bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bridging Auditory Perception and Natural Language Processing with Semantically informed Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Esposito Michele , Valente Giancarlo , Plasencia-Calaña Yenisel , Dumontier Michel , Giordano Bruno L. , Formisano Elia
Published: May 2024

Sound recognition is effortless for humans but poses a significant chal-lenge for artificial hearing systems. Deep neural networks (DNNs), especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have recently sur-passed traditional machine learning in sound classification. However, current DNNs map sounds to labels using binary categorical variables, neglecting the semantic relations between labels. Cognitive neuroscience research suggests that human listeners exploit such semantic informa-tion besides acoustic cues. Hence, our hypothesis is that incorporating semantic information improves DNN’s sound recognition performance, emulating human behavior. In our approach, sound recognition is framed as a regression problem, with CNNs trained to map spec-trograms to continuous semantic representations from NLP models (Word2Vec, BERT, and CLAP text encoder). Two DNN types were trained: semDNN with continuous embeddings and catDNN with cat-egorical labels, both with a dataset extracted from a collection of 388,211 sounds enriched with semantic descriptions. Evaluations across four external datasets, confirmed the superiority of semantic labeling from semDNN compared to catDNN, preserving higher-level relations. Importantly, an analysis of human similarity ratings for natural sounds, showed that semDNN approximated human listener behavior better than catDNN, other DNNs, and NLP models. Our work contributes to understanding the role of semantics in sound recognition, bridging the gap between artificial systems and human auditory perception.
Induction of Hepatitis B Core Protein Aggregation Targeting an Unconventional Binding Site
Authors: Khayenko Vladimir , Makbul Cihan , Schulte Clemens , Hemmelmann Naomi , Kachler Sonja , Böttcher Bettina , Maric Hans M.
Published: May 2024

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health problem, with chronic infection leading to liver complications and high death toll. Current treatments, such as nucleos(t)ide analogs and interferon-α, effectively suppress viral replication but rarely cure the infection. To address this, new antivirals targeting different components of the HBV molecular machinery are being developed. Here we investigated the hepatitis B core protein (HBc) that forms the viral capsids and plays a vital role in the HBV life cycle. We explored two distinct binding pockets on the HBV capsid: the central hydrophobic pocket of HBc-dimers and the pocket at the tips of capsid spikes. We synthesized a geranyl dimer that binds to the central pocket with micromolar affinity, and dimeric peptides that bind the spike-tip pocket with sub-micromolar affinity. Cryo-electron microscopy further confirmed the binding of peptide dimers to the capsid spike tips and their capsid-aggregating properties. Finally, we show that the peptide dimers induce HBc aggregation in vitro and in living cells. Our findings highlight two tractable sites within the HBV capsid and provide an alternative strategy to affect HBV capsids.
Joint distribution of nuclear and cytoplasmic mRNA levels in stochastic models of gene expression: analytical results and parameter inference
Authors: Wang Yiling , Szavits-Nossan Juraj , Cao Zhixing , Grima Ramon
Published: May 2024

Common stochastic models of gene expression predict the analytical distribution of the total mRNA level per cell but not at subcellular resolution. Here, for a wide class of models of transcription initiation, we obtain an exact steady-state solution for the joint distribution of nuclear and cytoplasmic mRNA levels per cell. Correcting the solution for extrinsic noise and fitting to single human cell data, we precisely quantify the extent of bursty expression in thousands of genes and associate it with their biological functions.
Molecular basis for plasma membrane recruitment of PI4KA by EFR3
Authors: Suresh Sushant , Shaw Alexandria L , Pemberton Joshua G , Scott Mackenzie K , Harris Noah J , Parson Matthew AH , Jenkins Meredith L , Rohilla Pooja , Alvarez-Prats Alejandro , Balla Tamas , Yip Calvin K , Burke John E
Published: May 2024

The lipid kinase phosphatidylinositol 4 kinase III alpha (PI4KIIIα/PI4KA) is a master regulator of the lipid composition and asymmetry of the plasma membrane. PI4KA exists primarily in a heterotrimeric complex with its regulatory proteins TTC7 and FAM126. Fundamental to PI4KA activity is its targeted recruitment to the plasma membrane by the lipidated proteins EFR3A and EFR3B. Here, we report a cryo-EM structure of the C-terminus of EFR3A bound to the PI4KA-TTC7B-FAM126A complex, with extensive validation using both hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), and mutational analysis. The EFR3A C-terminus undergoes a disorder-order transition upon binding to the PI4KA complex, with an unexpected direct interaction with both TTC7B and FAM126A. Complex disrupting mutations in TTC7B, FAM126A, and EFR3 decrease PI4KA recruitment to the plasma membrane. Multiple post-translational modifications and disease linked mutations map to this site, providing insight into how PI4KA membrane recruitment can be regulated and disrupted in human disease.

One sentence summary

The cryo-EM structure of the C-terminus of EFR3A bound to the PI4KA complex reveals the molecular mechanism underlying PI4KA membrane localisation, and provides novel insight into PI4KA regulation and its involvement in human disease.
Single-cell transcriptomics reveals evolutionary reconfiguration of embryonic cell fate specification in the sea urchinHeliocidaris erythrogramma
Authors: Massri Abdull J. , Berrio Alejandro , Afanassiev Anton , Greenstreet Laura , Pipho Krista , Byrne Maria , Schiebinger Geoffrey , McClay David R. , Wray Gregory A.
Published: May 2024

Altered regulatory interactions during development likely underlie a large fraction of phenotypic diversity within and between species, yet identifying specific evolutionary changes remains challenging. Analysis of single-cell developmental transcriptomes from multiple species provides a powerful framework for unbiased identification of evolutionary changes in developmental mechanisms. Here, we leverage a “natural experiment” in developmental evolution in sea urchins, where a major life history switch recently evolved in the lineage leading toHeliocidaris erythrogramma, precipitating extensive changes in early development. Comparative analyses of scRNA-seq developmental time courses fromH. erythrogrammaandLytechinus variegatus(representing the derived and ancestral states respectively) reveals numerous evolutionary changes in embryonic patterning. The earliest cell fate specification events, and the primary signaling center are co-localized in the ancestral dGRN but remarkably, inH. erythrogrammathey are spatially and temporally separate. Fate specification and differentiation are delayed in most embryonic cell lineages, although in some cases, these processes are conserved or even accelerated. Comparative analysis of regulator-target gene co-expression is consistent with many specific interactions being preserved but delayed inH. erythrogramma, while some otherwise widely conserved interactions have likely been lost. Finally, specific patterning events are directly correlated with evolutionary changes in larval morphology, suggesting that they are directly tied to the life history shift. Together, these findings demonstrate that comparative scRNA-seq developmental time courses can reveal a diverse set of evolutionary changes in embryonic patterning and provide an efficient way to identify likely candidate regulatory interactions for subsequent experimental validation.
Mpf1 is a novel factor that affects the dual distribution of tail-anchored proteins between mitochondria and peroxisomes
Authors: Aravindan Nitya , Vitali Daniela G. , Oberst Jessica , Zalckvar Einat , Schuldiner Maya , Rapaport Doron
Published: May 2024

Over half of cellular proteins must target upon their translation to distinct cellular compartments to function. Whereas considerable progress has been made in our understanding of targeting to individual organelles, we know truly little about how proteins distribute their targeting between two, or more, destinations – a process called dual/multiple targeting. In this study, we shine mechanistic insight into the process of dual targeting of proteins between the yeast mitochondria and peroxisomes. We performed a high throughput systematic microscopy screen in which we visualized the location of the model tail-anchored (TA) proteins Fis1 and Gem1 on the background of mutants in all yeast genes. This screen identified three proteins, whose absence resulted in a higher portion of the TA proteins in peroxisomes: the two paralogues Tom70, Tom71, as well as the uncharacterized geneYNL144Cthat we renamedmitochondriaperoxisomes factor 1 (Mpf1). We characterized Mpf1 to be an unstable protein that associated with the cytosolic face of the mitochondrial outer membrane. Furthermore, our study uncovers a unique contribution of Tom71 for the regulation of the dual targeting and reveals a link betweenTOM70/71and the quantity of transcripts ofMPF1. Collectively, our study revealed, for the first-time, factors that influence the dual targeting of proteins between mitochondria and peroxisomes.
Implementing high-throughput insect barcoding in microbiome studies: impact of non-destructive DNA extraction on microbiome reconstruction
Authors: Andriienko Veronika , Buczek Mateusz , Meier Rudolf , Srivathsan Amrita , Łukasik Piotr , Kolasa Michał R.
Published: May 2024

Background

Symbiotic relationships with diverse microorganisms are crucial for many aspects of insect biology. However, while our understanding of insect taxonomic diversity and the distribution of insect species in natural communities is limited, we know much less about their microbiota. In the era of rapid biodiversity declines, as researchers increasingly turn towards DNA-based monitoring, developing and broadly implementing approaches for high-throughput and cost-effective characterization of both insect and insect-associated microbial diversity is essential. We need to verify whether approaches such as high-throughput barcoding, a powerful tool for identifying wild insects, would permit subsequent microbiota reconstruction in these specimens.

Methods

High-throughput barcoding (“megabarcoding”) methods often rely on non-destructive approaches for obtaining template DNA for PCR amplification by leaching DNA out of insect specimens using alkaline buffers such as HotSHOT. This study investigated the impact of HotSHOT on microbial abundance estimates and the reconstructed bacterial community profiles. We addressed this question by comparing quantitative 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data for HotSHOT-treated or untreated specimens of 16 insect species representing six orders and selected based on the expectation of limited variation among individuals.

Results

We find that in 13 species, the treatment significantly reduced microbial abundance estimates, corresponding to an estimated 15-fold decrease in amplifiable 16S rRNA template on average. On the other hand, HotSHOT pre-treatment had a limited effect on microbial community composition. The reconstructed presence of abundant bacteria with known significant effects was not affected. On the other hand, we observed changes in the presence of low-abundance microbes, those close to the reliable detection threshold. Alpha and beta diversity analyses showed compositional differences in only a few species.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that HotSHOT pre-treated specimens remain suitable for microbial community composition reconstruction, even if abundance may be hard to estimate. These results indicate that we can cost-effectively combine barcoding with the study of microbiota across wild insect communities. Thus, the voucher specimens obtained using megabarcoding studies targeted at characterizing insect communities can be used for microbiome characterizations. This can substantially aid in speeding up the accumulation of knowledge on the microbiomes of abundant and hyperdiverse insect species.
A metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist enhances visual signal fidelity in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa
Authors: Li Xiaoyi , Sedlacek Miloslav , Nath Amurta , Szatko Klaudia P. , Grimes William N. , Diamond Jeffrey S.
Published: May 2024

Many inherited retinal diseases target photoreceptors, which transduce light into a neural signal that is processed by the downstream visual system. As photoreceptors degenerate, physiological and morphological changes to retinal synapses and circuitry reduce sensitivity and increase noise, degrading visual signal fidelity. Here, we pharmacologically targeted the first synapse in the retina in an effort to reduce circuit noise without sacrificing visual sensitivity. We tested a strategy to partially replace the neurotransmitter lost when photoreceptors die with an agonist of receptors that ON bipolars cells use to detect glutamate released from photoreceptors. Inrd10mice, which express a photoreceptor mutation that causes retinitis pigmentosa (RP), we found that a low dose of the mGluR6 agonist L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) reduced pathological noise induced by photoreceptor degeneration. After makingin vivoelectroretinogram recordings inrd10mice to characterize the developmental time course of visual signal degeneration, we examined effects of L-AP4 on sensitivity and circuit noise by recordingin vitrolight-evoked responses from individual retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). L-AP4 decreased circuit noise evident in RGC recordings without significantly reducing response amplitudes, an effect that persisted over the entire time course of rod photoreceptor degeneration. Subsequentin vitrorecordings from rod bipolar cells (RBCs) showed that RBCs are more depolarized inrd10retinas, likely contributing to downstream circuit noise and reduced synaptic gain, both of which appear to be ameliorated by hyperpolarizing RBCs with L-AP4. These beneficial effects may reduce pathological circuit remodeling and preserve the efficacy of therapies designed to restore vision.

Significance Statement

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited degenerative disease that affects more than two million people worldwide. RP patients first lose peripheral and low-light vision due to the progressive death of their highly sensitive rod photoreceptors. Photoreceptor degeneration induces pathological noise within the retinal circuit, leading to dramatic structural changes that may hamper therapies to restore visual sensitivity. We discovered a pharmacological treatment that reduces pathological activity in a mouse model of RP without diminishing signaling in surviving circuitry. Partially replacing the neurotransmitter lost when photoreceptors die reduced noise in the retinal circuit without eliminating light sensitivity. This approach could limit the impact of the disease on retinal neurons and preserve the efficacy of subsequent restorative therapies.
Redox control of the deubiquitinating enzyme Ubp2 regulates translation during stress
Authors: Santos Clara M. , Cizubu Blanche K. , Okonkwo Dinachi , Chen Chia-Yu , Maske Natori , Snyder Nathan A. , Simoes Vanessa , Washington Erica J. , Silva Gustavo M.
Published: May 2024

Protein ubiquitination is essential to govern cell’s ability to cope with harmful environments by regulating many aspects of protein dynamics from synthesis to degradation. As important as the ubiquitination process, the reversal of ubiquitin chains mediated by deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) is critical for proper recovery from stress and re-establishment of proteostasis. Although it is known that ribosomes are decorated with K63-linked polyubiquitin (K63-ub) chains that control protein synthesis under stress, the mechanisms by which these ubiquitin chains are reversed and regulate proteostasis during stress recovery are still illusive. Here, we showed in budding yeast that the DUB Ubp2 is redox regulated during oxidative stress in a reversible manner, which determines the levels of K63-ub chains present on ribosomes. We also demonstrate that Ubp2 is a processive enzyme whose activity is modulated by a series of repeated domains and the formation of important disulfide bonds. By combining, cellular, biochemical, and proteomics analyses, we showed that Ubp2 is crucial for restoring translation after stress cessation, indicating an important role in determining cellular response to oxidative stress. Our work demonstrates a novel role for Ubp2, revealing that a range of signaling pathways can be controlled by redox regulation of DUB activity in eukaryotes, which in turn will define cellular states of health and diseases.
Direct binding of a fungal effector by the wheat RWT4 tandem kinase activates defense
Authors: Sung Yi-Chang , Li Yinghui , Bernasconi Zoe , Baik Suji , Asuke Soichiro , Keller Beat , Fahima Tzion , Coaker Gitta
Published: May 2024

Plants have intricate innate immune receptors that detect pathogens. Research has intensely focused on two receptor classes recognizing external and internal threats. Recent research has identified a class of disease resistance proteins called tandem kinase proteins (TKPs). We investigated RWT4, a wheat TKP that confers resistance to the devastating fungal pathogenMagnaporthe oryzae. We established a rice protoplast system, revealing RWT4 specifically recognizes the AvrPWT4 effector, leading to the transcription of defense genes and inducing cell death. RWT4 possesses both kinase and pseudokinase domains, with its kinase activity essential for defense. RWT4 directly interacts with and transphosphorylates AvrPWT4. Biolayer interferometry revealed both RWT4 kinase and pseudokinase regions bind the effector. Sequence similarity and structural modeling revealed an integrated partial kinase duplication in RWT4’s kinase region as critical for effector interaction and defense activation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TKPs can directly bind a recognized effector, leading to downstream defense activation.
On the function of TRAP substrate-binding proteins: conformational variation of the sialic acid binding protein SiaP
Authors: King-Hudson Te-Rina J. , Davies James S. , Quan Senwei , Currie Michael J. , Tillett Zachary D. , Copping Jack , Panjikar Santosh , Friemann Rosmarie , Allison Jane R. , North Rachel A. , Dobson Renwick C.J.
Published: May 2024

Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are analogous to ABC transporters in that they use a substrate-binding proteins to scavenge metabolites (e.g.,N-acetylneuraminate) and deliver them to the membrane components for import. TRAP substrate-binding proteins are thought to bind the substrate using a two-state (open and closed) induced-fit mechanism. We solved the structure of the TRAPN-acetylneuraminate substrate-binding protein fromAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans(AaSiaP) in both the open ligand-free and closed liganded conformations. Surprisingly, we also observed an intermediate conformation, whereAaSiaP is mostly closed and is bound to a non-cognate ligand, acetate, which hints at howN-acetylneuraminate binding stabilises a fully closed state.AaSiaP preferentially bindsN-acetylneuraminate (KD= 0.4 µM) compared toN-glycolylneuraminate (KD= 4.4 µM), which is explained by the closed-N-acetylneuraminate bound structure. Small-angle X-ray scattering data alongside molecular dynamics simulations suggest theAaSiaP adopts a more open state in solution than in crystal. However, the open unliganded conformation can also sample closed conformations. Molecular dynamics simulations also demonstrate the importance of water molecules for stabilising the closed conformation. Although our data is consistent with an induced fit model of binding, it is likely that the open unliganded conformation encompasses multiple states capable of binding substrate. The mechanism by which the ligand is released for import remains to be determined.
Simulation of nanopore sequencing signal data with tunable parameters
Authors: Gamaarachchi Hasindu , Ferguson James M. , Samarakoon Hiruna , Liyanage Kisaru , Deveson Ira W.
Published: May 2024

In silico simulation of high-throughput sequencing data is a technique used widely in the genomics field. However, there is currently a lack of effective tools for creating simulated data from nanopore sequencing devices, which measure DNA or RNA molecules in the form of time-series current signal data. Here, we introduce Squigulator, a fast and simple tool for simulation of realistic nanopore signal data. Squigulator takes a reference genome, a transcriptome, or read sequences, and generates corresponding raw nanopore signal data. This is compatible with basecalling software from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and other third-party tools, thereby providing a useful substrate for development, testing, debugging, validation, and optimization at every stage of a nanopore analysis workflow. The user may generate data with preset parameters emulating specific ONT protocols or noise-free “ideal” data, or they may deterministically modify a range of experimental variables and/or noise parameters to shape the data to their needs. We present a brief example of Squigulator's use, creating simulated data to model the degree to which different parameters impact the accuracy of ONT basecalling and downstream variant detection. This analysis reveals new insights into the nature of ONT data and basecalling algorithms. We provide Squigulator as an open-source tool for the nanopore community.
Inclusive photoproduction of charmonia-bottomonia pairs
Authors: Siddikov Marat
Published: May 2024

In this article we analyze the inclusive photoproduction of heavy charmonia-bottomonia pairs in the color glass condensate framework and demonstrate that the cross section of the process is sensitive to dipole and quadrupole forward scattering amplitudes (2- and 4-point correlators of Wilson lines). Using the phenomenological parametrizations of these amplitudes, we estimate numerically the production cross sections in the kinematics of the forthcoming Electron Ion Collider and the ultraperipheral collisions at the LHC. We found that the contribution controlled by the quadrupole amplitude is dominant, and for this reason, the suggested channel can be used as a gateway for studies of this nonperturbative object.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Production of
PψsΛ(4338)
from
Ξb
decay
Authors: Wu Qi , Chen Dian-Yong
Published: May 2024

In the present work, we investigate the production of the newly observed PψsΛ(4338) state in Ξb− decay, where the PψsΛ(4338) is assigned as a ΞcD¯ molecular state. By using an effective Lagrangian approach, we evaluate the branching fractions of Ξb−→PψsΛ(4338)K− via the triangle loop mechanism. The branching fractions of Ξb−→PψsΛ(4338)K− are in the order of 10−4; the result is compared with our previous work of Ξb−→PψsΛ(4459)K−. We also predict the ratio of PψsΛ(4459) and PψsΛ(4338) productions in the decay Ξb−→PψsΛK−→J/ψΛK−. The predicted branching fractions and their ratios could be tested experimentally, which may be helpful for understanding the molecular picture of PψsΛ(4338) as well as other hidden-charm pentaquark states with strangeness. Moreover, the experimental potential of observing PψsΛ(4338) in the Ξb−→K−J/ψΛ is discussed.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Tension between neutrino masses and gauge coupling unification in natural grand unified theories
Authors: Maekawa Nobuhiro , Tanii Taiju
Published: May 2024

The natural grand unified theories (GUT) solve various problems of the supersymmetric GUT and give realistic quark and lepton mass matrices under the natural assumption that all terms allowed by the symmetry are introduced with O(1) coefficients. However, because of the natural assumption, it is difficult to achieve the gauge coupling unification without tuning, while keeping neutrino masses at realistic values. In this paper, we try to avoid this tension between the neutrino masses and the gauge coupling unification, by introducing suppression factors for several terms. These suppression factors can be understood by approximate symmetries in some of the solutions. We show that one of the most important results in the natural GUT scenario, that the nucleon decay mediated by superheavy gauge fields is enhanced due to a smaller unification scale while the nucleon decay mediated by superheavy colored Higgs is suppressed, may change in those models proposed in this paper.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Impact of primordial black holes on heavy neutral leptons searches in the framework of resonant leptogenesis
Authors: Calabrese Roberta , Chianese Marco , Gunn Jacob , Miele Gennaro , Morisi Stefano , Saviano Ninetta
Published: May 2024

We investigate the effects on sub-TeV resonant leptogenesis of primordial black holes with masses from 106  g to ∼109  g. The latter might dominate the energy content of the Universe altering its evolution and, eventually, diluting the final baryon asymmetry. We find that, depending on the mass and abundance of primordial black holes, the parameter space of sub-TeV resonant leptogenesis shrinks towards higher right-handed neutrino masses and smaller active-sterile mixing. Remarkably, this translates into important implications for the experimental searches of heavy neutral leptons. Conversely, we demonstrate that a possible future detection of sub-TeV heavy neutral leptons would disfavor regions of the parameter space of primordial black holes currently allowed.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Bayesian
F
-statistic-based parameter estimation of continuous gravitational waves from known pulsars
Authors: Ashok A. , Covas P. B. , Prix R. , Papa M. A.
Published: May 2024

We present a new method and implementation to obtain Bayesian posteriors on the amplitude parameters {h0,cosι,ψ,ϕ0} of continuous gravitational waves emitted by known pulsars. This approach leverages the well-established F-statistic framework and software. We further explore the benefits of employing a likelihood function that is analytically marginalized over ϕ0, which avoids signal degeneracy problems in the ψ−ϕ0 subspace. The method is tested on simulated signals, hardware injections in Advanced-LIGO detector data, and by performing percentile-percentile self-consistency tests of the posteriors via Monte-Carlo simulations. We apply our methodology to PSR J1526-2744, a recently discovered millisecond pulsar. We find no evidence for a signal and obtain a Bayesian upper limit h095% on the gravitational-wave amplitude of approximately 7×10−27, comparable with a previous frequentist upper limit.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Hierarchy of curvatures in exceptional geometry
Authors: Hassler Falk , Sakatani Yuho
Published: May 2024

Despite remarkable success in describing supergravity reductions and backgrounds, generalized geometry and exceptional field theory are still lacking a fundamental object of differential geometry, the Riemann tensor. We show that to construct it, a hierarchy of connections is required. They complement the spin connection with higher representations known from the tensor hierarchy. This approach allows to define generalized homogeneous spaces which underlie generalized U-duality, admit consistent truncations and provide a huge class of new flux backgrounds with nontrivial structure groups.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Intrinsic charm quark valence distribution of the proton
Authors: Ball Richard D. , Candido Alessandro , Cruz-Martinez Juan , Forte Stefano , Giani Tommaso , Hekhorn Felix , Magni Giacomo , Nocera Emanuele R. , Rojo Juan , Stegeman Roy ,   NNPDF Collaboration
Published: May 2024

We provide a first quantitative indication that the wave function of the proton contains unequal distributions of charm quarks and antiquarks, i.e., a nonvanishing intrinsic valence charm distribution. A significant nonvanishing valence component cannot be perturbatively generated; hence, our results reinforce previous evidence that the proton contains an intrinsic (i.e., not radiatively generated) charm quark component. We establish our result through a determination of the parton distribution functions of charm quarks and antiquarks in the proton. We propose two novel experimental probes of this intrinsic charm valence component: D-meson asymmetries in Z+c-jet production at the LHCb experiment and flavor-tagged structure functions at the Electron-Ion Collider.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Lasing in Non-Hermitian Flat Bands: Quantum Geometry, Coherence, and the Fate of Kardar-Parisi-Zhang Physics
Authors: Amelio Ivan , Goldman Nathan
Published: May 2024

We show that lasing in flat-band lattices can be stabilized by means of the geometrical properties of the Bloch states, in settings where the single-particle dispersion is flat in both its real and imaginary parts. We illustrate a general projection method and compute the collective excitations, which display a diffusive behavior ruled by quantum geometry through a peculiar coefficient involving gain, losses and interactions, and entailing resilience against modulational instabilities. Then, we derive an equation of motion for the phase dynamics and identify a Kardar-Parisi-Zhang term of geometric origin. This term is shown to exactly cancel whenever the real and imaginary parts of the laser nonlinearity are proportional to each other, or when the uniform-pairing condition is satisfied. We confirm our results through numerical studies of the π-flux diamond chain. This Letter highlights the key role of Bloch geometric effects in nonlinear dissipative systems and KPZ physics, with direct implications for the design of laser arrays with enhanced coherence.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Identification of seasonal drought and its impacts on cropping season in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md. Shafiqul
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to identify seasonal drought using standardized precipitation index (SPI). The following specific objectives are to generate result and identify seasonal drought and determine different scale of seasonal drought and its impacts on cropping season.

Design/methodology/approach

Seasonal SPI was calculated using long-term rainfall data for three seasons. The SPI was calculated using the formula and it is effective for the determinants. This study showed the functional relationship between drought duration, frequency and drought time scale using the SPI.

SPI=X−X¯σ.

Findings

Seasonal drought occurs more frequently in Bangladesh that affects crops and the agricultural economy every year. More severe drought was recorded during the Kharif-1 and Kharif-2 seasons and most crops were affected in these two seasons. No severe or moderate drought was recorded during the Rabi season. The results showed that monsoon crops were severely affected severely by extreme and severe droughts during the Kharif-2 season. Eventually, the people remain jobless during the monsoon, and they experience food shortages like monga. Several obstacles were recorded during the season, including delayed preparation of land, sowing, transplanting and other farming activities because of monsoon droughts. This study revealed that very frequently, mild dryness occurs in winter, but crop loss is minimal. The scale and occurrence of extreme droughts are more frequent during monsoons and reduce crop yields, affecting livelihoods in the study area. Seasonal drought affects cropping patterns as well as reduce crop yields.

Originality/value

The outcome of this study derived from the secondary data and field data.
Reflections on solar energy adoption research: a semi-systematic review
Authors: C.R. Vishnu , John Joshin
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Research on solar energy adoption offers a multidimensional scope and warrants exploration from multiple perspectives, including political, economic, management, behavioral, policy and innovation aspects. The aim of this paper is to comprehensively consolidate major research findings on the premise of solar energy adoption and to disclose gaps in the existing literature.

Design/methodology/approach

A bibliometric analysis of the vast literature is conducted on 1,009 meticulously shortlisted articles following the semi-systematic literature review methodology. A text analytics tool named BibExcel is used for synthesizing the literature, and the results are visualized using Gephi, Pajek and a spreadsheet application.

Findings

This paper reports the evolution of research in the selected domain. It is noted that research in this domain was primarily concentrated on four broad themes, namely, peer effects and spatial patterns, public perceptions, policies and economics and technological evolution. The analysis further reveals the merging of two of these themes as a result of transdisciplinary research and also projects future research trends emphasizing political interventions in technological evolution and diffusion.

Originality/value

Research trends and future research scope are identified and discussed in detail. The information revealed from the analysis, along with the research implications, will assist policymakers in noting the flaws in the current doctrines and practices, entrepreneurs in understanding potential enablers and barriers influencing solar energy adoption and budding scholars in comprehending the current research status and framing promising research objectives to close the existing research gaps.
Accounting for a better world: towards a conceptual framework to enable corporate reporting to contribute to the sustainability of the good life
Authors: Nørreklit Lennart , Nørreklit Hanne , Cinquini Lino , Mitchell Falconer
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to propose a basis upon which accounting reporting can be developed to reflect real values and the real economy. It aims to address the environmental considerations discussed in the UN debate (Bebbington and Unerman, 2020) and the concern for a “better life-world”, which is the theme of this special issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Addressing the task involves the application of the philosophy of pragmatic constructivism (which explains how people can relate to their reality in ways that lead to successful action) and the philosophical concept of the “good life” (which establishes the values to be pursued through action and so defines action success). Also, it outlines the necessary characteristics of measurement frameworks if they are to be effective in the development and control of human practices to achieve desired values.

Findings

This paper proposes a conceptual framework for guiding the measurement of how a sustainable good life has improved and/or deteriorated as a result of organisational activities. It outlines a system of concepts on basic and instrumental values for analysing the condition of maintaining a sustainable good life in real terms. This is related to the financial results and societal regulations to analyse and adjust controls according to the real economic goals. Also, it provides a system of value measurands to produce valid information about the development of a sustainable good life. The measurand makes accounting reporting reflect the conditions of the good life that constitute the real economy instead of merely the financial economy driven by shareholder capitalism. Providing tools to analyse whether the existing practices of business and social regulations promote or counteract the real economic goals of producing a sustainable good life means the measurement system proposed makes the invisible hand of the market visible.

Originality/value

The mechanism proposed to enable accounting reporting to reflect real values and the real economy is a new conceptual framework that will allow accounting to more fully realise its potential to contribute to a “better world”. In aiming to serve a sustainable good life, accounting reporting will inherently foster ethical social practices.
The relationship between coaching behaviors by situational leaders and new employee engagement
Authors: Woodard Michael , Hyatt Katherine
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Research suggests that leaders influence employee engagement and their connection to the organization, their manager and their team. However, the influence of leadership behaviors on new employees requires further investigation.

Design/methodology/approach

This nonexperimental, cross-sectional, quantitative, exploratory study examined Situational Leadership II (SLII) behaviors, specifically the Coaching (S2) style and new employee engagement. New employees that had worked with medium-sized organizations (100 to 999 employees) for less than a year were surveyed using the Leadership Action Profile II (LAPII; The Ken Blanchard Co., 1979) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 (UWES-9; Schaufeli and Baker, 2003). Regression analysis was used to determine the degree to which the SLII leaders’ behaviors explained new employee engagement. The research question and hypotheses explored the gap between SLII behaviors and new employee engagement.

Findings

The findings of this research indicated a positive relationship between the SLII leadership style of Coaching (S2) and new employee engagement. It is important to engage new hires in order to reduce turnover.

Originality/value

The SLII leadership style of Coaching (SW) was studied and in relation to new employee engagement. New hire engagement (those working for an organization for less than a year) is not an area that has been studied in relation to coaching in medium sized organizations and this article contributes to the literature.
Optimizations of structure stiffnesses and sensitivities of Y-type six-axis force/torque sensor
Authors: Chen Xi Liang , Xie Zheng Yu , Wang Zhi Qiang , Sun Yi Wen
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The six-axis force/torque sensor based on a Y-type structure has the advantages of simple structure, small space volume, low cost and wide application prospects. To meet the overall structural stiffness requirements and sensor performance requirements in robot engineering applications, this paper aims to propose a Y-type six-axis force/torque sensor.

Design/methodology/approach

The performance indicators such as each component sensitivities and stiffnesses of the sensor were selected as optimization objectives. The multiobjective optimization equations were established. A multiple quadratic response surface in ANSYS Workbench was modeled by using the central composite design experimental method. The optimal manufacturing structural parameters were obtained by using multiobjective genetic algorithm.

Findings

The sensor was optimized and the simulation results show that the overload resistance of the sensor is 200%F.S., and the axial stiffness, radial stiffness, bending stiffness and torsional stiffness are 14.981 kN/mm, 16.855 kN/mm, 2.0939 kN m/rad and 6.4432 kN m/rad, respectively, which meet the design requirements, and the sensitivities of each component of the optimized sensor have been well increased to be 2.969, 2.762, 4.010, 2.762, 2.653 and 2.760 times as those of the sensor with initial structural parameters. The sensor prototype with optimized parameters was produced. According to the calibration experiment of the sensor, the maximum Class I and II errors and measurement uncertainty of each force/torque component of the sensor are 1.835%F.S., 1.018%F.S. and 1.606%F.S., respectively. All of them are below the required 2%F.S.

Originality/value

Hence, the conclusion can be drawn that the sensor has excellent comprehensive performance and meets the expected practical engineering requirements.
Population, culture history, and the dynamics of change in European prehistory★
Authors: Shennan Stephen
Published: May 2024

Despite many attacks on its shortcomings, culture history has remained in practice the dominant framework for describing and interpreting European prehistory. It has gained even more salience in recent years because the new information coming from ancient DNA about the genetic ancestry of individuals in prehistory seems to show that this correlates closely with the cultural affiliation of the archaeological material with which they are found, raising concerns that old and discredited links between biological and cultural identity are being revived. This article argues that exploring the links between cultural and genetic ancestry does not need to fall into these errors if it takes its theory and methods from the discipline of cultural evolution and rejects characterization of the relationship in terms of ‘ethnic groups’. This involves describing the archaeological record in more fine‐grained, less essentialist ways and at the same time linking the archaeological and genetic patterns to histories of the rise and decline of populations and the interactions between them.
In vitro assessment of addition of soy protein isolate on milk protein digestion and conformational behaviour
Authors: Mo Qiaoya , Yang Qian , Mao Yingyi , Deng Feifei , Xiong Xiaoying , Li Xiang , Li Wei
Published: May 2024

Soy protein (SP) and milk protein are nutritionally complementary proteins, while they have different postprandial kinetic manifestations. In this study, different sources of proteins (casein, whey protein and SP isolate) were compounded in different concentrations and ratios. An in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal digestive system for children was used to study the digestive behaviour. For all the concentrations assessed, a consistently high level of small peptide release was demonstrated at 2.67 g/100 mL protein concentration, while the addition of 10% SP isolate would increase the release of small peptides. Overall, the study offers novel perspectives on children's products with diverse protein sources.
Partnership building for scale‐up in the Veteran Sponsorship Initiative: Strategies for harnessing collaboration to accelerate impact in suicide prevention
Authors: Finley Erin P. , Frankfurt Sheila B. , Kamdar Nipa , Goodrich David E. , Ganss Elyse , Chen Chien J. , Eickhoff Christine , Krauss Alison , Connelly Brigid , Seim Richard W. , Goodman Marianne , Geraci Joseph
Published: May 2024

Objective

To evaluate the implementation and trust‐building strategies associated with successful partnership formation in scale‐up of the Veteran Sponsorship Initiative (VSI), an evidence‐based suicide prevention intervention enhancing connection to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other resources during the military‐to‐civilian transition period.

Data Sources and Study Setting

Scaling VSI nationally required establishing partnerships across VA, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and diverse public and private Veteran‐serving organizations. We assessed partnerships formalized with a signed memorandum during pre‐ and early implementation periods (October 2020–October 2022). To capture implementation activities, we conducted 39 periodic reflections with implementation team members over the same period.

Study Design

We conducted a qualitative case study evaluating the number of formalized VSI partnerships alongside directed qualitative content analysis of periodic reflections data using Atlas.ti 22.0.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We first independently coded reflections for implementation strategies, following the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy, and for trust‐building strategies, following the Theoretical Model for Trusting Relationships and Implementation; a second round of inductive coding explored emergent themes associated with partnership formation.

Principal Findings

During this period, VSI established 12 active partnerships with public and non‐profit agencies. The VSI team reported using 35 ERIC implementation strategies, including building a coalition and developing educational and procedural documents, and trust‐building strategies including demonstrating competence and credibility, frequent interactions, and responsiveness. Cultural competence in navigating DoD and VA and accepting and persisting through conflict also appeared to support scale‐up.

Conclusions

VSI's partnership‐formation efforts leveraged a variety of implementation strategies, particularly around strengthening stakeholder interrelationships and refining procedures for coordination and communication. VSI implementation activities were further characterized by an intentional focus on trust‐building over time. VSI's rapid scale‐up highlights the value of partnership formation for achieving coordinated interventions to address complex problems.
A more complete measure of vertical integration between physicians and hospitals
Authors: Luo Qian (Eric) , Black Bernard , Magid David J. , Masoudi Frederick A. , Kini Vinay , Moghtaderi Ali
Published: May 2024

Objective

To develop an accurate and reproducible measure of vertical integration between physicians and hospitals (defined as hospital or health system employment of physicians), which can be used to assess the impact of integration on healthcare quality and spending.

Data Sources and Study Setting

We use multiple data sources including from the Internal Revenue Service, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and others to determine the Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) that hospitals and physicians use to bill Medicare for services, and link physician billing TINs to hospital‐related TINs.

Study Design

We developed a new measure of vertical integration, based on the TINs that hospitals and physicians use to bill Medicare, using a broad set of sources for hospital‐related TINs. We considered physicians as hospital‐employed if they bill Medicare primarily or exclusively using hospital‐related TINs. We assessed integration status for all physicians who billed Medicare from 1999 to 2019. We compared this measure with others used in the existing literature. We conducted a simulation study which highlights the importance of accurately identifying integrated physicians when study the effects of integration.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We extracted physician and hospital‐related TINs from multiple sources, emphasizing specificity (a small proportion of nonintegrated physicians identified as integrated).

Principal Findings

We identified 12,269 hospital‐related TINs, used for billing by 546,775 physicians. We estimate that the percentage of integrated physicians rose from 19% in 1999 to 43% in 2019. Our approach identifies many additional physician practices as integrated; a simpler TIN measure, comparable with prior work, identifies only 30% (3877) of the TINs we identify. A service location measure, used in prior work, has both many false positives and false negatives.

Conclusion

We developed a new measure of hospital‐physician integration. This measure is reproducible and identifies many additional physician practices as integrated.