bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competencies of the First-Class Employees (A Players), Codification of Top Managers and Experts’ Competencies in the Tehran Stock Exchange
Authors: Ali Safari , Reza Tahmasebi , Habib Saeidi , Alireza Morovati , Amin Naeini Mohammad
Published: October 2016

At present, talent management becomes an important and yet attractive matter in the field of human resources. Organizations found that having the best people can be considered as their competitive advantage and improve their performance. One of the most important steps in talent management is identifying the features of top people or talents. The aim of this project is developing the competencies of first-class and top employees in professional and managerial jobs. Research is done in qualitative method based on themes analyzing by means of interview tools in the Tehran stock exchange. Sampling is done via theoretical sampling with the usage of snowball technique and according to it, 17 interviews are done by the managers of organizations and Tehran stock exchange. Results of data analysis lead to identifying competencies set for top managers and experts in this institute.
Determinants of Internal Audit Effectiveness in Decentralized Local Government Administrative Systems
Authors: Tackie George , Marfo-Yiadom Edward , Oduro Achina Sampson
Published: October 2016

This paper examines the determinants of internal audit effectiveness in decentralized local government administrative systems of Ghana. Ghana’s local government system is structured into metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs). For the purpose of the study, we focused on the Ashanti region of Ghana which has the highest number of MMDAs. The motivation for the study is derived from the increased interest in the internal audits of local government units. Using a descriptive survey, the data gathered, through the use of questionnaire, revealed that majority of the internal audit staff of MMDAs in the Ashanti Region of Ghana possess the requisite professional proficiency. Contrary to the perception that audit quality in the public sector is usually compromised, the study revealed that there exists high quality of audit work due to compliance with the international standards on auditing and local audit legislations. Professional proficiency, organizational independence, and career advancement were found to have statistically significant positive relationship with internal audit effectiveness, whiles top management support was found to have no effect on internal audit effectiveness.
Improving Employees Behavior through Extension in Theory of Planned Behavior: A Theoretical Perspective for SMEs
Authors: Ghouri Arsalan Mujahid , Khan Naveed R. , Abdul Kareem Omar B.
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this paper is to review the conceptualization of the adaptation of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with religious orientation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The underlying assumption for TPB implication in SMEs is that employee’s behavioral intention at work may be modified via TPB which shall improve the employee competitiveness, which in turn increases the organizational success factors in the industry. The proposed conceptual framework is based on well-known analytical framework for TPB developed by Ajzen, (1991). Literature suggested that religion engenders the shape of behaviour, which is strongly followed by people. Based upon conceptual and empirical evidences framework and propositions are developed to test the adaptation of TPB and religious orientation in SME. The proposed framework provides a basis for developing an empirical model to advance the TBP with religious orientation in SME which further can be test across the SME sectors and results from different geographical and cultural settings may also be explore. This research contributes to existing knowledge by extension of TPB in SMEs operating in Pakistan, which would result in the improvement of employee’s behavior. This study could be of practical value for SMEs owner/ managers, who want to maximize the employee behavior through effective adaptation of TBP with religious orientation that support their organization.
A Journey of Cause Related Marketing from 1988 to 2016
Authors: Natarajan Thamaraiselvan , Balasubramaniam Senthil Arasu , Jublee Daniel Inbaraj
Published: October 2016

Cause-related marketing (CrM) has been a topic of interest to academicians, researchers and practitioners in disciplines of marketing. The increasing number of publications by various authors in this area reflects its importance. In this work, we review research papers on CrM that have been published in peer-reviewed journals in the past two decades to provide insights to researchers and practitioners into the various factors that influence the success of CrM. This study summarizes and critiques empirical findings found in cause-related marketing literature from 1988-2016 (August). Three hundred and two papers published in reputed journals during this period are reviewed. The review also identifies knowledge gaps in the area of CrM.
Be Careful What You Wish for: Mapping Nordic Cultural Communication Practices & Values in the Management Game of Communication
Authors: Warner-Soderholm Gillian , Cooper Charles
Published: October 2016

Whether executives are sharing their organization’s strategy goals, financial projections, marketing initiatives, crisis management, or perhaps disseminating HRM issues, culture-with regard to differing ways of communicating-matters. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to understand Nordic managers’ cultural practices -and wished for values-within the context of delivering and receiving communication messages, not only within their organizations, but also with a keen eye to external stakeholders. Minor yet significant differences in communication norms may surface, even when representatives from similar cultures work together (Adler, 2002). As a follow on from the GLOBE project (House et al., 2004), data based on the GLOBE instrument collected on culture and communication values (Warner-Søderholm, 2012) are applied in this present study in order to explore to what degree cultural values impact how we form, deliver and receive an organization’s business communication messages within the Nordic cluster. Thus, this supports the proposition that better cross-cultural business communication practices contribute to an organization’s bottom line in the management game of communication today. Moreover, we contribute to the field with an analysis of the differences between managers’ cultural practices and wished for values.
Stalin’s Doctrine of Price Reductions during the Second World War and Postwar Reconstruction
Authors: Ironside Kristy
Published: October 2016

This article examines how price reductions became a late Stalinist economic doctrine. When rationing was abolished in 1935, Stalin linked reducing retail prices to economic and revolutionary progress. This progress was derailed by the war, which saw the return of rationing and its accompanying price distortions, as well as the explosion of private trade at exorbitant market prices. Aft er an unsuccessful attempt to compete with the market through state commercial trade at high prices, the government repeatedly reduced prices from 1944 onward in an eff ort to clear stockpiles of too-expensive items, regulate the currency supply, shift the population’s spending from food to consumer goods, bring down market prices, and attack the private sector. Price reductions were presented as an expression of Stalin’s care for workers’ economic interests during the process of recovery and as a blow at those who had unfairly profi ted during the war. By the early 1950s, annual price reductions had become an explicit economic doctrine and a new Stalinist ritual and celebration, despite the persistence of serious shortages, especially of food, and growing evidence of the policy’s shortcomings.
Updates on Precancerous Lesions of the Biliary Tract: Biliary Precancerous Lesion
Authors: Ainechi Sanaz , Lee Hwajeong
Published: October 2016

Precursor lesions of invasive adenocarcinoma of the bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma) have been increasingly recognized during the past decade because of the results of multiple studies on the carcinogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma, technologic advancements in diagnostic imaging modalities, and an increase in the volume of elective procedures. The two main precursor lesions of cholangiocarcinoma that have evolved are biliary intraepithelial neoplasia and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct. These lesions demonstrate histomorphologic similarities to pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas, respectively, whereas mechanisms of carcinogenesis and risk of progressive disease appear distinct. An enhanced understanding of the clinical presentation and pathologic features of precursor lesions of the biliary tract and use of the correct terminology will facilitate efficient communication between surgeons, oncologists, and pathologists and improve quality of patient care.
Infrastructure and Financial Planning Versus Dystopia
Authors: McGuire Michael J.
Published: October 2016

Let's talk about water rates and drought problems. If nothing else, droughts bring into sharp focus how resilient a water utility's rate structure is. If you can't collect enough money to operate during a time of shortage, you have to step back and think of other rate constructs. Then there is the adequacy of our collective infrastructures to meet the needs of our customers during good times and drought times. We meet these challenges or we are out of business.
Psychological aspects of civic protests in bulgaria
Authors: Pachkova Petya Stoyanova
Published: October 2016

The article analyzes some aspects of the role of the political psychology in the sphere of civil society. Civic activism requires adequate psychological motivation and qualities of the participants and leaders of civic events. Their absence is a factor for ineffectiveness of different types of civic activities, including the protest activity.
The effect of alcohol on the nature of lexical representations in different taste domains
Authors: Baskini Maria , Proios Hariklia
Published: October 2016

Moderate alcohol consumption may be involved in cognitive feedback mechanisms (Hofmann & Friese, 2008), participants execute verbal fluency test (VFT) better (Cerhan et al., 1998) and there is positive association between sweet taste and excessive alcohol intake (Lange, Kampov-Polevoy, & Garbutt, 2010). We investigate the immediate pharmacological consequences of moderate to light alcohol consumption in verbal fluency and categorical sorting within the different taste domains (i.e. sweet, salty, sour and bitter). Our hypothesis is that subjects under the influence of light to moderate alcohol will produce more items in the sweet domain. 53 healthy adults had moderate alcohol consumption and were compared in two semantic tasks to 53 adults, who did not drink alcohol. Mann-Whitney U tests showed that the total number of clusters, switches, and repetitions were equal between the two groups in all taste domains (p-values: .211, .401, and .684 respectively). The number of responses in the alcohol group generated more disinhibiting intrusive words during the VFTs as compared to the control group (p-value: <.001). VFTs and the order of taste preference in the card-sorting task showed positive correlation and agreement. Light to moderate alcohol did not affect verbal fluency. However, participants under the influence of alcohol generated significantly more errors in the VFTs that were emotionally laden. This corroborates with research that certain emotions are innervated with taste domains. This leaves open question about the effects of alcohol on decision making in eating and executive functions as they relate to lexical representations.
Chitosan Wound Dressings Incorporating Exosomes Derived from MicroRNA-126-Overexpressing Synovium Mesenchymal Stem Cells Provide Sustained Release of Exosomes and Heal Full-Thickness Skin Defects in a Diabetic Rat Model
Authors: Tao Shi-Cong , Guo Shang-Chun , Li Min , Ke Qin-Fei , Guo Ya-Ping , Zhang Chang-Qing
Published: October 2016

There is a need to find better strategies to promote wound healing, especially of chronic wounds, which remain a challenge. We found that synovium mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) have the ability to strongly promote cell proliferation of fibroblasts; however, they are ineffective at promoting angiogenesis. Using gene overexpression technology, we overexpressed microRNA-126-3p (miR-126-3p) and transferred the angiogenic ability of endothelial progenitor cells to SMSCs, promoting angiogenesis. We tested a therapeutic strategy involving controlled-release exosomes derived from miR-126-3p-overexpressing SMSCs combined with chitosan. Our in vitro results showed that exosomes derived from miR-126-3p-overexpressing SMSCs (SMSC-126-Exos) stimulated the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SMSC-126-Exos also promoted migration and tube formation of HMEC-1. Testing this system in a diabetic rat model, we found that this approach resulted in accelerated re-epithelialization, activated angiogenesis, and promotion of collagen maturity in vivo. These data provide the first evidence of the potential of SMSC-126-Exos in treating cutaneous wounds and indicate that modifying the cells—for example, by gene overexpression—and using the exosomes derived from these modified cells provides a potential drug delivery system and could have infinite possibilities for future therapy.
Recuperant la memòria històrica: Maria Carratalà, una traductora teatral de preguerra
Authors: Julio Teresa
Published: October 2016

Resum: Entre 1933 i 1935, Maria Carratalà fou presidenta del Lyceum Club de Barcelona, centre de trobada de dones amb inquietuds artístiques i intel·lectuals. La seva amistat amb l’Artur Carbonell, director teatral i, més tard, catedràtic de l’Institut del Teatre de Barcelona, la va portar a traduir textos dramàtics que es representaven en petits locals de Sitges i Barcelona durant la dècada dels 30. Cocteau, Pellerin, Tristan Bernard o Lenormand són alguns dels escriptors que figuren a la llista d’autors traduïts per la barcelonina.Amb aquest article volen reivindicar la figura d’una traductora poc coneguda, que desapareix de la vida pública després de 1938, després d’una vida compromesa des del punt de vista cultural, intel·lectual i polític. A més, i aquí radica la novetat del present treball, publiquem uns fragments, fins ara desconeguts, que ens han arribat, de les obres que va traduir. Paraules clau: Maria Carratalà, traducció teatral, teatre de preguerra, companyies amateurs.
Sobre el «marc de condicions sociolingüístiques favorables» per a la implantació de la normativa lingüística
Authors: Costa Carreras Joan
Published: October 2016

Resum: Aquest treball pretén desplegar conceptualment la unitat lèxica marc de condicions sociolingüístiques favorables proposada per F. X. Vila, M. Nogué i I. Vila a fi que sigui acadèmicament operativa per analitzar quins són els factors que afavoririen la implantació de la normativa. Per fer-ho partirem, entre altres, d’una concepció àmplia de la «sociolingüística catalana» i de treballs nostres. A partir d’aquesta concepció, analitzarem quins factors podrien afavorir la implantació de la normativa. I ho farem seguint les fases que normalment segueix la implantació de les normes: codificació (incloent-hi la selecció), difusió, i implantació o no implantació. Dins de cada una de les fases, d’una manera temptativa, classificarem de més a menys rellevants aquests factors. Al final s’hi ofereix una visió general de quines disciplines són més rellevants per analitzar el grau d’implantació de la normativa. Paraules clau: avaluació, implantació, normativa lingüística, sociolingüística, planificació lingüística.
L’evolució de les oracions exclamatives-qu de grau en català
Authors: Villalba Xavier
Published: October 2016

Resum: En aquest article estudiem l’evolució de les oracions exclamatives-qu de grau des del català antic al català modern i contemporani. Tracem dos grans canvis que han fet passar aquestes construccions d’un patró general en les llengües romàniques antigues, sense inversió obligatòria ni conjunció al s. xvi, a un patró menys comú, amb inversió obligatòria ja al s. xviii i la presència encara opcional de la conjunció durant el s. xix. Per donar compte d’aquests canvis, defensarem que la inversió obligatòria és un fenomen general relacionat amb la comprovació del tret [qu] o [focus], que afecta, doncs, les interrogatives i les focalitzacions. En canvi, he defensat que l’aparició de la conjunció que és el fruit de la lexicalització del nucli Force exclamatiu i, per tant, un fenomen específic i restringit. Mots clau: exclamatives, inversió subjecte-verb, conjunció, Force, focus.
Vicent Simbor (ed.), «Ironies de la Modernitat. La ironia del Modernisme al Noucentisme», Barcelona, Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2015, 277 pp.
Authors: Maestre Brotons Antoni
Published: October 2016

Ressenya sobre el llibre de Vicent Simbor (ed.), Ironies de la Modernitat. La ironia del Modernisme al Noucentisme, Barcelona, Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2015, 277 pp., ISBN: 978-84-9883-811-4.
Anna Maria Babbi & Vicent Josep Escartí (eds.), «More about ‘Tirant lo Blanc’. Més sobre el ‘Tirant lo Blanc’», Amsterdam/Philadelphia, John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2015, 173 pp.
Authors: Espadaler Anton
Published: October 2016

Ressenya sobre el llibre d'Anna Maria Babbi & Vicent Josep Escartí (eds.), More about ‘Tirant lo Blanc’. Més sobre el ‘Tirant lo Blanc’, Amsterdam/Philadelphia, John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2015, 173 pp., ISBN: 978-90-272-4016-3.
Interruptions of antiretroviral therapy in children and adolescents with HIV infection in clinical practice: a retrospective cohort study in the USA
Authors: Rakhmanina Natella , Lam Kam S , Hern Jaclyn , Young Heather A , Walters Alex , Castel Amanda D
Published: October 2016

Introduction

Changes in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) throughout childhood challenge the continuity of paediatric HIV treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of treatment interruption (TI), including lamivudine (3TC) monotherapy, and the relationship of TI to virologic and immunologic parameters in HIV‐infected paediatric patients.

Methods

Nested within a prospective observational study of a city‐wide cohort of HIV‐infected persons in the District of Columbia, this sub‐study collected retrospective data on antiretroviral therapy, enrolment (endpoint) and historic (lifelong) CD4 counts and HIV RNA viral load (VL) of the paediatric cohort. TI was defined as interruption of cART ≥4 consecutive weeks. Data on TI, including 3TC monotherapy TI (MTI), were collected. Descriptive statistics and univariate testing were used to compare children with TI and MTI to children on continuous treatment (CT).

Results

Thirty‐eight (28%) out of 136 enrolled children (median age=12.9 years) experienced TI, with 14 (37%) of those placed on 3TC MTI. Significantly lower endpoint median CD4 counts (598 cells/mm3 vs. 815 cells/mm3; p=0.003) and CD4% (27.5% vs. 33%; p=0.006) were observed in the TI cohort as compared to the CT cohort. The median endpoint VL in the overall TI cohort was ~4 times higher than among the CT cohort (1427 copies/mL vs. 5581 copies/mL; p<0.0001). After a median TI duration of one year, a majority (n=31; 82%) of patients with TI restarted cART, including 100% of those with total TI and 53% of those on MTI, respectively.

Conclusions

In our study, we observed high frequency of the TI in HIV in paediatric HIV clinical practice. All TIs, including 3TC MTI, were associated with significantly lower endpoint median CD4 counts and higher median VLs, as compared to CT in paediatric patients. The high frequency of TI and associated poor outcomes suggest a need for a better strategy in managing the course of the paediatric and adolescent cART.
The influence of evidence volatility on choice, reaction time and confidence in a perceptual decision
Authors: Zylberberg Ariel , Fetsch Christopher R , Shadlen Michael N
Published: October 2016

Many decisions are thought to arise via the accumulation of noisy evidence to a threshold or bound. In perception, the mechanism explains the effect of stimulus strength, characterized by signal-to-noise ratio, on decision speed, accuracy and confidence. It also makes intriguing predictions about the noise itself. An increase in noise should lead to faster decisions, reduced accuracy and, paradoxically, higher confidence. To test these predictions, we introduce a novel sensory manipulation that mimics the addition of unbiased noise to motion-selective regions of visual cortex, which we verified with neuronal recordings from macaque areas MT/MST. For both humans and monkeys, increasing the noise induced faster decisions and greater confidence over a range of stimuli for which accuracy was minimally impaired. The magnitude of the effects was in agreement with predictions of a bounded evidence accumulation model.
Regulation of mTORC1 by lysosomal calcium and calmodulin
Authors: Li Ruo-Jing , Xu Jing , Fu Chenglai , Zhang Jing , Zheng Yujun George , Jia Hao , Liu Jun O
Published: October 2016

Blockade of lysosomal calcium release due to lysosomal lipid accumulation has been shown to inhibit mTORC1 signaling. However, the mechanism by which lysosomal calcium regulates mTORC1 has remained undefined. Herein we report that proper lysosomal calcium release through the calcium channel TRPML1 is required for mTORC1 activation. TRPML1 depletion inhibits mTORC1 activity, while overexpression or pharmacologic activation of TRPML1 has the opposite effect. Lysosomal calcium activates mTORC1 by inducing association of calmodulin (CaM) with mTOR. Blocking the interaction between mTOR and CaM by antagonists of CaM significantly inhibits mTORC1 activity. Moreover, CaM is capable of stimulating the kinase activity of mTORC1 in a calcium-dependent manner in vitro. These results reveal that mTOR is a new type of CaM-dependent kinase, and TRPML1, lysosomal calcium and CaM play essential regulatory roles in the mTORC1 signaling pathway.
Who’s your mama? Riverine hybridisation of threatened freshwater Trout Cod and Murray Cod
Authors: Couch Alan J. , Unmack Peter J. , Dyer Fiona J. , Lintermans Mark
Published: October 2016

Rates of hybridization and introgression are increasing dramatically worldwide because of translocations, restocking of organisms and habitat modifications; thus, determining whether hybridization is occuring after reintroducing extirpated congeneric species is commensurately important for conservation. Restocking programs are sometimes criticized because of the genetic consequences of hatchery-bred fish breeding with wild populations. These concerns are important to conservation restocking programs, including those from the Australian freshwater fish family, Percichthyidae. Two of the better known Australian Percichthyidae are the Murray Cod,Maccullochella peeliiand Trout Cod,Maccullochella macquariensiswhich were formerly widespread over the Murray Darling Basin. In much of the Murrumbidgee River, Trout Cod and Murray Cod were sympatric until the late 1970s when Trout Cod were extirpated. Here we use genetic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data together with mitochondrial sequences to examine hybridization and introgression between Murray Cod and Trout Cod in the upper Murrumbidgee River and consider implications for restocking programs. We have confirmed restocked riverine Trout Cod reproducing, but only as inter-specific matings, in the wild. We detected hybrid Trout Cod–Murray Cod in the Upper Murrumbidgee, recording the first hybrid larvae in the wild. Although hybrid larvae, juveniles and adults have been recorded in hatcheries and impoundments, and hybrid adults have been recorded in rivers previously, this is the first time fertile F1 have been recorded in a wild riverine population. The F1 backcrosses with Murray cod have also been found to be fertile. All backcrosses noted were with pure Murray Cod. Such introgression has not been recorded previously in these two species, and the imbalance in hybridization direction may have important implications for restocking programs.
Genome-wide identification and characterization of TIFY family genes in Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) and expression profiling analysis under dehydration and cold stresses
Authors: Huang Zhuo , Jin Si-Han , Guo Han-Du , Zhong Xiao-Juan , He Jiao , Li Xi , Jiang Ming-Yan , Yu Xiao-Fang , Long Hai , Ma Ming-Dong , Chen Qi-Bing
Published: October 2016

The proteins containing the TIFY domain belong to a plant-specific family of putative transcription factors and could be divided into four subfamilies: ZML, TIFY, PPD and JAZ. They not only function as key regulators of jasmonate hormonal response, but are also involved in responding to abiotic stress. In this study, we identified 24 TIFY genes (PeTIFYs) in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) of Poaceae by analyzing the whole genome sequence. OnePeTIFYbelongs to TIFY subfamily, 18 and five belong to JAZ and ZML subfamilies, respectively. Two equivocal gene models were re-predicted and a putative retrotransposition event was found in a ZML protein. The distribution and conservation of domain or motif, and gene structure were also analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis with TIFY proteins ofArabidopsisandOryza sativaindicated that JAZ subfamily could be further divided to four groups. Evolutionary analysis revealed intragenomic duplication and orthologous relationship betweenP. edulis,O. sativa, andB. distachyon. Calculation of the non-synonymous (Ka) and synonymous (Ks) substitution rates and their ratios indicated that the duplication ofPeTIFYmay have occurred around 16.7 million years ago (MYA), the divergence time of TIFY family among theP. edulis-O. sativa,P. edulis-B. distachyon,andO. sativa-B. distachyonwas approximately 39 MYA, 39 MYA, and 45 MYA, respectively. They appear to have undergone extensive purifying selection during evolution. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that more than 50% ofPeTIFYgenes could be up-regulated by cold and dehydration stresses, and somePeTIFYsalso share homology to know TIFYs involved in abiotic stress tolerance. Our results made insights into TIFY family of Moso bamboo, an economically important non-timber forest resource, and provided candidates for further identification of genes involved in regulating responses to abiotic stress.
Sewage treatment plant associated genetic differentiation in the blue mussel from the Baltic Sea and Swedish west coast
Authors: Larsson Josefine , Lönn Mikael , Lind Emma E. , Świeżak Justyna , Smolarz Katarzyna , Grahn Mats
Published: October 2016

Human-derived environmental pollutants and nutrients that reach the aquatic environment through sewage effluents, agricultural and industrial processes are constantly contributing to environmental changes that serve as drivers for adaptive responses and evolutionary changes in many taxa. In this study, we examined how two types of point sources of aquatic environmental pollution, harbors and sewage treatment plants, affect gene diversity and genetic differentiation in the blue mussel in the Baltic Sea area and off the Swedish west coast (Skagerrak). Reference sites (REF) were geographically paired with sites from sewage treatments plant (STP) and harbors (HAR) with a nested sampling scheme, and genetic differentiation was evaluated using a high-resolution marker amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). This study showed that genetic composition in the Baltic Sea blue mussel was associated with exposure to sewage treatment plant effluents. In addition, mussel populations from harbors were genetically divergent, in contrast to the sewage treatment plant populations, suggesting that there is an effect of pollution from harbors but that the direction is divergent and site specific, while the pollution effect from sewage treatment plants on the genetic composition of blue mussel populations acts in the same direction in the investigated sites.
Long‐term variation of Ampère force by geomagnetic Sq currents and thermospheric pressure difference
Authors: Takeda Masahiko
Published: October 2016

The long‐term variation of the Ampère force exerted by geomagnetic Sq currents was studied in relation to the thermospheric pressure. First, the long‐term trend of the pressure difference was estimated using a linear regression coefficient based on a high correlation between the Ampère force and the pressure difference in recent years. The pressure difference may be inferred from solar parameters such as solar sunspot number; inspection of the difference from Sq has a merit that it gives the “response” of the thermosphere in contrast with the “input” parameters of the solar activity index. Next, the effect of the version up of sunspot number was examined. The correlation of the Ampère force with sunspot number updated in 2015 (version 2) is slightly higher than that with old sunspot number (version 1), which suggests that the later version is an improved index for the solar activity and its effect on the state of the thermosphere. Last, the correlation between total Sq currents and sunspot number was found to be less than that between the Ampère force and sunspot number, although the difference is small and could not be statistically significant. This suggests that the geomagnetic main field affects the relation between the Ampère force and the pressure difference.
Coalescence of magnetic flux ropes observed in the tailward high‐speed flows
Authors: Zhao Yan , Wang Rongsheng , Lu Quanming , Du Aimin , Yao Zhonghua , Wu Mingyu
Published: October 2016

We report a tailward high‐speed flow event observed by Cluster during 0203:00UT–0205:30UT on 20 September 2003. Within the flows, a series of three bipolar Bz signatures were observed. The first and third bipolar Bz signatures are identified as magnetic flux ropes, while the middle one is found to result from the collision of the two flux ropes. A vertical thin current layer was embedded in the center of the middle bipolar Bz signature. Combining the plasma, electric field, and wave data around the thin current layer, we conclude that the two magnetic flux ropes were coalescing. The observations indicate that coalescence of magnetic flux ropes can happen in the regions away from reconnection site and can produce energetic electrons and waves. A basic criterion for identifying the coalescence in the magnetotail is proposed also.
Fluvial carbon export from a lowland Amazonian rainforest in relation to atmospheric fluxes
Authors: Vihermaa Leena E. , Waldron Susan , Domingues Tomas , Grace John , Cosio Eric G. , Limonchi Fabian , Hopkinson Chris , da Rocha Humberto Ribeiro , Gloor Emanuel
Published: October 2016

We constructed a whole carbon budget for a catchment in the Western Amazon Basin, combining drainage water analyses with eddy covariance (EC) measured terrestrial CO2 fluxes. As fluvial C export can represent permanent C export it must be included in assessments of whole site C balance, but it is rarely done. The footprint area of the flux tower is drained by two small streams (~5–7 km2) from which we measured the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) export, and CO2 efflux. The EC measurements showed the site C balance to be +0.7 ± 9.7 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 (a source to the atmosphere) and fluvial export was 0.3 ± 0.04 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. Of the total fluvial loss 34% was DIC, 37% DOC, and 29% POC. The wet season was most important for fluvial C export. There was a large uncertainty associated with the EC results and with previous biomass plot studies (−0.5 ± 4.1 Mg C ha−1 yr−1); hence, it cannot be concluded with certainty whether the site is C sink or source. The fluvial export corresponds to only 3–7% of the uncertainty related to the site C balance; thus, other factors need to be considered to reduce the uncertainty and refine the estimated C balance. However, stream C export is significant, especially for almost neutral sites where fluvial loss may determine the direction of the site C balance. The fate of C downstream then dictates the overall climate impact of fluvial export.
Catalytic Enantioselective Aza‐Piancatelli Rearrangement
Authors: Li Huilin , Tong Rongbiao , Sun Jianwei
Published: October 2016

An efficient organocatalytic enantioselective aza‐Piancatelli rearrangement is disclosed. The powerful process provides rapid access to valuable chiral 4‐amino‐2‐cyclopentenone building blocks from readily available 2‐furfurylcarbinols with excellent chemo‐, enantio‐, and diastereoselectivities under mild reaction conditions.
An Arylation Strategy to Propargylamines: Catalytic Asymmetric Friedel–Crafts‐type Arylation Reactions of C‐Alkynyl Imines
Authors: Wang Yingcheng , Jiang Liang , Li Long , Dai Jun , Xiong Dan , Shao Zhihui
Published: October 2016

The first arylation strategy for the synthesis of enantioenriched propargylamines is disclosed. This approach, which is complementary to previous alkynylation and alkylation strategies, involves a C(sp2)−C(sp3) bond formation, and is based on the first asymmetric Friedel–Crafts‐type arylation reaction of C‐alkynyl imines. Asymmetric Friedel–Crafts reactions with electron‐deficient phenols, a longstanding unsolved challenge, have thus been realized for the first time, enabled by the combination of our recently introduced C‐alkynyl N‐Boc‐protected N,O‐acetals as electrophiles and chiral phosphoric acids as catalysts. The synthetic utility of the resulting structurally diverse and polyfunctional chiral propargylamines was demonstrated by a series of selective transformations, including controlled reduction of the alkynyl group and iterative cross‐couplings.
Probing Functional Heteromeric Chemokine Protein–Protein Interactions through Conformation‐Assisted Oxime Ligation
Authors: Agten Stijn M. , Koenen Rory R. , Ippel Hans , Eckardt Veit , von Hundelshausen Philipp , Mayo Kevin H. , Weber Christian , Hackeng Tilman M.
Published: October 2016

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) govern most processes in living cells. Current drug development strategies are aimed at disrupting or stabilizing PPIs, which require a thorough understanding of PPI mechanisms. Examples of such PPIs are heteromeric chemokine interactions that are potentially involved in pathological disorders such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and HIV. It remains unclear whether this functional modulation is mediated by heterodimer formation or by the additive effects of mixed chemokines on their respective receptors. To address this issue, we report the synthesis of a covalent RANTES‐PF4 heterodimer (termed OPRAH) by total chemical synthesis and oxime ligation, with an acceleration of the final ligation step driven by PPIs between RANTES and PF4. Compared to mixed separate chemokines, OPRAH exhibited increased biological activity, thus providing evidence that physical formation of the heterodimer indeed mediates enhanced function.
Unnatural Amino Acid Synthesis Enabled by the Regioselective Cobalt(III)‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Carboamination of Alkenes
Authors: Lerchen Andreas , Knecht Tobias , Daniliuc Constantin G. , Glorius Frank
Published: October 2016

Herein, we report an unprecedented regioselective and entirely atom‐economic cobalt(III)‐catalyzed method for the non‐annulative, intermolecular carboamination of alkenes. The methodology enables the direct synthesis of unnatural amino acid derivatives and proceeds under redox‐neutral conditions with a completely regioselective C−C bond and C−N bond formation. Furthermore, this reaction exemplifies the inherently different mechanistic behavior of the Cp*CoIII catalyst and its Cp*RhIII counterpart, especially towards β‐H‐elimination.
Synthesis and characterization of binary and ternary oxovanadium complexes of N,N′‐(2‐pyridyl)thiourea and curcumin: Catalytic oxidation potential, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antioxidant and DNA interaction studies
Authors: Adam Mohamed Shaker S. , Youssef Magdy M. , Aboelghar Maha F. , Hafez Aly M. , El‐Ayaan Usama
Published: October 2016

Two binary and two ternary mono‐oxovanadium (IV) complexes of acetylacetonate, curcumin and N,N′‐bis(2‐pyridyl)thiourea were synthesized. They were characterized using elemental analysis, infrared and UV–visible spectroscopies and magnetic and conductivity measurements. The formation constants Kf were determined from spectrophotometric measurements. The catalytic potential of the VO complexes was investigated for the oxidation of 1‐octene by aqueous H2O2 in acetonitrile. They display high catalytic potential for the conversion of 1‐octene with low chemoselectivity to the epoxy product. The VO complexes exhibit good antibacterial and antimicrobial activities. The antioxidant activity of the VO complexes and their ligands was investigated. The VO complexes show high DNA affinity and DNA cleavage ability.
In Situ Confined Growth Based on a Self‐Templating Reduction Strategy of Highly Dispersed Ni Nanoparticles in Hierarchical Yolk–Shell Fe@SiO2 Structures as Efficient Catalysts
Authors: Jiao Jiao , Wang Haiyan , Guo Wanchun , Li Ruifei , Tian Kesong , Xu Zhaopeng , Jia Yin , Wu Yuehao , Cao Ling
Published: October 2016

Ni‐based magnetic catalysts exhibit moderate activity, low cost, and magnetic reusability in hydrogenation reactions. However, Ni nanoparticles anchored on magnetic supports commonly suffer from undesirable agglomeration during catalytic reactions due to the relatively weak affinity of the magnetic support for the Ni nanoparticles. A hierarchical yolk–shell Fe@SiO2/Ni catalyst, with an inner movable Fe core and an ultrathin SiO2/Ni shell composed of nanosheets, was synthesized in a self‐templating reduction strategy with a hierarchical yolk–shell Fe3O4@nickel silicate nanocomposite as the precursor. The spatial confinement of highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles with a mean size of 4 nm within ultrathin SiO2 nanosheets with a thickness of 2.6 nm not only prevented their agglomeration during catalytic transformations but also exposed the abundant active Ni sites to reactants. Moreover, the large inner cavities and interlayer spaces between the assembled ultrathin SiO2/Ni nanosheets provided suitable mesoporous channels for diffusion of the reactants towards the active sites. As expected, the Fe@SiO2/Ni catalyst displayed high activity, high stability, and magnetic recoverability for the reduction of nitroaromatic compounds. In particular, the Ni‐based catalyst in the conversion of 4‐nitroamine maintained a rate of over 98 % and preserved the initial yolk–shell structure without any obvious aggregation of Ni nanoparticles after ten catalytic cycles, which confirmed the high structural stability of the Ni‐based catalyst.
The use of alternative solvents in enzymatic biodiesel production: a review
Authors: Taher Hanifa , Al‐Zuhair Sulaiman
Published: October 2016

Biodiesel produced from oil‐rich feedstocks is known as a green replacement for conventional petroleum diesel. Transesterification is the common method used for biodiesel production. The enzymatic biodiesel production, using lipases, has recently been receiving extensive attention, due to its advantages over conventional alkali catalyzed process. The lipases can work at mild operating conditions, thus requiring less energy, with the ability to catalyze both triglycerides and free fatty acids (FFAs) from different oil sources, requiring fewer post‐production steps.

Among the process challenges that face this process is the inhibition of the lipase with excessive use of alcohols, resulting in a decrease in biodiesel yield. The use of organic solvents, as a reaction medium, becomes essential in this case. However, most organic solvents are toxic and volatile with harmful impacts on the environmental. In addition, with the use of volatile organic solvents, an additional unit is required to separate them from the products, for the purification of the product and recycling of the solvent. In this paper, the prospect of using alternative solvents, specifically supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO2) and ionic liquids (ILs), in enzymatic biodiesel production is presented. The properties of these alternative solvents, their advantages over organic solvents, factors affecting lipases activity and stability in these solvents, and the challenges facing process commercialization are discussed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Antipoisoning Performance of Platinum Catalysts with Varying Carbon Nanotube Properties: Electrochemically Revealing the Importance of Defects
Authors: Wang Jianshe , Liu Changhai , Xiao Biwei , Cheng Niancai , Riese Adam , Banis Mohammad Norouzi , Sun Xueliang
Published: October 2016

To understand the role of functional groups (FGs) and defects in improving the antipoisoning performance of platinum catalysts for formate oxidation, four kinds of supports originating from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with varying amounts of FGs and varying degrees of defects are discussed. Platinum particles with controlled similarity are deposited onto the four supports to precisely compare the differences between the four supports. The catalysts structures are characterized by XRD, high‐resolution TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS. The electrochemical performances of the four catalysts are characterized by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry methods. The results show that the use of fully unzipped CNTs, with a higher degree of defects and lower amount of FGs, as a support results in the greatest improvement in antipoisoning performance of platinum, relative to oxidized CNTs with a higher amount of FGs and lower degree of defects. These results indicate that CNT defects play a greater role in promoting the antipoisoning performance of supported catalysts than FGs. These results are helpful to guide the design of supports to improve the antipoisoning performance of formate oxidation catalysts.
Unravelling Local Atomic Order of the Anionic Sublattice in M(Al1−xGax)4 with M=Sr and Ba by Using NMR Spectroscopy and Quantum Mechanical Modelling
Authors: Pecher Oliver , Mausolf Bernhard , Peters Volker , Lamberts Kevin , Korthaus Alexander , Haarmann Frank
Published: October 2016

The quasibinary section of the intermetallic phases MAl4 and MGa4 with M=Sr and Ba have been characterised by means of X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies and differential thermal analysis. The binary phases show complete miscibility and form solid solutions M(Al1−xGax)4 with M=Sr and Ba. These structures crystallise in the BaAl4 structure type with four‐ and five‐bonded Al and/or Ga atoms (denoted as Al(4b), Al(5b), Ga(4b), and Ga(5b), respectively) that form a polyanionic Al/Ga sublattice. Solid state 27Al NMR spectroscopic analysis and quantum mechanical (QM) calculations were applied to study the bonding of the Al centres and the influence of Al/Ga substitution, especially in the regimes with low degrees of substitution. M(Al1−xGax)4 with M=Sr and Ba and 0.925≤x≤0.975 can be described as a matrix of the binary majority compound in which a low amount of the Ga atoms has been substituted by Al atoms. In good agreement with the QM calculations, 27Al NMR investigations and single crystal XRD studies prove a preferred occupancy of Al(4b) for these substitution regimes. Furthermore, two different local Al environments were found, namely isolated Al(4b1) atoms and Al(4b2), due to the formation of Al(4b)–Al(4b) pairs besides isolated Al(4b) atoms within the polyanionic sublattice. QM calculations of the electric field gradient (EFG) using superlattice structures under periodic boundary conditions are in good agreement with the NMR spectroscopic results.
The Rich Tautomeric Behavior of Campestarenes
Authors: Chen Zhengyu , Guieu Samuel , White Nicholas G. , Lelj Francesco , MacLachlan Mark J.
Published: October 2016

Campestarenes are a new family of Schiff‐base macrocycles that form selectively in a one‐step synthesis. These macrocycles with five‐fold symmetry show solvent‐dependent tautomerization and dimerization or aggregation. In this paper, we have prepared new soluble campestarenes that do not aggregate. The initial single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study of a campestarene reveals that these macrocycles are nearly flat. The tautomeric behavior of the campestarenes has been extensively studied by variable‐temperature, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and IR spectroscopy. In polar solvents, such as DMF, the molecules exist predominantly in their keto‐enamine form, but the enol‐imine tautomer is dominant in non‐polar solvents. A detailed computational study of the tautomeric forms of campestarenes provides a theoretical basis for their behavior and corroborates the experimental data. The results of this study give the first comprehensive understanding of the electronic and spectroscopic properties of these pentagonal macrocycles.
Exploring the (Very Flat) Potential Energy Landscape of R−Br⋅⋅⋅π Interactions with Accurate CCSD(T) and SAPT Techniques
Authors: Riley Kevin E. , Vazquez Mariela , Umemura Cole , Miller Christopher , Tran Khanh‐An
Published: October 2016

Halogen bonds involving an aromatic moiety as an acceptor, otherwise known as R−X⋅⋅⋅π interactions, have increasingly been recognized as being important in materials and in protein–ligand complexes. These types of interactions have been the subject of many recent investigations, but little is known about the ways in which the strengths of R−X⋅⋅⋅π interactions vary as a function of the relative geometries of the interacting pairs. Here we use the accurate CCSD(T) and SAPT2+3δMP2 methods to investigate the potential energy landscapes for systems of HBr, HCCBr, and NCBr complexed with benzene. It is found that only the separation between the complexed molecules have a strong effect on interaction strength while other geometric parameters, such as tilting and shifting R−Br⋅⋅⋅π donor relative to the benzene plane, affect these interactions only mildly. Importantly, it is found that the C6v (T‐shaped) configuration is not the global minimum for any of the dimers investigated.
Tautomerization and Dimerization of 6,13‐Disubstituted Derivatives of Pentacene
Authors: Garcia‐Borràs Marc , Konishi Akihito , Waterloo Andreas , Liang Yong , Cao Yang , Hetzer Constantin , Lehnherr Dan , Hampel Frank , Houk Kendall N. , Tykwinski Rik R.
Published: October 2016

Two new 6,13‐disubstituted pentacene derivatives, 1 c and 1 d, with alkyl and triisopropylsilylethynyl substitution have been synthesized and characterized experimentally and computationally. The alkyl substituted 1 c and 1 d represent the first 6‐alkyl‐substituted pentacene derivative where the fully aromatic species dominates over the corresponding tautomer. Indeed, no tautomerization product is found for either 1 c or 1 d upon heating or in the presence of catalytic amounts of acid. On the other hand, an unexpected dimer (3 c) is formed from 1 c. A plausible mechanism for this new dimerization process of the 6‐methyl‐substituted pentacene derivative 1 c is proposed, which involves first a bimolecular hydrogen atom transfer followed by an intramolecular [4+2] Diels–Alder cycloaddition. In the case of 6‐butyl substitution, neither tautomerization nor dimerization is observed. Computations support the proposed 1 c dehydrodimerization pathway, explain why 1 d does not dimerize, and show the importance of the nature of the group at C‐13 in controlling the relative stability of 6‐alkyl‐substituted pentacene tautomers.
First‐Principles Calculation, Synthesis, and Catalytic Properties of Rh‐Cu Alloy Nanoparticles
Authors: Komatsu Tokutaro , Kobayashi Hirokazu , Kusada Kohei , Kubota Yoshiki , Takata Masaki , Yamamoto Tomokazu , Matsumura Syo , Sato Katsutoshi , Nagaoka Katsutoshi , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: October 2016

The first synthesis of pure Rh1−xCux solid‐solution nanoparticles is reported. In contrast to the bulk state, the solid‐solution phase was stable up to 750 °C. Based on facile density‐functional calculations, we made a prediction that the catalytic activity of Rh1−xCux can be maintained even with 50 at % replacement of Rh with Cu. The prediction was confirmed for the catalytic activities on CO and NOx conversions.