bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Žižek's Jokes
Authors: Žižek Slavoj
Published: December 2018

Žižek as comedian: jokes in the service of philosophy.

“A serious and good philosophical work could be written consisting entirely of jokes.”—Ludwig Wittgenstein

The good news is that this book offers an entertaining but enlightening compilation of Žižekisms. Unlike any other book by Slavoj Žižek, this compact arrangement of jokes culled from his writings provides an index to certain philosophical, political, and sexual themes that preoccupy him. Žižek's Jokes contains the set-ups and punch lines—as well as the offenses and insults—that Žižek is famous for, all in less than 200 pages.

So what's the bad news? There is no bad news. There's just the inimitable Slavoj Žižek, disguised as an impossibly erudite, politically incorrect uncle, beginning a sentence, “There is an old Jewish joke, loved by Derrida...“ For Žižek, jokes are amusing stories that offer a shortcut to philosophical insight. He illustrates the logic of the Hegelian triad, for example, with three variations of the “Not tonight, dear, I have a headache” classic: first the wife claims a migraine; then the husband does; then the wife exclaims, “Darling, I have a terrible migraine, so let's have some sex to refresh me!” A punch line about a beer bottle provides a Lacanian lesson about one signifier. And a “truly obscene” version of the famous “aristocrats” joke has the family offering a short course in Hegelian thought rather than a display of unspeakables.

Žižek's Jokes contains every joke cited, paraphrased, or narrated in Žižek's work in English (including some in unpublished manuscripts), including different versions of the same joke that make different points in different contexts. The larger point being that comedy is central to Žižek's seriousness.
Long‐Term Electrical and Mechanical Function Monitoring of a Human‐on‐a‐Chip System
Authors: Oleaga Carlota , Lavado Andrea , Riu Anne , Rothemund Sandra , Carmona‐Moran Carlos A. , Persaud Keisha , Yurko Andrew , Lear Jennifer , Narasimhan Narasimhan Sriram , Long Christopher J. , Sommerhage Frank , Bridges Lee Richard , Cai Yunqing , Martin Candace , Schnepper Mark T. , Goswami Arindom , Note Reine , Langer Jessica , Teissier Silvia , Cotovio José , Hickman James J.
Published: December 2018

The goal of human‐on‐a‐chip systems is to capture multiorgan complexity and predict the human response to compounds within physiologically relevant platforms. The generation and characterization of such systems is currently a focal point of research given the long‐standing inadequacies of conventional techniques for predicting human outcome. Functional systems can measure and quantify key cellular mechanisms that correlate with the physiological status of a tissue, and can be used to evaluate therapeutic challenges utilizing many of the same endpoints used in animal experiments or clinical trials. Culturing multiple organ compartments in a platform creates a more physiologic environment (organ–organ communication). Here is reported a human 4‐organ system composed of heart, liver, skeletal muscle, and nervous system modules that maintains cellular viability and function over 28 days in serum‐free conditions using a pumpless system. The integration of noninvasive electrical evaluation of neurons and cardiac cells and mechanical determination of cardiac and skeletal muscle contraction allows the monitoring of cellular function, especially for chronic toxicity studies in vitro. The 28‐day period is the minimum timeframe for animal studies to evaluate repeat dose toxicity. This technology can be a relevant alternative to animal testing by monitoring multiorgan function upon long‐term chemical exposure.
Cationic Poly(Amino Acid) Vaccine Adjuvant for Promoting Both Cell‐Mediated and Humoral Immunity Against Influenza Virus
Authors: Lim Jong‐Woo , Na Woonsung , Kim Hyun‐Ouk , Yeom Minjoo , Park Geunseon , Kang Aram , Chun Haejin , Park Chaewon , Oh Seungseok , Le Van Phan , Jeong Hyoung Hwa , Song Daesub , Haam Seungjoo
Published: December 2018

Powerful adjuvants to augment vaccine efficacy with a less immunogenic vaccine system are in great demand. In this study, a novel squalene‐based cationic poly(amino acid) adjuvant (CASq) that elicits both cellular (Th1) and humoral (Th2) immune responses is developed. CASq is demonstrated to promote cellular uptake of viral antigen and stimulate macrophages, leading to active production of interleukin‐12. Furthermore, co‐administration of inactivated pdm H1N1 vaccine with CASq significantly increases the generation of antigen‐specific antibodies and T cell immune responses in mice, as well as resulting in complete prevention of disease symptoms and protection against lethal infection.
Electron Correlations Engineer Catalytic Activity of Pyrochlore Iridates for Acidic Water Oxidation
Authors: Shang Chunyan , Cao Cong , Yu Dayou , Yan Yu , Lin Yitao , Li Hongliang , Zheng Tingting , Yan Xupeng , Yu Wenchao , Zhou Shiming , Zeng Jie
Published: December 2018

The development of highly efficient oxygen‐evolving catalysts compatible with powerful proton‐exchange‐membrane‐based electrolyzers in acid environments is of prime importance for sustainable hydrogen production. In this field, understanding the role of electronic structure of catalysts on catalytic activity is essential but still lacking. Herein, a family of pyrochlore oxides R2Ir2O7 (R = rare earth ions) is reported as acidic oxygen‐evolving catalysts with superior‐specific activities. More importantly, it is found that the intrinsic activity of this material significantly increases with the R ionic radius. Electronic structure studies reveal that the increased R ionic radius weakens electron correlations in these iridate oxides. This weakening induces an insulator–metal transition and an enhancement of IrO bond covalency, both of which promote oxygen evolution kinetics. This work demonstrates the importance of engineering the electron correlations to rationalize the catalytic activity toward water oxidation in strongly correlated transition‐metal oxides.
Second Harmonic Light Manipulation with Vertical Split Ring Resonators
Authors: Tsai Wei‐Yi , Chung Tsung Lin , Hsiao Hui‐Hsin , Chen Jia‐Wern , Lin Ren Jie , Wu Pin Chieh , Sun Greg , Wang Chih‐Ming , Misawa Hiroaki , Tsai Din Ping
Published: December 2018

The second harmonic generation (SHG) of vertical and planar split‐ring resonators (SRRs) that are broken centro‐symmetry configurations at the interface of metal surface and air is investigated. Strong interactions, better electromagnetic field confinements, and less leakage into the substrate for vertical SRRs are found. Experimental results show a 2.6‐fold enhancement of SHG nonlinearity, which is in good agreement with simulations and calculations. Demonstrations of 3D metastructures and vertical SRRs with strong SHG nonlinearity majorly result from magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole clearly provides potential applications for photonics and sensing.
Thermal Conductivity during Phase Transitions
Authors: Chen Hongyi , Yue Zhongmou , Ren Dudi , Zeng Huarong , Wei Tianran , Zhao Kunpeng , Yang Ronggui , Qiu Pengfei , Chen Lidong , Shi Xun
Published: December 2018

Thermal conductivity is a very basic property that determines how fast a material conducts heat, which plays an important and sometimes a dominant role in many fields. However, because materials with phase transitions have been widely used recently, understanding and measuring temperature‐dependent thermal conductivity during phase transitions are important and sometimes even questionable. Here, the thermal transport equation is corrected by including heat absorption due to phase transitions to reveal how a phase transition affects the measured thermal conductivity. In addition to the enhanced heat capacity that is well known, it is found that thermal diffusivity can be abnormally lowered from the true value, which is also dependent on the speed of phase transitions. The extraction of the true thermal conductivity requires removing the contributions from both altered heat capacity and thermal diffusivity during phase transitions, which is well demonstrated in four selected kinds of phase transition materials (Cu2Se, Cu2S, Ag2S, and Ag2Se) in experiment. This study also explains the lowered abnormal thermal diffusivity during phase transitions in other materials and thus provides a novel strategy to engineer thermal conductivity for various applications.
Confinement of Perovskite‐QDs within a Single MOF Crystal for Significantly Enhanced Multiphoton Excited Luminescence
Authors: He Huajun , Cui Yuanjing , Li Bin , Wang Bo , Jin Chuanhong , Yu Jiancan , Yao Lijia , Yang Yu , Chen Banglin , Qian Guodong
Published: December 2018

The development of the photostable higher‐order multiphoton‐excited (MPE) upconversion single microcrystalline material is fundamentally and technologically important, but very challenging. Here, up to five‐photon excited luminescence in a host–guest metal–organic framework (MOF) and perovskite quantum dot (QD) hybrid single crystal ZJU‐28⊃MAPbBr3 is shown via an in situ growth approach. Such a MOF strategy not only results in a high QD loading concentration, but also significantly diminishes the aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) effect, provides effective surface passivation, and greatly reduces the contact of the QDs with the external bad atmosphere due to the confinement effect and protection of the framework. These advantages make the resulting ZJU‐28⊃MAPbBr3 single crystals possess high PLQY of ≈51.1%, a high multiphoton action cross‐sections that can rival the current highest record (measured in toluene solution), and excellent photostability. These findings liberate the excellent luminescence and nonlinear optical properties of perovskite QDs from the solution system to the solid single‐crystal system, which provide a new avenue for the exploitation of high‐performance multiphoton excited hybrid single microcrystal for future optoelectronic and micro–nano photonic integration applications.
Electronic Noses: From Advanced Materials to Sensors Aided with Data Processing
Authors: Hu Wenwen , Wan Liangtian , Jian Yingying , Ren Cong , Jin Ke , Su Xinghua , Bai Xiaoxia , Haick Hossam , Yao Mingshui , Wu Weiwei
Published: December 2018

Artificial olfaction, i.e., e‐nose, plays a critical function in robotics by mimicking the human olfactory organ that can recognize different smells that correlate with a range of fields, including environment monitoring, disease diagnosis, public security affairs, agricultural production, food industry, etc. The advances in the artificial olfaction (electronic nose) technology and its applications are concisely reviewed herein. Three main elements are investigated and presented, with an emphasis on the emerging sensors and algorithm of the artificial neural network in the relevant fields. The first element is the diverse applications of e‐nose in medical care, food industry, environment monitoring, public security affairs, and agricultural production. The second element is the investigation of the sensors in e‐nose and representative and promising advances, which is the building block of e‐nose through mimicking the olfactory receptors. The third element is the introduction to the algorithm of the artificial neural network to serve in the recognition of the pattern of odors (i.e., their chemical profiles). Promises and challenges of the separately reviewed parts and the combined parts are presented and discussed. Ideas regarding further orientation and development of the e‐nose system are also considered.
Fabrication with Semiconductor Packaging Technologies and Characterization of a Large‐Scale Flexible Thermoelectric Module
Authors: Sugahara Tohru , Ekubaru Yusufu , Nong Ngo Van , Kagami Noriko , Ohata Keiichi , Hung Le Thanh , Okajima Michio , Nambu Shutaro , Suganuma Katsuaki
Published: December 2018

Recently, flexible thermoelectric generator (FlexTEG) modules using organic or thin film materials have gained much attention due to their potential applications for, for example, wireless sensors and wearable power. However, the performance of these modules is poor and still far from the requirement for energy harvesting. Here, the traditional semiconductor packaging technique is adapted to fabricate a large‐scale FlexTEG, for use in energy harvesting on both planar and nonplanar surfaces. The module uses high‐performance bismuth‐telluride p‐ and n‐type chips on a flexible thin plastic substrate. Using a unique isotropic design for mounting the chips, a FlexTEG module consisting of 250 p‐n pairs is successfully fabricated on a 50 × 50 mm2 flexible substrate. The output power, mechanical strength, and bending properties are investigated at different temperature gradients and bending cycles. The module exhibits a maximum output power density of 158 mW cm−2 at dT = 105 K, corresponding to an efficiency value of 1.84%, which is comparable to a conventional bulk TEG. Mechanical tests reveal that the flexible module is reliable and stable during bending. These results open great potential for applications in portable, wearable, or implantable electronic devices.
Experimental Evidence for “Hot Exciton” Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters
Authors: Liu Jianjun , Li Zhiyi , Hu Taiping , Wei Xiaofang , Wang Ruifang , Hu Xiaoxiao , Liu Yanwei , Yi Yuanping , Yamada‐Takamura Yukiko , Wang Ying , Wang Pengfei
Published: December 2018

Contradiction between no effective photophysical experiments and high device results causes the “hot exciton” thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) mechanism to be still a controversial question. Here, the steady and transient photophysical characterization combined with theoretical calculation based on 4,7‐bis(9,9‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluoren‐2‐yl)‐5,6‐difluorobenzo [c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (2F‐BTH‐DMF), 4,7‐bis(9,9‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluoren‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BTH‐DMF), and 5,6‐bis(9,9‐dimethyl‐9H‐fluoren‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5] thiadiazole (o‐BTH‐DMF) demonstrate that all the emitters exhibit TADF via reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) from “hot exciton” triplet excited state. The fast RISC process “hot exciton” mechanism affords a very short delayed lifetime (1 µs). Organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on these emitters exhibit high exciton utilization over 25% and the best device shows a maximum current efficiency of 31.02 cd A−1, maximum power efficiency of 27.85 lm W−1, and external quantum efficiency of 9.13%, which are the highest performances for reported OLEDs with “hot exciton” mechanism. The experimental evidence for fast RISC process via “hot exciton” triplet state and short delayed lifetime highlights the TADF emitters with “hot exciton” mechanism for high‐performance OLEDs with very low efficiency roll‐off.
Interfacially Induced Cascading Failure in Graphite‐Silicon Composite Anodes
Authors: Son Seoung‐Bum , Cao Lei , Yoon Taeho , Cresce Arthur , Hafner Simon E. , Liu Jun , Groner Markus , Xu Kang , Ban Chunmei
Published: December 2018

Silicon (Si) has been well recognized as a promising candidate to replace graphite because of its earth abundance and high‐capacity storage, but its large volume changes upon lithiation/delithiation and the consequential material fracturing, loss of electrical contact, and over‐consumption of the electrolyte prevent its full application. As a countermeasure for rapid capacity decay, a composite electrode of graphite and Si has been adopted by accommodating Si nanoparticles in a graphite matrix. Such an approach, which involves two materials that interact electrochemically with lithium in the electrode, necessitates an analytical methodology to determine the individual electrochemical behavior of each active material. In this work, a methodology comprising differential plots and integral calculus is established to analyze the complicated interplay among the two active batteries and investigate the failure mechanism underlying capacity fade in the blend electrode. To address performance deficiencies identified by this methodology, an aluminum alkoxide (alucone) surface‐modification strategy is demonstrated to stabilize the structure and electrochemical performance of the graphite‐Si composite electrode. The integrated approach established in this work is of great importance to the design and diagnostics of a multi‐component composite electrode, which is expected to be high interest to other next‐generation battery system.
A homozygous MITF mutation leads to familial Waardenburg syndrome type 4
Authors: Pang Xiuhong , Zheng Xiaoyong , Kong Xuhui , Chai Yongchuan , Wang Yu , Qian Hua , Yang Bo , Wu Chao , Chu Jiusheng , Yang Tao
Published: December 2018

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder characterized by hearing loss and pigmentary abnormalities with variable penetrance. Though heterozygous mutations in MITF are a major cause for Waardenburg syndrome type 2 (WS2), homozygous mutations in this gene and the associated phenotype have been rarely characterized. In this study, we identified a novel p.R223H mutation in MITF in a Chinese Han family with variable WS features. Both parents carried a heterozygous p.R223H mutation. They had normal hearing, and premature greying of the hair is their only pigmentary abnormality. In contrast, their two children both carried a homozygous p.R223H mutation and had classic WS features including profound hearing loss, heterochromia irides and marked pigmentary abnormalities in hair and skin. Interestingly, the two affected children also have persistent chronic constipation since the neonatal period, symptoms suggestive of Waardenburg syndrome type 4 (WS4). Our study revealed a likely association between homozygous mutations in MITF and WS4, which implies a dosage effect for the underlying pathogenesis mechanism.
The progression of Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome in adulthood and two novel variants in the KMT2A gene
Authors: Feldman Hailey R. , Dlouhy Stephen R. , Lah Melissa D. , Payne Katelyn K. , Weaver David D.
Published: December 2018

Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome is a genetic condition associated with dysmorphic facies, hypertrichosis, short stature, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. Congenital malformations of the cerebral, cardiac, renal, and optic structures have also been reported. Because the majority of reported individuals with this condition have been under age 20, the long‐term prognosis is not well defined. Here we report on two further unrelated individuals diagnosed with Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome, one of whom is in her third decade of life. In addition, both individuals have novel KMT2A mutations. The information provided below about the outcome in Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome is important for families of affected individuals.
The impact of amyloid‐beta and tau on prospective cognitive decline in older individuals
Authors: Sperling Reisa A. , Mormino Elizabeth C. , Schultz Aaron P. , Betensky Rebecca A. , Papp Kathryn V. , Amariglio Rebecca E. , Hanseeuw Bernard J. , Buckley Rachel , Chhatwal Jasmeer , Hedden Trey , Marshall Gad A. , Quiroz Yakeel T. , Donovan Nancy J. , Jackson Jonathan , Gatchel Jennifer R. , Rabin Jennifer S. , Jacobs Heidi , Yang Hyun‐Sik , Properzi Michael , Kirn Dylan R. , Rentz Dorene M. , Johnson Keith A.
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Amyloid‐beta (Aβ) and tau pathologies are commonly observed among clinically normal older individuals at postmortem and can now be detected with in vivo neuroimaging. The association and interaction of these proteinopathies with prospective cognitive decline in normal aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains to be fully elucidated.

Methods

One hundred thirty‐seven older individuals (age = 76.3 ± 6.22 years) participating in the Harvard Aging Brain Study underwent Aβ (11C‐Pittsburgh compound B) and tau (18F‐flortaucipir) positron emission tomography (PET) with prospective neuropsychological assessments following PET imaging (mean number of cognitive visits = 2.8 ± 1.1). Tau and Aβ PET measures were assessed in regions of interest (ROIs) as well as vertex‐wise map analyses. Cognitive change was evaluated with Memory and Executive Function composites.

Results

Higher levels of Aβ and tau were both associated with greater memory decline, but not with change in executive function. Higher cortical Aβ was associated with higher tau levels in all ROIs, independent of age, and very elevated levels of tau were observed primarily in clinically normal with elevated Aβ. A significant interaction between tau and Aβ was observed in both ROI and map‐level analyses, such that rapid prospective memory decline was observed in participants who had high levels of both pathologies.

Interpretation

Our results are consistent with the supposition that both Aβ and tau are necessary for memory decline in the preclinical stages of AD. These findings may be relevant for disambiguating aging and early cognitive manifestations of AD, and to inform secondary prevention trials in preclinical AD. Ann Neurol 2019;00:1–3 ANN NEUROL 2019;85:181–193.
Water soluble Ru (II)–p‐cymene complexes of chiral aroylthiourea ligands derived from unprotected D/L‐alanine as proficient catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones
Authors: Sheeba Mani Mary , Tamizh Manoharan Muthu , Bhuvanesh Nattamai S.P. , Karvembu Ramasamy
Published: December 2018

The newfangled chiral aroylthiourea ligands (L1‐L6) were produced from unprotected D/L‐alanine and their water soluble Ru (II) organometallic catalysts (1–6) were designed from their reaction with [RuCl2(η6‐p‐cymene)]2. The analytical and spectral methods were used to confirm the structure of the ligands and complexes. The solid state structure of L1, 5 and 6 was confirmed by single crystal XRD. The organometallic compounds (1–6) catalyzed the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic, heteroaromatic and bulky ketones to yield respective enantiopure secondary alcohols with admirable conversions (up to 99%) and attractive enantiomeric excesses (ee up to 98%), in presence of formic acid and triethylamine in water medium under non‐inert atmospheric conditions.
A Density Functional Theory Study on the Acid‐Catalyzed Transesterification Mechanism for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oils
Authors: Li Tan , Zhang Xiaochao , Zhang Changming , Li Rui , Liu Jianxin , Zhang Hui , Han Peide , Zheng Zhanfeng , Fan Caimei
Published: December 2018

The acid‐catalyzed transesterification reaction has been one of the most effective methods to produce biodiesel, especially from waste cooking oils (WCO) with high contents of water and free fatty acids (FFA). However, in the acid‐catalyzed processes, the H+ action mechanism and the controlling step of the reaction rate have been ambiguous. To clearly understand the reaction process, the DMol3 module based on the density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the acid (H+‐)‐catalyzed transesterification mechanism of methanol and oleic acid monoacylglycerol (OAM). The one step transesterification without a catalyst and the feasible paths of SN2 (substitution nucleophilic bimolecular) and SN1 (substitution nucleophilic unimolecular) reaction mechanisms with H+‐based catalysts were built as Path 1, Path 2, and Path 3, respectively. The calculated structures, thermodynamic, and kinetic data revealed that the H+‐based catalysts could effectively reduce the activation energy for the transesterification reaction, and the Path 2 based on the SN2 reaction mechanism was the optimal reaction path. A tetrahedral intermediate (IM2‐2) could be generated with the highest active energy of 15.383 kcal mol−1, implying that there was the most stable structure of IM2‐2 as the key species in the transesterification process. Hence, the increasing decomposition rate of IM2‐2 accelerated the forward reaction in H+‐based biodiesel processes. The calculated active energy of 15.383 kcal mol−1 was in good agreement with the kinetic data for the monoacylglycerol transesterification of 15.067 kcal mol−1. Our calculations should provide basic and reliable theoretical data for further understanding the mechanism of transesterification of WCO to biodiesel products in the future work.
Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on Renewable Polyester Matrices
Authors: Geervliet Tristan A. , Gavrila Ionela , Iasilli Giuseppe , Picchioni Francesco , Pucci Andrea
Published: December 2018

This study reports for the first time the use of bio‐based alternatives for PMMA as host matrix for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). Notably, two types of renewable polyesters were synthesized in varying molar ratios via a two‐step melt‐polycondensation reaction with dibutyl tin oxide as catalyst. The first is a homopolymer of diethyl 2,3:4,5‐di‐O‐methylene galactarate (GxMe) and isosorbide (IGPn), and the second is a random copolymer of GxMe with 1,3‐propanediol and dimethyl terephthalate (GTPn). The two polyesters were found to be optically transparent, totally amorphous with a Tg higher than 45 °C and temperature resistance comparable to PMMA. Lumogen Red (LR) and an aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) fluorophore, TPETPAFN, were utilized as fluorophores and the derived thin polymer films (25 μm) were found highly homogeneous, especially for those prepared from GTPn, possibly due to the presence of compatibilizing terephthalate units in the matrix composition and the higher molecular weight. The spectroscopic characterization and the optical efficiency determination (ηopt) evidenced LSCs performances similar or superior to those collected from LR/PMMA thin films. Noteworthy, ηopt of 7.7 % and 7.1 % were recorded for the GTPn‐based matrix containing LR and TPETPAFN, respectively, thus definitely supporting the bio‐based polyesters as renewable and highly fluorophore‐compatible matrices for high‐performance LSCs.
Design of functional interval observers for non‐linear fractional‐order systems
Authors: Huong Dinh Cong
Published: December 2018

This paper considers the problem of designing functional interval observers for a class of non‐linear fractional‐order systems with bounded uncertainties. First, interval observers for linear functions of the state vector of the considered system are designed. Then, conditions for the existence of such interval observers are established and an effective algorithm for computing unknown observer matrices is provided in this paper. Finally, numerical examples and simulation results are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method.
The impact of bundle comparisons on bundle preference
Authors: Rice Dan Hamilton , Cooke Alan D. J. , Zheng Yanmei
Published: December 2018

The bundling literature largely holds that a person's reaction to a given product bundle depends only on the characteristics of the products contained in the bundle. This paper, instead, proposes that people evaluate bundles in reference to other bundles that they have seen. Prior research indicates that people are sensitive to a bundle's “attribute inventory” or the aggregate level of comparable attributes possessed by its constituent products. We show that when people evaluate a bundle, they compare the attribute inventories that it offers to those offered by other bundles that they have seen. The resulting compositional comparisons can occur without changes to the products that comprise the target and contextual bundles, vary by attribute comparability and attentional focus, and coexist with (and at times reverse the effects of) well‐established product‐specific context effects, which are determined solely by the products and their attributes.
Prenatal alcohol exposure prevalence as measured by direct ethanol metabolites in meconium in a Native American tribe of the southwest
Authors: Bakhireva Ludmila N. , Kane Maureen A. , Bearer Cynthia F. , Bautista Adriana , Jones Jace W. , Garrison Laura , Begay Mae‐Gilene , Ozechowski Timothy , Lewis Johnnye
Published: December 2018

Background

Although fetal alcohol spectrum disorders represent a significant public health problem, Native Americans are underrepresented in population and targeted screening programs. Prior reports suggest that Native American tribal communities may have a higher prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy; however, systematic examination using ethanol biomarkers is lacking.

Methods

This study utilized data collected through the Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS)—a birth cohort study of a Southwestern tribal community. Prevalence of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) was assessed by a battery of meconium biomarkers among 333 NBCS participants. Meconium samples were analyzed for nine individual fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) species, ethyl glucuronide (EtG), and ethyl sulfate (EtS) by LC–MS/MS.

Results

Participants were recruited from five hospitals at the Navajo Nation located in Arizona (Chinle, Tséhootsooí, Tuba City) and New Mexico (Gallup, Shiprock). All participants identified as Native American; most reported a personal income of <$20,000 per year (71.3%), and ≤high school education (55.3%). The most prevalent biomarker was EtS (7.8%) followed by ethyl oleate (6.9%); 5.4% of the sample were positive for at least two biomarkers.

Conclusions

Results of this study on the prevalence of PAE in the Navajo Nation, obtained for the first time with an objective comprehensive panel of meconium biomarkers, indicate that the rates in the NBCS may be comparable to the general U.S. population and are in accord with recent U.S. national survey estimates. Our findings emphasize that drinking behaviors among Native American communities in the United States can vary, and generalization across all Native American populations is not warranted.
Prime and prejudice: Brief stereotypical media representations can increase prejudicial attitudes and behaviour towards people with schizophrenia
Authors: Bowman Jonathan W.P. , West Keon
Published: December 2018

Prejudice against people with mental illnesses remains a significant problem in the United Kingdom and in many other countries despite sustained efforts by governments and charities. This is particularly so for people with schizophrenia, who are seen as dangerous and unpredictable. The present study investigated the effect of brief, casual, stereotypical representations on prejudice and behavioural intentions towards people with schizophrenia. Participants viewed Halloween costumes in an online environment under the guise of product research. In the experimental condition, they were exposed to a “Psycho Ward” Halloween outfit identical to one sold online by a leading supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. Participants in the control condition saw a neutral “pumpkin” Halloween costume. Exposure to the Psycho Ward outfit resulted in more negative behavioural intentions towards people with schizophrenia, mediated by increased prejudice. These findings confirm and extend earlier research that implicates adverse media stereotypes in the persistence of prejudice against people with mental illness. More research is warranted on the relative effects of different influences on community attitudes to mental illness.
Quantitative Assessment of Affinity Selection Performance by Using DNA‐Encoded Chemical Libraries
Authors: Sannino Alessandro , Gabriele Elena , Bigatti Martina , Mulatto Sara , Piazzi Jacopo , Scheuermann Jörg , Neri Dario , Donckele Etienne J. , Samain Florent
Published: December 2018

DNA‐encoded chemical libraries are often used for the discovery of ligands against protein targets of interest. These large collections of DNA‐barcoded chemical compounds are typically screened by using affinity capture methodologies followed by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing procedures. However, the performance of individual steps in the selection procedures has been scarcely investigated, so far. Herein, the quantitative analysis of selection experiments, by using three ligands with different affinity to carbonic anhydrase IX as model compounds, is described. In the first set of experiments, quantitative PCR (qPCR) procedures are used to evaluate the recovery and selectivity for affinity capture procedures performed on different solid‐phase supports, which are commonly used for library screening. In the second step, both qPCR and analysis of DNA sequencing results are used to assess the recovery and selectivity of individual carbonic anhydrase IX ligands in a library, containing 360 000 compounds. Collectively, this study reveals that selection procedures can be efficient for ligands with sub‐micromolar dissociation constants to the target protein of interest, but also that selection performance dramatically drops if 104 copies per library member are used as the input.
MicroRNA‐1204 promotes cell proliferation by regulating PITX1 in non‐small‐cell lung cancer
Authors: Jiang Wei , He Yaozhou , Shi Yijun , Guo Zizhang , Yang Shikun , Wei Ke , Pan Chunfeng , Xia Yang , Chen Yijiang
Published: December 2018

MicroRNA‐1204 (miR‐1204), a member of the PVT1 region, may improve B cell differentiation and metastasis in breast cancer. However, the role of miR‐1204 in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its mechanism remain unclear. The GEO public database was first employed to find differentially expressed genes. The expression level of miR‐1204 in patient tissues and NSCLC cell lines was determined using qRT‐PCR. Cell proliferation assays were performed to investigate the impact of miR‐1204 on cell growth. Bioinformatics analysis and dual‐luciferase reporter assays were conducted to find potential target genes. Finally, we performed in vivo experiments to identify the effect of miR‐1204 on tumor formation in nude mice. It was first found that miR‐1204 was overexpressed in NSCLC tissues and cells. miR‐1204 increased the proliferation of NSCLC cells and reduced cell cycle arrest in vitro. PITX1 (paired like homeodomain 1) was found as a potential target gene. In addition, PITX1 was also found to be low in expression in NSCLC tissues and cells. To show that PITX1 reversed the function of miR‐1204 in promoting proliferation, confirmatory experiments were performed. Moreover, high miR‐1204 and low PITX1 expression was highly correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and the TNM stage in patients diagnosed with NSCLC. Our results suggested that upregulated miR‐1204 in NSCLC is associated with NSCLC progression and promotes NSCLC cell proliferation by downregulating PITX1. miR‐1204 may act as a poor prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.
An alternative treatment strategy for large vessel coronary perforations
Authors: Xenogiannis Iosif , Tajti Peter , Nicholas Burke M. , Brilakis Emmanouil S.
Published: December 2018

The standard treatment for large vessel coronary perforations is implantation of a covered stent. Antegrade attempts for crossing a right coronary artery chronic total occlusion resulted in guidewire and microcatheter exit with pericardial bleeding. A balloon was inflated proximal to the perforation site to achieve temporary hemostasis. Retrograde crossing of the chronic total occlusion was achieved through an epicardial collateral using the reverse controlled antegrade and retrograde tracking technique. Stent implantation resulted in hemostasis, likely due to creation of a subintimal flap that sealed the perforation site. If technically feasible, subintimal recanalization can be an alternative treatment strategy for coronary perforations occurring during chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.
Operando Evaluation of Selectivity and Transference Number of Lithium‐Conductive Membranes
Authors: Meddings Nina , Owen John R. , Garcia‐Araez Nuria
Published: December 2018

Lithium‐selective membranes are important to prevent undesirable effects of electrode cross‐talk in Li−S and Li−O2 cells, such as crossover of redox species from the cathode to the anode. This work reports a novel approach to evaluate their selectivity in operando, under practically relevant conditions, including application of a current through the membrane. The method is illustrated with a lithiated Nafion membrane, immersed in 1 molal LiTFSI in diglyme containing 0.1 molal LiI as a model crossover species, and an accurate evaluation of the transference number of crossover species is reported
). It is also shown that the standard ex‐situ methods for evaluating membrane selectivity, as applied without a current passing through the membrane, provide a considerable overestimation of the capability of the membrane to block crossover species.
Scalable Synthesis of an Artificial Polydopamine Solid‐Electrolyte‐Interface‐Assisted 3D rGO/Fe3O4@PDA Hydrogel for a Highly Stable Anode with Enhanced Lithium‐Ion‐Storage Properties
Authors: Xiao Zhi‐Chao , Li Yan , Liang Cheng‐Lu , Bao Rui‐Ying , Yang Ming‐Bo , Yang Wei
Published: December 2018

Magnetite (Fe3O4) has drawn great attention in the field of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to its promising high theoretical capacity and abundance in nature. However, rapid capacity fading, low charge/discharge rate and low capacity exceedingly limit the application of bare Fe3O4 anode. Here, we report a facile and scalable method to construct multilayered reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/Fe3O4@polydopamine (PDA) hydrogel (rGO/Fe3O4@PDA hydrogel) for the anodes of LIBs. During the lithiation/delithiation processes, PDA and rGO can effectively inhibit the volume change and avoid structural pulverization. rGO backbone also provides sufficient electrical conductivity and a high specific surface area. The PDA layer suppresses the repetitive growth and thickening of solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI), playing a role of artificial SEI. As a result, high capacity and superior cycle stability (1358 mAh g−1 after 300 cycle at 1 A g−1) as well as satisfying rate performance (around 600 mAh g−1 at 3 C), fast charge/discharge rate (712 mAh g−1 after 2000 cycles at 3 A g−1), high columbic efficiency and stable reverse reaction are achieved. Interestingly, capacity growth can be observed in the multilayered rGO/Fe3O4@PDA anode owing to the gradual activation of tight encapsulation by rGO sheets. This design concept and structural construction strategy are hopeful be extended to other systems for the next‐generation advanced LIBs.
Correspondence between colour and odour for women in pre‐menopause and post‐menopause
Authors: Iriguchi Mayuko , Koda Hiroki , Masataka Nobuo
Published: December 2018

Cross‐modal correspondences in the human sensory systems often appear for different levels of sensory inputs, such as colour and odour. However, whether there is hormonal modification of such colour‐odour correspondence has remained unclear. Here, we experimentally investigated the influence of hormonal changes in menopausal women by conducting evaluations of colour and odour impressions, matching tasks between colour and odour, and odor identification tasks, comparing two groups of women: premenopausal and postmenopausal. The results showed that both premenopausal and postmenopausal women had similar impressions and images of colours for odors, while postmenopausal women had significantly lower abilities of odor identification than premenopausal women. This suggested that the degree of conviction about an odor's identification might slightly affect the subjects’ impressions of odors and their corresponding colour choices. Menopause might not directly affect cognitive aspects regarding colour or odor, but might instead affect their perceptions.
Exercise Training in Cancer Control and Treatment
Authors: Christensen Jesper Frank , Simonsen Casper , Hojman Pernille
Published: December 2018

Exercise training is playing an increasing role in cancer care, as accumulating evidence demonstrates that exercise may prevent cancer, control disease progression, interact with anti‐cancer therapies, and improve physical functioning and psychosocial outcomes. In this overview article, we present the current state of the field of exercise oncology, which currently comprises of nearly 700 unique exercise intervention trials with more than 50,000 cancer patients. First, we summarize the range of these interventions with regard to diagnoses, clinical setting, timing, and type of intervention. Next, we provide a detailed discussion of the 292 trials, which have delivered structured exercise programs, outlining the impact of exercise training on cancer‐specific, physiological, and psychosocial outcomes in the light of the challenges and physiological limitations cancer patients may experience. In summary, the safety and feasibility of exercise training is firmly established across the cancer continuum, and a wide range of beneficial effects on psychosocial and physiological outcomes are well documented. Many of these beneficial effects are linked to the general health‐promoting properties of exercise. However, it is becoming increasing evident that exercise training can have direct effects on cancer and its treatment. This calls for future exercise oncology initiatives, which aim to target cancer‐specific outcomes, and which are integrated into the concurrent cancer trajectory. Here, the field must bridge extensive knowledge of integrative exercise physiology with clinical oncology and cancer biology to provide a basis of individualized targeted approaches, which may place exercise training as an integrated component of standard cancer care. © 2019 American Physiological Society.Compr Physiol9:165‐205, 2019.
Impact of Genetic Variation on Pravastatin Systemic Exposure in Pediatric Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Wagner Jonathan B. , Abdel‐Rahman Susan , Gaedigk Roger , Gaedigk Andrea , Raghuveer Geetha , Staggs Vincent S. , Kauffman Ralph , Van Haandel Leon , Leeder J. Steven
Published: December 2018

This study investigated the impact of SLCO1B1 genotype on pravastatin systemic exposure in children and adolescents with hypercholesterolemia. Participants (8–20 years) with at least one allelic variant of SLCO1B1 c.521T>C (521TC, n = 15; 521CC, n = 2) and wild‐type controls (521TT, n = 15) completed a single oral dose pharmacokinetic study. Interindividual variability of pravastatin acid (PVA) exposure within SLCO1B1 genotype groups exceeded the approximately twofold difference in mean PVA exposure observed between SLCO1B1 genotype groups (P > 0.05, q > 0.10). The 3′α‐iso‐pravastatin acid and lactone isomer formation in the acidic environment of the stomach prior to absorption also was variable and affected PVA exposure in all genotype groups. The SLCO1B1 c.521 gene variant contributing to variability in systemic exposure to PVA in our pediatric cohort was comparable to previous studies in adults. However, other demographic and physicochemical factors seem to also contribute to interindividual variability in the dose–exposure relationship.
Table‐based PWM for all‐digital RF transmitters
Authors: Morales Juan Ignacio , Chierchie Fernando , Mandolesi Pablo Sergio , Paolini Eduardo Emilio
Published: December 2018

In this paper, a novel pulse‐width modulator (PWM) for an all‐digital PWM transmitter based on switching amplification is presented. In this approach, each symbol is represented by a sequence of pre‐computed PWM pulse widths stored in a table that results in reduced error vector magnitude (EVM). A high‐resolution pulse former is then used to build the bipolar radio frequency (RF) signal. Simulations and comparisons to other approaches reported in the literature under different oversampling ratios and finite time resolutions are presented. The impact of nonlinearities in the variable duty‐cycle generator is also analyzed to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed technique.
A prediction‐based and power‐aware virtual machine allocation algorithm in three‐tier cloud data centers
Authors: Tarahomi Mehran , Izadi Mohammad
Published: December 2018

With the increasing popularity of cloud computing services, the more number of cloud data centers are constructed over the globe. This makes the power consumption of cloud data center elements as a big challenge. Hereby, several software and hardware approaches have been proposed to handle this issue. However, this problem has not been optimally solved yet. In this paper, we propose an online cloud resource management with live migration of virtual machines (VMs) to reduce power consumption. To do so, a prediction‐based and power‐aware virtual machine allocation algorithm is proposed. Also, we present a three‐tier framework for energy‐efficient resource management in cloud data centers. Experimental results indicate that the proposed solution reduces the power consumption; at the same time, service‐level agreement violation (SLAV) is also improved.
Performance analysis of IEEE 802.11ah wireless local area network under the restricted access window‐based mechanism
Authors: U. Sangeetha , A. V. Babu
Published: December 2018

IEEE 802.11ah is an approved amendment to IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) standard to support growing demand for machine‐to‐machine (M2M) applications. To enable an efficient scheme for accessing the channel by a large number of stations (STAs) within the coverage of an access point, 802.11ah has developed a novel mechanism known as Restrictred Access Window (RAW). Here, a group of STAs attempts channel access during their designated RAW slot by following the carrier sense multiple access‐collission avoidance (CSMA‐CA)‐based enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism. In this paper, we develop an analytical model for finding the nonsaturation/saturation throughput of 802.11ah WLAN under the RAW‐based channel access mechanism. We describe an analytical model for finding the average frame delay as well. The impact of the number of STAs and number of groups on network throughput and average delay are presented. We establish that the RAW mechanism can improve the throughput while the average frame delay gets reduced. The analytical results are validated by extensive simulation studies.
The sensitivity of the forest carbon budget shifts across processes along with stand development and climate change
Authors: Collalti Alessio , Thornton Peter E. , Cescatti Alessandro , Rita Angelo , Borghetti Marco , Nolè Angelo , Trotta Carlo , Ciais Philippe , Matteucci Giorgio
Published: December 2018

The future trajectory of atmospheric CO2 concentration depends on the development of the terrestrial carbon sink, which in turn is influenced by forest dynamics under changing environmental conditions. An in‐depth understanding of model sensitivities and uncertainties in non‐steady‐state conditions is necessary for reliable and robust projections of forest development and under scenarios of global warming and CO2 enrichment. Here, we systematically assessed if a biogeochemical process‐based model (3D‐CMCC‐CNR), which embeds similarities with many other vegetation models, applied in simulating net primary productivity (NPP) and standing woody biomass (SWB), maintained a consistent sensitivity to its 55 input parameters through time, during forest ageing and structuring as well as under climate change scenarios. Overall, the model applied at three contrasting European forests showed low sensitivity to the majority of its parameters. Interestingly, model sensitivity to parameters varied through the course of >100 yr of simulations. In particular, the model showed a large responsiveness to the allometric parameters used for initialize forest carbon and nitrogen pools early in forest simulation (i.e., for NPP up to ~37%, 256 g C·m−2·yr−1 and for SWB up to ~90%, 65 Mg C/ha, when compared to standard simulation), with this sensitivity decreasing sharply during forest development. At medium to longer time scales, and under climate change scenarios, the model became increasingly more sensitive to additional and/or different parameters controlling biomass accumulation and autotrophic respiration (i.e., for NPP up to ~30%, 167 g C·m−2·yr−1 and for SWB up to ~24%, 64 Mg C/ha, when compared to standard simulation). Interestingly, model outputs were shown to be more sensitive to parameters and processes controlling stand development rather than to climate change (i.e., warming and changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration) itself although model sensitivities were generally higher under climate change scenarios. Our results suggest the need for sensitivity and uncertainty analyses that cover multiple temporal scales along forest developmental stages to better assess the potential of future forests to act as a global terrestrial carbon sink.