bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling and statistical understanding: The effect of carbon nanotube on mechanical properties of recycled polycaprolactone/epoxy composites
Authors: Wang Xiao , Akobi Moulero , Nikaeen Peyman , Khattab Ahmed , He Tian , Li Junru , Zhang Pengfei
Published: September 2020

Recycling of polymer composites has been explored in an attempt to reutilize materials. Several efforts have opted to address this subject from many perspectives including mechanical, chemical, and thermal recycling. Others have also delved into the self‐healing materials to remedy this dilemma. However, few studies have delved into understanding the role of carbon nanotube (CNT) in self‐healing based recycled polymer composites. Therefore, in this study, experimental and simulation tools were utilized to understand the recycling process when CNTs were incorporated within recycled polycaprolactone/epoxy composites. A polynomial regression model, as a facile approach, was established to simulate the process‐property relationship, which is essential for the successful implementation of the future of manufacturing. It found that, by adding CNTs, a reduction in the determined degree of crystallization was induced which correlated with the obtained reduction in the modulus and toughness. Strategies for enhancing mechanical properties have been pointed out for future endeavors.
Research on synthesis and thermal properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) sulfonate group containing ionomer
Authors: Yin Yue , Jiang Bo , Meng Linghui
Published: September 2020

In order to solve the poor nucleation ability and slow crystallization rate of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), we propose a new strategy to prepare PET with self‐nucleation ability based on the mechanism of mutual attraction of ions. In this study, a hydroxyl‐terminated sulfonate monomer, sulfonated 1,4‐butanediol (SBDO) without rigid structure was synthesized as nucleating agent functionalized PET third monomer, and then PET ionomers (PETi) were prepared through melt polycondensation with different contents of SBDO. The half‐crystallization time of PETi was sharply decreased in contrast with pure PET and the crystallization temperature was significantly increased from 182.6°C to 210.8°C for PETi1. Due to the high nucleation efficiency of SBDO, the crystallization temperature of PET was significantly increased, avoiding the excessive addition of traditional nucleating agents to deteriorate the mechanical properties of PET. The increased nucleation efficiency was contributed to the aggregation of SBDO induced by the ionic interactions.
The Plant Pathology Challenge 2020 data set to classify foliar disease of apples
Authors: Thapa Ranjita , Zhang Kai , Snavely Noah , Belongie Serge , Khan Awais
Published: September 2020

Premise

Apple orchards in the United States are under constant threat from a large number of pathogens and insects. Appropriate and timely deployment of disease management depends on early disease detection. Incorrect and delayed diagnosis can result in either excessive or inadequate use of chemicals, with increased production costs and increased environmental and health impacts.

Methods and Results

We have manually captured 3651 high‐quality, real‐life symptom images of multiple apple foliar diseases, with variable illumination, angles, surfaces, and noise. A subset of images, expert‐annotated to create a pilot data set for apple scab, cedar apple rust, and healthy leaves, was made available to the Kaggle community for the Plant Pathology Challenge as part of the Fine‐Grained Visual Categorization (FGVC) workshop at the 2020 Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition conference (CVPR 2020). Participants were asked to use the image data set to train a machine learning model to classify disease categories and develop an algorithm for disease severity quantification. The top three area under the ROC curve (AUC) values submitted to the private leaderboard were 0.98445, 0.98182, and 0.98089. We also trained an off‐the‐shelf convolutional neural network on this data for disease classification and achieved 97% accuracy on a held‐out test set.

Discussion

This data set will contribute toward development and deployment of machine learning–based automated plant disease classification algorithms to ultimately realize fast and accurate disease detection. We will continue to add images to the pilot data set for a larger, more comprehensive expert‐annotated data set for future Kaggle competitions and to explore more advanced methods for disease classification and quantification.
1,2,4‐Triazole hybrids with potential antibacterial activity against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Ge Xuemei , Xu Zhi
Published: September 2020

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has developed numerous mechanisms of virulence and strategies to evade the human immune system, and it can be transmitted between humans, animals, and the environment. Thus, MRSA is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in both hospitals and in the community, creating an urgent demand for the development of novel anti‐MRSA candidates. The 1,2,4‐triazole nucleus is a bioisostere of amide, ester, and carboxylic acid, and the 1,2,4‐triazole ring is found in many compounds with diverse biological effects. 1,2,4‐Triazole derivatives could exert their antibacterial activity through inhibition of efflux pumps, filamentous temperature‐sensitive protein Z, penicillin‐binding protein, DNA gyrase, and topoisomerase IV, and they play an important role in the discovery of novel antibacterial agents. Among them, 1,2,4‐triazole hybrids, which have the potential to exert dual/multiple mechanisms of action, possess a promising broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity against a panel of clinically important drug‐resistant pathogens including MRSA. This review outlines the recent developments of 1,2,4‐triazole hybrids with a potential anti‐MRSA activity, covering articles published between 2010 and 2020. The mechanisms of action, critical aspects of their design, and structure–activity relationships are also discussed.
Recent advances in indole dimers and hybrids with antibacterial activity against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Meng Tingting , Hou Yani , Shang Congshan , Zhang Jing , Zhang Bo
Published: September 2020

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), one of the major and most dangerous pathogens in humans, is a causative agent of severe pandemic of mainly skin and soft tissue and occasionally fatal infections. Therefore, it is imperative to develop potent and novel anti‐MRSA agents. Indole derivatives could act against diverse enzymes and receptors in bacteria, occupying a salient place in the development of novel antibacterial agents. Dimerization and hybridization are common strategies to discover new drugs, and a number of indole dimers and hybrids possess potential antibacterial activity against a panel of clinically important pathogens including MRSA. Accordingly, indole dimers and hybrids are privileged scaffolds for the discovery of novel anti‐MRSA agents. This review outlines the recent development of indole dimers and hybrids with a potential activity against MRSA, covering articles published between 2010 and 2020. The structure–activity relationship and the mechanism of action are also discussed to facilitate further rational design of more effective candidates.
Ultrafast Inside‐Out NMR Assessment of Rechargeable Cells
Authors: Pigliapochi Roberta , Benders Stefan , Silletta Emilia V. , Glazier Stephen L. , Lee Elizabeth , Dahn Jeff , Jerschow Alexej
Published: September 2020

Rechargeable battery cells are notoriously difficult to analyze. Conductive casings and the close spacing between electrode layers prevent the penetration of radiofrequency into the active compartment, and thus preclude direct nuclear magnetic resonance studies of cells unless they are specifically designed for such studies. Recently, an inside‐out magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method was developed that allowed measuring the magnetic field distributions in the volume surrounding the cells, and inferring internal parameters, such as the state of charge and current distributions. While the imaging approach provides a potentially very detailed picture of internal mechanisms, it can often be sensitive to background gradients and can be slow. In this work, an alternative approach is presented, which is based on the acquisition of free induction decays in the sample volume surrounding the cells. The signals encode intrinsic battery properties via the induced magnetic fields from the battery materials. A large range of cells were studied with different cathode materials, electrolyte amounts and cycle numbers (age). The spectroscopic signatures from these studies are shown to provide strong classification power for cathode materials. In addition, the derived principal components follow distinct pathways as a function of state of charge. The method is simple and fast (completes in less than a second), and requires only minimal hardware.
Specific binding‐induced modulation of the XCL1 metamorphic equilibrium
Authors: Dishman Acacia F. , Peterson Francis C. , Volkman Brian F.
Published: September 2020

The metamorphic protein XCL1 switches between two distinct native structures with different functions in the human immune system. This structural interconversion requires complete rearrangement of all hydrogen bonding networks, yet fold‐switching occurs spontaneously and reversibly in solution. One structure occupies the canonical α‐β chemokine fold and binds XCL1's cognate G‐protein coupled receptor, while the other structure occupies a dimeric, all‐β fold that binds glycosaminoglycans and has antimicrobial activity. Both of these functions are important for the biologic role of XCL1 in the immune system, and each structure is approximately equally populated under near‐physiologic conditions. Recent work has begun to illuminate XCL1's role in combatting infection and cancer. However, without a way to control XCL1's dynamic structural interconversion, it is difficult to study the role of XCL1 fold‐switching in human health and disease. Thus, a molecular tool that can regulate the fractional population of the two XCL1 structures is needed. Here, we find by heparin affinity chromatography and NMR that an engineered XCL1 variant called CC5 can trigger a dose‐dependent shift in XCL1's metamorphic equilibrium such that the receptor binding structure is depleted, and the antimicrobial structure is more heavily populated. This shift likely occurs due to formation of XCL1‐CC5 heterodimers in which both protomers occupy the β‐sheet structure. These findings lay the groundwork for future studies seeking to understand the functional role of XCL1 metamorphosis, as well as studies screening for a drug‐like molecule that can therapeutically target XCL1 by tuning its metamorphic equilibrium. Moreover, the proof of concept presented here suggests that protein metamorphosis is druggable, opening numerous avenues for controlling biological function of metamorphic proteins by altering the population of their multiple native states.
1,3,4‐Oxadiazole‐2(3H)‐thione Analogs as PIM Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Hong Victor Sukbong , Jeong Seungik , Yun Yanghwan , Choo Hyeonseong , Won Jongin , Lee Jinho
Published: September 2020

Proviral integration site for moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases are highly expressed in hematological cancers. They phosphorylate downstream substrates that contribute to tumor growth and survival. Therefore, a potent inhibitor of PIM kinases is expected to be effective at treating hematological cancers. In the present study, several indole derivatives of 1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2(3H)‐thione were synthesized and evaluated as PIM kinase inhibitors. Structure–activity relationship studies yielded potent inhibitors of all three PIM kinases in the single‐digit to low double‐digit nanomolar IC50 range. Kinase profiling of a representative compound showed high selectivity among 15 other kinases.
The effects of obesity on the human body, part I: Skin and musculoskeletal
Authors: Dupont Graham , Bordes Stephen J. , Lachkar Stefan , Wahl Lauren , Iwanaga Joe , Loukas Marios , Tubbs R. Shane
Published: September 2020

Obesity is a worldwide issue that many global health authorities consider a growing epidemic. Having a positive correlation between increases in the industrialization of processed foods and sedentary occupations as well as a lack of access to healthcare in poorer socioeconomic areas, obesity is a multifactorial disease affecting several organ systems. The tendency for obesity to cause detrimental changes to the human body is a focal point for healthcare providers to establish more effective clinical treatment and management plans. Implementing comprehensive global educational programs to decrease the prevalence of this unforgiving disease is imperative for a healthier future. Herein, we have provided a comprehensive review of the health effects of obesity upon the human body for the interest of many practicing clinicians managing this health crisis.
Influence of gene expression on survival of clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Berglund Anders , Amankwah Ernest K. , Kim Young‐Chul , Spiess Philippe E , Sexton Wade J. , Manley Brandon , Park Hyun Y. , Wang Liang , Chahoud Jad , Chakrabarti Ratna , Yeo Chang D. , Luu Hung N. , Pietro Giuliano D. , Parker Alexander , Park Jong Y.
Published: September 2020

Approximately 10%‐20% of patients with clinically localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at time of surgery will subsequently experience metastatic progression. Although considerable progression was seen in the systemic treatment of metastatic ccRCC in last 20 years, once ccRCC spreads beyond the confines of the kidney, 5‐year survival is less than 10%. Therefore, significant clinical advances are urgently needed to improve overall survival and patient care to manage the growing number of patients with localized ccRCC. We comprehensively evaluated expression of 388 candidate genes related with survival of ccRCC by using TCGA RNAseq (n = 515), Total Cancer Care (TCC) expression array data (n = 298), and a well characterized Moffitt RCC cohort (n = 248). We initially evaluated all 388 genes for association with overall survival using TCGA and TCC data. Eighty‐one genes were selected for further analysis and tested on Moffitt RCC cohort using NanoString expression analysis. Expression of nine genes (AURKA, AURKB, BIRC5, CCNE1, MK167, MMP9, PLOD2, SAA1, and TOP2A) was validated as being associated with poor survival. Survival prognostic models showed that expression of the nine genes and clinical factors predicted the survival in ccRCC patients with AUC value: 0.776, 0.821 and 0.873 for TCGA, TCC and Moffitt data set, respectively. Some of these genes have not been previously implicated in ccRCC survival and thus potentially offer insight into novel therapeutic targets. Future studies are warranted to validate these identified genes, determine their biological mechanisms and evaluate their therapeutic potential in preclinical studies.
Cerebellar gangliocytoma as a cause of fluctuating hearing loss
Authors: Rocha Ana Julia , Márquez Reyes , García‐Berrocal Jose Ramon
Published: September 2020

Cerebellar lesions could be a cause of fluctuating hearing loss, due to the increase of intracranial pressure by partially or complete blocking of the Foramen of Luschka. Patients with intracranial hypertension may present audio‐vestibular symptoms. Fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss may be the manifestation of different inner ear disorders such as Meniere's disease (MD), immune‐mediated inner ear disease (IMIED), otosyphilis, and labyrinthine fistula including semicircular canal dehiscence. A rare mechanism involved in the fluctuating hearing loss is the increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, that may be caused by a cerebellar tumor. A 51‐year‐old female presented a 2‐year history of left ear fluctuating hearing loss and tinnitus, with fluctuations among the day, and normal otoscopy. Several audiometries showed a left ear moderate sensorineural hearing loss in low frequencies (Figure 1). The patient underwent a cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Figure 2). She was treated with three courses of systemic steroids showing improvement of symptoms during the treatment. However, the symptoms always returned when corticotherapy was interrupted. The patient was given two intratympanic steroids cycles combined with hydrochlorothiazide/ amiloride hydrochloride. The cerebral MRI described a left cerebellar focal lesion diagnosed as a cerebellar gangliocytoma. After receiving the second intratympanic steroids, cycle combined with systemic ameride showed a significant improvement of audition. Between the several causes of fluctuating hearing loss, a cerebellar gangliocytoma is a very rare disease, which needs a high degree of suspicion and otorhinolaryngologists should be familiar with this entity since patients may present with audiological and vestibular symptoms.
Unusual posteromedial tubercle fracture extending to the talar dome
Authors: Pappa Eleni , Michalos Michael , Zisis Konstantinos , Koundis George , Kokoroghiannis Constantine , Evangelopoulos Dimitrios
Published: September 2020

The present case is unique in that the fracture of the posteromedial talar tubercule involved the tibiotalar rather than the subtalar joint as described in existing reports, which underlines the need for acute management by the Orthopaedic Surgeon
Copper‐Lanthanum Catalysts for NOx and Soot Removal
Authors: Alcalde‐Santiago Virginia , Davó‐Quiñonero Arantxa , Bailón‐García Esther , Lozano‐Castelló Dolores , Bueno‐López Agustín
Published: September 2020

The individual and simultaneous removal of NOx by Storage and Reduction with H2 (H2‐NSR) and combustion of soot have been studied for La and CuLa catalysts. The NOx storage capacity of pure lanthanum oxide is improved either by copper addition or by using a colloidal crystal hard template for the synthesis of a macroporous structure. Although the NOx storage capacity of the CuLa macroporous material is around ten times lower regarding conventional PtBa catalysts, the kinetics of the H2‐NSR cycles are fast enough to allow high NOx removal (until 90 % removal). Lanthanum oxide catalyst prepared with uncontrolled structure has no activity for soot combustion, but the activity increases for a macroporous counterpart prepared using the colloidal crystal template because the macroporous structure improves the soot‐catalyst contact and allows the nitrogen‐oxygen surface groups yielded upon NOx chemisorption to oxidize soot. The soot combustion activity of lanthanum catalysts is also enhanced upon copper loading, because copper improves the NO2‐assisted soot combustion mechanism and favors the chemisorption of NOx, enhancing soot oxidation by nitrogen‐oxygen surface species. Finally, it is demonstrated that the simultaneous removal of NOx by H2‐NSR and soot combustion can be carried out with a CuLa catalyst at 450 °C. The simultaneous removal does not affect the combustion of soot and only has a small effect in NOx removal.
Effects of a Career Course on Chinese High School Students' Career Decision‐Making Readiness
Authors: Gu Xueying , Tang Mei , Chen Shi , Montgomery Meredith L. T.
Published: September 2020

Career decision‐making is a critical task for high school students, yet little is known about how career interventions affect their decision‐making skills and self‐efficacy. We investigated the outcome of a career intervention in a Chinese high school setting to determine whether it would reduce the difficulties students faced in making a career decision and elevate their self‐efficacy in career exploration. A career intervention course was delivered to 413 high school students (228 female, 185 male) who completed a demographic questionnaire, the Major Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy Scale (Peng & Long, 2003), and the Career Decision‐Making Difficulties Questionnaire–Chinese Version (Shen, 2005) before and after the intervention. Results indicated that the intervention had a positive impact on reducing students' difficulties making career decisions but had mixed results on career self‐efficacy. Proactive, systematic, multilevel, and structured interventions over longer periods of time would likely help youth develop their career decision‐making skills.
Inconsistent Vocational Personalities: A Multiple‐Case Study of Commonalities and Characteristics
Authors: Savickas Suzanne
Published: September 2020

To extend Holland's (1997) theoretical proposition regarding inconsistency in vocational personality patterns, this study examined how individuals conceptualize the origin, experience, development, and career implications of their incongruent interests. A semistructured interview was conducted with 10 participants who displayed an inconsistent vocational personality pattern. Cross‐case analysis (Stake, 2006) yielded 17 themes organized into five conceptual clusters. In terms of family of origin, inconsistent personality patterns occurred more frequently among oldest or only children with incongruent or inconsistent parents who provided weak guiding lines. From an interpersonal perspective, participants described themselves as outsiders who were shy, isolated, and unpopular. From an intrapersonal perspective, they may feel odd, inferior, and different and may seek comfort by either withdrawing into media or placing themselves in a safe space. The results provide a basis for formulating three hypotheses for future empirical research with large and diverse samples.
Intercropping irrigated corn with two soybean maturity groups at different planting rates for forage
Authors: Norberg O. Steven , Llewellyn Donald A. , Fransen Steven C. , R. Kesoju Sandya
Published: September 2020

Increasing silage production and quality is paramount for dairy and beef feedlot production. We aimed to (a) increase dry matter, protein production, and profit per acre of corn (Zea mays L.) by intercropping it with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]; (b) compare soybean maturity groups (MGs) intercropped or grown as the sole crop; and (c) quantify the soybean planting rate's influence on land equivalent ratios (LER), total dry matter yield, nutrient concentration and economic return per acre in corn–soybean intercropping systems. A 2‐yr field study was conducted with two soybean MGs (MG1 and MG7) and four soybean planting rates: 0 (control), 38,000 (1×), 76,000 (2×), and 152,000 (4×) seeds acre−1. Intercropping with MG7 increased soybean dry weight by 33% compared with MG1. The MG7 4× rate in 2012 and the 1× and 2× rates in 2013 maximized yield and LER when forage contained 7 to 10% soybean. Averaged over years, the MG7 soybean planting rate had a significant quadratic influence on nutrient value, peaking at the 2× rate at $23 ton–1 more than monoculture corn. Intercropping with the 2× MG7 soybean increased the net economic return per acre on a nutrient value basis by $238 acre−1. The soybean concentration in the mix that produced the highest total dry matter yield 5 and 7% and 7 and 10% for gross economic return per acre in 2012 and 2013, respectively. On a tonnage only basis, intercropping 2× MG7 soybean increased yield and produced $26 acre−1 more profit than monoculture corn.
Wild boar recognition using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Silva Luís Carlos , Pádua Maricéia B. S. , Ogusuku Leonardo M. , Keese Albertini Marcelo , Pimentel Renato , Backes André R.
Published: September 2020

Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a destructive species of swine. They spread diseases, represent a threat to native species, and destroy natural habitats by destabilizing river banks, thus reducing water flow. The monitoring of populations of wild boars is central to the execution and evaluation of methods to control them. To address this issue, in this article, we retrain and apply four convolutional neural networks (CNNs; AlexNet, VGG‐16, Inception‐v3, and ResNet‐50) to classify different species of “bush pigs” in real‐world footage: two native species of the Brazilian fauna, collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) and white‐lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), and one invasive species, wild boar (S. scrofa). Results show that CNN can be used to classify animals with very similar behavior and appearance and that ResNet‐50 outperforms all compared CNN in terms of accuracy (98.33%) and the lowest probability of false positives (i.e., native species classified as wild boar).
Multi‐GPU performance optimization of a computational fluid dynamics code using OpenACC
Authors: Xue Weicheng , Roy Christoper J.
Published: September 2020

This article investigates the multi‐GPU performance of a 3D buoyancy driven cavity solver using MPI and OpenACC directives on multiple platforms. The article shows that decomposing the total problem in different dimensions affects the strong scaling performance significantly for the GPU. Without proper performance optimizations, it is shown that 1D domain decomposition scales poorly on multiple GPUs due to the noncontiguous memory access. The performance using whatever decompositions can be benefited from a series of performance optimizations in the article. Since the buoyancy driven cavity code is communication‐bounded on the clusters examined, a series of optimizations both agnostic and tailored to the platforms are designed to reduce the communication cost and improve memory throughput between hosts and devices efficiently. First, the parallel message packing/unpacking strategy developed for noncontiguous data movement between hosts and devices improves the overall performance by about a factor of 2. Second, transferring different data based on the stencil sizes for different variables further reduces the communication overhead. These two optimizations are general enough to be beneficial to stencil computations having ghost exchanges. Third, GPUDirect is used to improve the communication on clusters which have the hardware and software support for direct communication between GPUs without staging the memory of CPU. Finally, overlapping the communication and computations is shown to be not efficient on multi‐GPUs if only using MPI or MPI+OpenACC. Although we believe our implementation has revealed enough communication and computation overlap, the actual running does not utilize the overlap well due to a lack of enough asynchronous progression.
Photosynthetic characteristics and productivity in a wheat–maize system under varying zinc rates
Authors: Liu Yu‐Min , Liu Dun‐Yi , Zhang Wei , Chen Xiu‐Xiu , Zou Chun‐Qin
Published: September 2020

The photosynthetic rate (Pn) and leaf area index (LAI) play an important role in dry matter production. To understand the role of Zn fertilizer in increasing the yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.) by regulating Pn and LAI, a field experiment with six Zn rates (0, 2.3, 5.7, 11.4, 22.7, and 34.1 kg Zn ha−1) was conducted from 2013 to 2015 on a calcareous soil. Zinc application increased wheat and maize yield by 4–19% and 4–13%, respectively, across the 2 yr. The aboveground biomass, Pn, and LAI of both wheat and maize also significantly increased with increasing Zn rates. Structural equation modeling showed that the yield increase of wheat mainly depended on the Pn and LAI, whereas that of maize mainly depended on the Pn. The relationships of the Pn and LAI with shoot Zn concentrations followed a linear‐plateau trend for wheat and linear for maize. The optimal shoot Zn concentrations to obtain the maximal Pn and LAI of wheat were determined to be 46–49 mg kg−1. Zinc application at 11.4 kg Zn ha−1 was an optimal rate to guarantee yield attainment and Zn biofortification. The results of this study are useful for farmers to optimize their Zn fertilizer management in agricultural systems to obtain high yields.
Green human resource management and employees pro‐environmental behaviours: Examining the underlying mechanism
Authors: Ansari Nabeel Younus , Farrukh Muhammad , Raza Ali
Published: September 2020

The rising interest in environmental protection and sustainability has led to the emergence of a new research focus in human resource management (HRM) field. Scholars in this field have started to investigate how HRM can significantly contribute to achieving sustainable environmental goals and coined the term “green human resource management” (GHRM). Despite the growing interest in studying GHRM, few studies have examined its impact on positive employees' attitudes and behaviour in reducing firms' environmental footprint and enhancing business sustainability. Hence, to bridge this research gap, the present study expanded green research streams by investigating GHRM influence on pro‐environmental behaviours (PEBs) through the mediating effect of green commitment. SmartPLS was employed to test the theoretical framework from 342 valid responses. Present research findings reveal that GHRM practices influence employees' green commitment and PEBs. Moreover, the results also suggest that green commitment mediates the relationship between GHRM and PEBs. In the end, theoretical contributions and implications were discussed.
Sustainable development news and stock market reaction: Evidence from the 2017 Newsweek Green Ranking release
Authors: Gao Ning , Tran Uyen
Published: September 2020

We study the stock market reactions of the 500 largest U.S. firms that were included in 2017 Newsweek Green Ranking. The event study methodology is used to measure the 500 firms' stock market performances around the Newsweek “green score” release date. We find that in general stock market reacts negatively to sustainable development news release, while further investigation suggests that the negative abnormal returns seem to be driven mainly by the firms with green scores of zero. Our results suggest that the stock market is punishing the firms that devote little or no effort to their environmental policy to become socially responsible citizens.
A Hierarchical 3D TiO2/Ni Nanostructure as an Efficient Hole‐Extraction and Protection Layer for GaAs Photoanodes
Authors: Alqahtani Mahdi , Kafizas Andreas , Sathasivam Sanjayan , Ebaid Mohamed , Cui Fan , Alyamani Ahmed , Jeong Hyeon‐Ho , Chun Lee Tung , Fischer Peer , Parkin Ivan , Grätzel Michael , Wu Jiang
Published: September 2020

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a promising clean route to hydrogen fuel. The best‐performing materials (III/V semiconductors) require surface passivation, as they are liable to corrosion, and a surface co‐catalyst to facilitate water splitting. At present, optimal design combining photoelectrodes with oxygen evolution catalysts remains a significant materials challenge. Here, we demonstrate that nickel‐coated amorphous three‐dimensional (3D) TiO2core‐shell nanorods on a TiO2thin film function as an efficient hole‐extraction layer and serve as a protection layer for the GaAs photoanode. Transient‐absorption spectroscopy (TAS) demonstrated the role of nickel‐coated (3D) TiO2core‐shell nanorods in prolonging photogenerated charge lifetimes in GaAs, resulting in a higher catalytic activity. This strategy may open the potential of utilizing this low‐cost (3D) nanostructured catalyst for decorating narrow‐band‐gap semiconductor photoanodes for PEC water splitting devices.
New simple transistor realizations of second‐ generation voltage conveyor
Authors: Yesil Abdullah , Minaei Shahram
Published: September 2020

In this paper, two new complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) realizations for second‐generation voltage conveyor (VCII) are presented. The first proposed VCII has a very simple structure employing only six transistors. The second proposed VCII employs 11 transistors, and none of the transistors at both proposed circuits suffer from the body effect. Small‐signal analysis, parasitic elements, and input‐referred noise of the proposed VCIIs are given. Moreover, a new active element called voltage controlled second‐generation voltage conveyor (VC‐VCII) is proposed as dual element of current controlled second‐generation current conveyor (CCCII) active element. Its parasitic resistance at theYterminal can be controlled electronically. Two presented CMOS structures of VCII are worked as VC‐VCII with slight modification. Proposed circuits are simulated in Cadence Analog environment using TSMC 0.18‐μm process parameters with ±0.9‐V supply voltages. Both CMOS structures occupy a small chip area of 276.8 and 271 μm2, respectively. The bandwidth of the current follower stage of the proposed VCIIs is found as 794 MHz, whereas the bandwidth of the voltage follower stage for the first and second proposed VCIIs is found as 2.57 and 1.92 GHz, respectively. As an application example, voltage‐mode first‐order low‐pass filter has been given with its tunable gain by using VC‐VCII.
The draft genome of the blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus): Phylogeny and high‐altitude adaptation
Authors: Zhou Chuang , Liu Yi , Qiao Lu , Liu Yang , Yang Nan , Meng Yang , Yue Bisong
Published: September 2020

The blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus), the only species in the genus Ithaginis, lives in an extremely inhospitable high‐altitude environment, coping with hypoxia and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To further investigate the phylogeny of Phasianidae species based on complete genomes and understand the molecular genetic mechanisms of the high‐altitude adaptation of the blood pheasant, we de novo assembled and annotated the complete genome of the blood pheasant. The blood pheasant genome size is 1.04 Gb with scaffold N50 of 10.88 Mb. We identified 109.92 Mb (10.62%) repetitive elements, 279,037 perfect microsatellites, and 17,209 protein‐coding genes. The phylogenetic tree of Phasianidae based on whole genomes revealed three highly supported major clades with the blood pheasant included in the “erectile clade.” Comparative genomics analysis showed that many genes were positively selected in the blood pheasant, which was associated with response to hypoxia and/or UV radiation. More importantly, among these positively selected genes (PSGs) which were related to high‐altitude adaptation, sixteen PSGs had blood pheasant‐specific missense mutations. Our data and analysis lay solid foundation to the study of Phasianidae phylogeny and provided new insights into the potential adaptation mechanisms to the high altitude employed by the blood pheasant.
A systems change framework for evaluating academic equity and inclusion in an Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program
Authors: Wallace Kelly J. , York Julia M.
Published: September 2020

While academia is moving forward in terms of diversifying recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students, diverse representation is still not found across the academic hierarchy. At the graduate level, new discussions are emerging around efforts to improve the experiences of women and underrepresented minorities through inclusive graduate programming. Inclusive graduate programs are that which actively center and prioritize support for diverse experiences, identities, career goals, and perspectives, from recruitment through graduation. Establishing regular and rigorous evaluation of equity and inclusion efforts and needs is a critical component of this work. This is recognized by funding agencies that increasingly require reporting on inclusion efforts; here, we suggest use of a systems change framework for these evaluations.

A systems change approach emphasizes three levels: explicit change (e.g., policies), semi‐explicit change (e.g., power dynamics), and implicit change (e.g., biases). We use the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) PhD Program at the University of Texas at Austin in an exercise to (a) identify areas of concern regarding inclusive programming voiced by graduate students, (b) categorize efforts to address these concerns, and (c) integrating and evaluating which areas of the systems change framework show the greatest progress or potential for progress. We argue this framework is particularly useful for academic systems as they are complex, composed of variable individuals, and must address diverse stakeholder needs.
Resilience and alternative stable states after desert wildfires
Authors: Abella Scott R. , Gentilcore Dominic M. , Chiquoine Lindsay P.
Published: September 2020

Improving models of community change is a fundamental goal in ecology and has renewed importance during global change and increasing human disturbance of the biosphere. Using the Mojave Desert (southwestern United States) as a model system, invaded by nonnative plants and subject to wildfire disturbances, we examined models of resilience, alternative stable states, and convergent‐divergent trajectories for 36 yr of plant community change after 31 wildfires in communities dominated by the native shrubs Larrea tridentata or Coleogyne ramosissima. Perennial species richness on average was fully resilient within 23 yr after disturbance in both community types. Perennial cover was fully resilient within 25 yr in the Larrea community, but recovery was projected to require 52 yr in the Coleogyne community. Species composition shifts were persistent, and in the Coleogyne community, the projected compositional recovery time of 550 yr and increasing resembled a deflected trajectory toward potential alternative states. Disturbed sites contained a perennial species composition of predominately short‐statured forbs, subshrubs, and grasses, contrasting with the larger‐statured shrub and tree structure of undisturbed sites. Auxiliary data sets characterizing species recruitment, annual plants including nonnative grasses, biocrust communities, and soils showed persistent differences between disturbed and undisturbed sites consistent with positive feedbacks potentially contributing to alternative stable states. Resprouting produced limited resilience for the large shrubs L. tridentata and Yucca spp. important to population persistence but did not forestall long‐term reduced abundance of the species. The nonnative annual grass Bromus rubens increased on disturbed sites over time, suggesting persistently abundant nonnative plant fuels and reburn potential. Biocrust cover on disturbed sites was half and species richness a third of amounts on undisturbed sites. Soil nitrogen was 30% greater on disturbed sites and no significant trend was evident for it to decline on even the oldest burns. Disturbed desert plant communities simultaneously supported all three models of resilience, alternative stable states, and convergent‐divergent trajectories among community measures (e.g., species richness, composition), timeframes since disturbance, and spatial resolutions. Accommodating expression within ecosystems of multiple models, including those opposing each other, may help broaden theoretical models of ecosystem change.
Governing energy in organisations: Energy management professionals, marginalised practices, and the limits to change
Authors: Royston Sarah , Selby Jan , Kesidou Sofia
Published: September 2020

Organisations and institutions of many kinds play important roles in maintaining and transforming energy systems, not least through their direct contributions to energy demand. Major service‐providing institutions such as universities and hospitals have especially large and complex demands. Facing pressures to reduce environmental impacts and costs, many of these organisations are trying to reduce their energy consumption—with varying degrees of success. The responsibility for pursuing this goal in practice often lies with practitioners here referred to as Energy Management Professionals (EMPs). However, there has been little systematic investigation of EMPs' practices and their energy implications. Using qualitative evidence from English universities and hospitals, we argue that three types of work are marginalised in EMPs' practices, namely: (a) change‐focused work, and within that; (b) work engaging with people and what they do, and within that; (c) work engaging with institutional policy‐making. We argue that these marginalisations limit the scale and scope of demand reduction efforts, and also show how they arise from interacting dynamics of national policies and priorities, institutional structures and professional practices, and the influence of neoliberal governance, among other things. Finally, we discuss how rethinking institutional energy governance could help reduce energy demand and reflect on wider lessons for research and policy on organisational sustainability.
Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: GALACTIC‐HF baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials
Authors: Teerlink John R. , Diaz Rafael , Felker G. Michael , McMurray John J.V. , Metra Marco , Solomon Scott D. , Adams Kirkwood F. , Anand Inder , Arias‐Mendoza Alexandra , Biering‐Sørensen Tor , Böhm Michael , Bonderman Diana , Cleland John G.F. , Corbalan Ramon , Crespo‐Leiro Maria G. , Dahlström Ulf , Echeverria Correa Luis E. , Fang James C. , Filippatos Gerasimos , Fonseca Cândida , Goncalvesova Eva , Goudev Assen R. , Howlett Jonathan G. , Lanfear David E. , Lund Mayanna , Macdonald Peter , Mareev Vyacheslav , Momomura Shin‐ichi , O'Meara Eileen , Parkhomenko Alexander , Ponikowski Piotr , Ramires Felix J.A. , Serpytis Pranas , Sliwa Karen , Spinar Jindrich , Suter Thomas M. , Tomcsanyi Janos , Vandekerckhove Hans , Vinereanu Dragos , Voors Adriaan A. , Yilmaz Mehmet B. , Zannad Faiez , Sharpsten Lucie , Legg Jason C. , Abbasi Siddique A. , Varin Claire , Malik Fady I. , Kurtz Christopher E. ,   GALACTIC‐HF Investigators
Published: September 2020

Aims

The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is being tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials.

Methods and results

Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class ≥II, ejection fraction ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for heart failure or history of hospitalization/emergency department visit for heart failure within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5, or 50 mg bid). A total of 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean ejection fraction 27%, ischaemic aetiology in 54%, NYHA class II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide 1971 pg/mL. Heart failure therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary heart failure trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent heart failure registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril/valsartan at baseline (n = 1594).

Conclusions

GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation.
Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Layering of Carbon Black/Poly(Allylamine Hydrochloride) Composite for Multianalyte Determination
Authors: Scremin Jessica , Mattos Gabriel J. , Crapnell Robert D. , Rowley‐Neale Samuel J. , Banks Craig E. , Sartori Elen R.
Published: September 2020

An electrochemical sensor using glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon black within a poly(allylamine hydrochloride) film is proposed in this work. The novel sensor was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry using the redox probe Fe(CN)63−/4−. The sensor was applied for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA), paracetamol (PAR), amlodipine (AML), and rosuvastatin (RSV). The quantification of all four analytes was carried out by linear sweep voltammetry and presented a linear concentration range for all analytes from 1.0 to 90 μmol L−1, with limit of detection of 0.55, 1.3, 5.7, and 3.0 μmol L−1 for DA, PAR, AML, and RSV, respectively. This sensor was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of these analytes in environmental, pharmaceutical, and biological samples.
Past, present, and future developments in enantioselective analysis using capillary electromigration techniques
Authors: de Koster Nicky , Clark Charles P. , Kohler Isabelle
Published: September 2020

Enantioseparation of chiral products has become increasingly important in a large diversity of academic and industrial applications. The separation of chiral compounds is inherently challenging and thus requires a suitable analytical technique that can achieve high resolution and sensitivity. In this context, CE has shown remarkable results so far. Chiral CE offers an orthogonal enantioselectivity and is typically considered less costly than chromatographic techniques, since only minute amounts of chiral selectors are needed. Several CE approaches have been developed for chiral analysis, including chiral EKC and chiral CEC. Enantioseparations by EKC benefit from the wide variety of possible pseudostationary phases that can be employed. Chiral CEC, on the other hand, combines chromatographic separation principles with the bulk fluid movement of CE, benefitting from reduced band broadening as compared to pressure‐driven systems. Although UV detection is conventionally used for these approaches, MS can also be considered. CE‐MS represents a promising alternative due to the increased sensitivity and selectivity, enabling the chiral analysis of complex samples. The potential contamination of the MS ion source in EKC‐MS can be overcome using partial‐filling and counter‐migration techniques. However, chiral analysis using monolithic and open‐tubular CEC‐MS awaits additional method validation and a dedicated commercial interface. Further efforts in chiral CE are expected toward the improvement of existing techniques, the development of novel pseudostationary phases, and establishing the use of chiral ionic liquids, molecular imprinted polymers, and metal‐organic frameworks. These developments will certainly foster the adoption of CE(‐MS) as a well‐established technique in routine chiral analysis.