bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aquaporin-4 mis-localization slows glymphatic clearance of α-synuclein and promotes α-synuclein pathology and aggregate propagation
Authors: Braun Molly , Simon Matthew J , Jang Jay , Sanderson Keith , Swierz Justyna , Sevao Mathew , Pincus Alexandra B , Schaser Allison J , Elliott Jonathan E , Lim Miranda M , Unni Vivek K , Schindler Abigail G , Keene C. Dirk , Latimer Caitlin S , Iliff Jeffrey
Published: August 2024

The appearance of misfolded and aggregated proteins is a pathological hallmark of numerous neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Sleep disruption is proposed to contribute to these pathological processes and is a common early feature among neurodegenerative disorders. Synucleinopathies are a subclass of neurodegenerative conditions defined by the presence of α-synuclein aggregates, which may not only enhance cell death, but also contribute to disease progression by seeding the formation of additional aggregates in neighboring cells. The mechanisms driving intercellular transmission of aggregates remains unclear. We propose that disruption of sleep-active glymphatic function, caused by loss of precise perivascular AQP4 localization, inhibits α-synuclein clearance and facilitates α-synuclein propagation and seeding. We examined human post-mortem frontal cortex and found that neocortical α-synuclein pathology was associated with AQP4 mis-localization throughout the gray matter. Using a transgenic mouse model lacking the adapter protein α-syntrophin, we observed that loss of perivascular AQP4 localization impairs the glymphatic clearance of α-synuclein from intersititial to cerebrospinal fluid. Using a mouse model of α-synuclein propogation, using pre-formed fibril injection, we observed that loss of perivascular AQP4 localization increased α-synuclein aggregates. Our results indicate α-synuclein clearance and propagation are mediated by glymphatic function and that AQP4 mis-localization observed in the presence of human synucleinopathy may contribute to the development and propagation of Lewy body pathology in conditions such as Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's disease.
Prefrontal Excitation/Inhibition Balance Supports Adolescent Enhancements in Circuit Signal to Noise Ratio
Authors: McKeon Shane D. , Perica Maria I. , Calabro Finnegan J. , Foran Will , Hetherington Hoby , Moon Chan-Hong , Luna Beatriz
Published: August 2024

The development and refinement of neuronal circuitry allow for stabilized and efficient neural recruitment, supporting adult-like behavioral performance. During adolescence, the maturation of PFC is proposed to be a critical period (CP) for executive function, driven by a break in balance between glutamatergic excitation and GABAergic inhibition (E/I) neurotransmission. During CPs, cortical circuitry fine-tunes to improve information processing and reliable responses to stimuli, shifting from spontaneous to evoked activity, enhancing the SNR, and promoting neural synchronization. Harnessing 7T MR spectroscopy and EEG in a longitudinal cohort (N = 164, ages 10-32 years, 283 neuroimaging sessions), we outline associations between age-related changes in glutamate and GABA neurotransmitters and EEG measures of cortical SNR. We find developmental decreases in spontaneous activity and increases in cortical SNR during our auditory steady state task using 40 Hz stimuli. Decreases in spontaneous activity were associated with glutamate levels in DLPFC, while increases in cortical SNR were associated with more balanced Glu and GABA levels. These changes were associated with improvements in working memory performance. This study provides evidence of CP plasticity in the human PFC during adolescence, leading to stabilized circuitry that allows for the optimal recruitment and integration of multisensory input, resulting in improved executive function.
Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure alters GABAergic transmission and the actions of acute alcohol in the CeM of adolescent rats
Authors: Winchester Sarah E. , Diaz Marvin R.
Published: August 2024

Individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are at a higher risk for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). Using a rat model of PAE on gestational day 12 (G12; ~2ndtrimesters in humans), a critical period for amygdala development, we have shown disruptions in medial central amygdala (CeM) function, an important brain region associated with the development of AUD. In addition to this, acute ethanol (EtOH) increases GABA transmission in the CeM of rodents in a sex-dependent manner, a mechanism that potentially contributes to alcohol misuse. How PAE alters acute alcohol’s effects within the CeM is unknown. Given these findings, we investigated how PAE may interact with acute alcohol to alter neuronal and synaptic mechanisms in the CeM of adolescent rats in order to understand PAE-induced alcohol-related behaviors. Under basal conditions, PAE males showed reduced rheobase, indicative of reduced excitability, and females showed a reduction in GABA transmission, indicated by lower spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs). We found that acute EtOH increased sIPSCs in control males at a moderate concentration (66 mM), while PAE males showed increased sIPSCs only at a high concentration (88 mM). Adolescent females, regardless of PAE status, were largely insensitive to EtOH’s effects at all tested concentrations. However, PAE females showed a significant increase in sIPSCs at the highest concentration (88 mM). Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that PAE leads to sex-specific changes in synaptic activity and neuronal function. Future research is needed to better understand the specific mechanisms by which acute EtOH’s affects neurotransmission in the adolescent brain of individuals with a history of PAE.
The longevity of cut flowers of Iranian narcissus is affected by genotype, physiochemical characteristics and stem structural factors
Authors: Haghshenas Azra , Jowkar Abolfazl
Published: August 2024

Flower longevity is one of the critical factors in determining the quality of cut flowers. narcissus, a popular cut flower in Iran, is cultivated outdoors in the fall and winter. Despite numerous studies on extending the longevity of narcissus flowers, our understanding of internal changes in floral tissues during the postharvest period is limited. This study aimed to investigate the morphophysiological and biochemical changes in floral tissues during postharvest conditions in Iranian narcissus populations. Ten narcissus populations were collected from various regions of Iran and cultivated in a greenhouse. The harvested narcissus flowers were kept in vases containing distilled water. Flower longevity; physicochemical characteristics, such as relative solution uptake, electrical conductivity, relative water content, total protein, antioxidant enzyme activity, carotenoids, H2O2and malondialdehyde; stem mucilage sugars; structural features of the stem and vascular bundles; and the number of bacteria in the vase solution were evaluated on the first and third days after harvest. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with nine replications, and mean comparisons were performed via SPSS software. The longevity of flowers is influenced by genetic characteristics and floral tissues. The populations of Shahla from the Khusf region and Porpar from the Khafr region presented the greatest longevity, whereas white narcissus presented the shortest longevity. Compared with petal tissue, corona tissue has greater longevity because of its thicker structure, higher water retention capacity, lower production of free radicals, and stronger antioxidant defense system. The number of vascular bundles was significantly positively correlated with relative solution uptake. No vascular blockage was observed during the postharvest period, but stem cells collapsed on the third day of vase life, which seemed to affect water uptake. The reason for the lack of vascular blockage in the narcissus stem requires further research.
Neuronal basis of audio-tactile speech perception
Authors: Cieśla Katarzyna , Wolak Tomasz , Amedi Amir
Published: August 2024

Since childhood, we experience speech as a combination of audio and visual signals, with visual cues particularly beneficial in difficult auditory conditions. This study investigates an alternative multisensory context of speech, and namely audio-tactile, which could prove beneficial for rehabilitation in the hearing impaired population. We show improved understanding of distorted speech in background noise, when combined with low-frequency speech-extracted vibrotactile stimulation delivered on fingertips. The quick effect might be related to the fact that both auditory and tactile signals contain the same type of information. Changes in functional connectivity due to audio-tactile speech training are primarily observed in the visual system, including early visual regions, lateral occipital cortex, middle temporal motion area, and the extrastriate body area. These effects, despite lack of visual input during the task, possibly reflect automatic involvement of areas supporting lip-reading and spatial aspects of language, such as gesture observation, in difficult acoustic conditions. For audio-tactile integration we show increased connectivity of a sensorimotor hub representing the entire body, with the parietal system of motor planning based on multisensory inputs, along with several visual areas. After training, the sensorimotor connectivity increases with high-order and language-related frontal and temporal regions. Overall, the results suggest that the new audio-tactile speech task activates regions that partially overlap with the established brain network for audio-visual speech processing. This further indicates that neuronal plasticity related to perceptual learning is first built upon an existing structural and functional blueprint for connectivity. Further effects reflect task-specific behaviour related to body and spatial perception, as well as tactile signal processing. Possibly, a longer training regime is required to strengthen direct pathways between the auditory and sensorimotor brain regions during audio-tactile speech processing.
Phased chromosome-level genome assembly provides insight into the origin of hexaploid sweetpotato
Authors: Wu Shan , Sun Honghe , Hamilton John P. , Mollinari Marcelo , Gesteira Gabriel De Siqueira , Kitavi Mercy , Yan Mengxiao , Wang Hongxia , Yang Jun , Yencho G. Craig , Buell C. Robin , Fei Zhangjun
Published: August 2024

The hexaploid sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas[L.] Lam.) is a globally important stable crop and plays a significant role in biofortification. The high resilience and adaptability of sweetpotato provide it with advantages in addressing food security and climate change issues. Here we report a haplotype-resolved chromosome-level genome assembly of an African cultivar, ‘Tanzania’, which enables ancestry inference along the haplotype-phased chromosomes. Our analyses reveal that the wild tetraploidI. aequatoriensis, currently found in coastal Ecuador, is the closest known relative of sweetpotato and likely a direct descendant of one of the sweetpotato progenitors. The other unknown progenitor(s) of sweetpotato have a closer genetic relationship to the wild tetraploidI. batatas4×, distributed in Central America, than toI. aequatoriensis. The different ancestral sequences are not distributed in typical subgenomes but are intertwined on the same chromosomes, possibly due to the known non-preferential recombination among haplotypes. AlthoughI. batatas4× was not involved in the hexaploidization event, introgression fromI. batatas4× to the hexaploid sweetpotato is evident. Our study improves our understanding of sweetpotato origin and provides valuable genomic resources to accelerate sweetpotato breeding.
Variations in flight strategy of small migratory birds crossing major ecological barriers
Authors: Dufour Paul , Nussbaumer Raphaël , Bocher Pierrick , Briedis Martins , Coulomb Yannig , Delacroix Rose , Dagonet Thomas , de Franceschi Christophe , de Grissac Sophie , Jeannin Bastien , Monchatre Robin , Rey Fanny , Tillo Stephan , Champagnon Jocelyn , Duriez Olivier , Jiguet Frédéric
Published: August 2024

The recent development of tracking technologies has allowed to discover how small migratory birds cope with large ecological barriers such as seas and deserts, displaying remarkable behaviors like extreme diel flight altitude changes when crossing the Sahara Desert. However, the drivers and the prevalence of such behaviors among terrestrial migrants remain understudied. By deploying multi-sensor loggers on 59 individuals from 16 species in southern Europe, and using methods of geo-positioning integrating light, pressure, and activity data, we investigated where, when, and how small, nocturnal, migratory birds crossed two types of ecological barriers: two marine areas (the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea) and one desert (the Sahara Desert). We found that sea crossings were often performed at very low altitude, close to sea level. Conversely, flights over the Sahara Desert typically reached median altitudes of 3000-4000 meters above sea level. These flights often lasted throughout the entire night (50% of the time) or extended up to 45 hours. Species with longer wings tended to cross the Sahara at higher altitudes. We also highlighted changes of flight altitudes between night and day in prolonged flights over the Sahara Desert in 13 species and showed that these changes do not correspond to the search for constant temperature conditions nor supporting winds. Nevertheless, during these flights, we found that birds tend to take advantage of supporting winds by flying at higher altitudes and make more significant changes of altitude when the air temperature is warmer. These changes in altitude, which coincide with sunrise, support the hypothesis that birds reach high altitudes during daytime to mitigate the effect of extra heating from solar radiation. Our study describes the flight strategies of several species crossing different types of ecological barriers and offers new insights into the dynamics of flight altitudes of small migratory birds crossing the Sahara Desert. It also confirms that the heat balance of a flying bird is complex, with several factors interacting, and calls for further research, including experimental studies, to unravel the role of each of these factors.
An in-silico comparative analysis of lncRNA expression and their role in the pathogenesis of representative fungal, bacterial and viral infections in rice
Authors: Kandpal Manu , Sharma Mahi , Rami Bhadresh R.
Published: August 2024

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) perform prominent role in the regulation of gene expression during plant development and stress response by directly interacting with DNA, RNA, proteins, and/or triggering production of small regulatory RNA molecules. The objective of our study is to understand the systems-level response of the same plant species to highly diverse pathogens across different kingdoms and evaluate the patterns of similarity vs differences, specifically in the context of lncRNA’s. Towards this objective, we performed a comparative in silico analysis of lncRNA’s of Rice that are differentially expressed in response to infection by bacteria (Xanthomonas oryzae), fungus (Magnaporthe oryzae) and virus (Rice black dwarf virus). Using a tailored lncRNA analysis pipeline, we successfully identified 1125, 719 and 240 lncRNAs inXanthomonas oryzaeinfection susceptible cultivar CT9737-6-1-3P-M,Magnaporthe oryzaesusceptible LTH accession, andRice black streaked dwarf virussusceptible Wuyujing No. 7 rice cultivars respectively. The in-silico predicted Cis- and Trans-target genes of lncRNAs were subsequently used to identify the pathways modulated by these lncRNA and how they cluster into unique categories of plant responses to pathogen infections. To further substantiate the role of predicted lncRNA’s in plant defence and immune response our analysis finds that many of the lncRNAs co-localize with the QTLs associated with Blast and Bacterial blight resistance in rice. Our in silico analysis provides a list of common and unique pathogen specific lncRNAs that can provide vital insights into the generic vs tailored mechanisms adopted by rice in different infection scenarios.
Microwave susceptibility analysis of ultrafast moment dynamics in a multicore magnetic nanoparticle system
Authors: Li Menghao , Trisnanto Suko Bagus , Endo Yasushi , Ota Satoshi , Sasayama Teruyoshi , Yoshida Takashi , Takemura Yasushi
Published: August 2024

Room-temperature magnetization dynamics of multicore magnetic nanoparticles often account for intrinsic dipolar magnetism to behave as a single macrospin at low-frequency regime. Either magnetic particle imaging or hyperthermia benefits from the resulting superparamagnetism in terms of nonlinear magnetization response and relaxation losses at frequencies where the rotation of magnetic moments dominates over Brownian motion for a given sinusoidal field. For this situation, spontaneous thermal relaxation (in the absence of external fields) of each composing particle moment within the cluster is critical to define effective Néel time constant and may intersect with ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) at GHz range. Here, we performed broadband AC susceptometry on both immobilized single-core and multicore iron-oxide nanoparticles up to 26.5GHz under DC bias fields. For each solid sample, we confirmed FMR frequency, where large single-core nanoparticle systems demonstrated typical resonance blueshift as DC field increased. Interestingly, high DC field induced the secondary satellite peak in the imaginary part of AC susceptibility spectra for the case of multicore nanoparticle systems. We further highlighted that a synchronous precession of the polarized macrospins under nonuniform effective fields was responsible for splitting FMR peaks at nearby microwave frequencies. Upon curve fitting of the field-dependent FMR frequency spectra, the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert-Kittel model later elaborates on the complex moment dynamics of multicore nanoparticle systems in correlation with distribution functions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Probing the internal structures of
pΩ
and
ΩΩ
with their production at the Large Hadron Collider
Authors: Pu Jie , Sun Kai-Jia , Ma Chun-Wang , Chen Lie-Wen
Published: August 2024

The strange dibaryons pΩ (S25) and ΩΩ (S01) are likely bound, existing either in molecular states like the deuteron or as more exotic compact six-quark states. Here, we investigate the production of these two dibaryons in Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider within a covariant coalescence model, which employs a blast-wave-like parametrization for the phase-space configurations of constituent particles at freeze-out. For the molecular states, the pΩ and ΩΩ are produced via p−Ω and Ω−Ω coalescence, respectively, while for the six-quark states, they are formed through uudsss and ssssss coalescence. We find that the yield ratios NpΩ/NΩ and NΩΩ/NΩ have a distinct centrality dependence between the molecular and multiquark states, thus offering a promising way for distinguishing the two states. Our results suggest that the measurements of pΩ and ΩΩ production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions can shed light on their internal structures.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Minimizing the tensor-to-scalar ratio in single-field inflation models
Authors: Wolf William J.
Published: August 2024

We revisit a class of simple single-field inflation models and demonstrate that they can readily produce a negligible tensor/scalar ratio r. Motivated by recent work suggesting the need to introduce higher order operators to stabilize unregulated potentials, as well as by work indicating that such terms can have significant effects on observable predictions, we explicitly construct corrected versions of the quadratic hilltop potential that are motivated by an effective field theory expansion. We employ Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods and optimization techniques to sample viable models and minimize r. We find that such potentials can readily lower r values below projected CMB-S4 sensitivity, while still remaining within observable constraints on ns. Furthermore, we find that the minimum r reached for each order of the expansion considered is well described by a power law rmin(q)∝q−B before asymptoting to a value of rmin∼10−11, where q is the order to which the expansion of V(ϕ) is carried out.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Post-Minkowskian theory meets the spinning effective-one-body approach for two-body scattering
Authors: Buonanno Alessandra , Jakobsen Gustav Uhre , Mogull Gustav
Published: August 2024

Effective-one-body (EOB) waveforms employed by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration have primarily been developed by resumming the post-Newtonian expansion of the relativistic two-body problem. Given the recent significant advancements in post-Minkowskian (PM) theory and gravitational self-force formalism, there is considerable interest in creating waveform models that integrate information from various perturbative methods in innovative ways. This becomes particularly crucial when tackling the accuracy challenge posed by upcoming ground-based detectors (such as the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer) and space-based detectors (such as LISA, TianQin, or Taiji) expected to operate in the next decade. In this context, we present the derivation of the first spinning EOB (SEOB) Hamiltonian that incorporates PM results up to three-loop order: the SEOB-PM model. The model accounts for the complete hyperbolic motion, encompassing nonlocal-in-time tails. To evaluate its accuracy, we compare its predictions for the conservative scattering angle, augmented with dissipative contributions, against numerical-relativity data of nonspinning and spinning equal-mass black holes. We observe very good agreement, comparable, and in some cases slightly better to the recently proposed wEOB-potential model, of which the SEOB-PM model is a resummation around the probe limit. Indeed, in the probe limit, the SEOB-PM Hamiltonian and scattering angles reduce to the one of a test mass in Kerr spacetime. Once complemented with nonlocal-in-time contributions for bound orbits, the SEOB-PM Hamiltonian can be utilized to generate waveform models for spinning black holes on quasicircular orbits.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Classical Liouville action and uniformization of orbifold Riemann surfaces
Authors: Taghavi Behrad , Naseh Ali , Allameh Kuroush
Published: August 2024

We study the classical Liouville field theory on Riemann surfaces of genus g>1 in the presence of vertex operators associated with branch points of orders mi>1. In order to do so, we will consider the generalized Schottky space Sg,n(m) obtained as a holomorphic fibration over the Schottky space Sg of the (compactified) underlying Riemann surface. The fibers of Sg,n(m)→Sg correspond to configuration spaces of n orbifold points of orders m=(m1,…,mn). Drawing on the previous work of Park [] as well as Takhtajan and Zograf [; L. A. Takhtajan and P. Zograf], we define Hermitian metrics hi for tautological line bundles ℒi over Sg,n(m). These metrics are expressed in terms of the first coefficient of the expansion of covering map J near each singular point on the Schottky domain. Additionally, we define the regularized classical Liouville action Sm using Schottky global coordinates on Riemann orbisurfaces with genus g>1. We demonstrate that exp[Sm/π] serves as a Hermitian metric in the holomorphic Q-line bundle ℒ=⊗i=1nℒi⊗(1−1/mi2) over Sg,n(m). Furthermore, we explicitly compute the first and second variations of the smooth real-valued function 𝒮m=Sm−π∑i=1n(mi−1mi)loghi on the Schottky deformation space Sg,n(m). We establish two key results: (i) 𝒮m generates a combination of accessory and auxiliary parameters, and (ii) −𝒮m acts as a Kähler potential for a specific combination of Weil-Petersson and Takhtajan-Zograf metrics that appear in the local index theorem for orbifold Riemann surfaces [Takhtajan and Zograf, ]. The obtained results can then be interpreted in terms of the complex geometry of the Hodge line bundle equipped with Quillen’s metric over the moduli space Mg,n(m) of Riemann orbisurfaces and the tree-level approximation of conformal Ward identities associated with quantum Liouville theory.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Carroll-Hawking effect
Authors: Aggarwal Ankit , Ecker Florian , Grumiller Daniel , Vassilevich Dmitri
Published: August 2024

Carroll black holes with an associated Carroll temperature were introduced recently. So far, it is unclear if they exhibit a Hawking-like effect. To solve this, we study scalar fields on Carroll black hole backgrounds. Inspired by anomaly methods, we derive a Hawking-like energy-momentum tensor compatible with the Carroll temperature and the Stefan-Boltzmann law. Key steps in our derivation are the finiteness of energy at the Carroll extremal surface and compatibility with the Carroll-Ward identities, thereby eliminating, respectively, the Carroll analogs of the Boulware and Unruh vacua.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Optimizing leapover lengths of Lévy flights with resetting
Authors: Radice Mattia , Cristadoro Giampaolo
Published: August 2024

We consider a one-dimensional search process under stochastic resetting conditions. A target is located at b≥0 and a searcher, starting from the origin, performs a discrete-time random walk with independent jumps drawn from a heavy-tailed distribution. Before each jump, there is a given probability r of restarting the walk from the initial position. The efficiency of a “myopic search”—in which the search stops upon crossing the target for the first time—is usually characterized in terms of the first-passage time τ. On the other hand, great relevance is encapsulated by the leapover length l=xτ−b, which measures how far from the target the search ends. For symmetric heavy-tailed jump distributions, in the absence of resetting the average leapover is always infinite. Here we show instead that resetting induces a finite average leapover ℓb(r) if the mean jump length is finite. We compute exactly ℓb(r) and determine the condition under which resetting allows for nontrivial optimization, i.e., for the existence of r* such that ℓb(r*) is minimal and smaller than the average leapover of the single jump.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Taming Mass Gaps with Anti–de Sitter Space
Authors: Copetti Christian , Di Pietro Lorenzo , Ji Ziming , Komatsu Shota
Published: August 2024

Anti–de Sitter space acts as an infrared cutoff for asymptotically free theories, allowing interpolation between a weakly coupled small-sized regime and a strongly coupled flat-space regime. We scrutinize the interpolation for theories in two dimensions from the perspective of boundary conformal theories. We show that the appearance of a singlet marginal operator destabilizes a gapless phase existing at a small size, triggering a boundary renormalization group flow to a gapped phase that smoothly connects to flat space. We conjecture a similar mechanism for confinement in gauge theories.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
“Without trust, we can’t really do any work”: workplace trust and communication among expatriates and host nationals
Authors: Wyant Mizuki H. , Cionea Ioana A.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Scholars acknowledge that trust relationships between expatriates and host nationals are important; however, previous research has demonstrated that one’s culture affects how individuals define trust, which can influence how trust is developed between expatriates and host nationals. In addition, trust can affect communication between expatriates and host nationals in many ways. Therefore, this study examined how US host nationals and Japanese expatriates conceptualized trust in the workplace as well as how trust affected their daily communication.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 32 participants (16 US Americans and 16 Japanese) working in a multinational manufacturing company participated in semi-structured, individual interviews. A modified version of constant comparative analysis was employed to analyze the data.

Findings

Both groups of participants identified competence and skills, teamwork and collaboration, and open/honest communication as defining features of trust in the workplace, although there were some explanations regarding trust that were influenced by participants’ culture. Further, trust between US host nationals and Japanese expatriates affected their communication strategies, such as information flow and mentoring communication.

Originality/value

This study contributes to literature on the relationships between expatriates and host nationals by providing a culturally nuanced understanding of trust in the workplace. Additionally, findings from this study offer practical recommendations for multinational corporations for how to socialize and train their employees to enhance their work experience with one another.
Internet use, household financial market participation and portfolio choice: evidence from China
Authors: Peng Gang , Peng Xiaoxiao , Zhu Li
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of Internet use on household financial market participation and portfolio choice.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the Chinese General Social Survey 2017 (CGSS2017), this study empirically explores whether Internet use affects household financial market participation in China with an Endogenous Switching Probit model.

Findings

The results show that households using the Internet are more likely to invest in financial markets. Further research shows that households with high Internet use are significantly more likely to participate in financial markets than households with low Internet use. From the perspective of household portfolio choice, Internet use has a certain role in increasing the probability of portfolio diversification. However, among households that have invested in financial markets, those with a high-frequency use of the Internet do not show an impact on portfolio diversification.

Originality/value

This study complements existing research about the impact of Internet use or not on household financial market decisions and portfolio choice, expands the knowledge on the household financial market choice from the respective of the degree of Internet use.
Dynamics of plagiarism among the social sciences students at Kuwait University
Authors: Albudaiwi Dalal Yousef , Allen Mike , Alhabshi Ayman , Alsaber Ahmad
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study investigated the factors contributing to the reduction of plagiarism. It focuses on elucidating the concept of plagiarism, its legal and ethical implications, the punitive measures implemented to address plagiarism and the level of awareness of plagiarism policies.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was administered to 649 students (160 male, 489 female) of the College of Social Sciences at Kuwait University (KU) to investigate the relationships between a number of factors linked to plagiarism, including its definition, legal and ethical implications, understanding of plagiarism regulations and the consequences associated with plagiarism.

Findings

The aforementioned factors and underlying causes that contribute to engaging in plagiarism were substantially correlated. Regression analysis revealed that variables such as legal and ethical considerations, familiarity with plagiarism regulations and the existence of sanctions were statistically significant predictors of the factors contributing to the occurrence of plagiarism.

Practical implications

The findings can help the Kuwait University administration and similar universities in the region focus on increasing students’ awareness of plagiarism and can aid in developing better policies that include the definition of plagiarism and penalties for undertaking this academic misconduct.

Originality/value

This study shows universities the importance of increasing students’ awareness of academic misconduct and can help create appropriate and robust policies.
Empirical evidence of Goodwin’s growth cycle in the Indian organised manufacturing sector
Authors: Ansari Zeeshan Nezami , Paramanik Rajendra Narayan
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to investigate Goodwin’s growth cycle in the Indian organised manufacturing industries.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on bi-variate differential equation, econometrics model like log-linear regression and Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. An empirical investigation is conducted on data from the Annual Survey of Industries from 1980 to 2018 time period.

Findings

The results indicate that though the original Goodwin model estimates deviated from data estimates, its modified (neo-Goodwin) model are found to be equivalent to the data estimates. Moreover, in contrast to the original model, the capital accumulation rate (investment to profit ratio) is not assumed to be unitary in the modified Goodwin model. Furthermore, the labour market-led and cost effect conditions of the Goodwin cycle are empirically verified by investigating the interdependency between employment rate and wage share. Lastly, the short- and long-run Goodwin cycles are observed to be moving in anti-clockwise direction in the employment rate and wage share bi-dimensional plane, thus confirming the existence of profit-led distribution where wage share continuously reducing with high employment.

Research limitations/implications

This study opens the discussion on application of capitalistic model in the emerging economy and also suggests to incorporate some theoretical models like Kaldorian, Keynesian, Kaleckian or Schumpetrian into the Goodwin cycle.

Originality/value

This is the first paper which empirically examines the capitalistic nature of Indian organised manufacturing industries through the lens of Goodwin growth cycle and then extend it to the Neo-Goodwin model by relaxing one of the unrealistic assumption regarding unitary investment to profit ratio.
Elevating service startup survival through strategic service quality
Authors: Zhang Haili , Song Michael
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to unravel the specific service quality dimensions that significantly influence startup survival, providing actionable insights for service managers and entrepreneurs.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data were collected from 372 service startups over a period of seven years. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results indicate that the tangible dimension of service quality emerges as the most critical determinant of startup survival. Additionally, the reliability and responsiveness of the service also significantly affect startup survival. Furthermore, the assurance and empathy dimensions have a positive, albeit modest, influence on the survival prospects of service startups.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the service literature by investigating the relative importance of each dimension of service quality in relation to the survival of service startups.

Practical implications

The empirical findings empower service startups to make informed decisions, allocate resources judiciously and prioritize aspects of service quality that have a significant impact on their survival and success.

Social implications

The social implications indicate the significance of service quality dimensions not only for the success of service startups but also for the overall well-being of customers, local economies and the competitive landscape of the service sector.

Originality/value

This study contributes to service science by uniquely highlighting the critical role of tangibles in startup survival, challenging conventional beliefs about the primacy of service reliability.
The theory of interpersonal behaviour for conventional enterprises' adoption of the halal supply chain in Malaysia
Authors: Shaikh Imran Mehboob , Amin Hanudin
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to apply the theory of interpersonal behaviour (TIB) and its determinants to determine conventional enterprises' intentions toward halal supply chains (HSCs) adoption in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with a judgmental sampling and over 150 responses were gathered. Besides, the literature on the factors that influence an enterprise’s adoption of a halal supply chain, and TIB is evaluated to determine the influential determinants that lead to conventional entrepreneurs’ desire to participate in the halal supply chain in Malaysia.

Findings

The study findings suggest that the intention to use a halal supply chain is determined not only by social factors, affect, facilitating conditions and attitude, but also by the added construct of perceived expected benefits.

Research limitations/implications

Considering this research to be limited in terms of coverage geographically and the theory rendered the context should be given proper attention when interpreting future outcomes. Furthermore, future researchers can extend the direct relationship by employing habit construct when conducting a longitudinal study.

Practical implications

This paper serves as a guide to ensure the best planning of halal supply chains in both theory and practice.

Originality/value

This study expands on the use of TIB in the context of conventional enterprises’ intention toward halal supply chains in Malaysia.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2023-0334
Factors affecting financial engineering and product development in Islamic Financial Institutions
Authors: Shaamirova Surayyo , SARAÇ Mehmet
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyze Islamic financial institutions’ (IFIs) current financial engineering and product development procedures.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is quantitative in nature and the survey questionnaire were collected from managers and IF experts working for Islamic Banks, Takaful and other IFIs in Turkey, Malaysia and UAE. Two-stage structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The findings highlighted that the Shari’ah Supervisory Board, Strategy and Planning of IFIs, Legal and Regulatory framework, pricing of a new product and financial performance positively impact the new product development (NPD) process. At the same time, Islamic values have no significant positive impact.

Research limitations/implications

When generalizing the research results, data collection from the right departments was the main limitation of the current study. Future research may opt to collect data only from Product Development Departments.

Practical implications

The findings of this study will allow IFIs to reflect on their present methods, procedures and Shari’ah compliance framework for the NPD process.

Originality/value

Factors affecting the product development and financial engineering process are discussed in the literature. The findings of this study can be regarded as building blocks for future academic research on product development and financial engineering in Islamic finance.
Dynamics of actors in innovation ecosystems' analytical structures
Authors: Coletto Camila , Caliari Leonardo , Bernardes-de-Souza Dércio , Callegaro-de-Menezes Daniela
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The link between theory and practice in innovation studies still has some gaps, despite scholars’ efforts to illustrate and identify them in real-world situations. To fully understand the dynamics of the innovation ecosystem, it is crucial to consider key actors and their roles and recognize their impact on ecosystem outcomes. Therefore, this paper seeks to discuss how analytical structures of innovation ecosystems address the dynamics of actors and their contribution to the ecosystem outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A research protocol was developed to query the Web of Science database to identify analytical structures of innovation ecosystems based on pre-established criteria.

Findings

The dynamics of actors interfere with their contribution to value creation. That is, the actor changes his contribution. Therefore, depending on the ecosystem's value proposition, the activities and dynamics of the actors change over time.

Originality/value

It contributes to advancing the discussion of innovation ecosystems, addressing insights into the dynamics of actors in different analytical structures. The essay proposal considers innovation ecosystems' evolutionary aspects, value propositions and exchange. In addition, the importance of orchestration in the various stages of the ecosystem is highlighted.
Cryptocurrency frauds: the FTX story
Authors: Ledoux Esther Lea , Smaili Nadia
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze FTX cryptocurrency frauds. FTX is a former cryptocurrency exchange platform that went bankrupt because of fraud in 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative method and a case study of FTX, the authors document the multiple fraud schemes perpetrated. The authors collected media and research articles that discussed the FTX case. The authors analyzed 18 articles.

Findings

Based on this case, the authors highlight the governance and ethics weaknesses in the FTX environment. The authors also discuss cryptocurrency risks and regulation of cryptocurrencies. The FTX affair has shaken up the international regulatory world, which has been seeking solutions to protect customers and investors and helping banks take positions since 2022.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the fraud literature by deeply examining cryptocurrency fraud risks. In addition, the findings could help financial institutions and guide them in the cryptocurrency world.
The impact of decolonizing methodologies: reflections of Indigenous researchers
Authors: Palakiko Donna-Marie , Matagi Chantelle Eseta , Antonio J. Kealohilani , Torris-Hedlund Morgan Aiwohi , Marshall Sarah Momilani , Makahi Emily
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To share the narratives of six Indigenous Researchers representing the diverse thinking of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. The narratives describe the impact Decolonizing Methodologies have on our lives within the framework of Tuhiwai Smith’s Indigenous Research Agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

Linda Tuhwai Smith’s Indigenous Research Agenda framework is used to explore through narrative, the impact Decolonizing Methodologies had on the authors’ professional awakening as Indigenous Researchers. Each author reflects on their first encounter with Decolonizing Methodologies and describes through their narratives how the book influenced and guided their research and community work.

Findings

Positionality as a Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander is imperative to being an Indigenous Scholar. Understanding who one is requires critical reflection and is a part of developing an Indigenous Research Agenda. The challenges each Indigenous scholar’s narrative explores is navigating a Western system while staying true to our values and identity as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. At the core is our ability to work in partnership with the community to bring forth sustainable change.

Originality/value

This paper explores the impact Decolonizing Methodologies had on the authors thinking and research approaches. The narratives the authors share is from the positionality of being Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Emerging technologies in the event industry
Authors: Aktepe Batuhan , Demirci Barış
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The main objective of this research is to unravel and analyze emergent technologies that are altering and improving the event industry. The study seeks to recognize the most vital technological advancement, uses and effects on event preparation, management and participant experience.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a narrative literature review method was used to examine emerging technologies in event management.

Findings

The research reveals that the emerging technologies examined in the articles affect and transform the event industry differently. Many of these technologies are currently being used in the event industry and are likely to be utilized in the coming years.

Originality/value

Numerous studies in the literature are related to the research field. However, as technology evolves rapidly, it is necessary to repeat studies at regular intervals. This article contributes to the literature by tracking new technological developments in the event industry.
Changes in skin bacterial flora during the healing process of ulcer caused by self‐destruction of lymph nodes due to tuberculous lymphadenitis
Authors: Kondo Makoto , Goto Daiki , Habe Koji , Yamazoe Naohisa , Yamanaka Keiichi
Published: August 2024

An 86‐year‐old woman with residual left hemiplegia from a prior stroke, residing in a nursing facility, presented with swelling of the right side of her neck. Tuberculous lymphadenitis was diagnosed through polymerase chain reaction analysis and sputum culture, leading to treatment with isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol. After 2 months, an abscess and ulcer formed; analysis of the bacterial flora of the ulcer revealed a Pseudomonas infection. Treatment with a topical iodine‐containing ointment eradicated the Pseudomonas and led to increased diversity with the emergence of species from the Eukaryota and Archaea kingdoms. Subsequently, a loss of diversity occurred, ultimately resulting in a dominance of Escherichia‐Shigella. We suggest that the bacterial flora of early ulcers may be dominated by multidrug‐resistant Pseudomonas. Escherichia‐Shigella may emerge during the ulcer healing process. We, therefore, strongly encourage recognition of the fact that individuals with tuberculosis are immunocompromised and emphasize the critical importance of early intervention in such infections.
Mosaic SUFU mutation associated with a mild phenotype of multiple hereditary infundibulocystic basal cell carcinoma syndrome
Authors: Hamada Marina , Hida Tokimasa , Idogawa Masashi , Tange Shoichiro , Kamiya Takafumi , Okura Masae , Yamashita Toshiharu , Tokino Takashi , Uhara Hisashi
Published: August 2024

Multiple hereditary infundibulocystic basal cell carcinoma syndrome (MHIBCC), an autosomal dominant disorder caused by variants in SUFU, is characterized by numerous infundibulocystic basal cell carcinomas (IBCCs). In this report, we present a possible case of mosaic MHIBCC. A 57‐year‐old woman underwent the removal of four papules on her face, which were diagnosed as IBCCs. Exome sequencing revealed a SUFU c.1022+1G>A mutation within the skin tumor. The same mutation was detected in her blood but at a lower allele frequency. TA cloning revealed that the allele frequency of the mutation in the blood was 0.07. Additionally, tumor assessment revealed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in chromosome 10, including the SUFU locus. These results indicate the patient had mosaicism for the SUFU mutation in normal tissues, aligning with the mosaic MHIBCC diagnosis. This, combined with LOH, likely contributed to IBCC development. Mosaic MHIBCC may present with milder symptoms. However, it may still increase the risk of developing brain tumors and more aggressive basal cell carcinoma. The possibility of mosaicism should be investigated in mild MHIBCC cases, where standard genetic tests fail to detect SUFU germline variants.