bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The antiangiogenic peptide VIAN-c4551 inhibits lung melanoma metastasis in mice by reducing pulmonary vascular permeability
Authors: Perez Alma Lorena , Zamora Magdalena , Bahena Manuel , Williams Regina Aramburo , Adán-Castro Elva , Bertsch Thomas , Triebel Jakob , de la Escalera Gonzalo Martinez , Robles Juan Pablo , Clapp Carmen
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Cancer cells drive the increase in vascular permeability mediating tumor cell extravasation and metastatic seeding. VIAN-c4551, an antiangiogenic peptide analog of vasoinhibin, inhibits the growth and vascularization of melanoma tumors in mice. Because VIAN-c4551 is a potent inhibitor of vascular permeability, we evaluated whether its antitumor action extended to a reduction in metastasis generation.

Methods

Circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), lung vascular permeability, melanoma cell extravasation, and melanoma pulmonary nodules were assessed in C57BL/6J mice intravenously inoculated with murine melanoma B16-F10 cells after acute treatment with VIAN-c4551. VEGF levels, transendothelial electrical resistance, and transendothelial migration in cocultures of B16-F10 cells and endothelial cell monolayers supported the findings.

Results

B16-F10 cells increased circulating VEGF levels and elevated lung vascular permeability 2 hours after inoculation. VIAN-c4551 prevented enhanced vascular permeability and reduced melanoma cell extravasation after 2 hours and the number and size of macroscopic and microscopic melanoma tumors in lungs after 17 days. In vitro, VIAN-c4551 suppressed the B16-F10 cell-induced and VEGF mediated increase in endothelial cell monolayer permeability and the transendothelial migration of B16-F10 cells.

Conclusions

These findings support the inhibition of distant vascular permeability for the prevention of tumor metastasis and unveil the anti-vascular permeability factor VIAN-c4551 as a potential therapeutic drug able to prevent metastasis generation by lowering the extravasation of melanoma cells.
AuroraB-kinase methylation by SETD6 regulates cytokinesis and protects cells from chromosomal instability
Authors: Feldman Michal , Chopra Anand , Nachmias Dikla , Biggar Kyle K. , Sevilla Daniel , Elia Natalie , Levy Dan
Published: December 2024

SETD6 is a non-histone lysine methylatransferase, previously shown to participate in several housekeeping signaling pathways such as the NFkB pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, mitosis and more. In the current study we show evidence that SETD6 methylation is involved in the regulation of cytokinesis - the final process that divides cell contents into two daughter cells. SETD6 depleted HeLa cells presented high levels of chromatin bridges and actin patches, which are commonly observed following chromosomal segregation errors. In a proteomic screen we identified Aurora-B as a novel SETD6 substrate. Aurora-B kinase is an essential regulator of cytokinesis, known to actively delay cytokinesis as a response to the presence of chromatin in the midzone. We found that SETD6 binds and methylates Aurora-B on two adjacent lysine residues. Upon replication stress, Aurora-B methylation by SETD6 increases but is abolished when the two lysine methylation targets are substituted. In addition, replication stress led to a high tendency of SETD6 depleted cells to multinucleate, a major chromosomal-instability (CIN) phenotype. We detected a significant reduction in the Aurora-B kinase activity during cytokinesis in SETD6 knockout cells upon replication stress, which could be the mechanism underlying the accumulation of CIN phenotypes in these cells. CIN is a hallmark of cancer and is associated with tumor cell malignancy. Our findings suggest that Aurora-B methylation by SETD6 carries meaningful implications on tumorigenic cellular pathways.
Construction, Deployment, and Usage of the Human Reference Atlas Knowledge Graph for Linked Open Data
Authors: Bueckle Andreas , Herr Bruce W. , Hardi Josef , Quardokus Ellen M. , Musen Mark A. , Börner Katy
Published: December 2024

The Human Reference Atlas (HRA) for the healthy, adult body is being developed by a team of international, interdisciplinary experts across 20+ consortia. It provides standard terminologies and data structures for describing specimens, biological structures, and spatial positions of experimental datasets and ontology-linked reference anatomical structures (AS), cell types (CT), and biomarkers (B). We introduce the HRA Knowledge Graph (KG) as central data resource for HRA v2.2, supporting cross-scale, biological queries to Resource Description Framework graphs using SPARQL. In February 2025, the HRA KG covered 71 organs with 5,800 AS, 2,268 CT, 2,531 B; it had 10,064,033 nodes, 171,250,177 edges, and a size of 125.84 GB. The HRA KG comprises 13 types of Digital Objects (DOs) using the Common Coordinate Framework Ontology to standardize core concepts and relationships across DOs. We (1) provide data and code for HRA KG construction; (2) detail HRA KG deployment by Linked Open Data principles; and (3) illustrate HRA KG usage via application programming interfaces, user interfaces, data products. A companion website is athttps://cns-iu.github.io/hra-kg-supporting-information.
The colon is an extra-pancreatic source of glucagon: demonstration in a mouse model of pancreatectomy
Authors: Jarry Anne-Charlotte , Le Beyec Johanne , Bado André , Gautier Jean-François , Riveline Jean-Pierre , Blondeau Bertrand , Guillemain Ghislaine , Le Gall Maude
Published: December 2024

Glucagon is considered as a pancreas-specific hormone. However, an extra-pancreatic source of glucagon, which secretion is inappropriately induced by oral glucose, has been suspected for years in patients with diabetes. In a mouse model of subtotal pancreatectomy, we recapitulated the abnormal secretion of glucagon in response to oral glucose observed in pancreatectomised patients and excluded the remaining pancreas as the source of glucagon. We showed that the colon can produce and secrete glucagon. Subtotal pancreatectomy resulted in an increased expression of PCSK2 protease in the colon that favors the maturation of proglucagon into glucagon over other glucagon-related peptides normally produced by enteroendocrine cells. These results identify a mechanism that could contribute to abnormal glucagon production and poor glycemic control in pancreatectomized diabetic subjects. Moreover, our findings may pave the road to new therapeutic strategies to counteract poor glucose control for patients with diabetes.
Sexual Failure Decreases Sweet Taste Perception in MaleDrosophilavia Dopaminergic Signaling
Authors: Wang Gaohang , Qi Wei , Huang Rui , Wang Liming
Published: December 2024

Sweet taste perception, a critical aspect of the initiation of feeding behavior, is primarily regulated by an animal’s internal metabolic state. However, non-metabolic factors, such as motivational and emotional states, can also influence peripheral sensory processing and hence feeding behavior. While mating experience is known to induce motivational and emotional changes, its broader impact on other innate behaviors such as feeding remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we demonstrated that mating failure of male fruit flies suppressed sweet taste perception via dopamine signaling in specific neural circuitry. Upon repetitive failure in courtship, male flies exhibited a sustained yet reversible decline of sweet taste perception, as measured by the proboscis extension reflex (PER) towards sweet tastants as well as the neuronal activity of sweet-sensing Gr5a+neurons in the proboscis. Mechanistically, we identified a small group of dopaminergic neurons projecting to the subesophageal zone (SEZ) and innervating with Gr5a+neurons as the key modulator. Repetitive sexual failure decreased the activity of these dopaminergic neurons and in turn suppressed Gr5a+neurons via Dop1R1 and Dop2R receptors. Our findings revealed a critical role for dopaminergic signaling in integrating reproductive experience with appetitive sensory processing, providing new insights into the complex interactions between different innate behaviors and the role of brain’s reward systems in regulating internal motivational and emotional states.
Evaluation of Three Diets Based on Dry, Live, and Wet Feeds for Optimal Growth of Discus Fish (Symphysodonp.) Under Controlled Conditions in Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia
Authors: Navarro-Morales Alejandro , Cháux Jenniffer Tatiana Díaz , Castañeda Helman Castañeda , Ruiz-Valderrama Diego Huseth , Valencia Alexander Velasquez
Published: December 2024

This study evaluated the effect of three diets, wet (PAP), live (DAP) and commercial feed (COC), on the growth of juvenile discus fish (Symphysodonsp), under controlled environmental conditions in the Colombian Amazon. The PAP diet was made with animal protein and Amazonian fruits. The DAP diet consisted of the provision of live food (Moina macrocopa); Both diets were mixed in equal parts with the concentrate to be supplied to the fish. In the COC diet, only the commercial feed was supplied. The daily supply of each diet corresponded to 6% of the average body weight of the juveniles, adjusting the quantity in each measurement. Each treatment had four repetitions (aquarium), with a density of 0.32 individuals per liter for a total of 192 discus fish. The growth of the juveniles was monitored by taking morphometry every nine days for 63 days. The morphometric variables presented differences between the diets, the highest values were recorded in PAP and DAP. The morphometric variables such as total length and weight were positively associated with nutritional contents such as proteins, lipids and carbohydrates present in DAP and PAP. These components influenced the growth of the fish and were related to the feed conversion factor. It is suggested that fish fed with DAP and PAP continued to grow thanks to the biological and enzymatic stimuli provided by these foods, unlike the COC feeding with the lower growth reported. These results demonstrate that the combination of live foods prepared according to the habits and nutritional requirements of the species with concentrates promote the growth of the fish, promoting optimal development and general well-being of the discus fish during growth under controlled conditions.
LINE1 elements at distal junctions of rDNA repeats regulate nucleolar organization in human embryonic stem cells
Authors: Ataei Lamisa , Zhang Juan , Monis Simon , Giemza Krystyna , Mittal Kirti , Yang Joshua , Shimomura Mayu , McStay Brian , Wilson Michael D. , Ramalho-Santos Miguel
Published: December 2024

The nucleolus is a major subnuclear compartment where ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is transcribed and ribosomes are assembled. In addition, recent studies have shown that the nucleolus is a dynamic organizer of chromatin architecture that modulates developmental gene expression. rDNA gene units are assembled into arrays located in the p-arms of five human acrocentric chromosomes. Distal junctions (DJs) are ∼400 kb sequences adjacent to rDNA arrays that are thought to anchor them at the nucleolus, although the underlying regulatory elements remain unclear. Here we show that DJs display a dynamic chromosome conformation profile in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We identified a primate-specific, full-length insertion of the retrotransposon long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE1) in a conserved position across all human DJs. This DJ-LINE1 locus interacts with specific regions of the DJ and is upregulated in naïve hESCs. CRISPR-based deletion and interference approaches revealed that DJ-LINE1 contributes to nucleolar positioning of the DJs. Moreover, we found that the expression of DJ-LINE1 is required for maintenance of the structure and transcriptional output of the nucleolus in hESCs. Silencing of DJ-LINE1 leads to loss of self-renewal, disruption of the landscape of chromatin accessibility, and derepression of earlier developmental programs in naïve hESCs. This work uncovers specific LINE1 elements with a fundamental role in nucleolar organization in hESCs and provides new insights into how the nucleolus functions as a key genome-organizing hub.
Simulation of a
(3+1)D
glasma in Milne coordinates: Topological charge, eccentricity, and angular momentum
Authors: Matsuda Hidefumi , Huang Xu-Guang
Published: December 2024

We apply the 3D glasma simulation method using Milne coordinates, proposed in our previous work [H. Matsuda and X.-G. Huang, [] ], to the early stage of the Au-Au collisions at sNN=200  GeV. The nucleus model prior to the collisions, which offers the initial condition for the 3D glasma simulation, is constructed to account for the longitudinal structure of the nucleus, the finite thickness of nucleons, and their random positions along the collision axis. We investigate rapidity profiles for a wide range of physical quantities of the glasma, including energy, pressure, fluctuations of topological charge, eccentricity, and angular momentum. In particular, we elucidate the behavior of eccentricity and angular momentum, which are physical quantities dependent on the geometric shape of the glasma, across a wide range of impact parameter regions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Parton distribution functions and transverse momentum dependence of heavy mesons
Authors: Serna Fernando E. , El-Bennich Bruno , Krein Gastão
Published: December 2024

The leading Fock-state light-front wave functions of heavy quarkonia and D and B mesons are obtained from the projections of their Bethe-Salpeter wave functions on the light front. We compute their leading-twist time-reversal even transverse momentum distributions and parton distribution functions. Mirroring the behavior of parton distribution amplitudes, the support of both distributions is increasingly narrower and shifted toward larger x as a function of the meson mass. The dependence of x and k⊥2 of the transverse distributions does not factorize into separate functions, and their falloff with k⊥2 is much slower than that of light mesons.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Deep learning framework for disentangling triangle singularity and pole-based enhancements
Authors: Co Darwin Alexander O. , Chavez Vince Angelo A. , Sombillo Denny Lane B.
Published: December 2024

Enhancements in the invariant mass distribution or scattering cross section are usually associated with resonances. However, the nature of exotic signals found near hadron-hadron thresholds remain a puzzle today due to the presence of experimental uncertainties. In fact, a purely kinematical triangle diagram is also capable of producing similar structures, but do not correspond to any unstable quantum state. In this paper, we report for the first time, that a deep neural network can be trained to distinguish triangle singularity from pole-based enhancements with a reasonably high accuracy of discrimination between the two seemingly identical line shapes. We also identify the type of triangle enhancement that can be misidentified as a dynamic pole structure. We apply our method to confirm that the PψN(4312)+ state is not due to a triangle singularity, but is more consistent with a pole-based interpretation, as determined solely through pure line-shape analysis. Lastly, we explain how our method can be used as a model-selection framework useful in studying other exotic hadron candidates.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Probing a scalar singlet-triplet extension of the standard model via vector boson fusion at a muon collider
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Priyotosh , Parashar Snehashis
Published: December 2024

In this article, we investigate the Y=0 SU(2) scalar triplet and Z2-odd scalar singlet extension of the standard model (SM). Here, the triplet charged Higgs boson decays to ZW±, breaking the custodial symmetry at the tree level, proportional to the triplet vacuum expectation value, while the singlet provides the dark matter (DM) relic. The triplet neutral Higgs boson (T0) can decay fully invisibly owing to the triplet-singlet portal coupling λst. The other SM Higgs portal couplings λht,λhs are constrained by the Higgs boson to diphoton observations, and the dark matter relic and direct searches as well as invisible Higgs decay bounds, respectively. For a cleaner signature, we indulge in a futuristic multi-TeV muon collider (MuC) to probe both the triplet scalars (T±,T0) via vector boson fusion with forward muon tagging, at the center-of-mass energies of 3 and 10 TeV. The analysis is comprised of a traditional cut-based approach and a boosted decision tree (BDT) classifier, where the latter is more effective for lower energies. With large missing energy contributions to the final states from combinations of DM mass and λst, the 3 TeV MuC is projected to probe triplet scalar masses of 450 GeV with the BDT classifier. The 10 TeV MuC can pinpoint the custodial symmetry breaking T±→ZW±→3-lepton decay up to 800 GeV of triplet scalar mass from cut-based analysis, with λst as low as 1.5 being adequate.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Resurgence for the nonconformal Bjorken flow with Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics
Authors: Kamata Syo
Published: December 2024

We consider resurgence for the nonconformal Bjorken flow with Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics in the extended relaxation-time approximation. First, we examine the full formal transseries expanded around the equilibrium and then construct the resurgent relation by looking at the structure of Borel-transformed ordinary differential equations. We form a conjecture of the resurgent relation based on the consideration that the Stokes constants constituting the resurgent relation originate only from singularities of dissipative variables on the Borel plane and that the other variables such as temperature and chemical potential become Borel nonsummable through nonlinear terms with the dissipative variables. We numerically check the conjecture for fundamental variables by explicitly evaluating the values of the dominant Stokes constant depending on the initial conditions and the particle mass. We also comment on some issues related to transseries structure and resurgence, such as the case of broken U(1) symmetry, the massless case, generalized relaxation time, and attractor solutions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Combined x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, and
ab initio
study of
(TMTTF)2PF6
under pressure: Implications for the unified phase diagram
Authors: Itoi Miho , Yoshimi Kazuyoshi , Ma Hanming , Misawa Takahiro , Tsumuraya Takao , Bhoi Dilip , Komatsu Tokutaro , Mori Hatsumi , Uwatoko Yoshiya , Seo Hitoshi
Published: December 2024

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on the quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor (TMTTF)2PF6, and elucidate the variation of its physical properties under pressure. We fully resolve the crystal structure by single crystal x-ray diffraction measurements using a diamond anvil cell up to 8 GPa, and based on the structural data, we perform first-principles density-functional theory calculations and derive the extended Hubbard-type Hamiltonians. Furthermore, we compare the behavior of the resistivity measured up to 3 GPa using a BeCu clamp-type cell and the ground state properties of the obtained model numerically calculated by the many-variable variational Monte Carlo method. Our main findings are as follows: (i) The crystal was rapidly compressed up to about 3 GPa where the volume drops to 80% and gradually varies down to 70% at 8 GPa. The transfer integrals increase following such behavior whereas the screened Coulomb interactions decrease, resulting in a drastic reduction of correlation effect. (ii) The degree of dimerization in the intrachain transfer integrals, as the result of the decrease in structural dimerization together with the change in the intermolecular configuration, almost disappears above 4 GPa; the interchain transfer integrals also show characteristic variations under pressure. (iii) The results of identifying the characteristic temperatures in the resistivity and the charge and spin orderings in the calculations show an overall agreement: The charge ordering sensitively becomes unstable above 1 GPa, while the spin ordering survives up to higher pressures. These results shed light on the similarities and differences between applying external pressure and substituting the chemical species (chemical pressure).

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Weak superfluidity in twisted optical potentials
Authors: Johnstone Dean , Mishra Shanya , Zhu Zhaoxuan , Yao Hepeng , Sanchez-Palencia Laurent
Published: December 2024

A controlled twist between separate potentials can drastically influence localization properties of quantum particles between ordered and (quasi)disordered limits. Transport properties of single-particle and correlated fermionic materials have been extensively studied in connection with twisted bilayer graphene, but their bosonic counterpart remains largely unexplored. Here, we study bosonic matter in twisted potentials. We use continuous-space quantum Monte Carlo simulations to determine the unique phase diagrams of strongly correlated ultracold bosons in twisted optical lattices. For commensurate twisting angles, spectral gaps govern the formation of insulators, separated by thin superfluid domains. These domains form weak superfluids; with low superfluid fraction at zero temperature and high sensitivity to thermal fluctuations, but may be stabilized under appropriate parameter control. In contrast, slightly changing the twisting angle to an incommensurate value destroys most spectral gaps, leaving behind a prominent Bose glass phase. Our results are directly applicable to current generation experiments that quantum simulate moiré physics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Real-time data processing for serial crystallography experiments
Authors: White Thomas , Schoof Tim , Yakubov Sergey , Tolstikova Aleksandra , Middendorf Philipp , Karnevskiy Mikhail , Mariani Valerio , Henkel Alessandra , Klopprogge Bjarne , Hannappel Juergen , Oberthuer Dominik , De Gennaro Aquino Ivan , Egorov Dmitry , Munke Anna , Sprenger Janina , Pompidor Guillaume , Taberman Helena , Gruzinov Andrey , Meyer Jan , Hakanpää Johanna , Gasthuber Martin
Published: December 2024

We report the use of streaming data interfaces to perform fully online data processing for serial crystallography experiments, without storing intermediate data on disk. The system produces Bragg reflection intensity measurements suitable for scaling and merging, with a latency of less than 1 s per frame. Our system uses the CrystFEL software in combination with the ASAP::O data framework. In a series of user experiments at PETRA III, frames from a 16 megapixel Dectris EIGER2 X detector were searched for peaks, indexed and integrated at the maximum full-frame readout speed of 133 frames per second. The computational resources required depend on various factors, most significantly the fraction of non-blank frames (`hits'). The average single-thread processing time per frame was 242 ms for blank frames and 455 ms for hits, meaning that a single 96-core computing node was sufficient to keep up with the data, with ample headroom for unexpected throughput reductions. Further significant improvements are expected, for example by binning pixel intensities together to reduce the pixel count. We discuss the implications of real-time data processing on the `data deluge' problem from recent and future photon-science experiments, in particular on calibration requirements, computing access patterns and the need for the preservation of raw data.
6-Bromo-9,9-diethyl-N,N-diphenylfluoren-2-amine
Authors: Khamrang Themmila , Kannan A. , Ponraj C. , Hemamalini Madhukar , Antony G. Jerald Maria , Saravanan Dhandayutham
Published: December 2024

In the title compound, C29H26BrN, the dihedral angles between the fluorene fused-ring system and the pendant phenyl groups are 67.76 (12) and 88.38 (12)°. In the crystal, weak pairwise C—H...π interactions link the molecules into inversion dimers.
trans-Bis(quinoline-8-amine-κ2
N,N′)bis(1,1,3,3-tetracyano-2-methoxypropenido-κN)iron(II)
Authors: Setifi Fatima , Setifi Zouaoui , Böhme Uwe , Al-Douh Mohammad Hadi , Satour Achouak
Published: December 2024

The title compound, [Fe(C8H3N4O)2(C9H8N2)2], was synthesized solvothermally. The complex exhibits a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The Fe2+ ion is located on an inversion centre. The octahedral FeN6 coordination sphere is composed of bidentate quinoline-8-amine in the equatorial sites while the axial sites are occupied by 1,1,3,3-tetracyano-2-methoxypropenide anions. The crystal structure features hydrogen bonds parallel to the crystallographic b axis and parallel to (110).
Enhancing the protective performance of organic coatings for marine applications with nepheline-epoxy resin composites
Authors: Liu Xiangbin , Meng Fandi , Liu Ruiping , Kou Junlin , Zhang Zeyang , Feng Jianrong , Liu Li , Wang Fuhui
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The marine environment presents a great challenge to the anticorrosion properties of organic coatings applied on equipment. Since the compactness of coatings is critical in marine environments, a novel nepheline-epoxy resin (N-EP) composite was introduced into organic coatings to improve the interfacial compatibility between the pigments and the binder. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the N-EP composite in enhancing the corrosion resistance of the coatings in marine conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

These composite particles were prepared via the mechanical ball milling method at thermofield-assisted, leading to chemical bonding between inorganic nepheline and epoxy resin, the agglomeration of particles was avoided by this method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, particle size distribution, sedimentation and thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis were used to verify the feasibility of thermal field-assisted mechanochemistry for achieving a direct reaction between epoxy resin and nepheline powder, as well as to determine the optimal reaction conditions. Additionally, water absorption tests, Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope were conducted to assess the anticorrosive properties of the modified nepheline coatings.

Findings

The results further indicated that N-EP improved the barrier performance and mechanical properties of the coating. For example, after modified, the tensile strength of coating had increased from 41.96 ± 0.05–63.14 ± 0.05 MPa. This can be attributed to the less defective N-EP/binder interface and the uniform dispersion of N-EP in the coating. The optimal preparation conditions (500 r/min of ball grinding speed and 6 h of ball grinding time) for the composites were also studied for a superior corrosion resistance of the coating.

Originality/value

Thermofield-assisted mechanochemistry enables direct reactions between epoxy resin and nepheline powder, enhancing the dispersion stability and interfacial compatibility of N-EP. This modification improves coating compactness, reduces porosity and enhances corrosion resistance by strengthening the labyrinth effect on water diffusion.
Artificial intelligence adoption, audit quality and integrated financial reporting in GCC markets
Authors: Khan Faisal , Ullah Jan Sharif , Zia-ul-haq Hafiz Muhammad
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The current research investigates how the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI)—a set of technologies designed to enhance decision-making and automate processes—impacts Integrated Financial Reporting (IFR) in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) listed firms, which present the typical features of emerging economies. It is postulated that their IFR is enhanced as firms within these markets experience AI adoption. In addition, the study also focuses on the role of audit quality towards AI adoption and the IFR relationship within these regions. To this effect, the study examines the moderation effect of audit quality (using its sub-components i.e. audit fee, audit industry specialization and restatement) on the relationship between AI adoption experience and IFR in GCC.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigation draws upon panel data consisting of 2,912 non-financial firm-year observations covering the period from 2010 to 2023 across GCC markets. To achieve its purpose, the study applies the conventional ordinary least square (OLS) to estimate the effect of AI adoption experience on IFR. Subsequently, to guarantee the robustness of the results, this study utilizes the propensity score matching (PSM) technique.

Findings

The results from empirical analysis disclose a direct impact of AI adoption on the IFR of the firms within GCC markets. Furthermore, the study also discovers that the high level of audit quality moderates this positive relationship. Therefore, in the GCC regions, firms with higher AI adoption show higher IFR effectiveness, mainly in the presence of specialized auditors and increased audit fees, whereas their relationship is stronger in the absence of restatements. The results are robust when tested through the PSM technique.

Originality/value

The results of this study highlight the significance for policymakers to ensure comprehensive AI adoption in GCC markets, as well as the appointment of industry specialists and the standardization of audit fees to support the improvement of IFR in the regions.
Analysis of Italian craft beer consumers: preferences and purchasing behaviour
Authors: Cascone Giulio , Tuccio Giancarlo , Timpanaro Giuseppe
Published: December 2024

Purpose

In the current landscape of the beverage market, craft beer has secured a prominent position, attracting consumers seeking high-quality products with distinctive characteristics. This study aims to identify the key drivers of consumer preferences for craft beer attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

Conjoint analysis and cluster segmentation were employed to analyze the preferences of 351 Italian craft beer consumers.

Findings

The preferences of a representative sample were analyzed to identify the utilities associated with various beer attributes, including colour, alcohol level, body, raw material origin and price. The findings indicate that colour is the most highly valued attribute, followed by price and alcohol level. Consumers prefer beers with a lighter colour, a moderate alcohol level between 5 and 7% and an affordable price. Furthermore, beers that emphasize the Italian origin of raw materials are appreciated, demonstrating a strong link with local identity. The segmentation of the sample into three clusters revealed significant differences in preferences. The first cluster preferred light beers at medium prices, the second for amber beers at low prices and the third opted for dark and full-bodied beers.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide valuable insights for craft beer producers seeking to refine their marketing strategies and product development. Producers can better meet consumers’ evolving preferences by better understanding the diverse needs of consumers and optimizing their offerings in an increasingly competitive market.
Understanding superstar firms’ phenomenon
Authors: Behera Jitamitra , Sharma Ruchi
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The current worldwide business landscape with large firms, asymmetric market shares and reduced competition has heralded academic and journalistic scholarship to discuss the causes and consequences of such a phenomenon. This is referred to as the emergence and sustenance of superstar firms. The previous studies make a fragmented understanding of the superstar firms, thus, there is a need to take stock of this vast and dispersed literature to set the future research agenda. The present study aims to focus on conceptual and fundamental aspects of Superstar firms’ phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting critical assessment methodology of review and systematic literature review i.e. preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), this study investigates relevant literature. The paper critically synthesizes and analyses the definitions, measurement techniques, characteristics and roles of superstar firms.

Findings

This study defines superstar firms as more productive firms having larger market share and wider markup than other firms in industries. The study also finds that superstar firms are superior in advertisement strategies, marketing strategies, technological adoption, skilled employment and intangible investment, while the advancement of technology and the advent of globalization are the major drivers of the star firms’ phenomenon. Besides, this study uncovers the diverse roles of superstar firms concerning different economic aspects.

Research limitations/implications

The review is concept centric rather than author centric. It does not incorporate quantitative data analysis for empirical investigations of hypothesis. However, the research addresses the commonalties and distinctions of factors responsible for the emergence of superstar firms, which dissects investment in public R&D, technological import subsidies and credit facilities to provide equitable opportunity and balanced development.

Originality/value

As the superstar firms’ phenomenon is an emerging and crucial aspect, the present study systematically analyses the phenomenon to comprehend the market structure and behavior. The study also identifies the research gaps that guide future research to understand the present setting of the market.
High performance work systems and organizational performance: modeling the mediating role of managers’ trust in employee representation systems in European organizations
Authors: Adhami Tarek , Timur Tarik
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of managers’ trust in employee representation systems on the relation between HPWS and organizational performance. The present research, by including the trust of managers in ER, studies managers as direct factors that affect the HPWS-performance relation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS software using a formative model (Mode B) that includes mediation on data collected by Eurofound from 6,980 establishments in 29 European countries.

Findings

Our findings show that HPWS has positive direct effects on organizational performance. Our results indicate that trust of managers in ER has a mediator role and has a positive effect on the HPWS-performance relation.

Originality/value

The present study may be the first study that directly incorporates the role of managers and managers’ trust in the employee representation system in the relation between HPWS and organizational performance, highlighting the importance of the managers in the organization and emphasizing their role in the HPWS-performance relation.
Addiction treatment and harm reduction programs in prisons: lessons from Iran
Authors: SaberiZafarghandi MohammadBagher , Eshrati Sahar , Shoorsan Ali , Kohzadi Amir
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Substance use disorder is one of the most prevalent health issues among prison populations. In this regard, addiction treatment and harm reduction programs have been implemented in Iranian prisons since 2002. The purpose was to describe the practical experience of implementing harm reduction programs in Iran’s prisons, emphasizing the impact of policy decisions on it.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was qualitative study. In addition to analyzing 16 documents, the authors conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 11 key informants who were asked questions about the evolution of treatment and harm reduction programs in prisons. The authors analyzed the data using the content analysis method and MAXQDA-10 software.

Findings

The HIV outbreak in Iranian prisons in the late 20th century posed a significant challenge. Initially, policymakers’ responses were varied from denying the issue to solving it, reflecting the prevailing abstinence paradigm among drug experts and politicians. However, a legal amendment was eventually issued based on evidence-based health literature. Despite initial obstacles such as financial constraints and lack of human resources, the successful implementation of large-scale harm reduction measures, including methadone maintenance treatment and interventions targeting infectious diseases, has led to the development of a unique health model in the Persian Gulf region. This model, born out of the Iranian experience, offers hope for the future of prison health.

Originality/value

Lessons from the Iran case could provide valuable insight for countries about the role of policy in implementing harm reduction programs in prisons. Policy advocacy and reform is one of the main measures to provide evidence-based health interventions in prisons.
Tax evasion and money laundering: the moderating effects of the strength of auditing and reporting standards and judicial independence
Authors: Khelil Imen , Guidara Achraf , Khlif Hichem
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between tax evasion and money laundering and test whether the strength of auditing and reporting standards (SARS) and judicial independence moderate this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample contains 684 country-year observations from 2012 to 2017. The authors collect data on money laundering by using Basel Anti-Money Laundering Reports from 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. According to Medina and Schneider (2019), tax evasion is measured as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) by the shadow economy. The SARS, judicial independence and the remaining variables are derived from Global Competitiveness reports for the same years.

Findings

The findings show that tax evasion is positively associated with money laundering. This positive association is mitigated for countries with high SARS and weakened for countries characterized by high judicial independence. By contrast, the positive association between tax evasion and money laundering is maintained with the same significance level for countries characterized by low SARS and low judicial independence.

Practical implications

From a managerial standpoint, tax evasion may represent a signal of unethical management behaviour through money laundering. This may cause severe government penalties and heavy reputational costs in case of detection leading to both management and firm failures.

Originality/value

The findings have policy implications for countries and governments seeking to combat both tax evasion and money laundering. The findings also emphasize the important role played by SARS and judicial independence to mitigate and weaken the positive effect of tax evasion on money laundering.
Navigating through uncertainties: coordinating digital transformation in international manufacturing networks
Authors: Badasjane Viktorija , Ahlskog Mats , Granlund Anna , Bruch Jessica , Sauter Barrett
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Coordination of digital transformation within globally dispersed factories belonging to international manufacturing networks (IMNs) is essential for competitiveness. This paper explores how digital transformation necessitates changes in the coordination of IMNs.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study is conducted with three Swedish manufacturing companies, thus adding to the limited empirical research covering the examined research field. Data analysis uses the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework.

Findings

The results highlight 15 digital transformation attributes linked by intermediate themes to 13 changes in the coordination of IMNs and provide concrete industry examples. Four major themes emerged as significant in the coordination of IMNs: increased speed of technology development and rollout, amplified emphasis on a global mindset, increased need to adapt the organizational structures to enable collaboration and a higher degree of uncertainty.

Originality/value

Although coordination of IMNs is acknowledged as directly related to competitive advantage, the ways digital transformation necessitates changes in the coordination of IMNs have been missing in contemporary research. This research decreases this omission.
Real Estate Insights: The impact of amenities on residential rents – exploring the urban rent premium in Berlin’s vibrant community hubs
Authors: Cajias Marcelo , Wins Anett , Restle Rebecca
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Integrating amenity scoring into real estate investment strategies represents an innovative approach. The case study focuses on the impact of amenities on residential rents, with Berlin serving as an example of a tight rental market and a dynamic city. The scoring and modeling approach offers a scalable framework for identifying high-potential investment opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

The PATRIZIA Amenities Basic-Living-Need Scores© (BLNs) were developed to measure a location’s attractiveness based on the availability and quality of amenities. An AI-driven scoring algorithm takes the quality and quantity of all available amenities into account. The higher the scores, the better and more diversified is a location supplied with amenities for residential living. A generalized additive model is fitted to assess the strength and direction of impact of the BLNs on residential rents while controlling for other factors such as property and locational characteristics.

Findings

The results indicate that amenities are a fundamental determinant of rental values and tenant satisfaction, providing investors with actionable insights to maximize returns in competitive urban markets. Focusing on areas with high BLN scores can lead to better investment outcomes due to higher rental premiums associated with these locations. The study also highlights the need to run a detailed location analysis to avoid the pitfall of amenities congestion.

Practical implications

The results indicate that amenities are a fundamental determinant of rental values and tenant satisfaction, providing investors with actionable insights to maximize returns in competitive urban markets. By identifying and accounting for regional peculiarities, investors can make data-driven decisions that align with local tenant preferences and market conditions.

Originality/value

The PATRIZIA Amenities Basic-Living-Need Scores© are calculated via an AI-driven, scalable algorithm and were developed to measure a location’s attractiveness in relation to diverse areas of residential living. This research is pivotal as it empirically validates the utility of amenity scoring in optimizing real estate investment strategies.
Social media resources and entrepreneurial opportunity evaluation
Authors: Ma Dalong , Chen Huan , Wei Xiaofan
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Social media marketing is a great tool for entrepreneurs because of its low cost, fast response and rich interactions. This study aims to examine how entrepreneurs use social media as a tool of marketing and how social media resources influence entrepreneurial opportunity evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors designed a mixed methods study with an open-ended question survey and a conjoint experiment. The authors sent out an online survey through M-Turk and collected 355 valid responses from entrepreneurs.

Findings

The results show that entrepreneurs consider social media as important to their businesses and that entrepreneurs consider their social media resources when they evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities.

Originality/value

This study enriches the understanding of entrepreneurial social media marketing by revealing the granular and nuanced descriptions and interpretations of social media marketing from entrepreneurs’ perspectives. This study also contributes to the entrepreneurial marketing literature by showing how different social media resources influence entrepreneurs’ evaluations and pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities.
Why do creative employees intend to quit? Contingency role of firm-level talent retention strategies
Authors: Dost Mir
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This research addresses two crucial questions: (1) Why do creative employees intend to quit (IQ)? and (2) To what extent do firm-level talent retention strategies, such as employee empowerment, participation, job security and job satisfaction, moderate the link between employee creativity and their IQ?

Design/methodology/approach

The data collection process included gathering responses from line managers and subordinates to assess the hypothesised relationships. Line managers completed a questionnaire survey about employee creativity, while subordinates provided input on their IQ and the talent retention strategies implemented by the firm.

Findings

We used descriptive statistics and stepwise regression analysis techniques to analyse the data. The results revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between employee creativity and IQ. Furthermore, they observed that employee participation and job satisfaction moderated this relationship, reducing its strength. Surprisingly, employee empowerment did not have a statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship.

Practical implications

Our research’s findings underscore contemporary managers’ critical role in recognising and addressing the need to retain creative employees for improved organisational performance. In today’s competitive job market, creative individuals often have the flexibility to explore opportunities and transition to other firms seamlessly. This mobility poses a challenge for organisations striving to retain talented employees. Therefore, managers need to adopt a perspective that considers the needs and aspirations of their employees, fostering an environment conducive to retaining creative talent and sustaining a competitive advantage. Developing strategies to attract and retain skilled employees can be valuable assets, and our research equips managers with actionable insights to do so.

Originality/value

Despite significant employee training and development investments, firms need help to retain talented human resources. Our study, with its unique focus on two main research objectives, offers a fresh perspective on this pressing issue. First, we investigated the impact of employee creativity on their IQ. Additionally, we examined the moderating effect of talent retention strategies on this relationship, providing original insights that can guide future research and practical applications.
Bank board diversity and environmental risk management: does critical mass matter in project finance decisions?
Authors: Hassan M. Kabir , Hasan Rashedul , Bataineh Hassan , Haque Mahfuzul
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the influence of board gender diversity on policy decisions within the banking sector, with a specific focus on the adoption of environmental risk management policies. Drawing on critical mass theory, we provide empirical evidence demonstrating the positive impact of women directors on the implementation of environmental risk management policies aligned with the equator principles (EP) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

We analyze data from 540 banks operating in 34 countries over a ten-year period (2013–2022).

Findings

Our findings indicate that banks with at least four women directors on their boards are more likely to adopt such policies. Our results remain statistically significant after controlling for endogeneity issues.

Practical implications

This research advocates for increased female representation on bank boards to foster the adoption of sustainability-focused policies within the banking industry.

Originality/value

We also contribute by providing insights into the role of a diverse board in improving green credit practices among global banks.