bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence lifetime imaging of sDarken as a tool for the evaluation of serotonin levels
Authors: Kubitschke Martin , Beck Vanessa , Masseck Olivia Andrea
Published: January 2024

Recent advances in the development of genetically encoded biosensors have resulted in a variety of different neurotransmitter sensors for the precise measurement of the dynamics of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, peptides and hormones in real time. However, intensity-based measurements of fluorescent biosensors are limited by their dependence on the expression level of the sensor, the intensity of the excitation light, and photobleaching overtime. Here, we show that the FLIM of sDarken (a GPCR-based genetically encoded sensor for serotonin) decreases with increasing serotonin concentrations. Different members of the sDarken family, with different affinities for serotonin, show concentration-dependent changes in fluorescence lifetime according to their dynamic range. We believe that this feature of sDarken is a value-adding complement to intensity-based information and may lead to a better understanding of serotonin dynamics in health and disease.
KATANIN-mediated microtubule severing is required for MTOC formation and function inMarchantia polymorpha
Authors: Attrill Sarah , Dolan Liam
Published: January 2024

Microtubule organising centres (MTOCs) are sites of localised microtubule nucleation in eukaryotic cells. Regulation of microtubule dynamics often involves KATANIN (KTN); a microtubule severing enzyme which cuts microtubules to generate new negative ends leading to catastrophic depolymerisation. InArabidopsis thaliana, KTN is required for the organisation of microtubules in the cell cortex, preprophase band, mitotic spindle and phragmoplast. However, as angiosperms lack MTOCs, the role of KTN in MTOC formation has yet to be studied in plants. Two unique MTOCs – the polar organisers – form on opposing sides of the prophase nucleus in liverworts. Here we show that KTN-mediated microtubule depolymerisation is required for thede novoformation of polar organisers in the liverwort,Marchantia polymorpha. In Mpktnmutants that lack KTN function, the formation, shape, number, and function of polar organisers is defective. This is in addition to defective microtubule organisation in the cell cortex, preprophase band, mitotic spindle, and phragmoplast. These data demonstrate that KTN-mediated microtubule dynamics are required for the formation of liverwort-specific MTOCs.
Multi-parametric assays capture sex- and environment-dependent modifiers of behavioral phenotypes in autism mouse models
Authors: Wahl Lucas , Karim Arun , Hassett Amy R. , van der Doe Max , Badura Aleksandra
Published: January 2024

Current phenotyping approaches for murine autism models often focus on one selected behavioral feature, making the translation onto a spectrum of autistic characteristics in humans challenging. Furthermore, sex and environmental factors are rarely considered.

Here, we aimed to capture the full spectrum of behavioral manifestations in three autism mouse models to develop a “behavioral fingerprint” that takes environmental and sex influences under consideration. To this end, we employed a wide range of classical standardized behavioral tests; and two multi-parametric behavioral assays: the Live Mouse Tracker and Motion Sequencing (MoSeq), on male and femaleShank2,Tsc1and Purkinje cell specific-Tsc1mutant mice raised in standard or enriched environments. Our aim was to integrate our high dimensional data into one single platform to classify differences in all experimental groups along dimensions with maximum discriminative power. Multi-parametric behavioral assays enabled far more accurate classification of experimental groups compared to classical tests, and dimensionality reduction analysis demonstrated significant additional gains in classification accuracy, highlighting the presence of sex, environmental and genotype differences in our experimental groups. Together, our results provide a complete phenotypic description of all tested groups, suggesting multi-parametric assays can capture the entire spectrum of the heterogenous phenotype in autism mouse models.
An iPSC-derived small intestine-on-chip with self-organizing epithelial, mesenchymal and neural cells
Authors: Moerkens Renée , Mooiweer Joram , Ramírez-Sánchez Aarón D. , Oelen Roy , Franke Lude , Wijmenga Cisca , Barrett Robert J. , Jonkers Iris H. , Withoff Sebo
Published: January 2024

Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived intestinal organoids are valuable tools for researching developmental biology and personalized therapies, but their closed topology and relative immature state limits their applications. Here we use organ-on-chip technology to develop a hiPSC-derived intestinal barrier with apical and basolateral access in a more physiological in vitro microenvironment. To replicate growth factor gradients along the crypt– villus axis, we locally exposed the cells to expansion and differentiation media. In these conditions, intestinal epithelial cells self-organize into villus-like folds with physiological barrier integrity and myofibroblast and neural subtypes emerge and form a layer in the bottom channel underneath the epithelial tissue. The growth factor gradients efficiently balance dividing and mature cell types and induce an intestinal epithelial composition, including absorptive and secretory lineages, resembling the composition of the human adult small intestine. The result is a well-characterized hiPSC-derived intestine-on-chip system that can facilitate personalized studies on physiological processes and therapy development in the human small intestine.
Laboratory evolution ofE. coliwith a natural vitamin B12analog reveals roles for cobamide uptake and adenosylation in methionine synthase-dependent growth
Authors: Mok Kenny C. , Hallberg Zachary F. , Procknow Rebecca R. , Taga Michiko E.
Published: January 2024

Bacteria encounter chemically similar nutrients in their environment that impact their growth in distinct ways. Among such nutrients are cobamides, the structurally diverse family of cofactors related to vitamin B12(cobalamin), which function as cofactors for diverse metabolic processes. Given that different environments contain varying abundances of different cobamides, bacteria are likely to encounter cobamides that enable them to grow robustly as well as those that do not function efficiently for their metabolism. Here, we performed a laboratory evolution of a cobamide-dependent strain ofEscherichia coliwith pseudocobalamin (pCbl), a cobamide thatE. coliuses less effectively than cobalamin for MetH-dependent methionine synthesis, to identify genetic adaptations that lead to improved growth with less-preferred cobamides. After propagating and sequencing nine independent lines and validating the results by constructing targeted mutations, we found that mutations that increase expression of the outer membrane cobamide transporter BtuB are beneficial during growth under cobamide-limiting conditions. Unexpectedly, we also found that overexpression of the cobamide adenosyltransferase BtuR confers a specific growth advantage in pCbl. Characterization of the latter phenotype revealed that BtuR and adenosylated cobamides contribute to optimal MetH-dependent growth. Together, these findings improve our understanding of how bacteria expand their cobamide-dependent metabolic potential.

Importance

In nature, bacteria commonly experience fluctuations in the availability of required nutrients. Thus, their environment often contains nutrients that are insufficient in quantity or that function poorly in their metabolism. Cobamides, the vitamin B12family of cofactors, are ideal for investigating the influence of nutrient quality on bacterial growth. We performed a laboratory evolution experiment inE. coliwith a less-preferred cobamide to examine whether and how bacteria can improve their growth with less ideal nutrients. We found that overexpression of genes for cobamide uptake and modification are genetic adaptations that improve growth under these conditions. Given that cobamides are key shared metabolites in microbial communities, our results reveal insights into bacterial interactions and competition for nutrients.
Biophysical carbon concentrating mechanisms in land plants: insights from reaction-diffusion modeling
Authors: Kaste Joshua A.M. , Walker Berkley J. , Shachar-Hill Yair
Published: January 2024

Carbon Concentrating Mechanisms (CCMs) have evolved numerous times in photosynthetic organisms. They elevate the concentration of CO2around the carbon-fixing enzyme rubisco, thereby increasing CO2assimilatory flux and reducing photorespiration. Biophysical CCMs, like the pyrenoid-based CCM ofChlamydomonas reinhardtiior carboxysome systems of cyanobacteria, are common in aquatic photosynthetic microbes, but in land plants appear only among the hornworts. To predict the likely efficiency of biophysical CCMs in C3 plants, we used spatially resolved reaction-diffusion models to predict rubisco saturation and light use efficiency. We find that the energy efficiency of adding individual CCM components to a C3 land plant is highly dependent on the permeability of lipid membranes to CO2, with values in the range reported in the literature that are higher than used in previous modeling studies resulting in low light use efficiency. Adding a complete pyrenoid-based CCM into the leaf cells of a C3 land plant is predicted to boost net CO2fixation, but at higher energetic costs than those incurred by photorespiratory losses without a CCM. Two notable exceptions are when substomatal CO2levels are as low as those found in land plants that already employ biochemical CCMs and when gas exchange is limited such as with hornworts, making the use of a biophysical CCM necessary to achieve net positive CO2fixation under atmospheric CO2levels. This provides an explanation for the uniqueness of hornworts’ CCM among land plants and evolution of pyrenoids multiple times.
Novel Pentafluorosulfanyl-containing Triclocarban Analogs selectively kill Gram-positive bacteria
Authors: Pormohammad Ali , Moradi Melika , Hommes Josefien W. , Pujol Eugènia , Naesens Lieve , Vázquez Santiago , Surewaard Bas G. J. , Zarei Mohammad , Vazquez-Carrera Manuel , Turner Raymond J.
Published: January 2024

The antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy of our novel pentafluorosulfanyl-containing triclocarban analogs was explored against seven different Gram-positive and Gram-negative indicator strains. After initial screening, they had bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity against Gram-positive bacteria, especiallyStaphylococcus aureusandMRSA(methicillin–resistant staphylococcus aureus) in a very low concentration. Our results were compared with the most common antibiotic being used (Ciprofloxacin and Gentamycin); the novel components had significantly better antibacterial and antibiofilm activity in lower concentrations in comparison to the antibiotics. For instance, EBP-59minimum inhibitory concentration was < 0.0003 mM, while ciprofloxacin 0.08 mM. Further antibacterial activity of novel components was surveyed against 10 clinical antibiotic resistanceMRSAisolates. Again, novel components had significantly better antibacterial and antibiofilm activity in comparison with antibiotics. Mechanistic studies have revealed that none of these novel compounds exhibit any effect on the reduced thiol, disrupting iron sulfur clusters, or hydrogen peroxide pathways. Instead, their impact is attributed to the disruption of the Gram-positive bacterial cell membrane. Toxicity and safety testing on tissue cell culture showed promising results for the safety of components to the host.
Quantitative species delimitation, tests for gene flow, and migration models uncover complex, recent speciation in tree squirrels
Authors: Abreu Edson F. , Prado Joyce R. , Maldonado Jesús E. , Wilson Don E. , Percequillo Alexandre R. , Pavan Silvia E.
Published: January 2024

Accurate estimates of species diversity are essential for all biodiversity research. Delimiting species and understanding the underlaying processes of speciation are also central components of systematic biology that outline our comprehension of the evolutionary mechanisms generating biodiversity. We obtained genomic data (Ultraconserved Elements and single nucleotide polymorphisms) for a widespread genus of South American tree squirrels (genusGuerlinguetus) to explore alternative hypotheses on species limits and to clarify recent and rapid speciation on continental-scale and dynamically evolving landscapes. Using a multilayered genomic approach that integrates fine-scale population genetic analyses with quantitative molecular species delimitation methods, we observed that (i) the most likely number of species withinGuerlinguetusis six, contrasting with both classic morphological revision and mitochondrial species delimitation; (ii) incongruencies in species relationships still persist, which might be a response to population migration and gene flow taking place in lowlands of eastern Amazonia; and (iii) effective migration surfaces detected important geographic barriers associated with the major Amazonian riverine systems and the mountain ranges of the Guiana shield. In conclusion, we uncovered unexpected species diversity of keystone mammals that are critical in tree-seed predation and dispersal in one of the most fragile and threated ecosystems of the world, the tropical rainforests of South America. Our results corroborate recent findings suggesting that much of the extant species-level diversity in Amazonia is young, dating back to the Quaternary, while also reinforcing long-established hypotheses on the role of rivers and climate-driven forest dynamics triggering Amazonian speciation.
Assessing White Matter Engagement in Brain Networks through Functional and Structural Connectivity Mapping
Authors: Li Muwei , Schilling Kurt G , Ding Zhaohua , Gore John C
Published: January 2024

Understanding the intricate interplay between gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) is crucial for deciphering the complex activities of the brain. While diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has advanced the mapping of these structural pathways, the relationship between structural connectivity (SC) and functional connectivity (FC) remains inadequately understood. This study addresses the need for a more integrative approach by mapping the importance of the inter-GM functional link to its structural counterparts in WM. This mapping yields a spatial distribution of engagement that is not only highly reproducible but also aligns with direct structural, functional, and bioenergetic measures within WM, illustrating a notable interdependence between the function of GM and the characteristics of WM. Additionally, our research has uncovered a set of unique engagement modes through a clustering analysis of window-wise engagement maps, highlighting the dyanmic nature of the engagement. The engagement along with their temporal variations revealed significant differences across genders and age groups. These findings suggest the potential of WM engagement as a biomarker for neurological and cognitive conditions, offering a more nuanced understanding of individualized brain activity and connectivity patterns.
Inclusive, prompt and nonprompt
J/ψ
identification in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider using machine learning
Authors: Prasad Suraj , Mallick Neelkamal , Sahoo Raghunath
Published: January 2024

Studies related to J/ψ meson, a bound state of charm and anticharm quarks (cc¯), in heavy-ion collisions, provide genuine testing grounds for the theory of strong interaction, quantum chromodynamics. To better understand the underlying production mechanism, cold nuclear matter effects, and influence from the quark-gluon plasma, baseline measurements are also performed in proton-proton (pp) and proton-nucleus (p-A) collisions. The inclusive J/ψ measurement has contributions from both prompt and nonprompt productions. The prompt J/ψ is produced directly from the hadronic interactions or via feed down from directly produced higher charmonium states, whereas nonprompt J/ψ comes from the decay of beauty hadrons. In experiments, J/ψ is reconstructed through its electromagnetic decays to lepton pairs, in either e++e− or μ++μ− decay channels. In this work, for the first time, machine learning techniques are implemented to separate the prompt and nonprompt dimuon pairs from the background to obtain a better identification of the J/ψ signal for different production modes. The study has been performed in pp collisions at s=7 and 13 TeV simulated using 8. Machine learning models such as XGBoost and LightGBM are explored. The models could achieve up to 99% prediction accuracy. The transverse momentum (pT) and rapidity (y) differential measurements of inclusive, prompt, and nonprompt J/ψ, its multiplicity dependence, and the pT dependence of fraction of nonprompt J/ψ (fB) are shown. These results are compared to experimental findings wherever possible.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Vortex
γ
photon generation via spin-to-orbital angular momentum transfer in nonlinear Compton scattering
Authors: Ababekri Mamutjan , Guo Ren-Tong , Wan Feng , Qiao B. , Li Zhongpeng , Lv Chong , Zhang Bo , Zhou Weimin , Gu Yuqiu , Li Jian-Xing
Published: January 2024

Vortex γ photons with intrinsic orbital angular momenta possess a wealth of applications in various fields—e.g., strong-laser physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and astrophysics—yet their generation remains unsettled. In this work, we investigate the generation of vortex γ photons via nonlinear Compton scattering of ultrarelativistic electrons in a circularly polarized laser pulse. We develop a quantum electrodynamics scattering theory that explicitly addresses the multiphoton absorption and the angular momentum transfer mechanism. In pulsed laser fields, we unveil the vortex phase structure of the scattering matrix element, discuss how the vortex phase could be transferred to the radiated photon, and derive the radiation rate of the vortex γ photon. We numerically examine the energy spectra and beam characteristics of the radiation, while also investigating the influence of finite laser pulses on the angular momentum and energy distribution of the emitted vortex γ photons.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum quenches in driven-dissipative quadratic fermionic systems with parity-time symmetry
Authors: Starchl Elias , Sieberer Lukas M.
Published: January 2024

We study the quench dynamics of noninteracting fermionic quantum many-body systems that are subjected to Markovian drive and dissipation and are described by a quadratic Liouvillian which has parity-time (PT) symmetry. In recent work, we have shown that such systems relax locally to a maximum entropy ensemble that we have dubbed the PT-symmetric generalized Gibbs ensemble (PTGGE), in analogy to the generalized Gibbs ensemble that describes the steady state of isolated integrable quantum many-body systems after a quench. Here, using driven-dissipative versions of the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model and the Kitaev chain as paradigmatic model systems, we corroborate and substantially expand upon our previous results. In particular, we confirm the validity of a dissipative quasiparticle picture at finite dissipation by demonstrating light cone spreading of correlations and the linear growth and saturation to the PTGGE prediction of the quasiparticle-pair contribution to the subsystem entropy in the PT-symmetric phase. Further, we introduce the concept of directional pumping phases, which is related to the non-Hermitian topology of the Liouvillian and based upon qualitatively different dynamics of the dual string order parameter and the subsystem fermion parity in the SSH model and the Kitaev chain, respectively: depending on the postquench parameters, there can be pumping of string order and fermion parity through both ends of a subsystem corresponding to a finite segment of the one-dimensional lattice, through only one end, or there can be no pumping at all. We show that transitions between dynamical pumping phases give rise to a new and independent type of dynamical critical behavior of the rates of directional pumping, which are determined by the soft modes of the PTGGE.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Smectic and Soap Bubble Optofluidic Lasers
Authors: Korenjak Zala , Humar Matjaž
Published: January 2024

Soap bubbles are simple, yet very unique and marvelous objects. They exhibit a number of interesting properties such as beautiful interference colors and the formation of minimal surfaces. Various optical phenomena have been studied in soap films and bubbles, but so far they have not been employed as optical cavities. Here we demonstrate that dye doped soap or smectic liquid crystal bubbles can support whispering gallery mode lasing, which is observed in the spectrum as hundreds of regularly spaced peaks, resembling a frequency comb. The lasing enabled the measurement of size changes as small as 10 nm in a millimeter-sized, ∼100−nm-thick bubble. Bubble lasers were used as extremely sensitive electric field sensors with a smallest measurable electric field of 110  Vm−1 Hz−1/2. They also enable the measurement of pressures up to a 100 bar with a resolution of 1.5 Pa, resulting in a dynamic range of almost 107. By connecting the bubble to a reservoir of air, almost arbitrarily low pressure changes can be measured while maintaining an outstanding dynamic range. The demonstrated soap bubble lasers are a very unique type of microcavities which are one of the best electric field and pressure microsensors to date and could in the future also be employed to study thin films and cavity optomechanics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Complex Structure of Molten FLiBe (2
LiF
–
BeF
2
) Examined by Experimental Neutron Scattering, X-Ray Scattering, and Deep-Neural-Network Based Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Fayfar Sean , Chahal Rajni , Williams Haley , Gardner D. Nathanael , Zheng Guiqiu , Sprouster David , Neuefeind Jörg C. , Olds Dan , Hwang Andrea , Mcfarlane Joanna , Gallagher Ryan C. , Asta Mark , Lam Stephen , Scarlat Raluca O. , Khaykovich Boris
Published: January 2024

The use of molten salts as coolants, fuels, and tritium breeding blankets in the next generation of fission and fusion nuclear reactors benefits from furthering the characterization of the molecular structure of molten halide salts, paving the way to predictive capability of the chemical and thermophysical properties of molten salts. Due to its neutronic, chemical, and thermochemical properties, 2LiF-BeF2 is a candidate molten salt for several fusion- and fission-reactor designs. We performed neutron and x-ray total-scattering measurements to determine the atomic structure of liquid 2LiF-

Be

F

2. We also performed and neural-network molecular-dynamics simulations to predict the structure obtained by neutron- and x-ray-diffraction experiments. The use of machine learning provides improvements to the efficiency in predicting the structure at a longer length scales than is achievable with simulations at significantly lower computational expense while retaining near accuracy. We found that the NNMD simulations accurately predicted the BeF42− oligomer formations seen in the experimental first-structure-factor peak. Our combination of high-resolution measurements with large-scale molecular dynamics provided an avenue to explore and experimentally verify the intermediate-range ordering beyond the first-nearest neighbor that has posed too many experimental and computational challenges in previous works. With a deeper understanding of the salt structure and ion ordering, the evolution of salt chemistry over the lifetime of a reactor can be better predicted, which is crucial to the licensing and operation of advanced fission and fusion reactors that employ molten salts. To this end, this work will serve as a reference for future studies of salt structure and macroscopic properties with and without the addition of solutes.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
rac-Hydroxyisovaleric acid
Authors: Dasi Lukhanyo , Hosten Eric Cyriel , Betz Richard
Published: January 2024

The title compound (systematic name: rac-2-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoic acid), C5H10O3, is the constitutional isomer of α-hydroxybutanoic acid. In the crystal, hydrogen bonds involving the alcoholic hydroxyl group give rise to centrosymmetric dimers that are extended to sheets perpendicular to the crystallographic c axis.
Academic accounting and interdisciplinary research – Australian evidence
Authors: Christ Katherine Leanne , Burritt Roger Leonard , Martin-Sardesai Ann , Guthrie James
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Given the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing wicked problems, this paper aims to explore the development of and prospects for interdisciplinary research through evidence gained from academic accountants in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Extant literature is complemented with interviews of accounting academics in Australia to reveal the challenges and opportunities facing interdisciplinary researchers and reimagine prospects for the future.

Findings

Evidence indicates that accounting academics hold diverse views toward interdisciplinarity. There is also confusion between multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity in the journals in which academic accountants publish. Further, there is mixed messaging among Deans, disciplinary leaders and emerging scholars about the importance of interdisciplinary research to, on the one hand, publish track records and, on the other, secure grants from government and industry. Finally, there are differing perceptions about the disciplines to be encouraged or accepted in the cross-fertilisation of ideas.

Originality/value

This paper is novel in gathering first-hand data about the opportunities, challenges and tensions accounting academics face in collaborating with others in interdisciplinary research. It confirms a discouraging pressure for emerging scholars between the academic research outputs required to publish in journals, prepare reports for industry and secure research funding, with little guidance for how these tensions might be managed.
Traditional family system, local government recognition and citizens' perceptions of homosexuality in Japan: an exploratory study
Authors: Takashino Nina , Davidson Robert Joseph , Keeni Minakshi
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Japan has made some progress in recognizing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights, such as passing laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in some cities. However, there is still a long way to go in terms of legal protection and social acceptance. Understanding citizens' attitudes toward homosexuality can help inform policies and interventions that promote LGBTQ rights and reduce discrimination. This study explores factors that influence citizens' attitudes toward homosexuality in Japan.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted through a web-based questionnaire with 1,806 participants, where they were asked about their views on same-sex partnership recognition, homosexual rights and traditional Japanese family systems. The collected data were statistically analyzed to determine the factors that affect individuals' opinions regarding homosexuality.

Findings

The study determined that in Japan, traditional views are inversely related to same-sex partnership registration. Conversely, local government support for LGBTQ+ rights is directly associated with societal acceptance. Additionally, closer contact with the LGBTQ+ community promotes acceptance.

Social implications

The study provides insights into the factors that shape societal attitudes toward homosexuality in Japan and highlights the importance of policies promoting diversity and inclusivity. By identifying these determinants, this study could help policymakers and advocates create effective strategies for promoting acceptance and equality for the LGBTQ+ community in Japan.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that focuses on understanding the factors that influence the attitudes of Japanese citizens toward homosexuality.
A servant perspective of leadership and knowledge co-creation process for IT/IS exploration-exploitation innovation in the B2B enterprise context
Authors: Sheng Margaret L. , Saide Saide
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to build an integrated model for information technology (IT)/information system (IS) team exploration and exploitation innovation in the business-to-business (B2B) enterprise context by empirically investigating the mediating role of tacit-explicit knowledge co-creation and exploring the behavior approach of servant leaders for IT/IS team exploration-exploitation innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors' analysis was supported by 182 enterprise-IT/IS teams (403 participants) in Taiwan. The authors used a questionnaire and Structural Equation Model (SEM)-SmartPLS to validate the development model. This study examines IT/IS exploration-exploitation innovation using a combination of quantitative survey research and qualitative case studies.

Findings

The specific roles of direct and mediating effects for two innovations of IT/IS team exploration and exploitation were investigated. The findings show a direct effect of knowledge creation (tacit and explicit) on IT/IS team exploration-exploitation innovation. Servant leader behavior positively influences tacit-explicit knowledge co-creation practices, IT/IS team exploration and exploitation. Moreover, knowledge creation (tacit and explicit) successfully mediates the correlation between servant leaders and IT/IS team innovations (for exploration and exploitation).

Practical implications

Managers, IT/IS consultants and enterprises at the executive level are suggested to encourage knowledge co-creation practices, both tacit and explicit to support their IT/IS team innovation. The greater the degree of explicit knowledge (i.e. socialization and internalization) and tacit knowledge creation (i.e. externalization and combination), the greater will be the opportunities for meeting the enterprise-IT/IS team exploration and exploitation innovation goals. The project manager may follow servant leadership behavior to promote effective knowledge co-creation process on the IT/IS team.

Originality/value

This effort contributes to greater and new understanding of how ambidexterity capability, tacit-explicit knowledge co-creation (mediators) and servant leaders for IT/IS team exploration-exploitation innovation in the B2B enterprise context and new foundations for future studies on a cross-enterprise IT/IS team. This research is also the first empirical effort to understand how a servant perspective leadership contributes through the knowledge co-creation process for IT/IS exploration-exploitation innovation.
The devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of women and children in 2023
Authors: Morve Roshan K. , Nashrin A. Kadri
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Current issues (such as health and economy-related) emerged due to the impact of COVID-19 on women’s and children’s health. The purpose of this opinion paper is to understand the world’s health issues after COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors study the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of women and children in 2023. The authors have applied the content analysis method and reviewed the post-COVID-19 impacts on women’s and children’s health. As a result of unemployment or financial instability, the fear of economic insecurity increases cases of women and child violence, child labour and other health issues. According to the study, the authors find that post-COVID-19-related health issues increase at a high level.

Findings

After COVID-19, across the world, children and women have gone through domestic violence and health issues (i.e. stress, anxiety and so on) and the vulnerable situation of children and women has badly impacted their mental and physical health.

Originality/value

Many children were orphaned, and the poor died due to poverty. COVID-19 has had a direct or indirect effect on children and women all over the world till today. This opinion paper focuses on post-COVID-19 issues that we all have forgotten to include in our current discourse.
Fight against hair loss together: exploring self-disclosure and social support in an online hair loss support community
Authors: Zhang Zizhong
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Hair loss is often overlooked but psychologically challenging. However, the emergence of online health communities provides opportunities for hair loss patients to seek social support through self-disclosure. Nevertheless, not all disclosures receive the desired support. This research explores what patients disclose within the community and how their health narrative (content, form and linguistic style) regarding self-disclosure influences the social support they receive.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigated a 13-year-old online support group for Chinese hair loss patients with nearly 240,000 members. Using structural topic modeling, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, and a negative binomial model, the research analyzed the content of self-disclosure and the interrelationships between social support and three narrative dimensions of self-disclosure.

Findings

Self-disclosures are classified into 14 topics, grouped under analytical, informative and emotional categories. Emotion-related self-disclosures, whether in content or effective word use, receive deeper social support. Longer and image-rich posts attract more support in quantity, but not necessarily in quality, while cognitive words have a limited impact.

Originality/value

This study addresses the previously overlooked population of hair loss patients within online health communities. It employs a more comprehensive health narrative framework to explore the relationship between self-disclosure and social support, utilizing unsupervised structural topic modeling methods to mine text. The research offers practical implications for how patients seek support and for healthcare professionals in developing doctor-patient communication strategies.
Police legitimacy in urban, suburban and rural settings: a study in Slovenia
Authors: Meško Gorazd , Hacin Rok
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Police legitimacy presents a social value of the institution based on citizens' normative, moral and ethical feelings that they should voluntarily comply with and support the authority of the police. The present study focuses on residents' perceptions of police legitimacy in different settings in Slovenia.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on data from a survey of 1,022 citizens in Slovenia, this study examined the correlates of police legitimacy and differences in citizen perceptions of police legitimacy in urban, suburban and rural settings.

Findings

Multivariate statistical analyses showed that feelings of obligation to obey, trust in police, procedural justice, police effectiveness, relations with police officers and gender influence perceptions of police legitimacy. Significant differences between residents' perceptions of police legitimacy, obligation to obey, trust in police, procedural justice, police effectiveness and legal cynicism in urban, suburban and rural settings were also observed. In general, residents of rural areas were found to have more positive attitudes towards the police than those in urban and suburban settings.

Practical implications

The article is useful for police leaders and practitioners planning policies and training of police officers for democratic policing.

Social implications

Police legitimacy reflects the legitimacy of governance, as the police are the most visible representatives of the state authority. Therefore, police legitimacy is crucial for policing in urban, suburban and rural settings.

Originality/value

The study presents the first test of police legitimacy in a non-Western cultural environment based on a national sample of citizens, which enables the generalisation of concepts of legitimacy, and its correlates in a different cultural setting. The study also presents the first attempt to test and compare the effect of the settings (i.e. rural, suburban and urban) on variables influencing residents' perceptions of police legitimacy.
Government expenditure, informality, and economic growth: Evidence from Eastern and Southern African countries
Authors: Mawejje Joseph
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the dynamic linkages among government expenditure, informality, and economic growth in 15 Eastern and Southern African countries over a 25‐year period during 1991–2015. The analysis exploits panel vector autoregressive models to construct the time path of one variable following an orthogonal shock to another variable using impulse response functions. The analysis is complemented by panel quantile regressions to investigate the potential role of informality in the expenditure–economic growth nexus. The findings are threefold. First, both government consumption and investment expenditure have positive and significant effects on real per capita GDP. Second, informality has a direct negative impact on real per capita GDP. Third, the informal sector dampens the impact of government expenditure on real per capita GDP. These results are robust to the inclusion of selected control variables and are unchanged across GDP quantiles. The study's findings suggest that government policies aimed at reducing informality can have direct impacts on economic growth and indirect impacts through improvements in the effectiveness of government expenditure.
Whey protein‐derived peptides improve blood profile and enhance muscular endurance in mice
Authors: Jung Da‐Min , Ki Woo‐Jin , Lim Young‐Soon , Nam Myoung‐Soo , Kim Kee K.
Published: January 2024

Whey protein‐derived peptides (WPP) can exert diverse physiological activities. However, their effects on exercise ability remain largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the effects of WPP on various physiological activities in cells, as well as on the blood profile and exercise ability of mice, aiming to develop bioactive peptides for enhancing muscular endurance. The intake of WPP induced a positive blood profile by lowering total cholesterol and significantly enhanced the muscular endurance of mice in treadmill endurance tests. Collectively, our results suggest the usefulness of WPP as agents for inducing vascular health, contributing to exercise ability by enhancing muscular endurance.
Overdiagnosis and overtreatment of ground‐glass nodule‐like lung cancer
Authors: Liang Xinyu , Zhang Chao , Ye Xin
Published: January 2024

Lung cancer has had one of the highest incidences and mortality in the world over the last few decades, which has aided in the promotion and popularization of screening for lung ground‐glass nodules (GGNs). People have great psychological anxiety about GGN because of the chance that it will develop into lung cancer, which makes clinical treatment of GGN a generally excessive phenomenon. Overdiagnosis in screening has recently been mentioned in the literature. An important research emphasis of screening is how to reduce the incidence of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. This paper discusses from different aspects how to characterize the occurrence of overdiagnosis and overtreatment, how to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and future screening, follow‐up, and treatment approaches.
Continuity obstetric care demonstrates greater vaginal birth after caesarean success
Authors: Facchetti Georgina , Teo Zhen , Sharma Meenu , Budden Aaron
Published: January 2024

Background

Australia's caesarean rate is higher than Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) average, and is rising. Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) is safe for selected women. Midwifery continuity of care (CoC) is associated with higher rates of vaginal birth compared to other models; however, impacts on VBAC attempts and success are unknown.

Aims

The primary aim was to determine if there is a difference in achieving VBAC between CoC and non‐CoC (NCoC) models. The secondary aim was to determine if there is a difference in the proportion of women attempting VBAC between these models.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective review of antenatal records and birthing data of all women who birthed in 2021 with one or more previous caesareans. Women were included if they had two or fewer caesareans. Women were excluded if contraindications to VBAC existed.

Results

There were 142/1109 (12.8%) women who had previous caesareans and were eligible to attempt VBAC. There were 47/109 (43.1%) women who attempted vaginal birth after one caesarean with 78.7% success. After one caesarean, women in CoC were more likely to achieve VBAC than NCoC (45.2% vs 26.1%; relative risk (RR) 1.76, 95% CI 1.04–3.00), although when stratified by private and midwifery CoC models, women in midwifery CoC models were more likely to be successful (private RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.23–2.07 vs midwifery RR 2.48, 95% CI 1.50–4.11). Women in CoC were more likely to attempt VBAC (54.7% vs 34.8%; RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02–2.41), and receive counselling about VBAC (92.5% vs 62%; RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.41–3.11).

Conclusion

CoC improves the rate of attempted and successful VBAC through several factors, including increased counselling and greater provision of birth choices.
Venetoclax and hypomethylating agents in critically ill patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Liang Peiqi , Xie Yan , Liu Ziyi , Wang Dong , Li Qian , Lu Yin , Xue Shengli , Wang Ying , Chen Suning , Wu Deipei , Fu Jianhong
Published: January 2024

Venetoclax (VEN) in combination with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) is considered the standard of treatment for individuals with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. We conducted a retrospective analysis that encompassed 16 critically ill patients newly diagnosed with AML who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and received the VEN and HMA regimen. Among them, 13 were primary AML, and three were MDS‐transformed AML. The mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 18.9, and the mean sepsis‐related organ failure assessment score (SOFA) was 6.2. The average length of the ICU stay was 27.3 days. The median duration of VEN administration was 16 days. After the first course of VEN + HMA, 12 cases (75%) achieved complete remission (CR) or CR with incomplete haematological recovery (CRi). Among the five patients harbouring TP53 mutations, the overall response rate (ORR) was 90%. All patients experienced grade 3–4 haematological adverse events (AEs). With a median follow‐up of 9.5 months (range: 0.5–23), the overall survival (OS) rate was 43.75%. TP53‐wild patients and CR state after the first course of VEN–HMA indicated better survival. The combination of VEN and HMA has demonstrated a significantly elevated therapeutic response rate in newly diagnosed AML patients with critical illness.
Picking a thorny rose: Optimal trading with spread‐based return predictability
Authors: Feng Linjun , Li Ya , Xu Jing
Published: January 2024

Small stocks' time‐varying spreads predict future return gap between small and large stocks. To optimally exploit such predictability, the investor captures current risk premium by purchasing at large spreads with substantially reduced turnover; uses an aim‐in‐front‐of‐the‐target approach to trade‐off between future risk premium and current transaction costs; and meets hedging demand at low costs. Strong interaction between transaction costs and return predictability leads to large losses from myopic trading. Greater variability of the spread is advantageous for investors who trade optimally but detrimental for investors who trade myopically. The spread‐based return predictability significantly increases the investment value of small stocks.
Haemopneumothorax as a complication of bronchoalveolar lavage
Authors: Kopec Elizabeth K. , Hepburn Richard , Jones Becky , Smith Sarah
Published: January 2024

This is a case report of a horse that developed haemopneumothorax as a complication of a bronchoalveolar lavage procedure. The horse had exercise‐induced pulmonary haemorrhage prior to this event.
Relationships among the fish passage efficiency, fish swimming behavior, and hydraulic properties in a vertical‐slot fishway
Authors: Zhang Di , Xu Yuanhui , Deng Jun , Shi Xiaotao , Liu Yakun
Published: January 2024

Three‐dimensional hydrodynamic numerical simulation and laboratory fish‐passage experiment with juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were used to systematically estimate hydrodynamic parameters, fish passage efficiency, fish swimming behavior, and fish swimming trajectories in a vertical‐slot fishway (VSF) under five different flow discharges. The spatial‐mean time‐averaged velocity magnitude along the slot section determined passage success rate. The absolute value of the time‐averaged Reynolds‐shear‐stress component in the X–Y direction played a decisive role in selecting the swimming path. In addition, fish energy expenditure along the mean‐50% swimming route indicated that higher mainstream velocity did not necessarily signify larger energy consumption, because successfully‐migrating fish selected the relatively lower velocity zone during the migration process. Our findings for fish swimming behavior in response to velocity and turbulence can be used to develop high‐efficiency fishways for grass carps or other species with similar traits.
Pervasive soil phosphorus losses in terrestrial ecosystems in China
Authors: Song Xiaodong , Alewell Christine , Borrelli Pasquale , Panagos Panos , Huang Yuanyuan , Wang Yu , Wu Huayong , Yang Fei , Yang Shunhua , Sui Yueyu , Wang Liangjie , Liu Siyi , Zhang Ganlin
Published: January 2024

Future phosphorus (P) shortages could seriously affect terrestrial productivity and food security. We investigated the changes in topsoil available P (AP) and total P (TP) in China's forests, grasslands, paddy fields, and upland croplands during the 1980s–2010s based on substantial repeated soil P measurements (63,220 samples in the 1980s, 2000s, and 2010s) and machine learning techniques. Between the 1980s and 2010s, total soil AP stock increased with a small but significant rate of 0.13 kg P ha−1 year−1, but total soil TP stock declined substantially (4.5 kg P ha−1 year−1) in the four ecosystems. We quantified the P budgets of soil–plant systems by harmonizing P fluxes from various sources for this period. Matching trends of soil contents over the decades with P budgets and fluxes, we found that the P‐surplus in cultivated soils (especially in upland croplands) might be overestimated due to the great soil TP pool compared to fertilization and the substantial soil P losses through plant uptake and water erosion that offset the P additions. Our findings of P‐deficit in China raise the alarm on the sustainability of future biomass production (especially in forests), highlight the urgency of P recycling in croplands, and emphasize the critical role of country‐level basic data in guiding sound policies to tackle the global P crises.
Context matters in ecological forecasting: Lessons in predicting species distributions
Authors: Zipkin Elise F. , Doser Jeffrey W.
Published: January 2024

Forecasting the future state of a species is a tricky process, as there are numerous hidden factors that influence species trajectories in addition to the obvious unknowns about the future state of the planet. We echo the guidance of Clare et al. (2024) to use near‐term and long‐term forecasting in complementary ways. Near‐term forecasts can be used to guide specific management and conservation actions, which can be updated as new data and evidence are collected. Long‐term forecasts can be used to characterize uncertainty further into the future, which can help guide longstanding conservation planning and legislative actions that are based on such uncertainty in possible future outcomes.