bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Liver Transplant for Adults With Wilson’s Disease
Authors: Ferrarese Alberto , Morelli Maria Cristina , Carrai Paola , Milana Martina , Angelico Mario , Perricone Giovanni , Belli Luca Saverio , Marrone Giuseppe , Grieco Antonio , Martini Silvia , Manini Matteo Angelo , Fagiuoli Stefano , Toniutto Pierluigi , Galeota Lanza Alfonso , Bhoori Sherrie , Petta Salvatore , Giannini Edoardo G. , Burra Patrizia
Published: January 2020

Wilson’s disease (WD) is a rare genetic disorder with protean manifestations. Even if liver transplantation (LT) could represent an effective therapeutic option for patients with end‐stage liver disease, it has remained controversial in the presence of neuropsychiatric involvement. This study aimed to examine the frequency of adult LT for WD in Italy, focusing on the disease phenotype at the time of LT. A retrospective, observational, multicenter study was conducted across Italy exploring the frequency and characteristics of adults transplanted for WD between 2006 and 2016. A total of 29 adult WD patients underwent LT during the study period at 11 Italian LT centers (accounting for 0.4% of all LTs performed), and 27 of them were considered in this analysis (male/female, n = 9/18; age at LT, 29 years [19‐60 years]; median Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease score at LT, 27 [6‐49]). Isolated hepatic phenotype was the indication for LT in 17 (63%) patients, whereas 2 (7%) patients underwent LT for neurological impairment on compensated liver disease. Overall 1‐ and 5‐year patient survival was excellent (88% and 83%, respectively). Neuropsychiatric symptoms early after LT completely recovered in only a few patients. In conclusion, WD remains an uncommon, unusual indication for LT in Italy, displaying good post‐LT graft and patient survival. Because isolated neuropsychiatric involvement represents a rare indication to LT, more data are needed to properly assess the value of LT for WD in this subset of patients.
Meroterpenoid‐Rich Fraction of the Ethanol Extract of Sargassum Serratifolium Suppresses Collagen‐Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis in DBA/1J Mice Via Inhibition of Nuclear Factor κB Activation
Authors: Joung Eun‐Ji , Kwon Misung , Gwon Wi‐Gyeong , Cao Lei , Lee Sang‐Gil , Utsuki Tadanobu , Wakamatsu Nobuko , Kim Jae‐Il , Kim Hyeung‐Rak
Published: January 2020

Scope

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder related to the inflammation of cartilage due to the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Sargassum serratifolium, a brown alga, possesses strong anti‐inflammatory activities.

Methods and Results

The effect of meroterpenoid‐rich fraction from the ethanol extract of S. serratifolium (MES) on RA and its underlying mechanisms on the inhibition of RA using a collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model are examined. The results show that MES ameliorates paw swelling and reduces the arthritis score. MES considerably decreases the secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the serum and joint tissue of mice. Histopathological analysis demonstrates that MES strongly inhibited bone damage and inflammatory cell intrusion in the joint tissue. The expression of inflammatory enzymes and adhesion molecules is significantly inhibited in the serum and joint tissue of MES‐fed mice. In addition, MES downregulates the nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) signaling pathway by suppressing the phosphorylation of protein kinase B, c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase, and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases.

Conclusions

MES supplementation remarkably reduces inflammatory response in CIA mouse model. These results indicate that MES can be used as a pharmaceutical agent against RA.
Minibeam radiation therapy: A micro‐ and nano‐dosimetry Monte Carlo study
Authors: Dos Santos M. , Delorme R. , Salmon R. , Prezado Y.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Minibeam radiation therapy (MBRT) is an innovative strategy based on a distinct dose delivery method that is administered using a series of narrow (submillimetric) parallel beams. To shed light on the biological effects of MBRT irradiation, we explored the micro‐ and nanodosimetric characteristics of three promising MBRT modalities (photon, electron, and proton) using Monte Carlo (MC) calculations.

Methods

Irradiation with proton (100 MeV), electron (300 MeV), and photon (effective energy of 69 keV) minibeams were simulated using Geant4 MC code and the Geant4‐DNA extension, which allows the simulation of energy transfer points with nanometric accuracy. As the target of the simulations, cells containing spherical nuclei with or without a detailed description of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) geometry were placed at different depths in peak and valley regions in a water phantom. The energy deposition and number of events in the cell nuclei were recorded in the microdosimetry study, and the number of DNA breaks and their complexity were determined in the nanodosimetric study, where a multi‐scale simulation approach was used for the latter. For DNA damage assessment, an adapted DBSCAN clustering algorithm was used. To compare the photon MBRT (xMBRT), electron MBRT (eMBRT), and proton MBRT (pMBRT) approaches, we considered the treatment of a brain tumor located at a depth of 75 mm.

Results

Both mean energy deposition at micrometric scale and DNA damage in the “valley” cell nuclei were very low as compared with these parameters in the peak region at all depths for xMBRT and at depths of 0 to 30 mm and 0 to 50 mm for eMBRT and pMBRT, respectively. Only the charged minibeams were favorable for tumor control by producing similar effects in peak and valley cells after 70 mm. At the micrometer scale, the energy deposited per event pointed to a potential advantage of proton beams for tumor control, as more aggressive events could be expected at the end of their tracks. At the nanometer scale, all three MBRT modalities produced direct clustered DNA breaks, although the majority of damage (>93%) was composed of isolated single strand breaks. The pMBRT led to a significant increase in the proportion of clustered single strand breaks and double‐strand breaks at the end of its range as compared to the entrance (7% at 75 mm vs 3% at 10 mm) in contrast to eMBRT and xMBRT. In the latter cases, the proportions of complex breaks remained constant, irrespective of the depth and region (peak or valley).

Conclusions

Enhanced normal tissue sparing can be expected with these three MBRT techniques. Among the three modalities, pMBRT offers an additional gain for radioresistant tumors, as it resulted in a higher number of complex DNA damage clusters in the tumor region. These results can aid understanding of the biological mechanisms of MBRT.
Implementation of the structural SIMilarity (SSIM) index as a quantitative evaluation tool for dose distribution error detection
Authors: Peng Jiayuan , Shi Chengyu , Laugeman Eric , Hu Weigang , Zhang Zhen , Mutic Sasa , Cai Bin
Published: January 2020

Purpose

To apply an imaging metric of the structural SIMilarity (SSIM) index to the radiotherapy dose verification field and evaluate its capability to reveal the different types of errors between two dose distributions.

Method

The SSIM index consists of three sub‐indices: luminance, contrast, and structure. Given two images, luminance analysis compares the local mean result, contrast analysis compares the local standard deviation, and the structure index represents the local Pearson correlation. Three test error patterns (absolute dose error, dose gradient error, and dose structure error) were designed to characterize the response of SSIM and its sub‐indices and establish the correlation between the indices and different dose error types. After establishing the correlation, four radiotherapy plans (one MLC picket‐fence test plan, one brain stereotactic radiotherapy plan, and two head‐and‐neck plans) were tested by computing each index and compared with the gamma analysis results to determine their similarities and differences.

Results

Among the three test error patterns, the luminance index decreased from 1 to 0.1 when the absolute dose agreement fell from 100% to 5%, the contrast index decreased from 1 to 0.36 when the dose gradient agreement fell from 100% to 10%, and the structure index decreased from 1 to 0.23 when the periodical dose pattern shifted (leading to a lower correlation). Thus, the luminance, contrast and structure index can detect the absolute dose error, gradient discrepancy, and dose structure error, respectively. For the four clinical cases, the sub‐indices can reveal the type of error when gamma analysis only provided limited information.

Conclusions

The correlation between the subcomponents of the SSIM index and the error types of the dose distribution were established. The SSIM index provides additional error information compared to that provided by gamma analysis.
Identifying aspirin polymorphs from combined DFT‐based crystal structure prediction and solid‐state NMR
Authors: Mathew Renny , Uchman Karolina A. , Gkoura Lydia , Pickard Chris J. , Baias Maria
Published: January 2020

A combined experimental and computational approach was used to distinguish between different polymorphs of the pharmaceutical drug aspirin. This method involves the use of ab initio random structure searching (AIRSS), a density functional theory (DFT)‐based crystal structure prediction method for the high‐accuracy prediction of polymorphic structures, with DFT calculations of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters and solid‐state NMR experiments at natural abundance. AIRSS was used to predict the crystal structures of form‐I and form‐II of aspirin. The root‐mean‐square deviation between experimental and calculated 1H chemical shifts was used to identify form‐I as the polymorph present in the experimental sample, the selection being successful despite the large similarities between the molecular environments in the crystals of the two polymorphs.
Magnetic resonance fingerprinting for simultaneous renal T1 and T2* mapping in a single breath‐hold
Authors: Hermann Ingo , Chacon‐Caldera Jorge , Brumer Irène , Rieger Benedikt , Weingärtner Sebastian , Schad Lothar R. , Zöllner Frank G.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

To evaluate the use of magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) for simultaneous quantification of and in a single breath‐hold in the kidneys.

Methods

The proposed kidney MRF sequence was based on MRF echo‐planar imaging. Thirty‐five measurements per slice and overall 4 slices were measured in 15.4 seconds. Group matching was performed for in‐line quantification of and . Images were acquired in a phantom and 8 healthy volunteers in coronal orientation. To evaluate our approach, region of interests were drawn in the kidneys to calculate mean values and standard deviations of the and times. Precision was calculated across multiple repeated MRF scans. Gaussian filtering is applied on baseline images to improve SNR and match stability.

Results

and times acquired with MRF in the phantom showed good agreement with reference measurements and conventional mapping methods with deviations of less than 5% for and less than 10% for . Baseline images in vivo were free of artifacts and relaxation times yielded good agreement with conventional methods and literature (deviation , ).

Conclusions

In this feasibility study, the proposed renal MRF sequence resulted in accurate and quantification in a single breath‐hold.
A comparative study of different model families for the constitutive simulation of viscous clays
Authors: Tafili Merita , Fuentes William , Triantafyllidis Theodoros
Published: January 2020

The simulation of the viscous behavior of some clays is of high importance in many geotechnical problems. The literature offers a vast amount of constitutive models able to simulate the rate dependence observed on these materials. Although most of these models are calibrated to very similar experimental observations and share similar definitions of material parameters, some discrepancies of their response have been detected, which are related to their mathematical formulations. In this work, the causes of these discrepancies are carefully studied. To that end, four different model families are analyzed, namely, nonstationary flow surface (NSFS) models, viscoplasticity with overstress function (OVP), viscoplasticity with Norton's power law (NVP), and visco‐hypoplasticity (VHP). For the sake of a fair comparison, single constitutive models using the same set of material parameters, and following other requirements, are developed for each model family. Numerical implementations of the four resulting models are performed. Their response at different tests are carefully analyzed through simulation examples and direct examination of their constitutive equations. The set includes some basic tests at isotropic stress states and others as responses envelopes, undrained creep rupture, and an oedometer test with loading, unloading‐reloading, creep, and relaxation. The article is concluded with some remarks about the observed discrepancies of these model families.
Geospatial variation in caesarean delivery
Authors: Vanderlaan Jennifer , Edwards Johnathan A. , Dunlop Anne
Published: January 2020

Aim

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the variation in caesarean delivery rates across counties in Georgia and to determine whether county‐level characteristics were associated with clusters.

Design

This was a retrospective, observational study.

Methods

Rates of primary and repeat caesarean by maternal county of residence were calculated for 2008 through 2012. Global Moran's I (Spatial Autocorrelation) was used to identify geographic clustering. Characteristics of high and low‐rate counties were compared using student's t test and chi‐squared test.

Results

Spatial analysis of both primary and repeat caesarean rate identified the presence of clusters (Moran's I = 0.375; p < .001). Counties in high‐rate clusters had significantly lower access to midwives, more deliveries paid by Medicaid, higher proportion of births for women belonging to racial/ethnic minority groups and were more likely to be rural.
Grit in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults with Low Back Pain Is Related to Self‐Physical Training Habits
Authors: Kawasaki Tsubasa , Tozawa Ryosuke
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Self‐management is an effective way to manage chronic low back pain (LBP) and is frequently recommended. However, the psychological aspects, including grit (ie, perseverance and passion for long‐term goals), of the habit of self‐management remain unclear.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between grit and the self‐directed exercise.

Design

Cross‐sectional observational study.

Setting

Community‐dwelling older adults.

Participants

Fifty‐nine older adults with LBP (30 men, 29 women; mean age 72 ± 5 years, range 65‐82 years).

Intervention

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary outcome measures included grit scores on the Short Grit Scale and the number of months performing self‐directed exercise. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between participants' grit and duration of self‐directed exercise.

Results

A significant positive correlation between grit and the duration of self‐directed exercise habits was observed (r = 0.49, P < .001). Furthermore, in multiple regression analysis, grit was a significant factor of the duration of self‐directed exercise.

Conclusion

Low grit was associated with reduced self‐directed exercise in individuals with LBP self‐directed exercise.
Enset‐based agricultural systems in Ethiopia: A systematic review of production trends, agronomy, processing and the wider food security applications of a neglected banana relative
Authors: Borrell James S. , Goodwin Mark , Blomme Guy , Jacobsen Kim , Wendawek Abebe M. , Gashu Dawd , Lulekal Ermias , Asfaw Zemede , Demissew Sebsebe , Wilkin Paul
Published: January 2020

Societal Impact Statement

Enset is a staple food for over 20 million people via its starch‐rich corm and pseudostem, yet it is virtually unknown outside a narrow zone of cultivation in southern Ethiopia. Due to acculturation and urbanization coupled with climate change, emerging pests and the introduction of new crops, the extensive indigenous knowledge associated with this crop is in danger of being lost, imperilling the future food security and prosperity of millions of Ethiopians. Here, we synthesize the current state of enset ethnobotanical research, identifying key gaps and challenges, and provide a framework for further enset research to safeguard this important, but neglected, tropical crop.

Summary

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) is the major starch staple of the Ethiopian Highlands, where its unique attributes enhance the food security of approximately 20 million people and have earned it the title “The Tree Against Hunger”. Yet enset‐based agriculture is virtually unknown outside of its narrow zone of cultivation, despite growing wild across much of East and Southern Africa. Here, we review historical production data to show that the area of land under enset production in Ethiopia has reportedly increased 46% in two decades, whilst yield increased 12‐fold over the same period, making enset the second most produced crop species in Ethiopia—though we critically evaluate potential issues with these data. Furthermore, we address a major challenge in the development and wider cultivation of enset, by reviewing and synthesizing the complex and fragmented agronomic and ethnobotanic knowledge associated with this species; including farming systems, processing methods, products, medicinal uses and cultural importance. Finally, we provide a framework to improve the quality, consistency and comparability of data collected across culturally diverse enset‐based agricultural systems to enhanced sustainable use of this neglected starch staple. In conclusion, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for enset cultivation beyond its restricted distribution, and the regional food security potential it could afford smallholders elsewhere in Southern and East Africa.
A commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculum increases root colonization across wheat cultivars but does not increase assimilation of mycorrhiza‐acquired nutrients
Authors: Elliott Ashleigh J. , Daniell Tim J. , Cameron Duncan D. , Field Katie J.
Published: January 2020

Societal Impact Statement

Production and heavy application of chemical‐based fertilizers to maintain crop yields is unsustainable due to pollution from run‐off, high CO2 emissions, and diminishing yield returns. Access to fertilizers will be limited in the future due to rising energy costs and dwindling rock phosphate resources. A growing number of companies produce and sell arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculants, intended to help reduce fertilizer usage by facilitating crop nutrient uptake through arbuscular mycorrhizas. However, their success has been variable. Here, we present information about the efficacy of a commercially available AMF inoculant in increasing AMF root colonization and fungal contribution to plant nutrient uptake, which are critical considerations within the growing AMF inoculant industry.

Summary

Arable agriculture needs sustainable solutions to reduce reliance on large inputs of nutrient fertilizers while continuing to improve crop yields. By harnessing arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, there is potential to improve crop nutrient assimilation and growth without additional inputs, although the efficacy of commercially available mycorrhizal inocula in agricultural systems remains controversial.

Using stable and radioisotope tracing, carbon‐for‐nutrient exchange between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and three modern cultivars of wheat was quantified in a non‐sterile, agricultural soil, with or without the addition of a commercial mycorrhizal inoculant.

While there was no effect of inoculum addition on above‐ground plant biomass, there was increased root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and changes in community structure. Inoculation increased phosphorus uptake across all wheat cultivars by up to 30%, although this increase was not directly attributable to mycorrhizal fungi. Carbon‐for‐nutrient exchange between symbionts varied substantially between the wheat cultivars.

Plant tissue phosphorus increased in inoculated plants potentially because of changes induced by inoculation in microbial community composition and/or nutrient cycling within the rhizosphere. Our data contribute to the growing consensus that mycorrhizal inoculants could play a role in sustainable food production systems of the future.
Chilling consequences: Herbarium records reveal earlier reproductive phenology of winter annual gladecress in a wetter, cooler climate
Authors: Banaszak Caitlin , Grinath Joshua B. , Herlihy Christopher R.
Published: January 2020

Societal Impact Statement

Networks of digitized herbarium records are rich resources for understanding plant responses to climate change. While the climate is warming globally, some localities are experiencing climate cooling, the effects of which are poorly understood. Our herbarium‐based study of a geographically restricted species shows that the timing of reproduction can shift earlier as the climate becomes cooler and wetter. Local variation in climate change may be a key factor driving the high variability of changes observed in plant reproduction and climate cooling should be considered along with other global change drivers. This will help enable accurate predictions for the successful management of climate change effects.

Summary

Plant phenological responses to global warming are well studied. However, while many locations are experiencing increased temperatures, some locations are experiencing climate cooling. Little work has been conducted to understand plant phenological responses to cooling trends, much less the combined effects of cooling and other factors, such as changing precipitation. Furthermore, studies based on herbarium specimens have been instrumental in demonstrating plant responses to global warming; but to our knowledge, herbarium records have not been used to investigate responses to cooling.

We collected data from 98 years of herbarium records to evaluate whether the reproductive phenology (flowering/fruiting) of an annual mustard, cedar gladecress (Leavenworthia stylosa), has changed as the climate has become cooler and wetter in central Tennessee, USA. Additionally, we conducted two field experiments to assess reproductive consequences of different flowering times.

Over the last century, gladecress reproductive phenology has shifted 2.1 days earlier per decade, concurrent with wetter conditions during germination and cooler conditions during reproduction. Field experiments showed that plants with extremely early and moderately early flowering had equivalent reproduction, but these plants had greater reproduction than intermediate‐ and late‐flowering plants.

Counter to expectations from global warming studies, our work demonstrates that climate cooling and greater rainfall can result in earlier plant reproductive phenology, potentially due to asymmetric selection for early flowering. Future studies may need to consider climate cooling along with other global change factors to fully explain changes in plant phenology. Our understanding of plant responses to climate cooling can be enhanced through additional herbarium‐based research.
Meandering Gate Edges for Breakdown Voltage Enhancement in AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Dolmanan Surani Bin , Tripathy Sudhiranjan , Muralidharan Rangarajan , Nath Digbijoy Neelim
Published: January 2020

Herein, a unique device‐design strategy is reported for increasing the breakdown voltage and hence Baliga figure of merit (BFOM) of III‐nitride high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) by engineering the gate edge toward the drain. The breakdown of such devices with meandering gate‐drain access region (M‐HEMT) are found to be 62% more compared with that of conventional HEMT whereas the on‐resistance suffers by 76%, leading to an overall improvement in the BFOM for by 28%. The 3D technology computer‐aided design simulations show that the decrease in the peak electric field at the gate edge was responsible for increased breakdown voltage.
Spectral Characteristics and Spatial Distribution of Thermal Donors in n‐Type Czochralski‐Silicon Wafers
Authors: Olsen Espen , Helander Malin I. , Mehl Torbjørn , Burud Ingunn
Published: January 2020

In monocrystalline silicon rich in oxygen, thermal donors are formed at temperatures around 450 °C. These are widely accepted to be electrically active oxygen clusters acting as double donors to the conduction band. Exposure to higher temperatures (650 °C) reportedly eliminates them. Herein, a systematic study of the spatial distribution of thermal donor formation and elimination by heat treatment at 450 and 650 °C in commercial n‐type Czochralski‐silicon wafers with high and low content of interstitial oxygen atoms are reported. Hyperspectral imaging techniques with spectral and spatial resolution are used. Thermal donors form at 450 °C in a ring‐like pattern, significantly enhanced in oxygen‐rich material. The results indicate the formation of at least six different donor clusters, leading to a strong, characteristic spectral response upon photoexcitation. The emission related to direct band‐to‐band recombination (1.100 eV) become systematically stronger upon heat treatment at 450 °C. Subsequent treatment at 650 °C rearrange the spectral response into a single, homogenously distributed, broadband emission with peak energy of 0.767 eV. The emission related to band‐to‐band recombination is significantly reduced. A previously studied emission at 0.807 eV (D1) commonly related to impurities is found, providing evidence that this signal is related to the combination of defects and oxygen.
High Responsivity and Photovoltaic Effect Based on Vertical Transport in Multilayer α‐In2Se3
Authors: Mech Roop K. , Mohta Neha , Chatterjee Avijit , Selvaraja Shankar Kumar , Muralidharan Rangarajan , Nath Digbijoy N.
Published: January 2020

Herein, device demonstration based on vertical transport in multilayer α‐In2Se3 is reported. Photodetectors realized using a metal/α‐In2Se3/indium tin oxide (ITO) vertical junction exhibit clear signature of the band edge in spectral responsivity. The wavelength at 680 nm corresponding to an ultrahigh responsivity of 1000 A W−1 and a detectivity of >1013 cm Hz0.5 W−1 at a bias of 0.5 V. The variation of responsivity and detectivity with optical power density is studied, and a transient response of 20 ms is obtained for the devices (instrument limitation). In addition, an asymmetric barrier height arising out of ITO and Au contacts to a vertical α‐In2Se3 junction resulted in a photovoltaic effect with VOC ≈0.1 V and ISC ≈0.4 μA under an illumination of 520 nm.
Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth of Large‐Area GaN/AlN 2D Hole Gas Heterostructures
Authors: Chaudhuri Reet , Bader Samuel James , Chen Zhen , Muller David , Xing Huili Grace , Jena Debdeep
Published: January 2020

Large‐area growth of polarization‐induced 2D hole gases (2DHGs) in a GaN/AlN heterostructure using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is demonstrated. A study of the effect of metal fluxes and substrate temperature during growth is conducted to optimize the 2DHG transport. These conditions are adopted for the growth on 2 in. wafer substrates. The obtained results represent a step forward towards achieving a GaN/AlN 2DHG platform for high‐performance wide‐bandgap p‐channel field effect transistors (FETs).
Soil health recovery after grassland reestablishment on cropland: The effects of time and topographic position
Authors: De Mriganka , Riopel Jason A. , Cihacek Larry J. , Lawrinenko Michael , Baldwin‐Kordick Rebecca , Hall Steven J. , McDaniel Marshall D.
Published: January 2020

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a U.S. federal land conservation program that incentivizes grassland reestablishment on marginal lands. Although this program has many environmental benefits, two critical questions remain: does reestablishing grasslands via CRP also result in soil health recovery, and what parts of restored fields (i.e., topographic positions) recover the fastest? We hypothesized that soil health will recover over time after converting cropland to CRP grassland and that recovery will be greatest at higher topographic positions. To test this, we sampled 241 midwestern U.S. soils along a grassland chronosequence (0–40 yr, including native grasslands) and at four topographic positions (i.e., a chronotoposequence). Soils were measured for bulk density, maximum water holding capacity (MWHC), soil organic C (SOC), extractable inorganic N, potentially mineralizable C (PMC), and N. Native grasslands had superior soil health compared with cropland and most CRP soils, and even 40 yr since grassland reestablishment was not adequate for full soil health recovery. Topographic position strongly influenced soil health indicators and often masked any CRP effect, especially with MWHC and SOC. However, PMC (a measure of active C) responded most rapidly to CRP and consistently across the landscape and was 26–34% greater 19–40 yr after grassland reestablishment. Reestablishing grasslands through CRP can improve soil health, although topographic position regulates the recovery, with greatest improvements at shoulder slope positions. Patience is needed to observe changes in soil health, even in response to a drastic management change like conversion of cropland to CRP grassland.
On the relation between corporate social responsibility and financial performance
Authors: Awaysheh Amrou , Heron Randall A. , Perry Tod , Wilson Jared I.
Published: January 2020

Research Summary

This study reexamines the relation between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance by benchmarking firms against industry peers in a given year to identify best‐in‐class and worst‐in‐class firms. We also address distributional issues when using CSR ratings (clustering of CSR scores around the median and material differences across industries and time) and financial performance ratios (the possible influence of extreme values). We find that the best‐in‐class firms outperform their industry peers in terms of operating performance and have higher relative market valuations (Tobin's Q). When we control for endogeneity, we find that the significant relation between operating performance and CSR categories disappears, calling into question whether this relation is causal. However, we continue to find that best‐in‐class firms receive higher relative market valuations than industry peers.

Managerial Summary

The conflicting evidence on the relation between CSR and firm performance may influence a manager's decision to invest in CSR activities and an investor's decision to invest in a firm. Our research provides managers and investors with important implications regarding the value of relative benchmarking. Managers should understand that expectations of CSR performance evolve over time and that investors place higher valuations on the best‐in‐class CSR firms within an industry.
The firm as an architect of polycentric governance: Building open institutional infrastructure in emerging markets
Authors: Gatignon Aline , Capron Laurence
Published: January 2020

Research Summary

We apply pattern‐matching techniques to contrast qualitative case study data with perspectives from strategic management and institutional economics about how a firm can address voids in market‐based institutions. We identify a novel approach whereby the firm builds an open institutional infrastructure (OII) by investing in a pool of resources widely accessible beyond its exchange partners. To collectively govern OII, the firm must empower other actors within multilateral cross‐sector partnerships, and it must enforce the resulting rules through relational norms based on alignment between public and private value creation. These findings, achieved by adapting Elinor Ostrom's principles of polycentric governance to corporate actors who take the lead in building OII, advance our understanding of new organizational forms that transcend the traditional boundaries of firms and markets.

Managerial Summary

Emerging markets typically present additional obstacles for business operations because they lack the necessary underlying institutional infrastructure such as access to capital and labor markets. We introduce a new way for firms to overcome these obstacles—which we call building an OII—by investing in such infrastructure themselves and making it available to their commercial partners, local communities, and even to competitors. Firms must empower those actors to take the lead in collectively defining the rules for accessing this infrastructure, by orchestrating cross‐sector partnerships. This process creates relational norms around the alignment of public and private interests, which ultimately can promote firms' competitive advantage.
Entrepreneurial teams' acquisition of talent: Evidence from technology manufacturing industries using a two‐sided approach
Authors: Honoré Florence , Ganco Martin
Published: January 2020

Research summary

One of the established findings in the spinout literature is that founders with prior industry experience assemble larger entrepreneurial teams and create better‐performing startups. We examine the role of prior industry experience in the startups' next stage—its hiring of new employees. We tackle two empirical challenges—the mutual aspect of hiring and the effect of unobserved variables on employees' earnings using a two‐sided matching model. Our results reveal that even firms founded by entrepreneurs without industry experience can attract new employees with such experience if the founders start with a large entrepreneurial team. Further, startups provide new hires with an earnings premium for their industry experience. Our approach illustrates the benefits of matching models over traditional regressions.

Managerial summary

Growing startups face the question of who to hire and how much to compensate the new hires. Simultaneously, prospective new hires ask which startup to join and how much their salary will be. We explore these questions using a novel method that tackles the mutual selection process. In the context of five technological manufacturing industries, we find that having industry experience within founding teams may not be necessary to attract new hires with high quality if the startup can signal its own quality through other means such as having a larger founding team. Our results indicate that startups prefer employees with industry experience for which startups offer a wage premium. Thus, employees seeking startup employment benefit from gaining industry experience prior to joining a startup.

A video abstract is available at https://youtu.be/w00YzYi5VqA.
Deciphering the Role of Fluorination: Morphological Manipulation Prompts Charge Separation and Reduces Carrier Recombination in All‐Small‐Molecule Photovoltaics
Authors: Tang Hua , Yan Cenqi , Karuthedath Safakath , Yin Hang , Gao Yajun , Gao Jie , Zhang Lerun , Huang Jiaming , So Shu Kong , Kan Zhipeng , Laquai Frédéric , Li Gang , Lu Shirong
Published: January 2020

Fluorination has proven effective in increasing the absorption, downshifting the energy levels, and enhancing the crystallinity of high‐performance fused‐ring electron acceptors (FREAs). However, an in‐depth understanding of the effects of fluorination is still lacking, as research efforts have mainly focused on increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE). In addition, fluorination on FREAs has rarely been reported in all‐small‐molecule organic solar cells (ASM OSCs). Herein, fluorination on FREAs is systematically studied in ASM OSCs using the popular FREA 2,2′‐((2Z,2′Z)‐((4,4,9,9‐tetrahexyl‐4,9‐dihydro‐s‐indaceno[1,2‐b:5,6‐b′]dithiophene‐2,7‐diyl)bis(methanylylidene))bis(3‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indene‐2,1‐diylidene))dimalononitrile and its fluorinated analog paired with DRCN5T, an oligothiophene donor seldom investigated in ASM OSCs to date. (Photo)physical studies are conducted on both systems and it is identified that, along with the aforementioned ones, fluorination exerts several additional effects, including the following. First, it optimizes the morphology, thereby accelerating charge separation and reducing geminate recombination charge pairs; second, it suppresses energetic disorder; and third, it prolongs the carrier lifetime and thus aids charge extraction. Consequently, the short‐circuit current density and fill factor are significantly enhanced, and in turn, the PCE yields a 36% improvement, climbing to 9.25% and rivaling that of the current state‐of‐the‐art oligothiophene‐donor/nonfullerene ASM OSCs. The insights decipher the working mechanism of ASM OSCs that use fluorinated FREAs, paving the way toward high‐performance ASM OSCs.
Interface Engineering of Cubic Zinc Metatitanate as an Excellent Electron Transport Material for Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Han Faming , Wu Lina , Huang Xiaofeng , Hao Shuqiang , Hui Yong , T Chuong Tracy , Yin Jun , Li Jing , Zheng Lansun , Wu Binghui , Zheng Nanfeng
Published: January 2020

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have experienced considerable development in the past few years. The stability issue has become a focus of research efforts toward their commercial applications. The development and interface engineering of electron transport materials (ETMs) to build up stable interfaces with perovskites has been emerging as a powerful strategy to enhance PSCs' stability. Herein, cubic zinc metatitanate (ZTO) is identified as an excellent ETM with interface engineering treatment of dezincification for fabricating PSCs with much better overall performances than those fabricated from TiO2, a popularly used ETM. The high electron mobility of ZTO helps minimize the hysteresis. Together with the use of CuSCN as inorganic hole transport material and further protecting the PSCs with reduced graphene oxide, the ZTO‐based PSCs exhibit remarkable enhancement in stability, retaining 95% of initial power conversion efficiency under AM 1.5 G illumination at 85 °C and 85% relative humidity in air for 1000 h at open circuit.
Black Phosphorous Nanosheets: A Novel Solar Vapor Generator
Authors: Cai Wei , Mu Xiaowei , Pan Ying , Li Zhaoxin , Wang Junling , Zhou Xia , Guo Wenwen , Hu Weizhao , Song Lei , Hu Yuan
Published: January 2020

Solar vapor generation is a promising and whole new branch of photothermal conversion for harvesting solar energy. In this work, a novel solar vapor generator based on black phosphorous (BP) nanosheets is designed for steam generation, desalination, as well as dye removal, using polyurethane (PU) foam as a supporting material. Employing electrostatic layer‐by‐layer assembly, BP nanosheets and chitosan (CS) are alternately deposited onto the skeleton of the PU foam. After the deposition of BP nanosheets, the hydrophilicity of the PU composite foam is obviously improved, thus facilitating the capillary effect. Even with a spot of BP nanosheets (lower than 5.0 wt%), the as‐fabricated PU@(sodium alginate, SA/BP)6 foam exhibits a surface temperature of ≈70.9 °C and an evaporation rate of 1.082 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun irradiation. Due to the protection effect of CS, the photothermal conversion performance and water evaporation rate do not deteriorate during ten cycles of reusing. In addition, the water evaporation performance of PU@(SA/BP)6 is also investigated under different conditions, including sun irradiation intensity, metal ions, and dye. In brief, employing a facile and eco‐friendly fabrication process, BP nanosheets are first applied to seawater desalination and pollution removal, presenting a tremendous potential for practical solar vapor generation.
Surface Deoxidation Mechanism during Vacuum Heat Treatment of Stainless Steels AISI 304 and 446
Authors: Strauß Cornelia , Wegewitz Lienhard , Schöler Simon , Holländer Ulrich , Möhwald Kai , Maus-Friedrichs Wolfgang
Published: January 2020

A process of removal of surface oxides from stainless steels AISI 304 and 446 that involves reduction by residual carbon, followed by the formation and desorption of carbon monoxide, is studied by investigation of thermal desorption with quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Carbon monoxide desorption is studied as a function of time and temperature by QMS, and carbon diffusion due to heat treatment is studied with SIMS—twice as much carbon monoxide desorbs from AISI 304 overall and desorption sets in at 900 °C as opposed to 1100 °C for AISI 446. In samples heated to 900 °C, carbon shows surface enrichment in AISI 304 but depletion in AISI 446.
Red snow occurrence in Eastern Europe. A case study
Authors: Barkan Joseph , Alpert Pinhas
Published: January 2020

There was a fall of red snow in southwestern Europe as a result of a cold trough that penetrated from the north towards the central Mediterranean and Saharan Africa, together with movement eastwards. A strong southwesterly flow formed along the eastern flank of the trough. This flow transported a large amount of red Saharan dust, which mixed with the snowfall in the area and painted the snow red.
A Flexible Model‐based Approach to Delineate Wildlife Management Units
Authors: Swihart Robert K. , Caudell Joe N. , Brooke Jarred M. , Ma Zhao
Published: January 2020

Delineation of management units for harvested wildlife should strive to maximize homogeneity within each unit subject to constraints imposed by geography and heterogeneity in factors related to human‐caused changes in vital rates. Prior efforts to delineate management units for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) used regression to identify environmental and sociological factors related to female harvest density, followed by spatially constrained cluster analysis to select multicounty units for management purposes. We used county‐level data in Indiana, USA, from 2012 to 2017 to present a modified approach that 1) simultaneously models variation in 4 types of human‐mediated deer mortality with spatial, environmental, and socio‐cultural explanatory variables; 2) clusters counties using a partial contiguity constraint that explicitly considers nonspatial variables; and 3) relies on expert opinion to assess model adequacy and suggest improvements. Multivariate negative binomial regression of mortality from 4 sources (legal antlerless and antlered harvest, reported deer–vehicle collisions, crop depredation permits) yielded additive models with adequate fit and sizable effects for all univariate models due to latitude (standardized coefficient, β range = −0.18–0.24), and the nonspatial variables deer habitat (β range = 0.26–1.02) and hunter density (β range = 0.25–1.02). Fraction of cropland enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program was positively related to harvest (β range = 0.10–0.13), and general human development was positively related to deer collision deaths (β range = 0.25–0.28) and take with depredation permits (β range = 0.07–0.24). Clustering counties with partial contiguity increased within‐unit nonspatial homogeneity 1.7–1.9 times more than clustering with strict contiguity. Responses to online surveys by 10 agency biologists and conservation officers provided congruence (mean ± SD = 85.2 ± 3.4%) of expert and model‐derived maps and useful suggestions for incorporating a separate urban management unit. Combining mortality‐based statistical models and expert assessment offers a rigorous yet flexible approach to delineating spatial units for wildlife management that is easily adaptable for various harvested species in multiple jurisdictions. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
K10Ga3Bi6.65 – The First Compound in the Ternary A‐Ga‐Bi System Comprising Cyclic Tris‐meta Borate‐Analogous [Ga3Bi6]9– Units and Bi2 Dumbbells
Authors: Boyko Marina , Hlukhyy Viktor , Fässler Thomas F.
Published: January 2020

K10Ga3Bi6.65 is the first representative in the ternary system A‐Ga‐Bi (A = alkali metal). It contains [Ga3Bi6]9– anions with planar triangular‐coordinated Ga atoms as the main structural feature, accompanied by isolated Bi–Bi dumbbells. Alkali metal cations are counterbalancing the charges and fill the space between the anionic units. According to the Zintl‐Klemm concept charge balance is reached if an almost equal ratio of single and double‐bonded Bi2 dumbbells are present according to (K+)10[Ga3Bi6]9–([Bi‐Bi]4–)1/6([Bi=Bi]2–)1/6.
Supertranslation hair of Schwarzschild black hole: a Wilson line perspective
Authors: Choi Sangmin , Pradhan S. Sandeep , Akhoury Ratindranath
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We demonstrate within the quantum field theoretical framework that an asymptotic particle falling into the black hole implants soft graviton hair on the horizon, conforming with the classical proposal of Hawking, Perry and Strominger. A key ingredient to this result is the construction of gravitational Wilson line dressings of an infalling scalar field, carrying a definite horizon supertranslation charge. It is shown that a typical Schwarzschild state is degenerate, and can be labeled by different soft supertranslation hairs parametrized for radial trajectories by the mass and energy of the infalling particle and its asymptotic point of contact with the horizon. The supertranslation zero modes are also obtained in terms of zero-frequency graviton operators, and are shown to be the expected canonical partners of the linearized horizon charge that enlarge the horizon Hilbert space.
FQHE and tt* geometry
Authors: Bergamin Riccardo , Cecotti Sergio
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Cumrun Vafa [1] has proposed a microscopic description of the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect (FQHE) in terms of a many-body HamiltonianHinvariant under four supersymmetries. The non-Abelian statistics of the defects (quasi-holes and quasi-particles) is then determined by the monodromy representation of the associatedtt*geometry. In this paper we study the monodromy representation of the Vafa 4-susy model. Modulo some plausible assumption, we find that the monodromy representation factors through a Temperley-Lieb/Hecke algebra withq= ± exp (πi/ν) as predicted in [1]. The emerging picture agrees with the other predictions of [1] as well.

The bulk of the paper is dedicated to the development of new concepts, ideas, and techniques intt*geometry which are of independent interest. We present several examples of these geometric structures in various contexts.