bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-viral derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from the canine umbilical cord
Authors: Yamazaki Atsushi , Shiozawa Seiji , Koushige Yuko , Kondo Hirotaka , Shibuya Hisashi , Edamura Kazuya
Published: November 2024

In our previous study, canine induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were successfully generated from skin-derived fibroblasts, without the use of viral vectors. However, for clinical application of canine iPSCs in veterinary regenerative medicine, iPSCs generated from less invasive cell sources would be desirable. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to generate iPSCs from canine umbilical cords discarded at fetal birth. Canine umbilical cords were cut into small pieces and cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Episomal vectors carrying 10 reprogramming gene sets were introduced into fibroblasts obtained from the umbilical cord using electroporation. When putative iPSCs colonies emerged, constitutive cell characterization was performed to evaluate cell morphology, proliferative potential, alkaline phosphatase staining, expression of stem cell markers, and the ability to differentiate into a trilineage following embryoid body and teratoma formation. Multiple putative iPSC colonies formed when reprogramming gene sets were introduced into fibroblasts obtained from the canine umbilical cord. The resulting colony cells stained positive for alkaline phosphatase, and showed expression of OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, SSEA1, and SSEA3 on fluorescent immunostaining for stem cell markers. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of canine endogenousOCT4,SOX2, andNANOGsignificantly increased, confirming the multi-differentiation potential of cells after embryoid and teratoma formation. In this study, iPSCs were successfully generated from canine umbilical cord without the use of a viral vector. Furthermore, canine umbilical cord-derived iPSCs were successfully cultured in a feeder-free manner. This study contributes to the development of veterinary regenerative medicine by using canine iPSCs.
Comparative analysis of iPSC-derived human kidney organoid and tubuloid models
Authors: Nunez-Nescolarde Ana B. , Santos Leilani L. , Kong Lingyun , Ekinci Elif , Moore Paddy , Dimitriadis Evdokia , Nikolic-Paterson David J. , Combes Alexander N.
Published: November 2024

Background

Epithelial kidney organoids (tubuloids) made from kidney biopsies, urine, or iPSC-derived kidney organoids offer new opportunities in experimental and clinical nephrology. Yet, we have limited knowledge of how tubuloid models differ from each other, from iPSC-derived kidney organoids and from the human kidney. New insight is required to guide model selection for studies in kidney physiology and disease.

Methods

Tubuloids were generated from adult nephrectomy samples (adult tubuloids n=3), iPSC-derived kidney organoids (iTubuloids n=3), and for the first time, from human fetal kidneys (fetal tubuloids n=3). Kidney organoid and tubuloid models were compared to each other and to adult human kidney using bulk RNA sequencing. Tubuloids were subject to hypoxic insults over three passages and profiled with RNA sequencing to assess cumulative injury and repair.

Results

Expression signatures of proximal and distal tubules were stronger in adult kidneys than any organoid or tubuloid model. Comparative analysis between the models revealed that iPSC-derived kidney organoids had the highest expression of proximal tubule markers, even though adult tubuloids were derived from mature kidneys. Collecting duct signatures were enriched in adult and fetal tubuloids. Adult tubuloids showed stronger signatures of ageing and inflammation, while fetal tubuloids had enhanced ureteric tip progenitor signatures. Over 80 genes linked to inherited disorders were expressed in all tubuloid cultures, while a further 54 were expressed at higher levels in either adult, fetal or iTubuloids. Tubuloids subject to a single hypoxic injury effectively recovered by the end of the passage, while iTubuloids exposed to hypoxia over three passages expressed markers of maladaptive repair.

Conclusions

This study provides new transcriptome-wide reference data to aid in the selection and optimization of disease modelling for the human kidney. It defines common and unique opportunities to model inherited disorders in adult, fetal and iTubuloid models and illustrates new potential to model repetitive injury in long-lived tubuloid cultures.
Mitochondrial respiratory capacity in kidney podocytes is high, age-dependent, and sexually dimorphic
Authors: Campbell Matthew D. , Sanchez-Contreras Monica , Sibley Britta D. , Keiser Phoebe , Ruiz Sanchez Carla , Mann Carolyn N. , Marcinek David J. , Najafian Behzad , Sweetwyne Mariya T.
Published: November 2024

Whether and how podocytes depend on mitochondria across their long post-mitotic lifespan is yet unclear. With limited cell numbers and broad kidney distribution, isolation of podocyte mitochondria typically requires first isolating podocytes themselves. Disassociation of podocytes from their basement membrane, however, recapitulates an injured state that may stress mitochondria. To address this, we crossed floxed hemagglutinin (HA) -mitochondria tagged (MITO-Tag) mice with those expressing Cre in either podocytes (NPHS2) or distal tubule and collecting duct (CDH16), thus allowing for rapid, kidney cell-specific, isolation of mitochondria via immunoprecipitation. Mitochondrial respiration in fresh isolates from young (4-7 mo) and aged (22-26 mo) mice of both sexes demonstrated several previously unreported significant differences between podocyte and tubule mitochondria. First, although podocytes contain fewer mitochondria than do tubule cells, mitochondria isolated from podocytes averaged twice the respiratory capacity of tubule mitochondria when normalized to mitochondrial content by citrate synthase (CS) levels. Second, age-related decline in respiration was detected only in podocyte mitochondria and only in aged male mice. Finally, disassociating podocytes for cell culture initiates functional decline in mitochondria as those from cultured primary podocytes have half the respiratory capacity, but twice the hydrogen peroxide production of podocyte mitochondria isolated directly from fresh kidneys. Thus, podocytes maintain sexually dimorphic mitochondria with greater oxidative phosphorylation capacity than mitochondria-dependent tubules per organelle. Previous studies may not have detected these differences due to reliance on podocyte cell culture conditions, which results in artifactual suppression of mitochondrial function.
Autophagy inhibition induces AML cell death and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy under hypoxia
Authors: Wang Eunice S. , Fay Hannah R.S. , Dykstra Kaitlyn M , Phelps Michael N , Johnson Matthew , Harrigan Annemarie , Giorgi Marianna C
Published: November 2024

Outcomes of relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are poor, and strategies to improve outcomes are urgently needed. One important factor promoting relapse and chemoresistance is the ability of AML cells to thrive in vivo within an intrinsically hypoxic bone marrow microenvironment. Here we show that human AML cells exhibit enhanced autophagy, specifically mitophagy (i.e., increased accumulation of mitochondria and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential) under hypoxia. To target this pathway, we investigated the activity of the potent chloroquine-derived autophagy inhibitor, Lys05, on human AML cells, patient samples, and patient derived xenograft models. Inhibition of autophagy by Lys05 in AML cells prevented removal of damaged mitochondria and preferentially enhanced cell death under hypoxia mirroring the marrow microenvironment. Lys05 eradicated human AML cells of all genotypes including p53 mutant cells. Lys05 treatment in primary AML xenografted mice decreased CD34+CD38- human cells and prolonged overall survival. Moreover, Lys05 overcame hypoxia-induced chemoresistance and improved the efficacy of cytarabine, venetoclax, and azacytidine in vitro and in vivo in AML models. Our results demonstrate the importance of autophagy, specifically mitophagy, as a critical survival and chemoresistance mechanism of AML cells under hypoxic marrow conditions. Therapeutic targeting of this pathway in future clinical studies for AML is warranted.
The hyaluronan-binding activity of aggrecan is important, but not essential, for its specific insertion into perineuronal nets
Authors: Otsuka Matthew Y. , Essel Leslie B. , Sinha Ashis , Nickerson Gabrielle , Mejia Seth M. , Matthews Russell T. , Bouyain Samuel
Published: November 2024

Aggrecan (ACAN) is a large, secreted chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that includes three globular regions named G1, G2, G3, and is decorated with multiple glycosaminoglycan attachments between its G2 and G3 domains. The N-terminal G1 region interacts with the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA), which is an essential component of the vertebrate extracellular matrix. In the central nervous system, ACAN is found in perineuronal nets (PNNs), honeycomb-like structures that are enriched on parvalbumin-positive neurons in specific neural circuits. PNNs regulate the plasticity of the central nervous system, and it is believed that association between ACAN and HA is a foundational event in the assembly of these reticular structures. Here, we report the co-crystal structure of the G1 region of ACAN in the absence and presence of an HA decasaccharide and analyze the importance of the HA-binding activity of ACAN for its integration into PNNs. We demonstrate that the single immunoglobulin domain and the two Link modules that comprise the G1 region form a single structural unit, and that HA is clamped inside a groove that spans the length of the tandem Link domains. Introduction of point mutations in the glycosaminoglycan-binding site eliminates HA-binding activity in ACAN, but, surprisingly, only decreases the integration of ACAN into PNNs. Thus, these results suggest that the HA-binding activity of ACAN is important for its recruitment to PNNs, but it does not appear to be essential.
Anatomical Region-Specific Transcriptomic Signatures and the Role of Epithelial Cells in Pterygium Inflammation: A Multi-Omics Analysis
Authors: Song Chaerim , Myung Seokho , Cho Hanseul , Kim Tae Gi , Chun Soohyun , Seo Minju , Yu Hyunmin , Kim Seoyeon , Kim Ye-Ah , Kim Junghyun , Shin Jaeyong , Kang Jaheon , Lee Yoonsung , Kang Min Seok , Kim Man S
Published: November 2024

Background

The anatomy of pterygium consists of the head, neck, and body. Prior studies have examined the three parts collectively, yet the treatment methods and their success rates differ based on the anatomical characteristics. In this study, we divide the pterygium tissue into Main (head and neck) and Acc (body) to investigate its pathogenesis across regions.

Purposes

This study aims to understand the pathogenesis and identify potential therapeutic targets of pterygium. Through a robust multi-omics analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from pterygium patients, we focus on the expression of inflammatory and mitochondrial energy pathways and identify potential genes responsible for the upregulated pathways in pterygium.

Methods

We collected bulk RNA-seq data from six pterygium patients and single-cell RNA-seq data from two pterygium patients. We then investigated the pathway enrichment, pathway correlation, differential gene expressions, protein-protein interactions, and cell-cell communications of pterygium.

Results

From the analysis of bulk RNA-seq data, the distribution of sample points from the principal component analysis plot and the pathways enriched from the Gene Ontology analysis showed distinct expression patterns in the Acc group compared to the Main and control groups. This suggested the need to separate the Main and Acc regions within pterygium samples and utilize single-cell RNA-seq data to understand the differences between the Main and control groups that the bulk data could not capture. The annotation of integrated single-cell data revealed a cluster of epithelial cells containing only pterygium samples. Cells from this cluster exhibited significant contributions to the ANGPTL, IL1, and KLK signaling networks in the cell-cell communication analysis. We also observed significant upregulation of the cells in the inflammatory pathways related to integrated stress response and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, both of which showed high correlations with energy metabolism pathways. Significant changes in the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-related genes were also identified.

Conclusion

The different expression patterns between the Main and Acc groups suggest the need to consider different anatomical regions separately in future studies of pterygium. Additionally, the significant role epithelial cells from the Main group play in the inflammation of pterygium presents a potential clinical approach to the disease.
Old age variably impacts chimpanzee engagement and efficiency in stone tool use
Authors: Howard-Spink E , Matsuzawa T , Carvalho S , Hobaiter C , Almeida-Warren K , Gruber T , Biro D
Published: November 2024

We know vanishingly little about how long-lived apes experience senescence in the wild, particularly with respect to their foraging behaviors, which are essential for survival. Some wild apes use tools during foraging and, given the additional cognitive and physical challenges presented by tool use, we predict that such behaviors are at a heightened risk of senescence. However, until the present, longitudinal analysis of the effects of progressive aging on wild ape tool-use behaviors has not been possible due to a lack of available data. In response to this research gap, we sampled data from a longitudinal video archive that contained footage of wild chimpanzees engaging in one of their most complex forms of tool use - the cracking of hard-shelled nuts with hammers and anvil stones, termednut cracking- at an ‘outdoor laboratory’ at Bossou, Guinea. By sampling data over a 17-year period, we describe how progressive old age influences the extent to which wild chimpanzees engage with – and efficiently perform – nut cracking. With increasingly old age, chimpanzees began attending experimental nut cracking sites less frequently than younger individuals. Several elderly chimpanzees exhibited reductions in efficiency across multiple components of nut cracking, including taking more time to select stone tools prior to use, and taking longer to crack open nuts and consume the associated pieces of kernel. Two chimpanzees also began using less streamlined behavioral sequences to crack nuts, including a greater number of actions (such as more numerous strikes of the hammer stone). Most notably, we report interindividual variability in the extent to which tool-use behaviors senesced during aging – ranging from small to profound reductions in tool engagement and efficiency – as well as differences in the specific aspects of nut cracking behaviors which senesced for each individual. We discuss the possible causes of these changes with reference to research into senescence in captive primates, and provide future directions for research of primate aging in both captive and wild settings.
Timing of delamination of inner ear neurons specifies their topography and target innervation
Authors: Saini Surjit Singh , Ladher Raj K.
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The neurons of the inner ear delaminate from a sensorineurogenic epithelium in the ventral part of the otocyst. Delaminated neuroblasts then condense to form the acoustico-vestibular ganglion (AVG). As they differentiate, the neurons connect mechanosensory hair cells (HCs) of the inner ear with their targets in the hindbrain in a precise topographical manner. However, it is unclear how or when positional identities of neurons are specified within the acoustico- vestibular ganglion (AVG), such that topographical information from HCs is maintained into the auditory centres of the brain. Here we find that the time of delamination from the otocyst correlates with neuroblast position in the ganglion. Using markers for neuronal differentiation, we find that the ganglion differentiates from a proximal to distal wave. Neurons that differentiate first innervate the vestibular apparatus, including the lagena and the proximal regions of the BP. Using sequential somatic cell labelling, we find that the central projection also follows a similar dependency on delamination order. Our studies show that the time of delamination of otic neuroblasts presage their target innervation choice and fibre positions within the developing eighth cranial nerve. We suggest that temporal information specifies the spatial identities during early inner ear neuron development.
Engineering de novo binder CAR-T cell therapies with generative AI
Authors: Mergen Markus , Abele Daniela , Koleci Naile , Schmahl Fernandez Alba , Sugden Maya , Holzleitner Noah , Carr Andreas , Rieger Leonie , Leone Valentina , Reichert Maximilian , Laugwitz Karl-Ludwig , Bassermann Florian , Busch Dirk H. , Grünewald Julian , Schmidts Andrea
Published: November 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, with six CAR-T products currently in clinical use1–4. Despite their success, high resistance rates due to antigen escape remain a major challenge5,6. In silico design of de novo binders (DNBs) has the potential to accelerate the development of new binding domains for CAR-T, possibly enabling personalized therapies for cancer resistance7,8. Here, we show that DNBs can be used for CAR-T, targeting clinically relevant cancer antigens. Using a DNB against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), we demonstrate comparable cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion, long-term proliferation, and lysis of primary patient-derived cancer organoids with single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-based and DNB-based CAR-T cells. Moreover, we use generative artificial intelligence (AI) guided binder design with RFdiffusion9to target the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), a key antigen in multiple myeloma treatment10–17. We confirmed the activity of our AI-designed BCMA CAR-T in short- and long-term effector readouts, including a xenograft mouse model of multiple myeloma. Notably, our AI-guided CAR-T approach also successfully targets a mutated BCMA protein variant resistant to the clinically used bispecific antibody teclistamab. In sum, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept for engineering new, bespoke cellular immunotherapies targeting cancer resistance with the help of generative AI. This approach may further accelerate the development of new CAR-T therapies addressing cancer resistance.
Rates of female mouse ultrasonic vocalizations are low and are not modulated by estrous state during interactions with muted males
Authors: Malone Cassidy A. , Ziobro Patryk , Khinno Julia , Tschida Katherine A.
Published: November 2024

Vocalizations produced during courtship can communicate signaler attributes and facilitate mating success. Adult male mice produce high rates of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) during courtship interactions with females. For many decades, it was thought that only males produced courtship USVs, but recent studies using microphone arrays to assign USVs to individual signalers report that female mice produce a portion (5-18%) of total courtship USVs. The factors that regulate courtship USV production by female mice are poorly understood. In this study, we tested the idea that female courtship USV production is regulated by estrous state. To facilitate the detection of female USVs, we paired female subjects with males that were muted for USV production via ablation of midbrain neurons that are required for USV production but not for male sexual motivation. We report that total USVs recorded during interactions between group-housed B6 background female mice and muted males are low and are not modulated by female estrous state. Similar results were obtained for single-housed B6 background females and for single-housed outbred wild-derived female mice paired with muted males. These findings suggest either that female mice produce substantial rates of courtship USVs only when interacting with vocal male partners or that prior studies have overestimated female courtship USV production. Studies employing methods that can unambiguously assign USVs to individual signalers, regardless of inter-mouse distances, are needed to distinguish between these possibilities.
Increased reluctant vesicles underlie synaptic depression by GPR55 in axon terminals of cerebellar Purkinje cells
Authors: Inoshita Takuma , Kawaguchi Shin-ya
Published: November 2024

Control of synaptic transmission efficacy by neuronal activity and neuromodulators is pivotal for brain function. Synaptic suppression by cannabinoids activating CB1 receptors has been extensively studied at the molecular and cellular levels to understand the neuronal basis for symptoms of cannabis intake. Here, we focused on another type of cannabinoid receptor GPR55, which shows sensitivity to cannabidiol, a chemical included in cannabis, aiming to highlight its actions on presynaptic function. Taking advantage of direct patch-clamp recordings from axon terminals of cerebellar Purkinje cells together with fluorescent imaging of vesicular exocytosis using synapto- pHluorin, we show that GPR55 suppresses synaptic transmission as CB1 receptor does, but through a distinct presynaptic modulation of release machinery. Activation of GPR55 reduced transmitter release by changing neither presynaptic action potential waveform nor Ca2+influx, but by making a large population of Ca2+-responsive synaptic vesicles insensitive to Ca2+influx through voltage-gated Ca2+channels, leading to substantial reduction of the readily releasable pool of vesicles. Thus, the present study identifies a unique mechanism to suppress presynaptic transmitter release by atypical receptor for cannabinoid, which would enable subtype-specific modulation of neuronal computation by cannabinoid receptors.
Intuitive physical reasoning is not mediated by linguistic nor exclusively domain-general abstract representations
Authors: Kean Hope , Fung Alexander , Pramod RT , Chomik-Morales Jessica , Kanwisher Nancy , Fedorenko Evelina
Published: November 2024

The ability to reason about the physical world is a critical tool in the human cognitive toolbox, but the nature of the representations that mediate physical reasoning remains debated. Here, we use fMRI to illuminate this question by investigating the relationship between the physical-reasoning system and two well-characterized systems: a) the domain-general Multiple Demand (MD) system, which supports abstract reasoning, including mathematical and logical reasoning, and b) the language system, which supports linguistic computations and has been hypothesized to mediate some forms of thought. We replicate prior findings of a network of frontal and parietal areas that are robustly engaged by physical reasoning and identify an additional physical-reasoning area in the left frontal cortex, which also houses components of the MD and language systems. Critically, direct comparisons with tasks that target the MD and the language systems reveal that the physical-reasoning system overlaps with the MD system, but is dissociable from it in fine-grained activation patterns, which replicates prior work. Moreover, the physical-reasoning system does not overlap with the language system. These results suggest that physical reasoning does not rely on linguistic representations, nor exclusively on the domain-general abstract reasoning that the MD system supports.
Idiosyncratic navigation determines mouse CA1 representational structure in a multicompartment environment
Authors: Pecirno Sergio A. , Keinath Alexandra T.
Published: November 2024

Organisms from mice to humans rely on cognitive maps instantiated by the hippocampal formation to flexibly and efficiently navigate the world. Traditional theories of cognitive mapping posit that these representations encode geometric relationships among their contents, while recent alternative theories propose that they encode the predictive relationships among their contents that the navigator experiences. Here, we leverage longitudinal miniscope calcium imaging of CA1 in mice navigating a multicompartment environment to adjudicate between predictions of these theories. We find that different mice instantiate different representational structures across identical compartments. Within mouse, compartments with more similar navigational patterns on a particular spatiotemporal scale are represented more similarly, accounting for these individual differences. Finally, we demonstrate that manipulating navigational patterns on this scale induces a corresponding change in CA1 representational structure. Together, these results demonstrate that idiosyncratic navigation is a key determinant of hippocampal representational structure, consistent with predictive theories of cognitive mapping.
Coupled aging of cyto- and myeloarchitectonic atlas-informed gray and white matter structural properties
Authors: Hoagey David A. , Pongpipat Ekarin E. , Rodrigue Karen M. , Kennedy Kristen M.
Published: November 2024

A key aspect of brain aging that remains poorly understood is its high regional heterogeneity and heterochronicity. A better understanding of how the structural organization of the brain shapes aging trajectories is needed. Neuroimaging tissue “types” are often collected and analyzed as separate acquisitions, an approach that cannot provide a holistic view of age-related change of the related portions of the neurons (cell bodies and axons). Because neuroimaging can only assess indirect features at the gross macrostructural level, incorporating post-mortem histological information may aid in better understanding of structural aging gradients. Longitudinal design, coupling of gray and white matter (GM, WM) properties, and a biologically informed approach to organizing neural properties are needed. Thus, we tested aging of the regional coupling between GM (cortical thickness, surface area, volume) and WM (fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, and radial diffusivities) structural metrics using linear mixed effects modeling in 102 healthy adults aged 20-94 years old, scanned on two occasions over a four-year period. The association between age-related within-person change in GM morphometry and the diffusion properties of the directly neighboring portion of white matter were assessed, capturing both aspects of neuronal health in one model. Additionally, we parcellated the brain utilizing the histological-staining informed von Economo-Koskinas atlas to consider regional cyto- and myelo-architecture. Results demonstrate several gradients of coupled association in the age-related decline of neighboring white and gray matter. Most notably, gradients of coupling along the heteromodal association to sensory axis were found for several areas (e.g., anterior frontal and lateral temporal cortices, vs pre- and post-central gyrus, occipital, and limbic areas), in line with heterochronicity and retrogenesis theories of aging. Further effort to bridge across data and measurement scales will enhance understanding of the mechanisms of the aging brain.
Possible bound states of heavy baryonium and heavy dibaryon systems
Authors: Qi Jing-Juan , Zhang Zhen-Hua , Guo Xin-Heng , Wang Zhen-Yang
Published: November 2024

In this work, we systematically study the heavy baryonium and heavy dibaryon systems using the Bethe-Salpeter equation in the ladder and instantaneous approximations for the kernel. Our results indicate that all the heavy baryonium systems, specifically ΛQΛ¯Q, ΞQΞ¯Q, ΣQΣ¯Q, ΞQ′Ξ¯Q′, and ΩQΩ¯Q (Q=c, b), can form bound states. Among the heavy dibaryon systems, only the ΞQΞQ system with I=0 and the ΣQΣQ systems with I=0 and I=1 can exist as bound states. Additionally, the ΣQΣ¯Q system with I=2 and the ΣQΣQ system with I=1 are not deeply bound.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Exotic particles at the DUNE near detector from charged pion scattering
Authors: Forbes Diana , Kahn Yonatan , Nguyen Rachel
Published: November 2024

Fixed-target proton-beam experiments produce a multitude of charged pions that rescatter in the beam dump. These charged pion scattering events can be an additional irreducible source of exotic particles which couple to photons or hadrons. We analyze the sensitivity of the DUNE near detector complex to millicharged particles (MCPs) and heavy axionlike particles (ALPs) with low-energy couplings to gluons. Using the framework of chiral perturbation theory, we demonstrate regimes of parameter space where the charged pion production channel dominates over previously considered production mechanisms for both MCPs and ALPs, thereby improving the sensitivity of DUNE to these new particles compared to previous studies.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Hadronic decay of exotic mesons consisting of four charm quarks
Authors: Zhang Hong-Fei , Mo Xue-Mei , Yan Yu-Peng
Published: November 2024

In 2020, a di-J/ψ resonance centered at around 6.9 GeV was discovered by the LHCb Collaboration and was later confirmed by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations. In addition to the 6.9-GeV resonance, its low-energy counterpart centered at around 6552 MeV was also observed by the CMS Collaboration. They are generally considered as fully charm tetraquarks. In this paper, we calculate the inclusive decay width of molecules composed of two J/ψ’s and genuine fully charm tetraquarks into light hadrons and into open charms, respectively. Assuming them as S-wave states, we consider all possible spin configurations, namely, spin-0 and spin-2, that decay exclusively into double J/ψ, and find that the ratio (R) of the decay width for the light-hadron final states to that for the charmed final states differs significantly among different spin configurations, which can help to explore the nature of the observed di-J/ψ resonances.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Encoding the lattice in the holography
Authors: Yuk Taewon , Sin Sang-Jin
Published: November 2024

One of the most wanted features of holography in its condensed matter physics application is to encode the structure of lattice, which is the most direct data of the material. In this paper, we propose a method to encode the lattice structure by embedding the tight binding data into the Dirac equation in the anti–de Sitter bulk. We explicitly worked out the idea for the graphene and Haldane models, and the result shows that some degrees of freedom escape the free-electron on-shell curve, and Green’s function loses the pole structure completely. It implies that the electronic structure is not described by the band structure only, which is consistent with what many angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy data tell us, and it also implies that the system is in non-Fermi liquid even for the graphene, which is consistent with recent experiments for the clean graphene.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Nucleon axial radius
Authors: Chen Yi , Li Yang , Lorcé Cédric , Wang Qun
Published: November 2024

We present the first systematic study of the relativistic axial-vector four-current distributions inside a nucleon. We show in particular that the slope of the axial form factor GA(Q2) in the forward limit—conventionally denoted as RA2 in the literature—does not represent the three-dimensional mean-square axial radius in the Breit frame, but corresponds instead to a contribution to the mean-square spin radius. We derive explicit expressions for the latter in different frames and find in general additional contributions that depend on both the nucleon mass and the forward values of the axial-vector form factors GA(0) and GP(0). This provides an additional key motivation for ongoing lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations and future experimental measurements of the induced pseudoscalar form factor GP(Q2).

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
From Chaos to Integrability in Double Scaled Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev Model via a Chord Path Integral
Authors: Berkooz Micha , Brukner Nadav , Jia Yiyang , Mamroud Ohad
Published: November 2024

We study thermodynamic phase transitions between integrable and chaotic dynamics. We do so by analyzing models that interpolate between the chaotic double scaled Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) and the integrable p-spin systems, in a limit where they are described by chord diagrams. We develop a path integral formalism by coarse graining over the diagrams, which we use to argue that the system has two distinct phases: one is continuously connected to the chaotic system, and the other to the integrable. They are separated by a line of first order transition that ends at some finite temperature.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
A diffusion of innovation (DOI) analysis of 3D food printing adoption among food sector early adopters
Authors: Guaqueta-Garcia Daniela Juliana , Wolodko John , Wismer Wendy
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Research on 3DFP has focused on technical developments and consumer acceptance, but the practical implications of adopting this technology from industry perspectives across food sectors are underexplored. This study aimed to uncover factors influencing 3DFP adoption and the prospects of this technology by interviewing food businesses using 3DFP in different food sectors around the globe.

Design/methodology/approach

The Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) model, a process-oriented adoption approach, was utilized to understand the technological, adopter and social factors influencing 3DFP adoption in food businesses.

Findings

Decisions to adopt 3DFP hinged on technology compatibility with business needs, adopters’ innovation and technology interests and perceived public interest. Early adoption cases revealed 3DFP benefits over conventional technologies in improved product design, customization, food versatility, convenience and sustainability. Interconnected barriers to adoption included high investment costs, limited technology capacity, negative consumer perception and a low adoption rate by large companies. Proposed barrier solutions by businesses encompassed improving technology scalability and leveraging food and technology familiarity alongside alternative technology labelling to increase visibility and interest by large companies and consumers.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study assessing the determinants of early adopting 3DFP, covering perspectives from different food sectors and using the DOI model. The study’s insights are valuable for food industry stakeholders: policymakers, industry leaders, food businesses and researchers. It can guide subsequent adopters’ decision-making and inform future research on technical, social and business aspects to enhance adoption in the promissory food sectors for 3DFP such as protein alternatives.
Rich and fat? Isolating the causal effect of obesity on income among Chinese rural residents by Mendelian randomization
Authors: Xu Wenyan , Zhao Qiran , Si Wei , Zhu Chen
Published: November 2024

Purpose

While the adverse health consequences of obesity are well-documented, the causal effect between obesity and economic outcomes, particularly individual income in the labor market, has yielded inconsistent findings. At the same time, China has the highest number of obese or overweight people around the world in recent years. However, limited research has examined the causal effect of obesity on Chinese rural residents’ income. To answer this question, our study aims to identify the causal impact of obesity on Chinese rural residents.

Design/methodology/approach

First, we conduct ordinary least squares, instrumental variable and Mendelian randomization methods to evaluate the impact of obesity on Chinese rural residents’ income. Then, we employ quantile regression and instrumental variable quantile regression to investigate the potential distributional impacts of obesity across various income segments. For the generality of our results, we also use 485,849 samples from the UK Biobank and the two-sample Mendelian randomization method to analyze.

Findings

Our one-sample Mendelian randomization analysis, based on a sample of 441 people collected from rural China in 2019 and 2021, revealed that obesity reduced residents’ annual income by 647.87 China Yuan. Results from the UK further support our findings. We also find that the adverse causal impact of obesity on income is significant in individuals within the above 50th percentile of the income distribution. Additionally, childhood obesity has a long-term adverse effect on income in adulthood.

Research limitations/implications

These results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the economic costs of obesity. Weight penalties may lead to a deviation from the efficiency that should be pursued in the labor market and widen income disparity.

Originality/value

We provide novel and robust instrumental variables and utilize the Mendelian randomization method to analyze the effect of obesity on Chinese rural residents.
CEO trustworthiness and investment efficiency: evidence from China
Authors: Ullah Irfan , Shah Syed Hamid Ali , Zeb Aurang
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of chief executive officer (CEO) trustworthiness on firm investment efficiency and explores how this relationship varies in different contexts, including product market competition (PMC), institutional investors, media coverage, analyst monitoring and ownership structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examined a sample of A-Share non-financial firms listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2005–2018 by using panel date regression techniques. The robustness of the findings is affirmed through alternative measures of investment efficiency and various econometric techniques. Further, various endogeneity tests are conducted to confirm that the findings are not affected by potential bias.

Findings

The authors find a significant positive effect of CEO trustworthiness on firms’ investment efficiency and exhibit that CEO trustworthiness mitigates the issue of underinvestment rather than overinvestment. Further, PMC strengthens the association between CEO trustworthiness and investment efficiency. The influence is more pronounced when institutional investors, media and analyst monitoring are low and in non state-owned firms. Likewise, financial reporting quality is found to be an underlying mechanism for the positive association between CEO trustworthiness and investment efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

The reliance on a location-specific index of CEO trustworthiness may obscure its true nature, and caution is warranted when generalizing these results to other regions.

Practical implications

This study suggests that elevating a trustworthy CEO to the firm upper echelon can improve investment efficiency. Policymakers and investors should recognize and leverage the effect of CEO trustworthiness in firms, especially those with weaker governance structures.

Originality/value

This study enriches the literature about investment efficiency by introducing a novel determinant, CEO trustworthiness and establishes that it acts as an informal social institution that improves firms’ resource utilization in emerging economies with weak governing structures.
ISRO: moving heaven and earth to put humans in space
Authors: Ghosal Debraj , Krishna Malay
Published: November 2024

Learning outcomes

This case study can be used to highlight aspects of classic strategic management, such as industry analysis as well as cost leadership strategy, in the context of the space industry. After working through the case study and assignment questions, the students will be able to identify industry dynamics in a high-tech industry (space), examine the strategy of a focal organisation, in light of external and internal factors, evaluate the decision-making process behind adopting new technology and whether the strategic motivations for competing with global players are justified and develop recommendations to help an organisation in achieving its strategic goals.

Case overview/synopsis

This case study outlines the remarkable success of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as well as the formidable challenges facing its chairperson, S. Somanath. While Somanath could point to major recent successes – ISRO’s picture perfect landing near the moon’s south pole, and successful deployment of a solar probe – he could also see two formidable missions ahead. First, there was Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight, which had already slipped its launch schedule a couple of times. Second was the mission to establish a space station by 2035. The first mission had been plagued by delays due to the long process of developing technology indigenously, as international technology transfer at an affordable price was not forthcoming. The second mission required ISRO to develop an ability to keep humans in space indefinitely, which again required acquisition of new technology. In addition, ISRO’s service of launching satellites in low Earth orbit was threatened by SpaceX, which delivered similar service at a much lower cost due to a new reusable rocket technology. In response to the new challenges, Somanath had accelerated collaboration with Indian private sector companies, including start-ups. The goal was to outsource and expand ISRO’s rocket development and launch capability. While the outsourcing might free up ISRO’s capacity, the technology and knowhow development required would still take a while to develop from scratch. Hence, Somanath (and learners) need to consider: What other strategic options might ISRO consider to adapt to the dynamics of the space economy?

Complexity academic level

This case study is suitable for courses in MBA/Masters.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Blockchain-enabled value creation for circular supply chain in the tyre industry
Authors: Modgil Sachin , Singh Rohit Kumar
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Made-in-India tyres are rapidly integrating into global supply chains due to a globally coordinated regulatory environment and aspiring for value creation and contribution to circularity. However, it is not clear what are the constituent components of emerging technologies like blockchain that can facilitate value creation and how they are associated. Therefore, this study intends to explore the elements of blockchain technology and how they create value to bring circularity to a tyre supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a survey-based quantitative methodology to test the theoretical framework of blockchain-enabled circular supply chains using non-parametric regression analysis. A total of 307 responses from India-based supply chain professionals’ data were collected from September 2022 to January 2023 to perform non-parametric regression analysis.

Findings

The results indicated that blockchain could improve visibility and accessibility by having value-creation capabilities of data collection, monitoring, processing and analysis to facilitate the circular tyre supply chain which focuses on recycling, reusing, reducing and rethinking initiatives. Further, accessibility contributes more than visibility to creating value toward a blockchain-enabled tyre circular supply chain.

Originality/value

First, this study employs a grounded theory-driven approach in identifying and testing a framework through hierarchical regression. This study identifies the role of blockchain technology in unfolding visibility and accessibility towards value creation, enhancing circularity in the supply chains in complex and critical industries such as tyres in India and across the globe.
Does CEO age matter in auditor choice and audit pricing? The role of CEO dominance
Authors: Ferdous Lutfa Tilat , Bose Sudipta , Shams Syed , Azizkhani Masoud
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study examines the impact of the age of the chief executive officer (CEO) on the demand for audit quality, as reflected in auditor choice and audit fees. Furthermore, the study investigates whether CEO dominance moderates the association between CEO age, auditor choice and audit fees.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 14,066 firm-year observations from 2000 to 2017, the study employs logistic regression and ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions to estimate the research models. The study also employs various techniques to address the endogeneity issue in the findings.

Findings

Using industry specialist auditors and brand name (Big 4) auditors as proxies, the study finds that firms with older CEOs are more likely to appoint higher-quality auditors. The study also finds that firms with older CEOs pay higher audit fees than firms with younger CEOs, which is likely to be due to increased demand for higher-quality audits and to risk aversion among older CEOs. In addition, the study finds that CEO dominance attenuates the positive association of CEO age with auditor choice and audit fees. The findings are found to be robust in our analyses, which address the endogeneity issue with firm fixed effects, two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression and entropy balancing. In addition, the study provides evidence that the positive association between CEO age and audit pricing persists when firms replace younger CEOs with older CEOs.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s findings suggest that the United States (US) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) may need to be more cautious when monitoring financial statements from firms with younger CEOs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a growing stream of research investigating the links between managers’ idiosyncratic age differences and the quality of financial reporting and corporate decisions.
Understanding users’ trust transfer mechanism in food delivery apps
Authors: Mai Xuan Tai , Nguyen Trang
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Drawing upon the trust transfer theory and IS success model, this study investigates the transfer mechanism and the antecedents of trust to the platform and trust to a food vendor in the FDA, which subsequently affect users’ behavioral intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection was carried out through an online questionnaire via the Prolific platform. Respondents were exclusively selected from Uber Eats users in the US market due to the popularity of this food delivery app and the volume of food delivery transactions in this country.

Findings

The findings confirmed the trust transfer between trust in the platform and trust in the food vendor, ultimately contributing to users’ continuance usage intention and purchase intention. Our empirical results also show that system quality and service quality lead to trust-in-platform, while product presentation richness, vendor reputation and social referrals enhance trust in food vendors.

Practical implications

The results offer valuable insights for FDA providers and food vendors to offer better user experiences to foster trust, enhance purchase intention and retain their commitment to the platform.

Originality/value

Unlike past research in an e-commerce context that mainly concentrates on the role of trust in general or trust in the platform, this study expands the understanding of trust-related research by exploring the predictors and consequences of both trust toward the platform and trust toward the vendors in the FDA settings.