bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Globalization, Ethics, and Opportunism: A Confucian View of Business Relationships
Authors: Romar Edward J.
Published: July 2012

Opportunism impacts the behavior of firms in market situations where they purchase goods and services externally and create dependency relationships with other firms. Opportunism as a business issue is addressed in economics and marketing literature as an important factor in transaction cost analysis and market governance. Management and business ethics scholars, however, do not address this issue in depth, if at all.

The recent bankruptcy of MCI WorldCom highlights some of the risks inherent in a world economy where customers and companies of one society are dependent upon the business practices of partner companies in other societies. Telecommunications customers and companies in Asia, Europe and other places, who depended upon MCI WorldCom for connections to North America, now have important areas of their business in jeopardy because of the uncertainty about the fate of a critical business partner.

MCI WorldCom’s situation appears to be the result of an attempt to obtain personal gain, at the expense of others, by at least one senior manager. This is called opportunism. Williamson (1985) defined opportunism as “self-interest seeking with guile.” It can wreak havoc with companies, customers, stock markets and economies and is demonstrated regularly in press accounts of misstatements on financial reports and other ways senior managers use their positions to enhance their personal wealth and influence.

This paper will focus on the ethical issues surrounding business relationships and how Confucianism, with its focus on trust, reciprocity and mutual benefit in relationships, can offer a moral foundation to the inter-firm arrangements that are so much a part of the contemporary business landscape.
Buy Bribes or Bye-Bye Bribes: The Future Status of Bribery in International Commerce
Authors: Weber James , Getz Kathleen
Published: July 2012

Bribery in international business has become a priority concern among business, government, and community leaders. While discussions among philosophers often emphasize the ethical justification for banning bribery, policy-makers around the world are challenging it on the basis of its effects for economic development. In this paper we define bribery, trace recent efforts by the public, private, and civil society sectors to curb it, and attempt to answer the question: Will bribery become less common?
Introduction: Ethical Responsibilities Regarding Drugs, Patents, and Health
Authors: Ryan Michael P.
Published: July 2012

HIV/AIDS threatens international health on a scale never before seen in human history. Previous plagues and great epidemics, devastating though they were to imperial China, urbanizing Europe, and the colonizing Americas (McNeill 1998), were regionally contained. More than forty million people worldwide are HIV-positive: about half of them live in sub-Saharan Africa, where it apparently originated and where whole tribes and, indeed, most of the adult population of Botswana may very well die of the disease. (Joint UN/WHO 2004). India has another five million people who are HIV-positive, the largest number outside Africa. AIDS is spreading rapidly in China and devastating Thailand, a regional center for prostitution that spreads it further throughout the Asia-Pacific region. No part of the world is spared. The economic, social, and political impacts of this pandemic have only begun to be felt and to be considered.

Modern technological and organizational capacities—jet aircraft and globetrotting business and tourist travelers—turned what would have been, in previous eras, an African regional problem into an international crisis and made AIDS exceedingly difficult to contain. Yet, the human technological and organizational capacity to confront the AIDS pandemic also makes this health crisis different from epidemics in earlier times. Medical science applied by pharmacological research has created drug therapies that can control the disease, that can not only stave off death but make productive life possible for many years. The challenge of AIDS could be met, many in the health community say, if it were not that the life-sustaining drugs are owned by private enterprises (Oxfam 2002). The doctors at Médicins Sans Frontières contend, “Patents are not god-given rights. They are tools invented to benefit society as a whole, not to line the pockets of a handful of multinational pharmaceutical companies” (MSF 2003: 2). “[T]he patent monopoly means that a higher price than necessary has to be paid for patented inventions. This is acceptable if this higher price is merely an inconvenience…. However, if the patented invention is essential (say, if it could prevent your untimely death from disease), then the price is more of a dilemma” (MSF 2003: 5). These and other critics declare that drug makers put profits ahead of people and accuse the governments that grant them patent-intellectual property rights, especially the U.S. government, of contributing to this moral bankruptcy.
Can Utilitarianism Be Distributive? Maximization and Distribution as Criteria in Managerial Decisions
Authors: Audi Robert
Published: July 2012

Utilitarianism is commonly defined in very different ways, sometimes in a single text. There is wide agreement that it mandates maximizing some kind of good, but many formulations also require a pattern of distribution. The most common of these take utilitarianism to characterize right acts as those that achieve “the greatest good for the greatest number.” This paper shows important ambiguities in this formulation and contrasts it (on any plausible interpretation of it) with the kinds of utilitarian views actually defended by major proponents of utilitarianism. The aim is not to defend any of these views but to formulate them in a way that facilitates using them—or, more likely, some revised version suggested by the paper—in guiding decisions in business. The analysis provided here should also facilitate appraisal of utilitarianism, contribute to clarity in discussions of business ethics, and suggest a range of ethical standards that merit consideration for certain kinds of decision. If the results of the analysis are correct, a distributive reading of utilitarianism is at best misleading as a representation of its central thrust; it should not be described as the view that ethics calls for achieving “the greatest good for the greatest number”; and, understood as its major proponents take it, utilitarianism differs more from Kantian ethics than distributive readings imply and is more difficult to defend than it appears to be when viewed as intrinsically distributive.
Reluctant Guardians: The Moral Responsibility of Gatekeepers
Authors: Boatright John R.
Published: July 2012

Intermediaries, such as accountants, lawyers, and bankers, are gatekeepers, which are parties whose cooperation is necessary for corporations to function and who, by withholding cooperation, are able to prevent significant corporate misconduct. The recent scandals at Enron and other corporations were due, in part, to failures by gatekeeper institutions. However, intermediaries exist primarily to provide for-fee services and not specifically to detect and deter misconduct. Insofar as these institutions are gatekeepers or guardians, they serve reluctantly. Hence the question: What is the responsibility of intermediaries to act as gatekeepers? This article argues that the appropriate moral, as well as legal, principle for justifying responsibility in a gatekeeper role is cost effectiveness. This conclusion is reached by means of a hypothetical exercise called the investors’ bargain in which investors—who bear the costs and receive the benefits of intermediaries’ gatekeeper role—are asked to choose the best means of protecting their interests.
Beyond Moral Reasoning: A Review of Moral Identity Research and Its Implications for Business Ethics
Authors: Shao Ruodan , Aquino Karl , Freeman Dan
Published: July 2012

Moral identity has been touted as a foundation for understanding moral agency in organizations. The purpose of this article is to review the current state of knowledge regarding moral identity and highlight several promising avenues for advancing current understandings of moral actions in organizational contexts. The article begins with a brief overview of two distinct conceptual perspectives on moral identity—the character perspective and the social-cognitive perspective—that dominate extant literature. It then discusses varying approaches that have been taken in attempting to measure moral identity. The final two sections of the article review empirical findings regarding the antecedents and consequences of moral identity, respectively. Mechanisms and situational factors that are pertinent to moral agency in organizations are emphasized in both sections.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Globalization as a Challenge for Business Responsibilities
Authors: Scherer Andreas Georg , Palazzo Guido , Matten Dirk
Published: July 2012

This article assesses some of the implications of globalization for the scholarly debate on business ethics, CSR and related concepts. The argument is based, among other things, on the declining capacity of nation state institutions to regulate socially desirable corporate behavior as well as the growing corporate exposure to heterogeneous social, cultural and political values in societies globally. It is argued that these changes are shifting the corporate role towards a sphere of societal governance hitherto dominated by traditional political actors. This leads to a discussion of the ambivalent results of such a process for a responsible corporate role in a globalized world. While assessing the current reception these changes have received in the management literature, the contributions of the four articles in this Special Issue are framed and evaluated. The argument closes by highlighting avenues of future research on this new challenge.
From Implicit to Explicit Corporate Social Responsibility: Institutional Change as a Fight for Myths
Authors: Hiss Stefanie
Published: July 2012

The focus of this paper is institutional change and the changing role of business in Germany. Back in the 1980s, the German institutional framework was characterized by implicit mandatory and obligatory regulations that set a clear context for responsible corporate behavior. Today, this framework has eroded and given way to a situation in which corporations explicitly and voluntarily take responsibility for social issues. This shift from implicit to explicit corporate social responsibility is an indication of a major institutional change epitomized by the deconstruction of ‘old’ and the reconstruction of ‘new’ institutions. In the course of this change, corporations, state actors, and civil society organizations compete for their ideas and interests in what we call a fight for myths. The paper traces this fight for myths and the changing understanding of corporate responsibility in Germany.
Iatrogenic colonoscopic perforations: a review of 8 158 patients
Authors: KAZANAVIČIUS Darius , SAMALAVIČIUS Narimantas  Evaldas
Published: July 2012

Purpose. The aim of the study is to determine the incidence of perforation after colonoscopy (CP) in our institution, and to evaluate the endoscopic information, clinical presentation, diagnosis workup, intra-operative findings, management and outcomes of patients with CP.
Methods. All colonoscopies performed between January 2005 and December 2011 at the Oncology Institute of Vilnius University, Lithuania, searched for colonoscopic perforations. Medical records of all CP patients were reviewed. Incidence of CP, patients’ characteristics, endoscopic information, intra-operative findings, management and outcomes were analyzed.
Results. A total of 8,158 colonoscopies (7,467 diagnostic and 691 therapeutic) were performed in our hospital over a 7-year period. Five patients (0.061%) had CP: 2 from diagnostic colonoscopy (incidence 0.027%) and 3 from therapeutic one (0.43%). In two cases, perforation was noticed by the endoscopist through visualization of extra-intestinal tissue during the procedure. Other perforations (n = 3, 60%) were diagnosed after the procedure. The most consistent symptom was abdominal pain followed by tenderness, abdominal distension, leukocytosis. The most common site of perforation was in the sigmoid colon (n = 3, 60%). Perforations were caused by direct trauma from the endoscope (n = 2, 40%) and endoscopic polypectomy (n = 3, 60%). All patients with CP underwent surgical management: primary repair. The mortality rate was 0% and the postoperative complication rate was 40%.
Conclusions. CP is a serious but rare complication of colonoscopy. Incidence of CP was 0.061%. Therapeutic procedures have a higher perforation risk than diagnostic procedures. The sigmoid colon is the area at the greatest risk of perforation. Surgery is still the mainstay of CP management.
The aspect of brands and marketing development in pharmaceutical industry
Authors: DICKOV Veselin
Published: July 2012

The product is something made in a factory; a brand is something that is bought by the customer. A product can be copied by a competitor; a brand is unique. A product can be quickly outdated; a successful brand is timeless. Developing a successful brand yields numerous consumer benefits and also leads to easier accomplishment of market goals: reduced marketing costs due to high levels of brand recognition and express brand loyalty. The basic function of any trademark or brand is to make the product unique, different from others. A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or a group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.
Ceramics and Polity in the Casas Grandes Area, Chihuahua, Mexico
Authors: Whalen Michael E. , Minnis Paul E.
Published: July 2012

The Medio period (ca. A.D. 1150–1475) at the primate center of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico, is characterized by polychrome pottery with elaborate, finely painted designs. This originally was presumed to be the peak of an evolutionary sequence that began with coarse, simple decoration. New research and dating show that this was not the case. Instead, fine painting and an elaborate set of design motifs are added to the older, simpler style at about A.D. 1300. Both types of decoration are produced through the fourteenth century. The addition of the new style is coincident with the rise of Casas Grandes and was one part of a symbolic package that emphasized the prestige of the center. It is further argued that the collapse of the primate center in the fifteenth century saw the demise of its symbolism. The older and simpler part of the Medio period tradition, however, likely continued to be made at small, scattered post-Casas Grandes communities. These have been unrecognizable in surface surveys, as their sparse surface ceramic assemblages contain Medio period utilitarian wares. This has led to the supposition that the Casas Grandes area was abandoned after the fall of the primate center. This long-popular belief may be incorrect.
Strategy to Efficient Photodynamic Therapy for Antibacterium: Donor‐Acceptor Structure in Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Framework
Authors: Zou Ying , Liu Hai‐Xiong , Cai Lei , Li Yu‐Hang , Hu Jiang‐Shan , Liu Chen , Liu Tian‐Fu
Published: June 2024

While the construction of a donor‐acceptor (D‐A) structure has gained great attention across various scientific disciplines, such structures are seldomly reported within the field of hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs). Herein, a D‐A based HOF is synthesized, where the adjacent D‐A pairs are connected by hydrogen bonds instead of the conventionally employed covalent bonds. This structural feature imparts material with a reduced energy gap between excited state and triplet state, thereby facilitating the intersystem crossing (ISC) and boosting the generation rate of single oxygen (quantum yield = 0.98). Consequently, the resulting material shows high performance for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT). The impact of D‐A moiety is evident when comparing this finding to a parallel study conducted on an isoreticular HOF without a D‐A structure. The study presented here provides in‐depth insights into the photophysical properties of D‐A pair in a hydrogen‐bonded network, opening a new avenue to the design of innovative materials for efficient PDT.
Organic Visible‐Blind Ultraviolet Photodiodes and Pixel‐Array Imagers Based on [1]Benzothieno[3,2‐b]Benzothiophene (BTBT) Derivatives
Authors: Wang Wei , Deng Yujun , Sun Shuai , Galluzzi Massimiliano , Jiao Yang , Chu Paul K. , Li Zeren , Li Jia , Yao Jianquan
Published: June 2024

Visible‐blind ultraviolet (VBUV) photodetectors are designed for UV detection without responding to visible light, thus having many applications in communications, flame detection, environment monitoring, and astronomy. Herein, an organic device concept based on the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) photodiode is presented for high‐performance VBUV photodetection and imaging. The BHJ, comprised of an organic electron donor, 2,7‐dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2‐b][1]benzothiophene (C8‐BTBT), and an electron acceptor, indene‐C60 bisadduct (ICBA), shows efficient generation and transport of free charges upon UV irradiation. The organic photodiode (OPD) delivers exceptional VBUV photodetection performance. At a low voltage of −0.5 V, the device exhibits a wide linear dynamic range of 98.15 dB. Furthermore, the OPD can detect ultra‐low light intensities down to 0.58 µW cm−2 with a high photoresponsivity of 0.12 A W−1 and specific detectivity of 2.75 × 1012 Jones. More importantly, by integrating the OPD with a readout integrated circuit, the pixel‐array organic VBUV imager is demonstrated to have high‐quality imaging capability. The results reveal a novel strategy to design VBUV photodetectors and imagers with balanced performance, cost, area, flexibility, and power consumption.
Effect of microwave frying on the physicochemical properties of palm olein and French fries
Authors: How Yu Hsuan , Nyam Kar Lin , Lee Xian Wei , Akanda Md Jahurul Haque , Tan Chin Ping
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of microwave power and duration on French fries using palm olein. The deep‐fat frying was served as a control. The microwave frying of French fries was conducted at low (100 W), medium (600 W), and high (1000 W) for 1, 3, and 5 min. The physicochemical properties of French fries and the quality of palm olein were analyzed. The French fries microwaved at 600 W for 3 min showed comparable hardness (300 g), cohesiveness (0.76), springiness (3.5 mm), adhesion (0.3 mJ), and water activity (0.88 Aw) to deep‐fat frying. The palm olein demonstrated lower peroxide and para‐anisidine values in microwave frying; while deep‐fat frying had lower total polar compounds in frying oil and lower oil content in oil extracted from French fries. Nevertheless, the high oxidation stability in terms of peroxide and para‐anisidine value in frying oil from microwave frying showed its potential as an alternative frying technique to deep‐fat frying.
Adaption of neurosurgical resection patterns for pediatric low‐grade glioma spanning two decades—Report from the German LGG‐studies 1996–2018
Authors: Kelety Tibor , Thomale Ulrich‐Wilhelm , Kandels Daniela , Schuhmann Martin U. , El Damaty Ahmed , Krauss Jürgen , Frühwald Michael C. , Driever Pablo Hernáiz , Witt Olaf , Bison Brigitte , Warmuth‐Metz Monika , Pietsch Torsten , Schmidt René , Gnekow Astrid K.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Neurosurgery is considered the mainstay of treatment for pediatric low‐grade glioma (LGG); the extent of resection determines subsequent stratification in current treatment protocols. Yet, surgical radicality must be balanced against the risks of complications that may affect long‐term quality of life. We investigated whether this consideration impacted surgical resection patterns over time for patients of the German LGG studies.

Patients and Methods

Four thousand two hundred and seventy pediatric patients from three successive LGG studies (median age at diagnosis 7.6 years, neurofibromatosis (NF1) 14.7%) were grouped into 5 consecutive time intervals (TI1‐5) for date of diagnosis and analyzed for timing and extent of first surgery with respect to tumor site, histology, NF1‐status, sex, and age.

Results

The fraction of radiological LGG diagnoses increased over time (TI1 12.6%; TI5 21.7%), while the extent of the first neurosurgical intervention (3440/4270) showed a reduced fraction of complete/subtotal and an increase of partial resections from TI1 to TI5. Binary logistic regression analysis for the first intervention within the first year following diagnosis confirmed the temporal trends (p < 0.001) and the link with tumor site for each extent of resection (p < 0.001). Higher age is related to more complete resections in the cerebellum and cerebral hemispheres.

Conclusions

The declining extent of surgical resections over time was unrelated to patient characteristics. It paralleled the evolution of comprehensive treatment algorithms; thus, it may reflect alignment of surgical practice to recommendations in respect to age, tumor site, and NF1‐status integrated as such into current treatment guidelines. Further investigations are needed to understand how planning, performance, or tumor characteristics impact achieving surgical goals.
Computational Simulation Study of Potential Inhibition of c‐Met Kinase Receptor by Phenoxy pyridine Derivatives: Based on QSAR, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Guo Li‐yuan , Yang Yu‐lu , Tong Jian‐bo , Chang Ze‐lei , Gao Peng , Liu Yuan , Zhang Ya‐kun , Xing Xiao‐yu
Published: June 2024

The mesenchymal‐epithelial transition factor (c‐Met) is a tyrosine kinase receptor protein, and excessive cell transformation can lead to cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors by inhibiting the activity of c‐Met protein. In this study, 41 compounds are selected from the reported literature, and the interactions between phenoxy pyridine derivatives and tumor‐associated proteins are systematically investigated using a series of computer‐assisted drug design (CADD) methods, aiming to predict potential c‐Met inhibitors with high activity. The Topomer CoMFA (q2=0.620, R2=0.837) and HQSAR (q2=0.684, R2=0.877) models demonstrate a high level of robustness. Further internal and external validation assessments show high applicability and accuracy. Based on the results of the Topomer CoMFA model, structural fragments with higher contribution values are identified and randomly combined using a fragment splice technique, result in a total of 20 compounds with predicted activities higher than the template molecules. Molecular docking results show that these compounds have good interactions and van der Waals forces with the target proteins. The results of molecular dynamics and ADMET predictions indicate that compounds Y4, Y5, and Y14 have potential as c‐Met inhibitors. Among them, compound Y14 exhibits superior stability with a binding free energy of −165.18 KJ/mol. These studies provide a reference for the future design and development of novel compounds with c‐Met inhibitory activity.
Structure and Stability of Ago2 MID‐Nucleotide Complexes: All‐in‐One (Drop) His6‐SUMO Tag Removal, Nucleotide Binding, and Crystal Growth
Authors: Lei Li , Harp Joel M. , Chaput John C. , Wassarman Kelly , Schlegel Mark K. , Manoharan Muthiah , Egli Martin
Published: June 2024

The middle (MID) domain of eukaryotic Argonaute (Ago) proteins and archaeal and bacterial homologues mediates the interaction with the 5′‐terminal nucleotide of miRNA and siRNA guide strands. The MID domain of human Ago2 (hAgo2) is comprised of 139 amino acids with a molecular weight of 15.56 kDa. MID adopts a Rossman‐like beta1‐alpha1‐beta2‐alpha2‐beta3‐alpha3‐beta4‐alpha4 fold with a nucleotide specificity loop between beta3 and alpha3. Multiple crystal structures of nucleotides bound to hAgo2 MID have been reported, whereby complexes were obtained by soaking ligands into crystals of MID domain alone. This protocol describes a simplified one‐step approach to grow well‐diffracting crystals of hAgo2 MID‐nucleotide complexes by mixing purified His6‐SUMO‐MID fusion protein, Ulp1 protease, and excess nucleotide in the presence of buffer and precipitant. The crystal structures of MID complexes with UMP, UTP and 2′‐3′ linked α‐L‐threofuranosyl thymidine‐3′‐triphosphate (tTTP) are presented. This article also describes fluorescence‐based assays to measure dissociation constants (Kd) of MID‐nucleotide interactions for nucleoside 5′‐monophosphates and nucleoside 3′,5′‐bisphosphates. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Crystallization of Ago2 MID‐nucleotide complexes

Basic Protocol 2: Measurement of dissociation constant Kd between Ago2 MID and nucleotides
Growth mechanism of high‐voltage electric pulse rock breaking 3D plasma channel in drilling fluid environment
Authors: Zhu Xiaohua , Liu Siqi , Liu Weiji , Zhou Xin , Tang Wuji
Published: June 2024

High‐voltage electric pulse rock breaking has excellent potential for exploiting deep geothermal resources. Numerous researchers have conducted experimental studies on this topic, particularly in rock mechanics, where the breakdown occurs. However, there has been limited scholarly research on drilling fluid. Therefore, the study focuses on the drilling fluid suitable for electric pulse drilling, considering the characteristics of electric pulse rock breaking, which differ from traditional rock breaking. The study focused on the impact of various drilling fluid parameters on the effectiveness of electric impulse rock breaking using red sandstone as the experimental material. This was investigated using the finite element method, and indoor electric rock‐breaking tests were conducted in a drilling fluid environment. The results indicate that the plasma channel mainly grows in the permeable layer of the drilling fluid, resulting in shallow rock breaking depth in the drilling fluid environment. The pore permeated by drilling fluid guides the growth of the plasma channel. The higher the conductivity of the drilling fluid, the closer the ion channel of rock breaking by electric pulse is to the rock surface. This results in a smaller crushing volume and shallower damage depth, which is more detrimental to rock breaking by an electric pulse. The viscosity of drilling fluid can impede the breakdown to some extent. In this paper, the influence of drilling fluid parameters on electro‐pulse rock‐breaking technology is preliminarily studied, which has significant reference value for the selection of actual drilling fluid.
White Matter Abnormalities Track Disease Progression in Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Raghavan Sheelakumari , Lesnick Timothy G. , Castillo Anna M. , Reid Robert I. , Fought Angela J. , Thostenson Kaely B. , Johnson Sparrman Kohl L. , Gehrking Tonette L. , Gehrking Jade A. , Sletten David M. , Low Phillip A. , Singer Wolfgang , Vemuri Prashanthi
Published: June 2024

Background

White matter (WM) abnormalities have been implicated in clinically relevant functional decline in multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Objective

To identify the WM and gray matter (GM) abnormalities in MSA and assess the utility of longitudinal structural and diffusion changes as surrogate markers for tracking disease progression in MSA.

Methods

Twenty‐seven participants with early MSA [15 with clinically predominant cerebellar (MSA‐C) and 12 with clinically predominant parkinsonian features (MSA‐P)] and 14 controls were enrolled as a part of our prospective, longitudinal study of synucleinopathies. Using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion MRI (diffusion tensor and neurite orientation and dispersion density imaging), we analyzed whole and regional brain changes in these participants. We also evaluated temporal imaging trajectories based on up to three annual follow‐up scans and assessed the impact of baseline diagnosis on these imaging biomarkers using mixed‐effect models.

Results

MSA patients exhibited more widespread WM changes than GM, particularly in the cerebellum and brainstem, with greater severity in MSA‐C. Structural and diffusion measures in the cerebellum WM and brainstem deteriorated with disease progression. Rates of progression of these abnormalities were similar in both MSA subtypes, reflecting increasing overlap of clinical features over time.

Conclusion

WM abnormalities are core features of MSA disease progression and advance at similar rates in clinical MSA subtypes. Multimodal MRI imaging reveals novel insights into the distribution and pattern of brain abnormalities and their progression in MSA. Selected structural and diffusion measures may be useful for tracking disease progression in MSA clinical trials.
Boosting of structural, thermal, linear, and nonlinear optical properties of PVA/PVP blend using titanium dioxide filler
Authors: Elkalashy Sh. I. , Khater S. I. , Zaki M. F.
Published: June 2024

In the current work, a blend matrix that combines polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVA/PVP) was reinforced by titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles via the casting technique. The FTIR spectra and XRD examinations of nanocomposites offer insight into the structural changes that have taken place with the inclusion of TiO2 in the blend matrix. TiO2 elements were detected via the EDX detector linked to a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The transmission and absorption of the PVA/PVP‐TiO2 blend were evaluated via a UV–visible spectrophotometer. Tauc's model demarcated the optical bandgap (Eg), which declined from 4.91 eV for the pure to 4.66 eV for PVA/PVP—0.75 wt.%TiO2 film. The refractive index increases from 1.903 to 6.646 for pure blend and PVA/PVA/0.75 wt%TiO2, respectively. The nonlinear optical features (as predicted by the Wemple‐DiDomenico model) are enriched. The proliferation of TiO2 into the blend matrix significantly increased the third‐order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ(3), from 1.87 × 10−14 for pure blend to 5.091 × 10−13 for PVA/PVP‐0.75 wt.% TiO2, attributed to the oscillation of surface plasmons of TiO2 NPs. The thermal stability of the films was inspected. Doping the blend with TiO2 enhanced its thermal stability. The TiO2‐filled PVA/PVP films demonstrate hopeful features for various requests and can be utilized in optoelectronics and optical devices due to their tunable optical parameters and thermal stability.

Highlights

Thermal stability was enhanced with loading TiO2 nanoparticles in PVA/PVP matrix.

The PVA/PVP–TiO2 films optical parameters were studied.

Extinction coefficient and refractive index were enhanced with loading TiO2 in PVA/PVP matrix.

Proliferation of TiO2 into the matrix significantly increased the nonlinear optical susceptibility of third‐order χ(3).
Microstructure and performances of rigid polyurethane foam prepared using double‐effect baking powder as a foaming agent
Authors: Cheng Guojun , Zhang Yaling , Liu Song , Zhou Longxuan , Tang Zhongfeng , Wang Xiaodong , Ding Guoxin , Wan Xianglong , Cao Lishuo , Zhu Ziyue
Published: June 2024

The preparation of rigid polyurethane foam with uniform pore size is extremely challenging. In this work, double‐effect baking powder was used as foaming agent, and rigid polyurethane foam with regular morphology was successfully prepared through semi‐prepolymerization. The rigid polyurethane foam apertures with regular morphology were controlled by the secondary release of CO2 when the content of baking powder is 0.30 part. Combined with theoretical calculation and experimental test, it is found that the particle size distribution, wall thickness, and hole shape are uniform, regular, thin, polygonal, and few broken holes. The compression strength, contact angle, and surface energy of the rigid polyurethane foam are 33.36 kPa, 109.6°, and 21.8 mJ/m2 after adding 0.20 part of double‐effect baking powder, respectively. By adjusting the amount of double‐acting baking powder, the porosity, mechanical properties and foam rate of the polyurethane foams could be significantly improved. Due to the molecular solvation effect, rigid polyurethane foams will deform in the water and oil due phase, but it can remain stable for a long time at room temperature without solvent. It provides a new method for the preparation of rigid polyurethane foam, which is expected to be widely used in transportation and other fields.

Highlights

Baking powder was firstly used as a foaming modifier for rigid polyurethane.

Baking powder releases CO2 twice to ensure uniform structure of polyurethane cell.

Rigid polyurethane foam has long‐term stability and regular, uniform cell holes.

The porosity and mechanical properties of foams could be significantly improved.

Foaming mechanism of rigid polyurethane using baking powder was firstly revealed.
Effect of Grain Gradient on Mechanical Properties of Nanopolycrystalline Ni–Co Alloys
Authors: Bai Zhiyuan , Lu Xuefeng , Chen Boyu , Zhang Jiayin , Liu Di , Yang Dan , Li Junchen , Guo Xin
Published: June 2024

At present, gradient‐structure alloys with strong properties can be machined by strong surface plastic deformation. This kind of alloy also has high strength, excellent plastic toughness, and work hardening properties. Herein, nanometer polycrystalline nickel–cobalt alloys with grain gradient are studied. The change of mechanical properties and evolution mechanism of internal defects of graded polycrystalline nickel–cobalt alloys under shear loading are emphatically revealed, and the unusual strengthening mechanism brought about by gradient structure is revealed. The results show that grain gradient microstructure can improve the strength and maintain the toughness of the alloy to a certain extent. The uneven grain boundary distribution due to the gradient structure brings different hindering effects to the dislocation movement. Therefore, the mechanical properties exhibited are different from those of uniform microstructure.
Freeze Metal Halide Perovskite for Dramatic Laser Tuning: Direct Observation via In Situ Cryo‐Electron Microscope
Authors: Li Jiayi , Jiang Jing , Zhang Yuchen , Lin Zhenhui , Pang Zhentao , Guan Jie , Liu Zhiyu , Ren Yifeng , Li Shiheng , Lin Renxing , Wu Jie , Wang Jian , Zhang Ziyou , Dong Hongliang , Chen Zhiqiang , Wang Yuanyuan , Yang Yurong , Tan Hairen , Zhu Jia , Lu Zhenda , Deng Yu
Published: June 2024

A frozen‐temperature (below −28 °C) laser tuning way is developed to optimize metal halide perovskite (MHP)’s stability and opto‐electronic properties, for emitter, photovoltaic and detector applications. Here freezing can adjust the competitive laser irradiation effects between damaging and annealing/repairing. And the ligand shells on MHP surface, which are widely present for many MHP materials, can be frozen and act as transparent solid templates for MHP's re‐crystallization/re‐growth during the laser tuning. With model samples of different types of CsPbBr3 nanocube arrays,an attempt is made to turn the dominant exposure facet from low‐energy [100] facet to high‐energy [111], [‐211], [113] and [210] ones respectively; selectively removing the surface impurities and defects of CsPbBr3 nanocubes to enhance the irradiation durability by 101 times; and quickly (tens of seconds) modifying a Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) boundary into another type of boundary like twinning, and so on. The laser tuning mechanism is revealed by an innovative in situ cryo‐transmission electron microscope (cryo‐TEM) exploration at atomic resolution.
Multi-Channel Sequence Analysis in Educational Research: An Introduction and Tutorial with R
Authors: López-Pernas Sonsoles , Saqr Mohammed , Helske Satu , Murphy Keefe
Published: June 2024

This chapter introduces multi-channel sequence analysis, a novel method that examines two or more synchronised sequences. While this approach is relatively new in social sciences, its relevance to educational research is growing as researchers gain access to diverse multimodal temporal data. Throughout this chapter, we describe multi-channel sequence analysis in detail, with an emphasis on how to detect patterns within the sequences, i.e., clusters —or trajectories— of multi-channel sequences that share similar temporal evolutions (or similar trajectories). To illustrate this method we present a step-by-step tutorial in R that analyses students’ sequences of online engagement and academic achievement, exploring their longitudinal association. We cover two approaches for clustering multi-channel sequences: one based on using distance-based algorithms, and the other employing mixture hidden Markov models inspired by recent research.
Structural Equation Modeling with R for Education Scientists
Authors: Jongerling Joran , López-Pernas Sonsoles , Saqr Mohammed , Vogelsmeier Leonie V. D. E.
Published: June 2024

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a method for modeling whole sets of complex interrelations between observed and/or latent variables. In its most common form, SEM combines confirmatory factor analysis (CFA with another method named path analysis). Just like CFA, SEM relates observed variables to latent variables that are measured by those observed variables and, as path analysis does, SEM allows for a wide range of regression-type relations between sets of variables (both latent and observed). This chapter presents an introduction to SEM, an integrated strategy for conducting SEM analysis that is well-suited for educational sciences, and a tutorial on how to carry out an SEM analysis in R.
Visualizing and Reporting Educational Data with R
Authors: López-Pernas Sonsoles , Misiejuk Kamila , Tikka Santtu , Kopra Juho , Heinäniemi Merja , Saqr Mohammed
Published: June 2024

Visualizing data is central in learning analytics research, underpins learning dashboards, and is a prime method for reporting results and insights to stakeholders. In this chapter, the reader will be guided through the process of generating meaningful and aesthetically pleasing visualizations of different types of student data using well-known R packages. The main visualization types will be demonstrated with an explanation of their usage and use cases. Furthermore, learning-related examples will be discussed in detail. For instance, readers will learn how to visualize learners’ logs extracted from learning management systems to show how trace data can be used to track students’ learning activities. In addition to creating compelling plots, readers will also be able to generate professional-looking tables with summary statistics.
Improved mechanical and fire-retardant properties of fiber-reinforced composites manufactured via modified resins and metallic thin films
Authors: Murad Md Shafinur , Asmatulu Eylem , Nuraje Aygul , Er Özlem , Gürsoy Mustafa , Bahçeci Ersin , Bakir Mete , Asmatulu Ramazan
Published: June 2024

Fiber-reinforced polymeric composites have been extensively used in different industrial applications because of their excellent mechanical and other properties but have lower tolerance levels for fire and lightning damage. The thermal, mechanical, and electrical conductivity of these composites can be substantially increased using some thin metallic films for higher fire resistance. The objective of this study was to develop fire-retardant fiber-reinforced composites using modified resins and metallic copper (Cu) thin films and test and characterize the mechanical and thermal properties of these prepared composites. Standard hand wet layup process was used to manufacture composite panels, and then the flame retardant and other physical and chemical properties were determined before and after resin modification and surface metal film coatings. These modified resins and the conductive metallic films of the composite provided superior flame retardancy and higher mechanical strength. The prepared composite panels made from modified epoxy via 9,10-dihydro-9-oxo-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) inclusion and with metallic surface coatings passed the UL-94 vertical flame testing with a V-0 rating. This composite achieved an average flexural strength of 344.2 MPa, a mean tensile strength of 400.82 MPa, and a shear strength of 6.54 MPa for single lap shear joint studies. Fractography results also show better bonding of the matrix and fiber with no significant damage. This study may open new opportunities in various composite industries.
The Mixed Layer Salinity Balance in the Western Arctic Ocean
Authors: Zhong Wenli , Lan Youwen , Mu Longjiang , Nguyen An T.
Published: June 2024

In this study, we explore the mixed layer salinity (MLS) balance in the western Arctic Ocean based on the Arctic Subpolar gyre sTate Estimate (ASTE) results. The key components of the MLS budgets and their variabilities in response to the Beaufort Gyre (BG) spin‐up are identified. Seasonally, the surface forcing (brine rejection plus freshwater input) is the most important dominant contributor to the MLS balance. On the other hand, the entrainment dominates the interannual variability of MLS tendency inside the BG, while the advection dominates that in the Beaufort Sea. The sensitivity test of increased river discharge revealed a greater role of the advection term, along with weakened contributions from the surface forcing and entrainment, in determining the interannual variability of MLS balance. In contrast, the seasonal variabilities remained largely unchanged. The Lagrangian particle tracking reveals that the majority of BG freshwater within the mixed layer exits through the Canadian Archipelago prior to the BG spin‐up (2002–2006) and during its relaxation (2012–2017). We found a reduction in mixed layer freshwater sources from the external BG that could feed the gyre during its spin‐up (2007–2011), with the major contributions coming from the Beaufort Sea and the BG region itself through Ekman convergence. The mixed layer freshwater pathways are similar in the two versions of ASTE, but with noticeable proportion changes with the increasing river discharge.
Comprehensive evaluation of drought tolerance of six Chinese chestnut varieties (clones) based on flavonoids and other physiological indexes
Authors: Zeng Yangjuan , Guo Chunlei , Wang Meng , Jin Junting , Yu Keyan , Zhang Jingzheng , Cao Fei
Published: June 2024

Flavonoids are crucial secondary metabolites that possess the ability to mitigate UV damage and withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, it is of immense significance to investigate the flavonoid content as a pivotal indicator for a comprehensive assessment of chestnut's drought tolerance. This study aimed to determine the flavonoid content and drought tolerance-related physiological and biochemical indices of six chestnut varieties (clones) grafted trees—Qianxi 42 (QX42), Qinglong 45 (QL45), Yanshanzaofeng (YSZF), Yanzi (YZ), Yanqiu (YQ), and Yanlong (YL)-under natural drought stress. The results were used to comprehensively analyze the drought tolerance ability of these varieties. The study revealed that the ranking of drought tolerance indices in terms of their ability to reflect drought tolerance was as follows: superoxide (oxide) dismutase (SOD) activity, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, flavone content, catalase (CAT) activity, proline (PRO) content, soluble sugar content, peroxidase (POD) activity, betaine content, flavonol content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, soluble protein content, superoxide ion (OFR) content, superoxide (ion OFR) production rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, chlorophyll content. Through principal component analysis, the contents of flavonoids and flavonols can be used as indicators for comprehensive evaluation of drought tolerance of chestnut. The comprehensive evaluation order of drought tolerance of grafted trees of 6 chestnut varieties (Clones) was: QL45 > QX42 > YQ > YZ > YSZF > YL.
Assessment of Nurses' Job Satisfaction and Associated Factors in Management of Neurosurgery Procedures at Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital (Aichi, Nagoya, Japan)
Authors: Simon Ilunga Kandolo , Dieumerci Kabulo Kantenga , Okubo Mai , Katayama Tomoka , Yamada Sachiko , Suhara Yuki , Yamazaki Tomiyoshi , Aihara Akiko , Fuminari Komatsu , Kalangu Kazadi , Kato Yoko
Published: June 2024

Introduction Job satisfaction is a professional aspect that contributes to the achievement of objectives in general and in the health sector; it is a golden standard for having quality care. The satisfaction of nurses is a path toward humanized nursing. This article aims to evaluate the job satisfaction among nurses of the neurosurgery department at Bantane Hospital.

Materials and Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study including 74 nurses at Bantane Hospital in Nagoya Japan in August 2023. Nurses responded to a questionnaire relating to job satisfaction. Univariate analysis was supported by bivariate analyses at the 95% significance level.

Results The survey revealed that nurses aged between 18 and 29 were mostly represented (62.2%). Drip-injection medication was the most preferred activity (15 times) by Bantane nurses. The satisfaction rate was 63.5% and the fact of considering nurses point of view, good interpersonal relationships, and a considerable lunchtime period was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion Transcendental motivation is a priority in the approach to humanize nursing by considering both monetary and nonmonetary incentives to motivate nurses.
Predicting Occluded Middle Cerebral Artery Morphology for Endovascular Mechanical Thrombectomy: A Contralateral Shape Analysis Approach
Authors: Takenoya Naoki , Oya Soichi , Watanabe Takehiro , Shojima Masaaki , Matsui Toru , Yoshino Yoshikazu
Published: June 2024

Introduction Predicting the shape of the occluded middle cerebral artery (MCA) from the contralateral MCA might help catheterization in endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EMT).

Materials and Methods We analyzed magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in 100 consecutive patients who had MR imaging for diseases other than acute ischemic stroke. To assess the symmetricity of MCA, the shape of M1, length of M1, number of M2, number of early branches (EBs), and distance from the top of the internal carotid artery to EB were investigated.

Results The shape of M1 was upward in 42%, horizontal in 47%, and downward in 11%. The M1 shape was the same on both sides in 64%, which exceeded the probability assumed to be left–right independent. The number of M2 trunks and EBs matched left and right in 86 and 55% of patients, respectively; however, these agreement rates were not higher than those with independent left and right sides. No left–right correlation was found between the M1 length and the distance from the internal carotid artery to EB.

Conclusion Based on our data, the symmetry of MCA was observed only in the shape of the M1 segment. This finding could be beneficial for EMT targeting MCA embolisms.
Olfactory combinatorial coding supports risk-reward decision making inC. elegans
Authors: Saad Md Zubayer Hossain , Ryan V William G. , Edwards Chelyan A. , Szymanski Benjamin N. , Marri Aryan R. , Jerow Lilian G. , McCullumsmith Robert , Bamber Bruce A.
Published: June 2024

Olfactory-driven behaviors are essential for animal survival, but mechanisms for decoding olfactory inputs remain poorly understood. We have used whole-network Ca++imaging to study olfactory coding inCaenorhabditis elegans.We show that the odorant 1-octanol is encoded combinatorially in the periphery as both an attractant and a repellant. These inputs are integrated centrally, and their relative strengths determine the sensitivity and valence of the behavioral response through modulation of locomotory reversals and speed. The balance of these pathways also dictates the activity of the locomotory command interneurons, which control locomotory reversals. This balance serves as a regulatory node for response modulation, allowingC. elegansto weigh opportunities and hazards in its environment when formulating behavioral responses. Thus, an odorant can be encoded simultaneously as inputs of opposite valence, focusing attention on the integration of these inputs in determining perception, response, and plasticity.