bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High-Efficiency Capture and Proteomic Analysis of Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles through Affinity Purification
Authors: Zhang Gui-Yuan , Ma Cheng-Xiao , Ma Le , Wei Dong , Wu Ya-Nan , Li Ying , Xu Zhe-Hui , Liu Yu-Feng , Cai Yu-Han , Yu Evan Yi-Wen , Zhu Ye-Fei , Zhang Hao 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPlasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising sources of biomarkers. It is still a challenge to isolate EVs from a small amount of human plasma for downstream proteomic analysis. The separation process is hindered by contamination with high-abundance blood proteins and lipoprotein particles, which adversely impact proteomic analyses. Moreover, although EVs immune-separation via magnetic beads often integrates with flow sorting and western blotting (WB), it lacks compatibility with nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and proteomic analysis. To address these issues, we have developed a functional affinity magnetic bead, EVlent (ExtracellularVesicles isoLatedEfficiently,Naturally, andTotally), enabling the rapid and efficient separation of EVs from plasma. By optimizing the quantities of magnetic beads and plasma used, we characterized the isolated EVs through WB, NTA, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), showing a successfully separation of EVs from plasma. Proteomic analysis of these EVs identified over 2,000 proteins and 15,000 peptides from just 100 μL of plasma, and nearly 1,000 proteins from trace samples as small as 5 μL. Additionally, this isolation method significantly reduced contaminants, including plasma proteins and lipoproteins, compared to ultracentrifugation. Finally, we applied this strategy to plasma samples of healthy individuals and those with Parkinson’s disease, identifying four potential biomarkers that provide a promising guidance for clinical diagnosis.
An eye-tracking study of visual attention in chimpanzees and bonobos when viewing different tool-using techniques
Authors: Piao Yige , Brooks James , Yamamoto Shinya 
Published: August 2024

AbstractChimpanzees and bonobos are excellent tool users and can socially learn various skills. Previous studies on social learning mainly measure success/failure in acquiring new techniques, with less direct measurement of proximate mechanisms like visual attention during the process. This study investigates how apes observe tool-using demonstrations through eye-tracking. After checking initial techniques, six chimpanzees and six bonobos were shown video demonstrations of human demonstrators using a tube to dip (low-efficiency) or suck (high-efficiency) juice, and then tried the task themselves. Attention to each video was compared to participants’ knowledge. Although no individuals acquired the high-efficiency technique through video demonstrations, eye-tracking results revealed attentional differences between individuals familiar with different techniques. Compared with individuals already familiar with both techniques, individuals knowing only the dipping technique showed less attention to the unfamiliar sucking technique. This result indicates that apes may not attend much to what they do not know well, which aligns with reported interplay of action observation and understanding. Attentional patterns to specific areas was similar between species, though there was a tendency towards more attention to faces in bonobos and food in chimpanzees. This study emphasizes the importance of detailed investigation into social learning process using eye-tracking.
MinD proteins regulate CetZ1 localisation inHaloferax volcanii
Authors: Brown Hannah J. , Duggin Iain G. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractCetZ proteins are archaea-specific homologues of the cytoskeletal proteins FtsZ and tubulin. In the pleomorphic archaeonHaloferax volcanii, CetZ1 contributes to the development of rod shape and motility, and has been implicated in the proper assembly and positioning of the archaellum and chemotaxis motility proteins. CetZ1 shows complex subcellular localization, including irregular midcell structures and filaments along the long axis of developing rods and patches at the cell poles of the motile rod cell type. The polar localizations of archaellum and chemotaxis proteins are also influenced by MinD4, the only previously characterized archaeal member of the MinD family of ATPases, which are better known for their roles in the positioning of the division ring in bacteria. UsingminDmutant strains and CetZ1 subcellular localization studies, we show here that a secondminDhomolog,minD2, has a strong influence on motility and the localization of CetZ1. Knockout of theminD2gene altered the distribution of a fluorescent CetZ1-mTq2 fusion protein in a broad midcell zone and along the edges of rod cells, and inhibited the localization of CetZ1-mTq2 at the cell poles. MinD4 had a similar but weaker influence on motility and CetZ1-mTq2 localization. The MinD2/4 mutant strains formed rod cell shapes like the wildtype at an early log stage of growth. Our results are consistent with distinct roles for CetZ1 in rod shape formation and at the poles of mature rods, that are positioned through the action of the MinD proteins and contribute to the development of swimming motility in multiple ways. They represent the first report of MinD proteins controlling the positioning of tubulin superfamily proteins in archaea.
TowardDe NovoProtein Design from Natural Language
Authors: Dai Fengyuan , Fan Yuliang , Su Jin , Wang Chentong , Han Chenchen , Zhou Xibin , Liu Jianming , Qian Hui , Wang Shunzhi , Zeng Anping , Wang Yajie , Yuan Fajie 
Published: August 2024

AbstractDe novoprotein design represents a fundamental pursuit in protein engineering, yet current deep learning approaches remain constrained by their narrow design scope. Here we present Pinal, a large-scale frontier framework comprising 16 billion parameters and trained on 1.7 billion protein-text pairs, that bridges natural language understanding with protein design space, translating human design intent into novel protein sequences. Instead of a straightforward end-to-end text-to-sequence generation, Pinal implements a two-stage process: first generating protein structures based on language instructions, then designing sequences conditioned on both the generated structure and the language input. This strategy effectively constrains the search space by operating in the more tractable structural domain. Through comprehensive experiments, we demonstrate that Pinal achieves superior performance compared to existing approaches, including the concurrent work ESM3, while exhibiting robust generalization to novel protein structures beyond the PDB database. The online demo is available athttp://www.denovo-pinal.com/.
CRISPR-RNA binding drives structural ordering that primes Cas7-11 for target cleavage
Authors: Lin Calvin P. , Li Harry , Brogan Daniel J. , Wang Tianqi , Akbari Omar S. , Komives Elizabeth A. 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACTType III-E CRISPR-Cas effectors, referred to as Cas7-11 of gRAMPs, are single proteins that cleave target RNAs without nonspecific collateral cleavage, opening new possibilities for RNA editing. Here, biochemical assays combined with amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX-MS) experiments provide a first glimpse of the conformational dynamics of apo Cas7-11. HDX-MS revealed the backbone comprising the four Cas7 zinc-binding RRM folds are well-folded but insertion sequences are highly dynamic and fold upon binding crRNA. The crRNA causes folding of disordered catalytic loops and β-hairpins, stronger interactions at domain-domain interfaces, and folding of the Cas7.1 processing site. Target RNA binding causes only minor ordering around the catalytic loops of Cas7.2 and Cas7.3. We show that Cas7-11 cannot independently process the CRISPR array and that binding of partially processed crRNA induces multiple states in Cas7-11 and reduces target RNA cleavage. The insertion domain shows the most ordering upon binding of mature crRNA. Finally, we show a crRNA-induced conformational change in one of the TPR-CHAT binding sites providing an explanation for why crRNA binding facilitates TPR-CHAT binding. The results provide the first glimpse of the apo state of Cas7-11 and reveal how its structure and function are regulated by crRNA binding.
CTA and SWGO can discover Higgsino dark matter annihilation
Authors: Rodd Nicholas L. , Safdi Benjamin R. , Xu Weishuang Linda 
Published: August 2024

Thermal Higgsino dark matter (DM), with a mass near 1.1 TeV, is one of the most well-motivated and untested DM candidates. Leveraging recent hydrodynamic cosmological simulations that give DM density profiles in Milky Way analog galaxies we show that the linelike gamma-ray signal predicted from Higgsino annihilation in the Galactic Center could be detected at high significance with the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) and Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO) for all but the most pessimistic DM profiles. We perform the most sensitive search to-date for the linelike signal using 15 years of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope, coming within an order one factor of the necessary sensitivity to detect the Higgsino for some Milky Way analog DM density profiles. We show that H.E.S.S. has subleading sensitivity relative to Fermi for the Higgsino at present. In contrast, we analyze H.E.S.S. inner Galaxy data for the thermal wino model with a mass near 2.8 TeV; we find no evidence for a DM signal and exclude the wino by over a factor of two in cross section for all DM profiles considered. In the process, we identify and attempt to correct what appears to be an inconsistency in previous H.E.S.S. inner Galaxy analyses for DM annihilation related to the analysis effective area, which may weaken the DM cross-section sensitivity claimed in those works by around an order of magnitude.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantifying local lattice distortions in refractory high-entropy alloys
Authors: Hu Yao , Owen Lewis R. , Playford Helen Y. , Edgren Aina , Guo Sheng , Colliander Magnus Hörnqvist 
Published: August 2024

Severe local lattice distortions (LLDs), originating from the size mismatch among atoms, have been proposed as one of the key mechanisms responsible for the excellent mechanical properties of bcc-structured high-entropy alloys (HEAs). They have also been connected to phase stability, as well as physical properties such as electrical conductivity. Experimental measurements of LLDs are, however, difficult and often ambiguous. Analysis of total scattering data in real space has been proposed to provide a uniquely suitable probe of LLDs, but its widespread application and validation are still limited. We conduct a thorough study of LLD measurements in refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) using small-box pair distribution function (PDF) analysis. We start by reexamining existing literature data using a recently proposed coherent theoretical framework to demonstrate that LLDs in RHEAs can indeed be considered as severe and can be reliably measured even in the absence of known thermal components. We perform total scattering experiments of a typical RHEA (HfNbTaTiZr) using both x-rays and neutrons, and show that real-space PDF analysis of data from different types of radiation gives consistent values of LLDs. The results are also in good agreement with the values derived from reciprocal-space data. Finally, through simulation and analysis of theoretical two-phase PDFs, we demonstrate that the effect of the chemical segregation in the investigated RHEA on the measured LLDs is limited when dealing with comparatively large LLDs. The results show that PDF analysis using small-box modeling provides a fast and reliable tool for measuring LLDs in RHEAs, which makes it ideal for analysis of large data sets from time-resolved measurements.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Innovative green construction adoption in Ghana: architects’ perspectives from theory of planned behaviour
Authors: Addy Michael Nii , Dadzoe Florence , Kwofie Titus Ebenezer , Aigbavboa Clinton , Simons Barbara 
Published: August 2024

PurposeClimate change and global warming are two major ecological concerns. The construction industry has instituted measures such as green construction in response to these concerns. This study seeks to assess the views of architects on the uptake of innovative green construction (IGC) in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to investigate the factors influencing the decision to adopt IGC. A structured questionnaire was issued to architects who have been involved in the design and/or construction of green buildings in Ghana. The dataset was obtained from 61 architects and Partial Least Square was used to analyse the data.FindingsThe results show that two TPB factors; attitude and perceived behavioural control are significant determinants of architects’ intention to adopt IGC. Interestingly, behavioural intention did not have an influence on the actual behaviour of IGC adoption. However, perceived behavioural control had a significant impact on the actual adoption of IGC.Practical implicationsContextually, the findings of the study will contribute to policy development and marketing of various green innovation within the Ghanaian construction milieu. Practically, the study will help encourage stakeholders to build the right capacity and competence towards the uptake of IGC.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is based on the theoretical framework underpinning the study and the target respondents as the unit of analysis in assessing the full uptake of IGC in Ghana. The utility of the model evinces the role behavioural changes play in ecological development.
Analysis of CEO career patterns using machine learning: taking US university graduates as an example
Authors: Hung Chia Yu , Jeng Eddie , Cheng Li Chen 
Published: August 2024

PurposeThis study explores the career trajectories of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to uncover unique characteristics that contribute to their success. By utilizing web scraping and machine learning techniques, over two thousand CEO profiles from LinkedIn are analyzed to understand patterns in their career paths. This study offers an alternative approach compared to the predominantly qualitative research methods employed in previous research.Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes a framework for analyzing CEO career patterns. Job titles and company information are encoded using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) scheme. The study employs the Needleman-Wunsch optimal matching algorithm and an agglomerative approach to construct distance matrices and cluster CEO career paths.FindingsThis study gathered data on the career transition processes of graduates from several renowned public and private universities in the United States via LinkedIn. Employing machine learning techniques, the analysis revealed diverse career trajectories. The findings offer career guidance for individuals from various academic backgrounds aspiring to become CEOs.Research limitations/implicationsThe building of a career sequence that takes into account the number of years requires integers. Numbers that are not integers have been rounded up to facilitate the optimal matching process but this approach prevents a perfectly accurate representation of time worked.Practical implicationsThis study makes an original contribution to the field of career pattern analysis by disclosing the distinct career path groups of CEOs using the rich LinkedIn online dataset. Note that our CEO profiles are not restricted in any industry or specific career paths followed to becoming CEOs. In light of the fact that individuals who hold CEO positions are usually perceived by society as successful, we are interested in finding the characteristics behind their success and whether either the title held or the company they remain at show patterns in making them who they are today.Originality/valueAs a matter of fact, nearly all CEOs had previous experience working for a non-Fortune organization before joining a Fortune company. Of those who have worked for Fortune firms, the number of CEOs with experience in Fortune 500 forms exceeded those with experience in Fortune 1,000 firms.
Thermal performance comparison of vertical and diagonal flow configurations in corrugated plate heat exchanger
Authors: Al-Zahrani Salman 
Published: August 2024

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare the thermal performance of two flow configurations in corrugated plate heat exchanger (CPHE): vertical flow configuration (CPHEvert.) and diagonal flow configuration (CPHEdiag.). The study aims to determine the differences between these configurations and evaluate their respective thermal performance based on metrics such as heat transfer rates, pressure drop values and flow distribution.Design/methodology/approachThe study compares the thermal performance of two flow arrangements of CPHE using identical geometrical dimensions and test conditions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is employed, and a validated numerical model is used for the investigation. The comparison is based on analyzing the rate of heat transfer and pressure drop data between the two flow arrangements.FindingsThe findings indicate that the diagonal flow configuration in CPHEs offers improved flow distribution, enhanced heat transfer performance and lower pressure drop compared to the vertical flow configuration. However, the differences in general in the thermal performance of CPHEvert. and CPHEdiag. are found to be minimal.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to investigate the impact of vertical and diagonal flow configurations on the thermal performance of the CPHE.
To bank or not to bank: describing the banking status of black households
Authors: Grable John , Archuleta Kristy , Watkins Kimberly , Kwak Eun Jin (E.J.) 
Published: August 2024

PurposeUnbanked status in the United States varies across the population, but the phenomenon of being unbanked tends to be more pronounced for Black households. This paper extends the current body of literature by conceptualizing banked status as an element of financial inclusion and by expanding the number and type of variables used to describe banked status.Design/methodology/approachThis study’s theoretical orientation was informed by the work of Blanco et al. (2019). Survey data used in this study were gathered between May 2021 and February 2022 by Elevate's Center for the New Middle Class. Data were analyzed as a secondary dataset for this study. Three methods were used to evaluate the data. First, sample descriptives were calculated. Second, a correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations between variables and to ensure that multicollinearity would not be an issue at the third stage of analysis. Third, a logistic regression was estimated to identify the variables that were significantly associated with being banked (i.e. holding a checking or savings account) (coded 1) or being unbanked (coded 0).FindingsIn this study, 17% of Black households were currently excluded from the financial marketplace. Factors of particular importance in describing unbanked status include being younger than age 55, identifying as male, being married, reporting higher income, relying on the use of credit more often, experiencing employment/financial stress more frequently, less trust in mainstream banking institutions, and inaccessibility to banks and credit unions. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.Originality/valueThis study adds to the financial inclusion literature by illustrating how unbanked status in the United States varies across the population, but that in general, a few common markers differentiate the banked and unbanked status of Black households. Factors of particular importance in describing unbanked status include being younger than age 55, identifying as male, being married, reporting higher income, relying on the use of credit more often, experiencing employment/financial stress more frequently, less trust in mainstream banking institutions, and inaccessibility to banks and credit unions. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Balancing work and life in academia: unraveling the employee engagement mystery
Authors: Tiwari Mukul , Srivastava Manish Kumar , Suresh A.S. , Sharma Vinod , Mahajan Yogesh 
Published: August 2024

PurposeThis study aims to further the understanding of employees’ engagement by explaining their organizational commitment through their perception of the availability of work-life benefits in the organization. This study also investigates the mediating role of job satisfaction in this context.Design/methodology/approachThe model was tested on the primary data collected in two phases from 270 teaching professionals in higher education institutes in Northern India. Barren and Kenny’s algorithm and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results reveal that employees’ perception of work-life benefits strongly influences their organizational commitment. Also, the results support that employees’ job satisfaction mediates the above-mentioned relationship.Research limitations/implicationsSelf-reported data could be considered as a key limitation of this study and for more accurate results supervisors’ (line managers) perspective could also be included in future studies. Also, in addition to perceived work-life benefits, supervisors’ support could also have an impact on employees’ commitment, thus its inclusion in the model could draw a clearer picture.Originality/valueThis research has two key contributions: first, it adds to the limited literature examining the employees’ engagement issues in the academic sector. Second, this research is one of, if not the first, to investigate perceived work-life benefits among third-level teaching staff in India to explain employees’ commitment to their organizations.
Earnings quality among private firms: evidence from the ELITE context
Authors: Ricciardi Giorgio , Fera Pietro , Moscariello Nicola , De Nuccio Elbano 
Published: August 2024

PurposeRecent accounting literature claims that private firms’ heterogeneity influences the quality of earnings. Along with certain drivers of heterogeneity, private firms get involved in specific programs aimed at fostering their access to capital, competencies and networks (CCN programs). Such programs can enhance private firms’ exposure to stakeholders that demand higher reporting quality, affecting their financial reporting choices. Therefore, this study investigated whether membership in CCN programs affects private firms’ earnings quality.Design/methodology/approachFocusing on the ELITE program, an international platform that since 2012 aims to support the growth of the most promising SMEs, and employing different econometric specifications facing endogeneity concerns, this paper carries out a quantitative empirical analysis to test the effect of CCN programs on private firms’ earnings quality.FindingsEmploying different earnings quality measures, empirical evidence reveals that firms belonging to CCN programs experienced an improvement in their earnings quality.Research limitations/implicationsEven though endogeneity concerns have been addressed, we are nevertheless aware that they might, at least partially, have affected our results.Practical implicationsAlthough the contributions of the study are mostly academic, the empirical evidence obtained also carries practical implications. CCN programs not only act, as one might assume, as catalysts for economic and dimensional growth but also contribute to better earnings quality, mitigating the information asymmetries between firms and their stakeholders.Originality/valueBy adding new evidence to the literature concerning the impact of private firms’ heterogeneity on earnings quality, this is the first study to analyze the impact of specific programs aimed at supporting the affiliated SMEs to foster their access to capital, competencies and networks.