bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large circulation of a novel vesiculovirus in bats in the Mediterranean region
Authors: Luo Dong-Sheng , Harazim Markéta , Maufrais Corinne , Bonas Simon , Martinkova Natalia , Lalis Aude , Nakouné Emmanuel , Adjogoua Edgard Valéry , Douno Mory , Kadjo Blaise , López-Roig Marc , Pikula Jiri , Shi Zheng-Li , Bourhy Hervé , Serra-Cobo Jordi , Dacheux Laurent
Published: April 2024

Bats are the natural reservoirs of a variety of emerging or re-emerging viruses. Among them, rabies virus (genusLyssavirus, familyRhabdoviridae) is of the first and most iconic described in these animals. Since its first description, various new bat lyssaviruses have been regularly described. Apart from lyssaviruses, other bat rhabdoviruses have been also identified, including members of theVesiculovirus,Ledantevirusand more recentlyAlphanemrhavirusandTupavirusgenera. However, the familyRhabdoviridaeis one of the most abundant and diverse viral families, with 318 officially recognized species divided into 3 subfamilies and 46 different genera. Thus, the number of bat- associated rhabdoviruses is probably higher.

In this study, we first developed and validated a combined nested RT-qPCR technique (pan-rhabdo RT-nqPCR) dedicated to the broad detection of animal rhabdovirus. After validation, this technique was used for a large retrospective screening of archival bat samples (n= 1962), including blood (n= 816), brain (n= 723) and saliva (n= 423). These samples were collected from various bat species over a period of 12 years (2007-2019) in 9 different countries in Europe and Africa. A total of 23 samples (1.2%) fromMiniopterus schreibersii,Rhinolophus euryaleandRhinolophus ferrumequinumbat species was found positive for rhabdovirus infection, including 17 (2.1%) blood and 6 (1.4%) saliva samples, all collected from bats originated from the Mediterranean region.

The complete virus genome sequences were obtained by next-generation sequencing for most of the positive samples. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of these sequences demonstrated that these virus isolates, named Mediterranean bat virus (MBV), were closely related, and represented a new speciesVesiculovirus mediterraneanwithin theVesiculovirusgenus. MBV was more specifically related to the other bat vesiculoviruses previously described in China and North America, together clustering into a distinct group of bat viruses within this genus. Interestingly, our results suggest that MBV is widely distributed, at least in the West part of the Mediterranean region, where it can act as an arbovirus infecting and circulating in multiple bat species. These findings expand the host range and the viral diversity of bat vesiculoviruses and pave the way for further investigations to determine the route of transmission and the dynamic of diffusion of these viruses into bat colonies, as well as to evaluate their potential hazard for public health.
Parallel-plate avalanche counters for heavy-ion beam tracking: History and mysteries
Authors: Di Carlo Salvatore , Cortesi Marco
Published: April 2024

Despite being an old detector concept, position-sensitive parallel-plate avalanche counters (PPACs) remain widely used today for heavy-ion position and timing measurements. In modern rare isotope beam facilities and large-acceptance fragment separators, PPACs are used to characterize beam properties (diagnostics), facilitate beam delivery (tuning), and provide event-by-event beam tracking for particle identification (PID). Most popular particle localization methods in PPAC detectors are based on strip electrodes electrically connected to resistive-chain circuits or delay lines. More exotic systems include optical readouts based on recording electroluminescence light with high-granularity photodetector arrays or high-resolution resistive anode electrodes. PPACs with conventional resistive-chain or delay-line readouts achieve typical position and time resolutions of below 1 mm (σ) and around 150 ps (σ), respectively. In addition, delay-line systems are capable of counting rates above several hundred kHz for beam areas of a few millimeters square, and around 1 MHz for larger beam sizes. Resistive-chain readouts have limited rates of a few tens of kHz. A review of the operation principles and performance of PPAC detectors is presented in this paper. We will discuss decades-long experience building and operating PPACs developed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, and then refined at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), mostly focusing on the delay-line readout technique (DLPPAC). We will also discuss problems that arise due to electric discharges at high rates and briefly describe ongoing developments at FRIB.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Medium-induced photon bremsstrahlung in neutrino-nucleus, antineutrino-nucleus, and electron-nucleus scattering from multiple QED interactions
Authors: Tomalak Oleksandr , Vitev Ivan
Published: April 2024

Interactions of charged leptons with nuclei and the naive tree-level kinematics of these processes are affected by radiation of photons induced by the QED nuclear medium. We evaluate cross section modifications at leading orders of the number of correlated interactions inside the nucleus, known as the opacity expansion. We derive results for soft and collinear types of the bremsstrahlung at the first three orders in opacity and generalize them to higher orders. We present the leading in opacity energy spectra of soft and collinear photons and radiative energy loss inside the nucleus for experiments with lepton kinematics in the GeV energy range. At leading power of the Glauber soft-collinear effective field theory, the soft radiation is further resummed to all orders both in opacity and in the electromagnetic coupling constant. We find that the soft and collinear medium-induced radiation is vacuumlike, and additional corrections are power suppressed. Despite the negligible modification to the induced photon spectra, the nuclear medium-induced radiation sizably affects the broadening of charged leptons in the direction orthogonal to their propagation.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Oscillons in gapless theories
Authors: Dorey P. , Romańczukiewicz T. , Shnir Y. , Wereszczyński A.
Published: April 2024

We show that large scale oscillons, i.e., quasiperiodic, long-living particlelike solutions, may exist in massless theories, too. Their existence is explained using an effective (smeared) mass threshold which takes into account nonlinear (finite) perturbations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Closed-Form Propagator of the Calogero Model
Authors: Melin Valdemar , Langmann Edwin
Published: April 2024

We present a generalization of the Mehler kernel, providing the exact analytic time evolution of the Calogero model that describes bosons or fermions propagating on the real line with inverse-square two-body interactions and harmonic confinement. The key to our result is a simple relation between the exact propagator of the Calogero model and a Baker-Akhiezer function, together with explicit combinatorial formulas for the latter function.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Unveiling defect-related Raman modes of topological phononic
β−MoB2
single crystal via angle-resolved polarized Raman spectra
Authors: Cheng Ming , Lv Run , Luo Xuan , Jiang Zhongzhu , Wang Wei , Wang Tianyang , Liu Lanxin , Zhou Nan , Zhang Ranran , Song Wenhai , Lu Wenjian , Sun Yuping
Published: April 2024

As a rare topological phonon material, β−MoB2 exhibits superconductivity (SC) and undergoes structural transitions when subjected to pressure or doping. This unique property makes it an intriguing platform for investigating the interplay of diverse quantum order. However, the current understanding of phonons in this material remains limited. Therefore, in this study, we employ a combination of Raman scattering and first-principle calculations to investigate the phonon properties of β−MoB2. Several noteworthy observations were made during the study. (1) We identified five Raman-active modes (3A1g+2Eg) and two abnormal modes in β−MoB2. The authenticity of the five Raman-active modes was further confirmed through angle-resolved polarized Raman spectra (ARPRS) measurements and theoretical calculations. (2) We found that all Raman spectra obtained at various temperatures exhibited symmetric Lorentzian profiles. This finding implies a weak electron-phonon coupling (EPC) strength in β−MoB2. We calculated the EPC strength λ of bulk β−MoB2 to be 0.37, which is significantly lower than 1.71 of superconducting α−MoB2. (3) Based on ARPRS measurements and the phonon dispersion, we attributed the origin of the two abnormal modes to structural distortions with regard to B atom layers of β−MoB2. This research provides a foundation for exploring the relationship between defect structures and various intriguing physical phenomena observed in β−MoB2.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Hayden-Preskill recovery in Hamiltonian systems
Authors: Nakata Yoshifumi , Tezuka Masaki
Published: April 2024

Information scrambling refers to the unitary dynamics that quickly spreads and encodes localized quantum information over an entire many-body system and makes the information accessible from any small subsystem. While information scrambling is the key to understanding complex quantum many-body dynamics and is well-understood in random unitary models, it has been hardly explored in Hamiltonian systems. In this Letter, we investigate the information recovery in various time-independent Hamiltonian systems, including chaotic spin chains and Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev models. We show that information recovery is possible in certain, but not all, chaotic models, which highlights the difference between information recovery and quantum chaos based on the energy spectrum or the out-of-time-ordered correlators. We also show that information recovery probes transitions caused by the change of information-theoretic features of the dynamics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Supercurrent noise in a phase-biased superconductor-normal ring in thermal equilibrium
Authors: Dou Ziwei , Ballu Xavier , Dong Quan , Jin Yong , Deblock Richard , Autier-Laurent Sandrine , Guéron Sophie , Bouchiat Hélène , Ferrier Meydi
Published: April 2024

In superconductor-normal-superconductor (SNS) junctions, supercurrent is mediated via Andreev bound states (ABSs) controlled by the phase difference between the two superconductors. Theory has long predicted significant noise of such supercurrent in equilibrium, due to thermal excitation between the ABSs. Via the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT), this leads to a finite dissipative conductance that coexists with the supercurrent but is hidden in dc measurement. Here, we directly measure the supercurrent noise at radio frequency in a phase-biased SNS ring inductively coupled to a superconducting resonator. We also measure the admittance of the same system whose real part is the dissipative conductance, and quantitatively verify the FDT relation of the SNS ring. The dissipative conductance shows a 1/T temperature dependence, in contrast to the Drude conductance of an unproximitized metal. Using linear response theory, we attribute this behavior to the enhanced current correlations due to the electron-hole symmetry imposed by the proximity effect. Our results reveal the commonly overlooked role of thermal fluctuations in superconducting hybrid systems and other mesoscopic or quantum material systems with large orbital susceptibility.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
On-Demand Driven Dissipation for Cavity Reset and Cooling
Authors: Maurya Vivek , Zhang Haimeng , Kowsari Daria , Kuo Andre , Hartsell Darian M. , Miyamoto Clark , Liu Jocelyn , Shanto Sadman , Vlachos Evangelos , Zarassi Azarin , Murch Kater W. , Levenson-Falk Eli M.
Published: April 2024

We present a superconducting circuit device that provides active, on-demand, tunable dissipation on a target mode of the electromagnetic field. Our device is based on a tunable “dissipator” that can be made lossy when tuned into resonance with a broadband filter mode. When driven parametrically, this dissipator induces loss on any mode coupled to it with energy detuning equal to the drive frequency. We demonstrate the use of this device to reset a superconducting qubit’s readout cavity after a measurement, removing photons with a characteristic rate greater than 50μs−1. We also demonstrate that the dissipation can be driven constantly to simultaneously damp and cool the cavity, effectively eliminating thermal photon fluctuations as a relevant decoherence channel. Our results demonstrate the utility of our device as a modular tool for environmental engineering and entropy removal in circuit quantum electrodynamics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
KINNTREX: a neural network to unveil protein mechanisms from time-resolved X-ray crystallography
Authors: Biener Gabriel , Malla Tek Narsingh , Schwander Peter , Schmidt Marius
Published: April 2024

Here, a machine-learning method based on a kinetically informed neural network (NN) is introduced. The proposed method is designed to analyze a time series of difference electron-density maps from a time-resolved X-ray crystallographic experiment. The method is named KINNTREX (kinetics-informed NN for time-resolved X-ray crystallography). To validate KINNTREX, multiple realistic scenarios were simulated with increasing levels of complexity. For the simulations, time-resolved X-ray data were generated that mimic data collected from the photocycle of the photoactive yellow protein. KINNTREX only requires the number of intermediates and approximate relaxation times (both obtained from a singular valued decomposition) and does not require an assumption of a candidate mechanism. It successfully predicts a consistent chemical kinetic mechanism, together with difference electron-density maps of the intermediates that appear during the reaction. These features make KINNTREX attractive for tackling a wide range of biomolecular questions. In addition, the versatility of KINNTREX can inspire more NN-based applications to time-resolved data from biological macromolecules obtained by other methods.
Synthesis, crystal structure and anticancer activity of the complex chlorido(η2-ethylene)(quinolin-8-olato-κ2
N,O)platinum(II) by experimental and theoretical methods
Authors: Chi Nguyen Thi Thanh , Tuan Cuong Ngo , Thu Trang Tran , Van Thong Pham , Linh Nguyen Thi Bang , Ly Nguyen Thi Khanh , Van Meervelt Luc
Published: April 2024

The complex [Pt(C9H6NO)Cl(C2H4)], (I), was synthesized and structurally characterized by ESI mass spectrometry, IR, NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the deprotonated 8-hydroxyquinoline (C9H6NO) coordinates with the PtII atom via the N and O atoms while the ethylene coordinates in the η2 manner and in the trans position compared to the coordinating N atom. The crystal packing is characterized by C—H...O, C—H...π, Cl...π and Pt...π interactions. Complex (I) showed high selective activity against Lu-1 and Hep-G2 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.8 and 0.4 µM, respectively, 54 and 33-fold more active than cisplatin. In particular, complex (I) is about 10 times less toxic to normal cells (HEK-293) than cancer cells Lu-1 and Hep-G2. Furthermore, the reaction of complex (I) with guanine at the N7 position was proposed and investigated using the DFT method. The results indicated that replacement of the ethylene ligand with guanine is thermodynamically more favorable than the Cl ligand and that the reaction occurs via two consecutive steps, namely the replacement of ethylene with H2O and the water with the guanine molecule.
An information flow field model for human–machine interaction
Authors: Wu Qiuqi , Sun Youchao , Xu Man
Published: April 2024

Purpose

About 70% of all aircraft accidents are caused by human–machine interaction, thus identifying and quantifying performance shaping factors is a significant challenge in the study of human reliability. An information flow field model of human–machine interaction is put forward to help better pinpoint the factors influencing performance and to make up for the lack of a model of information flow and feedback processes in the aircraft cockpit. To enhance the efficacy of the human–machine interaction, this paper aims to examine the important coupling factors in the system using the findings of the simulation.

Design/methodology/approach

The performance-shaping factors were retrieved from the model, which was created to thoroughly describe the information flow. The coupling degree between the performance shaping factors was calculated, and simulation and sensitivity analysis are based on system dynamics.

Findings

The results show that the efficacy of human–computer interaction is significantly influenced by individual important factors and coupling factors. To decrease the frequency of accidents after seven hours, attention should be paid to these factors.

Originality/value

The novelty of this work lies in proposing a theoretical model of cockpit information flow and using system dynamics to analyse the effect of the factors in the human–machine loop on human–machine efficacy.
Exploring insect-based food consumption experiences and their consequences in a mature entomophagous community
Authors: Liu Yunyao , Kim Seongseop (Sam)
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To generate the measurement instrument seven steps were implemented. A total of 819 questionnaires were collected in Yunnan Province, China, where it has long tradition of eating insects.

Design/methodology/approach

This study aims to explore the influences of the multidimensional benefits of consuming insect-based food on its consequences. Food neophilia and hedonic motivation are used as moderating variables.

Findings

Health, nutritional value, taste and cultural domains effectively explained consumers’ attitudes toward insect-based food, food consumption value, satisfaction, subjective well-being, loyalty to the restaurant and community attachment. Food neophilia and hedonic motivation partially moderated the relationships between the proposed constructs.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides a conceptual model for exploring insect-based food consumption experiences and offers a useful guideline for developing and designing marketing strategies for stakeholders in the food and restaurant industry.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies examining the benefits of consuming insect-based food from the perspective of consumers.
What drives the real estate market? Could behavioral indicators be useful in house pricing models?
Authors: Vasileiou Evangelos , Hadad Elroi , Melekos Georgios
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to examine the determinants of the Greek house market during the period 2006–2022 using not only economic variables but also behavioral variables, taking advantage of available information on the volume of Google searches. In order to quantify the behavioral variables, we implement a Python code using the Pytrends 4.9.2 library.

Design/methodology/approach

In our study, we assert that models relying solely on economic variables, such as GDP growth, mortgage interest rates and inflation, may lack precision compared to those that integrate behavioral indicators. Recognizing the importance of behavioral insights, we incorporate Google Trends data as a key behavioral indicator, aiming to enhance our understanding of market dynamics by capturing online interest in Greek real estate through searches related to house prices, sales and related topics. To quantify our behavioral indicators, we utilize a Python code leveraging Pytrends, enabling us to extract relevant queries for global and local searches. We employ the EGARCH(1,1) model on the Greek house price index, testing several macroeconomic variables alongside our Google Trends indexes to explain housing returns.

Findings

Our findings show that in some cases the relationship between economic variables, such as inflation and mortgage rates, and house prices is not always consistent with the theory because we should highlight the special conditions of the examined country. The country of our sample, Greece, presents the special case of a country with severe sovereign debt issues, which at the same time has the privilege to have a strong currency and the support and the obligations of being an EU/EMU member.

Practical implications

The results suggest that Google Trends can be a valuable tool for academics and practitioners in order to understand what drives house prices. However, further research should be carried out on this topic, for example, causality relationships, to gain deeper insight into the possibilities and limitations of using such tools in analyzing housing market trends.

Originality/value

This is the first paper, to the best of our knowledge, that examines the benefits of Google Trends in studying the Greek house market.
A clothing pattern generating framework based on scanned human body model
Authors: Xiao Boxiang , Liu Zhengdong , Shi Jia , Wang Yuanxia
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Accurate and automatic clothing pattern making is very important in personalized clothing customization and virtual fitting room applications. Clothing pattern generating as well as virtual clothing simulation is an attractive research issue both in clothing industry and computer graphics.

Design/methodology/approach

Physics-based method is an effective way to model dynamic process and generate realistic clothing animation. Due to conceptual simplicity and computational speed, mass-spring model is frequently used to simulate deformable and soft objects follow the natural physical rules. We present a physics-based clothing pattern generating framework by using scanned human body model. After giving a scanned human body model, first, we extract feature points, planes and curves on the 3D model by geometric analysis, and then, we construct a remeshed surface which has been formatted to connected quad meshes. Second, for each clothing piece in 3D, we construct a mass-spring model with same topological structures, and conduct a typical time integration algorithm to the mass-spring model. Finally, we get the convergent clothing pieces in 2D of all clothing parts, and we reconnected parts which are adjacent on 3D model to generate the basic clothing pattern.

Findings

The results show that the presented method is a feasible way for clothing pattern generating by use of scanned human body model.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this work is twofold: one is the geometric algorithm to scanned human body model, which is specially conducted for clothing pattern design to extract feature points, planes and curves. This is the crucial base for suit clothing pattern generating. Another is the physics-based pattern generating algorithm which flattens the 3D shape to 2D shape of cloth pattern pieces.
Corporate–NGO collaboration and CSR disclosure – the moderating role of corporate profitability
Authors: Ali Waris , Frynas J. George , Wilson Jeffrey
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This research investigates the influence of corporate–NGO collaborations on corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure measured in three different ways (i.e. extent, level and quality) in low-income developing economies. Additionally, it examines the moderating effect of corporate profitability in the relationship between corporate–NGO collaborations and CSR disclosure.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses multivariate regression analysis based on data collected from 201 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE).

Findings

The findings reveal that corporations with NGO partnerships are more likely to disclose CSR information and provide high-quality information regarding workers, the environment and community-related issues. Further, corporate profitability positively moderates the corporate–NGO collaborations and CSR disclosure relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Research limitations are presented in the conclusion section.

Practical implications

The findings underline the crucial significance of NGOs and their associated normative isomorphism logics for CSR disclosure in low-income countries with weak law enforcement and relatively ineffective state institutions, which were previously believed to lack such institutions.

Originality/value

While some research has suggested that companies in developing countries perceive significant pressure from NGOs to adopt social disclosure, no study has specifically explored how internally driven corporate–NGO collaboration (as opposed to external NGO activist pressures) promotes CSR disclosure specifically in developing economies.
Effectiveness of internal auditing from the lens of internal audit factors: empirical findings from the banking sector of Bangladesh
Authors: Khanam Zobaida
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to assess the impact of determinants on the effectiveness of internal audit (IA) within the banking industry of Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was obtained through 152 survey questionnaires from a total of 43 privately owned and six state-owned commercial banks in Bangladesh. The analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that the independence of internal auditors and the quality of IA substantially impact enhancing the efficiency of IA. On the other hand, the competence of internal auditors and management support in IA functions do not significantly impact the effectiveness of IA.

Practical implications

The study’s findings may have significant policy implications for the government, regulators, internal auditors, management committees and other stakeholders in establishing programmes to enhance the efficacy of IA as a component of banking audit management reforms.

Originality/value

This study makes three distinct contributions to the existing literature. Firstly, previous literature focused on the determinants affecting the external audit efficiency of the public companies and banking sectors in Bangladesh (Hasan, 2018; M. M. U. Reza, 2021). In this study, the author enhances the research by presenting empirical findings on the IA effectiveness of banks. Secondly, the author expands the research by incorporating both private and state-owned commercial banks as samples. Thirdly, the study is unique given that it investigates the effectiveness of IA in response to the recent financial scandals in the banking industry of Bangladesh (The Daily Star, 2023).
CSR perceptions and practices in small hotels in urban cities
Authors: Khodaviren Maryam , Dhar-Bhattacharjee Sunrita
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the perception and practices related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) implemented in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), focussing on small hotels in London.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research design comprising detailed semi-structured interviews was employed with 12 small hotel owner-managers in central London and its outskirts. The study adopts a social constructionist approach to explore CSR perspectives and practices, along with a social capital framework to investigate how CSR is perceived at the individual level and consequently manifested into CSR practices.

Findings

The findings indicate that a small hotel’s implementation of CSR is influenced by long-term versus short-term considerations, as well as socio-economic and socio-political conditions. Individual-level factors, like hoteliers’ CSR conceptualisation and personal and business values, affect CSR adoption in small hotels. Lastly, institutional-level factors, such as ineffective institutional participation and the hotelier’s cultural background against the cosmopolitan context of a big city, have contributed to a muted response to socially responsible issues.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted with a limited sample of 12 participants from small hotels in London and its outskirts, which may limit the generalisability of the findings. Future research could enhance these findings by involving a larger and more diverse group of participants from various urban areas, potentially employing a quantitative research approach for broader applicability. This study’s insights can guide policymakers in educating small business owners on CSR benefits and implementation. It also proposes how governments could encourage sustainable practices among small hotels seeking to enhance their reputation. Moreover, these findings enable small businesses to develop their stakeholder strategies for greater CSR initiatives.

Originality/value

This study integrates social capital theory into investigating CSR in small hotels in London, broadening the literature on CSR perception and integration, particularly in SMEs and the hospitality sector.
An ontology-driven model for hospital equipment maintenance management: a case study
Authors: Titah Mawloud , Bouchaala Mohammed Abdelghani
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to establish an efficient maintenance management system tailored for healthcare facilities, recognizing the crucial role of medical equipment in providing timely and precise patient care.

Design/methodology/approach

The system is designed to function both as an information portal and a decision-support system. A knowledge-based approach is adopted centered on Semantic Web Technologies (SWTs), leveraging a customized ontology model for healthcare facilities’ knowledge capitalization. Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) is integrated to address decision-support aspects, including equipment criticality assessment, maintenance strategies selection and contracting policies assignment. Additionally, Semantic Query-enhanced Web Rule Language (SQWRL) is incorporated to streamline the retrieval of decision-support outcomes and other useful information from the system’s knowledge base. A real-life case study conducted at the University Hospital Center of Oran (Algeria) illustrates the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Findings

Case study results reveal that 40% of processed equipment is highly critical, 40% is of medium criticality, and 20% is of negligible criticality. The system demonstrates significant efficacy in determining optimal maintenance strategies and contracting policies for the equipment, leveraging combined knowledge and data-driven inference. Overall, SWTs showcases substantial potential in addressing maintenance management challenges within healthcare facilities.

Originality/value

An innovative model for healthcare equipment maintenance management is introduced, incorporating ontology, SWRL and SQWRL, and providing efficient data integration, coordinated workflows and data-driven context-aware decisions, while maintaining optimal flexibility and cross-departmental interoperability, which gives it substantial potential for further development.
Why and when is frequent supervisory negative feedback undesirable? The role of trust in supervisor and attribution of supervisor motives
Authors: Guo Wenjing , Jiang Yuan , Zhang Wei , Wang Haizhen
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Research on the effects of feedback frequency has reported mixed findings. To tackle this problem, the current study focuses on specific feedback signs (i.e. negative feedback). By integrating the face management theory and attribution theory, this study examined the mediating effect of trust in supervisors and the moderating effect of employee-attributed performance promotion motives for negative feedback.

Design/methodology/approach

A field study with 176 participants and two supplemental experiments with 143 and 100 participants, respectively, were conducted to test the theoretical model.

Findings

Results revealed that the frequency of supervisory negative feedback negatively influenced employees’ trust in supervisors, which in turn influenced employees’ perceptions of feedback utility and learning performance. These indirect effects can be alleviated when employees have high degrees of performance promotion attribution for supervisor motives.

Originality/value

This research extends feedback research by integrating feedback frequency with a specific sign of feedback and revealing a moderated mediation effect of the negative feedback frequency.
An advanced netnographic framework for analyzing brand community overlap conflicts in the phygital brand community (PBC) environment
Authors: Levy Yann , Sabri Ouidade
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to introduce and define the concept of phygital brand community (PBC). It discusses the potential conflicts that can arise from engaging in multiple PBCs and propose an enriched netnographic methodological approach to explore the role of PBC engagement overlap and its influence on the phygital experience.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a critical analysis of the inherent limitations of netnographic methodological approaches in the context of PBCs, this study develops an enriched netnographic research protocol that accounts for the challenges of engagement overlap among PBCs.

Findings

This study proposes two methods of analysis, namely, “participatory netnography” and “witness netnography,” which are derived from a mixed-methodology approach that integrates elements of netnography.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study underscore the requisite methodological refinements imperative for enhancing netnographic analysis, particularly in its application for a better comprehension of individual behaviors within the realm of PBCs. In pursuit of this objective, the identified adjustments encompass ethical considerations, evaluation methods and their application in a digital milieu, where intricate mechanics and technologies frequently elude conventional methodologies.

Originality/value

In this study, the authors present a novel conceptualization of PBCs, highlighting their role and development, as well as the challenges they pose. To adequately capture the impact of PBC engagement overlap, the authors propose the need for an enriched mixed-methodological approach.
A case of Schnitzler syndrome with unusual immunoglobulin A gammopathy exacerbated by COVID‐19 infection
Authors: Ikuno Yasuaki , Takahashi Toshifumi , Sugiura Shuji , Hayami Takuma , Yamaguchi Akihiko , Fujimoto Noriki
Published: April 2024

Schnitzler syndrome (SchS) is a rare autoinflammatory disease characterized by chronic urticarial rash and monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) or IgG gammopathy. Viruses, including COVID‐19, activate the innate immune system, therefore SchS, in which the innate immune system is improperly activated, is hypothesized to be exacerbated by viral infection. However, there were no reported SchS cases exacerbated by any viral infection. Here, we report a SchS case with an unusual IgA gammopathy manifested and exacerbated by COVID‐19 infection. This report advocates the need for recognizing unusual cases of SchS with monoclonal IgA, and following up on paraprotein like IgA even when it is initially undetectable in cases with SchS symptoms. We also hypothesize that existing autoinflammatory diseases may be exacerbated by COVID‐19 infection in the case of a combination of these diseases.
The influence of the interaction between whey protein and erythritol on protein conformation, interfacial properties and stability
Authors: Zhang Yumeng , Zhang Juan , Shao Junhua , Li Mohan , Yue Xiqing , Xie Aijun
Published: April 2024

This study investigated the impact of erythritol (ERY) on structural and functional properties of whey protein isolate (WPI). FTIR and CD revealed that WPI underwent structural changes, including formation of β‐folds and random coils, upon interaction with 20 mg/mL ERY. SEM showed increased surface roughness of WPI, indicating enhanced protein exposure. Moreover, binding rate exceeded 85%, accompanied by increased surface hydrophobicity. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicated a red shift in fluorescence of WPI and tyrosine (Tyr) residues, altering polarity of Tyr environment due to ERY coordination. Additionally, ERY presence enhanced the functional properties of WPI, including foaming, freeze–thaw stability, rheology and antioxidant activity.
Telling mutualistic and antagonistic ecological networks apart by learning their multiscale structure
Authors: Pichon Benoît , Le Goff Rémy , Morlon Hélène , Perez‐Lamarque Benoît
Published: April 2024

Characterizing and understanding the processes that shape the structure of ecological networks, which represent who interacts with whom in a community, has many implications in ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation. A highly debated question is whether and how the structure of a bipartite ecological network differs between antagonistic (e.g. herbivory) and mutualistic (e.g. pollination) interaction types.

Here, we tackle this question by using a multiscale characterization of network structure, machine learning tools, and a large database of empirical and simulated bipartite networks.

Contrary to previous studies focusing on global structural metrics, such as nestedness and modularity, which concluded that antagonistic and mutualistic networks cannot be told apart from only their structure, we find that they can be told apart by combining a meso‐scale characterization of their structure and supervised machine learning. Motif frequencies appear particularly informative, with an over‐representation of densely connected motifs in antagonistic networks and of motifs with asymmetrical specialization in mutualistic networks. These structural properties can be used to predict the type of interaction with relatively good confidence. Beyond this classical mutualism/antagonism dichotomy, we also find significant structural uniqueness linked to specific ecologies (e.g. pollination, parasitism).

Our results clarify structural differences between antagonistic and mutualistic networks and suggest the investigation of the structural uniqueness of specific ecologies as a promising approach for characterizing interactions beyond the coarse antagonistic/mutualistic dichotomy.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition dysregulation in prostate cancer: Insights from molecular unraveling and epidemiological analyses in Tunisia, North Africa
Authors: Said Rahma , Hernández‐Losa Javier , Haro Rosa Somoza Lopez de , Moline Teresa , Zouari Skander , Blel Ahlem , Rammeh Soumaya , Derouiche Amine , Ouerhani Slah
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The progression of prostate cancer (PCa) has been linked worldwide, including in African populations, to the dysregulation of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods

To clarify the connection among EMT markers, clinicopathological parameters, and epidemiological factors, we analyzed 35 PCa specimens from patients in Tunisia, a country in North Africa, arranged by stages. We also carried out extensive molecular and epidemiological analyses.

Results

Significant dysregulation of EMT genes was found, with an overexpression of ZEB‐1, Twist, Snail‐1, and Vimentin (p < 0.05) and underexpression of E‐cadherin and β‐catenin (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between transcription factors and the mesenchymal marker Vimentin (p < 0.001, r = 0.574; p = 0.029, r = 0.411; and p < 0.001; r = 0.506) according to Spearman correlation analyses, whereas negative correlations were found between epithelial markers (E‐cadherin, β‐catenin) and Vimentin (p < 0.05; r < 0). Higher PSA, Gleason scores, and metastasis were all correlated with the dysregulation of EMT (p < 0.05). Notably, there was a positive correlation between higher consumption of tobacco (≥20 Packets per year) and Vimentin expression (p < 0.001, r = 0.854), suggesting a relationship between smoking and EMT activation in the Tunisian population. Moreover, Twist showed a positive correlation with diabetes (p < 0.001, r = 0.385), whereas no significant correlations were found between EMT markers and comorbidities such as hypertension and coronary insufficiency. These results demonstrate the intricate connection between molecular changes, epidemiological factors, and disease progression, and they emphasize the crucial role that EMT plays in promoting PCa aggressiveness in African populations, particularly in Tunisia.

Conclusion

In summary, understanding these correlations could help develop focused treatment plans and enhance patient outcomes for PCa management in African settings.
Ultrasound and clinical factors predicting central lymph node metastases in patients with unilateral multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Liang Zhenwei , Zhang Jixin , Chen Lei , Liu Jinghua , Wang Fumin , Shao Yuhong , Sun Xiuming , Chen Luzeng
Published: April 2024

Objective

This retrospective study involving a large dataset of unilateral multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma (UM‐PTC) sought to identify factors that predict central lymph node metastases (CLNM) in patients.

Methods

We identified a cohort of 158 patients who underwent cervical ultrasonography followed by UM‐PTC diagnosis based on postoperative pathology. The relationship between CLNM and UM‐PTC clinical ultrasound features was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the ability of total tumor diameter (TTD) to predict CLNM.

Results

Among the 158 UM‐PTC patients, the incidence of CLNM was 29.7% (47/158). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that a number of similarity of sonographic features (NSSF) ≥4 (odds ratio [OR] = 11.335, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.95–32.50,p = 0.000), microcalcifications (OR = 3.54, 95% CI: 1.30–9.70,p = 0.014), a TTD of ≥2 cm (OR = 4.48, 95% CI: 1.62–12.34,p = 0.004), number of nodules ≥3 (OR = 13.17, 95% CI: 3.24–53.52,p = 0.000), and Lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (LLNM) (OR = 5.57, 95% CI: 1.59–19.48,p = 0.007) were independently associated with CLNM in UM‐PTC. ROC curve analysis revealed that the TTD cut‐off of 1.795 cm had a sensitivity of 0.723 and a specificity of 0.676 for predicting CLNM.

Conclusions

Patients with UM‐PTC are at high risk of CLNM. NSSF ≥4, microcalcifications, TTD of ≥2 cm, LLNM, and a number of nodules ≥3 were independently associated with CLNM. Our data show that ultrasound may guide surgical decisions in the treatment of UM‐PTC.
A longitudinal study examining the relationship between prioritization scores and changes in impact on life scores in elective surgery patients
Authors: McCombie Andrew , Bothara Roshit , MacCormick Andrew , Carne Brennan , Hercus Alastair , Eglinton Tim
Published: April 2024

Background

Healthcare systems globally face the issue of resource constraints and need for prioritization of elective surgery. Inclusive, explicit prioritization tools are important in improving consistency and equity of access to surgery across health systems. The General Surgical Prioritization Tool developed by New Zealand's Ministry of Health scores patients for elective non‐cancer surgery based on surgeon's clinical judgement and patient derived Impact on Life (IoL) scores. This study aims to measure the changes in patient derived IoL scores after common general surgical procedures to enable direct comparison and inform future prioritization.

Method

This longitudinal observational study enrolled 322 participants who had undergone elective general surgical procedures. Participants were contacted 3 to 9 months after their procedures and requested to complete the IoL questionnaire. The primary endpoint was the change in IoL scores after surgery among the different procedures.

Results

Overall, 229/304 (75%) participants responded to the questionnaire and there were no significant baseline differences between responders and non‐responders. Patients in the gallbladder treatment group had the greatest improvement in IoL scores. Patients across all ethnic groups had similar changes in IoL scores. Multivariate analysis showed that gallbladder surgery (relative to hernia surgery) and pre‐surgery IoL scores significantly predicted improvement.

Conclusion

The patient reported IoL score recorded at prioritization for surgery all reduced, albeit to varying amounts, after common general surgical procedures. This, combined with the fact that IoL scores predicted post‐operative improvement support their inclusion in prioritization tools in addition to surgeon derived components.
Spatial Theory in Planning Practice? On the Concepts of Space that Made Urban Design a Planning Solution for Segregation in Malmö, Sweden
Authors: Pries Johan
Published: April 2024

Studying the Sorgenfri urban renewal project in the Swedish city of Malmö, this article suggests that a shift in planning documents reflects a new understanding of segregation containing traces of arguments from theoretical debates in geography. This new understanding of segregation appears informed by geographic debates on encounters, mobility, and boundaries, and implies that segregation is best addressed by planners in public space “between” housing areas to create more “meetings” between “strangers”. While planning focused on segregation in a more granular way, it also ignored racialised inequality's structural preconditions in ways that perfectly match the neoliberal premises of municipal planning. Thus, translating spatial theory into planning practice can be seen as a strategically selective work shaped by local political conditions. This means that geographers’ work might have unexpected and undesired effects even when it has “impact” in policy practice, and that geographers would do well to face this challenge equally strategically.
Conversion of one anastomosis gastric bypass to distal Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass due to recurrent weight gain and gastroesophageal reflux disease: A video case report
Authors: Kermansaravi Mohammad , Shahabi Shahmiri Shahab , Yarigholi Fahime , Mehraz Arash
Published: April 2024

One‐anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) complications include inadequate weight loss, recurrent weight gain (RWG), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Conversion to distal Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (D‐RYGB) may be an effective conversional approach. A 38‐year‐old female underwent OAGB with a body mass index (BMI) of 53 kg/m2 and 43% initial total weight loss but had RWG to BMI of 44 kg/m2 over 5 years with refractory GERD symptoms. She underwent D‐RYGB conversion, creating a 330 cm biliopancreatic limb, 75 cm Roux limb, and 400 cm total alimentary limb length to decrease the chance of malnutrition. At 2 weeks, GERD symptoms were resolved completely. By 12 months, 42% total weight loss was achieved with normal nutritional parameters. For RWG and refractory GERD after OAGB, conversion to D‐RYGB can promote weight loss and GERD symptom control while preventing nutritional deficiencies.