bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Norms and Identity Relevance: A Motivational Approach to Normative Behavior
Authors: Christensen P. Niels , Rothgerber Hank , Wood Wendy , Matz David C.
Published: October 2004

Two studies demonstrated that greater identification with a group was associated with more positive emotions for members who conformed with versus violated the group’s norms. These effects were found with injunctive norms, which specify what members should do or what they ideally would do, but emerged less consistently with descriptive norms, which specify what members typically do. Descriptive norms affected emotional responses when they acquired identity-relevance by differentiating an important ingroup from a rival outgroup. For these descriptive norms, much like injunctive norms, greater identification yielded more positive emotions following conformity than violation. The authors suggest that positive emotions and self-evaluations underlie conformity with the norms of self-defining groups.
Effects of the Activation of Affective Information on Stereotyping: When Sadness Increases Stereotype Use
Authors: Ric François
Published: October 2004

Two studies explored the impact of mere activation of affective information on the use of stereotypes in social judgment. These studies provided consistent results showing that the activation of information related to sadness increases reliance on stereotypes, whereas the activation of information related to happiness decreases it. These results were obtained in the absence of affective state changes among the participants and with the use of two different priming procedures (Study 1: scrambled sentences, Study 2: subliminal priming) and two different judgment tasks (Study 1: impression formation, Study 2: guilt judgment). Complementing the informational view of affective states, it is suggested that affective information of which people are not conscious activates behavioral tendencies of approach or of avoidance associated with the related emotion.
How are Sociosexuality, Sex Drive, and Lifetime Number of Sexual Partners Related?
Authors: Ostovich Jennifer M. , Sabini John
Published: October 2004

In two studies (n s = 277 and 221), the authors examined the relationships among sex drive, sociosexuality, lifetime number of sex partners, and gender identity. They found that sex drive is highly and positively correlated with sociosexual orientation, and that both sex drive and sociosexual orientation are positively correlated with lifetime number of sex partners. However, partial correlations revealed that sociosexual orientation is an independent predictor of lifetime number of sex partners, whereas sex drive is not. The authors were also able to replicate and extend Mikach and Bailey’s (1999) finding that gender identity is related to women’s lifetime number of sex partners. More masculine women had more sex partners and had a less restricted sociosexual orientation than did less masculine women; less masculine men had a higher sex drive than did more masculine men. The findings are discussed with regard to theory and research on sex drive and sociosexuality.
Estimates of the Sampling Distribution of Scalability Coefficient H
Authors: Van Onna Marieke J. H.
Published: October 2004

Coefficient H is used as an index of scalability in nonparametric item response theory (NIRT). It indicates the degree to which a set of items rank orders examinees. Theoretical sampling distributions, however, have only been derived asymptotically and only under restrictive conditions. Bootstrap methods offer an alternative possibility to estimate the variance of H. Ordered latent class models allow a parameterization of NIRT models. The distribution of H, given the estimates of such a model, also gives an impression of the stability of H. The distributions estimated under each of the methods are compared to the sampling distribution and to each other under several conditions.
Funding Canadian University Sport Facilities
Authors: Lenskyj Helen
Published: October 2004

Since the 1990s, students have been resisting the increasing corporatization of Canadian and American university campuses. More recently, administrative attempts to impose higher student activity fees to fund stadiums and other sporting facilities have been met with student opposition. In 2001, a referendum was held at the University of Toronto, Canada, on the issue of a mandatory student levy to fund a new stadium. This case study will be analyzed using concepts and insights from research on community stadium tax referenda.
Perceptions of Disability and their Impact upon Involvement in Sport for People with Disabilities at all Levels
Authors: Brittain Ian
Published: October 2004

The introduction of the social model of disability has attempted to move the spotlight of research away from the medical model theories of disability toward an investigation of the impacts of societal perceptions of disability upon people with disabilities. This article attempts to look at the impacts of societal perceptions of disability and disability sport, which in the main remain grounded in the medical model approach, upon people with disabilities in their attempts to become involved in and progress in their chosen sport. It also looks at the propensity for media coverage to recreate and reinforce many of the perceptions of disability present within the medical model approach to disability.
The Rhetoric of Exclusion
Authors: Taylor Tracy
Published: October 2004

This research investigates issues of cultural diversity and inclusiveness in women’s netball in Australia using the rhetoric of exclusion. Women and girls from culturally diverse backgrounds spoke of reinforced difference and cultural assimilation in their netball experiences. Women born in other English-speaking countries recalled feelings of inclusion and limited cultural dissonance and indicated that netball helped them feel as part of their new community and gain social capital via participation. Although experiences of explicit exclusion or racial discrimination were virtually nonreported, some women felt a strong sense of cultural conformity to Anglo-centric expectations of behavior. The women’s stories and experiences suggest that women from culturally diverse backgrounds have found few opportunities to express their cultural distinctiveness through mainstream Australian sports such as netball. The conclusion reached after this examination is that the rhetoric of exclusion is pervasive in Australian netball and unlikely to change in the near future.
Uncertainty and Its Antecedents in Patients With A trial Fibrillation
Authors: Kang Younhee , Daly Barbara J. , Kim Jeong-Sun
Published: October 2004

The aim of this descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional survey was to explore uncertainty in patients with atrial fibrillation and to examine the relationships between uncertainty and its antecedents, including education, social support, and perceived seriousness of illness in patients newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The theoretical framework of the study was Mishel’s middle-range nursing theory of uncertainty in illness. A convenience sample of 81 participants recruited from two academic medical centers over 10 months was interviewed. Uncertainty was moderately high in patients with atrial fibrillation compared to other clinical populations. Among antecedents of uncertainty, higher education was significantly associated with less uncertainty (= -.21 to -.25). Except for tangible support, persons with greater social supports perceived less uncertainty (= -.25 to -.27), and individuals with greater perceived seriousness of illness reported greater uncertainty (= .30 to .33).
Nurses’ Knowledge of Traditional Chinese Postpartum Customs
Authors: Tien Sheng-Fang
Published: October 2004

This study was conducted to determine nurses’ and postpartum women’s knowledge of and attitudes toward the traditional Chinese custom of 1-month confinement following delivery, to discover factors influencing the attitudes, and to analyze the correlation between them. After a descriptive and inferential analysis of 173 questionnaires (121 recent mothers and 52 nurses), a significant difference was found in the women’s and nurses’ scores for knowledge of the postpartum confinement custom, with postpartum women scoring higher than the nursing staff on average. Both groups held positive attitudes toward the traditional custom. Attitudes and level of knowledge were positively correlated. Results of this study can serve as a reference for in-service nursing education, which should include information about traditional postpartum customs.
Restructuring at the Source
Authors: HernÁndez-LeÓn RubÉn
Published: October 2004

This article deals with a largely overlooked consequence of Mexico’s process of economic restructuring in the past 2 decades: the incorporation of the country’s skilled industrial workers into U.S.–bound migratory flow. In Mexico, restructuring has transformed workplaces and undermined employment stability and wage and benefits systems that used to keep industrial workers from migrating to the United States. By studying a working-class neighborhood in Monterrey, Mexico, this article seeks to show how migration has become part of the structure of labor market opportunities of displaced manufacturing operatives and how these workers have managed to transfer skills to the oil technology and extraction industries at their main U.S. destination, Houston, Texas.
Immigrant Job Quality and Mobility in the United States
Authors: Bean Frank D. , Leach Mark , Lowell B. Lindsay
Published: October 2004

The U.S. workforce heavily depends on immigrants. To address the role and position of non-White immigrant groups in the United States, the authors examine employment and industry patterns in the labor force, disaggregated by nativity and gender, in 1990 and 2000. The authors then look at job quality and mobility, with job quality defined by occupation, industry, and relative earnings, using 1990 and 2000 census data. Disaggregating results by race and ethnicity, nativity, and gender reveals that immigrants do not appear entirely to be stuck in low-end jobs, and arrival cohort data suggest substantial immigrant upward mobility, mainly from lower to middle but also to higher range jobs. Immigrants may experience more upward mobility than analysts sometimes conclude based on consideration of immigrants’ race and ethnicity alone and on assumptions that the experiences of new immigrants are likely to mirror those of the African American population.
Immigrants and the Healthcare Workforce
Authors: Lowell B. Lindsay , Gerova Stefka Georgieva
Published: October 2004

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that healthcare services will account for one out of every six new jobs from 2002 to 2012. Immigrants are a significant percentage of workers in both highskill and low-skill jobs (one fourth of both physicians and nursing aides) in the healthcare industry. Within this industry, immigrants are at least as important in meeting demand for low-skilled jobs as they are for the more hotly debated upper end. Even so, the authors’findings suggest that recent wage increases are attracting more registered nurses, offsetting claims of shortages in the short term. Immigration policy should be flexible to meet short-term shifts in demand, but it should not preempt domestic responses.
Contextualizing Immigrant Labor Market Incorporation
Authors: Hagan Jacqueline Maria
Published: October 2004

This article provides the Work and Occupations readership with an overview of U.S. immigration trends, and it discusses some of the scholarly and public policy debates surrounding the particular labor market patterns of recent immigrants. The first section focuses on how the history of U.S. immigration policy has shaped the flow and composition of today’s foreign-born workers. The second section underscores some of the demographic and economic consequences of recent large-scale immigration. The third section draws on census data to profile contemporary immigrant workers. The remainder of the article highlights the major empirical and theoretical contributions that each article makes toward understanding how different immigrant groups become inserted into U.S. employment structures. Then, it discusses recent debates in the literature on immigration and labor markets with an eye toward the current and future role of immigration policy.
Regional Variation and Economic Drivers: An Application of the Hill and Brennan Methodology
Authors: Held James R.
Published: October 2004

The methodology developed by Hill and Brennan (2000) to analyze economic drivers in the Cleveland-Akron metropolitan area offers a powerful tool to researchers who seek to develop an objective, data-driven assessment of one or more regions. This article presents results of a replication of the Hill and Brennan methodology for seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) of New York State. Cross-MSA analyses are used to provide technical insights into the methodology that may be less obvious from a single-MSA analysis. These cross-MSA analyses are also used to demonstrate how the results can speak to key regional economic policy issues, including the role and importance of manufacturing, the extent to which a region is “high-tech,” and an overall assessment of regional economic specialization and performance.
An Analysis of the Los Angeles Revitalization Zone: Are Place-Based Investment Strategies Effective Under Moderate Economic Conditions?
Authors: Spencer James H. , Ong Paul
Published: October 2004

This article examines the economic effect of the Los Angeles Revitalization Zone (LARZ) on private sector investments. The LARZ program was established after the 1992 Los Angeles riots and designed to rebuild the neighborhoods most affected by them. Unlike most place-based programs, the LARZ included significant clusters of business activity and was not made up of the poorest of the poor in Los Angeles. Like other place-based development efforts, the LARZ did not seem to generate significant benefits for the targeted neighborhoods. Using an ordinary least squared (OLS) model that controls for socioeconomic, economic, agglomeration, and riot intensity factors, we found that the LARZ program had a negative effect on all but the very lowest value building permits. The study suggests that place-based infrastructure and development programs may not be effective at stimulating investment, even where economic and socioeconomic barriers are not severe. Moreover, it points to a research gap in nonmarket factors that might help explain construction investment.
Comparative Economic Impact Analyses: Differences Across Cities, Events, and Demographics
Authors: Mondello Michael J. , Rishe Patrick
Published: October 2004

Numerous amateur sporting events have grown significantly in stature and interest in the past several years. Moreover, these events have realized significant economic benefits for their respective communities. In an attempt to identify the key determinants of economic impact, this article offers numerous comparative economic impact data for amateur sporting events. The comparisons are across various categories, including the same event in different cities, the same city but different events, women’s versus men’s events, and events involving junior athletes compared to those involving senior athletes. Collectively, these comparisons demonstrate that the number and origin of nonlocal visitors, the proximity of teams involved, visitor spending patterns, length of stay, and operational and organizational expenditures by nonlocal entities affiliated with events are the largest determinants of economic impact for a given event.
A Simple Pen to Paper: What’s the Big Deal?
Authors: Landis Barbara Forrester
Published: October 2004

Journaling has been around for many centuries but continues to be a vital modality in the realm of complementary alternative medicine. This modality is discussed relative to the technique, outcomes, and benefits derived from regularly using journaling for expression and relaxation. The response to journaling by different individuals and application techniques are an integral part of this article. The key considerations—patience, practice, and consistency—are presented as they relate to the successful development of regular journaling.
Tai Chi Adapted: Assisted Living, Long-Term Care, and Nursing Homes
Authors: Farrell Charles F.
Published: October 2004

This article is written to help bridge classic Chinese health care systems with the current complementary/alternative medical point of view. Readers of this article will gain insight to the fundamental principles and practical use of two particular mind/body health care methods. Content discussed in this article includes relevant descriptions of tai chi for health and medical qigong (pronounced “chee kung”), what they are, where they come from, and how long they have been in use. In addition, discussion is presented on why these systems are important to health care practitioners, specific mental/physical benefits of these systems, contraindications, how to find a qualified teacher of tai chi and medical qigong, a typical session, and existing, relevant research. Recommendations for other resources and references are also provided in this article.
Therapeutic Massage: An Amazing Modality
Authors: McIntyre Elizabeth
Published: October 2004

This article offers an overview of therapeutic massage, its incidence and use within the United States. It discusses several types of modalities (not totally inclusive), benefits, indications and contraindications of treatment, the regulation of therapists, locating a practitioner, and describes a treatment session. Web sites are listed to aid the reader in obtaining more information about the modality. The use of massage therapy (MT) is expanding beyond the practitioner’s office into client’s home, hospital acute care facilities, outpatient facilities, long-term care facilities, sports teams’ facilities, corporate offices, and even into shopping malls. As this modality gains popularity with consumers and as favorable research outcomes are noted, the reader needs to become more knowledgeable about this complementary alternative medicine modality to understand how it could affect clients’ mind-body-spirit. The many positive benefits of MT make it truly an amazing modality.
Understanding True Aromatherapy: Understanding Essential Oils
Authors: Cristina Eileen D.
Published: October 2004

True and therapeutic aromatherapy has many uses for personal care. Essential oils work on the psychological and physiological to balance mind, body, and spirit. Pure oils with the Latin binomial are the key to achieving the desired results in care. Uses are explained, and a suggested list of safe essential oils and hydrosols are included. Safety, storage, purchasing guidelines, as well as resources for education, oils, reading materials, and a research database conclude the article.
Illness, Health, Wellness, Chiropractic, and the Big Picture...
Authors: Godshall Harold L.
Published: October 2004

The terms ill and well are opposites. Health care needs a paradigm shift from ill care to well care. There is a predominant mind trap we live in, allowing a degenerative tendency to set in, thinking of fixing the symptoms, and neglecting the potential of restoring body tissues and their functions. The human body maintains a marked propensity to be well. There is a need for allopathic and chiropractic care in the shift from a fixation on ill care toward a focus on well care. All future doctors, acting as a patient’s team, must be sensitive to curative and preventative realms of care. Chiropractic and medical doctors have separate and distinct approaches. Each must return to being servants of the patient, teaching and treating a patient as if close family. A health care team concept managed by the patient, for the patient’s well-being, is essential for the future.
Herbology
Authors: Savory-Posselius Maggie
Published: October 2004

Medicinal herbs have been used for thousands of years. Through lore, documentation, and experimentation herbal medicine has withstood the scientific trends of the 20th century. There has been a re-emergence of interest in herbal alternatives for medical treatment. There are, however, challenges to effective treatment using herbs. We lack standardization criteria, knowledge, and understanding of herbal applications and trust and knowledge from the traditional medicine sector. These challenges can be overcome with realization of respect, understanding, and acceptance from the traditional medical sector and the alternative herbal medicine sector.
From the Bottom of My Sole... Reflexology
Authors: Givens Kelly
Published: October 2004

This article discusses reflexology as a science and principle that uses the reflexes located in the hands and feet to bring about healing and treat specific problems. It describes the technique of reflexology and the treatment process as it relates to specific health care concerns or problems. The treatment session with the application of reflexology is detailed in the article, along with information on the outcomes and benefits derived by patients.
An Empirical Examination of the Factors that Influence the Mix of Cash and Oncash giving to Charity
Authors: Eaton David H. , Milkman Martin I.
Published: October 2004

Taxpayers are able to deduct from taxable income charitable contributions made in either cash or noncash forms. This study examines how the different tax prices of cash and noncash charitable gifts affect the mix of cash and noncash charity, using data from a balanced panel of taxpayers that allows panel data estimation techniques to account for any individual specific effects that may influence the mix of contributions. The article finds that taxpayers are quite responsive in their charitable giving mix to changes in the tax prices. An increase in the relative price of noncash to cash gifts leads to a significant decrease in the proportion of gifts in the noncash form, with an elasticity that often exceeds -1.0.
Incorporating Insurance Rate Estimates and Differential Mortality into the Net Marginal Social Security Tax Rate Calculation
Authors: Armour Brian S. , Pitts M. Melinda
Published: October 2004

This study extends the literature on net marginal tax rates created by the Social Security program by including variations in both the probability of being eligible to receive benefits and earnings-related life expectancy. Previous literature has found that women incur a lower net marginal tax rate because they have longer life expectancies. The results in this article indicate that including variations in eligibility for benefits partially reverses this result by increasing net marginal Social Security tax rates for older women. Furthermore, the existing literature has shown that low-earnings households pay lower net marginal tax rates because the benefit formula is progressive. Including variations in life expectancy reduces but does not eliminate this result. This implies that differential mortality increases the net marginal Social Security tax rates incurred by low-earnings households. These results are important from a policy standpoint, given the current debate on the future of the Social Security system.
Public-Sector Wage Comparability: The Role of Earnings Dispersion
Authors: Belman Dale , Heywood John S.
Published: October 2004

Economists use average wage differentials to examine whether public- and private-sector workers have comparable earnings. Such average differentials, originally developed for other purposes, fail to measure the true distance from comparability. In short, if average earnings in the public and private sectors are identical, earnings need not be comparable. The authors develop alternative statistical measures of comparability that demonstrate that differences in average earnings contribute only modestly to deviations from comparability and that state and local governments in the United States deviate more from comparability than does the federal government.
A Sporting Gesture?
Authors: Robertson Craig
Published: October 2004

This article takes a specific action by a powerful transnational media corporation, BSkyB’s failed attempt to buy Manchester United, as a case study of the now crucial relationship between global media and sport in an era of technological expansion. In placing this take-over bid in the contexts of broadcasting, politics, and sport, the complexities of this relationship are illustrated through an analysis of a global media corporation’s conflicts with regulations, new technologies, sentiments, and identities in local, national, and regional arenas. This article illustrates the multidimensionality of globalization, both in terns of economics and culture, to argue that any understanding of globalization requires the analysis of the interaction of a number of places, actors, and tensions—not all of which are simply “global” or “local.”
Caribbean Negritos
Authors: Rivero Yeidy M.
Published: October 2004

This article focuses on Ramón Rivero (Diplo), the most famous blackface and “black”-voice actor in Puerto Rico. Through an examination of Cuba’s Bufo theatre tradition, Ramón Rivero’s appropriation of Bufo’s negrito catedráticotype, and a textual analysis of his radio show El tremendo hotel (1948-1956), the article contextualizes the ways in which Rivero’s popularity as a blackface and black-voice performer operated within three intertwined discursive spaces: the translation of Bufo’s negrito catedráticoas a symbol of anticolonialism, the actor’s left-wing nationalist persona and social activism, and the rearticulation of la gran familia puertorriqueña (the wide Puerto Rican family) hegemonic discourse. The article argues that after Rivero’s death, subsequent televisual representations of “Caribbean” negritos during the 1950s and 1960s became racialized figures that reaffirmed the hegemonic “whiteness” not only of the Puerto Rican nation but also of the emerging post-1959 Cuban migrant community in Puerto Rico.
Curing Congestion: Competing Plans for a Loop Highway and Parking Regulations in Boston in the 1920s
Authors: Weinstein Asha
Published: October 2004

In the 1920s, traffic congestion was one of the primary issues concerning urban planners. At the time, traffic mitigation efforts boiled down to a fundamental conundrum: was the solution to traffic congestion more roads or more rules? This article chronicles the debates over traffic congestion relief in downtown Boston during that period, analyzing the two radical, competing proposals of roads, in the form of a major new surface thoroughfare called the Loop Highway, versus rules, in the form of stricter parking regulations. The article analyzes the debates over these proposals and the reasons why the city adopted neither approach. While politics had its hand in dooming the proposals, poor planning played a central role as well. The lack of a comparative analytical framework for evaluating the competing “roads” and “rules” proposals gave detractors the ammunition to oppose either approach on the grounds that the alternative approach would be superior.
Safe Havens for Cleveland’s Virtuous Women, 1868-1928
Authors: Spain Daphne
Published: October 2004

Cleveland’s planning history typically begins with architect Daniel Burnham’s 1903 Group Plan for public buildings. Nonprofessionals, however, also played a role in the city’s development at the turn of the twentieth century. Two faith-based women’s organizations established neighborhood facilities for women seeking to protect their reputations. Leaders of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) for whites and the Phillis Wheatley Association (PWA) for African Americans negotiated gender and racial obstacles to adapt and construct buildings for young working women, unwed mothers, and spinsters and widows. The location of these properties suggests that the YWCA and PWA created a morally safe region that transcended emerging racial boundaries. This article uses organizational archives and Sanborn Fire Insurance maps to examine how leaders of the YWCA and PWA contributed to neighborhood-level planning for communities of women.
Polarity Measurement for Ionic Liquids Containing Dissociable Protons
Authors: Ogihara Wataru , Aoyama Takahiro , Ohno Hiroyuki
Published: October 2004

Polarity of a series of ionic liquids (ILs) prepared by neutralization of N-alkylimidazoles and acids was measured with solvatochromic dye, Nile Red. Polarity of the N-alkylimidazolium salt-type ILs was in the comparable range to that of N,N′-dialkylimidazolium salt-type ILs. In the range, higher polarity was found when stronger acid (small pKa value in water) was used. This is the first report on the polarity of ILs containing dissociable protons.
Synthesis of Alkyl-substituted, Strapped Porphyrin to Prepare Stable Alkyl-chain-assisted Self-assembled Monolayers of Porphyrin Conjugates
Authors: Ikeda Taichi , Asakawa Masumi , Miyake Koji , Shimizu Toshimi
Published: October 2004

An alkyl-substituted, strapped porphyrin was synthesized aiming at the preparation of stable alkyl-chain-assisted self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of porphyrin conjugates. We confirmed that the synthesized strapped porphyrin could form stable SAMs by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). This approach will lead to the functionalization of alkyl-chain-assisted SAMs by introducing a variety of functional groups in the strapped moiety.
Photochemical Generation of Halo(silyl)silylene: Spectroscopic Observation and Reactivity
Authors: Tanaka Takashi , Ichinohe Masaaki , Sekiguchi Akira
Published: October 2004

Dihalobis(tri-tert-butylsilyl)silanes (t-Bu3Si)2SiX2 (1a: X = Cl, 1b: X = Br) underwent photochemically α-elimination to produce halo(tri-tert-butylsilyl)silylenes, which were successively trapped by carbon tetrachloride, triethylsilane, and 3-hexyne. The halo(tri-tert-butylsily)silylenes were observed by UV–vis spectroscopy in a 3-methylpentane matrix at 77 K.
A Novel Tetra Nuclear Ruthenium Complex Containing Deltoid Core Topology, [Ru4(μ3-O)2]8+, Incorporating Simultaneous O,O- and γ-C Bonded Bridging Acetylacetone Units
Authors: Shono Junpei , Nimura Yukie , Hashimoto Takeshi , Shimizu Kunio
Published: October 2004

The reflux of mononuclear ruthenium precursor [RuII(acac)2(CH3CN)2] (acac = acetylacetonate) in 2-methyl-2-propanol formed the novel diamagnetic β-diketonato ruthenium tetranuclear complex [Ru(μ-acac)2(μ3-O)2Ru3(acac)6] (1), in which was contained the deltoid core, [Ru4(μ3-O)2]8+, consisting of four ruthenium and two oxygen atoms. The complex 1 has been characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, 1H NMR, structural and cyclic voltammetric analyses. The molecular structure of 1 showed that each ruthenium ion was bridged by two oxygen atoms and two ruthenium ions link to γ-carbon on acetylacetonate coordinated to another ruthenium. The cyclic voltammogram of 1 showed two reversible one-electron oxidation peaks and an one-electron reduction peak corresponding to the redox of [Ru4(μ3-O)2]8+ core.
Product-catalyzed Mannich-type Reaction between Trimethylsilyl Enolates and N-Tosylaldimines
Authors: Takahashi Eiki , Fujisawa Hidehiko , Mukaiyama Teruaki
Published: October 2004

Mannich-type reaction between trimethylsilyl enolates and N-tosylaldimines in the presence of a catalytic amount of the alkoxide anion proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding Mannich-adducts in good to high yields. This result indicated that the initially-formed N-anion of Mannich-adduct behaved as an effective Lewis base in performing the product-catalyzed Mannich-type reaction.
Quick Execution of [2+2] Type Photochemical Cycloaddition Reaction by Continuous Flow System Using a Glass-made Microreactor
Authors: Fukuyama Takahide , Hino Yoshiko , Kamata Naoya , Ryu Ilhyong
Published: October 2004

A photochemical [2+2] cycloaddition reaction was executed in a microflow system using glass-made microchannels having 1000-μm width and 500-μm depth. The reaction of cyclohexenones with vinyl acetates in a microflow system under irradiation (300 W, Hg lamp) gave [2+2] cycloaddition products in good yield with a residence time of 2 h, which is a remarkably shortened reaction time compared with a batch system using the same light source.
Isolation of a Cyclic Intermediate in the Reaction of a Phosphorus Ylide with Elemental Sulfur: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of a 1,2σ5-Thiaphosphirane
Authors: Sase Shohei , Kano Naokazu , Kawashima Takayuki
Published: October 2004

The reaction of a phosphorus ylide with elemental sulfur gave a pentacoordinate thiaphosphirane, which was characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis, and it was allowed to react with elemental sulfur resulting in a thiophosphinate.
Thermo-sensitive Luminescence Based on the Back Energy Transfer in Terbium(III) Complexes
Authors: Katagiri Shinya , Hasegawa Yasuchika , Wada Yuji , Yanagida Shozo
Published: October 2004

The emission intensities of Tb(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)3(H2O)2 [Tb(HFA)3(H2O)2] and Tb(HFA)3(triphenylphosphine oxide)2 [Tb(HFA)3(TPPO)2] in acetone-d6 dramatically decreased with increasing temperature in contrast to no change observed for Tb(NO3)3. The high thermal sensitivity is attributed to the back energy transfer from Tb(III) ion to triplet state of HFA having the energy barrier.
AFM Observation of Growing Poly Isobutyl Methacrylate (PiBMA) Particles
Authors: Yamamoto Tetsuya , Inoue Michihiro , Kanda Yoichi , Higashitani Ko
Published: October 2004

The growth process of poly(isobutyl methacrylate) (PiBMA) particle prepared in soap-free polymerization using V-50 as an initiator was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) to clarify the growth mechanism. As a result, it was found that PiBMA particles were capable of growing by the adhesion of smaller particles, which generated freshly during the particle growth period, to their surfaces.
Remodelling of mitochondrial function by import of specific lipids at multiple membrane‐contact sites
Authors: Saukko‐Paavola Aksel J. , Klemm Robin W.
Published: February 2024

Organelles form physical and functional contact between each other to exchange information, metabolic intermediates, and signaling molecules. Tethering factors and contact site complexes bring partnering organelles into close spatial proximity to establish membrane contact sites (MCSs), which specialize in unique functions like lipid transport or Ca2+ signaling. Here, we discuss how MCSs form dynamic platforms that are important for lipid metabolism. We provide a perspective on how import of specific lipids from the ER and other organelles may contribute to remodeling of mitochondria during nutrient starvation. We speculate that mitochondrial adaptation is achieved by connecting several compartments into a highly dynamic organelle network. The lipid droplet appears to be a central hub in coordinating the function of these organelle neighborhoods.
Recurring homozygous ACTN2 variant (p.Arg506Gly) causes a recessive myopathy
Authors: Donkervoort Sandra , Mohassel Payam , O'Leary Melanie , Bonner Devon E. , Hartley Taila , Acquaye Nicole , Brull Astrid , Mozaffar Tahseen , Saporta Mario A. , Dyment David A. , Sampson Jacinda B. , Pajusalu Sander , Austin‐Tse Christina , Hurth Kyle , Cohen Julie S. , McWalter Kirsty , Warman‐Chardon Jodi , Crunk Amy , Foley A. Reghan ,   Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Mammen Andrew L. , Wheeler Matthew T. , O'Donnell‐Luria Anne , Bönnemann Carsten G.
Published: February 2024

Objective

ACTN2, encoding alpha‐actinin‐2, is essential for cardiac and skeletal muscle sarcomeric function. ACTN2 variants are a known cause of cardiomyopathy without skeletal muscle involvement. Recently, specific dominant monoallelic variants were reported as a rare cause of core myopathy of variable clinical onset, although the pathomechanism remains to be elucidated. The possibility of a recessively inherited ACTN2‐myopathy has also been proposed in a single series.

Methods

We provide clinical, imaging, and histological characterization of a series of patients with a novel biallelic ACTN2 variant.

Results

We report seven patients from five families with a recurring biallelic variant in ACTN2: c.1516A>G (p.Arg506Gly), all manifesting with a consistent phenotype of asymmetric, progressive, proximal, and distal lower extremity predominant muscle weakness. None of the patients have cardiomyopathy or respiratory insufficiency. Notably, all patients report Palestinian ethnicity, suggesting a possible founder ACTN2 variant, which was confirmed through haplotype analysis in two families. Muscle biopsies reveal an underlying myopathic process with disruption of the intermyofibrillar architecture, Type I fiber predominance and atrophy. MRI of the lower extremities demonstrate a distinct pattern of asymmetric muscle involvement with selective involvement of the hamstrings and adductors in the thigh, and anterior tibial group and soleus in the lower leg. Using an in vitro splicing assay, we show that c.1516A>G ACTN2 does not impair normal splicing.

Interpretation

This series further establishes ACTN2 as a muscle disease gene, now also including variants with a recessive inheritance mode, and expands the clinical spectrum of actinopathies to adult‐onset progressive muscle disease.
Asymptomatic spinal lesions in patients with AQP4‐IgG‐positive NMOSD: A real‐world cohort study
Authors: Cao Shugang , Zhu Yunfei , Wu Xiaosan , Du Jing , Xu Si , Cui Ping , Li Qi , Xia Mingwu , Xue Qun , Tian Yanghua
Published: February 2024

Objective

This study aims to explore the frequency and influencing factors of asymptomatic spinal lesions (ASLs) and their impact on subsequent relapses in patients with AQP4‐IgG‐positive NMOSD (AQP4‐NMOSD) in a real‐world setting.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed clinical information and spinal MRI data from AQP4‐NMOSD patients who had at least one spinal cord MRI during their follow‐ups. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were employed to ascertain potential predictors of remission ASLs and to investigate factors associated with subsequent relapses.

Results

In this study, we included 129 patients with AQP4‐NMOSD and reviewed 173 spinal MRIs during attacks and 89 spinal MRIs during remission. Among these, 6 ASLs (3.5%) were identified during acute attacks, while 8 ASLs (9%) were found during remission. Remission ASLs were linked to the use of immunosuppressive agents, particularly conventional ones, whereas no patients using rituximab developed ASLs (p = 0.005). Kaplan–Meier curve analysis indicated that patients with ASLs had a significantly higher relapse risk (HR = 4.658, 95% CI: 1.519–14.285, p = 0.007) compared to those without. Additionally, the use of mycophenolate mofetil (HR = 0.027, 95% CI: 0.003–0.260, p = 0.002) and rituximab (HR = 0.035, 95% CI: 0.006–0.203, p < 0.001) significantly reduced the relapse risk. However, after accounting for other factors, the presence of ASLs did not exhibit a significant impact on subsequent relapses (HR = 2.297, 95% CI: 0.652–8.085, p = 0.195).

Interpretation

ASLs may be observed in patients with AQP4‐NMOSD. The presence of ASLs may signify an underlying inflammatory activity due to insufficient immunotherapy. The administration of immunosuppressive agents plays a key role in the presence of remission ASLs and the likelihood of subsequent relapses.
Stable 2,5‐Dihydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone Based Organic Cathode Enabled by Coordination Polymer Formation and Binder Optimization
Authors: Gao Xiguang , Wang Yonglin , Menezes Luke T. , Huang Zhe , Kleinke Holger , Li Yuning
Published: February 2024

Organic electrode materials are gaining increased attention in energy storage applications, but often encounter challenges such as low capacity and poor cycling stability. This paper explores the utilization of a 1‐D coordination polymer, copper(II)‐2,5‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone (Cu‐DHBQ), as a cathode material for Li‐ion batteries for the first time. Cu‐DHBQ is air‐stable, devoid of coordinated water molecules, and possesses a high theoretical capacity of 266 mAh g−1. With an optimal sodium alginate (SA) binder content of 25 wt%, the Cu‐DHBQ cathode demonstrates a notable initial capacity of 214 mAh g−1 and outstanding cycling stability, retaining 210 mAh g−1 (98% capacity retention) after 200 cycles at a current rate of 100 mA g−1. A comprehensive investigation into the capacity fading mechanisms, the bonding capability of the SA binder, and the interactions between Cu‐DHBQ and SA is conducted using scanning electron microscope (SEM), peel tests, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. Additionally, the electrochemical reaction mechanisms of Cu‐DHBQ are examined using ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and FTIR. These findings offer valuable insights into understanding the electrochemical properties of coordination polymers and metal‐organic frameworks based on DHBQ, shedding light on their potential as materials for battery electrodes.
Chiral Sulfonyl Binaphthalene‐Based Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials for Circularly Polarized Electroluminescence
Authors: Tong Jingjing , Wang Peng , Liao Xiang‐Ji , Wang Yi , Zheng You‐Xuan , Pan Yi
Published: February 2024

Chiral emitters capable of producing circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with high dissymmetry factors (g) are crucial for circularly polarized organic light‐emitting diodes (CP‐OLEDs) and 3D display. Herein, sulfonyl binaphthalene is incorporated as both electron acceptor and chiral source into three pairs of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) enantiomers, (R/S)‐BPSTCZ, (R/S)‐BPSDMAC, and (R/S)‐BPSPXZ, for the first time, combining tert‐butylcarbazole, 9,9‐dimethyl‐9,10‐dihydro‐acridine and phenoxazine electron donors, respectively. These TADF compounds exhibit tunable emissions spanning from deep blue to green, accompanied by high photoluminescence quantum yields. Due to the large distorted angles caused by two sulfonyl units, all enantiomers exhibit pronounced CPL with |gPL| factors of up to 6.0 × 10−3 in doped films. The corresponding CP‐OLEDs display good performances with external quantum efficiencies of up to 28.5% and notable |gEL| factors of up to 8.8 × 10−3, surpassing most CP‐OLEDs based on chiral TADF materials.
Well‐Dispersed MOF‐5 on The Polyvinylpyrrolidone‐Coated Random Lamellas of Clinoptilolites for Adsorptive Separation Performance of CO2, CH4, and N2
Authors: Zhou Jiawei , Liu Ming , Bai Shiyang , Sun Jihong , Wei Jia , Wang Ju
Published: February 2024

The MOF‐5@clinoptilolite (MOF@CP) composites are successfully synthesized using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) for adsorption separation of CO2/CH4, CO2/N2, and CH4/N2. The effects of the PVP amounts on the dispersity of MOF‐5 on CP random lamellas of the MOF@CPs are evaluated via various characterizations. Meanwhile, their single‐component gas adsorption isotherms, breakthrough experiments, and cycling test are measured. The results elucidate that the used PVP amount has a significant influence on the particle size and the uniformity of MOF‐5 dispersed on CP random lamellas. The MOF‐5‐loaded amount in MOF@CP is estimated to be up to 42.52 wt.%. Especially, the surface fractal evolutions indicated the surfaces of MOF@CP became from rough to smooth with the increase of PVP. The CO2/CH4, CO2/N2, and CH4/N2 selectivity factors of MOF@CP are higher than that of CP, displaying a better separation performance. Their cycling test revealed that MOF@CPs could be used repetitively, highlighting efficiency for CO2 and CH4 separation. Meanwhile, the MOF‐5@CP stability under moisture is preliminarily investigated, showing higher moisture resistance stability than MOF‐5. Additionally, the grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated the adsorption separation mechanism of the prepared MOF@CPs.
A NRF2 Regulated and the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment Reversed Nanoplatform for Cholangiocarcinoma Photodynamic‐Gas Therapy
Authors: Wang Weimin , Gao Yang , Xu Jianjun , Zou Tianhao , Yang Bin , Hu Shaobo , Cheng Xiang , Xia Yun , Zheng Qichang
Published: February 2024

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive and controllable local cancer treatment for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). However, the efficacy of PDT is hindered by intratumoral hypoxia and the presence of an antioxidant microenvironment. To address these limitations, combining PDT with gas therapy may be a promising strategy to enhance tumor oxygenation. Moreover, the augmentation of oxidative damage induced by PDT and gas therapy can be achieved by inhibiting NRF2, a core regulatory molecule involved in the antioxidant response. In this study, an integrated nanotherapeutic platform called CMArg@Lip, incorporating PDT and gas therapies using ROS‐responsive liposomes encapsulating the photosensitizer Ce6, the NO gas‐generating agent L‐arginine, and the NRF2 inhibitor ML385, is successfully developed. The utilization of CMArg@Lip effectively deals with challenges posed by tumor hypoxia and antioxidant microenvironment, resulting in elevated levels of oxidative damage and subsequent induction of ferroptosis in CCA. Additionally, these findings suggest that CMArg@Lip exhibits notable immunomodulatory effects, including the promotion of immunogenic cell death and facilitation of dendritic cell maturation. Furthermore, it contributes to the anti‐tumor function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes through the downregulation of PD‐L1 expression in tumor cells and the activation of the STING signaling pathway in myeloid‐derived suppressor cells, thereby reprogramming the immunosuppressive microenvironment via various mechanisms.
Stroke Related Brain–Heart Crosstalk: Pathophysiology, Clinical Implications, and Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Fan Xuehui , Cao Jianyang , Li Mingxia , Zhang Dechou , El‐Battrawy Ibrahim , Chen Guiquan , Zhou Xiaobo , Yang Guoqiang , Akin Ibrahim
Published: February 2024

The emergence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) induced cardiovascular dysfunctions as a bidirectional interaction has gained paramount importance in understanding the intricate relationship between the brain and heart. Post AIS, the ensuing cardiovascular dysfunctions encompass a spectrum of complications, including heart attack, congestive heart failure, systolic or diastolic dysfunction, arrhythmias, electrocardiographic anomalies, hemodynamic instability, cardiac arrest, among others, all of which are correlated with adverse outcomes and mortality. Mounting evidence underscores the intimate crosstalk between the heart and the brain, facilitated by intricate physiological and neurohumoral complex networks. The primary pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to these severe cardiac complications involve the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis, sympathetic and parasympathetic hyperactivity, immune and inflammatory responses, and gut dysbiosis, collectively shaping the stroke‐related brain–heart axis. Ongoing research endeavors are concentrated on devising strategies to prevent AIS‐induced cardiovascular dysfunctions. Notably, labetalol, nicardipine, and nitroprusside are recommended for hypertension control, while β‐blockers are employed to avert chronic remodeling and address arrhythmias. However, despite these therapeutic interventions, therapeutic targets remain elusive, necessitating further investigations into this complex challenge. This review aims to delineate the state‐of‐the‐art pathophysiological mechanisms in AIS through preclinical and clinical research, unraveling their intricate interplay within the brain–heart axis, and offering pragmatic suggestions for managing AIS‐induced cardiovascular dysfunctions.