bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of statins on microglial cells to protect against neurodegenerative disorders: A mechanistic review
Authors: Bagheri Hossein , Ghasemi Faezeh , Barreto George E. , Sathyapalan Thozhukat , Jamialahmadi Tannaz , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: December 2019

Microglia are the primary innate immune system cells in the central nervous system (CNS). They are crucial for the immunity, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, neurotrophic support, phagocytosis of cellular debris, and maintaining the CNS integrity and homeostasis. Invasion by pathogens as well as in CNS injuries and damages results in activation of microglia known as microgliosis. The activated microglia have the capacity to release proinflammatory mediators leading to neuroinflammation. However, uncontrolled neuroinflammation can give rise to various neurological disorders (NDs), especially the neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias, multiple sclerosis (MS), Huntington's disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and stroke. Statins (HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors) are among the most widely prescribed medications for the management of hypercholesterolemia worldwide. It can be used for primary prevention in healthy individuals who are at higher risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases as well as the secondary prevention in patients with cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases disease. A growing body of evidence has indicated that statins have the potential to attenuate the proinflammatory mediators and subsequent NDs by controlling the microglial activation and consequent reduction in neuroinflammatory mediators. In this review, we have discussed the recent studies on the effects of statins on microglia activation and neuroinflammation.
A validated UPLC–MS/MS method for quantitative determination of a potent neuroprotective agent Sarsasapogenin‐AA13 in rat plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic studies
Authors: Pei Lixia , Ye Yiyi , Zhao Wenshu , Ye Qun , Ge Songlan , Jiang Zi‐wei , Liang Xiao‐qiang , Gan Hai‐xian , Ma Lei
Published: December 2019

Sarsasapogenin‐AA13(AA13), a sarsasapogenin derivative, exhibited good neuroprotective and anti‐inflammatory activities in vitro and therapeutic effects on learning and memory dysfunction in amyloid‐β‐injected mice. A sensitive UPLC–MS/MS method was developed and validated to quantitatively determine AA13 in rat plasma and was further applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetic behaviour of AA13 in rats that were administered AA13 intravenously and orally. This method was validated to exhibit excellent linearity in the concentration range of 1–1000 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL for AA13 in rat plasma. Intra‐day accuracy for AA13 was in the range of 90–114%, and inter‐day accuracy was in the range of 97–103 %. The relative standard deviation of intra‐day and inter‐day assay was less than 15%. After a single oral administration of AA13 at the dose of 25 mg/kg, Cmax of AA13 was 1266.4 ± 316.1 ng/mL. AUC0–48 h was 6928.5 ± 1990.1 h·ng/mL, and t1/2 was 10.2 ± 0.8 h. Under intravenous administration of AA13 at a dosage of 250 μg/kg, AUC0–48 h was 785.7 ± 103.3 h⋅ng/mL, and t1/2 was 20.8 ± 7.2 h. Based on the results, oral bioavailability (F %) of AA13 in rats at 25 mg/kg was 8.82 %.
Development and validation of volumetric absorptive microsampling coupled with UHPLC–MS/MS for the analysis of gamma‐hydroxybutyric acid in human blood
Authors: Mohamed Susan , Riva Roberto , Moresco Monica , Plazzi Giuseppe , Contin Manuela
Published: December 2019

A volumetric microsampling (VAMS) device (20 μl) was evaluated and validated for the analysis of γ‐hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in venous blood using a simple ultra‐high‐pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) method. GHB was extracted from VAMS device by acetonitrile, after a re‐hydration step in a temperature‐controlled ultrasonic bath at 60°C for 10 min. Chromatographic analysis was carried out on a Kinetex C18 column using 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as binary gradient mobile phase (from 5 to 95% of acetonitrile from 1 to 2.5 min) at a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. The VAMS method was fully validated according to current guidelines with satisfactory results in terms of linearity, selectivity, precision, absolute recovery, matrix effect and stability. The linearity was determined from 0.5 to 200 μg/ml and the lower limit of quantitation was 0.5 μg/ml. The novel VAMS–UHPLC–MS/MS method was successfully compared with plasma‐based method in a GHB‐treated patient as a proof of concept.
Cholesterol‐conjugated PEGylated PAMAM as an efficient nanocarrier for plasmid encoding interleukin‐12 immunogene delivery toward colon cancer cells
Authors: Pishavar Elham , Oroojalian Fatemeh , Ramezani Mohammad , Hashemi Maryam
Published: December 2019

IL‐12 is a pleiotropic cytokine, which shows an ideal applicant for tumor immunotherapy, because of its features of creating an interconnection between innate (NK cells) and adaptive (cytotoxic T lymphocyte) immunity. IL‐12 gene therapy is a useful technique to deliver an immune‐modulatory gene directly into tumor site thereby limiting the adverse effects of systemic administration of IL‐12 proteins. One of the most largely investigated non‐viral gene carriers is polyamidoamine (PAMAM). In the current research, 5 and 3% of PAMAM primary amines were substituted to transmit the plasmid encoding IL‐12 gene to cells by cholesteryl chloroformate and alkyl‐PEG, respectively. The features of modified PAMAMs containing size and surface charge density, cytotoxicity, and transfection efficiency were investigated in colon cancer cells. in vitro experiment showed that this modified carrier with average size of about 160 nm and zeta potential of 30 mV was able to increase the level of IL‐12 production up to two folds as compared to that of the unmodified PAMAM. Improvement of the polymer hydrophobic balance along with of the modulation of the surface positive charge could provide an efficient and safe non‐viral IL‐12 gene for colon cancer immunogene therapy.
Evaluation of parallel programming teaching methodologies: On‐campus versus online methodologies
Authors: Cantabella Magdalena , Guillén Miguel Ángel , López Belén , Muñoz Andrés , Cecilia José M.
Published: December 2019

Contribution

This study reveals that the programming paradigm is relevant to obtain advanced programming skills.

Background

Parallel computing has become mandatory for computer science students. The increasing amount of computational resources required by emerging applications need experienced programmers that fully exploit hardware resources. However, the hardware platforms and programming languages to leverage them evolve at a dizzying pace, making very challenging for students the successful learning of the continuously changing high‐performance computing concepts.

Research Questions

(a) Is the learning curve of the programming language too steep to begin learning parallel programming fundamentals? (b) Are emergent learning methodologies making even more difficult to learn parallel programming in general?

Methodology

It is analyzed the main challenges for succeeding in parallel programming courses at the undergraduate level in two different learning modalities, namely on‐campus and online. It is analyzed the main tools available within a learning management system, showing their impact on online studies.

Findings

Our results reveal that the steep learning curve for parallel programming is one of the main barriers to student success, leading to an early drop out of the subject. On‐campus studies mitigate this problem through a close relationship between students and educators. Online studies, however, do not have this tight relationship by its definition.
A teaching method for the theory and application of robot kinematics based on MATLAB and V‐REP
Authors: Zhou Dongxu , Xie Mingzuo , Xuan Pengcheng , Jia Ruiqing
Published: December 2019

With the continuous development of the world, robots are necessary for achieving high production rates and competitiveness. With an increasing robot demand, many universities offer robotics courses. These courses teach students the mathematical principles of robot‐related algorithms. However, it is difficult for students to apply pure mathematical algorithms in robotics to real robot development in a traditional classroom. This paper's motivation is to present a new robotics teaching method: Algorithm, Virtual experiment, Programming and Controller (AVPC), which shows students the steps of complete robot algorithm development, verification, and application process, taking the kinematics of an educational desktop 6‐DOF robotic arm as a typical teaching case. For the low‐cost educational desktop six‐axis robotic arm, an inverse kinematics algorithm is proposed. The inverse solution algorithm is realized in MATLAB, and then the dynamic model of the desktop robotic arm is established in Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform (V‐REP). The inverse kinematics algorithm in MATLAB is used to control the virtual robot arm movement in V‐REP to the specified position and orientation through the application programming interface (API) interface, thus verifying the correctness of the inverse kinematics algorithm. The inverse algorithm is implemented by using C language function in the microcontroller, and the running time of the algorithm is compared with that of the iterative solution method. In the present study, we investigated the students’ feelings and exam scores of using the new teaching method. The results show that the new teaching method has a significant impact on the improvement of students’ learning effect of robotics.
Learn if FERPA preempts states’ right‐to‐know laws
Authors: Gelpi Aileen
Published: December 2019

Consider this scenario: You are a higher ed administrator at a public college or university and in your hands is a request for information pursuant to your state's right‐to‐know law submitted by a certain Jane Doe. She requests the institution provide her with records showing the names of students who have been found responsible in disciplinary proceedings in the past four years, the dates of the events that led to the proceedings, and whether those students are still enrolled at your institution. Jane Doe doesn't explain her reasons for the request or what she plans to do with the information. She doesn't disclose an affiliation to any specific organization.
7,8‐Dihydro‐8‐oxoguanosine Lesions Inhibit the Theophylline Aptamer or Change Its Selectivity
Authors: Kiggins Courtney , Skinner Austin , Resendiz Marino J. E.
Published: December 2019

Aptamers are attractive constructs due to their high affinity/selectivity towards a target. Here 7,8‐dihydro‐8‐oxoguanosine (8‐oxoG) has been used, due in part to its unique H‐bonding capabilities (Watson–Crick or Hoogsteen), to expand the “RNA alphabet”. Its impact on the theophylline RNA aptamer was explored by modifying its binding pocket at positions G11, G25, or G26. Structural probing, with RNases A and T1, showed that modification at G11 leads to a drastic structural change, whereas the G25‐/G26‐modified analogues exhibited cleavage patterns similar to that of the canonical construct. The recognition properties towards three xanthine derivatives were then explored through thermophoresis. Modifying the aptamer at position G11 led to binding inhibition. Modification at G25, however, changed the selectivity towards theobromine (Kd≈160 μm), with a poor affinity for theophylline (Kd>1.5 mm) being observed. Overall, 8‐oxoG can have an impact on the structures of aptamers in a position‐dependent manner, leading to altered target selectivity.
Synergistic Amplification of Oxygen Generation in (Photo)Catalytic Water Splitting by a PEDOT/Nano‐Co3O4/MWCNT Thin Film Composite
Authors: Alsultan Mohammed , Choi Jaecheol , Wagner Pawel , Swiegers Gerhard F.
Published: December 2019

Amplifying catalysis by thoughtful exploitation of synergistic effects with interacting supports is a new field of potentially great significance. It is particularly relevant for solar‐assisted reactions that are currently too poorly catalyzed to be practically viable, such as photoelectrochemical splitting of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. In this work we describe synergistic amplification of water oxidation photoelectrocatalysis by the use of a thin layer electroactive polymer support. Coating of a bare Pt surface with a 0.98 μm thick film of poly(3,4‐ethylene‐dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) containing a specific molar ratio of nano‐Co3O4 (a water oxidation catalyst) and multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (oxidatively stable conductors) synergistically amplifies its rate of water oxidation catalysis by 15‐fold (under the most oxidizing conditions that can be applied to PEDOT without degradation; with light illumination of 0.25 sun). To the best of our knowledge, this film is the most active water oxidation catalyst yet reported under near‐neutral (pH 12) conditions as a proportion of the activity of Pt, which is the industry‐standard catalyst of the reaction.
Catalytic Steam Reforming of Natural Gas over a New Ni Exsolved Ruddlesden‐Popper Manganite in SOFC Anode Conditions
Authors: Vecino‐Mantilla Sebastián , Quintero Erika , Fonseca Camilo , Gauthier Gilles H. , Gauthier‐Maradei Paola
Published: December 2019

The catalytic behavior of the new Ni exsolved Ruddlesden‐Popper (RP) manganite (La1.5Sr1.5Mn1.5Ni0.5O7) for the reforming reaction was studied. The material was synthesized by the Pechini method and reduced to induce the formation of two phases: n=1 RP structure LaSrMnO4 decorated with Ni nanoparticles. Ni impregnation on (La,Sr)2MnO4 ceramic support of similar composition was also prepared for comparison. The catalytic measurements were carried out in a reduction‐reaction process with low steam to carbon content (S/C=0.15) at 700, 800 and 850 °C. The exsolved material exhibits a better performance than the impregnated for the methane steam reforming reaction, especially at 850 °C with higher conversion and H2 production rate. However, in light alkane gas mixtures (CH4−C2H6 and CH4−C3H8), the behavior is affected due to the competition between reactions and low available metallic active sites, without affecting the H2 production. The exceptional overall results considering this new material as a promising anode material in a SOFC fed with Colombian natural gas.
Nitrogen‐Doped Carbons with Hierarchical Porosity via Chemical Blowing Towards Long‐Lived Metal‐Free Catalysts for Acetylene Hydrochlorination
Authors: Kaiser Selina K. , Song Kyung Seob , Mitchell Sharon , Coskun Ali , Pérez‐Ramírez Javier
Published: December 2019

Porous nitrogen‐doped carbons (NCs) are sustainable alternatives to the toxic mercury‐based acetylene hydrochlorination catalysts applied in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride. However, the application of NCs as metal‐free catalysts is hampered by their insufficient durability under industrially relevant process conditions. In particular, pore blockage leads to accelerated deactivation of NCs compared to the state‐of‐the‐art precious metal‐based systems. Herein, we develop a salt template‐assisted synthesis strategy coupled with chemical blowing to tune the textural properties of NCs, while preserving the N‐content and speciation. The addition of metal salts (i. e., Mg(OAc)2 or CaCO3) enhances gas evolution, leading to an increased formation of micro‐ and mesopores, while the in‐situ generated CaO/CaCl2 and MgO/MgCl2 develop auxiliary pore networks. Micropores are easily blocked during acetylene hydrochlorination, but meso‐ and macropores are structurally stable, enhancing the lifetime of hierarchical NCs by ca. 50 times compared to their non‐templated analogues, rivaling the stability of benchmark metal‐based catalysts.
Pyrolytic Carbon Films with Tunable Electronic Structure and Surface Functionality: A Planar Stand‐In for Electroanalysis of Energy‐Relevant Reactions
Authors: Parker Joseph F. , So Christopher R. , Sassin Megan B. , Ko Jesse S. , Jeon Seokmin , Chervin Christopher N. , Lytle Justin C. , Helms Maya E. , Rolison Debra R. , Long Jeffrey W.
Published: December 2019

Fundamental charge‐transfer dynamics for technologically relevant carbons, such as disordered “hard” carbons, can be studied by designing planar mimics. We fabricate thin films of “pyrolytic carbon” (pyC) by decomposition of benzene at 1000 °C and examine the physical and electrochemical properties of the native pyC film, as well as variants after heteroatom doping, plasma oxidation, and metal nanoparticle modification. The pyC films are optically reflective at the macroscale, relatively planar (1–3 nm RMS roughness by atomic force microscopy) and disordered (via Raman scattering). Thiophenyl‐doped pyC films (0.6–1.7 atom % sulfur) suitably mimic the disorder, chemical state (X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and work function (Kelvin probe) of a workhorse carbon black, Vulcan XC‐72. Using ferri/ferrocyanide as a redox probe, we find that oxygen functionalities enhance the heterogeneous electron‐transfer rate constant up to 3×, while high levels of sulfur dopants decrease the rate 2×. We also explore thiophenyl‐directed adsorption of Au nanoparticles and show that hydrogen evolution at 0.1 mA cm−2 occurs ∼95 mV more positive at <1 % Au@pyC∼S than at pyC∼S.
A Durable Na0.56V2O5 Nanobelt Cathode Material Assisted by Hybrid Cationic Electrolyte for High‐Performance Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Gao Ping , Ru Qiang , Yan Honglin , Cheng Shikun , Liu Yang , Hou Xianhua , Wei Li , Chi‐Chung Ling Francis
Published: December 2019

Rechargeable aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (ZIBs) show attractive potential in energy storage devices on account of high safety and eco‐friendliness. Yet the lack of suitable cathode materials prevented the practical application of ZIBs. In our work, a Na0.56V2O5 (NVO) nanobelt cathode material has been fabricated via a hydrothermal reaction. The prepared NVO samples reveal an expanded layer spacing, assisted by the chemical intercalation of Na+ into the V2O5. Particularly, a mild hybrid cationic electrolyte (0.5HCE, containing 3 M ZnSO4 and 0.5 M Na2SO4) was employed to replace the traditional ZnSO4 electrolyte (ZE) in the Zn//NVO system. Owing to the enlarged interlayer spacing and the protective effect of 0.5HCE, the NVO cathode delivers a preferable capacity and good cyclic stability. More specifically, the NVO cathode in 0.5HCE displays a high initial discharge capacity of 317 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, and exhibits a good stability after 1000 cycles at the current density of 1 A g−1. Besides, the Zn//NVO battery also presents a favorable rate capability and a high reversibility. This study could provide new directions for the development of low‐cost zinc ion batteries.
MOF‐Derived Copper Nitride/Phosphide Heterostructure Coated by Multi‐Doped Carbon as Electrocatalyst for Efficient Water Splitting and Neutral‐pH Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Wang Qijun , Zhang Zheye , Zhao Xuezhu , Xiao Junwu , Manoj Devaraj , Wei Feifei , Xiao Fei , Wang Hairen , Wang Shuai
Published: December 2019

Efficient and robust electrocatalysts composed of earth‐abundant elements to replace noble metals is highly essential for cost‐effective production of hydrogen from water splitting. Herein, we demonstrate the fabrication of SO42− anions bridged MOF‐derived Cu3N−Cu3P heterostructure coated by ultrathin N, P, S‐tri‐doped carbon (NPSC) on nickel foam (Cu3N−Cu3P/NPSCNWs@NF) via an interface reconstruction strategy. The first‐principle simulation demonstrates that both Cu3N, Cu3P and NPSC own good electrical conductivity, suggesting these species can lead to efficient electrocatalytic performance. The remarkable features of high intrinsic conductivity and interfacial heterostructures at Cu3N−Cu3P/NPSCNWs@NF have ensured excellent water splitting electrocatalytic activity with a low potential of 1.54 V at 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH over 24 h, and additionally the resultant electrode exhibits impressive response for HER with an ultralow potential of 109 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in neutral‐pH media over 30 h.
A Comparative Study on the Thermodynamics of Halogen Bonding of Group 10 Pincer Fluoride Complexes
Authors: Joksch Markus , Agarwala Hemlata , Ferro Monica , Michalik Dirk , Spannenberg Anke , Beweries Torsten
Published: December 2019

The thermodynamics of halogen bonding of a series of isostructural Group 10 metal pincer fluoride complexes of the type [(3,5‐R2‐tBuPOCOPtBu)MF] (3,5‐R2‐tBuPOCOPtBu=κ3‐C6HR2‐2,6‐(OPtBu2)2 with R=H, tBu, COOMe; M=Ni, Pd, Pt) and iodopentafluorobenzene was investigated. Based on NMR experiments at different temperatures, all complexes 1‐tBu (R=tBu, M=Ni), 2‐H (R=H, M=Pd), 2‐tBu (R=tBu, M=Pd), 2‐COOMe (R=COOMe, M=Pd) and 3‐tBu (R=tBu, M=Pt) form strong halogen bonds with Pd complexes showing significantly stronger binding to iodopentafluorobenzene. Structural and computational analysis of a model adduct of complex 2‐tBu with 1,4‐diiodotetrafluorobenzene as well as of structures of iodopentafluorobenzene in toluene solution shows that formation of a type I contact occurs.
Enantioselective Synthesis of a Tricyclic, sp3‐Rich Diazatetradecanedione: an Amino Acid‐Based Natural Product‐Like Scaffold
Authors: Bischoff Matthias , Mayer Peter , Meyners Christian , Hausch Felix
Published: December 2019

6‐, 7‐, and 8‐membered rings are assembled from a linear precursor by successive cyclisation reactions to construct a tricyclic diazatricyclo[6.5.1.04, 9]‐tetradecanedione scaffold. Advanced building blocks based on d‐aspartic acid and l‐pyroglutamic acid were combined by a sp3−sp2 Negishi coupling. A carbamate‐guided syn‐diastereoselective epoxidation followed by an intramolecular epoxide opening allowed the construction of the piperidine ring. An efficient one‐pot hydroxyl‐group protection twofold deprotection reaction prepared the ground for the cyclisation to the bicycle. A final deprotection of the orthogonal protecting groups and lactamisation led to the novel, sp3‐rich tricycle. The final compound is a substrate mimic of peptidyl‐prolyl cis‐trans isomerases featuring a locked trans‐amide bond. Cheminformatic analysis of 179 virtual derivatives indicates favourable physicochemical properties and drug‐like characteristics. As proof of concept we, show a low micromolar activity in a fluorescence polarisation assay towards the FK506‐binding protein 12.
Titanium‐Mediated Catalytic Hydrogenation of Monocyclic and Polycyclic Arenes
Authors: Gómez‐Torres Alejandra , Aguilar‐Calderón J. Rolando , Encerrado‐Manriquez Angela M. , Pink Maren , Metta‐Magaña Alejandro J. , Lee Wen‐Yee , Fortier Skye
Published: December 2019

Two electron‐reduction of the TiIV guanidinate complex (ImDippN)(Xyketguan)TiCl2 gives (η6‐ImDippN)(xyketguan)Ti (1intra) and (ImDippN)(Xyketguan)Ti(η6‐C6H6) (1inter) (Xyketguan=[(tBuC=N)C(NXylyl)2]−, Xylyl=2,5‐dimethylphenyl) in the absence or presence of benzene, respectively. These complexes have been found to hydrogenate monocyclic and polycyclic arenes under relatively mild conditions (150 psi, 80 °C)—the first example of catalytic, homogeneous arene hydrogenation with TON >1 by a Group IV system.
Integrating assessment of cognitive status in elderly cardiovascular care
Authors: Gorodeski Eiran Z. , Hashmi Ardeshir Z.
Published: December 2019

Cardiovascular clinicians tend to pay little attention to issues related to cognition, and yet those caring for older adults will encounter a variety of conditions that may lead to cognitive impairment. Most commonly, these include cardiovascular disease‐specific conditions such as cerebrovascular disease or heart failure, but may also include neurodegenerative conditions, mood disorders, medication side effects and polypharmacy, and nutritional deficiencies and metabolic derangements among others. This review presents evidence supporting the importance of assessing cognitive status in older adults with cardiovascular disease, and suggests a practical approach to assessment and management of cognitive impairment in this population when it is found. Special attention is paid to the importance of collaboration between cardiovascular and geriatric specialists, and the value it may bring to patients.
Design of Organic Structure‐Directing Agents for the Controlled Synthesis of Zeolites for Use in Carbon Dioxide/Methane Membrane Separations
Authors: Daeyaert Frits , Deem Michael W.
Published: December 2019

One strategy to mitigate global warming is carbon capture and sequestration. Membrane separation is one promising approach to separation of CO2 from feed streams. Here we report the investigation of four zeolites that have been predicted to be effective at separating CO2 from methane, but which have not to date been synthesized experimentally as membranes. Using an in silico de novo design procedure, we identify organic structure‐directing agents (OSDAs) that are predicted to aid the synthesis of these zeolites. Using a genetic algorithm approach, we designed OSDAs for zeolites for which no purely siliceous form is known, and we also designed OSDAs for predicted zeolites. Stabilization energies of the best OSDAs designed for the zeolites GIS, ABW, and predicted zeolite 8198030 lie within −8 to −12 kJ/(mol Si), in the range of values for other known OSDAs. Stabilization energies of the OSDAs designed for predicted zeolite 8186909 are −16 kJ/(mol Si), comparable to the best known OSDAs for any zeolite. The OSDAs reported here may lead to zeolites that could enable a practical separation of CO2 from methane.
Board characteristics and integrated reporting quality: an agency theory perspective
Authors: Vitolla Filippo , Raimo Nicola , Rubino Michele
Published: December 2019

Integrated reporting is the latest novelty in the corporate reporting field. It is a tool capable of better representing the capacity of companies to create value over time. In recent years, attention to this new reporting tool has grown in both professional and academic fields. However, despite past research that has analysed many aspects of integrated reporting, the integrated reporting quality and its determinants are still little explored. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing the effect of board characteristics on integrated reporting quality according to an agency theory approach. The findings, based on a sample of 134 international firms, show a positive relationship between the size, independence, diversity, and activity of a board with integrated reporting quality. This study contributes to enriching literature in this area in various ways. First, it broadens the scope of application of agency theory; second, it identifies further internal determinants of integrated reporting quality. This is the first study that analyses the impact of the characteristics of a board as a determining factor of integrated reporting quality.
BO_CEM: A novel CEM platform
Authors: Torjemen Nabil , Tabbane Nabil
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we present our novel platform called Bo_CEM. It is composed of three levels: QoE Data Sources, QoE Monitoring System, and QoE Management System. The QoE Data Sources is an umbrella retrieving information from all sources. The monitoring systems are based on fuzzy logic in order to design a novel unique value called QoE score which is our main contribution as it uses customer profile indicators in addition to network KPIs. Finally, the QoE Management System is a high level of decision using the QoE Score as decision metric. The utility of the model is validated via three cases: The first one consists on the enhancement of the troubleshooting prioritization process for NOC Teams. The use of our new approach leads to increasing the operator's profit while customers still satisfied by the expected QoS. The second used case presents a new approach for SON Mobility Load Balancing. It allows the enhancement of the traffic load over network and increases the average QoE_score per e‐NodeB. In the last case, our novel metric called QoE_Score is used to evaluate the QoE perceived by Wi‐Fi customers in order to alleviate the LTE‐A network and route traffic to Wi‐Fi network.
IDsMA: An integrated digital signature and mutual authentication mechanism for securing the cognitive radio networks
Authors: Balamurugan S. Appavualias , Kumar S. Senthil
Published: December 2019

Enabling a reliable and secure communication in cognitive radio networks (CRNs) is one of the interesting and demanding research areas and these days, it is used in wide range of applications. The traditional works mainly aimed to improve the spectrum efficiency and bandwidth utilization of the CRN. Moreover, it focused on attack detection in the network for improving the reliability. Thus, this work intended to secure the CRN by considering the objectives of both attack detection and quality of service (QoS) improvement. For this purpose, an integrated digital signature and mutual authentication (IDsMA) mechanism is proposed in this paper, which incorporates the benefits of both security and reliability. Also, the Rivest‐Sharmir‐Adlemann (RSA) algorithm is utilized to encrypt and decrypt the data at the transmitter and receiver side. Here, the unique user ID is generated by the service eNodeB based on the hash function, which is validated at the server side for validating the authenticity of the user. Furthermore, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and relevant vector machine (RVM) techniques are utilized for optimal channel selection and attack classification. The simulation results evaluate the performance of the proposed technique by using various performance measures. Also, its superiority is proved by comparing the proposed technique with the existing techniques.
Create healing spaces when tragedy strikes on campus
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: December 2019

A cataclysmic event propelled Mahauganee Shaw Bonds, Ph.D., and 2017– 18 Society for College and University Planning Fellow, forward in her research: Hurricane Katrina hit her campus. “It became clear that I was spending a lot of time still thinking about our process recovering from Katrina and wondering how institutions could do better at that [recovery process],” Bonds said.
Performance profiling as an intelligence‐led approach to antidoping in sports
Authors: Hopker James , Griffin Jim , Brookhouse James , Peters John , Schumacher Yorck Olaf , Iljukov Sergei
Published: December 2019

The efficient use of testing resources is crucial in the fight against doping in sports. The athlete biological passport relies on the need to identify the right athletes to test, and the right time to test them. Here we present an approach to longitudinal tracking of athlete performance to provide an additional, more intelligence‐led approach to improve targeted antidoping testing. The performance results of athletes (male shot putters, male 100 m sprinters, and female 800 m runners) were obtained from a performance results database. Standardized performances, which adjust for average career performance, were calculated to determine the volatility in performance over an athlete's career. We then used a Bayesian spline model to statistically analyse changes within an athlete's standardized performance over the course of a career both for athletes who were presumed “clean” (not doped), and those previously convicted of doping offences. We used the model to investigate changes in the slope of each athlete's career performance trajectory and whether these changes can be linked to doping status. The model was able to identify differences in the standardized performance of clean and doped athletes, with the sign of the change able to provide some discrimination. Consistent patterns of standardized performance profile are seen across shot put, 100 m and 800 m for both the clean and doped athletes we investigated. This study demonstrates the potential for modeling athlete performance data to distinguish between the career trajectories of clean and doped athletes, and to enable the risk stratification of athletes on their risk of doping.
Multimodal imaging of hallucinogens 25C‐ and 25I‐NBOMe on blotter papers
Authors: Lützen Elias , Holtkamp Michael , Stamme Imke , Schmid Robin , Sperling Michael , Pütz Michael , Karst Uwe
Published: December 2019

Due to the much lower production costs but similar effects to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), phenethylamine derivatives are sold as a cheaper replacement or deceptively as LSD itself. These potent hallucinogenic substances can lead to severe intoxication, thus a more profound understanding of their use is required. This includes the elucidation of the manufacturing processes for the commonly used blotter papers and the assessment of the risk of overdosing because of a heterogeneous distribution on the blotter papers. Besides the rapid detection of the analytes, the manufacturing process was elucidated by three different imaging techniques and liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC–MS). A blotter paper sample, containing the two hallucinogenic phenethylamine derivatives 25I‐NBOMe and 25C‐NBOMe, was analyzed by complementary techniques such as micro x‐ray fluorescence (μXRF), laser ablation (LA)‐inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES), matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)‐MS, and with LC–MS after extraction. Using the signal from chlorine and iodine within the compounds, μXRF proved to be the fastest, cheapest and easiest method for identification, requiring no sample preparation at all. LA‐ICP‐OES provided three‐dimensional information of the elements in the blotter paper. These results helped to confirm the assumption that manufacturers spray the compounds onto the paper. Whereas μXRF and LA‐ICP‐OES detected signals for chlorine and iodine, MALDI‐MS‐imaging showed the molecular distribution of both analytes. LC–MS analyses as a complementary method support the imaging results. Quantitative results for different drug hotspots revealed a heterogeneous distribution of the drugs on the blotter paper implying an inherent risk of overdosing for consumers.
Highly Functionalized Ferrocenes
Authors: Lerayer Emmanuel , Radal Léa , Nguyen Tuan Anh , Dwadnia Nejib , Cattey Hélène , Amardeil Régine , Pirio Nadine , Roger Julien , Hierso Jean‐Cyrille
Published: December 2019

Ferrocene is unique among organometallic compounds, and serves notably as a versatile platform towards the production of ligands useful to promote transition metals chemistry. A general limiting aspect of the synthesis of ferrocene derivatives is the efficient access to sophisticated highly functionalized polysubstituted ferrocenes, i.e. bearing four or more substituents replacing hydrogen atoms on the cyclopentadienyl rings. These ferrocene derivatives can bear various functional or/and structuring spectator substituents. Their preparation involves synthetic difficulties resulting from the need of multiple functionalizations coexisting altogether, and satisfying functional group compatibility and high selectivity issues. In the last decades, our group initially designed highly functionalized polyphosphines and hybrid ligands (1,1',3,3'‐tetrafunctionalized Fc) using dialkylated 1,1'‐tert‐butylferrocene as a scaffold, which opened the way to various new classes of hybrid compounds. Some of these original ferrocenes were used as ligands, promoting metal catalysed C–C and C–X bond formation (X = O, S, N, etc.). Thus, highly functionalized ferrocenes, which include notably (P,P,P,P)‐, (P,P,N,N)‐, (P,P,P')‐, (P,P,B)‐, (P,B)‐ and (N,B)‐compounds were developed in which the heteroatoms coexist in a close proximity on a common ferrocene platform with a controlled conformation. The present review details the concepts attached to the synthesis of these highly functionalized ferrocene species, and illustrates their main features and applications related to organometallic chemistry directed towards organic synthesis by metal catalysis.
Quinoidization of π‐Expanded Aromatic Diimides: Photophysics, Aromaticity, and Stability of the Novel Quinoidal Acenes
Authors: Kamatham Nareshbabu , Li Jingbai , Shokri Siamak , Yang Guang , Jockusch Steffen , Rogachev Andrey Yu. , Ayitou A. Jean‐Luc
Published: December 2019

We report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of π‐expanded quinoidal triplet chromophores which exhibit attractive light‐harvesting properties. The kinetic of the triplet excited state of quinoidal benzotetraphene 2 was found to be one order of magnitude higher than the lifetime of 3(1)* from the less conjugated parent chromophore 1. Furthermore, the evaluation of the optoelectronic properties indicates that π‐expansion helps narrow the optoelectronic band gap, but the influence of the additional aromatic rings in the structure of 2 and 3 compromises the stability of the p‐quinoidal ring. QDM 2 was isolated and fully characterized; however, it was found to rearomatize to a mixture of uncharacterized radical species.
Phenysilane and Silicon Tetraacetate: Versatile Promotors for Amide Synthesis
Authors: Morisset Eléonore , Chardon Aurélien , Rouden Jacques , Blanchet Jérôme
Published: December 2019

Phenylsilane was reevaluated as a useful coupling reagent for amide synthesis. At room temperature, a wide range of amides and peptides were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 99 %). For the first time, Weinreb amides synthesis mediated by a hydrosilane were also documented. Comparative experiments with various acetoxysilanes suggested the involvement of a phenyl‐triacyloxysilane. From this mechanistic study, silicon tetraacetate was shown as an efficient amine acylating agent.
Stereoelectronic Effects in Multivicinal Fluoroalkanes and Conformational Implications
Authors: Simões Luís H. , Cormanich Rodrigo A.
Published: December 2019

Multivicinal fluoroalkanes is an interesting group of fluorinated compounds whose synthesis have been extensively explored, but it lacks theoretical studies to support and understand experimental evidences about their geometry. This work elucidates the effects that rule multivicinal fluoroalkanes preference for helical character in extended geometries. Molecules chosen as models are all‐syn and all‐anti multivicinal fluorinated n‐alkanes containing 4–10 carbon atoms. Natural Bond Orbitals (NBO) calculations point out that the main driving force to helical conformation in multivicinal fluoroalkanes is electrostatics, in opposition to hyperconjugation domination in n‐perfluoroalkanes. Also, these theoretical calculations show F–H attractive interactions as the main important ones in helical stabilization, particularly those at 1,5 relative distance.
PdFe Ultrathin Nanosheets for Highly Sensitive Detection of Nitrite
Authors: Li Shuai , Wang Tao , Yue Ruiping , Wang Hongshuai , Bai Qiang , Xiao Hailian , Sui Ning , Wang Lina , Liu Manhong , Yu William W.
Published: December 2019

PdFe ultrathin nanosheets (NSs) were prepared by one‐step hydrothermal route. PdFe NSs showed superior catalytic activity towards the oxidation of nitrite due to the large surface area of 2 dimensional (2D) nanostructure and the synergetic effect between Pd and Fe. A sensitive and selective electrochemical nitrite sensing platform was designed base on PdFe NSs and the amperometric technique. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 0.12 μM (S/N=3), with a linear relationship between nitrite concentration and response current in the range of 1–160 μM. The nitrite sensor was applied to analysis of nitrite in tap water and sausage successfully.
A method for simultaneously determining axial permeability and transverse permeability of tight reservoir cores by canister degassing test
Authors: Zhao Yu , Wang Chaolin , Bi Jing
Published: December 2019

Permeability anisotropy of shale and tight gas reservoirs is critical for applications in unconventional gas recovery, but laboratory measurements are still limited. This paper presents an experimental method for determining permeability anisotropy of shale and tight reservoirs. The method uses gas production data from a canister and an analytical solution of continuity equation in anisotropic core sample. Axial permeability and transverse permeability of the core are estimated by matching experimental data with analytical solution. The proposed method is verified by comparing with true values and calculated values through numerical simulations that cover variations in rock permeability. The method is applied to real data measured in canister degassing tests (CDT) involving two different directional shale core samples. Then, the experimental results are compared with the results from pulse pressure decay (PPD) method. Both the verification from numerically calculated results and the comparison between PPD results and CDT results exhibit the practicality of the proposed method. At last, the effects of permeability anisotropy, porosity, initial gas pressure, rock dimensions, and adsorption on the profiles of gas production are investigated.
In search of the inland Carnian Pluvial Event: Middle–Upper Triassic transition profile and U–Pb isotopic dating in the Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Sun Yuewu , Li Xiang , Liu Quanyou , Zhang Mingda , Li Peng , Zhang Rui , Shi Xiao
Published: December 2019

The Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE) in the early Late Triassic is a global climate change. The CPE is not only recorded in the ocean but also on the continent. It has been well‐documented in the marine environments in Tethys and boreal areas. However, it is less reported for the terrestrial. As a global precipitation event, the CPE on the supercontinent Pangaea is related directly to the sudden increase in argillaceous transportation in the marine carbonate platform. Here, we report a chronological study of the Yunmeng profile in south‐eastern Ordos Basin, China where the continuous lacustrine deposits developed with several tuff interlayers. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) U–Pb isotopic dating of zircons from three bentonite samples show weighted mean ages of 234.1 ± 2.4 Ma, 234.8 ± 2.1 Ma, and 236.0 ± 1.7 Ma, respectively. Based on the review of isotopic dating, sedimentary and palaeontological characteristics of the Triassic Yanchang Formation, the Middle and Upper Triassic boundary is located at the bottom of Chang 7 oil layer (YC7) in the Yanchang Formation at the Yunmeng profile in the Ordos Basin. Therefore, the Yunmeng profile provides a potential case for understanding the inland CPE and might link the terrestrial and oceanic systems in the Carnian.
Transcriptional profiling of microglia; current state of the art and future perspectives
Authors: Gerrits Emma , Heng Yang , Boddeke Erik W. G. M. , Eggen Bart J. L.
Published: December 2019

Microglia are the tissue macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS) and the first to respond to CNS dysfunction and disease. Gene expression profiling of microglia during development, under homeostatic conditions, and in the diseased CNS provided insight in microglia functions and changes thereof. Single‐cell sequencing studies further contributed to our understanding of microglia heterogeneity in relation to age, sex, and CNS disease. Recently, single nucleus gene expression profiling was performed on (frozen) CNS tissue. Transcriptomic profiling of CNS tissues by (single) nucleus RNA‐sequencing has the advantage that it can be applied to archived and well‐stratified frozen specimens. Here, we give an overview of the significant advances recently made in microglia transcriptional profiling. In addition, we present matched cellular and nuclear microglia RNA‐seq datasets we generated from mouse and human CNS tissue to compare cellular versus nuclear transcriptomes from fresh and frozen samples. We demonstrate that microglia can be similarly profiled with cell and nucleus profiling, and importantly also with nuclei isolated from frozen tissue. Nuclear microglia transcriptomes are a reliable proxy for cellular transcriptomes. Importantly, lipopolysaccharide‐induced changes in gene expression were conserved in the nuclear transcriptome. In addition, heterogeneity in microglia observed in fresh samples was similarly detected in frozen nuclei of the same donor. Together, these results show that microglia nuclear RNAs obtained from frozen CNS tissue are a reliable proxy for microglia gene expression and cellular heterogeneity and may prove an effective strategy to study of the role of microglia in neuropathology.
The liability of disruption
Authors: Marano Valentina , Tallman Stephen , Teegen Hildy J.
Published: December 2019

Research Summary

We study the internationalization‐related legitimacy challenges of firms with disruptive business models by using a case comparison of leading sharing economy companies Airbnb and Uber. We show that they are insulated from many traditional legitimacy challenges to multinationals entering host markets, but exposed to others that have not been noted previously. Specifically, we identify a novel market‐entry legitimacy challenge, “liability of disruption,” which manifests as regulatory, incumbent business, and societal pushback against firms with disruptive business models. After presenting our cross‐case analysis, we theorize about the nature and impacts of these three distinct but interconnected forms of host country institutional pushback on firms’ ability to achieve and maintain legitimacy, and how they are driven by national governance characteristics.

Managerial Summary

Sharing economy companies Airbnb and Uber have engaged in rapid processes of global growth, but their practices and right to operate have been challenged by a variety of host country stakeholders. This study shows that their international expansion efforts have been affected by emergent regulatory scrutiny, incumbent businesses’ opposition, and other societal concerns about their impacts on employees, customers, competitors, and the communities where they operate. We label these challenges as the “liability of disruption” and illustrate their importance for understanding the internationalization‐related complexities faced by sharing economy firms and, more generally, internationalizing ventures with disruptive business models that aim to restructure entire industry sectors.
Survival advantage of chemoradiotherapy in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: Propensity score matched analysis with multiple subgroups
Authors: Tian Sibo , Switchenko Jeffrey M. , Fei Teng , Press Robert H. , Abugideiri Mustafa , Saba Nabil F. , Owonikoko Taofeek K. , Chen Amy Y. , Beitler Jonathan J. , Curran Walter J. , Gillespie Theresa W. , Higgins Kristin A.
Published: December 2019

Background

We compared overall survival (OS) between radiation therapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) using a large database.

Methods

The National Cancer Data Base was queried for ATC patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 who received RT or CRT. Groups were balanced by propensity score matching (PSM) on nine relevant variables. OS was also examined in five paired subgroups given known patient heterogeneity.

Results

Of 858 total patients, 575 received CRT and 283 received RT. CRT was associated with decreased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.66, P < .001), 1‐year OS 25.5% vs 14.3%. A survival advantage to CRT was seen using PSM cohorts (HR 0.75, P = .006). Those receiving definitive surgery saw the greatest benefit to CRT over RT (HR 0.65, P = .009), 1‐year OS 39.6% vs 20.4%.

Conclusions

CRT is associated with decreased risk of death in ATC; the magnitude of CRT vs RT benefit varied by subgroup.