bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introducing a Nonvolatile N‐Type Dopant Drastically Improves Electron Transport in Polymer and Small‐Molecule Organic Transistors
Authors: Panidi Julianna , Kainth Jaspreet , Paterson Alexandra F. , Wang Simeng , Tsetseris Leonidas , Emwas Abdul‐Hamid , McLachlan Martyn A. , Heeney Martin , Anthopoulos Thomas D.
Published: June 2019

Molecular doping is a powerful yet challenging technique for enhancing charge transport in organic semiconductors (OSCs). While there is a wealth of research on p‐type dopants, work on their n‐type counterparts is comparatively limited. Here, reported is the previously unexplored n‐dopant (12a,18a)‐5,6,12,12a,13,18,18a,19‐octahydro‐5,6‐dimethyl‐ 13,18[1′,2′]‐benzenobisbenzimidazo [1,2‐b:2′,1′‐d]benzo[i][2.5]benzodiazo‐cine potassium triflate adduct (DMBI‐BDZC) and its application in organic thin‐film transistors (OTFTs). Two different high electron mobility OSCs, namely, the polymer poly[[N,N′‐bis(2‐octyldodecyl)‐naphthalene‐1,4,5,8‐ bis(dicarboximide)‐2,6‐diyl]‐alt‐5,5′‐(2′‐bithiophene)] and a small‐molecule naphthalene diimides fused with 2‐(1,3‐dithiol‐2‐ylidene)malononitrile groups (NDI‐DTYM2) are used to study the effectiveness of DMBI‐BDZC as a n‐dopant. N‐doping of both semiconductors results in OTFTs with improved electron mobility (up to 1.1 cm2 V−1 s−1), reduced threshold voltage and lower contact resistance. The impact of DMBI‐BDZC incorporation is particularly evident in the temperature dependence of the electron transport, where a significant reduction in the activation energy due to trap deactivation is observed. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements support the n‐doping activity of DMBI‐BDZC in both semiconductors. This finding is corroborated by density functional theory calculations, which highlights ground‐state electron transfer as the main doping mechanism. The work highlights DMBI‐BDZC as a promising n‐type molecular dopant for OSCs and its application in OTFTs, solar cells, photodetectors, and thermoelectrics.
Zn(Cu)Si2+xP3 Solid Solution Anodes for High‐Performance Li‐Ion Batteries with Tunable Working Potentials
Authors: Li Wenwu , Liao Jun , Li Xinwei , Zhang Lei , Zhao Bote , Chen Yu , Zhou Yucun , Guo Zaiping , Liu Meilin
Published: June 2019

Si‐based anodes with a stiff diamond structure usually suffer from sluggish lithiation/delithiation reaction due to low Li‐ion and electronic conductivity. Here, a novel ternary compound ZnSi2P3 with a cation‐disordered sphalerite structure, prepared by a facile mechanochemical method, is reported, demonstrating faster Li‐ion and electron transport and greater tolerance to volume change during cycling than the existing Si‐based anodes. A composite electrode consisting of ZnSi2P3 and carbon achieves a high initial Coulombic efficiency (92%) and excellent rate capability (950 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1) while maintaining superior cycling stability (1955 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 300 mA g−1), surpassing the performance of most Si‐ and P‐based anodes ever reported. The remarkable electrochemical performance is attributed to the sphalerite structure that allows fast ion and electron transport and the reversible Li‐storage mechanism involving intercalation and conversion reactions. Moreover, the cation‐disordered sphalerite structure is flexible to ionic substitutions, allowing extension to a family of Zn(Cu)Si2+xP3 solid solution anodes (x = 0, 2, 5, 10) with large capacity, high initial Coulombic efficiency, and tunable working potentials, representing attractive anode candidates for next‐generation, high‐performance, and low‐cost Li‐ion batteries.
Artificial Muscles Powered by Glucose
Authors: Mashayekhi Mazar Fariba , Martinez Jose G. , Tyagi Manav , Alijanianzadeh Mahdi , Turner Anthony P. F. , Jager Edwin W. H.
Published: June 2019

Untethered actuation is important for robotic devices to achieve autonomous motion, which is typically enabled by using batteries. Using enzymes to provide the required electrical charge is particularly interesting as it will enable direct harvesting of fuel components from a surrounding fluid. Here, a soft artificial muscle is presented, which uses the biofuel glucose in the presence of oxygen. Glucose oxidase and laccase enzymes integrated in the actuator catalytically convert glucose and oxygen into electrical power that in turn is converted into movement by the electroactive polymer polypyrrole causing the actuator to bend. The integrated bioelectrode pair shows a maximum open‐circuit voltage of 0.70 ± 0.04 V at room temperature and a maximum power density of 0.27 µW cm−2 at 0.50 V, sufficient to drive an external polypyrrole‐based trilayer artificial muscle. Next, the enzymes are fully integrated into the artificial muscle, resulting in an autonomously powered actuator that can bend reversibly in both directions driven by glucose and O2 only. This autonomously powered artificial muscle can be of great interest for soft (micro‐)robotics and implantable or ingestible medical devices manoeuvring throughout the body, for devices in regenerative medicine, wearables, and environmental monitoring devices operating autonomously in aqueous environments.
Programmable Mechanical Properties of Two‐Photon Polymerized Materials: From Nanowires to Bulk
Authors: Bauer Jens , Guell Izard Anna , Zhang Yunfei , Baldacchini Tommaso , Valdevit Lorenzo
Published: June 2019

Two‐photon polymerization direct laser writing (TPP‐DLW) is the most promising technology for additive manufacturing of geometrically complex parts with nanoscale features, and could dramatically accelerate the development of a wide range of engineering micro/nanosystems. However, a major obstacle to TPP‐DLW's widespread industrial adoption is the lack of systematic data on material properties and limited knowledge on their correlation with processing parameters. These correlations for the acrylate‐based resin IP‐Dip are experimentally established over a large range of process parameters and length scales ranging from nanometers to centimeters. Universal characteristic relations between mechanical properties and process parameters are identified, which enable the tailoring of the material strength and stiffness over half an order of magnitude from rubbery soft to hard and strong. With a threshold‐based optics model presented herein, the mechanical properties of the two‐photon polymerized material can be accurately captured as a function of the applied process parameters, laying the foundation for a universal quantitative predictability of two‐photon polymerization with programmable mechanical properties. This knowledge enables fabrication of microscale components with tailored local gradients in their mechanical properties, with significant implications for the development of novel mechanical, photonic, and photonic metamaterials.
Wavelength‐Tunable Micro/Nanolasers
Authors: Zhuge Ming‐Hua , Pan Caofeng , Zheng Yazhi , Tang Jianbin , Ullah Salman , Ma Yaoguang , Yang Qing
Published: June 2019

Micro/nanolasers (MNLs) emit coherent light on the micro/nanoscale. Research on the application of MNLs has progressed rapidly in the past two decades because of their great potential for optoelectronics with compact sizes, low cost, and low energy consumption. Wavelength‐tunable MNLs are essential for a variety of fields including optical communications, solid‐state lighting, and on‐chip wavelength‐division multiplexing. Thus far, tremendous progress is achieved toward the development of wavelength‐tunable MNLs based on bandgap tuning and cavity design. Lasing wavelength is substantially defined by material bandgap, tuned by changing the geometry of the cavity structures, and can also, to some extent, be influenced by operational environment. This review is focused on the intrinsic merits of wavelength‐tunable MNLs, and the recent progress is examined. Bandgap engineering, materials synthesis, cavity structure design, wavelength‐tuning principles, and lasing performance are explored and systematically discussed. Finally, the current research status and perspectives on possible future applications are summarized.
Multifunctional Solar Waterways: Plasma‐Enabled Self‐Cleaning Nanoarchitectures for Energy‐Efficient Desalination
Authors: Wu Shenghao , Xiong Guoping , Yang Huachao , Gong Biyao , Tian Yikuan , Xu Chenxuan , Wang Yan , Fisher Timothy , Yan Jianhua , Cen Kefa , Luo Tengfei , Tu Xin , Bo Zheng , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken)
Published: June 2019

Evaporating seawater and separating salt from water is one of the most promising solutions for global water scarcity. State‐of‐the‐art water desalination devices combining solar harvesting and heat localization for evaporation using nanomaterials still suffer from several issues in energy efficiency, long‐term performance, salt fouling, light blocking, and clean water collection in real‐world applications. To address these issues, this work devises plasma‐enabled multifunctional all‐carbon nanoarchitectures with on‐surface waterways formed by nitrogen‐doped hydrophilic graphene nanopetals (N‐fGPs) seamlessly integrated onto the external surface of hydrophobic self‐assembled graphene foam (sGF). The N‐fGPs simultaneously transport water and salt ions, absorb sunlight, serve as evaporation surfaces, then capture the salts, followed by self‐cleaning. The sGF ensures effective thermal insulation and enhanced heat localization, contributing to high solar‐vapor efficiency of 88.6 ± 2.1%. Seamless connection between N‐fGPs and sGF and self‐cleaning of N‐fGP structures by redissolution of the captured salts in the waterways lead to long‐term stability over 240 h of continuous operation in real seawater without performance degradation, and a high daily evaporation yield of 15.76 kg m−2. By eliminating sunlight blocking and guiding condensed vapor, a high clean water collection ratio of 83.5% is achieved. The multiple functionalities make the current nanoarchitectures promising as multipurpose advanced energy materials.
New model phthalonitrile resin system based on self‐promoted curing reaction for exploring the mechanism of radical promoted‐polymerization effect
Authors: Liu Zhengzhou , Liu Yang , Peng Weifeng , Lu Zheng , Liang Bo , Liu Yao , Li Chengfeng , Hu Jianghuai , Zeng Ke , Yang Gang
Published: June 2019

The reaction mechanism and product properties of radical promoted‐polymerization effect of phthalonitrile (PN) were further studied in this article. Different from the previous blending model system, this work provided a structurally symmetrical self‐promoted PN model compound [di‐imide PN model monomer (DAIM‐PN)], which was more conductive to study the polymerization mechanism. Combination of “in situ” infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry offered a clearer picture of polymerization mechanism. The results indicated that DAIM‐PN formed isoindoline and its cyclized tetramer of phthalocyanine selectively during the curing process. This work also demonstrated that the aliphatic chain participated in the reaction of nitrile group and provided more evidence for the reaction site (secondary carbon). Besides, high performance polymers with good processing properties, excellent thermal stability (overall char yield >74% at 800 °C, N2), and heat resistance (Tg > 470 °C) were obtained by blending and copolymerizing DAIM‐PN with 1,3‐bis(3,4‐dicyanophenoxy)benzene. The effectiveness and application potential of the reaction mechanism were confirmed. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48134.
Quantifying the rare: Baselines for the endangered Napoleon Wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, and implications for conservation
Authors: Sadovy de Mitcheson Yvonne , Suharti Susanti R. , Colin Patrick L.
Published: June 2019

The Napoleon wrasse, an endangered fish (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II, 2004), is a valuable component of the Chinese live reef fish trade. Only Indonesia legally exports up to 2000 Napoleon fish annually, with each fish weighing between 1 and 3 kg.

Information on natural abundance and fish sizes was required to determine sustainable export quotas. Hence, an underwater visual survey method, using GPS‐based multi‐kilometre transects, was tailored for this uncommon wide‐ranging fish. Transects totalling 430 km were run between 2005 and 2016 at nine locations. Six locations were resurveyed between six and nine years later, which was long enough to allow for recruitment and maturation.

Fish density and sizes across locations were inversely related to fishing intensity, and densities increased significantly between surveys. Low density (0.04‐0.86 fish hectare‐1) and few adult‐sized fish were in heavily fished locations. Higher densities occurred (0.86‐4.0 fish hectare‐1) in lightly/unfished locations, where evidence of recruitment was also seen. Nowhere were many male-sized (>1 m long) fish present. At Karas Is., where fishing ceased between surveys, clear sign of recovery was seen after 9 years.

Comparison of survey data from 11 Indo‐Pacific countries indicated that in Indonesia adult densities were lower at comparable levels of fishing pressure than elsewhere. Densities of 5 fish hectare−1 or more are more typical of lightly fished or unfished areas across the Pacific, which is greater than the highest density of 4 fish hectare−1 noted in this study at Banda Islands. Low densities of the species, despite the presence of adult‐sized fish, in Bunaken Marine Park probably reflects the continuance of fishing both within and adjacent to the park.

Conservation options include improved implementation of CITES regulations by Indonesia, through tighter export controls and the tagging of legally exported fish, the activation of the National Plan of Action, a temporary moratorium to restore reproductive capacity, and more marine protected areas.
Micromotors from Microfluidics
Authors: Yu Yunru , Guo Jiahui , Zou Minhan , Cai Lijun , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: June 2019

Inspired by the motions of natural objects, attention and efforts have been paid and devoted to fabricate micromotors of spherical, tubular, helical or other shapes for applications in emerging fields including delivery, remediation, and other biomedical applications. Among the proposed methods, the microfluidic technology offers an opportunity to fabricate micromotors with different microstructures. This review presents research progress on micromotors, especially those from microfluidics. The morphologies of the micromotors were firstly outlined. Then, the microfluidic technology used to fabricate different micromotors was discussed. Finally, the applications of these micromotors were briefly introduced, followed by their challenges and future developments.
Financial product sensitivity predicts financial health
Authors: Greenberg Adam Eric , Sussman Abigail B. , Hershfield Hal E.
Published: June 2019

Recent research has aimed to understand how people consider financial decisions because they have important consequences for well‐being. Yet existing research has largely failed to examine how attitudes and behaviors vary as a function of the specific financial product (e.g., debt type). We ask to what extent people differentiate between similarly categorized financial products (e.g., debt or investment) as a function of their terms (e.g., interest costs and expected returns) and whether such differentiation predicts financial health. Across four studies, we find not only that there are individual differences in attitudes toward similar financial products (e.g., two distinct loans), but also that the extent to which a consumer is averse to high‐cost versus low‐cost products predicts financial health. This relationship cannot be fully explained by financial literacy, numeracy, or intertemporal discounting. In addition, nudging people toward differentiating between financial products promotes decisions that are aligned with financial health.
Development of rapid and high‐throughput LC–MS/MS method for quantification of olprinone in rabbit plasma
Authors: Kertys Martin , Kosutova Petra , Mokra Daniela , Mokry Juraj
Published: June 2019

A simple, highly sensitive and rapid method for quantification of olprinone (phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor) in rabbit plasma using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray was developed. An aliquot of 50 μL of plasma sample was cleaned up and extracted using Ostro™ 96‐well plate followed by dilution. Chromatographic separation of olprinone and olprinone‐d3 was carried out on a CORTECS® T3 column within 3 min. Detection was achieved using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer employing electrospray ionization operated in positive ion multiple reaction monitoring mode using the transitions m/z 251.07 → m/z 155.06 and m/z 254.21 → m/z 158.10 for olprinone and olprinone‐d3, respectively. The method was validated according to US Food and Drug Administration guideline for bioanalytical methods, and showed excellent linearity in the range 10.0–2000.0 ng/mL with coefficient of determination >0.99. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions (CV) were <5.1% and the accuracies were within the range 99.7–103.2% at all quality control concentrations. Furthermore, olprinone was stable under various stability conditions. The developed method was used for quantification of olprinone in rabbit plasma after its intravenous administration at the dose of 1 mg/kg in order to better understand the metabolism of olprinone in a rabbit model of lung injury.
A simple and robust liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for determination of plasma free metanephrines and its application to routine clinical testing for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma
Authors: Shen Ying , Luo Xia , Li Huijun , Guan Qing , Cheng Liming
Published: June 2019

Plasma free metanephrines (PFMs) have high sensitivity for detecting pheochromocytoma (PCC). Herein, we developed a simple and reliable liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for PFMs determination in Chinese population. PFMs were enriched by SPE without requiring extract evaporation or the use of buffers containing nonvolatile salts. The analytes were analyzed in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Inter‐ and intra‐assay precisions were ≤4.3% and ≤ 6.3%. The lower limits of quantification were 0.07 nmol/L for metanephrine and 0.06 nmol/L for normetanephrine. Recoveries of PFMs were in the range of 89.3–113%. The method was free from significant matrix effect, carryover and interference. Owing to its fast analysis time, more than 150 samples/day could be easily performed by a single operator. With the established reference intervals of PFMs in the Chinese population, this simple and robust LC–MS/MS method could be valuable for use in routine clinical laboratories. It is noted that the combined tests of PFMs with urinary catecholamines or urinary vanillylmandelic acid could improve specificity.
Bioanalytical LC–MS/MS validation of therapeutic drug monitoring assays in oncology
Authors: van Nuland Merel , Rosing Hilde , Schellens Jan H.M. , Beijnen Jos H.
Published: June 2019

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has shown to benefit patients treated with drugs of many drug classes, among which is oncology. With an increasing demand for drug monitoring, new assays have to be developed and validated. Guidelines for bioanalytical validation issued by the European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration are applicable for clinical trials and toxicokinetic studies and demand fully validated bioanalytical methods to yield reliable results. However, for TDM assays a limited validation approach is suggested based on the intended use of these methods. This review presents an overview of publications that describe method validation of assays specifically designed for TDM. In addition to evaluating current practice, we provide recommendations that could serve as a guide for future validations of TDM assays.
A comparison of family and nonfamily small firms in their approach to green innovation: A study of Italian companies in the agri‐food industry
Authors: Dangelico Rosa Maria , Nastasi Alberto , Pisa Simone
Published: June 2019

Despite the growing scholars' attention toward green innovation, on the one hand, and family firms, on the other hand, there is still limited attention toward the intersection of these two streams of literature, because very few studies deal with green innovation in family firms. This paper aims at comparing family and nonfamily small firms in their approach to green innovation. To this aim, a multiple case studies methodology was used to understand whether and in which aspects family firms and nonfamily firms differ. In particular, a sample of 14 small enterprises (seven family and seven nonfamily firms) operating in the agri‐food industry and located in Italy was studied. Results suggest that family and nonfamily firms are similar with regard to green innovation characteristics, features of the green innovation process, faced challenges, and achieved outcomes. On the contrary, family firms differ from nonfamily firms in three key areas: firm's motivations, most relevant pressures, and green innovation view.
A novel and cost‐effective methodology for enhanced production of industrially valuable alkaline xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes cocktail in short solid‐state fermentation cycle
Authors: Agrawal Sharad , Varghese Libin M , Mahajan Ritu
Published: June 2019

The aim of this study was to enhance the production of xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes concurrently and also to reduce the fermentation period. In this study, the effect of agro‐residues extract‐based inoculum on yield and fermentation time of xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes was studied. Microbial inoculum and fermentation media were supplemented with xylan and pectin polysaccharides derived from agro‐based residues. Enzymes production parameters were optimized through two‐stage statistical design approach. Under optimized conditions (temperature 37°C, pH 7.2, K2HPO4 0.22%, MgSO4 0.1%, gram flour 5.6%, substrate: moisture ratio 1:2, inoculum size 20%, agro‐based crude xylan in production media 0.45%, and agro‐based crude xylan–pectin in inoculum 0.13%), nearly 28,255 ± 565 and 9,202 ± 193 IU of xylanase and pectinase, respectively, were obtained per gram of substrate in a time interval of 6 days only. The yield of both xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes was enhanced along with a reduction of nearly 24 h in fermentation time in comparison with control, using polysaccharides extracted from agro‐residues. The activity of different types of pectinase enzymes such as exo‐polymethylgalacturonase (exo‐PMG), endo‐PMG, exo‐polygalacturonase (exo‐PG), endo‐PG, pectin lyase, pectate lyase, and pectin esterase was obtained as 1,601, 12.13, 5637, 24.86, 118.62, 124.32, and 12.56 IU/g, respectively, and was nearly twofold higher than obtained for all seven types in control samples. This is the first report mentioning the methodology for enhanced production of xylano‐pectinolytic enzymes in short solid‐state fermentation cycle using agro‐residues extract‐based inoculum and production media.
Technical aspects of a successful transvascular retrieval of an acutely dislodged WaveCrest® left atrial appendage occluder
Authors: Okamoto Maki , Neuss Michael , Krimnitz Juliane , Butter Christian
Published: June 2019

Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is an alternative therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation who are not suitable for anticoagulation. However, device embolization is one of the notable complications which inevitably requires catheter or surgical retrieval. In addition to previously reported Watchman® or AMULET® occluder embolization, here we report the first case of a WaveCrest® occluder dislodgement which was successfully removed by transcatheter technique. Instead of using the well‐known snaring technique, we used a “wiring and ballooning technique” for retrieval. Considering its specific architecture without having hooks or feet where suitable for grasping, this technique is an option for retrieving WaveCrest® devices.
A High Capacity Aluminum‐Ion Battery Based on Imidazole Hydrochloride Electrolyte
Authors: Xu Cheng , Zhao Shimeng , Du Yiqun , Zhang Wenyang , Li Pan , Jin Huixin , Zhang Youjian , Wang Zihan , Zhang Jianxin
Published: June 2019

Aluminum‐ion batteries (Al‐ion batteries) have become a potential energy storage system, owing to their excellent cycling performance, three‐electron‐redox properties, and safety performance. Until now, great progress has been made in Al‐ion batteries. However, the Al‐ion battery system still encounters various problems, such as high electrolyte price, harsh working environment, low discharge platforms, and inferior capacity. Here, we prepared a novel Al‐ion battery with AlCl3/Imidazole hydrochloride (ImidazoleHCl) as the electrolyte, aluminum as the negative electrode, and commercial graphite as the positive electrode. The battery achieves a high specific discharge capacity of 129 mA h g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 and 105 mA h g−1 with a high coulombic efficiency of 99 % at the current density of 4 A g−1 after 1000 cycles. The mechanism of AlCl4− intercalation/de‐intercalation is proved by Raman, XRD and EDS studies. ImidazoleHCl is a promising electrolyte and this work provides a new insight for the Al‐ion battery system.
Outcomes of anemic patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome: An analysis of the Cooperative National Registry of Acute Coronary Care, Guideline Adherence and Clinical Events
Authors: Huynh Ronald , Hyun Karice , D'Souza Mario , Kangaharan Nadarajah , Shetty Pratap C. , Mariani Justin , Kilian Jens , Hung Joseph , Ryan Mark , Chew Derek P. , Brieger David
Published: June 2019

Background

Anemia commonly accompanies acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and is associated with poorer outcomes. This study examines the associations between anemia, management and outcomes in an Australian ACS population.

Methods

This analysis of the CONCORDANCE database included 8665 ACS patients presenting to 41 Australian hospitals. Baseline characteristics, management, and outcomes were compared between patients with anemia (Hb ≤ 130 for males, Hb ≤ 120 g/L for females) and non‐anemia.

Results

A total of 1880 (21.7%) patients presenting with ACS were anemic. These patients were older (72 years vs 63 years, P < .0001), with higher prevalence of comorbidities. STEMI patients with anemia were less likely to be emergently reperfused with either thrombolytic therapy (22% vs 33%, P < .0001) or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (45% vs 51% P = 0.033). For all ACS, anemic patients less frequently received: coronary angiography (63% vs 86%, P < .0001); drug eluting stents if undergoing PCI (50% vs 58%, P < .0001); dual antiplatelet therapy (80% vs 89%, P < .0001) ;and parenteral anticoagulants (82% vs 88%, P < .0001). In hospital complications of heart failure (20% vs 9%, P < .0001), renal failure (13% vs 4%, P < .0001), and re‐infarction (4% vs 2%, P = .0006) were more common among anemic patients. There was a near‐linear inverse relationship between admission hemoglobin and in hospital mortality.

Conclusions

Anemic patients with ACS are a high risk group less likely to undergo invasive and antithrombotic therapy. Further investigation is required to determine if more active treatment of anemic patients presenting with ACS will improve their outcomes.
Functional importance of an inverted formin C‐terminal tail at morphologically dynamic epithelial junctions
Authors: Hegsted Anna , Votra SarahBeth , Christophe Amylisa M. , Yingling Curtis V. , Sundaramurthy Sumana , Pruyne David
Published: June 2019

Epithelial cell–cell junctions have dual roles of accommodating morphological changes in an epithelium, while maintaining cohesion during those changes. An abundance of junction proteins has been identified, but many details on how intercellular junctions respond to morphological changes remain unclear. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the spermatheca is an epithelial sac that repeatedly dilates and constricts to allow ovulation. It is thought that the junctions between spermatheca epithelial cells undergo reversible partial unzipping to allow rapid dilation. Previously, we found that EXC‐6, a C. elegans protein homolog of the human disease‐associated formin INF2, is expressed in the spermatheca and promotes oocyte entry. We show here that EXC‐6 localizes toward the apical aspect of the spermatheca epithelial junctions, and that the EXC‐6‐labeled junction domains “unzip” and dramatically flatten with oocyte entry into the spermatheca. We demonstrate that the C‐terminal tail of EXC‐6 is necessary and sufficient for junction localization. Moreover, expression of the tail alone worsens ovulation defects, suggesting this region not only mediates EXC‐6 localization, but also interacts with other components important for junction remodeling.
RiboTag: Ribosomal Tagging Strategy to Analyze Cell‐Type‐Specific mRNA Expression In Vivo
Authors: Sanz Elisenda , Bean Jonathan C. , Carey Daniel P. , Quintana Albert , McKnight G. Stanley
Published: June 2019

Ribosome tagging has become a very useful in vivo approach for analyzing gene expression and mRNA translation in specific cell types that are difficult and time consuming to isolate by conventional methods. The approach is based on selectively expressing a hemagglutinin A (HA)–tagged ribosomal protein in a target cell type and then using antibodies against HA to purify the polysomes and associated mRNAs from the target cell. The original approach makes use of a mouse line (RiboTag) harboring a modified allele of Rpl22 (Rpl22‐HA) that is induced by the action of Cre recombinase. The Rpl22‐HA gene can also be introduced into the animal by stereotaxic injection of an AAV‐DIO‐Rpl22‐HA that is then activated in Cre‐expressing cells. Both methods for tagging ribosomes facilitate the immunoprecipitation of ribosome‐bound mRNAs and their analysis by qRT‐PCR or RNA‐Seq. This protocol will discuss the technical procedures and describe important considerations relevant to the analysis of the data. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Critical mass of female directors, human capital, and stakeholder engagement by corporate social reporting
Authors: Amorelli María‐Florencia , García‐Sánchez Isabel‐María
Published: June 2019

This paper aims to examine two closely related issues: first, the effect of the presence of female directors on boards on corporate social responsibility disclosure, focusing on the necessary critical mass of this minority group, and, second, the moderation of the human capital of board members—their background, skills, and experience—that could favor the intrinsic female directors' characteristics through the cognitive effect of equal board members. For an international sample of 9,744 firm‐year observations from 2007 to 2016, different panel data regressions are proposed. The findings of this study reveal a positive impact of gender board diversity on voluntary socially responsible disclosure by examining the presence of at least three women on the board—the critical mass. Moreover, the paper reports a greater effect when the board's background, skills, and experience are greater. As a supplemental analysis, the evidence shows that the female role does not remain when women achieve the position of chairperson; that is, female directors adopt a male stereotype regarding voluntary information disclosure when they are also the chairperson of the firm, independently of the human capital of the board members.
Efficient and Stable Planar n‐i‐p Perovskite Solar Cells with Negligible Hysteresis through Solution‐Processed Cu2O Nanocubes as a Low‐Cost Hole‐Transport Material
Authors: Elseman Ahmed Mourtada , Selim Mohamed S. , Luo Lie , Xu Cun Yun , Wang Gang , Jiang Yi , Liu De Bei , Liao Li Ping , Hao Zhifeng , Song Qun Liang
Published: June 2019

Organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have reached certified efficiencies of over 23 % with expensive organic hole‐transporting materials. However, the use of an inorganic hole‐transport layer (HTL) remains crucial as it would reduce cost combined with higher mobility and stability. In this direction, the application of Cu2O as the top layer in PSCs is still complicated owing to the difficulty of solution processing. Herein, a solution‐processing method is reported for preparing Cu2O nanocubes as a p‐type HTL in regular structure (n‐i‐p) PSCs. The controlled synthesis of Cu2O nanocubes in a size range of 60–80 nm is achieved without using any surfactants, which are usually toxic and tricky to remove. The new structure of these Cu2O nanocubes enhances the carrier mobility with preferable energy alignment to the perovskite layer and superb stability. The PSCs based on these Cu2O nanocubes HTMs could achieve an efficiency exceeding 17 % with high stability, whereas organic P3HT‐based PSCs display an efficiency of 15.59 % with a poorer running stability. This indicates that Cu2O nanocubes are a promising HTM for efficient and stable PSCs.
Performance analysis of nonorthogonal multiple access‐based underlay cognitive relay network
Authors: V. Aswathi , A.V. Babu
Published: June 2019

This paper considers cooperative non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) scheme in an underlay cognitive radio (CR) network. A single‐cell downlink cooperative NOMA system has been considered for the secondary network, consisting of a base station (BS) and two secondary users, ie, a far user and a near user. The BS employs NOMA signaling to send messages for the two secondary users where the near user is enabled to act as a half‐duplex decode‐and‐forward (DF) relay for the far user. We derive exact expressions for the outage probability experienced by both the users and the outage probability of the secondary system assuming the links to experience independent, nonidentically distributed Rayleigh fading. Further, we analyze the ergodic rates of both the users and the ergodic sum rate of the secondary network. The maximum transmit power constraint of the secondary nodes and the tolerable interference power constraint at the primary receiver are considered for the analysis. Further, the interference caused by the primary transmitter (PT) on the secondary network is also considered for the analysis. The performance of the proposed CR NOMA network has been observed to be significantly better than a CR network that uses conventional orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme. The analytical results are validated by extensive simulation studies.
Energy harvesting, cooperative spectrum sensing, and data transmission improvement in energy‐efficient multichannel cognitive sensor networks
Authors: Najimi Maryam
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we investigate the energy harvesting capability in a multichannel wireless cognitive sensor networks for energy‐efficient cooperative spectrum sensing and data transmission. Spectrum sensors can cooperatively scan the spectrum for available channels, whereas data sensors transmit data to the fusion center (FC) over those channels. We select the sensing, data transmission, and harvesting sensors by setting the sensing time, data transmission time, and also harvesting time to maximize the network data transmission rate and improve the total energy consumption in the multichannel network under global probability of false alarm and global probability of detection constraints. We formulate our optimization problem and employ the convex optimization method to obtain the optimal times and nodes for spectrum sensing, data transmission, and harvesting energy in each subchannel for multiband cognitive sensor networks. Simulation results show that in our proposed algorithm, the network data transmission rate is improved while more energy is saved compared with the baseline methods with equal sensing time in all subchannels.
Rapid improvements in emotion regulation predict eating disorder psychopathology and functional impairment at 6‐month follow‐up in individuals with bulimia nervosa and purging disorder
Authors: MacDonald Danielle E. , Trottier Kathryn
Published: June 2019

Objective

We previously demonstrated that early improvements in access to emotion regulation strategies during the first 4 weeks of intensive cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)‐based eating disorder (ED) treatment predicted a range of post‐treatment outcomes. This follow‐up article examines whether early improvements in access to emotion regulation strategies continue to predict good treatment outcomes at 6 months post‐treatment.

Method

Participants were 76 patients with bulimia nervosa or purging disorder who participated in the original study and the 6‐month follow‐up assessment. Hierarchical regression models were used to examine whether early improvements in emotion regulation strategies predicted 6‐month follow‐up outcomes.

Results

After controlling relevant covariates and rapid and substantial behavior change, greater early improvements in access to emotion regulation strategies during the first 4 weeks of intensive treatment predicted lower overall ED psychopathology and ED‐related functional impairment 6 months after treatment. They did not predict abstinence from binge, vomit, and laxative use behaviors during the follow‐up period.

Discussion

Individuals who learn early in treatment that they can use skills to more effectively regulate emotions have better treatment outcomes on some variables 6 months after treatment. Teaching emotion regulation skills in the first phase of CBT for ED may be beneficial, particularly for individuals with baseline difficulties.
Eating disorder symptoms across the weight spectrum in Australian adolescents
Authors: Hughes Elizabeth K. , Kerr Jessica A. , Patton George C. , Sawyer Susan M. , Wake Melissa , Le Grange Daniel , Azzopardi Peter
Published: June 2019

Objective

Despite known associations between eating disorders and obesity, little is known about the current prevalence of symptoms of eating disorders across the weight spectrum. This study therefore aimed to estimate the population prevalence of eating disorder symptoms in relation to weight status in adolescents.

Method

The sample comprised 3,270 participants (14–15 years; 52% boys) drawn from Wave 6 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were assessed using self‐report on the Branched Eating Disorder Test. This measure identifies clinically significant symptoms in the past 3 months according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition. Using study‐derived cross‐sectional population weights, the prevalence of each symptom was estimated for the total population and by sex and weight status.

Results

The estimated population prevalence was high (14.3–25.7%) for body image symptoms such as fear of weight gain and overvaluation of body weight but lower (0.5–3.7%) for behavioral symptoms such as binge eating and compensatory behaviors. Symptoms were more prevalent among adolescents with overweight or obesity. Although most symptoms tended to have higher prevalence among girls than boys, boys with obesity had higher prevalence of binge eating and excessive exercise than girls with obesity. The overall estimated population prevalence for AN and BN was 0.20% and 0.10%, respectively.

Discussion

The study highlights a need for clinicians to be cognizant of disordered eating behaviors regardless of weight status and has implications for both eating disorder and obesity prevention and intervention.
Convergent vegetation fog and dew water use in the Namib Desert
Authors: Wang Lixin , Kaseke Kudzai Farai , Ravi Sujith , Jiao Wenzhe , Mushi Roland , Shuuya Titus , Maggs‐Kölling Gillian
Published: June 2019

Nonrainfall water inputs (e.g., fog and dew) are the least studied hydrological components in ecohydrology. The importance of nonrainfall waters on vegetation water status in arid ecosystems is receiving increasing attention. However, a clear understanding on how common plant water status benefits from nonrainfall waters, the impacts of different types of fog and dew events on vegetation water status, and the vegetation uptake mechanisms of nonrainfall waters is still lacking. In this study, we used concurrent leaf and soil water potential measurements from 3 years to investigate the species‐specific capacity to utilize moisture from fog and dew within the Namib Desert. Eight common plant species in the Namib Desert were selected. Our results showed that both fog and dew significantly increased soil water potential. Seven of the eight plant species studied responded to fog and dew events, although the magnitude of the response differed. Plants generally showed stronger responses to fog than to dew. Fog timing seemed to be an important factor determining vegetation response; for example, night fog did not affect plant water potential. We also found that Euclea pseudebenus and Faidherbia albida likely exploit fog moisture through foliar uptake. This study provides a first comprehensive assessment of the effects of nonrainfall waters on plant water status within the Namib Desert. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of concurrent leaf and soil water potential measurements to identify the pathways of nonrainfall water use by desert vegetation. Our results fill a knowledge gap in dryland ecohydrology and have important implications for other drylands.
On the incremental singular value decomposition method to support unsteady adjoint‐based optimization
Authors: Vezyris Christos , Papoutsis‐Kiachagias Evangelos , Giannakoglou Kyriakos
Published: June 2019

This paper proposes and evaluates an approximation model based on an incremental Singular Value Decomposition (iSVD) algorithm, for unsteady flow field reconstructions, needed for integrating the unsteady adjoint equations backward in time, within a gradient‐based optimization loop. Due to the iSVD algorithm, the computational cost of solving the unsteady adjoint equations is reduced considerably, without practically affecting the accuracy of the computed gradient. Approximations to the unsteady flow fields are constructed while solving the time‐varying flow equations (moving forward in time) and used to reconstruct these fields during the backward‐in‐time integration of the continuous adjoint equations. Optimization results obtained using the proposed method are compared to those computed using the binomial checkpointing technique, which acts as the reference method. Test cases for both flow control and shape optimization problems are presented.
A high‐order parallel Eulerian‐Lagrangian algorithm for advection‐diffusion problems on unstructured meshes
Authors: Tavelli Maurizio , Boscheri Walter
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we present a high‐order discontinuous Galerkin Eulerian‐Lagrangian method for the solution of advection‐diffusion problems onstaggered unstructured meshesin two and three space dimensions. The particle trajectories are tracked backward in time by means of ahigh‐orderrepresentation of the velocity field and a linear mapping from the physical to a reference system, hence obtaining a very simple and efficient strategy that permits to follow the Lagrangian trajectories throughout the computational domain. The use of an Eulerian‐Lagrangian discretization increases the overall computational efficiency of the scheme because it is the only explicit method for the discretization of convective terms that admits large time steps without imposing a Courant‐Friedrichs‐Lewy–type stability condition. This property is fully exploited in this work by relying on asemi‐implicitdiscretization of the incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations, in which the pressure is discretized implicitly; thus, the sound speed does not play any role in the restriction of the maximum admissible time step. The resulting mild Courant‐Friedrichs‐Lewy stability condition, which is based only on the fluid velocity, is here overcome by the adoption of the Eulerian‐Lagrangian method for the advection terms and an implicit scheme for the diffusive part of the governing equations. As a consequence, the novel algorithm is able to run simulation with a time step that is defined by the user, depending on the desired efficiency and time scale of the physical phenomena under consideration. Finally, a completeMessage Passing Interface parallelizationof the code is presented, showing that our approach can reach up to 96% of scaling efficiency.
Schwann cell plasticity‐roles in tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and disease
Authors: Stierli Salome , Imperatore Valerio , Lloyd Alison C
Published: June 2019

How tissues are maintained over a lifetime and repaired following injury are fundamental questions in biology with a disruption to these processes underlying pathologies such as cancer and degenerative disorders. It is becoming increasingly clear that each tissue has a distinct mechanism to maintain homeostasis and respond to injury utilizing different types of stem/progenitor cell populations depending on the insult and/or with a contribution from more differentiated cells that are able to dedifferentiate to aid tissue regeneration. Peripheral nerves are highly quiescent yet show remarkable regenerative capabilities. Remarkably, there is no evidence for a classical stem cell population, rather all cell‐types within the nerve are able to proliferate to produce new nerve tissue. Co‐ordinating the regeneration of this tissue are Schwann cells (SCs), the main glial cells of the peripheral nervous system. SCs exist in architecturally stable structures that can persist for the lifetime of an animal, however, they are not postmitotic, in that following injury they are reprogrammed at high efficiency to a progenitor‐like state, with these cells acting to orchestrate the nerve regeneration process. During nerve regeneration, SCs show little plasticity, maintaining their identity in the repaired tissue. However, once free of the nerve environment they appear to exhibit increased plasticity with reported roles in the repair of other tissues. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms underlying the homeostasis and regeneration of peripheral nerves and how reprogrammed progenitor‐like SCs have broader roles in the repair of other tissues with implications for pathologies such as cancer.
Sibling astrocytes share preferential coupling via gap junctions
Authors: Gutiérrez Yolanda , García‐Marques Jorge , Liu Xinhe , Fortes‐Marco Lluis , Sánchez‐González Rebeca , Giaume Christian , López‐Mascaraque Laura
Published: June 2019

Astrocytes are organized as communicating cellular networks where each cell is connected to others via gap junctions. These connections are not pervasive and there is evidence for the existence of subgroups composed by preferentially connected cells. Despite being unclear how these are established, we hypothesized lineage might contribute to the establishment of these subgroups. To characterize the functional coupling of clonally related astrocytes, we performed intracellular dye injections in clones of astrocytes labeled with the StarTrack method. This methodology revealed sibling astrocytes are preferentially connected when compared to other surrounding astrocytes. These results suggest the role of the developmental origin in the organization of astrocytes as intercellular networks.