bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organizational Politics
Authors: Hinck Robert , Conrad Charles
Published: September 2018

Organizational politics is an inescapable part of organizational life. When handled well, politics can help fulfill personal and organizational interests; when handled poorly, dysfunctional politics can lead to lower job satisfaction and hamper an organization's mission. The purpose of this entry is twofold: first, to explain what organizational power and politics are and how they influence strategic communication, and, second, to examine the role that strategic communication plays in organizational power and politics. We argue that strategic communication aims to advance the organization's mission by internally aligning its members' values, identities, and goals as well as by externally promoting its image, identity, and reputation within the political environment in which it operates. Achieving and sustaining both of these alignments depends on facilitating organizational control and on the strategic management of power and politics through communicative action. Organizational politics can be seen as the process by which power is overtly exercised in organizations both at its surface level and through structural manifestations in three components—dissensus, strategy, and networks. Processes operate both within and outside of organizations shaping the environment and meaning systems in which they pursue their missions.
Paradox Theory
Authors: Waymer Damion
Published: September 2018

Paradox abounds in the use and interpretation of communication in general and in the application and interpretation of strategic communication specifically. As early as 1934 scholars such as Kenneth Burke were challenging other scholars to examine language by looking for flaws that make it dysfunctional or dehumanizing. Burke warned that “if language is the fundamental instrument of human cooperation, and if there is an ‘organic flaw’ in the nature of language, we may well expect to find this organic flaw revealing itself through the texture of society.” One such flaw that has emerged is the proliferation of the many and varied paradoxes that can be found in communication and strategic communication. Greater scholarly attention should, therefore, be devoted to the uses, effects, and implications of paradox in strategic communication for at least two reasons: communication is fundamental to societal and institutional structures, as well as individuals' and publics' identities; language and paradoxes have the potential for marginalizing and alienating people.
Propaganda
Authors: Xifra Jordi
Published: September 2018

Starting from the idea that propaganda is strategic communication, this entry analyzes the idea of propaganda as a generic concept that can be applied to any manifestation of strategic communication. Taking as starting points the concepts of ideology and hegemony, inherent elements of propaganda, the entry analyzes whether strategic communication is also ideological and can be considered a form of propaganda exercised by private organizations. This form coexists with traditional propaganda, or the way in which rulers strategically communicate to serve the public interest. From this perspective, the entry rejects the idea that propaganda is a harmful form of communication and argues that it constitutes a paradigm of current strategic communication.
Privacy
Authors: Pollach Irene
Published: September 2018

While there is agreement that privacy is an element of human dignity, it has variously been defined as a claim, a right, a value, a preference, a state, and a process, depending on the context and field in which it is used. Privacy is essential to one's development as an individual and to the formation of respect and trust in relationships. The main theories in the realm of privacy include those of Westin, Altman, Petronio, and Dinev and Hart. The main privacy challenges in organizational settings include consumer privacy, employee privacy, and privacy on social media.
Public Interest
Authors: Falconi Toni Muzi
Published: September 2018

This entry discusses the public interest in the context of strategic communication, and describes the diverse levels of responsibility a strategic communication manager needs to be aware of when keenly engaging to ensure effective professional performance on behalf of a client/employer. The public interest is here conceived of as a situational integration between the traditional and mandatory respect of existing norms, laws, and generally accepted codes and rules of behavior with the perceived and well‐researched expectations of both stakeholder and active citizenship groups. The text also dwells on the many ways that savvy managers may effectively listen to these groups, while evaluating, enacting, and suggesting policies and activities that achieve the most effective balance between the many interests at stake.
Publicity
Authors: Hallahan Kirk
Published: September 2018

Publicity is both the process and result of efforts to create public exposure, awareness, or attention for an organization, product, service, personality, or cause. It is a communication tool or instrument most commonly associated with public relations. From a strategic communication perspective, publicity is purposeful and intentional and can be proactively pursued as part of an organized program or campaign. Publicity can be disseminated through traditional or online media, as well as interpersonal communication, and offers both advantages and disadvantages. Although traditionally considered to be “free” exposure, paid formats have emerged in recent years—one of many related ethical and regulatory concerns.
Social Media
Authors: Valentini Chiara
Published: September 2018

Social media are defined as Internet‐based applications that allow users to create, exchange, or simply consume user‐generated content, that is, content created by individuals themselves. Examples include blogs, wikis, Rich Site Summary (RSS) feeds, and social networking sites, as well as user‐generated content aggregators, such as Yelp and TripAdvisor, and location‐based applications, such as Google Places or Foursquare. The growing diffusion and adoption of social media in many societies have made the social media environment an attractive marketplace for organizations wishing to gain visibility and reach out directly to large groups of publics and stakeholders. Social media bring communication and relational opportunities but also challenges to strategic communication professionals. This entry reviews and discusses central features of social media and their role in strategic communication.
Spin
Authors: Kock Christian
Published: September 2018

This entry first proposes a definition of spin, as the term is used loosely to cover many diverse phenomena. The definition is based on the word's etymology, which probably refers to the ways ball players (particularly pitchers) twist balls as they are thrown or pitched: Spin means twisting messages to one's advantage. Also, since the term is mainly used with a negative valence, it is included in the definition that the spinning communicator twists a message in such a way that the intended effect depends on its not being spotted or recognized by the addressees—which makes it objectionable or suspicious. Habermas's distinction between manifest and latent strategic communication is discussed; according to Habermas, spin equals latent strategic communication, whereas this entry considers strategic communication per se as legitimate (contra Habermas). A range of linguistic strategies and maneuvers that fall under this definition of spin, or may do so, are discussed.
Stakeholder Management
Authors: Frandsen Finn
Published: September 2018

When stakeholder theory is put into practice, it transforms into stakeholder management or into a stakeholder approach to strategic management. Stakeholder management is about creating value not only for the owners of private companies, but also for their stakeholders. Stakeholder management involves identifying and prioritizing primary and secondary stakeholders, understanding their needs, collecting ideas from them, and integrating that knowledge into the strategic framework of the organization. Strategic communication in general, and dialogue, partnering, and engagement in particular, play key roles in the interaction between organizations and their stakeholders.
Strategic Planning
Authors: Grünig Rudolf , Kühn Richard
Published: September 2018

This entry provides an introduction to strategic planning. First, it indicates that strategic planning is a part of strategic management. Second, it focuses on six features that create an understanding of strategic planning. Third, it explains that the main task of strategic planning consists of determining the future success potentials, and introduces the latter concept. Fourth, it shows that elaborating the intended strategy for a company is an ill‐structured problem and, as a consequence, only a heuristic problem‐solving procedure is possible. Fifth, it introduces such a heuristic strategy planning process. Finally, it explains the underlying heuristic principles.
Strategist Role (Public Relations/Communication)
Authors: Steyn Benita
Published: September 2018

This entry discusses the development of the role of thestrategist(in the field of public relations/corporate communication) in a stream of research in South Africa. It first provides the initial conceptualization (in 1998) that differentiated the strategist role from the well‐known manager‐technician dichotomy, the latter having been the core of roles research in the United States (and elsewhere in the world) for decades. Second, it details the findings of the empirical verification of the strategist role among 400 chief executives in 1999, according to CEO role expectations for, and CEO perceptions of, the role performance of their most senior communication practitioner. Third, it provides the findings of a comparative analysis of the strategist, redefined manager, and technician roles in South Africa with the European Body of Knowledge Project (EBOK) roles in Europe (in 2003). Fourth, it describes a stream of further research undertaken with adapted, as well as different, measuring instruments that all verified the strategist role in South Africa (and one study in East Africa). Lastly, reference is made to other second‐generation research findings.
Sustainability
Authors: Thomsen Christa
Published: September 2018

This entry presents an overview of the concept of sustainability: definition or criteria; major dimensions (the environmental, social and economic dimensions, which are integrated in an institutional dimension); core imperatives derived from these dimensions; history; major approaches (public policy, organizational, and civil society approaches); the concepts of corporate sustainability and corporate sustainability communication; and frameworks and strategies for managing and communicating sustainability. Finally, future directions are outlined.
Symbolic View of Organization
Authors: Harlow Rachel Martin
Published: September 2018

Strategic communication occurs when an individual, an organization, or a representative of or group within an organization attempts to advance its mission through planned and purposeful communication. Such communication is both instrumental, in that it is used as a tool to do things, and intentional, in that it is not haphazard, random, or merely reactionary. Taking a symbolic view of organization allows strategic communicators to understand the role of communication in the very existence and perpetuation of that organization. The term “symbolic view of organization” describes a paradigm that includes two related positions: first, that human beings create the structures of society through the use of symbols, and second, that specific organizations are constituted through and by their members' use of symbols. Either of these positions can yield more effective strategic communication in organizations.
Target Groups
Authors: Hutchins Amber L.
Published: September 2018

Identifying and selecting target groups is key to strategic communication. Understanding the characteristics, needs, attitudes, preferences, behavior, and situational factors can help communicators develop strategic messages and select appropriate channels of communication. There are many ways to approach segmenting and prioritizing groups, using formal or informal categories and methods from public relations, marketing, and other disciplines, but the primary goal is to align all communication activities to meet program goals and objectives through strategic, focused efforts.
Trust
Authors: Röttger Ulrike
Published: September 2018

This entry describes trust as a key concept of modern societies and therefore of strategic communication. Generally speaking, trust reduces social complexity, thus providing the subjects of trust with the capability to act despite a lack of information. Trust is considered a crucial precondition for constant, loyal relations between organizations and their stakeholders. Trust is generated in the course of communicative processes while at the same time also being a precondition for successful communication between individuals or individuals and organizations. Whether trust develops or not, and to what extent, can be considerably influenced by the way in which the object of trust presents himself or herself. Thus, strategic communication is of crucial significance for the establishment of trust. This entry discusses essential concepts of trust in sociology, business economics, and psychology, and delimits trust from concepts such as distrust and familiarity. It also looks at three types of trust relations relevant to strategic communication.
Visual Communication
Authors: Thelander Åsa
Published: September 2018

Visual communication refers to communication that takes place by means of a visual aid. It includes all type of visual representations such as paintings, drawings, photographs, charts, figures, graphs, and symbols placed in different media. Studies of visual communication, in its broadest sense, focus on understanding the production, composition, and interpretation of visuals.Visual communication is studied by scholars from many disciplines who ask different questions and adopt different approaches and methods, which results in anything but a coherent field of study. Therefore, a brief overview of different approaches to studying visual communication is presented in this entry, and central theories and concepts are explained. The importance of visual communication to strategic communication is presented more in detail.
Importance of Measuring Hand and Foot Function Over the Disease Course in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Eight‐Year Follow‐Up Study
Authors: Bremander Ann , Forslind Kristina , Eberhardt Kerstin , Andersson Maria L. E.
Published: September 2018

Objective

To assess function using the Signals of Functional Impairment (SOFI) instrument over 8 years, to study clinical variables associated with the change, and to study change over time of the SOFI items.

Methods

In total, 1,223 patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the Better Anti‐Rheumatic Farmacotherapy (BARFOT) cohort (mean ± SD age 56.9 ± 15.4 years, 67% women) were included in the analysis. Data from baseline and from 1 and 8 years were studied. The SOFI instrument includes measures of range of motion in the hand, shoulder/arm, and lower extremity (range 0–44, best to worst). The effects of baseline variables (sociodemographic, disease activity, joint destruction, and function) on change in SOFI scores were studied by linear regression analysis.

Results

During the first year, the improvement in mean ± SD SOFI scores was 2.7 ± 5.7 (P < 0.001). Worse scores in the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints and Health Assessment Questionnaire score at baseline were associated with this improvement (r2 ≤ 0.11). During the next 7 years, the deterioration in SOFI scores was mean ± SD 1.5 ± 4.9 (P < 0.001). Based on change scores, we found that finger flexion, pincer grip, and toe‐standing were the most important items to measure, explaining 58–61% of the total SOFI score, and these items were also associated with radiographic changes at the 8‐year follow‐up.

Conclusion

Function as assessed with SOFI scores improved during the first year in patients with early RA, but it deteriorated slowly thereafter. Impaired hand and foot function was associated with joint destruction at the 8‐year follow‐up. Measures of hand and foot function will complement self‐reported and medical data, both in clinical work and in long‐term research studies.
Dipole Formation at the MoO3/Conjugated Polymer Interface
Authors: Yin Yanting , Sibley Alex , Quinton Jamie S. , Lewis David A. , Andersson Gunther G.
Published: September 2018

MoO3 is known as high work function (WF) transparent metal oxides. It is used as anode buffer layer in organic based solar cells because of its capability to extract electrons and inject holes from the active layer due to its high WF. Here a broad range of techniques is used to determine the energy levels of the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) and MoO3 to determine that the minimum deposition thickness to achieve a closed layer is 1 nm due to penetration of the evaporated MoO3 into the BHJ. The investigation shows that upon evaporation of the MoO3, a strong dipole is formed at the extended interface between the active layer and the MoO3 and that the strength of the dipole increases with increasing thickness of the MoO3 layer and saturates at 2.2 eV at a thickness around 3 nm.
Supramolecular Carbon Monoxide‐Releasing Peptide Hydrogel Patch
Authors: Kim Inhye , Han Eun Hee , Bang Woo‐Young , Ryu Jooyeon , Min Jin‐Young , Nam Hyeong Chan , Park Won Ho , Chung Young‐Ho , Lee Eunji
Published: September 2018

Carbon monoxide (CO) is recently accepted as a therapeutic molecule that exhibits remarkable biological actions, including anti‐inflammation, antiapoptosis, and cytoprotection, at a physiological level. For clinical use without the side effect of tissue hypoxia, which arises from the uncontrolled administration of CO in the human body, CO‐releasing molecules (CORMs) are developed to ensure safe and efficient CO‐delivery. Herein, a syringe‐injectable CO‐releasing peptide hydrogel (COH) and a corresponding bioadhesive hydrogel patch (COHP), developed by rational supramolecular chemistry, to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of CO with controllable CO‐release to a specific tissue is report. The injectable COH is prepared by self‐assembly of the CORM‐attached peptides with a gel‐forming diphenylalanine‐derivative, resulting in fibrillar networks and exhibiting prolonged CO‐release compared with CORMs. Furthermore, Ca2+‐chelating and mussel‐derived catechol‐functionalized peptides are introduced to afford a mechanically rigid, bioadhesive COHP that elicits cytoprotective and anti‐inflammatory activities. The supramolecular COHP can be utilized in the efficient CO‐delivery to the site of interest by conformal contacts, making it a promising scaffold for biomedical applications.
Novel Defense Mechanisms in the Armor of the Scales of the “Living Fossil” Coelacanth Fish
Authors: Quan Haocheng , Yang Wen , Schaible Eric , Ritchie Robert O. , Meyers Marc A.
Published: September 2018

Here, experiments and analysis revealing the unique defense mechanisms of the coelacanth, a lobe‐finned fish termed a “living fossil”, are reported, as it was considered to be extinct until 1938, but extant for 400 million years. This defense is provided by primitive elasmoid scales having a rare double‐twisted Bouligand structure of lamellae which provides extraordinary resistance to deformation without failure. Distinct from other elasmoid scales, the collagen fibrils in the coelacanth fish scales form bundles which are embedded in a matrix comprising fibers arranged perpendicular to the layered (double‐twisted Bouligand) structure that provide added rigidity and resistance to deformation. Using in situ synchrotron small‐angle X‐ray scattering during uniaxial tensile testing, the deformation mechanisms of the collagen are identified in terms of fibril stretching, reorientation, sliding, bending, and delamination. The unique structure of the coelacanth scales, distinct from modern elasmoid scales such as the carp, provides a variety of mechanisms to arrest cracking, making it an outstanding damage‐tolerant material to resist predator attacks.
Planar Alignment of Graphene Sheets by a Rotating Magnetic Field for Full Exploitation of Graphene as a 2D Material
Authors: Lin Feng , Yang Guang , Niu Chao , Wang Yanan , Zhu Zhuan , Luo Haokun , Dai Chong , Mayerich David , Hu Yandi , Hu Jonathan , Zhou Xufeng , Liu Zhaoping , Wang Zhiming M. , Bao Jiming
Published: September 2018

Planar alignment of disc‐like nanomaterials is required to transfer their superior anisotropic properties from microscopic individual structures to macroscopic collective assemblies. However, such alignment by electrical or magnetic field is challenging due to their additional degrees of orientational freedom compared to that of rod‐like nanostructures. Here, the realization of planar alignment of suspended graphene sheets using a rotating magnetic field produced by a pair of small NdFeB magnets and subsequent demonstration of high optical anisotropy and potential novel device applications is reported. Compared to partially aligned sheets with a static magnetic field, planar aligned graphene suspensions exhibit a near‐perfect order parameter, much higher birefringence and anisotropic absorption/transmission. A unique feature of discotic nanomaterial assemblies is that the observed order parameter and optical property can vary from isotropic to partial and complete alignment depending on the experimental configuration. By immobilizing and patterning aligned graphene in a UV‐curable polymer resin, we further demonstrated an all‐graphene permanent display, which exhibits wide‐angle, high dark‐bright contrast in either transmission or reflection mode without any polarizing optics. The ability to control and pattern graphene orientation in all three dimensions opens up new exploration and broad device applications of graphene.
T‐Cell‐Mimicking Nanoparticles Can Neutralize HIV Infectivity
Authors: Wei Xiaoli , Zhang Gang , Ran Danni , Krishnan Nishta , Fang Ronnie H. , Gao Weiwei , Spector Stephen A. , Zhang Liangfang
Published: September 2018

To improve human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment and prevention, therapeutic strategies that can provide effective and broad‐spectrum neutralization against viral infection are highly desirable. Inspired by recent advances of cell‐membrane coating technology, herein, plasma membranes of CD4+ T cells are collected and coated onto polymeric cores. The resulting T‐cell‐membrane‐coated nanoparticles (denoted as “TNPs”) inherit T cell surface antigens critical for HIV binding, such as CD4 receptor and CCR5 or CXCR4 coreceptors. The TNPs act as decoys for viral attack and neutralize HIV by diverting the viruses away from their intended host targets. This decoy strategy, which simulates host cell functions for viral neutralization rather than directly suppressing viral replication machinery, has the potential to overcome HIV genetic diversity while not eliciting high selective pressure. In this study, it is demonstrated that TNPs selectively bind with gp120, a key envelope glycoprotein of HIV, and inhibit gp120‐induced killing of bystander CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, when added to HIV viruses, TNPs effectively neutralize the viral infection of peripheral mononuclear blood cells and human‐monocyte‐derived macrophages in a dose‐dependent manner. Overall, by leveraging natural T cell functions, TNPs show great potential as a new therapeutic agent against HIV infection.
Microalga‐Powered Microswimmers toward Active Cargo Delivery
Authors: Yasa Oncay , Erkoc Pelin , Alapan Yunus , Sitti Metin
Published: September 2018

Nature presents intriguing biological swimmers with innate energy harvesting abilities from their local environments. Use of natural swimmers as cargo delivery agents presents an alternative strategy to transport therapeutics inside the body to locations otherwise difficult to access by traditional delivery strategies. Herein, a biocompatible biohybrid microswimmer powered by a unicellular freshwater green microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, is reported. Polyelectrolyte‐functionalized magnetic spherical cargoes (1 µm in diameter) are attached to surface of the microalgae via noncovalent interactions without the requirement for any chemical reaction. The 3D swimming motility of the constructed biohybrid algal microswimmers is characterized in the presence and absence of a uniform magnetic fields. In addition, motility of both microalgae and biohybrid algal microswimmers is investigated in various physiologically relevant conditions, including cell culture medium, human tubal fluid, plasma, and blood. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the algal microswimmers are cytocompatible when co‐cultured with healthy and cancerous cells. Finally, fluorescent isothiocyanate‐dextran (a water‐soluble polysaccharide) molecules are effectively delivered to mammalian cells using the biohybrid algal microswimmers as a proof‐of‐concept active cargo delivery demonstration. The microswimmer design described here presents a new class of biohybrid microswimmers with greater biocompatibility and motility for targeted delivery applications in medicine.
Self‐Adapting Wettability of ReS2 under a Constant Stimulus
Authors: Wang Wenjie , Zhang Jiaqian , Zhang Qin , Wan Siyu , Zhu Xiaohui , Zhang Qiqi , Wang Wanying , Zhang Yujing , Liu Yongjun , Fu Lei
Published: September 2018

Responsive materials (RMs) are attracting intense interest for their critical roles in intelligent designs. So far, only by means of applying complicated and multiple stimuli can physical properties of the solid surface realize a transition, limiting their practical applications. Here, the smart self‐adapting wettability (SAW) of ReS2 under sustaining light irradiation, which breaks the stereotype that a single stimulus leads to a monotonic change in properties or structures, is presented. The additional valence electron and defects ensure ReS2 has a stronger gas adsorption and better hydrolysis capability. Combining theoretical calculations and experimental results, its mechanism, including three stages, namely, hydroxyl substitution, formation of hydrogen bonds, and water desorption, is confirmed. Notably, other transition metal dichalcogenides covering MoS2 and WS2 exhibit a similar automatic transition of hydrophobic–hydrophilic–hydrophobic state. This unique SAW provides a brand‐new insight to broaden the applications of RMs, which will undoubtedly pave a novel way in RMs design and further devices optimization.
Flexible Nitrogen‐Doped 2D Titanium Carbides (MXene) Films Constructed by an Ex Situ Solvothermal Method with Extraordinary Volumetric Capacitance
Authors: Yang Chenhui , Tang Yi , Tian Yapeng , Luo Yangyang , Faraz Ud Din Muhammad , Yin Xingtian , Que Wenxiu
Published: September 2018

A facile and controllable strategy, which combines solvothermal treatment with ex situ nitrogen doping by using urea saturated alcohol solution or monoethanolamine as nitrogen source, is used to prepare flexible, freestanding, and compact nitrogen‐doped delaminated Ti3C2 (abbreviated N‐Ti3C2) film electrodes for symmetric electrochemical capacitors (ECs). Compared with the N sites from in situ N solid solution doping, those of ex situ N solvothermal doping enable larger contributions to the capacitance through regulating nitrogen species and content. As a result, the urea‐assisted N‐Ti3C2 (UN‐Ti3C2) film exhibits an ultrahigh volumetric capacitance of 2836 F cm−3 (927 F g−1) at 5 mV s−1 in 3 m H2SO4 solution. This value surpasses the all previously reported volumetric performance of MXenes. A large capacitance of 2643 F cm−3 (786 F g−1) is also obtained for the monoethanolamine‐assisted N‐Ti3C2 film. In addition, the symmetric electrochemical capacitor fabricated from the binder‐free UN‐Ti3C2 film exhibits a high volumetric energy density of 76 Wh L−1, which is the highest value achieved compared to those of MXenes so far. This work presents the effects of nitrogen species and solvothermal treatment on the electrochemical performance of MXene, and opens up an exciting opportunity for fabricating highly flexible and integrated ECs.
Glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase modulates nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathway to provide anabolic precursors in hypoxic tumor cells
Authors: Ahn Woo S. , Dong Wentao , Zhang Zhe , Cantor Jason R. , Sabatini David M. , Iliopoulos Othon , Stephanopoulos Gregory
Published: September 2018

Cancer cells exhibit enhanced lactate production to satisfy biosynthetic adenosine triphosphate requirements and also supply ribose 5‐phosphate (R5P) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate via the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Yet, little is known about the mechanism by which glycolytic flux is diverted to PPP to fulfill the increased demand for anabolic precursors and reducing equivalents. Here we show, using a 13C‐labeling methodology quantifying glycolysis and the PPP metabolism, that hypoxic cancer cells not only increase net glycolytic flux but also activate the exchange fluxes catalyzed by aldolase and transaldolase. The increased carbon exchange in the upward direction promotes the supplementation of R5P through the nonoxidative PPP and essentially controls the anaplerosis of upper glycolytic metabolites consumed for biosynthesis. This cascade of events is regulated by glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase which plays a critical role in diverting metabolites for the synthesis of nucleotide precursors and thus acts as a limiting enzyme under hypoxia. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 4289–4296, 2018
Benzodithiazole‐Based Hole‐Transporting Material for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Swetha T. , Akhtaruzzaman Md. , Chowdhury Towhid H. , Amin Nowshad , Islam Ashraful , Noda Takeshi , Upadhyaya Hari M. , Singh Surya Prakash
Published: September 2018

We have designed and synthesized a family of three novel benzodithiazole‐based hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) named as BTT‐TPA, BTT‐OMe and BTT‐Me. These new HTMs are characterized by using 1H, 13C NMR, FTIR, elemental analysis, UV‐Vis spectrophotometer, and cyclic voltammetry. The photovoltaic performances of these HTMs were successfully evaluated in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Consequently, the PSCs based on BTT‐TPA, BTT‐Me and BTT‐OMe HTMs showed Jsc of 12.81 mA cm−2, 11.87 mA cm−2, 13.85 mA cm−2, Voc of 0.88 V, 0.83 V, 0.87 V, a FF of 0.62, 0.63, 0.63 and the overall power conversion efficiency of (η) 6.99%, 6.20% and 7.44%, respectively. The easy synthetic route and purification technique provides the viability of these HTMs as future PSCs development.
Organocatalytic Enantioselective α‐Amination of Thiazol‐4‐one‐5‐carboxylates with Azodicarboxylates
Authors: Cui Liying , Wang Youming , Fan Zhijin , Li Zhengming , Zhou Zhenghong
Published: September 2018

An effective method for the asymmetric synthesis of 5‐hydrazinothiazol‐4‐one‐5‐carboxylates was developed. The tetrasubstituted chiral carbon center was generated by asymmetric amination of thiazol‐4‐one‐5‐carboxylate with azodicarboxylate catalyzed by a bifunctional squaramide‐based (1R,2R)‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine backbone in good to excellent yields (40–96%) with high levels of enantioselectivity (92–98% ee). A representative transformation of the amination product to a biologically important 1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2(3H)‐one is achieved without any appreciable loss in enantioselectivity. Additionally, upon treatment with NaBH3CN, the amination product could also be converted into a biologically important thiazolidin‐4‐one derivative in good yield without any loss of stereochemical integrity.
The intestinal microbiome and Alzheimer's disease: A review
Authors: Li Zhuo , Zhu Hua , Zhang Ling , Qin Chuan
Published: September 2018

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an increasingly common neurodegenerative disease. Since the intestinal microbiome is closely related to nervous system diseases, alterations in the composition of intestinal microbiota could potentially contribute to the pathophysiology of AD. However, how the initial interactions with intestinal microbes alter events later in life, such as during neurodegenerative diseases, is still unclear. This review summarizes what is known about the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and AD.
Metal‐Mediated Functionalization of Natural Peptides and Proteins: Panning for Bioconjugation Gold
Authors: Ohata Jun , Martin Samuel C. , Ball Zachary T.
Published: September 2018

Selective modification of natural proteins is a daunting methodological challenge and a stringent test of selectivity and reaction scope. There is a continued need for new reactivity and new selectivity concepts. Transition metals exhibit a wealth of unique reactivity that is orthogonal to biological reactions and processes. As such, metal‐based methods play an increasingly important role in bioconjugation. This Review examines metal‐based methods as well as their reactivity and selectivity for the functionalization of natural proteins and peptides.
Improved processibility of silicone composites by MQ silicone resins
Authors: Huihui Di , Li Wang , Yan Zhang , Liting Luo , Houbin Li , Ronghua Huang
Published: September 2018

Processibilities of silicone composites were always a problem for their high content of SiO2powders. This article found that the substitution of silicone resins for linear polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) made processibilities easier. Three silicone resins (MQ1.0, MQ1.1, and MQ1.2) with clarified chemical structures (by FT IR,29Si NMR, and GPC) were adopted. Their shearing viscosities [η()] were greatly higher than PDMS with higher molecular weight, which could be assigned to stronger molecular interactions as surface tension and flowing activation energy ΔEindicated. On the contrary, η() of MQ‐PDMS binary blends greatly decreased to that even lower than either components (about 85% utmost decrease comparing to PDMS), for the variation of molecular interaction rather than dilution effect. Furtherly, when PDMS were partly replaced with MQ resins, process time of PDMS–SiO2silicone composites were greatly shortened (from >6 to 2 h), while with better SiO2dispersion (Mooney viscosity greatly decreased from 30.0 to 5.0 MU). Better dispersion of SiO2fillers in composites could be confirmed by SEM and mechanical properties. For the better dispersion, mechanical properties of composites were improved with higher elastic modulus, higher tensile strength, and higher hardness, especially with higher elongation at break (utmost increased from 190% to 277%). © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2018,135, 46445.
Olefin Bifunctionalization: A Visible‐light Photoredox‐catalyzed Aryl Alkoxylation of Olefins
Authors: Yamaguchi Eiji , Tanaka Wakako , Itoh Akichika
Published: September 2018

Olefin bifunctionalization is a facile route to obtain complex molecules from abundant and commercially available olefin feedstocks. Visible light together with a catalytic amount of tris(bipyridine)ruthenium salt catalyzes the aryl alkoxylation of styrenes with aryl diazonium salts in alcohol solvents via a photoredox process. The scope of this proposed reaction with respect to various aryl diazonium salts and styrenes has been investigated.
Deep learning for spatio‐temporal modeling: Dynamic traffic flows and high frequency trading
Authors: Dixon Matthew F. , Polson Nicholas G. , Sokolov Vadim O.
Published: September 2018

Deep learning applies hierarchical layers of hidden variables to construct nonlinear high dimensional predictors. Our goal is to develop and train deep learning architectures for spatio‐temporal modeling. Training a deep architecture is achieved by stochastic gradient descent and dropout for parameter regularization with a goal of minimizing out‐of‐sample predictive mean squared error. To illustrate our methodology, we first predict the sharp discontinuities in traffic flow data, and secondly, we develop a classification rule to predict short‐term futures market prices using order book depth. Finally, we conclude with directions for future research.
Efficient MCMC estimation of some elliptical copula regression models through scale mixtures of normals
Authors: Wichitaksorn Nuttanan , Gerlach Richard , Choy S.T. Boris
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes an efficient estimation method for some elliptical copula regression models by expressing both copula density and marginal density functions as scale mixtures of normals (SMN). Implementing these models using the SMN is novel and allows efficient estimation via Bayesian methods. An innovative algorithm for the case of complex semicontinuous margins is also presented. We utilize the facts that copulas are invariant to the location and scale of the margins; all elliptical distributions have the same correlation structure; and some densities can be represented by the SMN. Two simulation studies, one on continuous margins and the other on semicontinuous margins, highlight the favorable performance of the proposed methods. Two empirical studies, one on the US excess returns and one on the Thai wage earnings, further illustrate the applicability of the proposals.
Student behaviour, motivation and the potential of attachment‐aware schools to redefine the landscape
Authors: Parker Richard , Levinson Martin P.
Published: September 2018

This article is a position paper drawing on the findings of several studies into attachment‐aware approaches in schools and other settings. In seeking to promote pedagogical positions that place greater emphasis on the emotional landscape of students, the authors locate this in an historical perspective. They outline the ways in which educationalists have come to separate the learning being from the feeling being, to the extent of evolving separate discourses on behaviour and wellbeing. On the contrary, the authors contend that these elements are intertwined, a reality that needs to be understood at policy level for ‘outcomes’ to change radically. They frame their argument in the light of conclusions drawn from studies in which they were involved of attachment‐awareness and emotion‐coaching approaches (2011–2017). The authors’ position is further informed by research exploring attitudes of excluded youngsters towards education (2015–2016), and also in light of the wider international literature around progressive education.
Two‐stage carbon distribution and cofactor generation for improving l‐threonine production of Escherichia coli
Authors: Liu Jiaheng , Li Huiling , Xiong Hui , Xie Xixian , Chen Ning , Zhao Guangrong , Caiyin Qinggele , Zhu Hongji , Qiao Jianjun
Published: September 2018

L‐Threonine, a kind of essential amino acid, has numerous applications in food, pharmaceutical, and aquaculture industries. Fermentative l‐threonine production from glucose has been achieved in Escherichia coli. However, there are still several limiting factors hindering further improvement of l‐threonine productivity, such as the conflict between cell growth and production, byproduct accumulation, and insufficient availability of cofactors (adenosine triphosphate, NADH, and NADPH). Here, a metabolic modification strategy of two‐stage carbon distribution and cofactor generation was proposed to address the above challenges in E. coli THRD, an l‐threonine producing strain. The glycolytic fluxes towards tricarboxylic acid cycle were increased in growth stage through heterologous expression of pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and citrate synthase, leading to improved glucose utilization and growth performance. In the production stage, the carbon flux was redirected into l‐threonine synthetic pathway via a synthetic genetic circuit. Meanwhile, to sustain the transaminase reaction for l‐threonine production, we developed an l‐glutamate and NADPH generation system through overexpression of glutamate dehydrogenase, formate dehydrogenase, and pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase. This strategy not only exhibited 2.02‐ and 1.21‐fold increase in l‐threonine production in shake flask and bioreactor fermentation, respectively, but had potential to be applied in the production of many other desired oxaloacetate derivatives, especially those involving cofactor reactions.
Animal maltreatment law: Evolving efforts to protect animals and their forensic mental health implications
Authors: Holoyda Brian James
Published: September 2018

Animals have long formed an important part of human communities and served various roles in human activities. Some of the earliest human civilizations developed laws that protected animals for assorted reasons, including their economic value, religious beliefs pertaining to animals, and societal concerns about cleanliness. In the 1800s, Western thinkers began to view animals as having rights of their own and proposed legislation that changed the legal landscape regarding animal maltreatment. In the United States today there are widely varying laws designed to address the various forms of animal maltreatment. Each state's laws are different. Some states have modern statutes designed to identify and punish animal maltreatment, and others are relatively lax in their consideration of what constitutes abuse. The purpose of this article is to review the development of animal maltreatment legislation from ancient civilization to the present day in the United States; to identify current legislative reforms designed to assist in investigating and prosecuting animal abusers; to describe the role that forensic mental health experts may play in evaluating abusers for a variety of related concerns, including violence risk, sexual violence risk, and fitness for guardianship of an animal; and to delineate areas requiring further research to improve the forensic evaluation of animal abusers.
Essential Oil Composition, Antioxidant and Allelopathic Activities of Cleome droserifolia (Forssk.) Delile
Authors: Abd El‐Gawad Ahmed M. , El‐Amier Yasser A. , Bonanomi Giuliano
Published: September 2018

People rely on the synthetic chemical pesticides in most of the agricultural practices, which have a serious problem on human health and ecosystem. Essential oil (EO), derived from wild plants, offers a new opportunity to explore eco‐friendly green biocides. This study aimed to characterize the chemical constituents of EO from Egyptian ecospecies of Cleome droserifolia (Forssk.) Delile and evaluate its antioxidant and allelopathic potential. The EO was extracted from aerial parts by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. To assess the allelopathic potential, EO concentrations from 50 to 200 μL L−1 were tested on Trifolium repens and three weeds. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH. Hydrodistillation yielded 0.64 % of dark yellow oil, which comprises 35 compounds, in which sesquiterpene was a major class and represented by 61.97 % of the total essential oil. Moreover, the dominant sesquiterpenes are cis‐nerolidol, α‐cadinol, δ‐cadinene, and γ‐muurolene. The speed of germination index, shoot and root length of clover and weeds were reduced in a concentration‐dependent manner. The IC50 values of C. droserifolia EO on germination of T. repens, Cuscuta trifolii, Melilotus indicus, and Chenopodium murale were 181.6, 183.5, 159.0, and 157.5 μL L−1, respectively. From the obtained data, we concluded that C. droserifolia EO could provide a hope to produce environment‐friendly bioherbicide as well as a natural resource of antioxidants.
Developments in the Atomistic Modelling of Catalytic Processes for the Production of Platform Chemicals from Biomass
Authors: García‐Muelas Rodrigo , Rellán‐Piñeiro Marcos , Li Qiang , López Núria
Published: September 2018

The transformation of biomass‐derived molecules into platform chemicals that can directly be employed by the chemical industry is one of the challenges in catalysis in this century. While some processes are cost‐effective and industrially available, the molecular insight has been advancing at a slow pace when compared to other areas (like energy conversion). In the present review we describe the main challenges imposed on the theoretical simulations for the study of these complex molecules and how the most crucial issues are typically addressed. In particular, we focus on technical aspects like the need for London dispersion and solvation contributions. We also deal with the complexity of reaction networks, which requires new approaches and ways to compile the results in the form of databases. This allows the study of large reaction networks for the decomposition of C2 alcohols, or the plethora of functional groups of cyclic molecules such as lignin and sugars. Finally, we put forward a few applications that show the potential of atomistic simulations in the field.
High‐Sensitivity Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor Based on Silver‐Carbon Nitride for the Detection of Dopamine utilizing Enhancement Effects
Authors: Wang Yinfang , Guo Weiwei , Jia Nengqin
Published: September 2018

An ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for detecting dopamine was successfully constructed based on chemically stable and easily available carbon nitride materials as signal probe. Herein, the newly synthesized silver‐carbon nitride (Ag−g−C3N4) nanocomposites were modified on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface via the film‐forming properties of chitosan, generating a relative weak ECL signal. When dopamine was added to the detection solution containing 80 mM S2O82−, a strong ECL signal was observed, which might be ascribed to the fact that the amino group of dopamine promoted the coreactant conversion of S2O82− into SO4.−, leading to enhanced ECL intensity. Under optimal experimental conditions, the as‐prepared ECL sensor exhibited a wide linear range from 0.015 to 150 μM and a low detection limit of 0.005 μM for dopamine determination. Moreover, the recovery experiments exhibited that the sensor can be applied to precisely detect dopamine in real serum samples, suggesting that the as‐prepared ECL sensor established a new method and a promising platform for sensitive dopamine evaluation.
Double hit and double expressors in lymphoma: Definition and treatment
Authors: Riedell Peter A. , Smith Sonali M.
Published: September 2018

Emerging biologic subsets and new prognostic markers are significantly and adversely affecting curability after standard chemoimmunotherapy for aggressive B‐cell lymphomas. The identification of concurrent MYC and B‐cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) deregulation, whether at a genomic or protein level, has opened a new era of investigation within the most common subtype of aggressive B‐cell lymphomas. Double‐hit lymphoma (DHL), defined as a dual rearrangement of MYC and BCL2 and/or B‐cell CLL/lymphoma 6 (BCL6) genes, is an uncommon subset accounting for 5% to 7% of all diffuse large B‐cell lymphomas (DLBCLs), and long‐term survivors are rare. Double‐expressor lymphoma (DEL), defined as overexpression of MYC and BCL2 proteins not related to underlying chromosomal rearrangements, is not a distinct entity in the current World Health Organization classification but accounts for 20% to 30% of DLBCL cases and also has poor outcomes. There are many practical considerations related to identifying, determining the prognosis of, and managing DHL and DEL.