bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PDMS‐silica composite gas separation membranes by direct ink writing
Authors: Gutierrez Dianne B. , Caldona Eugene B. , Yang Zhenzhen , Suo Xian , Cheng Xiang , Dai Sheng , Espiritu Richard D. , Advincula Rigoberto C.
Published: June 2023

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐based membranes containing amine‐functionalized and unfunctionalized silica particles were fabricated via direct ink writing for CO2/N2 gas separation. The printability of the inks was evaluated by rheological measurements, while spectroscopy, microscopy, thermal measurements, and mechanical testing were employed to characterize the printed membranes. The surface morphology of the membranes revealed the absence of voids, demonstrating their suitability for gas separation. The printed membranes also exhibited desirable thermal and mechanical properties (i.e., thermal degradation temperature of 518 °C and tensile strength as high as 1.178 MPa with 529% elongation). The PDMS‐based membranes generally displayed high permeability for CO2 but slightly low selectivity for the CO2/N2 gas pair. The best‐combined permeability‐selectivity performance of 8794 barrer and selectivity of 11.64 was demonstrated by the printed PDMS membrane containing no SiO2 fillers. The inclusion of unfunctionalized SiO2 particles generally increased the membrane's gas permeability but compromised the selectivity. In contrast, membranes with amine‐functionalized silica showed improved selectivity compared to membranes containing unfunctionalized silica. Overall, the performance and characteristics offered by the PDMS/silica composite membranes demonstrated the potential of 3D printing as an economical and sustainable fabrication approach to developing materials for carbon capture applications.
Hit identification of novel small molecules interfering with MALAT1 triplex by a structure‐based virtual screening
Authors: Rocca Roberta , Polerà Nicoletta , Juli Giada , Grillone Katia , Maruca Annalisa , Di Martino Maria Teresa , Artese Anna , Amato Jussara , Pagano Bruno , Randazzo Antonio , Tagliaferri Pietrosandro , Tassone Pierfrancesco , Alcaro Stefano
Published: June 2023

Nowadays, RNA is an attractive target for the design of new small molecules with different pharmacological activities. Among several RNA molecules, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are extensively reported to be involved in cancer pathogenesis. In particular, the overexpression of lncRNA metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) plays an important role in the development of multiple myeloma (MM). Starting from the crystallographic structure of the triple‐helical stability element at the 3'‐end of MALAT1, we performed a structure‐based virtual screening of a large commercial database, previously filtered according to the drug‐like properties. After a thermodynamic analysis, we selected five compounds for the in vitro assays. Compound M5, characterized by a diazaindene scaffold, emerged as the most promising molecule enabling the destabilization of the MALAT1 triplex structure and antiproliferative activity on in vitro models of MM. M5 is proposed as a lead compound to be further optimized for improving its affinity toward MALAT1.
Climate change information seeking
Authors: Choo Chun Wei
Published: June 2023

This research develops and tests a model of individual intentions to actively seek information about climate change. Our premise is that the individual's intention to actively seek information about climate change would determine their knowledge of and attitudes towards climate change, and this would in turn influence how they act or change their behaviors in response to that risk. Our model identifies key cognitive, affective, and situational variables drawn from research in human information behavior and risk communication. We conducted an online survey in which 212 participants in Canada and the United States responded. The results showed that the model was able to explain more than 40% of the variance in intention to seek climate change information. Social Norms, Affective Response, and Social Trust were the most important variables in influencing intention to seek climate change information. We conclude that climate change information seeking has a strong social dimension where social norms and expectations of relevant and respected others exert a major influence, and that the individual's emotional response towards the risk of climate change is more important than the individual's cognitive perception of how much information they need on climate change.
Resilient distributed model‐free adaptive predictive control for multiarea power systems under denial of service attack
Authors: Bu Xiaodong , Dai Xisheng , Wu Jing , Ni Min
Published: June 2023

This paper proposes a novel load frequency control (LFC) strategy for power systems based on distributed model‐free adaptive predictive control. First, a power system dynamic model is established by the input and output signals of the power system. Then, a distributed model‐free adaptive predictive control algorithm is established for the power system under denial‐of‐service attack by the established power system dynamic model, and a predictive compensation algorithm is designed to compensate the impact of DoS attack. Based on the designed distributed model‐free adaptive predictive control algorithm, the frequency tracking error of the multiarea power system is bounded. The scheme is independent of the structure of the power system and does not need to measure any state signals of the power system, relying only on the input and output data of the power system. The results of simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the design.
Energy efficient shelter for displaced persons: towards sustainable camps
Authors: Al‐Atrash Farah Z. , Hamdan Na'ela , Mualla Raneem
Published: June 2023

The presented research addresses shortcomings in refugee camps in Jordan where humanitarian needs cannot be fully met. It provides an overview of significance of sustainability in shelter design and aims to rethink the future design process by giving more consideration to site factors of the camp area. It also describes the use of simulation programmes to create a well‐designed shelter module. The study focuses on the construction of energy‐efficient shelters for displaced persons in the region, with an emphasis on improving the indoor climate and reducing energy consumption. To answer the research question, hybrid data systems were used for two purposes: first, to identify the design factors associated with refugee shelter design, and second, to categorise these factors and incorporate them into the simulation to get the ideal module design. The simulation software SIM VICUS was used. As a result, basalt is proposed to be used for the design of new refugee shelters in Jordan. The basalt fibre panel as a construction material gives very good results for achieving sufficient indoor thermal comfort for the shelters. With the proposed design, the maximum indoor temperature in the hot season can be limited to 29.2 °C, with a difference of 10.8 K. In the cold season, the indoor temperature was low. In the cold season, the lowest indoor temperatures were 11.4 °C with a difference of 12.7 K.
Die Behelfsbrücken über die Ahr
Authors: Menge Moritz , Heckenbach Jens
Published: June 2023

Eine verheerende Flut im Ahrtal im Juli 2021 forderte 134 Todesopfer und verursachte massive Schäden an der Infrastruktur, auch an den Brücken. Die Flutwelle wurde durch eine Kombination von Faktoren verursacht, darunter starke Niederschläge, ein großes Einzugsgebiet, gesättigte Böden, enge Täler und Schieferhänge. Die zahlreichen Brückenbauwerke wirkten teilweise als vorübergehender Damm, der schließlich unter der Belastung des Wassers und Geschiebes versagte und weggerissen wurde, wodurch sich der ohnehin schon flutartige Abfluss der Ahr zu einer Flutwelle kumulierte. Rund 60 Brückenbauwerke wurden zerstört – allein in der Stadt Bad Neuenahr‐Ahrweiler waren es 23 von 25 Brücken. Als schnelle, hilfreiche Lösung für die betroffenen Bürger wurden zwischenzeitlich einige Behelfsbrücken errichtet, um die Planungs‐ und Bauzeit für neue dauerhafte Bauwerke zu überbrücken. In diesem Beitrag wird über diese Behelfsbrücken und deren Konstruktion berichtet.
Phosphors Ba2LaTaO6:Mn4+ and its alkali metal charge compensation for plant growth illumination
Authors: Li Fadong , Ye Yaosen , Cui Ruirui , Zhang Jun , Xu Cong , Xu Hui , Zhang Gangyi , Deng Chaoyong
Published: June 2023

A series of Mn4+‐doped and Mn4+,K+‐co‐doped Ba2LaTaO6 (BLT) double‐perovskite phosphors was synthesized using a high‐temperature solid‐state reaction. The phase purity and luminescence properties were also studied. The optimum doping concentration of Mn4+ and K+ was obtained by investigating the photoluminescence excitation spectra and photoluminescence emission spectra. The comparison of BLT:Mn4+ phosphors with and without K+ ions shows that the photoluminescence intensity of K+‐doped phosphors was greatly enhanced. This is because there was a charge difference when Mn4+ ions were doped with Ta5+ ions in BLT. Mn4+–K+ ion pairs were formed after doping K+ ions, which hinders the nonradiative energy transfer between Mn4+ ions. Therefore, the luminescence intensity, quantum yield, and thermal stability of phosphors were enhanced. The electroluminescence spectra of BLT:Mn4+ and BLT:Mn4+,K+ were measured. The spectra showed that the light emitted from the phosphors corresponded well with chlorophyll a and phytochrome PR. The results show that the BLT:Mn4+,K+ phosphors had good luminescence properties and application prospects and are ideal materials for plant‐illuminated red phosphors.
A simple, flexible, and high‐efficiency western blot analysis for age‐related human induced neurons
Authors: Shen Yan‐Fei , Liu Ming‐Jie , Long Zhu , Shi Xiaobang , Liu Meng‐Lu
Published: June 2023

High‐throughput western blot (WB) analysis can be used to obtain more consistent, comparable, and informative data from precious samples and materials with extremely limited availability, such as various age‐related, subtype‐specific human induced neurons (hiNs). In this study, p‐toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA), an odorless tissue fixative, was used to inactivate horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and develop a high‐throughput WB method. PTSA‐treated blots demonstrated rapid and efficient HRP inactivation without detectable protein loss or epitope damage. With a brief PTSA treatment (1 min at room temperature [RT]) before every subsequent probing, 10 dopaminergic hiN proteins could be sequentially, sensitively, and specifically detected in the blot. The resulting WB data confirmed the age‐associated and neuron‐specific features of hiNs and revealed a significant reduction in two Parkinson's disease‐associated proteins, UCHL1 and GAP43, in normal aging dopaminergic neurons. Overall, this study developed a unique and high‐efficiency WB analysis method for capturing robust and useful data from limited, precious samples.
Real‐time detection of mAb aggregates in an integrated downstream process
Authors: São Pedro Mariana N. , Isaksson Madelène , Gomis‐Fons Joaquín , Eppink Michel H. M. , Nilsson Bernt , Ottens Marcel
Published: June 2023

The implementation of continuous processing in the biopharmaceutical industry is hindered by the scarcity of process analytical technologies (PAT). To monitor and control a continuous process, PAT tools will be crucial to measure real‐time product quality attributes such as protein aggregation. Miniaturizing these analytical techniques can increase measurement speed and enable faster decision‐making. A fluorescent dye (FD)‐based miniaturized sensor has previously been developed: a zigzag microchannel which mixes two streams under 30 s. Bis‐ANS and CCVJ, two established FDs, were employed in this micromixer to detect aggregation of the biopharmaceutical monoclonal antibody (mAb). Both FDs were able to robustly detect aggregation levels starting at 2.5%. However, the real‐time measurement provided by the microfluidic sensor still needs to be implemented and assessed in an integrated continuous downstream process. In this work, the micromixer is implemented in a lab‐scale integrated system for the purification of mAbs, established in an ÄKTA™ unit. A viral inactivation and two polishing steps were reproduced, sending a sample of the product pool after each phase directly to the microfluidic sensor for aggregate detection. An additional UV sensor was connected after the micromixer and an increase in its signal would indicate that aggregates were present in the sample. The at‐line miniaturized PAT tool provides a fast aggregation measurement, under 10 min, enabling better process understanding and control.
The influence of collectivism on consumer responses to green behavior
Authors: Ogiemwonyi Osarodion , Jan Muhammad Tahir
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this research is to examine consumer responses to green behavior linking constructs like attitude, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and subjective norms (SN) from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model in connection to cultural dimension influence such as collectivism. A well‐established survey was developed to capture adequate responses using a quantitative approach. SmartPLSver3.3 were applied to the reliability and path relationship analysis. Results indicate that collectivism influences green behavior and multiple factors of the TPB constructs (attitude, PBC, and SN). In addition, PBC exerted a positive influence on SN, which significantly accelerated green behavior. Likewise, attitude positively mediates collectivism, PBC, and the green behavior nexus. The research shows that responses to green behavior are the solution in attaining the sustainable development goal −12 in a collectivist society as consumers with a stronger collectivist orientation rely on group identity and are disposed to engage in responsible consumption and production owing to their strong attitude, perceived control, and social norms. The study contributes meaningful insights to new lines of research on how to eliminate perceived difficulty linked to green consumption and improve responses to green behavior, which is still a concern; thus, policymakers must try to improve collectivist values.
Organizational heuristics and firms' sensemaking for climate change adaptation
Authors: Bleda Mercedes , Krull Elisabeth , Pinkse Jonatan , Christodoulou Eleni
Published: June 2023

The complexity and uncertainty of climate change pose unique challenges to the development of corporate adaptation strategies. Climate adaptation requires organizations to rely on sensemaking to understand climate events, implications for their operations, and develop a response. Organizational heuristics can support sensemaking by simplifying decisions and reducing cognitive effort but also hinder it by creating bias and errors that lead to inefficient decisions. This paper analyzes how firms use organizational heuristics when making decisions on climate change by empirically investigating the adaptation responses of key infrastructure providers in the United Kingdom. Looking at selection, prioritization, procedural, and temporal heuristics, we examine how firms make sense of climate events and develop their responses accordingly. The analysis shows that while these rules‐of‐thumb are sensible in some instances, they can create biases, too, that may deflect responsibility or create a false sense of security leading to inefficient adaptation decisions.
Patterns of buyer behavior and brand metrics in a “high loyalty” category: Liquor
Authors: Dawes John G.
Published: June 2023

This study examines behavioral brand loyalty in a category that, based on industry evidence, is expected to exhibit high loyalty: liquor (distilled spirits). The study aims to extend knowledge of the factors that underlie behavioral loyalty, including brand characteristics of price level and promotion incidence, and buyer characteristics of age and income. Drawing on theory and evidence relating to prospect theory, the “smart shopper” concept, as well as literature pertaining to age and loyalty, we develop a series of hypotheses and test them using extensive consumer panel purchasing data for US households. The analysis confirms that liquor is indeed a high loyalty category in the context of consumer goods, evidenced via high share of category requirements (SCR). The study also identifies that liquor brands follow the double jeopardy pattern, whereby larger‐share brands enjoy somewhat higher loyalty, and that exceptions—brands with unusually high or low volume loyalty for their size—are related to high volume purchased per occasion. In turn, there is a strong negative association between brand price and high average volume purchased per occasion (i.e., cheaper brands are bought in larger quantity or volume than expensive ones). The study also finds that brands with a low price tend to be particularly attractive to low‐income households, and that, in turn, low‐income households exhibit higher brand loyalty. These new findings contribute to the literature on brand loyalty and the links between loyalty, brand characteristics, and demographics.
Electrochemical Preparation of Sm(II) Reagent Facilitated by Weakly Coordinating Anions
Authors: Ware Skyler D. , Zhang Wendy , Charboneau David J. , Klein Channing K. , Reisman Sarah E. , See Kimberly A.
Published: June 2023

Samarium diiodide (SmI2) is widely used as a strong one‐electron reducing agent and is often employed to form C−C bonds in complex systems. Despite their utility, SmI2 and related salts suffer from several drawbacks that render the use of Sm reducing agents in large‐scale synthesis impractical. Here, we report factors influencing the electrochemical reduction of Sm(III) to Sm(II), towards the goal of electrocatalytic Sm(III) reduction. We probe the effect of supporting electrolyte, electrode material, and Sm precursor on Sm(II)/(III) redox and on the reducing power of the Sm species. We find that the coordination strength of the counteranion of the Sm salt affects the reversibility and redox potential of the Sm(II)/(III) couple and establish that the counteranion primarily determines the reducibility of Sm(III). Electrochemically generated SmI2 performs similarly to commercial SmI2 solutions in a proof‐of‐concept reaction. The results will provide fundamental insight to facilitate the development of Sm‐electrocatalytic reactions.
Formal Synthesis of (±)‐Salvinorin A via Gold(I) Catalysis
Authors: Tran Huy , McGee Philippe , Barriault Louis
Published: June 2023

The formal synthesis of (±)‐salvinorin A is presented. Our approach utilizes two distinct gold(I) catalytic processes. The combination of a gold(I)‐catalyzed reaction with an intermolecular Diels–Alder reaction followed by a gold(I)‐catalyzed photoredox reaction generated in eight steps the framework of the natural product with high diastereoselectivity.
Marital status impact on the outcomes of patients admitted for acute decompensation of heart failure: A retrospective, single‐center, analysis
Authors: Marcus Gil , Kofman Natalia , Maymon Shiri L. , Asher Elad , Loberman Dan , Pereg David , Fuchs Shmuel , Minha Sa'ar
Published: June 2023

Background

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the association between marital status and outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Further, it is not clear whether type of unmarried status (never married, divorced, or widowed) disparities exist in this context.

Hypothesis

We hypothesized that marital status will be associated with better outcomes in patients with HF.

Methods

This single‐center retrospective study utilized a cohort of 7457 patients admitted with acute decompensated HF (ADHF) between 2007 and 2017. We compared baseline characteristics, clinical indices, and outcomes of these patients grouped by their marital status. Cox regression analysis was used to explore the independency of the association between marital status and long‐term outcomes.

Results

Married patients accounted for 52% of the population while 37%, 9%, and 2% were widowed, divorced, and never married, respectively. Unmarried patients were older (79.8 ± 11.5 vs. 74.8 ± 11.1 years; p < 0.001), more frequently women (71.4% vs. 33.2%; p < 0.001), and less likely to have traditional cardiovascular comorbidities. Compared with married patients, all‐cause mortality incidence was higher in unmarried patients at 30 days (14.7% vs. 11.1%, p < 0.001), 1 year, and 5 years (72.9% vs. 68.4%, p < 0.001). Nonadjusted Kaplan‐Meier estimates for 5‐year all‐cause mortality by sex, demonstrated the best prognosis for married women, and by marital status in unmarried patients, the best prognosis was demonstrated in divorced patients while the worst was recorded in widowed patients. After adjustment for covariates, marital status was not found to be independently associated with ADHF outcomes.

Conclusions

Marital status is not independently associated with outcomes of patients admitted for ADHF. Efforts for outcomes improvement should focus on other, more traditional risk factors.
Computational fluid dynamics in root canal irrigation
Authors: Shen Chenlu , Gao Bicong , Lv Kejia , Yao Hua
Published: June 2023

Root canal irrigation is an important step in root canal preparation procedures and has a great impact on the success rate of root canal treatment. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a new method to study root canal irrigation. It can be used to simulate and visualize the process of root canal irrigation, and quantitatively evaluate the effect of root canal irrigation through parameters such as flow velocity and wall shear stress. In recent years, researchers have conducted extensive studies on the factors that influence root canal irrigation efficiency, such as the position of the irrigation needle, the size of root canal preparation, the types of irrigation needles, and so on. This article reviewed the development of root canal irrigation research methods, the steps of CFD simulation in root canal irrigation, and the application of CFD in root canal irrigation in recent years. It aimed to provide new research ideas for the application of CFD to root canal irrigation and to provide a reference for the clinical application of CFD simulation results.
FUCBR: Fuzzy‐based unequal clustering and bat‐based routing protocol for WSNs assisted IoT
Authors: Agrawal Deepika , Pandey Sudhakar
Published: June 2023

The internet of things (IoT) has recently become extremely important in our lives. With the advancement in IoT, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have gained much importance. In WSNs, the routing of clusters has gained more interest. However, there is still a problem with the hotspot. One way to address this issue is uneven clustering. In these, nodes closer to the base station have the smallest cluster size. It decreases the relay pressure of the nodes which are close to the base station. In this paper, the unequal clustering routing based on fuzzy logic and bat algorithm is proposed, that is, FUCBR. Relative intra‐cluster costs and relative inter‐cluster costs are used in a very innovative manner. Fuzzy logic is used to create unequal clusters while the bat algorithm is used for multi‐hop routing. Unequal clustering minimizes the energy utilization for the member of the clusters. A novel probability technique is implemented in the cluster‐forming process to allow cluster members to determine which cluster they wish to join. The bat algorithm's objective function is carefully chosen to optimize the cluster heads' energy usage. After simulation, it was discovered that the proposed algorithm utilizes less energy and extends the network lifespan. The simulation results show that FUCBR's performance is 30% more improved than fuzzy‐based unequal clustering algorithm, genetic algorithm based unequal clustering and routing protocol, and grey wolf optimizer‐C algorithms. It is suitable for networks that require a long life.
Solid‐State NMR Double‐Quantum Dipolar Recoupling Enhanced by Additional Phase Modulation
Authors: Xiao Hang , Zhang Zhengfeng , Kang Huimin , Yang Jun
Published: June 2023

Additional phase modulation (APM) is proposed to generally enhance the theoretical efficiency of homonuclear double‐quantum (DQ) recoupling in solid‐state NMR. APM applies an additional phase list to DQ recoupling in steps of an entire block. The sine‐based phase list can enhance the theoretical efficiency by 15–30 %, from 0.52 to 0.68 (non‐γ‐encoded recoupling) or from 0.73 to 0.84 (γ‐encoded recoupling), with doubled recoupling time. The genetic‐algorithm (GA) optimized APM can adiabatically enhance the efficiency to ∼1.0 at longer times. The concept of APM has been tested on SPR‐51, BaBa, and SPR‐31, which represent γ‐encoded recoupling, non‐γ‐encoded recoupling, and another kind beyond the former two, respectively. Simulations reveal that enhancements from APM are due to the activation of more crystallites in the powder. Experiments on 2,3‐13C labeled alanine are used to validate the APM recoupling. This new concept shall shed light on developing more efficient homonuclear recoupling methods.
Designing a Hierarchical Porous Carbon with Optimized Nitrogen Doping for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Peng Xingkai , Zhao Xiaowei , Hu Yuekun , Guo Lingli , Liu Yan , Yu Xiaofei , Yang Xiaojing , Zhang Xinghua , Lu Zunming , Li Lanlan
Published: June 2023

Nitrogen‐doped carbon is considered one of the most promising oxygen reduction catalysts due to its low cost and high activity, however, it still falls short of Pt/C. In this study, we report a strategy for the preparation of highly reactive N‐doped hierarchical porous carbon by primary pyrolysis using zinc acetate as a stand‐alone zinc source and amino‐rich reactants as carbon and nitrogen sources to introduce Zn‐Nx structures into mesoporous structures generated by the hard template method using the strong coordination of zinc and amino groups. Benefited from the simultaneous optimization of the hierarchical porous structure and nitrogen‐doping, the half‐wave potential of Zn(OAc)2–DCD/HPC is as high as 0.909 V vs. RHE, much better than that of commercial Pt/C catalysts (0.872 V vs. RHE). In addition, zinc‐air batteries assembled with Zn(OAc)2–DCD/HPC (Pmax=198 mW cm−2) as the cathode exhibit higher peak power density compared to Pt/C (Pmax=168 mW cm−2). This strategy might open up new opportunities for designing and developing highly active metal‐free catalysts.
Overview Update: Computational Prediction of Intrinsic Disorder in Proteins
Authors: Uversky Vladimir N. , Kurgan Lukasz
Published: June 2023

There are over 100 computational predictors of intrinsic disorder. These methods predict amino acid‐level propensities for disorder directly from protein sequences. The propensities can be used to annotate putative disordered residues and regions. This unit provides a practical and holistic introduction to the sequence‐based intrinsic disorder prediction. We define intrinsic disorder, explain the format of computational prediction of disorder, and identify and describe several accurate predictors. We also introduce recently released databases of intrinsic disorder predictions and use an illustrative example to provide insights into how predictions should be interpreted and combined. Lastly, we summarize key experimental methods that can be used to validate computational predictions. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Sustainability in times of crisis: Female employment during COVID‐19
Authors: Uribe Bohorquez Maria Victoria , García Sánchez Isabel María
Published: June 2023

In periods of crisis, companies face a financial reality that forces them to decide whether to maintain their commitment to sustainability or prioritize their financial returns. The study of what happened during the COVID‐19 pandemic is vital, given the hard blow it has implied for business and, consequently, for employment. Thus, this paper seeks to determine whether the business commitment to sustainability policies focused on employment and gender diversity translates into concrete results. In a sample of 1761 multinationals (8963 observations) during the 2015–2020 period, we found that the pandemic has harmed employment at the microeconomic level. However, this impact is moderated by the level of responsibility that companies have with their workers. Therefore, the most sustainable companies have been more reluctant to reduce their workforce and even more so when they are women. These results help to position sustainability performance as a way to achieve gender equality at the business level.
Business–society interface: An exploration of a paradigmatic heuristic model of corporate social responsibility in Colombia
Authors: Villa‐Castaño Lida Esperanza , Perdomo‐Ortiz Jesús , Dueñas‐Ocampo Sebastian
Published: June 2023

This study explores how corporate social responsibility (CSR) managers in large companies conceive the business–society interface using a CSR paradigm heuristic model. The research applies a critical management studies perspective, adopting a qualitative approach. We analyze the speeches of 25 CSR managers from large companies representing four economic sectors of an emerging economy. The paradigmatic heuristic model proposes four perspectives regarding CSR, which include functionalist, constructivist, culturalist, and socio‐political paradigms. We validate the proposed heuristic model, revealing the existence of transition zones and overlapping CSR management discourses. We found that there is no single or paradigmatic discourse of CSR among the four economic sectors analyzed. In Colombia, an emerging country, new CSR approaches and discourses are uncovered that can contribute to future contextualized and contingent research in regions with complex business–society interfaces.
Plasma sheath with multi‐species of positive ions and surface produced negative ions
Authors: Samanta Sutapa , Moulick Rakesh , Bhuyan P. J. , Saikia B. J.
Published: June 2023

The structure of a plasma sheath has been investigated in front of a caesium‐coated metallic plate, using a simple theoretical model. Along with the electrons, the plasma is composed of multi‐species of positive ions, and surface and volume produced negative ions. While the volume produced negative ions are common in many plasma processing chambers, the surface produced negative ions are of critical importance, especially to the Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) systems. The surface negative ions are produced via the coated metallic plate. With a single species of positive ion, the Bohm criterion, which determines the sheath edge potential, is multi‐valued for a specific range of electronegativity (). The width of the multi‐valued region has been reported to increase with the surface production yield (). Calculations are done for hydrogen plasma with a slight admixture of a second gas such as argon. Besides discussing the differences brought in by the mere presence of a second ion, the paper highlights the importance of the positive ion current density in determining the Bohm criterion. In addition, the effect of three species of positive ions in the surface production process has been discussed.
Measuring cognitions during exercise: Associations between thoughts and eating disorder behaviors over a 3‐week ecological momentary assessment study
Authors: Coniglio Kathryn A. , Kleiman Evan M. , Selby Edward A.
Published: June 2023

Objective

Previous work has outlined cognitive beliefs about exercise in general, but very little is known about momentary cognitions while engaging in pathological exercise. The primary aim of this study was to explore thought content during exercise and to test whether these thoughts predicted later engagement in eating disorder behaviors. We also tested associations between thoughts and specific exercise activity.

Method

We monitored 31 women with clinically significant eating psychopathology for 3 weeks via ecological momentary assessment as they reported on their exercise and eating disorder behaviors, and thoughts about shape, weight, or calories during exercise. Thoughts were self‐reported upon cessation of each exercise session.

Results

Thinking about weight loss during exercise predicted later engagement in body‐checking behaviors. Weight‐bearing exercise was associated with a decreased likelihood of thinking about calories but an increased likelihood of thinking about shape during exercise.

Discussion

These findings show that shape and weight thoughts are present during exercise and that their influence on eating disorder behaviors may exist on a much briefer time scale (i.e., within a day) than previous studies show. Clinically, future studies may seek to test interventions aimed at changing or restructuring cognitions during exercise to help shape adaptive exercise behavior during and after treatment.

Public Significance

This is the first study measuring thoughts during pathological exercise in real‐time among those with eating disorder psychopathology. The results show that thinking about weight loss during exercise might increase the likelihood of engaging in body‐checking behaviors. Findings will inform the development of treatment approaches to help those in recovery from eating disorders re‐engage with exercise.
Bird predation on Roseau cane scale as revealed by a web image search and querying a citizen monitoring database
Authors: Noriyuki Suzuki , Matsumoto Izumi , Yoshikawa Tetsuro , Kaneko Shuji , Broadley Hannah J.
Published: June 2023

An invasion of Roseau cane scale, Nipponaclerda biwakoensis, native to East Asia, is associated with recent widespread dieback of common reed stands in the Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana. A previous study suggested that, in its native range, the combined mortality from Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus and parasitoid wasps may control the abundance of Roseau cane scale. However, there is limited knowledge about which other bird species may prey on Roseau cane scale or the feeding patterns of these birds. Here we used web search and citizen science monitoring data to tabulate bird predation events on Roseau cane scales across sites in Japan and determine which bird species may be the most important predators and when the observed feeding typically occurs. We scanned web entries using both Google image searches and the social networking services including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Additionally, we accessed long‐term field observation records obtained by volunteer monitoring conducted by the members of the Kanagawa Branch of the Wild Bird Society of Japan. By using these citizen science approaches, we detected 16 bird species, mainly Common Reed Bunting but also other migratory and resident species, preying on the Roseau cane scale in reed beds throughout central Japan and most detection occurred during the winter. This study demonstrates that biological information obtained from publicly available data from citizen observers can be useful for exploring ecological patterns of various species including potential predators against invasive species.
Density and genetic diversity of grizzly bears at the northern edge of their distribution
Authors: Barrueto Mirjam , Jessen Tyler D. , Diepstraten Rianne , Musiani Marco
Published: June 2023

Species at the periphery of their range are typically limited in density by poor habitat quality. As a result, the central–marginal hypothesis (CMH) predicts a decline in genetic diversity of populations toward the periphery of a species' range. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) once ranged throughout most of North America but have been extirpated from nearly half of their former range, mainly in the south. They are considered a species at risk even in Canada's remote North, where they occupy the northernmost edge of the species' continental distribution in a low‐productivity tundra environment. With climate change, one of their main prey species in the tundra (caribou), which has always shown yearly fluctuations, is declining, but simultaneously, grizzlies appear to be expanding their range northward in the same tundra environment. Yet, a lack of population density estimates across the North is hindering effective conservation action. The CMH has implications for the viability of peripheral populations, and the links between population fluctuations, potential bottlenecks, and genetic diversity need to be determined to contribute to species' conservation. Using noninvasive genetic sampling from 2012 to 2014 and autosomal DNA genotyping (via microsatellites), we estimated bear density using a spatial capture–recapture framework and analyzed genetic diversity using observed heterozygosity (Ho), allelic richness (AR), and expected heterozygosity (He). We compared our findings to other studies that used comparable methodologies on grizzly bears and a related species (black bears;Ursus americanus). We found densities of grizzly bears that were low for the species but characteristic for the region (5.9 ± 0.4 bears/1000 km2), but with high Ho (0.81 ± 0.05), AR (7 ± 0.78), and He (0.71 ± 0.03), despite a signal of recent bottlenecks. In both species, peripherality was not correlated with Ho but was negatively correlated with density. We suggest that the apparent growth of this expanding population of grizzlies offsets the negative impacts of recent bottlenecks on Ho. Indigenous knowledge provides historical context (on the order of centuries, e.g., arctic large mammal fluctuations, grizzly bear bottlenecks) for the current bear population dynamics (on the order of decades, e.g., climate change, northern grizzly bear expansion).
On the road again: A study valuing wildlife crossings for wetland mitigation on State Road 40 in Volusia County, Florida
Authors: Shepherd Benjamin J. , Houck Jason , Lyon Casey
Published: June 2023

Over the past few decades, wildlife crossings have effectively reduced wildlife–vehicle collisions and improved habitat connectivity and genetic exchange for animals. However, wildlife crossings are expensive to construct, and the cost may discourage transportation agencies from implementing new wildlife crossings on public roadways. Additionally, transportation agencies and planners rarely consider the permitting and mitigation costs that wildlife crossings can require. A road profile must be raised to accommodate a wildlife underpass on many Florida roadways, particularly in low‐lying areas. Raising the road can result in new wetland impacts that would not occur but for the wildlife crossing. Consequently, new or more compensatory wetland mitigation may be required to satisfy § 404 of the Clean Water Act—a cost to the transportation agency and taxpayers. We used Florida's Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) to calculate the value of functions in habitats before and after planned wildlife crossings on State Road 40 in Volusia County, Florida. The results of our analysis show that wildlife crossings will enhance the functions in remnant habitats adjacent to the wildlife crossings, generating wetland mitigation credits that reduced the amount of compensatory wetland mitigation required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Our case study provides a novel application of the UMAM in valuing wildlife crossings. We believe the UMAM can be used in cost–benefit models and transportation planning to determine the functional value of new wildlife crossings, thereby producing a monetary value that can incentivize new wildlife crossing projects.
Diverse Reactivity of bis(Silylene) and bis(Germylene) [LE−EL (E=Si and Ge: L=PhC(NtBu)2)] in the Oxidative Activation of C−F Bond: Si−Si Bond is Retained While the Ge−Ge Bond Is Cleaved
Authors: Asif Ansari Mohd , Ansari Mursaleem , Pandey Madhusudan K. , Köhler Christian , Herbst‐Irmer Regine , Stalke Dietmar , Roesky Herbert W.
Published: June 2023

Herein we report the reactions of 3,4,5,6‐tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile (1) with bis(silylene) and bis(germylene) LE−EL [E=Si (2) and Ge(3): L=PhC(NtBu)2)]. The reaction of LSi−SiL (L=PhC(NtBu)2) (2) with two equivalents of 1 resulted in an unprecedented oxidative addition of a C−F bond of 1 leading to disilicon(III) fluoride {L(4‐C8F3N)FSi−SiF(4‐C8F3N)L}(4), wherein the Si−Si single bond was retained. In contrast, the reaction of LGe−GeL (L=PhC(NtBu)2) (3) with one equivalent of 1 resulted in the oxidative cleavage of Ge−Ge bond leading to L(4‐C8F3N2)Ge (5) and LGeF (6). All three compounds (4–6) were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, EI‐MS spectrometry, and elemental analysis. X‐ray single‐crystal structure determination of compound 4 unequivocally established that the SiIII−SiIII bond remains uncleaved.
Effect of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on stress‐reactive neuroendocrine measures in a sample of persons with temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Doerr Johanna M. , Juenemann Martin , Hakel Lukas , Schmidt Laura , Menzler Katja , Krause Kristina , Linka Louise , Skoluda Nadine , Nater Urs M. , Knake Susanne
Published: June 2023

Objective

Dysregulation of stress‐reactive neuroendocrine measures, as well as subjective stress, have been found to worsen epilepsy. Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a relatively new treatment option for epilepsy. We were interested in its effect on the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS) as well as subjective stress and tiredness in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Methods

Twenty patients (age 44 ± 11 years, 13 women) were enrolled in the study. They were free of seizures for more than 1 year. All took part in two sessions with 4 h of stimulation (tVNS vs. sham) in a randomized order. Saliva samples and subjective stress and tiredness levels were measured at five time points each session (before and after stimulation and three time points every hour in between). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance as well as paired t‐tests.

Results

There was a dampened salivary cortisol (sCort) decrease during tVNS (time × condition effect: F[2.38, 38.15] = 6.50, P = 0.002, partial η2 = 0.29). Furthermore, we detected a dampened increase in salivary flow rate during tVNS (time × condition effect: F[3.28, 55.67] = 2.82, P = 0.043, partial η2 = 0.14). There was neither a difference in overall sCort or salivary alpha‐amylase (sAA) levels nor in subjective stress or tiredness levels between conditions. sAA levels at the last measurement point were slightly higher during tVNS (t(19) = 2.26, P = 0.035, d = 0.51), but this effect failed to reach significance when controlled for multiple comparisons.

Significance

Our results partially support that tVNS influences the regulation of stress‐reactive neuroendocrine systems (namely the HPA axis and ANS) in epilepsy. More research with larger samples is needed on the difference between short‐term and repeated long‐term stimulation.
Does a white bear help you eat less? The impact of the inhibitory spillover effect on eating behaviour
Authors: Vöhringer Julian , Hütter Mandy , Schroeder Philipp A. , Svaldi Jennifer
Published: June 2023

Objective

Overweight and obesity are global problems with negative physical, social, and psychological outcomes. Besides other factors, inhibitory control deficits contribute to weight gain and development of overweight. The inhibitory spillover effect (ISE) improves inhibitory control through transfer of inhibitory control capacity from one domain to an unrelated, second domain. For ISE to occur, one inhibitory control task is executed simultaneously with a second, non‐control related task thereby increasing inhibitory control in this task.

Method

In this preregistered study, we tested the ISE induced through thought suppression in contrast to a neutral task in participants with normal weight and overweight (N = 92). A simultaneously conducted bogus taste test served as outcome measure for food intake.

Results

We found neither an interaction effect between group affiliation and condition nor an effect of group affiliation. However, contrary to our expectations, we found higher food intake in participants with active ISE compared to the neutral task.

Conclusions

This result might indicate rebound effects of applied thought suppression which led to the experience of loss of control and therefore undermined maintenance and function of the ISE. This main result was robust to all moderator variables. We elaborate further factors for the finding, theoretical implications, and future research directions.
Artificial intelligence model of fuel blendings as a step toward the zero emissions optimization of a 660 MWe supercritical power plant performance
Authors: Amjad Ahsan , Ashraf Waqar Muhammad , Uddin Ghulam Moeen , Krzywanski Jaroslaw
Published: June 2023

Accurately predicting fuel blends' lower heating values (LHV) is crucial for optimizing a power plant. In this paper, we employ multiple artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning‐based models for predicting the LHV of various fuel blends. Coal of two different ranks and two types of biomass is used in this study. One was the South African imported bituminous coal, and the other was lignite thar coal extracted from the Thar Coal Block‐2 mine by Sind Engro Coal Mining Company, Pakistan. Two types of biomass, that is, sugarcane bagasse and rice husk, were obtained locally from a sugar mill and rice mill located in the vicinity of Sahiwal, Punjab. Bituminous coal mixture with other coal types and both types of biomass are used with 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% weight fractions, respectively. The calculation and model development procedure resulted in 91 different AI‐based models. The best is the Ridge Regressor, a high‐level end‐to‐end approach for fitting the model. The model can predict the LHV of the bituminous coal with lignite and biomass under a vast share of fuel blends.
Designing agricultural grasses to help mitigate proteolysis during ensiling to optimize protein feed provisions for livestock
Authors: Muhandiram Nuwan P. K. , Humphreys Michael W. , Fychan Rhun , Davies John W. , Sanderson Ruth , Marley Christina L.
Published: June 2023

The efficient preservation of protein in silage for livestock feed is dependent on the rate and extent of proteolysis. Previous research on fresh forage indicated enhanced protein stability in certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue hybrids) cultivars compared to ryegrass. This is the first report of an experiment to test the hypothesis that a Lolium perenne × Festuca arundinacea var glaucescens cultivar had reduced proteolysis compared to perennial ryegrass (L. perenne) during the ensiling process. Forages were harvested in May (Cut 2) and August (Cut 4), wilted for 24 h and ensiled in laboratory‐scale silos. Silage was destructively sampled at 0 h, 9 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 14 days and 90 days post‐ensiling, and dry matter (DM), pH and chemical composition were determined. At Cut 2, there was no difference in crude protein between treatments but ryegrass had higher soluble nitrogen (SN) (P < 0.001) and grass × time interactions (p = 0.03) indicated higher rates of proteolysis. By Cut 4, Festulolium had (5.5% units) higher CP than ryegrass (p < 0.001) but SN did not differ. Ammonia‐N did not differ between silages in either cut. DM differences (11.8% units) between treatments in Cut 4 (v.2.2% in Cut 2) may have masked effects on proteolysis, highlighting the importance of management on silage quality. This was despite higher WSC in ryegrass in both cuts (p < 0.001), with grass × time interactions (Cut 2; p = 0.03) showing slower WSC decline in ryegrass in Cut 4 (p < 0.001). Silage pH values did not differ between grasses in either cut, but grass × time interactions (p < 0.001) showed a slower decline in both ryegrass cuts, resulting in higher (p < 0.05) pH at 24 h and 72 h for Cuts 2 and 4, respectively. Overall, the hypothesis for an enhanced protein stability in Festulolium when ensiled as ruminant feed was evidenced by lower SN but not ammonia‐N in an early‐cut silage with a comparable DM to ryegrass.