bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assembly of mTORC3 involves binding of ETV7 to two separate sequences in the mTOR kinase domain
Authors: Zhan Jun , Harwood Frank , Have Sara Ten , Lamond Angus , Phillips Aaron H. , Kriwacki Richard W. , Halder Priyanka , Cardone Monica , Grosveld Gerard C.
Published: March 2024

mTOR plays a crucial role in cell growth by controlling ribosome biogenesis, metabolism, autophagy, mRNA translation, and cytoskeleton organization. It is a serine/threonine kinase that is part of two distinct extensively described protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. We have identified a rapamycin resistant mTOR complex, called mTORC3, which is different from the canonical mTORC1 and mTORC2 complexes in that it does not contain the Raptor, Rictor, or mLST8 mTORC1 / 2 components. mTORC3 phosphorylates mTORC1 and mTORC2 targets and contains the ETS transcription factor ETV7, which binds to mTOR and is essential for mTORC3 assembly in the cytoplasm. Tumor cells that assemble mTORC3 have a proliferative advantage and become resistant to rapamycin, indicating that inhibiting mTORC3 may have a therapeutic impact on cancer. Here, we investigate which domains or amino acid residues of ETV7 and mTOR are involved in their mutual binding. We found that the mTOR FRB and LBE sequences in the kinase domain interact with the pointed (PNT) and ETS domains of ETV7, respectively. We also found that forced expression of the mTOR FRB domain in the mTORC3 expressing, rapamycin-resistant cell line Karpas-299 out competes mTOR for ETV7 binding and renders these cells rapamycin-sensitive in vivo. Our data provide useful information for the development of molecules that prevent the assembly of mTORC3, which may have therapeutic value in the treatment of mTORC3 positive cancer.
Understanding systems level metabolic adaptation resulting from osmotic stress
Authors: Tremblay Alexandre , Bekiaris Pavlos Stephanos , Klamt Steffen , Mahadevan Radhakrishnan
Published: March 2024

An organism’s survival hinges on maintaining the right thermodynamic conditions. Osmotic constraints limit the concentration range of metabolites, affecting essential cellular pathways. Despite extensive research on osmotic stress and growth, understanding remains limited, especially in hypo-osmotic environments. To delve into this, we developed a novel modeling approach that considers metabolic fluxes and metabolite concentrations along with thermodynamics. Our analysis ofE. coliadaptation reveals insights into growth rates, metabolic pathways, and thermodynamic bottlenecks during transitions between hypo- and hyper-osmotic conditions. Both experimental and computational findings show that cells prioritize pathways that have higher thermodynamic driving force, like the pentose phosphate or the Entner–Doudoroff pathway, under low osmolarity. This work offers a systematic and mechanistic explanation for reduced growth rates in hypo- and hyper-osmotic conditions. The developed framework is the first of its kind to incorporate genome wide constraints that consider both natural logarithm and actual metabolite concentrations.

Abstract Figure
Motor cortex directly excites the output nucleus of the basal ganglia, the substantia nigra pars reticulata
Authors: Thompson William Scott , Grillner Sten , Silberberg Gilad
Published: March 2024

Inhibitory neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) serve as a primary output through which the basal ganglia regulate behaviour. Projections to the SNr from beyond the basal ganglia have also been identified anatomically. Using a virally-targeted optogenetic approach, combined with whole cell patch-clamp recordings of SNr neurons in acute brain slices, we show that projection neurons of the primary and secondary motor cortices (M1 and M2) make functional excitatory synapses with subpopulations of inhibitory SNr neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrate that photostimulation of these cortical axon terminals increases SNr neuron firing rate. To further investigate the spatial organisation of cortical input to SNr, we employed a transsynaptic viral-labelling approach to identify SNr neurons receiving monosynaptic input from M1 and M2. We found a topographical relationship between motor cortex and SNr, and identified downstream targets of cortical-recipient SNr subpopulations. These findings reveal functional pathways by which M1 and M2 can directly modulate basal ganglia output to different downstream targets.
Enrichment of allelic editing outcomes by Prime Editing in iPS cells
Authors: Niwa Ryo , Matsumoto Tomoko , Liu Alexander Y. , Kawato Maki , Kondo Takayuki , Tsukita Kayoko , Inoue Haruhisa , Maurissen Thomas L. , Woltjen Knut
Published: March 2024

Gene editing in human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells with programmable nucleases facilitates reliable disease models, but methods using double-strand break repair often produce random on-target by-products. Prime editing (PE) combines Cas9 nickase with reverse transcriptase (RT) and a prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA) encoding a repair template to reduce by-products. We implemented a GMP-compatible protocol for transfecting Cas9- or PE-2A-mCherry plasmids to track and fractionate human iPS cells based on PE expression level. We compared the editing outcomes of Cas9- and PE-based methods in a GFP-to-BFP conversion assay, at theHEK3benchmark locus, and at theAPOEAlzheimer’s risk locus, revealing superior precision of PE at high expression levels. Moreover, sorting cells for PE expression level influenced allelic editing outcomes at the target loci. We expect that our findings will aid in the creation of gene-edited human iPS cells with intentional heterozygous and homozygous genotypes.

Highlights

Delivered large plasmids to human iPS cells under GMP-compliant conditions

Developed a flow cytometry-based approach to enrich for PE in human iPS cells

Demonstrated few on-target indels in cells regardless of PE expression

Sorted iPS cells based on PE expression level to influence mono- or bi-allelic editing
CRISPR-Cas9 enables efficient genome engineering of the strictly lytic, broad host-range staphylococcal bacteriophage K
Authors: Fernbach Jonas , Baggenstos Jasmin , Riedo Jeannine , McCallin Shawna , Loessner Martin J. , Kilcher Samuel
Published: March 2024

Staphylococcus aureusis an important opportunistic pathogen, responsible for a range of diseases that often prove challenging to treat due to resistance to methicillin, vancomycin, and other antimicrobials. Bacteriophages present a promising alternative to target such pathogens, particularly when conventional drugs are ineffective. The antimicrobial efficacy of phage therapeutics can be further improved through genetic engineering. AmongS. aureusphages, members of theTwortvirinaesubfamily, characterized by their strictly lytic nature and broad host range, are considered the most promising therapeutic candidates. However, their large genome sizes make them notoriously difficult to engineer. In this study, we utilizedTwortvirusK as a model to develop an efficient phage engineering platform, leveraging homologous recombination and CRISPR-Cas9-assisted counterselection. As proof of principle, this platform was utilized to construct a nanoluciferase (nluc)-encoding reporter phage (K::nluc) and tested as a preliminary, bioluminescence-based approach for identifying viableStaphylococcuscells. Independent of their phage-resistance profile, 100% of tested clinicalS. aureusisolates emitted bioluminescence upon K::nlucchallenge. This diagnostic assay was further adapted to complex matrices such as human whole blood and bovine raw milk, simulatingS. aureusdetection scenarios in bacteremia and bovine mastitis. Beyond reporter phage-based diagnostics, our engineering technology opens avenues for the design and engineering of therapeuticTwortvirinaephages to combat drug-resistantS. aureusstrains.
Goal Reduction with Loop-Removal Accelerates RL and Models Human Brain Activity in Goal-Directed Learning
Authors: Cheng Huzi , Brown Joshua W.
Published: March 2024

Goal-directed planning presents a challenge for classical RL algorithms due to the vastness of the combinatorial state and goal spaces, while humans and animals adapt to complex environments, especially with diverse, non-stationary objectives, often employing intermediate goals for long-horizon tasks. Here, we propose a goal reduction mechanism for effectively deriving subgoals from arbitrary and distant original goals, using a novel loop-removal technique.1The product of the method, calledgoal-reducer, distills high-quality subgoals from a replay buffer, all without the need for prior global environmental knowledge. Simulations show that thegoal-reducercan be integrated into RL frameworks like Deep Q-learning and Soft Actor-Critic. It accelerates performance in both discrete and continuous action space tasks, such as grid world navigation and robotic arm manipulation, relative to the corresponding standard RL models. Moreover, thegoal-reducer, when combined with a local policy, without iterative training, outperforms its integrated deep RL counterparts in solving a navigation task. This goal reduction mechanism also models human problem-solving. Comparing the model’s performance and activation with human behavior and fMRI data in a treasure hunting task, we found matching representational patterns between agoal-reduceragent’s components and corresponding human brain areas, particularly the vmPFC and basal ganglia. The results suggest that humans may use a similar computational framework for goal-directed behaviors.
Translation-dependent and -independent mRNA decay occur through mutually exclusive pathways defined by ribosome density during T cell activation
Authors: Mercier Blandine C. , Labaronne Emmanuel , Cluet David , Guiguettaz Laura , Fontrodona Nicolas , Bicknell Alicia , Corbin Antoine , Wencker Mélanie , Aube Fabien , Modolo Laurent , Jouravleva Karina , Auboeuf Didier , Moore Melissa J. , Ricci Emiliano P.
Published: March 2024

mRNA translation and decay are tightly interconnected processes both in the context of mRNA quality-control pathways and for the degradation of functional mRNAs. Cotranslational mRNA degradation through codon usage, ribosome collisions, and the recruitment of specific proteins to ribosomes is an important determinant of mRNA turnover. However, the extent to which translation-dependent mRNA decay (TDD) and translation-independent mRNA decay (TID) pathways participate in the degradation of mRNAs has not been studied yet. Here we describe a comprehensive analysis of basal and signal-induced TDD and TID in mouse primary CD4+T cells. Our results indicate that most cellular transcripts are decayed to some extent in a translation-dependent manner. Our analysis further identifies the length of untranslated regions, the density of ribosomes, and GC3 content as important determinants of TDD magnitude. Consistently, all transcripts that undergo changes in ribosome density within their coding sequence upon T cell activation display a corresponding change in their TDD level. Moreover, we reveal a dynamic modulation in the relationship between GC3 content and TDD upon T cell activation, with a reversal in the impact of GC3- and AU3-rich codons. Altogether, our data show a strong and dynamic interconnection between mRNA translation and decay in mammalian primary cells.
The genome of the colonial hydroidHydractiniareveals that their stem cells use a toolkit of evolutionarily shared genes with all animals
Authors: Schnitzler Christine E. , Chang E. Sally , Waletich Justin , Quiroga-Artigas Gonzalo , Wong Wai Yee , Nguyen Anh-Dao , Barreira Sofia N. , Doonan Liam B. , Gonzalez Paul , Koren Sergey , Gahan James M. , Sanders Steven M. , Bradshaw Brian , DuBuc Timothy Q. , Febrimarsa  , de Jong Danielle , Nawrocki Eric P. , Larson Alexandra , Klasfeld Samantha , Gornik Sebastian G. , Moreland R. Travis , Wolfsberg Tyra G. , Phillippy Adam M. , Mullikin James C. , Simakov Oleg , Cartwright Paulyn , Nicotra Matthew , Frank Uri , Baxevanis Andreas D.
Published: March 2024

Hydractiniais a colonial marine hydroid that shows remarkable biological properties, including the capacity to regenerate its entire body throughout its lifetime, a process made possible by its adult migratory stem cells, known as i-cells. Here, we provide an in-depth characterization of the genomic structure and gene content of twoHydractiniaspecies,Hydractinia symbiolongicarpusandHydractinia echinata, placing them in a comparative evolutionary framework with other cnidarian genomes. We also generated and annotated a single-cell transcriptomic atlas for adult maleH. symbiolongicarpusand identified cell-type markers for all major cell types, including key i-cell markers. Orthology analyses based on the markers revealed thatHydractinia’s i-cells are highly enriched in genes that are widely shared amongst animals, a striking finding given thatHydractiniahas a higher proportion of phylum-specific genes than any of the other 41 animals in our orthology analysis. These results indicate thatHydractinia’s stem cells and early progenitor cells may use a toolkit shared with all animals, making it a promising model organism for future exploration of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. The genomic and transcriptomic resources forHydractiniapresented here will enable further studies of their regenerative capacity, colonial morphology, and ability to distinguish self from nonself.
Stokes-parameter representation for Compton scattering of entangled and classically correlated two-photon systems
Authors: Caradonna P. , D'Amico I. , Jenkins D. G. , Watts D. P.
Published: March 2024

A Stokes parameter representation for two-photon systems is developed to calculate cross sections for both entangled and classically correlated mixed states scattering off unpolarized and polarized Compton electrons. The cross section of Compton scattering for pairs of maximally entangled annihilation photons, generated by the disintegration of para-positronium, is compared with classical analogs. An analysis of the symmetrical properties and basis independence of these systems is conducted to elucidate the observed differences. We propose a method to establish an upper bound for identifying correlations influenced by entanglement. Furthermore, we calculate the cross section for Compton scattering of annihilation photons from spin-polarized electrons. A qualitative analysis reveals a contradiction to the contemporary assumption that Compton scattering acts as an entanglement kill switch. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of photon systems and their behavior in various scattering scenarios. Although the primary focus of this article is on Compton scattering, the formalism can be adapted to other interactions, provided that the Mueller matrix representation of the interaction is available.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Periodic four-dimensional solution for transport of intense and coupled coasting beams through quadrupole channels
Authors: Xiao C. , Groening L.
Published: March 2024

Imposing angular momentum to a particle beam increases its stability against perturbations from space charge [Y.-L. Cheon , ]. In order to fully explore this potential, proper matching of intense coupled beams along regular lattices is mandatory. Herein, a novel procedure assuring matched transport is described and benchmarked through simulations. The concept of matched transport along periodic lattices has been extended from uncoupled beams to those with considerable coupling between the two transverse degrees of freedom. For coupled beams, matching means the extension of cell-to-cell periodicity from just transverse envelopes to the coupled beam moments and to quantities being derived from these.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
QCD anomalies in electromagnetic processes: A solution to the
γ→3π
puzzle
Authors: Xing Zanbin , Dang Hao , Sultan M. Atif , Raya Khépani , Chang Lei
Published: March 2024

In this work, the γ→3π form factor is calculated within the Dyson-Schwinger equations framework using a contact interaction model within the so-called modified rainbow ladder truncation. The present calculation takes into account the pseudovector component in the pion Bethe-Salpeter amplitude (BSA) and π−π scattering effects, producing a γ→3π anomaly that is 1+6Rπ2 larger than the low energy prediction. Here Rπ is the relative ratio of the pseudovector and pseudoscalar components in the pion BSA; with our parameters’ input, this correction raises the γ→3π anomaly by around 10%. The main outcome of this work is the unveiling of the origin of such a correction, which could be a possible explanation of the discrepancy between the existing experimental data and the low energy prediction. Moreover, it is highlighted how the magnitude of the anomaly is affected in effective theories that require an irremovable ultraviolet cutoff. We find that for both the anomalous processes π→2γ and γ→3π, the missing contribution to the anomaly can be compensated by the additional structures related with the quark anomalous magnetic moment.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Exact hole-induced
SU(N)
flavor singlets in certain
U=∞SU(N)
Hubbard models
Authors: Kim Kyung-Su , Katsura Hosho
Published: March 2024

We prove that the motion of a single hole induces SU(N) flavor singlets in the U=∞SU(N) (Fermi) Hubbard model on a Husimi-like tree graph. The result is generalized to certain t−J models with singlet hopping terms typically neglected in the literature. This is an SU(N) generalization of the “counter-Nagaoka theorem” introduced in []. Our results suggest the existence of resonating flavor singlet (RFS)-like polarons in the t−J models on a more realistic nonbipartite lattice. Such RFS polarons may be relevant for a novel strong-coupling mechanism of superconductivity or other exotic fractionalized phases of matter.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Full-magnetic implementation of a classical Toffoli gate
Authors: Nuzzi Davide , Banchi Leonardo , Vaia Ruggero , Compagno Enrico , Cuccoli Alessandro , Verrucchi Paola , Bose Sougato
Published: March 2024

The Toffoli gate is the essential ingredient for reversible computing, an energy-efficient classical computational paradigm that evades the energy dissipation resulting from Landauer's principle. In this paper, we analyze different setups to realize a magnetic implementation of the Toffoli gate using three interacting classical spins, each one embodying one of the three bits needed for the Toffoli gate. In our scheme, different control-spin configurations produce an effective field capable of conditionally flipping the target spin. We study what the experimental requirements are for the realization of our scheme, focusing on the degree of local control, the ability to dynamically switch the spin-spin interactions, and the required single-spin anisotropies to make the classical spin stable, showing that these are compatible with current technology.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Demonstrating a Long-Coherence Dual-Rail Erasure Qubit Using Tunable Transmons
Authors: Levine H. , Haim A. , Hung J. S. C. , Alidoust N. , Kalaee M. , DeLorenzo L. , Wollack E. A. , Arrangoiz-Arriola P. , Khalajhedayati A. , Sanil R. , Moradinejad H. , Vaknin Y. , Kubica A. , Hover D. , Aghaeimeibodi S. , Alcid J. A. , Baek C. , Barnett J. , Bawdekar K. , Bienias P. , Carson H. A. , Chen C. , Chen L. , Chinkezian H. , Chisholm E. M. , Clifford A. , Cosmic R. , Crisosto N. , Dalzell A. M. , Davis E. , D’Ewart J. M. , Diez S. , D’Souza N. , Dumitrescu P. T. , Elkhouly E. , Fang M. T. , Fang Y. , Flammia S. , Fling M. J. , Garcia G. , Gharzai M. K. , Gorshkov A. V. , Gray M. J. , Grimberg S. , Grimsmo A. L. , Hann C. T. , He Y. , Heidel S. , Howell S. , Hunt M. , Iverson J. , Jarrige I. , Jiang L. , Jones W. M. , Karabalin R. , Karalekas P. J. , Keller A. J. , Lasi D. , Lee M. , Ly V. , MacCabe G. , Mahuli N. , Marcaud G. , Matheny M. H. , McArdle S. , McCabe G. , Merton G. , Miles C. , Milsted A. , Mishra A. , Moncelsi L. , Naghiloo M. , Noh K. , Oblepias E. , Ortuno G. , Owens J. C. , Pagdilao J. , Panduro A. , Paquette J.-P. , Patel R. N. , Peairs G. , Perello D. J. , Peterson E. C. , Ponte S. , Putterman H. , Refael G. , Reinhold P. , Resnick R. , Reyna O. A. , Rodriguez R. , Rose J. , Rubin A. H. , Runyan M. , Ryan C. A. , Sahmoud A. , Scaffidi T. , Shah B. , Siavoshi S. , Sivarajah P. , Skogland T. , Su C.-J. , Swenson L. J. , Sylvia J. , Teo S. M. , Tomada A. , Torlai G. , Wistrom M. , Zhang K. , Zuk I. , Clerk A. A. , Brandão F. G. S. L. , Retzker A. , Painter O.
Published: March 2024

Quantum error correction with erasure qubits promises significant advantages over standard error correction due to favorable thresholds for erasure errors. To realize this advantage in practice requires a qubit for which nearly all errors are such erasure errors, and the ability to check for erasure errors without dephasing the qubit. We demonstrate that a “dual-rail qubit” consisting of a pair of resonantly coupled transmons can form a highly coherent erasure qubit, where transmon T1 errors are converted into erasure errors and residual dephasing is strongly suppressed, leading to millisecond-scale coherence within the qubit subspace. We show that single-qubit gates are limited primarily by erasure errors, with erasure probability perasure=2.19(2)×10−3 per gate while the residual errors are ∼40 times lower. We further demonstrate midcircuit detection of erasure errors while introducing <0.1% dephasing error per check. Finally, we show that the suppression of transmon noise allows this dual-rail qubit to preserve high coherence over a broad tunable operating range, offering an improved capacity to avoid frequency collisions. This work establishes transmon-based dual-rail qubits as an attractive building block for hardware-efficient quantum error correction.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Tangling Schedules Eases Hardware Connectivity Requirements for Quantum Error Correction
Authors: Gehér György P. , Crawford Ophelia , Campbell Earl T.
Published: March 2024

Error corrected quantum computers have the potential to change the way we solve computational problems. Quantum error correction involves repeated rounds of carefully scheduled gates to measure the stabilizers of a code. A set of scheduling rules is typically imposed on the order of gates to ensure that the circuit can be rearranged into an equivalent circuit that can be easily seen to measure the stabilizers. In this work, we ask what would happen if we break these rules and instead use circuit schedules that we describe as tangled. We find that tangling schedules generates long-range entanglement not accessible using nearest-neighbor two-qubit gates. Our tangled-schedule method provides a new tool for building quantum error-correction circuits and we explore applications to design new architectures for fault-tolerant quantum computers. Notably, we show that, for the widely used Pauli-based model of computation (achieved by lattice surgery), this access to longer-range entanglement can reduce the device connectivity requirements, without compromising on circuit depth.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Foundational aspects of a new matrix holomorphic structure
Authors: Khedhiri Hedi , Mkademi Taher
Published: March 2024

Purpose

In this paper we talk about complex matrix quaternions (biquaternions) and we deal with some abstract methods in mathematical complex matrix analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

We introduce and investigate the complex space HC consisting of all 2 × 2 complex matrices of the form ξ=z1+iw1z2+iw2−z‾2−iw‾2z‾1+iw‾1, (z1,w1,z2,w2)∈C4.

Findings

We develop on HC a new matrix holomorphic structure for which we provide the fundamental operational calculus properties.

Originality/value

We give sufficient and necessary conditions in terms of Cauchy–Riemann type quaternionic differential equations for holomorphicity of a function of one complex matrix variable ξ∈HC. In particular, we show that we have a lot of holomorphic functions of one matrix quaternion variable.
Dynamics of social media involvement in building customer engagement and co-creation behavior: the moderating role of brand interactivity
Authors: Satar Mir Shahid , Rather Raouf Ahmad , Shahid Shadma , Islam Jamid Ul , Parrey Shakir Hussain , Khan Imran
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Adopting a self-congruence theory (SCT) and service dominant logic (SDL)-informed perspectives; we develop a model that investigates the interface between social media involvement (SMI), self-brand congruence (SBC), customer-brand engagement (CBE), brand co-creation behavior (BCB), brand interactivity and behavioral intentions (BIN) with luxury service hotel–brands.

Design/methodology/approach

We test a sample of hotel-customers to probe this matter using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results revealed that SBC and SMI positively impact CBE and BCB and behavioral intentions. The findings also exposed SMI’s and SBC’s indirect effect on customers' BCB and behavioral intentions, mediated through CBE. Finally, the results explored the moderating role of brand interactivity to enhance our model’s explanatory power.

Research limitations/implications

We focus on SMI, CBE and BCB. This study contributes to the existing marketing and hospitality management research and spawns rich opportunities for further studies.

Practical implications

The study article assists marketers in comprehending the CBE-based antecedents and consequences and facilitates their increasing CBE, BCB and behavioral intentions.

Originality/value

While the growing insight into social media, customer engagement and co-creation within the service industries, little remains accredited concerning the link of these and related variables in the luxury hotel-brand context.
The importance of social comparison in perceived justice during the service recovery process
Authors: Aguilar-Rojas Óscar , Fandos-Herrera Carmina , Pérez-Rueda Alfredo
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyse how consumers' perceptions of justice in a service recovery scenario vary, not only due to the company's actions but also due to the comparisons they make with the experiences of other consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on justice theory, social comparison theory and referent cognitions theory, this study describes an eight-scenario experiment with better or worse interactional, procedural and distributive justice (better/worse interactional justice given to other consumers) × 2 (better/worse procedural justice given to other consumers) × 2 (better/worse distributive justice given to other consumers).

Findings

First, consumers' perceptions of interactional, procedural and distributive justice vary based on the comparisons they draw with other consumers' experiences. Second, the results confirmed that interactional justice has a moderating effect on procedural justice, whereas procedural justice does not significantly moderate distributive justice.

Originality/value

First, based on justice theory, social comparison theory and referent cognitions theory, we focus on the influence of the treatment received by other consumers on the consumer's perceived justice in the same service recovery situation. Second, it is proposed that the three justice dimensions follow a defined sequence through the service recovery phases. Third, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to propose a multistage model in which some justice dimensions influence other justice dimensions.
Expanding career adaptability: connections as a critical component of career success
Authors: Gaile Anita , Baumane Vitolina Ilona , Stibe Agnis , Kivipõld Kurmet
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Subjective career success has been widely researched by academics and researchers as it provides job and career satisfaction that can lead to the perceived life satisfaction of employees, as well as their engagement in organizations. This study demonstrates that subjective career success depends not merely on career adaptability but also on the connections people build throughout their professional lives.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in the socioeconomic context of Latvia with a sample size of 390 respondents. Interpersonal behavioral factors from the perception of career success measure and the influence of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS) on subjective career success (two statements from Gaile et al., 2020) were used. The constructed research model was tested using the SPSS 28 and WarpPLS 8.0 software tools. The primary data analysis method used was partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Then 12 moderators and their effects on the main relationships of the model were reviewed.

Findings

The study confirms that relationships at work have the most significant effect on subjective career success, followed by control behaviors and curiosity behaviors. Moreover, a list of significant and insightful moderation effects was found, most significantly the relationship between connections and subjective career success.

Originality/value

Until now, the CAAS was not integrated with the behaviors and attitudes that depict the social relationships of individuals at work. This study aims to narrow this gap by exploring whether (and, if so, how) career adaptability and interpersonal relationships in the workplace (i.e. professional connections) contribute to subjective career success.
Impact of credit access of farmers in cooperative societies on financial performance: the predictive effect of financial literacy
Authors: Onah Ogochukwu Gabriella , Enete Anselm Anibueze , Okoye Chukwuemeka Uzoma , Ume Chukwuma Otum , Onyia Chukwuemeka Chiebonam
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The goal of this study was to determine the impact of access to credit facilities on financial performance among farmers of cooperative societies. The study also tested the predictive power of financial literacy.

Design/methodology/approach

The descriptive survey research design was used for the study while the sample size was 240 farmers of cooperative societies from South-East Nigeria. The farmers were categorised into those with access to credit facilities and those without access to credit facilities. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. Data were analysed using multiple analyses of variance (MANOVA) and multiple regression analysis.

Findings

Farmers with access to credit facilities reported higher financial performance such as return on investment, working capital, net profit, profit margin and sales. However, those without access to credit facilities reported lower mean scores on financial performance. Also, financial literacy, like financial knowledge, attitude and awareness, significantly predicts the impact of access to credit facilities on financial performance. It was also found that the duration of repayment of credit facilities, like medium and long term, contributes more to improving financial performance.

Originality/value

This study has shown that even though access to credit facilities impacts financial performance, financial literacy is an important consideration. Also, the duration of repayment is a crucial factor.
Women’s entrepreneurship education: a systematic review and future agenda
Authors: Lee Younggeun , Liguori Eric W. , Sureka Riya , Kumar Satish
Published: March 2024

Purpose

In this systematic review of the literature on women’s entrepreneurship education, this paper aims to examine the current state of the field. The authors analyze publication trends, identify major themes and propose an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review 363 articles published between 1993 and 2023, to develop a synthesized overview of women’s entrepreneurship education, complete with insights into the journals that have provided the most coverage of this topic, as well as how it has emerged over time.

Findings

The authors tracked the evolution of research themes and collaboration networks over a 30-year period. Results show there has been significant growth in research on women’s entrepreneurship education, as evidenced by a surge of publications on the topic and the total number of citations.

Originality/value

The authors categorized and analyzed six thematic clusters within the literature: entrepreneurial intention, ethical perspectives, gender-specific barriers, gender stereotypes, rural entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Building on these thematic clusters, this study discusses future research directions to advance the field.
Interacting effects of fire and hydroclimate on oak and beech community prevalence in the southern Great Lakes region
Authors: Schlenker Nora , Johnson Jonathan , Ray‐Cozzens Tessa , Stefanova Vania , Nelson David M. , Shuman Bryan N. , Williams John W.
Published: March 2024

Rising temperatures, increasing hydroclimate variability and intensifying disturbance regimes increase the risk of rapid ecosystem conversions. We can leverage multi‐proxy records of past ecosystem transformations to understand their causes and ecosystem vulnerability to rapid change.

Prior to Euro‐American settlement, northern Indiana was a mosaic of prairie, oak‐dominated forests/woodlands and beech‐dominated hardwood forests. This heterogeneity, combined with well‐documented but poorly understood past beech population declines, make this region ideal for studying the drivers of ecosystem transformations.

Here, we present a new record from Story Lake, IN, with proxies for vegetation composition (pollen), fire (charcoal) and beech intrinsic water use efficiency (δ13C of beech pollen; δ13Cbeech). Multiple proxies from the same core enable clear establishment of lead–lag relationships. Additionally, δ13Cbeech enables direct comparisons between beech population abundance and physiological responses to changing environments. We compare Story Lake to a nearby lake‐level reconstruction and to pollen records from nearby Pretty and Appleman Lakes and the distal Spicer Lake, to test hypotheses about synchrony and the spatial scale of governing processes.

The 11.7 ka sediment record from Story Lake indicates multiple conversions between beech‐hardwood forest and oak forest/woodland. Beech pollen abundances rapidly increased between 7.5 and 7.1 ka, while oak declined. Oak abundances increased after 4.6 ka and remained high until 2.8 ka, indicating replacement of mesic forests by oak forest/woodland. At 2.8 ka, beech abundances rapidly increased, indicating mesic forest reestablishment. Beech and oak abundances correlate with charcoal accumulation rates but beech abundance is not correlated with δ13Cbeech.

Fluctuations in beech abundances are synchronous among Story, Appleman and Pretty Lakes, but asynchronous between Story and Spicer Lakes, suggesting regulation by local‐scale vegetation‐fire‐climate feedbacks and secondarily by regional‐scale drivers.

Holocene forest composition and fire dynamics appear to be closely co‐regulated and may be affected by local to regional climate variations. The importance of extrinsic drivers and positive/negative feedbacks changes over time, with higher ecoclimate sensitivity before 2.8 ka and greater resilience afterwards.

Synthesis: Overall, oak‐ and beech‐dominated ecosystems were highly dynamic over the Holocene, with multiple ecosystem conversions driven by shifting interactions among vegetation, hydroclimate and fire regime.
Sovereignty and the Persistence of the Aesthetic
Authors: Wall Illan , Matthews Daniel
Published: March 2024

British constitutional thought tends to understand sovereignty in legalistic terms, with the concept often equated with the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. As Loughlin and Tierney have recently argued, this approach obscures the political considerations which undergird the legal precept. In this article we argue that this approach misses a third, and essentially important, dimension to sovereignty. Law, politics and aesthetics all play equally important parts in constituting the essential structure of the concept. We elaborate this claim through a reading of some prominent accounts of sovereignty within the history of political modernity. At bottom, aesthetics is concerned with the ways in which the body's senses are stimulated and ordered; it therefore includes pictorial representation, ideation and imagination, as well as affect, instinct and habituated feeling. We argue that these different elements are usefully understood as all pertaining to a distinctive, and persistent, aesthetic dimension which is essential to the sovereignty concept.
How Norwegian homecare managers tackled COVID‐19 and displayed resilience‐in‐action: Multiple perspectives of frontline‐staff
Authors: Seljemo Camilla , Wiig Siri , Røise Olav , Ellis Louise A. , Braithwaite Jeffrey , Ree Eline
Published: March 2024

A resilient healthcare system is key to responding to sudden crises, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Homecare services have been an important platform of healthcare delivery during the pandemic, and healthcare staff on the frontlines of homecare have been confronted with major challenges requiring adaptation to sustain high quality healthcare services. Managers' capacities to adapt to disruptions and challenges are important for an adequate response to challenges on the frontlines. To explore healthcare staff's perspectives on managers at different managerial levels (meso‐level) handling of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Norwegian homecare services. A qualitative multiple case study was designed including four cases. A case was defined as a homecare service within a Norwegian municipality (public organization). Data were collected through 16 interviews with healthcare staff. Interviews were conducted by using a semi‐structured interview guide. Healthcare staff reported their managers as proactive, prepared and responded quickly. Present and supportive managers that provided effective and targeted information, and involved staff in decision‐making were key to handling the pandemic in Norwegian homecare services. Our results underscore the interaction between healthcare staff and managers at different managerial levels as essential for quickly react, adapt, and resiliently respond to disruptions like the COVID‐19 pandemic. Organizations need to have the flexibility to interact across levels and encourage managers to apply strategies for collaboration and staff involvement, especially during a crisis.
Commercial real estate and air pollution
Authors: Cvijanović Dragana , Rolheiser Lyndsey , Van de Minne Alex
Published: March 2024

We analyze the causal effect of air pollution (acute fine particulate matter) exposure on the commercial real estate (CRE) market. We instrument for air pollution using changes in local wind direction to find that an increase in fine particulate matter exposure leads to a contemporaneous decrease in CRE market values and (net) income as well as an increase in capital expenditures. Heterogeneous treatment analysis within a building‐level fixed effects framework uncovers that the negative effect on market values is concentrated in the office sector, consistent with the notion that air pollution‐induced decreases in CRE values are driven by a reduction in CRE assets’ productive capacity. Additionally, we document that the negative impact on (net) income is concentrated in the apartment sector, which is consistent with a broad set of local disamenity mechanisms identified in previous residential real estate literature.
An exploratory view into allelic drop‐out of sequenced autosomal STRs
Authors: Foley Megan M. , Koehler Gerwald , Fu Jun , Allen Robert , Wagner Jarrad R.
Published: March 2024

As massively parallel sequencing is implemented in forensic genetics, an understanding of sequence data must accompany these advancements, that is, accurate modeling of data for proper statistical analysis. Allelic drop‐out, a common stochastic effect seen in genetic data, is often modeled in statistical analysis of STR results. This proof‐of‐concept study sequenced several serial dilutions of a standard sample ranging from 4 ng to 7.82 pg to evaluate allelic drop‐out trends on a select panel of autosomal STRs using the ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit, Primer Set A on the Illumina MiSeq FGx. Parameters assessed included locus, profile, and run specific information. A majority of the allelic drop‐out occurred in DNA concentrations less than 31.25 pg. Statistical results indicated a need for locus‐specific modeling based on STR descriptors, like simple versus compound repeat patterns. No correlation was seen between average read count of scored alleles and allelic drop‐out at a locus. A statistical correlation was observed between the amount of allelic drop‐out and the starting amount of DNA in a sample, average read count of a sample, and total read count generated on a flow cell. This study supports using common allelic drop‐out factors used in fragment length analysis on sequenced STRs while including additional locus, sample, and run specific information. Results demonstrate multiple factors that can be considered when developing probability of allelic drop‐out models for sequenced autosomal STRs including locus‐specific analysis, total read count of a profile, and total read count sequenced on a flow cell.
Understanding the enablers to implementing sustainable health and well‐being programs for older adults in rural Australia: A scoping review
Authors: Cash Belinda , Lawless Michael , Robson Kristy , Fealy Shanna , Corboy Denise
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Supporting the health and well‐being of older Australians necessitates the implementation of effective and sustainable community‐based interventions. Rural settings, however, pose unique challenges to intervention implementation and sustainability, with limited research exploring strategies employed to overcome these complexities.

Objective

To identify enabling strategies that support the sustainable implementation of community‐based health and well‐being interventions for older adults in rural Australia.

Design

A scoping review, following methods by Arksey and O'Malley and enhanced by elements of the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR), was conducted. An electronic search of seven databases was completed in April 2023. A thematic analysis was applied to provide a comprehensive and contextualised understanding of the phenomenon of interest.

Findings

Of 1277 records screened, 15 studies were identified and included for review. Five themes identified key enablers for rural implementation: (1) Co‐designing for the local context; (2) Embedding local champions; (3) Leveraging existing local resources; (4) Maintaining impact beyond the end of the funded period and (5) Flexibility in funding models.

Discussion

The sustainable implementation of interventions requires active community involvement and consultation through all stages of program design and delivery to effectively meet the health and well‐being needs of older rural‐dwelling Australians.

Conclusion

Our findings advocate for clear implementation guidelines to support the design, delivery and adaptation of community‐based programs that appropriately reflect the unique contextual needs and strengths of rural communities.
Integration of hepatitis B virus into patients’ sperm genome and its clinical risks
Authors: Han Ting‐Ting , Huang Ji‐Hua , Li Ling‐Xiao , Liao Xue , Meng Xiang‐Qian , Wen Zi‐Na , Sun Qian , Ma Jian , Huang Tian‐Hua
Published: March 2024

Background

Like the coronavirus disease 2019, the hepatitis B virus is also wreaking havoc worldwide, which has infected over 2 billion people globally. Using an experimental animal model, our previous research observed that the hepatitis B virus genes integrated into human spermatozoa can replicate and express after being transmitted to embryos. However, as of now, this phenomenon has not been confirmed in clinical data from patients.

Objectives

To explore the integration of the hepatitis B virus into patients' sperm genome and its potential clinical risks.

Materials and methods

Forty‐eight patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection were categorized into two groups: Test Group‐1 comprised 23 patients without integration of hepatitis B virus DNA within the sperm genome. Test Group‐2 comprised 25 patients with integration of hepatitis B virus DNA within the sperm genome. Forty‐eight healthy male donors were included as control. The standard semen parameter analysis, real‐time polymerase chain reaction, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, sperm chromatin structure assay, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence assays were utilized.

Results

The difference in the median copy number of hepatitis B virus DNA per mL of sera between Test Group‐1 and Group‐2 was not statistically significant. In Test Group‐2, the integration rate of hepatitis B virus DNA was 0.109%, which showed a significant correlation with the median copy number of hepatitis B virus DNA in motile spermatozoa (1.18 × 103/mL). Abnormal semen parameters were found in almost all these 25 patients. The integrated hepatitis B virus S, C, X, and P genes were detected to be introduced into sperm‐derived embryos through fertilization and retained their function in replication, transcription, and translation.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that hepatitis B virus infection can lead to sperm quality deterioration and reduced fertilization capacity. Furthermore, viral integration causes instability in the sperm genome, increasing the potential risk of termination, miscarriage, and stillbirth. This study identified an unconventional mode of hepatitis B virus transmission through genes rather than virions. The presence of viral sequences in the embryonic genome poses a risk of liver inflammation and cancer.
Bayesian hypothesis tests with diffuse priors: Can we have our cake and eat it too?
Authors: Ormerod J. T. , Stewart M. , Yu W. , Romanes S. E.
Published: March 2024

We propose a new class of priors for Bayesian hypothesis testing, which we name ‘cake priors’. These priors circumvent the Jeffreys–Lindley paradox (also called Bartlett's paradox) a problem associated with the use of diffuse priors leading to nonsensical statistical inferences. Cake priors allow the use of diffuse priors (having one's cake) while achieving theoretically justified inferences (eating it too). We demonstrate this methodology for Bayesian hypotheses tests for various common scenarios. The resulting Bayesian test statistic takes the form of a penalised likelihood ratio test statistic. Under typical regularity conditions, we show that Bayesian hypothesis tests based on cake priors are Chernoff consistent, that is, achieve zero type I and II error probabilities asymptotically. We also discuss Lindley's paradox and argue that the paradox occurs with small and vanishing probability as sample size increases.