofDrosophila melanogasterevaluate the environment and play a crucial role in neural circuits that prioritize feeding, mating, or egg laying. Previous mapping of gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) on the fly labellum identified a set of neurons in L-type sensilla defined by expression ofIonotropic Receptor 94e(IR94e), but the impact of IR94e GRNs on behavior remained unclear. To understand their behavioral output, we used optogenetics and chemogenetics to activate IR94e neurons and found that they drive mild suppression of feeding but enhanced egg laying.In vivocalcium imaging revealed that IR94e GRNs respond strongly to certain amino acids, including glutamate. Furthermore, we found that IR94e is necessary and sufficient for the detection of amino acid ligands, and co-receptors IR25a and IR76b are also required for IR94e GRN activation. Finally,IR94emutants show behavioral changes to solutions containing amino acids, including increased consumption and decreased egg laying. Overall, our results suggest that IR94e GRNs on the fly labellum discourage feeding and encourage egg laying as part of an important behavioral switch in response to certain chemical cues.
Relaxed purifying selection is associated with an accumulation of transposable elements in flies
Authors: Mérel Vincent , Tricou Théo , Burlet Nelly , Haudry Annabelle
Published: January 2024

Although the mechanisms driving the evolution of genome size are not yet fully understood, one potentially important factor is the dynamics of the accumulation of mobile selfish genetic elements called transposable elements (TEs). Since most of these sequences are neutral or slightly deleterious, a negative correlation between genome size and selection efficacy is expected. However, previous studies based on empirical data from closely related species with contrasting life history traits (thought to result in contrasting levels of selection efficacy) have yielded inconsistent results, leaving this issue controversial. In this study, we perform the first large-scale analysis of the effect of drift on genome size evolution, without any prior assumption about the amount of drift in each sampled species. We reconstructed a phylogeny based on whole-genome data (2,242 genes) for 77 Drosophilid species to examine correlations between genome size, TE content, and measures of selection efficacy (especially usingdN/dSratios of non-synonymous to synonymous divergence). We highlight a strong phylogenetic inertia in genome size and confirm that TEs are the major components of genome size. Using an integrative approach that controls for shared history, we find that genome-widedN/dSare strongly positively correlated with genome size and TE content, particularly in GC-poor genes. This study highlights the critical importance of controlling for heterogeneity in base composition when testing the controversial correlation between evolutionary rates and genome size. Furthermore, our review of previous studies reveals that the absence of evidence for TE accumulation in association with increased genetic drift may be attributed to a secondary effect of changes in life history traits on TE dynamics. In conclusion, this work provides evidence for TE proliferation in fly genomes when purifying selection is reduced and genetic drift increases, shedding new light on the role of transposable elements and genetic drift in the evolution of genome architecture.
Single-cell RNA sequencing of iPSC-derived brain organoids revealsTreponema palliduminfection inhibiting neurodevelopment
Authors: Xu Qiu-Yan , Wang Yong-Jing , He Yun , Zheng Xin-Qi , Tong Man-Li , Lin Yu , Yang Tian-Ci
Published: January 2024

Congenital syphilis is a vertically transmitted bacterial infection caused byTreponema pallidum, often causing multidomain neurodevelopmental disabilities. However, little is known about the pathogenesis of this disease. Brain organoids platform derived from the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) is exposed toT. palliduminfection for modelling congenital neurodevelopmental impairment. Single-cell RNA sequencing is used for identifying the subpopulations of differentially expressed genes and cellular heterogeneity and reconstructing differentiation trajectories followingT. palliduminfection. The results reveal thatT. palliduminfection influences the formation of neural rosette structures, reduces the cell number of the neural progenitor cell subcluster 1B (subNPC1B) and hindbrain neurons, and affects the neurodevelopment of the brain organoid. Moreover, it is speculated thatT. palliduminhibits the hindbrain neuron cell number through the suppression of subNPC1B subgroup in the organoids and inhibits transcription factor 3 activity in the subNPC1B-hindbrain neuronal axis. This is the first report on the inhibited effects ofT. pallidumon the neurodevelopment of the iPSC-derived brain organoid model.T. pallidumcould inhibit the differentiation of subNPC1B in brain organoids, thereby reducing the differentiation from subNPC1B to hindbrain neurons, and ultimately affecting the development and maturation of hindbrain neurons.
Novel transition dynamics of topological solitons
Authors: Nishimura Kentaro , Sogabe Noriyuki
Published: January 2024

Continuous phase transitions can be classified into ones characterized by local-order parameters and others that need additional topological constraints. The critical dynamics near the former transitions have been extensively studied, but the latter is less understood. We fill this gap in knowledge by studying the transition dynamics to a parity-breaking topological ground state called the chiral soliton lattice in quantum chromodynamics at finite temperature, baryon chemical potential, and an external magnetic field. We find a slowing down of the soliton’s translational motion as the critical magnetic field approaches, while the local relaxation rate to the solitonic state remains finite. The time required to converge to the stationary state strongly depends on the symmetry of the initial configuration, determining whether translational motion occurs during the dynamic process.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Hidden supersymmetric dark sectors
Authors: Cacciapaglia Giacomo , Deandrea Aldo , Isnard Wanda
Published: January 2024

The attractive feature of supersymmetry is predictive power, due to the large number of calculable properties and to coupling nonrenormalization. This power can be fully expressed in hidden sectors where supersymmetry may be exact, as these sectors are secluded from the visible one where instead supersymmetry must be broken. This suggests a new paradigm for supersymmetric dark sectors, where supersymmetry is exact at the dark matter scale, implying that many properties of hidden supersymmetric dark sectors can be fully computed. As a proof of concept we discuss a concrete example based on N=1 super Yang-Mills.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Exotic Dark Matter Search with the Majorana Demonstrator
Authors: Arnquist I. J. , Avignone F. T. , Barabash A. S. , Barton C. J. , Bhimani K. H. , Blalock E. , Bos B. , Busch M. , Buuck M. , Caldwell T. S. , Chan Y-D. , Christofferson C. D. , Chu P.-H. , Clark M. L. , Cuesta C. , Detwiler J. A. , Efremenko Yu. , Ejiri H. , Elliott S. R. , Giovanetti G. K. , Green M. P. , Gruszko J. , Guinn I. S. , Guiseppe V. E. , Haufe C. R. , Henning R. , Hervas Aguilar D. , Hoppe E. W. , Hostiuc A. , Kidd M. F. , Kim I. , Kouzes R. T. , Lannen V. T. E. , Li A. , Lopez A. M. , López-Castaño J. M. , Martin E. L. , Martin R. D. , Massarczyk R. , Meijer S. J. , Mertens S. , Oli T. K. , Othman G. , Paudel L. S. , Pettus W. , Poon A. W. P. , Radford D. C. , Rager J. , Reine A. L. , Rielage K. , Ruof N. W. , Schaper D. C. , Tedeschi D. , Varner R. L. , Vasilyev S. , Wilkerson J. F. , Wiseman C. , Xu W. , Yu C.-H. , Zhu B. X. ,   Majorana Collaboration
Published: January 2024

With excellent energy resolution and ultralow-level radiogenic backgrounds, the high-purity germanium detectors in the enable searches for several classes of exotic dark matter (DM) models. In this work, we report new experimental limits on keV-scale sterile neutrino DM via the transition magnetic moment from conversion to active neutrinos νs→νa. We report new limits on fermionic dark matter absorption (χ+A→ν+A) and sub-GeV DM-nucleus 3→2 scattering (χ+χ+A→ϕ+A), and new exclusion limits for bosonic dark matter (axionlike particles and dark photons). These searches utilize the (1–100)-keV low-energy region of a 37.5-kg y exposure collected by the between May 2016 and November 2019 using a set of Ge76-enriched detectors whose surface exposure time was carefully controlled, resulting in extremely low levels of cosmogenic activation.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
AdS3
Pure Gravity and Stringy Unitarity
Authors: Di Ubaldo Gabriele , Perlmutter Eric
Published: January 2024

We construct a unitary, modular-invariant torus partition function of a two-dimensional conformal field theory with a Virasoro primary spectral gap of Δ*=[(c−1)/12] above the vacuum. The twist gap is identical, apart from two states O* with spin scaling linearly in the central charge c. These states admit an AdS3 interpretation as strongly coupled strings. All other states are black hole microstates.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Edge magnetoplasmon dispersion and time-resolved plasmon transport in a quantum anomalous Hall insulator
Authors: Martinez Luis A. , Qiu Gang , Deng Peng , Zhang Peng , Ray Keith G. , Tai Lixuan , Wei Ming-Tso , He Haoran , Wang Kang L. , DuBois Jonathan L. , Qu Dong-Xia
Published: January 2024

A quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) insulator breaks reciprocity by combining magnetic polarization and spin-orbit coupling to generate a unidirectional transmission of signals in the absence of an external magnetic field. Such behavior makes QAH materials a good platform for the innovation of circulator technologies. However, it remains elusive as to how the wavelength of the chiral edge plasmon relates to its frequency and how the plasmon wave packet is excited in the time domain in a QAH insulator. Here, we investigate the edge magnetoplasmon (EMP) resonances in Cr-(Bi,Sb)2Te3 by frequency and time domain measurements. From disk shaped samples with various dimensions, we obtain the dispersion relation of EMPs and extract the drift velocity of the chiral edge state. From the time-resolved transport measurements, we identify the velocity of the plasmon wave packet and observe a transition from the edge to bulk transport at an elevated temperature. We show that the frequency and time domain measurements are well modeled by loss from the microwave induced dissipative channels in the bulk area. Our results demonstrate that the EMP decay rate can be significantly reduced by applying a low microwave power and fabricating devices of larger diameter ≥100µm. In a R=125µm sample, a nonreciprocity of 20 dB has been realized at 1.3 GHz, shining light on using QAH insulators to develop on-chip nonreciprocal devices.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Noise within: Signal-to-noise enhancement via coherent wave amplification in the mammalian cochlea
Authors: Altoè Alessandro , Shera Christopher A.
Published: January 2024

The extraordinary sensitivity of the mammalian inner ear has captivated scientists for decades, largely due to the crucial role played by the outer hair cells (OHCs) and their unique electromotile properties. Typically arranged in three rows along the sensory epithelium, the OHCs work in concert via mechanisms collectively referred to as the “cochlear amplifier” to boost the cochlear response to faint sounds. While simplistic views attribute this enhancement solely to the OHC-based increase in cochlear gain, the inevitable presence of internal noise requires a more rigorous analysis. Achieving a genuine boost in sensitivity through amplification requires that signals be amplified more than internal noise, and this requirement presents the cochlea with an intriguing challenge. Here we analyze the effects of spatially distributed cochlear-like amplification on both signals and internal noise. By combining a straightforward mathematical analysis with a simplified model of cochlear mechanics designed to capture the essential physics, we generalize previous results about the impact of spatially coherent amplification on signal degradation in active gain media. We identify and describe the strategy employed by the cochlea to amplify signals more than internal noise and thereby enhance the sensitivity of hearing. For narrow-band signals, this effective, wave-based strategy consists of spatially amplifying the signal within a localized cochlear region, followed by rapid attenuation. Location-dependent wave amplification and attenuation meet the necessary conditions for amplifying near-characteristic frequency (CF) signals more than internal noise components of the same frequency. Our analysis reveals that the sharp wave cutoff past the CF location greatly reduces noise contamination. The distinctive asymmetric shape of the “cochlear filters” thus underlies a crucial but previously unrecognized mechanism of cochlear noise reduction.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Cyclic superconducting refrigerators using guided fluxon propagation
Authors: Karmakar Tathagata , Jussiau Étienne , Manikandan Sreenath K. , Jordan Andrew N.
Published: January 2024

We propose cyclic refrigeration in solid state, employing a gas of magnetic field vortices in a type-II superconductor—also known as fluxons—as the cooling agent. Refrigeration cycles are realized by envisioning a racetrack geometry consisting of both adiabatic and isothermal arms, etched into a type-II superconductor. The guided propagation of fluxons in the racetrack is achieved by applying an external electrical current, in a Corbino geometry, through the sample. A gradient of magnetic field is set across the racetrack allowing one to adiabatically cool down and heat up the fluxons, which subsequently exchange heat with the cold and hot reservoirs, respectively. We characterize the steady state of refrigeration cycles thermodynamically for both s-wave and d-wave pairing symmetries, and present their figures of merit such as the cooling power delivered, and the coefficient of performance. Our cooling principle can offer significant cooling for on-chip microrefrigeration purposes, by locally cooling below the base temperatures achievable in a conventional dilution refrigerator. We estimate nW/mm2 of cooling power per unit area assuming a tunnel coupling with ∼MΩµm2 specific resistance. Integrating the fluxon fridge to quantum circuits can enhance their coherence time by locally suppressing thermal fluctuations, and improve the efficiency of single photon detectors and charge sensors.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Hybrid coherent control of magnons in a ferromagnetic phononic resonator excited by laser pulses
Authors: Scherbakov Alexey V. , Carr Alex D. , Linnik Tetiana L. , Kukhtaruk Serhii M. , Armour Andrew D. , Nadzeyka Achim , Rushforth Andrew W. , Akimov Andrey V. , Bayer Manfred
Published: January 2024

We propose and demonstrate the concept of hybrid coherent control (CC) whereby a quantum or classical harmonic oscillator is excited by two excitations: one is quasiharmonic (i.e., harmonic with a finite lifetime) and the other is a pulsed broadband excitation. Depending on the phase relation between the two excitations, controlled by the detuning of the oscillator eigenfrequencies and the wave forms of the quasiharmonic and broadband excitations, it is possible to observe Fano-like spectra of the harmonic oscillator due to the interference of the two responses to the simultaneously acting excitations. Experimentally, as an example, the hybrid CC is implemented for magnons in a ferromagnetic grating where GHz coherent phonons act as the quasiharmonic excitation and the broadband impact arises from pulsed optical excitation followed by spin dynamics in the ferromagnetic nanostructure.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantifying Electrochemical Degradation in Single-Crystalline
LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2
–Graphite Pouch Cells through
Operando
X-Ray and Postmortem Investigations
Authors: Menon Ashok S. , Shah Nickil , Gott James A. , Fiamegkou Eleni , Ogley Matthew J. W. , Páez Fajardo Galo J. , Vaenas Naoum , Ellis Ieuan , Ravichandran N. , Cloetens P. , Karpov D. , Warnett J.M. , Malliband Paul , Walker David , West Geoff , Loveridge Melanie , Piper Louis F.J.
Published: January 2024

Layered nickel-rich lithium transition-metal oxides (LiNixMnyCo1−x−yO2; where  ≥ 0.8), with single-crystalline morphology, are promising future high-energy-density Li-ion battery cathodes due to their ability to mitigate particle-cracking-induced degradation. This is due to the absence of grain boundaries in these materials, which prevents the build-up of bulk crystallographic strain during electrochemical cycling. Compared to their polycrystalline counterparts, there is a need to study single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes using x-ray methods in uncompromised machine-manufactured industrylike full cells to understand their bulk degradation mechanisms as a function of different electrochemical cycling protocols. This can help us identify factors to improve their long-term performance. Here, through in-house x-ray studies of pilot-line-built LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2–graphite A7 pouch cells, it is shown that their electrochemical-capacity fade under harsh conditions (2.5–4.4 V and 40 °C for 100 cycles at a C/3 rate) primarily stems from the high-voltage reconstruction of the cathode surface from a layered to a cubic (rock-salt) phase that impedes the Li+ kinetics and increases cell impedance. Postmortem electron and x-ray microscopy show that these cathodes can withstand severe anisotropic structural changes and show no cracking when cycled under such conditions. Comparing these results to those from commercial Li-ion cells with surface-modified single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes, it is identified that cathode surface passivation can mitigate this type of degradation and prolong cycle life. In addition to furthering our understanding of degradation in single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes, this work also accentuates the need for practically relevant and reproducible fundamental investigations of Li-ion cells and presents a methodology for achieving this.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Research advances on superhydrophobic coating for metal surfaces via one-step electrodeposition
Authors: Chen Dexin , He Hongyuan , Kang Zhixin , Li Wei
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to review the current one-step electrodeposition of superhydrophobic coatings on metal surfaces.

Design/methodology/approach

One-step electrodeposition is a versatile and simple technology to prepare superhydrophobic coatings on metal surfaces.

Findings

Preparing superhydrophobic coatings by one-step electrodeposition is an efficient method to protect metal surfaces.

Originality/value

Even though there are several technologies, one-step electrodeposition still plays a significant role in producing superhydrophobic coatings.
Hovering performance analysis of helicopter rotor blades using supercritical airfoil
Authors: Hasan Inamul , R. Mukesh , P. Radha Krishnan , R. Srinath , P. Boomadevi
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to find the characteristics of supercritical airfoil in helicopter rotor blades for hovering phase using numerical analysis and the validation using experimental results.

Design/methodology/approach

Using numerical analysis in the forward phase of the helicopter, supercritical airfoil is compared with the conventional airfoil for the aerodynamic performance. The multiple reference frame method is used to produce the results for rotational analysis. A grid independence test was carried out, and validation was obtained using benchmark values from NASA data.

Findings

From the analysis results, a supercritical airfoil in hovering flight analysis proved that the NASA SC rotor produces 25% at 5°, 26% at 12° and 32% better thrust at 8° of collective pitch than the HH02 rotor. Helicopter performance parameters are also calculated based on momentum theory. Theoretical calculations prove that the NASA SC rotor is better than the HH02 rotor. The results of helicopter performance prove that the NASA SC rotor provides better aerodynamic efficiency than the HH02 rotor.

Originality/value

The novelty of the paper is it proved the aerodynamic performance of supercritical airfoil is performing better than the HH02 airfoil. The results are validated with the experimental values and theoretical calculations from the momentum theory.
Older the better: senior tourists’ curiosity towards the home-sharing platform
Authors: Tiamiyu Tosin
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Senior tourist is a salient segment of the tourism sector. This segment reflects a robust ageing population with discretionary income and an appetite for tourism activities. However, to date, there has been a paucity of empirical insight on how the combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations may influence senior tourists’ connectedness and booking intentions towards home-sharing accommodation. Thus, this study aims to investigate how senior tourists’ curiosity and social interaction may influence their connectedness towards Airbnb and subsequently booking intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed and tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling to analyse data collected from a sample of 195 senior tourists in Malaysia.

Findings

The results showed that intrinsic (curiosity) and extrinsic (social interaction) motivations positively influence senior tourists’ connectedness towards platform accommodation, which in turn positively affects the outcome variable. Furthermore, this study found that a sense of connectedness is crucial in linking motivators and booking intentions.

Research limitations/implications

This research was carried out in Malaysia; therefore, cross-national studies are encouraged to establish whether the findings described in this study can be extrapolated to other cultures/countries.

Practical implications

From a practitioner’s perspective, this study reinforces the need to address and understand senior tourists’ curiosity and how it may invoke their connectedness and behavioural actions towards the Airbnb platform. More importantly, this study gives home-sharing practitioners practical leverage on how combined intrinsic and extrinsic motivations may deduce senior tourists’ booking intentions.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on senior tourism and the home-sharing sector by demonstrating the role of curiosity and social interaction in shaping senior tourists’ connectedness towards Airbnb and behavioural intentions.
An exploratory study of barriers to sustainable development: evidence from the New Zealand flexible packaging industry
Authors: Farrukh Amna , Sajjad Aymen
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Manufacturing companies continue to encounter a diverse set of obstacles while embracing sustainable development goals. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to explore critical sustainable development-related barriers to flexible packaging manufacturing companies in the New Zealand context.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a qualitative multiple case studies approach, the authors collected data from the New Zealand flexible packaging industry. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the senior corporate managers in two large flexible packaging companies. Following the thematic analysis approach, the authors analyzed the information collected from the participants and synthesized our findings under the key dimensions of internal and external barriers to sustainable development.

Findings

The findings revealed that internal barriers to sustainable flexible packaging are linked to economic, operational and technical issues. Conversely, external barriers include global crises and disruption, customer behavior and preferences and institutional and infrastructural-related aspects. Based on the analysis of empirical findings, the authors further identified the underlying reasons for sustainable flexible packaging barriers and recommended guidelines that could assist corporate managers and policymakers in addressing obstacles inhibiting the flexible packaging industry from adopting sustainable business practices.

Originality/value

The authors argue that this study is one of the early studies to consider inhibiting factors to incorporate sustainable development into the New Zealand flexible packaging industry context. Building on a range of theoretical perspectives, the authors extend the current body of knowledge seeking to advance the sustainable development agenda in the New Zealand flexible packaging industry and offer recommended pathways fostering sustainable development in a distinctive manufacturing context.
Perception and awareness of the bioeconomy: an empirical study of chosen European academia
Authors: Pink Małgorzata , Kiełbasa Barbara , Tamáš Vojtěch , Pereira Fernanda Maria Dos Santos Maria , Santamarta Juan C. , Cruz Pérez Noelia , Rodríguez-Alcántara Joselin S. , Luty Lidia
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to diagnose the perception, knowledge, awareness and position of the bioeconomy in university education and research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted at universities in Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain and Portugal (n = 464). The questionnaire consisted of open-ended, dichotomous and Likert-type questions. Variable frequency distribution methods and the non-parametric chi-square test were used to test the independence of the characteristics. The Cramer’s V contingency coefficient was used to determine the degree of dependence between the variables.

Findings

The researched academic community is dominated by a traditional approach to the bioeconomy, which relates to agriculture and ecological aspects. Respondents believe in the positive environmental impacts of the bioeconomy, while less often being aware of its importance from a socio-economic perspective. Insufficient teaching and research in the field of the bioeconomy can be widely observed. The presumed link between the existence of a bioeconomy strategy at national level and awareness of the bioeconomy was not confirmed.

Research limitations/implications

The limited sample, the narrow geographical scope of the study does not allow for a comprehensive analysis of the topic. Another limitation is the lack of representativeness of the results in relation to all university representatives in the countries studied and the uneven composition of the samples.

Originality/value

This study fills the knowledge gap about the status of the bioeconomy in European academic communities by analysing its perception among both teachers and students of social, natural and applied sciences.
Understanding the effects of socialness and color complexity in listing images on crowdfunding behavior
Authors: Barnes Stuart John
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Color psychology theory reveals that complex images with very varied palettes and many different colors are likely to be considered unattractive by individuals. Notwithstanding, web content containing social signals may be more attractive via the initiation of a social connection. This research investigates a predictive model blending variables from these theoretical perspectives to determine crowdfunding success.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on data from 176,614 Kickstarter projects. A number of machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques were employed to analyze the listing images for color complexity and the presence of people, while specific language features, including socialness, were measured in the listing text. Logistic regression was applied, controlling for several additional variables and predictive model was developed.

Findings

The findings supported the color complexity and socialness effects on crowdfunding success. The model achieves notable predictive value explaining 56.4% of variance. Listing images containing fewer colors and that have more similar colors are more likely to be crowdfunded successfully. Listings that convey greater socialness have a greater likelihood of being funded.

Originality/value

This investigation contributes a unique understanding of the effect of features of both socialness and color complexity on the success of crowdfunding ventures. A second contribution comes from the process and methods employed in the study, which provides a clear blueprint for the processing of large-scale analysis of soft information (images and text) in order to use them as variables in the scientific testing of theory.
All that glitters is not gold: exploring social selling through the eyes of B2B customers
Authors: Ancillai Chiara , Bartoloni Sara , Pascucci Federica
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide an in-depth understanding of the B2B customers’ perspective regarding salespeople’s social media use.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with 26 key informants performing their job in customer role in various industries.

Findings

The authors inductively identify five themes regarding the B2B customers’ perspective of social media use in B2B selling. These themes allow for valuable implications for social selling activities and expected outcomes.

Originality/value

Against a growing body of literature on drivers, best practices and outcomes of social media use by B2B salespeople, less attention has been paid to the customer’s side. The authors extend current research by providing a more complete picture of social selling activities and expected outcomes.
Development of workplace well-being indexes at construction sites
Authors: Omer Mazen M. , Moyo Tirivavi , Alias Ahmad Rizal , Rahman Rahimi A.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to develop workplace well-being indexes for construction sites of different project types (infrastructure, high-rise and low-rise). Accordingly, the study objectives are to identify the critical factors that affect workplace well-being at construction sites, compare the critical factors between different project types, categorize the critical factors into subgroups and compute indexes for the critical factors and subgroups.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with construction industry professionals were used to extract 19 potential factors that affect workplace well-being. Then, a structured questionnaire survey was distributed, and 169 valid responses were collected. Finally, the data were analyzed using normalized mean analysis, agreement analysis, factor analysis and fuzzy synthetic evaluation.

Findings

The study findings revealed that there are 11, 11, 8 and 12 critical factors across overall infrastructure, high-rise and low-rise construction projects. Out of those, six critical factors are overlapping across project types, including “general safety and health monitoring,” “salary package,” “timeline of salary payment,” “working hours,” “communication between workers” and “planning of the project.” Accordingly, the critical factors can be categorized into two subgroups within each project type. Finally, the development of indexes shows that infrastructure construction projects have the greatest index compared to other project types.

Originality/value

This study contributes to filling the current knowledge gap by developing workplace well-being indexes at construction sites across different project types. The indexes would assist decision-makers in understanding the current state of workplace well-being. This increases the commitment and recognition of well-being across different construction project types.
Diving into the divide: a systematic review of cognitive bias-based polarization on social media
Authors: Xing Yunfei , Zhang Justin Zuopeng , Storey Veda C. , Koohang Alex
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The global prevalence of social media and its potential to cause polarization are highly debated and impactful. The previous literature often assumes that the ideological bias of any media outlet remains static and exogenous to the polarization process. By studying polarization as a whole from an ecosystem approach, the authors aim to identify policies and strategies that can help mitigate the adverse effects of polarization and promote healthier online discourse.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate online polarization, the authors perform a systematic review and analysis of approximately 400 research articles to explore the connection between cognitive bias and polarization, examining both causal and correlational evidence. The authors extensively evaluate and integrate existing research related to the correlation between online polarization and crucial factors such as public engagement, selective exposure and political democracy. From doing so, the authors then develop a PolarSphere ecosystem that captures and illustrates the process of online polarization formation.

Findings

The authors' review uncovers a wide range of associations, including ideological cognition, bias, public participation, misinformation and miscommunication, political democracy, echo chambers and selective exposure, heterogeneity and trust. Although the impact of bias on social media polarization depends on specific environments and internal/external conditions, certain variables exhibit strong associations across multiple contexts. The authors use these observations as a basis from which to construct PolarSphere, an ecosystem of bias-based polarization on social media, to theorize the process of polarization formation.

Originality/value

Based on the PolarSphere ecosystem, the authors argue that it is crucial for governments and civil societies to maintain vigilance and invest in further research to gain a deep comprehension of how cognitive bias affects online polarization, which could lead to ways to eliminate polarization.
Technology systems to enable a man with intellectual, sensory and motor disabilities to make verbal requests through simple one-hand signs: proof-of-concept study
Authors: Lancioni Giulio , Alberti Gloria , Pezzuoli Francesco , Bruciati Juri , Singh Nirbhay , O'Reilly Mark , Sigafoos Jeff
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study assessed two technology systems aimed at enabling a man with intellectual disability, blindness, deafness and motor and tactile discrimination problems to make verbal requests through simple one-hand signs.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted according to an ABAB design. During the B (intervention) phases, the man used the two systems, which included (1) nine mini recording devices fixed on the man’s clothes or wheelchair (i.e. in positions the man touched with his sign movements) and (2) nine tags with radio frequency identification codes (fixed at approximately the same positions as the mini recording devices) and a dedicated tag reader, respectively. Making a sign (i.e. touching a recording device or reaching a tag) led to the verbalization of the request related to that sign.

Findings

During baseline, the mean frequency of signs/requests made was below 2 per session, and only some of those requests were identified/satisfied. During the intervention, the mean frequency of requests made and satisfied was about 10 per session with each of the systems.

Originality/value

The results, which are to be taken with caution given the preliminary nature of the study, seem to suggest that the systems can help translate simple signs into verbal requests.