bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ITGovernance
Authors: Wu Shelly P. J.
Published: January 2015

This chapter reviews literature that is relevant to information technology (IT) governance and its research streams. The first part introduces varying definitions ofITgovernance and the second part describes the definitions of, and research onITgovernance mechanisms. The third part of this literature review is a summary of research trends ofITgovernance. It is intended to familiarize the reader with the basic knowledge aboutITgovernance, and to call for theoretical contributions to this research field.
Mobile
IT
: Applications and Infrastructure
Authors: Varshney Upkar
Published: January 2015

Mobile
IT
is the area focused on mobility support for users, products, and services. Advances in mobile devices, applications, and wireless infrastructure have enabled this support at many different levels. An overview of mobile
IT
is presented in terms of applications, wireless infrastructure, and the future.
Metamodeling, Ontology, and Methodology Engineering
Authors: Rossi Matti
Published: January 2015

In this article we describe the interrelated concepts of method engineering, metamodeling and ontology.
Associations and Societies for Information Systems Professionals
Authors: McLean Ephraim R.
Published: January 2015

Several associations and societies have been founded, or have evolved from other groups, since the invention of the electronic digital computer.
Ubiquitous and Ambient Computing
Authors: Niederman Fred
Published: January 2015

This article summarizes the background and operation of ubiquitous and ambient computing. It discusses both traditional and emerging technologies based on these ideas. It provides numerous examples of where ubiquitous and ambient computing applications have been or may be implemented.
E‐Learning
Authors: Eom Sean B.
Published: January 2015

More than six million students, nearly a third of the total enrollment at degree‐granting postsecondary institutions in the United States, were taking at least one online course in 2010. Many, including faculty members, are frightened by e‐learning's meteoric rise on college campuses and continued growth and view the spread of e‐learning with trepidation. The success of online courses is dependent on a set of interrelated elements interacting together. This entry introduces e‐learning from a system's view. We view e‐learning as a system of input, process, and output to optimize e‐learning outcomes and student satisfaction. We begin with the introduction of the concept of e‐learning. The remainder of this entry is divided into several sections: an overview and technological elements of e‐learning systems, the process and outputs of e‐learning systems, and conclusion. With the technological advancements in computers and telecommunication technologies, the costs and qualities of technological inputs to e‐learning systems have become less expensive, easier to deploy, and more powerful. However, delivering online education on a massive scale is doomed to fail. The role of technology is quite minimal. The success of e‐learning is critically dependent on the role of the instructor.
Geographical Information Systems
Authors: Pick James B.
Published: January 2015

A geographical information system (
GIS
) consists of a database of attributes, spatial information, geospatial operators that link the two, user interface, and analytical, statistical and modeling features.
GISs
have grown rapidly in this century in business, government, and mass consumption markets. Location has become pervasive with mobile devices. By industry,
GIS
is often applied in natural resources, transportation, utilities, supply chain, agriculture, real estate, newspapers, and banking/finance. The benefits of
GIS
beyond nonspatial
IS
are improved accuracy of decision making, recognition of geography in operations and management, improved problem solving through geographic analysis, and ability to geo‐design future solutions.
Auditing Information Systems
Authors: Sriram Ram S.
Published: January 2015

Information technology implementation by organizations introduces significant changes in organizational governance, risk, and controls. Technology also affects how auditors perform their assurance responsibilities. This article provides a brief overview on the need for IT audit, the changing role of auditors, and how they must perform the audit of complex technology systems.
The Digital Divide: its Continued Relevance
Authors: Kvasny Lynette
Published: January 2015

In the United States the digital divide entered the public discourse in the mid‐1990s. Over the next two decades, a number of national, regional, and local interventions were implemented to bring information and communication technologies (ICT) to populations who would otherwise go lacking in access to these resources. Some argued that these gains in broadening access to ICT suggested a closing of the digital divide and that the United States was now a nation online. However, as access increased, new and evolving divides in the quality of access, the skills to effectively use online resources, and the availability of culturally salient online content emerged. This article discusses these new and evolving divides, and argues for the continued relevance of the digital divide as an issue for policy makers, educators, researchers, and communities.
Business Process Management
Authors: Brocke Jan vom , Rosemann Michael
Published: January 2015

Business process management (BPM) is dedicated to analyzing, designing, implementing, and continuously improving organizational processes. While early contributions were focusing on the (re‐)design of single processes, contemporary research calls for a more holistic view on the management of organizational processes. To that end, BPM is understood as an integrated set of corporate capabilities related to strategic alignment, governance, methods, technology, people, and culture. This article outlines the emergence of BPM, presents major principles of process‐thinking, describes the essential capability areas of BPM, and discusses context‐awareness as a major success factor of business process management.
Service Delivery Standards (
ITIL
,
COBIT
,
ETOM
,
ISO
/
IEC
20000, Etc.)
Authors: Ding Yi
Published: January 2015

This article provides a discussion of a list of popular service delivery standards including
ITIL
,
COBIT
, e
TOM
, and
ISO/IEC
20000. We started with a discussion of key IT service characteristics and challenges of IT services management. Then, we listed and discussed a list of IT service delivery standards and their key components that can help IT service providers ensure the consistent quality of their service delivery.
IT
Leadership
Authors: Brown Carol V.
Published: January 2015

An executive IT leadership position, often with a Chief Information Officer (
CIO
) title, emerged in the 1980s as organizations became increasingly dependent on IT for business operations and strategic initiatives. This article focuses on what we have learned about the IT executive role beginning with conceptual and descriptive research from the 1990s. More recent researchers have developed frameworks for categorizing IT executive roles and IT leadership approaches using a contingency lens and field‐based data. Future studies could benefit from research designs that take a more holistic view of the IT leadership context within a given organization, as well as the potential impacts on the IT executive role due to changes in the technology landscape.
Social Network Services
Authors: Helms Remko
Published: January 2015

Social network services (SNS) emerged roughly 15 years ago and have deeply penetrated in our personal and work life. Companies providing SNSs typically offer the opportunity to create a profile, create friend lists, and communicate with friends. In practice, there is a lot of variety in these sites in terms of audience served and functionality supported. The business model of SNSs providers is not selling the service to their customers but to use the generated content of their customers to sell to third parties for advertising and marketing purposes. SNS is a broad field that has many different aspects such as, for instance, privacy issues and technology adoption aspects. Therefore, SNSs are also broadly researched by the academic community.
Auctions
Authors: Katzman Brett
Published: January 2015

This article is a brief definition of a single unit auction. It provides examples of the four most common single unit auctions, the first price, second price, English, and Dutch. It also suggest various setting in which each of the auctions is most likely to be seen.
Capital Markets
Authors: Sabbarese Don
Published: January 2015

Capital market securities are transferred through a mix of markets and financial intermediaries.
Technical Efficiency
Authors: Ley Eduardo
Published: January 2015

In Physics, efficiency is the ratio of useful work done to the total energy expended, and the same general idea is associated with the term in production.
Capitalism
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article identifies the underlying economic questions, that is faced by every society, regarding the allocation of its scarce resources. It then provides a description of the four fundamental elements of the economic system known as capitalism, and each element's role in answering these questions. The competing conservative and liberal economic philosophies are then explored, each in terms of its views on capitalism. Some of the roles of government by which the system of capitalism is supported are also examined.
EUMerger Policy
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

The development of the regulatory control of mergers in the EU is presented in this article. The primary legal foundation, the 2004 EC Merger Regulation, is examined along with the reorganization of the EU's merger control unit and its procedures. The new standard for evaluating a proposed merger, which is the likelihood of the merger significantly impeding effective competition, is discussed along with some of its applications. Parallels and areas of continued divergence with US merger policy are also presented.
Income Elasticity
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article describes the calculation of income elasticity and its use in measuring the responsiveness of consumers to a change in their income. The relationship between this measure and consumer durables, luxury items and other goods is also identified.
L
erner Index
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article describes the Lerner index. It demonstrates how the index is calculated and explains why and how it acts as a measure of market power. The relation between the index and a firm's profit, market share, and the elasticity of demand for its product are also examined.
Market Performance
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

In this article, the economic concept of market performance is defined and the four principal market performance goals are examined. Three distinct types of market efficiency are explained, along with the goal of market equity. Two competing views of market equity are identified. Two leading measurement tools used by economists in examining questions surrounding market performance are also presented, and the strengths and shortcomings of each are described.
Market Structure
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article defines market structure and provides a description of five central elements which are part of its makeup. Several underlying factors that which play a role in determining the structure of a market are also identified and explained. In addition, the role played by market structure in the development of industrial policy, and the importance of different market structures within the US economy, are highlighted.
Merger Guidelines, 2010
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

The latest set of merger guidelines to be provided to the business community by the US government are presented here. Emphasis is placed on examining the new “effects based” approach used in these guidelines and differences established between these and the previous guidelines issued in 1997. Changes in the role of market definition and market concentration are highlighted.
M
icrosoft Antitrust Case:
U
nited
S
tates
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article presents an examination of the antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice against the Microsoft Corporation. The article addresses the primary issues of market definition, market power and anticompetitive behavior which were central to the case. The economic arguments behind the government's positions and Microsoft's defenses are provided. The decisions of the US District and Circuit courts with respect to the legality of Microsoft's behavior regarding the monopolizing of the operating system market, attempting to monopolize the browser market and the tying of its operating system to its browser are also provided.
Structure‐Conduct‐Performance Paradigm
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article provides a description of the basic model of industry analysis that is used in the field of industrial organization economics. The article focuses on the two competing views of industry behavior and public policy toward business which have evolved from the paradigm. The traditional Structuralist School view of the causal flow of the paradigm's elements is examined and empirical research supporting this view is presented. The article then presents some of the consequences of this view in terms of the antitrust policy prescriptions which it supports. Some theoretical and empirical shortcomings of this view, and competing evidence supporting the alternative Chicago School view, are then examined.
Total Costs
Authors: Becker Gilbert
Published: January 2015

This article provides an economic examination of the term total costs. Identified are the primary costs which, for any firm, make up its total costs. The relation of these costs to the firm's output and profit are also examined.
Firm Financial Structure
Authors: Belanger Joseph P.
Published: January 2015

A firm's financial structure consists of the liabilities, equity, and other inputs that provide resources for operations. Within the firm's financial structure is its capital structure, that comprises of funded debt and equity. The more broadly defined firm financial structure includes these components of capital along with all other sources, such as accounts payable and accrued wages arising from purchases of goods, services, and labor. As such, the financial structure includes all of the firm's available resources whereas the firm's capital structure relates solely to resources made available to the firm from financing activities with lenders and stockholders. The firm's financial structure tends to reflect the nature of its underlying industry.
Present Value
Authors: Cameron Lisa
Published: January 2015

The present value of a series of future cash flows differs from the sum of those future cash flows.
Stockholders
Authors: Cragg Michael
Published: January 2015

Lenders and stockholders provide firms with financial capital.
Dumping
Authors: Jones Kent A.
Published: January 2015

According to the traditional definition, dumping is the practice of PRICE DISCRIMINATION in international trade, in which the exporter charges a lower price for a specific product in the export market than in his home market. World Trade Organization rules, as embodied in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), Article VI, recognizes two additional definitions of dumping, which can be applied if the exporter's home price is deemed inappropriate as a basis for comparison:

charging a lower price for a product in one export market than in another export market; and

charging a price that does not cover the cost of production, including a “reasonable” addition for selling cost and profit.

US international trade law generalizes the definition of dumping as the sale of an imported product at “less than fair value,” according to the applicable basis of price comparison. According to GATT rules, if an investigation finds that dumping has taken place and “injures” a domestic industry, the importing country can impose an antidumping duty in the amount of the difference between the export price and the “fair value” price.
Markup Pricing
Authors: Axarloglou Kostas
Published: January 2015

Markup pricing is one of several different pricing policies companies use to price their products. In markup pricing, prices are set to cover all direct costs plus a percentage markup for profit contribution. This policy is relevant in market structures where companies have some market power, and therefore are able to set the prices of their products.
Internal Organization of the Firm
Authors: Polutnik Lidija
Published: January 2015

Management decisions about the boundary (size) of the firm, internal organization of the firm, and the internal systems for aligning incentives of all stakeholders of the firm are critical to enable the firm to create the most value given its resources and market opportunities. Internal organization defines who makes which decisions, who controls which information, and whose goals are or are not aligned with the objectives of the firm. Within any organizational structure there is a trade‐off between the amount of information in each business unit and the need for coordinated decisions across units. As firms increase in scale, per unit costs decrease due to economies of scale and scope. On the other hand, as the firm grows in size multiple principal‐agent problems arise which result in residual loss. Internal organization of firms falls into four basic structures: the Unitary
functional
structure (or U‐form), the
multidivisional
structure (or the M‐form), the
matrix
structure and the
network
structure.
Factor Productivity
Authors: Way Megan M.
Published: January 2015

Factor productivity is defined as the units of output per unit of factor input. Factors of production are land, labor, and capital. The productivity of these factors together with their prices (rents, wages, and interest rates) drive firm decisions such as the level of output to produce and the mix of inputs to use in the production process. Average product and marginal product are the most common productivity metrics. Factor productivity derives from several sources such as intrinsic qualities of the factor, the availability and productivity of complementary inputs, and the technology or production process used in converting inputs to outputs. Profit ‐maximization and cost minimization are related to factor productivity because they involve comparisons of the marginal revenue generated by the input and the marginal cost to hire the input, across the range of potential inputs.
Imperfect Information
Authors: Way Megan M.
Published: January 2015

Imperfect information affects markets when the parties to a market transaction do not have complete knowledge of their own and the other party's characteristics, payoffs and decisions which affect the potential value of the transaction. This includes cases of asymmetric information, which can lead to adverse selection and moral hazard problems. It particularly affects markets such as insurance, labor, finance and product markets where the quality of a good is not discernible to a buyer. Imperfect information can result in market failure and can be mitigated by a variety of market and non‐market mechanisms.
Reservation Wage
Authors: Way Megan M.
Published: January 2015

A worker's
reservation wage
is the minimum wage that the worker requires in order to participate in the labor market. It represents the monetary value of an hour of leisure (broadly defined as any non‐labor‐market activity) to the worker. If the wage offer does not meet or exceed the worker's reservation wage, then the worker's utility is maximized by remaining unemployed. The reservation wage of any given worker is determined by both micro‐ and macroeconomic factors that affect the worker's marginal utility of leisure or marginal utility of consumption when the worker is unemployed, (i.e., personal preferences, household production activities, unemployment benefits, and other non‐labor income.).
Transfer Pricing
Authors: Way Megan M.
Published: January 2015

Transfer pricing refers to the intra‐firm pricing of goods and services sold or moved from one division of an organization to another. These products may be intermediate inputs used in the production of the firm's final product, or services provided by one division to another. It is often associated with the existence of separate profit centers within a firm. The challenge with transfer pricing is to determine the price which will lead to efficient production levels in both the buying and selling divisions, and lead to profit maximization for the firm as a whole. In theory, this price depends upon the marginal costs and benefits of production of the intermediate input and final output. In practice, this pricing depends upon the structure and existence of external markets, the organizational structure that determines the relationships in the internal markets and, in the case of multi‐national corporations, tax differences between the countries in which the internal buyers and sellers are located.
Accounting Profit
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Accounting profit is definerd and differences between accounting profit and economic profit are discussed.
Backward Integration
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Backward integration is defined.
Ceteris Paribus
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The term
ceteris paribus
is defined.
Complements
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Economic complements are defined.
Diminishing Marginal Utility
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

As consumption of any good increases within a specific period of time, additional units of the good will yield less satisfaction.
Dominant Firm
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

A dominant firm has significant market power which it can exercise over other firms in the industry.
Economics of the
I
nternet
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

There are several features of the Internet that are unique and give rise to new competition in business. As Shapiro and Varian point out, the cost of producing information is quite high but the cost of disseminating information is generally quite low.
Error Terms in Regression
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The estimated coefficients from a linear regression will be the best linear unbiased estimators (BLUE) when the error terms in the regression have certain properties.
First‐Mover Advantages
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

First‐mover advantages are defined and their effects on entry are considered.
Fragmented Industries
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Fragmented industries are defined and economic conditions which lead to their existence are presented.
Inflation
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Inflation is defined.
Linear Regression
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The techniques of linear regression are presented along with problems that can arise.
Lock‐In
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The economic concept of lock‐in is defined and examples of lock‐in are discussed. When lock‐in occurs, examples of inefficiency that have been used in the past are actually found to be efficient.
Long‐Run Cost Curves
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Long‐run cost curves are defined and their economic importance is explained.
Minimum Efficient Scale
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The concept of minimum efficient scale is presented.
Objective of the Firm
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The objective of the firm is discussed. Alternatives to the concept of profit maximization are considered.
Real Income
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Real income is defined.
Search Goods
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Search goods are those products whose quality can be determined by inspection before purchase.
Short Run
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The short run is defined as that period of time during which at least one input in production is fixed and cannot be changed.
Simultaneous Equations Bias
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

This refers to the bias from using linear regression to estimate the parameters of an equation that is part of a system of simultaneous equations.
Standard Error of Estimate
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The standard error of estimate (
SEE
) is the square root of the variance of the residuals from a linear regression.
Strategic Behavior
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Firms behave strategically when they engage in activities intended to change their rivals' expectations.
Substitution Effect
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

The increase in the relative price of butter, for example, will cause the consumer to substitute other products, such as margarine, for butter, and the consumer will move along her indifference curve (if possible) substituting margarine for butter.
Sunk Costs
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Sunk costs are those costs which cannot be recovered by the firm. These costs can play a significant role in the market structure of industries.
T‐Statistic
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

Most statistical software programs report the t‐statistic along with other summary information as part of the routine output from a linear regression. The t‐statistic is used for hypothesis testing when the true population variance is unknown and is replaced by the estimated sample variance.
Uncertainty
Authors: McAuliffe Robert E.
Published: January 2015

In cases where risk cannot be quantified, Knight argued there is uncertainty.
Business Entities
Authors: Petty Ross D. , Mandel Richard P.
Published: January 2015

The ability to protect personal assets and control how much an individual must risk when starting a business has encouraged business formation and innovation ever since the Industrial Revolution. This article describes the various forms of business entities available to entrepreneurs, comparing them on a number of factors including limitation of personal liability but also including such factors as governance, taxation, continuity, ease of formation and transferability.
Externalities
Authors: Hussain Sayed A.
Published: January 2015

A brief review of externalities due to economic agents failing to internalize the true cost and/or benefit of their actions.
Predatory Pricing
Authors: Hussain Sayed A.
Published: January 2015

Reviews predatory pricing, an anti‐competitive practice wherein a firm lowers prices when there is competition from other rivals, and raises prices when rivals exit from the market.
Cost of Capital
Authors: Bajtelsmit Vickie L.
Published: January 2015

The required returns by debt and equity investors represent a cost to the firms raising capital to finance their projects. Debt is generally less costly than equity because debt investors are exposed to lower risk. To estimate the net present value of future opportunities, the firm's management discounts expected future cash flows at the weighted average cost of capital, taking into account the relative weights of different sources of capital and the costs of each.
Efficient Markets Hypothesis
Authors: Bajtelsmit Vickie L.
Published: January 2015

The efficient markets hypothesis suggests that available information is quickly reflected in prices, making it difficult to consistently make abnormal profits based on information that is also available to other investors. Weak‐form efficiency is when prices fully reflect historical price and volume information. A market is said to be semi‐strong form efficient when prices fully reflect all publicly available information. If prices fully reflect all public and private information, it is strong‐form efficient.
In‐Plane Alignment in Organic Solar Cells to Probe the Morphological Dependence of Charge Recombination
Authors: Awartani Omar , Kudenov Michael W. , Kline R. Joseph , O'Connor Brendan T.
Published: January 2015

Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells are fabricated with the polymer semiconductor aligned in the plane of the film to probe charge recombination losses associated with aggregates characterized by varying degrees of local order. 100% uniaxial strain is applied on ductile poly(3‐hexylthiophene):phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) BHJ films and characterize the resulting morphology with ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectroscopy and grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction. It is found that the strained films result in strong alignment of the highly ordered polymer aggregates. Polymer aggregates with lower order and amorphous regions also align but with a much broader orientation distribution. The solar cells are then tested under linearly polarized light where the light is selectively absorbed by the appropriately oriented polymer, while maintaining a common local environment for the sweep out of photogenerated charge carriers. Results show that charge collection losses associated with a disordered BHJ film are circumvented, and the internal quantum efficiency is independent of P3HT local aggregate order near the heterojunction interface. Uniquely, this experimental approach allows for selective excitation of distinct morphological features of a conjugated polymer within a single BHJ film, providing insight into the morphological origin of recombination losses.
X‐Ray Excited Luminescence Chemical Imaging of Bacterial Growth on Surfaces Implanted in Tissue
Authors: Wang Fenglin , Raval Yash , Tzeng Tzuen‐Rong J. , Anker Jeffrey N.
Published: January 2015

A pH sensor film is developed that can be coated on an implant surface and imaged using a combination of X‐ray excitation and visible spectroscopy to monitor bacterial infection and treatment of implanted medical devices (IMDs) through tissue. X‐ray scintillators in the pH sensor film generate light when an X‐ray beam irradiates them. This light first passes through a layer containing pH indicator that alters the spectrum according to pH, then passes through and out of the tissue where it is detected by a spectrometer. A reference region on the film is used to account for spectral distortion from wavelength‐dependent absorption and scattering in the tissue. pH images are acquired by moving the sample relative to the X‐ray beam and collecting a spectrum at each location, with a spatial resolution limited by the X‐ray beam width. Using this X‐ray excited luminescence chemical imaging (XELCI) to map pH through ex vivo porcine tissue, a pH drop is detected during normal bacterial growth on the sensor surface, and a restoration of the pH to the bulk value during antibiotic treatment over the course of hours with milli­meter resolution. Overall, XELCI provides a novel approach to noninvasively image surface pH for studying implant infections and treatments.
Persistent and Photostimulated Red Emission in CaS:Eu2+,Dy3+ Nanophosphors
Authors: Rodríguez Burbano Diana C. , Sharma Suchinder K. , Dorenbos Pieter , Viana Bruno , Capobianco John A.
Published: January 2015

The persistent and near‐infrared photostimulated optical properties of CaS nanoparticles and CaS:Eu2+ and CaS:Eu2+,Dy3+ nanophosphors are presented. Proposed mechanisms are elucidated for both phenomena by carrying out wavelength‐resolved, thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) and photostimulated luminescence (PSL) measurements. After UV (254 nm) irradiation, blue persistent and near‐infrared photostimulated luminescence is obtained due to the presence of intrinsic defects in CaS nanoparticles. By introducing Eu2+ as a dopant, the formation of shallow traps below the conduction band is observed and red persistent and near‐infrared PSL is obtained. Dy3+ is added as a codopant to create shallow and near‐infrared photostimulated deeper traps, lengthening the strong red persistent luminescence to 5 h and PSL time to 18 min.
Nanoparticle–Hydrogel Composites: Concept, Design, and Applications of These Promising, Multi‐Functional Materials
Authors: Thoniyot Praveen , Tan Mein Jin , Karim Anis Abdul , Young David James , Loh Xian Jun
Published: January 2015

New technologies rely on the development of new materials, and these may simply be the innovative combination of known components. The structural combination of a polymer hydrogel network with a nanoparticle (metals, non‐metals, metal oxides, and polymeric moieties) holds the promise of providing superior functionality to the composite material with applications in diverse fields, including catalysis, electronics, bio‐sensing, drug delivery, nano‐medicine, and environmental remediation. This mixing may result in a synergistic property enhancement of each component: for example, the mechanical strength of the hydrogel and concomitantly decrease aggregation of the nanoparticles. These mutual benefits and the associated potential applications have seen a surge of interest in the past decade from multi‐disciplinary research groups. Recent advances in nanoparticle–hydrogel composites are herein reviewed with a focus on their synthesis, design, potential applications, and the inherent challenges accompanying these exciting materials.
Dithienogermole‐Containing Small‐Molecule Solar Cells with 7.3% Efficiency: In‐Depth Study on the Effects of Heteroatom Substitution of Si with Ge
Authors: Moon Mijin , Walker Bright , Lee Junghoon , Park Song Yi , Ahn Hyungju , Kim Taehyo , Lee Tack Ho , Heo Jungwoo , Seo Jung Hwa , Shin Tae Joo , Kim Jin Young , Yang Changduk
Published: January 2015

Two small molecule donor materials (DTGe(FBTTh2)2 and DTGe(FBTBFu)2) incorporating the dithienogermole (DTGe) moiety with fluorobenzothiadiazole (FBT) and bithiophene (Th2) or benzofuran (BFu) end‐capping groups are synthesized and their properties as donor materials in small molecule bulk heterojunction type (BHJ) solar cells are investigated. The DTGe(FBTTh2)2 with Th2 end groups shows outstanding solar cell characteristics with efficiencies up to 6.4% using a standard BHJ architecture and 7.3% using a ZnO optical spacer, while the BFu end‐capped DTGe(FBTBFu)2 has slightly wider band gaps and yields slightly higher open circuit voltage (VOC) at the expense of short circuit current (JSC) and fill factor (FF). In this study, the DTGe‐based molecules are systematically compared to the dithienosilole (DTSi)‐based analogues, which are currently among the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) small molecule solar cell donor materials known. The JSC produced by the DTGe molecule is found to be similar to, or slightly higher than the Si analogue, despite similar absorption characteristics, however, the PCE is similar to the Si analogues due to small decreases in VOC and FF. This report marks the first small molecule BHJ based on a Ge‐containing heterocycle with PCE over 7%.
Total colonic aganglionosis and imperforate anus in a severely affected infant with Pallister‐Hall syndrome
Authors: Li Mindy H. , Eberhard Moriah , Mudd Pamela , Javia Luv , Zimmerman Robert , Khalek Nahla , Zackai Elaine H.
Published: January 2015

Pallister‐Hall syndrome is a complex malformation syndrome characterized by a wide range of anomalies including hypothalamic hamartoma, polydactyly, bifid epiglottis, and genitourinary abnormalities. It is usually caused by truncating frameshift/nonsense and splicing mutations in the middle third of GLI3. The clinical course ranges from mild to lethal in the neonatal period. We present the first patient with Pallister‐Hall syndrome reported with total colonic aganglionosis, a rare form of Hirschsprung disease with poor long‐term outcome. The patient also had an imperforate anus, which is the third individual with Pallister‐Hall syndrome reported with both Hirschsprung disease and an imperforate anus. Molecular testing via amniocentesis showed an apparently de novo novel nonsense mutation c.2641 C>T (p.Gln881*). His overall medical course was difficult and was complicated by respiratory failure and pan‐hypopituitarism. Invasive care was ultimately withdrawn, and the patient expired at three months of age. This patient's phenotype was complex with unusual gastrointestinal features ultimately leading to a unfavorable prognosis and outcome, highlighting the range of clinical severity in patients with Pallister‐Hall syndrome. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CRTAPmutation in a patient with Cole‐Carpenter syndrome
Authors: Balasubramanian Meena , Pollitt Rebecca C. , Chandler Kate E. , Mughal M. Z. , Parker Michael J. , Dalton Ann , Arundel Paul , Offiah Amaka C. , Bishop Nicholas J.
Published: January 2015

In 1987, Cole and Carpenter reported two unrelated infants with multiple fractures and deformities of bone, with a skeletal phenotype similar to severe osteogenesis imperfecta. In addition, these patients also had proptosis, blue sclerae, hydrocephalus, and a distinct facial gestalt. They were reported to be of normal intelligence. Radiologically, these patients had characteristic skeletal manifestations including craniosynostosis and deformities similar to severe progressive osteogenesis imperfecta. Since the first description, there have only been a few other reports of patients with a similar phenotype. Collagen studies performed in reported patients have been normal. The molecular basis of this syndrome has not been elucidated and the inheritance pattern is still unknown. We report on a child with Cole‐Carpenter syndrome phenotype who has a homozygous c.118G>T mutation in exon 1 of theCRTAPgene. We describe the clinical features and correlate this with her molecular results. This is the first report towards elucidating the molecular basis of Cole‐Carpenter syndrome. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A study of the clinical and radiological features in a cohort of 93 patients with a COL2A1 mutation causing spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita or a related phenotype
Authors: Terhal Paulien A. , Nievelstein Rutger Jan A. J. , Verver Eva J. J. , Topsakal Vedat , van Dommelen Paula , Hoornaert Kristien , Le Merrer Martine , Zankl Andreas , Simon Marleen E. H. , Smithson Sarah F. , Marcelis Carlo , Kerr Bronwyn , Clayton‐Smith Jill , Kinning Esther , Mansour Sahar , Elmslie Frances , Goodwin Linda , van der Hout Annemarie H. , Veenstra‐Knol Hermine E. , Herkert Johanna C. , Lund Allan M. , Hennekam Raoul C. M. , Mégarbané André , Lees Melissa M. , Wilson Louise C. , Male Alison , Hurst Jane , Alanay Yasemin , Annerén Göran , Betz Regina C. , Bongers Ernie M. H. F. , Cormier‐Daire Valerie , Dieux Anne , David Albert , Elting Mariet W. , van den Ende Jenneke , Green Andrew , van Hagen Johanna M. , Hertel Niels Thomas , Holder‐Espinasse Muriel , den Hollander Nicolette , Homfray Tessa , Hove Hanne D. , Price Susan , Raas‐Rothschild Annick , Rohrbach Marianne , Schroeter Barbara , Suri Mohnish , Thompson Elizabeth M. , Tobias Edward S. , Toutain Annick , Vreeburg Maaike , Wakeling Emma , Knoers Nine V. , Coucke Paul , Mortier Geert R.
Published: January 2015

Type 2 collagen disorders encompass a diverse group of skeletal dysplasias that are commonly associated with orthopedic, ocular, and hearing problems. However, the frequency of many clinical features has never been determined. We retrospectively investigated the clinical, radiological, and genotypic data in a group of 93 patients with molecularly confirmed SEDC or a related disorder. The majority of the patients (80/93) had short stature, with radiological features of SEDC (n = 64), others having SEMD (n = 5), Kniest dysplasia (n = 7), spondyloperipheral dysplasia (n = 2), or Torrance‐like dysplasia (n = 2). The remaining 13 patients had normal stature with mild SED, Stickler‐like syndrome or multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. Over 50% of the patients had undergone orthopedic surgery, usually for scoliosis, femoral osteotomy or hip replacement. Odontoid hypoplasia was present in 56% (95% CI 38–74) and a correlation between odontoid hypoplasia and short stature was observed. Atlanto‐axial instability, was observed in 5 of the 18 patients (28%, 95% CI 10–54) in whom flexion‐extension films of the cervical spine were available; however, it was rarely accompanied by myelopathy. Myopia was found in 45% (95% CI 35–56), and retinal detachment had occurred in 12% (95% CI 6–21; median age 14 years; youngest age 3.5 years). Thirty‐two patients complained of hearing loss (37%, 95% CI 27–48) of whom 17 required hearing aids. The ophthalmological features and possibly also hearing loss are often relatively frequent and severe in patients with splicing mutations. Based on clinical findings, age at onset and genotype–phenotype correlations in this cohort, we propose guidelines for the management and follow‐up in this group of disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Copper‐Catalyzed Regioselective C5 Sulfenylation of Imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles with Thiols
Authors: Liu Wenjie , Wang Shaohua , Jiang Yi , He Peiling , Zhang Qi , Cao Hua
Published: January 2015

Copper‐catalyzed regioselective sulfenylation of imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles with thiols is described via intermolecular CS bond formation using O2 as an oxidant. Both alkyl and (hetero)aryl thiols are employed as coupling partners, and the sulfenylation products were furnished in good yields. The reaction is also compatible with disulfides.
Office surgery for paranasal sinus recirculation
Authors: DelGaudio John M. , Ochsner Matthew C.
Published: January 2015

Background

Circular flow of mucus between adjacent openings of a single paranasal sinus is known as recirculation, and can cause persistent sinonasal symptoms. Removing the bridging tissues allows the surgical ostium to connect to the natural ostium. This procedure prevents the circular flow between the 2 ostia, and allows the mucociliary system to provide for physiologic drainage of the sinuses. Traditionally this has taken place in the operating room; however, performing this procedure in the office is possible, even when there is significant intervening bone. Here we report a series patients with recirculation successfully treated in the office.

Methods

A prospective study of 10 patients endoscopically diagnosed with recirculation, 9 involving the maxillary sinus and 1 involving the sphenoid. Symptoms included facial pressure, mucus stasis, congestion, and recurrent sinusitis. All patients had previous sinus surgery. All patients were treated in the office under topical ± local anesthesia. The bridging tissues between ostia were removed, 6 of which consisted of mucosal bands within the middle meatus, 1 with mucosa and intervening bone within the middle meatus, 2 with mucosa and inferior turbinate bone between ostia in the inferior and middle meatus, and 1 involving bone of the face of the sphenoid sinus.

Results

All 10 patients had significant improvement or resolution of the symptoms associated with recirculation, with no further endoscopic evidence of mucus recirculation.

Conclusion

This case series demonstrates that mucus recirculation can be successfully treated in the office setting, even across bony structures. This leads to significant savings to the healthcare system and less missed work/school compared to an operating room procedure.
Clinical phenotypes as predictors of the outcome of skipping around DMD exon 45
Authors: Findlay Andrew R. , Wein Nicolas , Kaminoh Yuuki , Taylor Laura E. , Dunn Diane M. , Mendell Jerry R. , King Wendy M. , Pestronk Alan , Florence Julaine M. , Mathews Katherine D. , Finkel Richard S. , Swoboda Kathryn J. , Howard Michael T. , Day John W. , McDonald Craig , Nicolas Aurélie , Le Rumeur Elisabeth , Weiss Robert B. , Flanigan Kevin M. ,   for the United Dystrophinopathy Project
Published: January 2015

Objective

Exon‐skipping therapies aim to convert Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) into less severe Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) by altering pre‐mRNA splicing to restore an open reading frame, allowing translation of an internally deleted and partially functional dystrophin protein. The most common single exon deletion—exon 45 (Δ45)—may theoretically be treated by skipping of either flanking exon (44 or 46). We sought to predict the impact of these by assessing the clinical severity in dystrophinopathy patients.

Methods

Phenotypic data including clinical diagnosis, age at wheelchair use, age at loss of ambulation, and presence of cardiomyopathy were analyzed from 41 dystrophinopathy patients containing equivalent in‐frame deletions.

Results

As expected, deletions of either exons 45 to 47 (Δ45–47) or exons 45 to 48 (Δ45–48) result in BMD in 97% (36 of 37) of subjects. Unexpectedly, deletion of exons 45 to 46 (Δ45–46) is associated with the more severe DMD phenotype in 4 of 4 subjects despite an in‐frame transcript. Notably, no patients with a deletion of exons 44 to 45 (Δ44–45) were found within the United Dystrophinopathy Project database, and this mutation has only been reported twice before, which suggests an ascertainment bias attributable to a very mild phenotype.

Interpretation

The observation that Δ45–46 patients have typical DMD suggests that the conformation of the resultant protein may result in protein instability or altered binding of critical partners. We conclude that in DMD patients with Δ45, skipping of exon 44 and multiexon skipping of exons 46 and 47 (or exons 46–48) are better potential therapies than skipping of exon 46 alone. Ann Neurol 2015 Ann Neurol 2015;77:668–674
Affinity Enhancement by Dendritic Side Chains in Synthetic Carbohydrate Receptors
Authors: Destecroix Harry , Renney Charles M. , Mooibroek Tiddo J. , Carter Tom S. , Stewart Patrick F. N. , Crump Matthew P. , Davis Anthony P.
Published: January 2015

Dendritic side chains have been used to modify the binding environment in anthracene‐based synthetic carbohydrate receptors. Control of length, charge, and branching enabled the positioning of side‐chain carboxylate groups in such a way that they assisted in binding substrates rather than blocking the cavity. Conformational degeneracy in the dendrimers resulted in effective preorganization despite the flexibility of the system. Strong binding was observed to glucosammonium ions in water, with Ka values up to 7000 M−1. Affinities for uncharged substrates (glucose and N‐acetylglucosamine) were also enhanced, despite competition from solvent and the absence of electrostatic interactions.
Interface Engineering of a CoOx/Ta3N5 Photocatalyst for Unprecedented Water Oxidation Performance under Visible‐Light‐Irradiation
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Shen Shuai , Liu Guiji , Qi Yu , Zhang Fuxiang , Li Can
Published: January 2015

Cocatalysts have been extensively used to promote water oxidation efficiency in solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion, but the influence of interface compatibility between semiconductor and cocatalyst has been rarely addressed. Here we demonstrate a feasible strategy of interface wettability modification to enhance water oxidation efficiency of the state‐of‐the‐art CoOx/Ta3N5 system. When the hydrophobic feature of a Ta3N5 semiconductor was modulated to a hydrophilic one by in situ or ex situ surface coating with a magnesia nanolayer (2–5 nm), the interfacial contact between the hydrophilic CoOx cocatalyst and the modified hydrophilic Ta3N5 semiconductor was greatly improved. Consequently, the visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic oxygen evolution rate of the resulting CoOx/MgO(in)–Ta3N5 photocatalyst is ca. 23 times that of the pristine Ta3N5 sample, with a new record (11.3 %) of apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) under 500–600 nm illumination.