bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanodiamond Integration with Photonic Devices
Authors: Radulaski Marina , Zhang Jingyuan Linda , Tzeng Yan‐Kai , Lagoudakis Konstantinos G. , Ishiwata Hitoshi , Dory Constantin , Fischer Kevin A. , Kelaita Yousif A. , Sun Shuo , Maurer Peter C. , Alassaad Kassem , Ferro Gabriel , Shen Zhi‐Xun , Melosh Nicholas A. , Chu Steven , Vučković Jelena
Published: July 2019

The progress in integration of nanodiamond with photonic devices is analyzed in the light of quantum optical applications. Nanodiamonds host a variety of optically active defects, called color centers, which provide rich ground for photonic engineering. Theoretical introduction describing light and matter interaction between optical modes and a quantum emitter is presented, including the role of the Debye–Waller factor typical of color center emission. The synthesis of diamond nanoparticles is discussed in an overview of methods leading to experimentally realized hybrid platforms of nanodiamond with gallium phosphide, silicon dioxide, and silicon carbide. The trade‐offs in the substrate index of refraction values are reviewed in the context of the achieved strength of light and matter interaction. Thereby, the recent results on the growth of color center‐rich nanodiamond on prefabricated silicon carbide microdisk resonators are presented. These hybrid devices achieve up to fivefold enhancement of the diamond color‐center light emission and can be employed in integrated quantum photonics.
Managerial delegation games and corporate social responsibility
Authors: Fanti Luciano , Buccella Domenico
Published: July 2019

In a duopoly in which firms universally engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, this paper shows that, in contrast to the main tenet of the received managerial delegation literature, if the CSR sensitivity is sufficiently high: (a) when both firms delegate output decisions to managers, at the equilibrium profit (resp. consumer welfare) is higher (resp. lower) than when firms are pure CSR; (b) in a managerial delegation game, asymmetric multiple subgame perfect Nash equilibria emerge in which one firm delegates and the rival does not. These results hold under both the “sales delegation” and “relative profits” manager's bonus schemes.
Toll‐like receptor 4 polymorphisms in Saudi population with cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Semlali Abdelhabib , Al Mutairi Mikhlid , Oqla Alanazi Ibrahim , Awad Aljohi Hasan , Reddy Parine Narasimha , Alhadheq Abdullah , Al‐Jafari Abdulaziz A. , Mobeirek Abdulelah F. , Al Amri Abdullah , Shaik Jilani P. , Filali Fatima‐zohra , Alanazi Mohammad
Published: July 2019

Background

Toll‐like receptors play a substantial role in innate immunity and the effects of TLR4 genetic variants on cardiovascular diseases are still largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of TLR4 polymorphisms on cardiovascular diseases risk in the Saudi population.

Methods

Three tag single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2770150, rs10759931, and rs4986790) in TLR4 were studied on 222 unrelated patients with cardiovascular diseases and 190 healthy volunteers.

Results

We found that, in patients over 60 years old, the frequency of the TT genotype in rs2770150 and the variant allele G in rs10759931 were higher compared to the control group. Based on gender, the genotype frequency of rs2770150 increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases in female patients by 3.6‐fold. The allele frequency for the G allele of rs10759931 increased the risk for CVDs in male patients by more than 1.5‐fold. Furthermore, the genotype frequency of rs2770150 had a significant association with cardiovascular diseases in patients without hypertension and G allele of rs10759931 significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases in patients that smoked. After Bonferroni correction only patients without hypertension showed significant risk of CVD with rs2770150.

Conclusion

A deeper understanding of the genetic variability of TLR4 will enable us to better identification of biomarkers for early detection and prognosis, and also enhance the decision‐making process of treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
Long noncoding RNA HOTTIP is associated with male infertility and promotes testicular embryonal carcinoma cell proliferation
Authors: Su Yang , Zhou Ling‐Ling , Zhang Yu‐Qing , Ni Liang‐Yu
Published: July 2019

Background

It has been proposed that lncRNAs, widely transcribed from genomes, play pivotal regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes, but their function in regulating spermatogenesis in human males is rarely reported.

Methods

QRT‐PCR was adopted to detect HOTTIP expression level in testicular tissues from hypospermatogenesis (Hypo) patients or controls. The proliferation levels of NT2 and 293T were measured via CCK‐8 and EdU detection. Meanwhile, luciferase reporter gene assay and bioinformatics analysis were carried out to identify a target of HOTTIP. Additionally, the underlying mechanism of HOTTIP’s function was investigated using western blotting and RIP analysis.

Results

The research results manifested that the expression of HOTTIP in testicular tissues from Hypo patients was prominently reduced in comparison with that in control testicular tissues. Interestingly, it was noted that HOTTIP exhibited a high expression in testicular embryonal carcinoma cell line NT2 compared with that in normal control cell line 293T. It was denoted in cell function evaluation that cell proliferation was impeded by downregulated HOTTIP but evidently stimulated by overexpressed HOTTIP. Moreover, HOTTIP was capable of positively modulating HOXA13 expression via the competitive binding to miR‐128‐3p.

Conclusion

Therefore, HOTTIP acting as ceRNAs to promote testicular embryonal carcinoma cell proliferation.
Company seeks to share approaches in precision medicine for illnesses
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: July 2019

Indiana University Professor of Psychiatry Alexander Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D., describes his research work over the past 15 years as “a diligent effort to bring psychiatry on par with other medical specialties.” In identifying biomarkers that could inform objective diagnosis and treatment of major mental health conditions, Niculescu hopes to see his work move the mental health field toward a precision medicine approach that has already permeated other health care disciplines (cancer care being among the most prominent).
Impact of skeletal muscle mass volume on surgical site infection in free flap reconstruction for oral cancer
Authors: Makiguchi Takaya , Yamaguchi Takahiro , Nakamura Hideharu , Suzuki Keisuke , Harimoto Norifumi , Shirabe Ken , Yokoo Satoshi
Published: July 2019

Background

Sarcopenia is a disease in which skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and function are progressively lost. Here, we investigate surgical site infection (SSI) as a function of SMM in patients who underwent free flap reconstruction for a defect caused by oral cancer resection.

Methods

A nonrandomized, retrospective group of 122 patients treated with free flap reconstruction after oral cancer resection was enrolled in the study. All subjects also underwent preoperative abdominal‐lumbar computed tomography (CT). Cross‐sectional areas (cm2) of skeletal muscles in the L3 region were measured by manual outline on CT images. The obtained areas were normalized for height (cm2/m2), and the resulting value is referred to as the skeletal muscle index (SMI).

Results

Recipient site SSI occurred in 30 patients (24.6%). Underweight status (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5 kg/m2), anemia and lower SMI were significantly related to recipient site SSI in univariate analysis (p < . 05). In multiple logistic regression analysis, lower SMI was an independent significant risk factor for recipient site SSI (p = .015, adjusted odds ratio = 1.41 per 5 cm2/m2 decrease).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a decrease in SMM might have more impact than a decrease in BMI on SSI in free flap reconstruction after resection of oral cancer.
Modeling of Anionic Polymerization of Isoprene in an Industrial Reactor
Authors: Rodriguez‐Guadarrama Luis
Published: July 2019

One of the most important reasons for modeling polymerization processes is to provide a tool for estimating the risks of runaway reactions in polymer industry. This is especially important for batch processes, such as anionic polymerization of isoprene or butadiene. This work presents a theoretical and experimental research of the anionic polymerization of isoprene using cyclohexane as solvent and n‐butyllithium as initiator. In the first part, a phenomenological kinetic expression is obtained that describes the anionic polymerization of isoprene initiated by n‐butyllithium in cyclohexane. In the second, the mass and energy balance equations are solved to model the anionic polymerization of isoprene in a quasi‐adiabatic batch reactor. Adjustment of reactor parameters is made using the data obtained from a laboratory reactor. The proposed model predicts adequately the obtained temperature, pressure, and conversion profiles from this set of experiments. Finally, a mathematical model is developed to predict the behavior for the anionic polymerization of isoprene in an industrial reactor.
Examining the influence of organizational characteristics on nonprofit commercialization
Authors: Suykens Ben , De Rynck Filip , Verschuere Bram
Published: July 2019

A growing body of literature discusses the (dis)advantages of nonprofit organizations becoming commercial by engaging in the sale of organizational services and products. However, when explaining this phenomenon, scholars tend to focus on resource uncertainty, thereby disregarding the organizational ability to commercialize. Complementing resource dependency theory with insights from contingency theory, this study presents arguments drawn from a comparative case study of six sociocultural nonprofits in Belgium. We find that, when resource uncertainty is similar, organizational differences in terms of commercial income can be explained by differences in (a) organizational origins, (b) professional capacity, and (c) types of tasks. We conclude that organizational characteristics can either enable or disable the ability of nonprofits to commercialize and consequently their ability to self‐sustain in an increasing challenging resource environment.
Effect of Overweight and Obesity on High Blood Pressure in Chinese Children and Adolescents
Authors: Dong Yanhui , Jan Catherine , Zou Zhiyong , Dong Bin , Wang Zhenghe , Yang Zhaogeng , Li Yanhui , Wen Bo , Ma Yinghua , Song Yi , Ma Jun , Sawyer Susan M. , Patton George C.
Published: July 2019

Objective

This study aimed to compare the secular trends of high blood pressure (HBP) and the effects of overweight and obesity on HBP between Chinese ethnic minority and Han children and adolescents .

Methods

Data were collected from 224,151 Chinese ethnic minority and 664,094 Han children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 years during three successive, national cross‐sectional surveys (2005, 2010, and 2014). Logistic regression and population‐attributable risk analyses were used to evaluate the association between HBP and overweight and obesity.

Results

HBP prevalence in ethnic minorities increased from 4.8% in 2005 to 6.3% in 2014, which was significantly higher than the variable HBP trends (4.1% to 5.5%) in Han children and adolescents. Both ethnic minority and Han children and adolescents experienced a rapid increase in overweight and obesity, but the pace of growth for HBP, overweight, and obesity was faster in ethnic minorities than in their Han peers. Moreover, the effects of obesity on HBP in ethnic minorities showed a sustained increase over time but were stable for the Han.

Conclusions

Higher HBP prevalence, faster obesity increases, and a stronger impact of obesity on HBP in children and adolescents of Chinese ethnic minorities predict their looming burden of HBP, which suggests that attention to the cardiovascular disease risks in children and adolescents from ethnic minorities is indicated to reduce their future adult risk.
Comparative studies of polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal films via a thiol‐ene click reaction
Authors: Zhong Tingjun , Mandle Richard J. , Goodby John W. , Zhang Lanying , Zhang Cuihong
Published: July 2019

In this work, the thiol‐ene click reaction is employed to fabricate polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films by photoinitiated polymerization. The PDLC films are prepared by systematic variation of key conditions: variety and content of ‐ene monomer, liquid crystal (LC) content, curing time, and curing light intensity. We find that both the morphologies and electro‐optic properties of these films are adjustable. When increasing the length of alkyl main chain of ‐ene monomers, the driving voltages reduce, but in turn, the contrast ratio decreases. Increasing ‐ene monomer content raises the driving voltages as well as the response time, and the increase of LC content lowers the driving voltages but has a negative effect on the contrast ratio. The changes to the curing conditions (both curing time and UV light intensity) can be used to modify the driving voltages, response time, and contrast ratios of PDLC films. These comparative studies will elucidate new insights in commercial applications of intelligent PDLC films.
Dereplication of podophyllotoxin and related cytotoxic lignans in Hyptis verticillata by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Fragoso‐Serrano Mabel , Pereda‐Miranda Rogelio
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Hyptis verticillata Jacq. (Lamiaceae) is a Mexican medicinal plant for the treatment of skin infections and illness affecting the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems.

Objective

To associate the efficient resolution provided by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography combined to the accuracy of a hybrid Fourier‐transform (FT) mass spectrometer in order to dereplicate podophyllotoxin‐type lignans in a plant extract.

Methods

An ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐photodiode array‐high resolution electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐PDA‐HRESI‐MS/MS) method was applied in an Orbitrap hybrid FT spectrometer for dereplication of podophyllotoxin and related cytotoxic lignans in wild bushmint. This procedure included high‐resolution mass values for positively charged ions [M + H]+ and [M + NH4]+, MS/MS data, and comparison of UV maxima and retention times with pure compounds.

Results

Podophyllotoxin in addition to seven aryltetralins, four arylnaphthalenes, and one dibenzylbutyrolactone were dereplicated from the methanol extract in a short‐time analysis (5 min). 4′‐O‐Demethyl‐dehydro‐deoxypodophyllotoxin was identified as a new natural product.

Conclusion

The applied UHPLC‐MS/MS dereplication method is suitable for a rapid analysis of podophyllotoxin‐type lignans and the resulting chemical fingerprinting could be valuable in quality control of herbal drugs and their phytopharmaceuticals.
Fetal phenotypes emerge as genetic technologies become robust
Authors: Gray Kathryn J. , Wilkins‐Haug Louise E. , Herrig Nancy J. , Vora Neeta L.
Published: July 2019

Prenatal genomic evaluation of the fetus is available at decreasing cost and with a faster turnaround time. However, fetal genotype‐phenotype correlations are in their infancy. By comparison, pediatric and adult genotype‐phenotype databases are well established and publicly accessible. A similar system for fetal genomics is lacking. When a fetal anomaly is identified by ultrasound imaging, a genetic diagnosis provides important information. However, fetal prognostic counseling is problematic if the only available information is based on outcomes following postnatal diagnoses. The same conditions identified prenatally may have more benign or more deleterious outcomes. Also, the condition may evolve over the pregnancy itself. As genomic testing increasingly examines fetal DNA at a single nucleotide level, the concomitant in utero phenotype deserves equal attention. Often, the reports of fetal phenotype are limited. Among sonologists, an increased awareness of attaining and communicating detailed fetal phenotypes is needed. The interpretation of expanded prenatal sequencing is reliant on deeper fetal phenotyping. The information gained significantly impacts clinical care and understanding of fetal development. This case series highlights: the broad spectrum of fetal phenotypes for known genetic conditions, phenotype progression during pregnancy, and the need to supplement systematic imaging with descriptive details when assessing fetuses with malformations.
MS2‐Deisotoper: A Tool for Deisotoping High‐Resolution MS/MS Spectra in Normal and Heavy Isotope‐Labelled Samples
Authors: Tay Aidan P. , Liang Angelita , Hamey Joshua J. , Hart‐Smith Gene , Wilkins Marc R.
Published: July 2019

High‐resolution MS/MS spectra of peptides can be deisotoped to identify monoisotopic masses of peptide fragments. The use of such masses should improve protein identification rates. However, deisotoping is not universally used and its benefits have not been fully explored. Here, MS2‐Deisotoper, a tool for use prior to database search, is used to identify monoisotopic peaks in centroided MS/MS spectra. MS2‐Deisotoper works by comparing the mass and relative intensity of each peptide fragment peak to every other peak of greater mass, and by applying a set of rules concerning mass and intensity differences. After comprehensive parameter optimization, it is shown that MS2‐Deisotoper can improve the number of peptide spectrum matches (PSMs) identified by up to 8.2% and proteins by up to 2.8%. It is effective with SILAC and non‐SILAC MS/MS data. The identification of unique peptide sequences is also improved, increasing the number of human proteoforms by 3.7%. Detailed investigation of results shows that deisotoping increases Mascot ion scores, improves FDR estimation for PSMs, and leads to greater protein sequence coverage. At a peptide level, it is found that the efficacy of deisotoping is affected by peptide mass and charge. MS2‐Deisotoper can be used via a user interface or as a command‐line tool.
Synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” grafting
Authors: Gauthier Mario , Aridi Toufic
Published: July 2019

A method was developed for the synthesis of arborescent polystyrene by “click” coupling. Acetylene functionalities were introduced on linear polystyrene (Mn = 5300 g/mol, Mw/Mn = 1.05) by acetylation and reaction with potassium hydroxide, 18‐crown‐6 and propargyl bromide in toluene. Polymerization of styrene with 6‐tert‐butyldimethylsiloxyhexyllithium yielded polystyrene (Mn = 5200 g/mol, Mw/Mn = 1.09) with a protected hydroxyl chain end. Deprotection, followed by conversions to tosyl and azide functionalities, provided the side chain material. Coupling with CuBr and N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine proceeded in up to 94% yield. Repetition of the grafting cycles led to well‐defined (Mw/Mn ≤ 1.1) polymers of generations G1 and G2 in 84% and 60% yield, respectively, with Mn and branching functionalities reaching 2.8 × 106 g/mol and 460, respectively, for the G2 polymer. Coupling longer (Mn = 45,000 g/mol) side chains with acetylene‐functionalized substrates was also examined. For a linear substrate, a G0 polymer with Mn = 4.6 × 105 g/mol and Mw/Mn = 1.10 was obtained in 87% yield; coupling with the G0 (Mn = 52,000 g/mol) substrate produced a G1 polymer (Mn = 1.4×106 g/mol, Mw/Mn = 1.38) in 28% yield. The complementary approach using azide‐functionalized substrates and acetylene‐terminated side chains was also investigated, but proceeded in lower yield. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1730–1740
Synthesis of thioether‐functional poly(olefin)s via ruthenium‐alkylidene initiated ring‐opening metathesis polymerization
Authors: Gandra Upendar Reddy , Podiyanachari Santhosh Kumar , Hlil Antsar R. , Kulai Ihor , Al‐Meer Saeed , Al‐Hashimi Mohammed , Bazzi Hassan S.
Published: July 2019

Ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of thioether‐derived oxanorbornene imide (M1) and its copolymerization with various cycloolefin comonomers such as cyclopentene (M2), cyclopent‐3‐en‐1‐ol (M3), cycloheptene (M4), and cyclooctene (M5) using Hoveyda–Grubbs second generation catalyst has been investigated. Polymerizations were performed at two different temperatures (0 and 25 °C) and the obtained functional poly(olefin)s were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance 1H and 13C (NMR), and infrared spectroscopy as well as size exclusion chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis analyses. Additionally, the dependence of the polymer composition on the reaction temperature and monomer feed was studied with time‐dependent 1H NMR experiments. Copolymerization of M1 with a five‐membered cycloolefin monomer M2 showed relatively low ROMP reactivity irrespective of the reaction conditions in comparison to M3, M4, and M5 monomers. In general, the degree of monomer incorporation into poly(olefin)s were determined in the order of M5 > M3 > M4 > M2, and that sheds light on the effect of cycloolefin ring strain energies in the ruthenium‐alkylidene initiated ROMP. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1741–1747
Targeting dyslipidaemia to prevent cardiovascular disease
Authors: Viljoen Adie , Fuat Ahmet , Takhar Amrit , Williams Simon , Capps Nigel
Published: July 2019

Dyslipidaemia is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and its identification and treatment is important for both primary and secondary prevention. This article discusses how to screen for dyslipidaemia and optimise lipid‐lowering therapy to improve cardiovascular outcomes.
Spatial pattern and determinants of migrant workers' interprovincial hukou transfer intention in China: Evidence from a National Migrant Population Dynamic Monitoring Survey in 2016
Authors: Gu Hengyu , Liu Ziliang , Shen Tiyan
Published: July 2019

Using 2016 data from the National Migrant Population Dynamic Monitoring, this article establishes a relationship network to describe migrant workers' interprovincial hukou transfer intention in China. Spatial analysis methods and the eigenvector spatial filtering gravity model are employed to examine the spatial pattern and determinants of the hukou transfer intention network. The results show that (a) most interprovincial migrant workers in China are less educated, middle aged, with middle‐ or low‐income levels, and job oriented, and their average interprovincial hukou transfer intention is 0.361; (b) there is significant network autocorrelation in the intention network, which presents a clustered and unbalanced spatial pattern where higher ranking intention flows from relatively less developed regions to more developed megacities; (c) provinces' hukou attractiveness to migrant workers demonstrates a random spatial pattern, but the hukou exclusion patterns are spatially concentrated: The north‐east provinces are hotspots, whereas several central and north‐east provinces are cold spots; (d) among geographical factors, distance exerts a negative influence on migrant workers' hukou transfer intention, whereas population size does not matter at origin or destination. Socio‐economic factors, especially disposable income, play the most significant role in impacting migrant workers' hukou transfer intention; and (e) as for individual factors, migrant workers' interprovincial migration is an economic decision based on family development: Those with more children, higher ratios of income to cost, or higher education levels are reluctant to transfer their hukous. Besides, the job and housing conditions of migrant workers are also closely related to their hukou transfer intentions.
Effective Visual Communication for the Quantitative Scientist
Authors: Vandemeulebroecke Marc , Baillie Mark , Margolskee Alison , Magnusson Baldur
Published: July 2019

Effective visual communication is a core competency for pharmacometricians, statisticians, and, more generally, any quantitative scientist. It is essential in every step of a quantitative workflow, from scoping to execution and communicating results and conclusions. With this competency, we can better understand data and influence decisions toward appropriate actions. Without it, we can fool ourselves and others and pave the way to wrong conclusions and actions. The goal of this tutorial is to convey this competency. We posit three laws of effective visual communication for the quantitative scientist: have a clear purpose, show the data clearly, and make the message obvious. A concise “Cheat Sheet,” available on https://graphicsprinciples.github.io, distills more granular recommendations for everyday practical use. Finally, these laws and recommendations are illustrated in four case studies.
Characterization of aporphine alkaloids by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations
Authors: Carnevale Neto Fausto , Andréo Márcio Adriano , Raftery Daniel , Lopes João Luis Callegari , Lopes Norberto Peporine , Castro‐Gamboa Ian , Lameiro de Noronha Sales Maia Beatriz Helena , Costa Emmanoel Vilaça , Vessecchi Ricardo
Published: July 2019

Rationale

Aporphine alkaloids represent a large group of isoquinoline natural products with important roles in biological and biomedical areas. Their characterization by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS/MS) can contribute to their rapid identification in complex biological matrices.

Methods

We report the fragmentation of protonated 7,7‐dimethylaporphine alkaloids by ESI‐MS/MS, and the putative annotation of aporphine alkaloids in plant extracts. We used low‐ and high‐resolution MS/MS analyses to rationalize the fragmentation pathways, and employed the B3LYP/6‐31 + G(d,p) density functional theory (DFT) model to provide thermochemical parameters and to obtain the reactive sites.

Results

DFT calculations of a set of 7,7‐dimethylaporphine alkaloids suggested the heterocyclic amino group as the most basic site due to the proton affinity of the nitrogen atom. Collision‐induced dissociation experiments promoted •OCH3 elimination instead of the expected neutral loss of the heterocyclic amino group, pointing to the [M − 15 + H]•+ ion as the diagnostic fragment for 7,7‐dimethylaporphine alkaloids. The analysis of plant extracts led to the annotation of 25 aporphine alkaloids. Their fragmentation initiated with the loss of the amino group followed by formation of a cyclic carbocation. Further reactions derived from consecutive charge‐remote and/or charge‐induced fragmentations of the substituents attached to the aromatic system. The mechanisms were re‐examined based on plausible gas‐phase ion chemistry reactions.

Conclusions

Taken together, the diagnostic product ions and the series of radical and neutral eliminations provided information about the location of methylenedioxy, aromatic methoxy, and vicinal methoxy and hydroxy groups in aporphine alkaloids, assisting their characterization via MS/MS.
Context and Implications Document for: Thinking about the nature of educational research: going beyond superficial theoretical scripts
Authors: Norwich Brahm
Published: July 2019

This guide accompanies the following article: Norwich, B. Thinking about the nature of educational research: Going beyond superficial theoretical scripts, Review of Education, https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3182
Remote mobile manipulation with the centauro robot: Full‐body telepresence and autonomous operator assistance
Authors: Klamt Tobias , Schwarz Max , Lenz Christian , Baccelliere Lorenzo , Buongiorno Domenico , Cichon Torben , DiGuardo Antonio , Droeschel David , Gabardi Massimiliano , Kamedula Malgorzata , Kashiri Navvab , Laurenzi Arturo , Leonardis Daniele , Muratore Luca , Pavlichenko Dmytro , Periyasamy Arul S. , Rodriguez Diego , Solazzi Massimiliano , Frisoli Antonio , Gustmann Michael , Roßmann Jürgen , Süss Uwe , Tsagarakis Nikos G. , Behnke Sven
Published: July 2019

Solving mobile manipulation tasks in inaccessible and dangerous environments is an important application of robots to support humans. Example domains are construction and maintenance of manned and unmanned stations on the moon and other planets. Suitable platforms require flexible and robust hardware, a locomotion approach that allows for navigating a wide variety of terrains, dexterous manipulation capabilities, and respective user interfaces. We present the CENTAURO system which has been designed for these requirements and consists of the Centauro robot and a set of advanced operator interfaces with complementary strength enabling the system to solve a wide range of realistic mobile manipulation tasks. The robot possesses a centaur‐like body plan and is driven by torque‐controlled compliant actuators. Four articulated legs ending in steerable wheels allow for omnidirectional driving as well as for making steps. An anthropomorphic upper body with two arms ending in five‐finger hands enables human‐like manipulation. The robot perceives its environment through a suite of multimodal sensors. The resulting platform complexity goes beyond the complexity of most known systems which puts the focus on a suitable operator interface. An operator can control the robot through a telepresence suit, which allows for flexibly solving a large variety of mobile manipulation tasks. Locomotion and manipulation functionalities on different levels of autonomy support the operation. The proposed user interfaces enable solving a wide variety of tasks without previous task‐specific training. The integrated system is evaluated in numerous teleoperated experiments that are described along with lessons learned.
Professionalizing entrepreneurial firms: Managing the challenges and outcomes of founder‐CEO succession
Authors: Kaehr Serra Caroline , Thiel Jana
Published: July 2019

Research summary

The transition from a founder‐led start‐up to a professionally managed firm entails significant change in the firm's organizational design. This transition can constitute a critical juncture for the entrepreneurial firm, and there is a risk of losing key talent. We posit that limiting the disruptive effect of changing organizational structures requires organizational members to not only adopt new roles but also embrace new behavioral norms regarding how the firm operates. We use an inductive multicase study paired with exogenous data on company morale to explore outcome variation in such transitional processes and elicit managerial strategies that can guide successful founder‐CEO succession and the accompanying organizational change of the entrepreneurial firm.

Managerial summary

Adapting the organizational structures of an entrepreneurial firm to match the needs of its expanding operations represents a critical moment in a firm's life. During this phase, the founder‐CEO is often replaced by a professional CEO. This event coupled with reorganization can be highly unsettling for the venture's workforce and can lead to turnover with negative performance implications. To minimize disruption, we studied change strategies employed by incoming professional CEOs. We find that most effective CEOs jointly use three change levers—change readiness activation, shared pathway creation, and founder legacy fairness—to help team members adapt to the new situation and align their behaviors with how mature firms operate.
A Novel Synthesis Method of La–Mg‐Ni‐based Superlattice by LaNi5 Absorbing Gas‐state Mg
Authors: Zhao Xin , Ke Dandan , Cai Ying , Hu Feng , Liu Jingjing , Zhang Lu , Han Shumin
Published: July 2019

La−Mg‐Ni based alloys are considered as future negative material for Ni‐MH batteries, while the volatilization of Mg hinders their application. Mg volatilization is considered irreversible in the preparation process. Herein, we provide a novel process to produce superlattice La−Mg‐Ni‐based alloy via alloying gas‐state Mg with LaNi5 slice. The formation of superlattice structures is verified in detail by microstructure characterization and element distribution analysis. The results indicate that there exists an equilibrium state for Mg solution in the La−Mg‐Ni alloy, and the gas‐state Mg atoms are directly absorbed by the LaNi5 alloy. With increasing the absorption time, Mg in LaNi5 slice bends to become more homogenous. It is attributed that the integration of the gas‐state Mg atoms leads to the transformation of the crystal structure of the LaNi5 cells on the slice surface into MgCu4Sn‐type phase, thus the solid LaNi5 phase turn to liquid MgCu4Sn‐type phase under the high temperature. Further, the liquid phase permeates into the inside of the LaNi5 slice along crystal boundaries which alloys with LaNi5 lattices to form Ce2Ni7‐type phase. This technology proves that the migration of metal atoms in gas state can induce a regroup phenomenon to form solid state crystal and provides a brand method for hydrogen storage materials preparation.
Preparation and Characterization of Piper Betle Linn. Leaf Extract Incorporated Chitosan Films as Potential Active Food Packaging Materials
Authors: Thuong Nguyen Thi , Ngoc Bich Hoang Thi , Thuc C. N. Ha , Quynh Bui Thi Phuong , Minh Le Van
Published: July 2019

The present paper reports on the preparation and characterization of potential edible packaging films based on the combination of chitosan and Piper betle Linn. leaf extract (PBLLE). The incorporation of PBLLE was found to improve important characteristics of the chitosan film, making it ideally suitable for active packaging applications. In particular, the blend films exhibited very strong inhibitory activities against both gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella Typhimurium. Moreover, IC50 values of the blend films were recorded at low levels (10.63‐ 22.81 μg/mL) in the PBLLE range of 1–3% v/v. Both antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the blend films increased with increasing incorporated PBLLE content (from 1 to 3% v/v) taking into account the activities of polyphenolic compounds contained in the extract. Compared to the pure chitosan film, a significantly lower swelling degree, higher resistance to water vapor permeation and desired flexibility were recorded for the films with sufficient extract content. Interestingly, no considerable difference in the thermal stability of the pure chitosan and the blend films was detected in thermal analysis. In addition, effects of PBLLE on other mechanical and optical properties of the blend films were also examined in detail.
Two New Quinoline‐Benzothiazole Blended ‘Off‐On’ Type Fluorescent Probes Exclusively Detect Cd2+
Authors: Aich Krishnendu , Das Sangita , Gharami Saswati , Patra Lakshman , Mondal Tapan Kumar
Published: July 2019

In this paper, two new quinoline‐benzothiazole based probes (QBTP1 and QBTP2) have been synthsized for the selective detection of Cd2+. Both the probes showed selective ‘Turn‐On’ emission change towards Cd2+. Structure of QBTP1 was confirmed through its single crystal X‐ray study. QBTP1 itself showed a weak emission band at 488 nm which upon addition of Cd2+ enhanced dramatically with a slight redshift to 507 nm. Consequently, weak cyan emission of QBTP1 changes to green which is easily observable through naked eyes. QBTP2 also showed almost similar fluorescence change upon addition of Cd2+ to that of QBTP1. The intramolecular charge tranfer (ICT) and chelation enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) mechanisms may play here the key role for this type of redshift of emission maximum and enhancement of fluorescence intensity respectively, upon addition of Cd2+ to the probes. Both the probes exclusively detecs Cd2+ over any other cations tested. Most importantly, not a minute interference was observed by Zn2+ or Hg2+. Capabilities of the probes to be used as portable kits for on‐site detection of Cd2+ without using any expensive instrumental help was also shown here. Furthermore, the limit of detection of both the probes were found in the order of 10−9 to 10−10 M range which indicates the high sensitivity of the probes towards Cd2+.
MOF Derived High Surface Area Enabled Porous Co3O4 Nanoparticles for Supercapacitors
Authors: Saraf Mohit , Rajak Richa , Mobin Shaikh M.
Published: July 2019

In this work, solvothermally grown ZIF‐67 MOF crystals were utilized as single source molecular precursor, which were transformed into porous Co3O4 nanoparticles through a simple calcination treatment. The crystal structure of ZIF‐67 was also authenticated by single crystal x‐ray analysis. Further, Co3O4 nanoparticles were incorporated as supercapacitor electrode. The results show that ZIF‐67 derived Co3O4 nanoparticles deliver an appreciable specific capacitance (190 F g−1 at 5 A g−1) with high capacitance retention (71.42% after 5000 cycles). The comparison with previous state‐of‐the‐arts highlights the importance of MOF derived nanomaterials for achieving superior electrochemical performance.
Syntheses, Crystal Structures and Experimental/Theoretical Magnetic Properties of Two Butterfly NiII2YIII2 Compounds
Authors: Mandal Shuvankar , Majumder Samit , Mohanta Sasankasekhar
Published: July 2019

Syntheses, crystal structures and density functional theoretical magnetic properties of [NiII2YIII2L4(NO3)2(MeOH)2] (1) and [NiII2YIII2L4(NO3)2(H2O)2]⋅2H2O (2) and experimental magnetic properties of 2 are described, where H2L is the Schiff base ligand, obtained on [1+1] condensation of 3‐ethoxysalicylaldehyde and 2‐aminophenol. When compound 1 was exposed to open atmosphere, compound 2 was formed via single crystal to single crystal transformation. Variable‐temperature (5–300 K) magnetic susceptibility and variable‐field (up to 5 T) magnetization data for 2 reveal ferromagnetic exchange interaction between two NiII metal ions with J=1.61(0.01) cm–1. Broken symmetry density functional calculations for both 1 and 2 also reveal the ferromagnetic interaction with J values of 3.6 and 4.3 cm‐1, respectively. DFT calculations have also been performed for the only known and magnetically characterized NiII2YIII2 compound [Et3NH]2[NiII2YIII2(μ3‐OH)2(O2CtBu)10](Inorg. Chem. 2015, 54, 5930), reveling nice matching of ferromagnetic interaction in 2 (J(Exp)=1.61(0.01) cm–1 and J(DFT)=4.3 cm–1) and antiferromagnetic interaction in the former (J(Exp)=‐4.6 cm–1 and J(DFT)=‐5.4 cm–1). Comparing the simulations of the magnetic data of [NiII2YIII2L4(NO3)2(H2O)2]⋅2H2O (2) and [NiII2GdIII2L4(NO3)2(H2O)2]⋅2H2O (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2018, 2793), the role of diamagnetic metal ion in the values of magnetic parameters in an all‐paramagnetic cluster has been demonstrated in details.
Steel‐lined pressure shafts – appropriate design for external pressure
Authors: Unterweger Harald , Ecker Alexander
Published: July 2019

During inspection work, when the pipe is empty, a thin‐walled steel pipe is susceptible to shell buckling due to external pressure. Comprehensive research activities, including tests, began in the 1960s, and analytical and empirical formulae were developed for design.

Some of these different analytical design concepts are presented in the first part of the paper, and their results are compared for the whole range of pipe slenderness in practice.

Afterwards, the results of extensive numerical calculations are shown. These deal with different imperfections in practice and are not considered in the current design solutions. In addition, the effect of the radial flexibility of the surrounding rock mass has been studied – an issue ignored up to now. All these results are compared with the design formulae in practice.

It is therefore possible to conclude the paper with an appraisal of the individual solutions in practice and sum up appropriate design rules for external pressure.
Lithographic micropatterning on the β‐PVDF film using reactive ion etching aim for high‐resolution skin sensors
Authors: Miki Hirofumi , Sugii Ryota , Kawabata Yutoku , Tsuchitani Shigeki
Published: July 2019

We report a method for high‐fidelity lithographic patterning of the flexible β‐phase polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) film using traditional cleanroom equipment and commercially available materials. In our process, the chemically reactive gas of CHF3, CF4 and SF6 was used as a simple substance mixed with O2. The effects of process parameters on the PVDF dry etching characteristics were investigated by controlling that of Radio frequency (RF) power, process pressure, gas type and the mixed concentration in O2 as well as its mass flow rate. At a constant RF power (100 W) and associated process conditions, 40–70 µm of fine‐line patterns and several tens µm/h of high etch rate could be realized on a 110 µm‐thick β‐PVDF film without much loss of its piezoelectricity. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Make your commencement green and accessible with fewer programs, guidebook app
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: July 2019

LOS ANGELES — Just because a commencement ceremony runs the way it always has doesn't mean there aren't opportunities for improvement. That was the thought that guided the University of Iowa toward making a more sustainable and accessible commencement ceremony, a process that Julie Fell, senior associate registrar; and Sara Sullivan, registrar services coordinator, outlined in a session at the annual conference for the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
Competency‐based education fills need, faces barriers
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: July 2019

CLEVELAND — The laws of supply and demand state that your institution is more valuable to your prospective students if you offer a program that is high in demand and low in supply. One place that that might apply to your institution is in the realm of competency‐based education — what is the demand for CBE among adult learners, and does your institution set itself apart in the provision of CBE? That was one question posed by Howard Lurie, principal analyst for online and continuing education at Eduventures, during a session at the annual meeting of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.
Needs of student body demand the best in customer service
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: July 2019

Unsure of his career path as a history major coming out of college, Tim Smalarz ended up not having to look very far to identify his first job. He was hired to a position that his brother previously had held at Thomas Jefferson University, as a frontline coordinator in the Registrar's Office. His boss there consistently encouraged him to join the registrar profession permanently, and the thought began to energize him.
Validation of the first LiDAR wind resource assessment buoy system offshore the Northeast United States
Authors: Viselli Anthony , Filippelli Matthew , Pettigrew Neal , Dagher Habib , Faessler Nathan
Published: July 2019

The US offshore wind industry is maturing with several projects in various stages of development. These projects require site wind and environmental data before and during operation. Conventional techniques such as fixed‐bottom meteorological towers present economical and permitting challenges for the US. Floating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) buoys offer significant advantages including reduced costs, less permitting, and reusability. This paper presents the validation of the first floating LiDAR buoy in Northeast US waters. The buoy, named DeepCLiDAR, includes a LiDAR, ecological monitoring sensors, and metocean sensors. A three‐phase LiDAR validation plan was executed, and its results are presented. The objective of the validation plan was to verify the accuracy of measurements made by the LiDAR buoy in wave environments against an unmoving reference wind measurement. Due to a lack of reference met masts, the use of a LiDAR on land as a baseline reference was implemented for validation. Comparison to a reference LiDAR instead of a traditional meteorological tower was a unique approach required in the Northeast US waters due to the absence of a reference fixed‐bottom meteorological tower in the region at the time of this study. The testing included a comparison of wind speed measurements made by the buoy deployed 15 km offshore from the mainland and a land‐based reference LiDAR located on a nearby island. This paper presents the methodology and results of this program, which indicate favorable agreement. This was the first such validation program in the Northeast USA which is now seeing rapid development of offshore wind.
Role of Personality Characteristics and Sexual Orientation in the Risk for Sexual Addiction Among Israeli Men: Validation of a Hebrew Sex Addiction Scale
Authors: Paz Guy , Griffiths Mark D. , Demetrovics Zsolt , Szabo Attila
Published: July 2019

Men having sex with men are known to exhibit heightened sexual activity. This raises the conjecture that different sexual orientations exhibit different levels of sex addiction risk, which is also affected by personality. The present study examined the prevalence of the sex addiction risk within the context of sexual orientation and personality in Israeli men while also validating the Hebrew Bergen-Yale Sex Addiction Scale (HBYSAS). Results based on 177 participants showed that the HBYSAS is appropriate for assessing the risk for sex addiction in Israeli men. Furthermore, results showed that sex addiction risk varied with individuals’ sexual orientation while being modestly associated with higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness.
RNA editing blood biomarkers for predicting mood alterations in HCV patients
Authors: Salvetat N. , Van der Laan S. , Vire B. , Chimienti F. , Cleophax S. , Bronowicki J. P. , Doffoel M. , Bourlière M. , Schwan R. , Lang J. P. , Pujol J. F. , Weissmann D.
Published: July 2019

Treatment-emergent depression is a common complication in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing antiviral combination therapy with IFN-α and ribavirin. It has recently been shown that changes in A-to-I RNA editing rates are associated with various pathologies such as inflammatory disorders, depression and suicide. Interestingly, IFN-α induces gene expression of the RNA editing enzyme ADAR1-1 (ADAR1a-p150) and alters overall RNA editing activity. In this study, we took advantage of the high prevalence of pharmacologically induced depression in patients treated with IFN-α and ribavirin to test the interest of RNA editing–related biomarkers in white blood cells of patients. In this 16-week longitudinal study, a small cohort of patients was clinically evaluated using standard assessment methods prior to and during antiviral therapy and blood samples were collected to analyse RNA editing modifications. A-I RNA editing activity on the phosphodiesterase 8A (PDE8A) gene, a previously identified RNA editing hotspot in the context of lupus erythematosus, was quantified by using an ultra-deep next-generation sequencing approach. We also monitored gene expression levels of the ADAR enzymes and the PDE8A gene during treatment by qPCR. As expected, psychiatric evaluation could track treatment-emergent depression, which occurred in 30% of HCV patients. We show that PDE8A RNA editing is increased in all patients following interferon treatment, but differently in 30% of patients. This effect was mimicked in a cellular model using SHSY-5Y neuroblastoma cells. By combining the data of A-I RNA editing and gene expression, we generated an algorithm that allowed discrimination between the group of patients who developed a treatment-emergent depression and those who did not. The current model of drug-induced depression identified A-I RNA editing biomarkers as useful tools for the identification of individuals at risk of developing depression in an objective, quantifiable biological blood test.