bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation Training: A Clinically Effective Treatment Protocol
Authors: Moss Donald
Published: August 2020

Purchasing biofeedback instruments and learning the technical process of operating each biofeedback instrument with a human subject are not enough. These steps are necessary, but they do not clearly guide one as to how the instruments should be used. A treatment protocol is required that provides an explanation of the patient's current suffering or problem, as well as a rationale for using biofeedback training in a fashion that can reasonably be expected to relieve that suffering. Such models or protocols are necessary to organize the process of the biofeedback training and provide a reasonable explanation to motivate the trainee/client. Experience shows that clients who understand how the intervention is relevant for their complaint apply themselves more fully and follow through with any homework more reliably. There are a number of such protocols, including biofeedback-assisted relaxation training, the breath training and respiratory biofeedback model, resonance frequency heart rate variability training, the neuromuscular rehabilitation model, various neurofeedback training models, and psychophysiological psychotherapy. This article will introduce biofeedback-assisted relaxation training (BART). BART is a widely applied biofeedback protocol in clinical practice and has been documented as effective in clinical studies from 1969 to the present, for anxiety disorders, diabetes, headaches, and a variety of other common medical and psychological conditions.
Turismo e memórias: práticas e saberes no Assentamento Serra Verde, Barra do Garças – MT
Authors: Maia Ana Heloisa , Gomes Jenneffer Laura Coelho
Published: August 2020

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo relatar as atividades, práticas e saberes das agricultoras, suas memórias e experiências pessoais a partir da perspectiva de desenvolvimento do turismo no Assentamento Serra Verde, município de Barra do Garças - MT. A metodologia utilizada envolveu a pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo, entrevistas com roteiro semiestruturado a 20 mulheres, análise e interpretação de discursos e observação direta. O potencial de desenvolvimento da atividade turística no Assentamento Serra Verde por meio da análise de representações dos sujeitos e seus papéis na comunidade (suas histórias, diversidade cultural, as memórias, práticas e o saber-fazer) torna-se uma interação fundamental entre o local onde estão inseridos e os indivíduos dessa comunidade. Ao se analisar a percepção das assentadas quanto ao potencial do desenvolvimento do turismo, percebe-se que a produção artesanal e a exploração de atividades de lazer (trilhas e cachoeira) são os principais atrativos aos visitantes, que de forma planejada/orientada/organizada podem gerar uma maior renda às famílias que oferecem esse tipo de serviço. Existem iniciativas importantes no fomento da atividade turística que são estimuladas pelo técnico do assentamento e pelas universidades que atuam no local que envolvem principalmente o trabalho executado pelas mulheres, entretanto, o real desenvolvimento do turismo nas propriedades pesquisadas ainda esbarra em aspectos relacionados à infraestrutura, a questões burocráticas e financeiras, demandando o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas específicas ao fomento da atividade na região.
Unbundling, Regulation, and Pricing: Evidence from Electricity Distribution
Authors: Heim Sven , Krieger Bastian , Liebensteiner Mario
Published: August 2020

Unbundling of vertically integrated utilities has become an integral element in the regulation of network industries and has been implemented in many jurisdictions.The idea of separating the network, as the natural monopoly, from downstream retailing, which may be exposed to competition, is still subject to contentious debate, as there is much empirical evidence that unbundling eliminates economies of vertical integration, though evidence on overall price effects is still lacking. In this paper, we study the effect of legal unbundling on grid charges in the German electricity distribution industry. Using panel data on German distribution system operators (DSOs), we exploit the variation in the timing of the implementation of legal unbundling and the fact that not all DSOs had to implement unbundling measures. We are also able to identify heterogeneous effects of legal unbundling for different types of price regulation because we observe a switch in the price regulation regime from rate-of-return regulation to incentive regulation during our observation period. Our findings suggest that legal unbundling of the network stage significantly decreases grid charges in the range of 5% to 9%, depending on the type of price regulation in place.
Grassroots Business Intelligence as an Enabler of Change Management: A Case Study at a Large Global Manufacturing Firm
Authors: Nakayama Makoto , Isik Öykü , Sutcliffe Norma , Olbrich Sebastian
Published: August 2020

Business intelligence (BI) has attracted considerable attention in recent years. Despite the hype, BI frequently suffers from broad definitions, unrealistic expectations, and the incongruities of IT needs between headquarters and local business units. We report the findings of a case study at a large international manufacturing firm headquartered in the EU. The firm wants to transform itself from a conservative firm with traditional values to a more entrepreneurial and nimble organization with its supply chains driven by Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT). The firm is going through its transformation, focusing on the BI system. Our observations suggest that firms consider BI to be the enabler of change management rather than simply technical tools that extend the traditional systems environment.
Sinusoidal Neural Networks: Towards ANN that Learns Faster
Authors: Ozmermer Tekin
Published: August 2020

If everything is a signal and combination of signals, everything can be represented with Fourier representations. Then, is it possible to represent a signal with a conditional dependency to input data? This research is devoted to the development of Sinusoidal Neural Networks (SNNs). The motivation to develop SNNs is to design an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm that can learn faster. A short review of the history of biological neurons helps to identify components that should be redesigned in ANNs. After the components are identified, a new neural network algorithm called SNN is proposed. Experiments are conducted to show the practical results of the algorithm. According to the experiments, the proposed neural network can reach high accuracy rates faster than the standard neural networks, while an interesting generalization capacity is obtained for the developed algorithm. Even though the promising results are achieved, further research is necessary to test if SNNs are capable of learning faster than existing algorithms in real-life cases.
Altered functional connectivity during speech perception in congenital amusia
Authors: Jasmin Kyle , Dick Frederic , Stewart Lauren , Tierney Adam Taylor
Published: August 2020

Individuals with congenital amusia have a lifelong history of unreliable pitch processing. Accordingly, they downweight pitch cues during speech perception and instead rely on other dimensions such as duration. We investigated the neural basis for this strategy. During fMRI, individuals with amusia (N = 15) and controls (N = 15) read sentences where a comma indicated a grammatical phrase boundary. They then heard two sentences spoken that differed only in pitch and/or duration cues and selected the best match for the written sentence. Prominent reductions in functional connectivity were detected in the amusia group between left prefrontal language-related regions and right hemisphere pitch-related regions, which reflected the between-group differences in cue weights in the same groups of listeners. Connectivity differences between these regions were not present during a control task. Our results indicate that the reliability of perceptual dimensions is linked with functional connectivity between frontal and perceptual regions and suggest a compensatory mechanism.
Structural insights into the Ca2+-dependent gating of the human mitochondrial calcium uniporter
Authors: Wang Yan , Han Yan , She Ji , Nguyen Nam X , Mootha Vamsi K , Bai Xiao-chen , Jiang Youxing
Published: August 2020

Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is mediated by an inner mitochondrial membrane protein called the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. In humans, the uniporter functions as a holocomplex consisting of MCU, EMRE, MICU1 and MICU2, among which MCU and EMRE form a subcomplex and function as the conductive channel while MICU1 and MICU2 are EF-hand proteins that regulate the channel activity in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Here, we present the EM structures of the human mitochondrial calcium uniporter holocomplex (uniplex) in the presence and absence of Ca2+, revealing distinct Ca2+ dependent assembly of the uniplex. Our structural observations suggest that Ca2+ changes the dimerization interaction between MICU1 and MICU2, which in turn determines how the MICU1-MICU2 subcomplex interacts with the MCU-EMRE channel and, consequently, changes the distribution of the uniplex assemblies between the blocked and unblocked states.
Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Potential of Aqueous Extracts of Millettia laurenti, Lophira alata and Milicia excelsa, Commonly Used in the Cameroonian Pharmacopoeia
Authors: Edoun Ferdinand L. E. , Tchuente Boris R. T. , Dibacto Ruth E. K. , Mouafo Hippolyte T. , Tchuenchieu Alex D. K. , Ndzana Abomo A. C. , Medoua Gabriel N.
Published: August 2020

Aims: As the world nowadays is turning towards the research of biologically active natural compounds, this work aimed at assessing the antioxidant potential of compounds contained in the aqueous extracts of three common Cameroonian pharmacopoeia plants, namely Millettia laurenti (Wengé) seeds, Lophira alata (Azobé) leaves and Milicia excelsa (Iroko) barks and the associated bioactive compounds.

Methodology: After being dried and ground, they were macerated in water and the polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids quantified. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was evaluated through DPPH free radical scavenging, NO scavenging, phosphomolybdate method (TAC), and iron-reducing power (FRAP).

Results: The mean concentrations obtained ranged between 527 and 1213 µg GAE/g DM for polyphenols, 0.39 and 0.65 µg GAE/g DM for tannins, 19.79 and 27.06 µg QE/g DM for flavonoids, 15.72 and 16.02 µg QuE/g DM for alkaloids. Aqueous extracts of Wengé (AE-WG) and Azobé (AE-AZ) exhibited the highest and significantly similar contents. AE-AZ presented the highest iron reducing power (0.015 µg AAE/g DM at 10 mg/mL) and NO scavenging (IC50=3.63 mg/mL) while AE-WG showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 = 4.20 mg/mL) and total antioxidant capacity (0.39 µg AAE/g DM at 10 mg/mL). No significant correlation was observed between studied bioactive compounds and the different antioxidant responses except flavonoids and tannins with TAC (p<0.05).

Conclusion: AE-AZ and AE-WG exhibited different antioxidant mechanisms and are therefore of high interest for potential use in the food industry and medicine with reserves to toxicological studies.
Sulfur‐ and Nitrogen‐Rich Porous π‐Conjugated COFs as Stable Electrode Materials for Electro‐Ionic Soft Actuators
Authors: Mahato Manmatha , Tabassian Rassoul , Nguyen Van Hiep , Oh Saewoong , Nam Sanghee , Kim Kwang Jin , Oh Il‐Kwon
Published: August 2020

An unprecedented type of electronically conjugated porous covalent organic framework (COF) is synthesized for specific use in the electrode materials of electro‐ionic soft actuators. Because the basic structure contains most of the electron‐rich nucleophilic heteroatoms found in the periodic table with high percentages (13.84% for sulfur, 13.97% for nitrogen, and 19% for oxygen), adding only a small amount of these COFs (4.0 wt%) to poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT‐PSS) increases the specific capacitance by 380%, resulting in a significant improvement of the actuation performance without any back‐relaxation. In comparison with pure PEDOT‐PSS electrodes, the COFs‐based actuators show a 280% shorter phase delay, 350% faster rise time, 290% higher bending displacement, 320% stronger blocking force, and ultralong durability up to 20 000 cycles of continuous actuation. These impressive improvements in performance enable the realization of a soft touch finger for confidently opening folders and swiping pages on a fragile smartphone device. While the application of these COFs in actuators can contribute to the progress of ionic soft actuators and realization of soft robotics, these COFs can be employed directly or modified for use in numerous fields, such as electro‐ or photocatalysts, sensors, and optoelectronics.
Improving Cancer Immunotherapy by Cell Membrane‐Camouflaged Nanoparticles
Authors: Zeng Ziling , Pu Kanyi
Published: August 2020

Cancer immunotherapy has received tremendous attention in the past decade owing to its clinical successes with the use of immune‐checkpoint inhibition and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy. However, only a small proportion of the patients have benefited from these immunotherapeutic drugs, which has raised concerns about the low response rate and immune‐related adverse events. Nanomedicines have served as a paradigm for preferential tumor accumulation but still confront issues such as poor circulation and insufficient tumor accumulation. By virtue of coating nanoparticles with cell membranes from diverse cell sources, active proteins on cell membranes can impart a variety of desired functionalities or supplementary therapeutic effects to nanoparticles, providing ways for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. In this review, the recent advances of cell membrane camouflaged nanoparticles applied to the improved immunotherapy are discussed on the basis of different sources of cell membranes and corresponding working mechanisms. These biomimetic nanoparticles can potentially deliver therapeutic agents to the designated sites and actively engage in particular stages of the cancer immunity cycle, eliciting antitumor immunity with less off‐target toxicities.
3D Microstructures of Liquid Crystal Networks with Programmed Voxelated Director Fields
Authors: Guo Yubing , Shahsavan Hamed , Sitti Metin
Published: August 2020

The shape‐shifting behavior of liquid crystal networks (LCNs) and elastomers (LCEs) is a result of an interplay between their initial geometrical shape and their molecular alignment. For years, reliance on either one‐step in situ or two‐step film processing techniques has limited the shape‐change transformations from 2D to 3D geometries. The combination of various fabrication techniques, alignment methods, and chemical formulations developed in recent years has introduced new opportunities to achieve 3D‐to‐3D shape‐transformations in large scales, albeit the precise control of local molecular alignment in microscale 3D constructs remains a challenge. Here, the voxel‐by‐voxel encoding of nematic alignment in 3D microstructures of LCNs produced by two‐photon polymerization using high‐resolution topographical features is demonstrated. 3D LCN microstructures (suspended films, coils, and rings) with designable 2D and 3D director fields with a resolution of 5 µm are achieved. Different shape transformations of LCN microstructures with the same geometry but dissimilar molecular alignments upon actuation are elicited. This strategy offers higher freedom in the shape‐change programming of 3D LCN microstructures and expands their applicability in emerging technologies, such as small‐scale soft robots and devices and responsive surfaces.
Suppressing Defects‐Induced Nonradiative Recombination for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells through Green Antisolvent Engineering
Authors: Xu Wenzhan , Gao Yu , Ming Wenjie , He Fang , Li Jingzhou , Zhu Xu‐Hui , Kang Feiyu , Li Jiangyu , Wei Guodan
Published: August 2020

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted considerable attention due to their superior optoelectronic properties. Traditional one‐step solution‐processed perovskites often suffer from defects‐induced nonradiative recombination, which significantly hinders the improvement of device performance. Herein, treatment with green antisolvents for achieving high‐quality perovskite films is reported. Compared to defects‐filled ones, perovskite films by antisolvent treatment using methylamine bromide (MABr) in ethanol (MABr‐Eth) not only enhances the resultant perovskite crystallinity with large grain size, but also passivates the surface defects. In this case, the engineering of MABr‐Eth‐treated perovskites suppressing defects‐induced nonradiative recombination in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is demonstrated. As a result, the fabricated inverted planar heterojunction device of ITO/PTAA/Cs0.15FA0.85PbI3/PC61BM/Phen‐NADPO/Ag exhibits the best power conversion efficiency of 21.53%. Furthermore, the corresponding PSCs possess a better storage and light‐soaking stability.
Flexible Quasi‐van der Waals Ferroelectric Hafnium‐Based Oxide for Integrated High‐Performance Nonvolatile Memory
Authors: Liu Houfang , Lu Tianqi , Li Yuxing , Ju Zhenyi , Zhao Ruiting , Li Jingzhou , Shao Minghao , Zhang Hainan , Liang Renrong , Wang Xiao Renshaw , Guo Rui , Chen Jingsheng , Yang Yi , Ren Tian‐Ling
Published: August 2020

Ferroelectric memories with ultralow‐power‐consumption are attracting a great deal of interest with the ever‐increasing demand for information storage in wearable electronics. However, sufficient scalability, semiconducting compatibility, and robust flexibility of the ferroelectric memories remain great challenges, e.g., owing to Pb‐containing materials, oxide electrode, and limited thermal stability. Here, high‐performance flexible nonvolatile memories based on ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) via quasi‐van der Waals heteroepitaxy are reported. The flexible ferroelectric HZO exhibits not only high remanent polarization up to 32.6 µC cm−2 without a wake‐up effect during cycling, but also remarkably robust mechanical properties, degradation‐free retention, and endurance performance under a series of bent deformations and cycling tests. Intriguingly, using HZO as a gate, flexible ferroelectric thin‐film transistors with a low operating voltage of ±3 V, high on/off ratio of 6.5  ×  105, and a small subthreshold slope of about 100 mV dec−1, which outperform reported flexible ferroelectric transistors, are demonstrated. The results make ferroelectric HZO a promising candidate for the next‐generation of wearable, low‐power, and nonvolatile memories with manufacturability and scalability.
Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Exosomes Enhance Cell‐Free Bone Regeneration by Altering Their miRNAs Profiles
Authors: Zhai Mengmeng , Zhu Ye , Yang Mingying , Mao Chuanbin
Published: August 2020

Implantation of stem cells for tissue regeneration faces significant challenges such as immune rejection and teratoma formation. Cell‐free tissue regeneration thus has a potential to avoid these problems. Stem cell derived exosomes do not cause immune rejection or generate malignant tumors. Here, exosomes that can induce osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are identified and used to decorate 3D‐printed titanium alloy scaffolds to achieve cell‐free bone regeneration. Specifically, the exosomes secreted by hMSCs osteogenically pre‐differentiated for different times are used to induce the osteogenesis of hMSCs. It is discovered that pre‐differentiation for 10 and 15 days leads to the production of osteogenic exosomes. The purified exosomes are then loaded into the scaffolds. It is found that the cell‐free exosome‐coated scaffolds regenerate bone tissue as efficiently as hMSC‐seeded exosome‐free scaffolds within 12 weeks. RNA‐sequencing suggests that the osteogenic exosomes induce the osteogenic differentiation by using their cargos, including upregulated osteogenic miRNAs (Hsa‐miR‐146a‐5p, Hsa‐miR‐503‐5p, Hsa‐miR‐483‐3p, and Hsa‐miR‐129‐5p) or downregulated anti‐osteogenic miRNAs (Hsa‐miR‐32‐5p, Hsa‐miR‐133a‐3p, and Hsa‐miR‐204‐5p), to activate the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. Consequently, identification of osteogenic exosomes secreted by pre‐differentiated stem cells and the use of them to replace stem cells represent a novel cell‐free bone regeneration strategy.
Chemistry of Advanced Nanomedicines in Cancer Cell Metabolism Regulation
Authors: Yang Bowen , Shi Jianlin
Published: August 2020

Tumors reprogram their metabolic pathways to meet the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of cancer cells. These reprogrammed activities are now recognized as the hallmarks of cancer, which not only provide cancer cells with unrestricted proliferative and metastatic potentials, but also strengthen their resistance against stress conditions and therapeutic challenges. Although recent progress in nanomedicine has largely promoted the developments of various therapeutic modalities, such as photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, nanocatalytic therapy, tumor‐starving/suffocating therapy, etc., the therapeutic efficacies of nanomedicines are still not high enough to achieve satisfactory tumor‐suppressing effects. Therefore, researchers are obliged to look back to the essence of cancer cell biology, such as metabolism, for tailoring a proper therapeutic regimen. In this work, the characteristic metabolic pathways of cancer cells, such as aerobic respiration, glycolysis, autophagy, glutaminolysis, etc. are reviewed, to summarize the very recent advances in the smart design of nanomedicines that can regulate tumor metabolism for enhancing conventional therapeutic modalities. The underlying chemistry of these nanomedicines by which tumor metabolism is harnessed, is also discussed in a comprehensive manner. It is expected that by harnessing tumor metabolism cancer nanotherapeutics will be substantially improved in the future.
Social networks and member participation in cooperative governance
Authors: Morfi Chrysoula , Nilsson Jerker , Hakelius Karin , Karantininis Kostas
Published: August 2020

This study explored the relations between the farmer‐members' social networks and their interest in cooperative governance, specifically their willingness to be elected representatives. Several researchers assert that member interest in cooperative governance is related to social factors. The empirical basis consists of surveys of random samples of Swedish farmers conducted in 1993, 2003, and 2013. The results indicate a strong relationship between the social networks and the farmers' propensity to participate in cooperative governance. This relationship has persisted even though the investigated 20‐year period was very turbulent for Swedish agriculture. Over time, members have become more willing to be elected when they receive backing from their social networks, with personal networks being more important than professional networks. The professional networks are related only to the level of aspiration and not actual participation in governance. [EconLit Citations: D73, P13, Q13].
Morphology and mechanical behaviors of rigid organic particles reinforced polycarbonate
Authors: Su Yukai , Sai Ting , Ran Shiya , Fang Zhengping , Guo Zhenghong
Published: August 2020

For the purpose of promoting mechanical properties of bisphenol‐A polycarbonate (PC) reinforced by rigid organic styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) particles, styrene/acrylonitrile/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (SAG) was synthesized and applied as compatibilizer for PC/SAN blends. It is found that the phase morphology of PC/SAN/SAG blends is closely related with their mechanical properties. Large continuously distributed SAN phase or spherical dispersed SAN particles with average diameter over 2 μm tend to trigger premature tensile failure of blends due to stress concentration. The incorporation of SAG can simultaneously reinforce and toughen PC/SAN blends by controlling the size and distribution of the dispersed SAN particles. For the blends with fixed PC/SAN ratio, the elongation at break and fracture energy are markedly improved when SAN domain size is reduced by adding appropriate amount of SAG. Typically, for blends with a PC/SAN ratio of 75/25, adding 3 wt% SAG will cause the average diameter of SAN particles to reduce from 2.35 ± 1.20 to 0.74 ± 0.25 μm, meanwhile up to 95% increment in elongation at break and 115% increment in fracture energy is achieved.
Adult Neurogenesis in the Olfactory System: Improving Performance for Difficult Discrimination Tasks?
Authors: Kouremenou Ioanna , Piper Michael , Zalucki Oressia
Published: August 2020

What is the function of new neurons entering the olfactory bulb? Many insights regarding the molecular control of adult neurogenesis have been uncovered, but the purpose of new neurons entering the olfactory bulb has been difficult to ascertain. Here, studies investigating the role of adult neurogenesis in olfactory discrimination in mice are reviewed. Studies in which adult neurogenesis is affected are highlighted, with a focus on the role of environment enrichment and what happens during ageing. There is evidence for a role of adult neurogenesis in fine discrimination tasks, as underscored by studies that enhance adult neurogenesis. This is also observed in ageing studies, where older mice with reduced levels of adult neurogenesis perform poorly in olfactory discrimination. Differences in methodology that could account for alternative conclusions, and the importance of specificity in methods being used to investigate the effect of adult neurogenesis in olfactory performance are emphasized.
Bifunctional Reagents for Formylglycine Conjugation: Pitfalls and Breakthroughs
Authors: Janson Nils , Krüger Tobias , Karsten Lennard , Boschanski Mareile , Dierks Thomas , Müller Kristian M. , Sewald Norbert
Published: August 2020

Formylglycine‐generating enzymes specifically oxidize cysteine within the consensus sequence CxPxR to Cα‐formylglycine (FGly). This noncanonical electrophilic amino acid can subsequently be addressed selectively by bioorthogonal hydrazino‐iso‐Pictet‐Spengler (HIPS) or Knoevenagel ligation to attach payloads like fluorophores or drugs to proteins to obtain a defined payload‐to‐protein ratio. However, the disadvantages of these conjugation techniques include the need for a large excess of conjugation building block, comparably low reaction rates and limited stability of FGly‐containing proteins. Therefore, functionalized clickable HIPS and tandem Knoevenagel building blocks were synthesized, conjugated to small proteins (DARPins) and subsequently linked to strained alkyne‐containing payloads for protein labeling. This procedure allowed the selective bioconjugation of one or two DBCO‐carrying payloads with nearly stoichiometric amounts at low concentrations. Furthermore, an azide‐modified tandem Knoevenagel building block enabled the synthesis of branched PEG linkers and the conjugation of two fluorophores, resulting in an improved signal‐to‐noise ratio in live‐cell fluorescence‐imaging experiments targeting the EGF receptor.
Rational Design of a ZnII MOF with Multiple Functional Sites for Highly Efficient Fixation of CO2 under Mild Conditions: Combined Experimental and Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Das Rajesh , Muthukumar D. , Pillai Renjith S. , Nagaraja C. Mallaiah
Published: August 2020

The development of efficient heterogeneous catalysts suitable for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) under mild conditions is a promising step towards mitigating the growing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Herein, we report the construction of a hydrogen‐bonded 3D framework, {[Zn(hfipbba)(MA)]⋅3 DMF}n (hfipbba=4,4′‐(hexaflouroisopropylene)bis(benzoic acid)) (HbMOF1) utilizing ZnII center, a partially fluorinated, long‐chain dicarboxylate ligand (hfipbba), and an amine‐rich melamine (MA) co‐ligand. Interestingly, the framework possesses two types of 1D channels decorated with CO2‐philic (−NH2 and −CF3) groups that promote the highly selective CO2 adsorption by the framework, which was supported by computational simulations. Further, the synergistic involvement of both Lewis acidic and basic sites exposed in the confined 1D channels along with high thermal and chemical stability rendered HbMOF1 a good heterogeneous catalyst for the highly efficient fixation of CO2 in a reaction with terminal/internal epoxides at mild conditions (RT and 1 bar CO2). Moreover, in‐depth theoretical studies were carried out using periodic DFT to obtain the relative energies for each stage involved in the catalytic reaction and an insight mechanistic details of the reaction is presented. Overall, this work represents a rare demonstration of rational design of a porous ZnII MOF incorporating multiple functional sites suitable for highly efficient fixation of CO2 with terminal/internal epoxides at mild conditions supported by comprehensive theoretical studies.
Incorporation of Boron into Uranium Metallacycles: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Boron‐Containing Uranacycles Derived from Bis(alkynyl)boranes
Authors: Ma Wangyang , Douair Iskander , Maron Laurent , Ye Qing
Published: August 2020

The reaction of uranacyclopropene complex (C5Me5)2U[η2‐1,2‐C2(SiMe3)2] with B‐aryl bis(alkynyl)borane PhB(C≡CPh)2 led to the first six‐membered uranium metallaboracycle, while the reaction with B‐amino bis(alkynyl)borane (Me3Si)2NB(C≡CPh)2 afforded an unexpected uranaborabicyclo[2.2.0] complex via [2+2] cycloaddition. The reaction with CuCl revealed the non‐innocent property of the rearranged bis(alkynyl)boron species towards oxidant. The reactions with isocyanide DippNC: (Dipp=2,6‐iPr2‐C6H3) and isocyanate tBuNCO afforded the novel uranaborabicyclo[3.2.0] complexes. All new complexes have been structurally characterized. DFT calculations were performed to provide more insights into the electronic structures and the reaction mechanism.
Two‐Photon Initiating Efficiency of a Ditopic Alkoxynitrostilbene Reacting through a Self‐Regenerative Mechanism
Authors: Hobeika Nelly , Chaumeil Helene , Mhanna Rana , Jin Ming , Wu Xingyu , Spangenberg Arnaud , Versace Davy‐Louis , Morlet‐Savary Fabrice , Malval Jean‐Pierre
Published: August 2020

The photophysical properties and the photoinitiating reactivity of a ditopic alkoxynitrostilbene were compared to those of its single branch chromophore used as a reference. Whereas a trivial additive effect is observed when considering the one‐ and two‐photon absorption properties, a clear and very significant amplification has been highlighted for the photoreactivity of this free radical photoinitiator which was used as a hydrogen abstractor in presence of an aliphatic amine co‐reactant. We indeed demonstrate that the proximity of two nitroaromatics moieties within the same molecular architecture gives rise to an original cycling mechanism based on a stepwise photo triggering of each photoredox center followed by a subsequent regenerative process. The combination of a high two‐photon absorption cross‐section (δ780nm≈330 GM) with a strong enhancement in photoreactivity makes this nitrostilbene bichromophore a very suitable candidate for two‐photon polymerization applications.
Toward spatio‐temporal delineation of positive interactions in ecology
Authors: Tumolo Benjamin B. , Calle Leonardo , Anderson Heidi E. , Briggs Michelle A. , Carlson Sam , MacDonald Michael J. , Reinert J. Holden , Albertson Lindsey K.
Published: August 2020

Given unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss, there is an urgency to better understand the ecological consequences of interactions among organisms that may lost or altered. Positive interactions among organisms of the same or different species that directly or indirectly improve performance of at least one participant can structure populations and communities and control ecosystem process. However, we are still in need of synthetic approaches to better understand how positive interactions scale spatio‐temporally across a range of taxa and ecosystems. Here, we synthesize two complementary approaches to more rigorously describe positive interactions and their consequences among organisms, across taxa, and over spatio‐temporal scales. In the first approach, which we call the mechanistic approach, we make a distinction between two principal mechanisms of facilitation—habitat modification and resource modification. Considering the differences in these two mechanisms is critical because it delineates the potential spatio‐temporal bounds over which a positive interaction can occur. We offer guidance on improved sampling regimes for quantification of these mechanistic interactions and their consequences. Second, we present a trait‐based approach in which traits of facilitators or traits of beneficiaries can modulate their magnitude of effect or how they respond to either of the positive interaction mechanisms, respectively. Therefore, both approaches can be integrated together by quantifying the degree to which a focal facilitator's or beneficiary's traits explain the magnitude of a positive effect in space and time. Furthermore, we demonstrate how field measurements and analytical techniques can be used to collect and analyze data to test the predictions presented herein. We conclude by discussing how these approaches can be applied to contemporary challenges in ecology, such as conservation and restoration and suggest avenues for future research.
Impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on field instruction and remote teaching alternatives: Results from a survey of instructors
Authors: Barton Daniel C.
Published: August 2020

Education in ecology and evolution often utilizes field instruction to teach key learning outcomes. Remote teaching of learning outcomes that have been traditionally taught in the field, necessitated by the COVID‐19 pandemic, presents unique challenges for students, instructors, and institutions. A survey of 117 faculty conducted during spring 2020 revealed substantial reduction of learning outcomes typically taught in the field, and frequent substitutions of less active and more instructor‐centered remote activities for field activities. The survey revealed generally negative instructor views on many remote teaching substitutions, yet also showed several approaches that instructors regarded as more effective, despite potential challenges with equitably teaching them. I suggest several models of remote substitutions for traditional field teaching of identification, field techniques, data collection, and study design in the context of the results of this survey.
Surfactant‐directed Pd‐nanoparticle assemblies as efficient nanoreactors for water remediation
Authors: Huang Binbin , Xie Qianqian , Yang Zhan , Lei Chao , Chen Wenqian , Tang Xiang , Maran Flavio
Published: August 2020

Devising new catalytic systems for the efficient removal of organic chlorides from contaminated sites has important benefits for the human health. Efficiency requires the use of performing catalysts and the extraction of the contaminant from the environment. Here we describe a novel strategy that combines both aspects. A one‐pot surfactant‐directed approach allows the preparation of ultrafine palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) finely dispersed inside well‐ordered geometric structures, ranging from loose vesicles to nanocubes, from cylindrical to spherical assemblies. These assemblies work as nanoreactors where hydrophobic organic chlorides can be concentrated in the surfactant‐tail environment and efficiently reduced by the PdNP catalysts. As a proof‐of‐concept, we studied the dechlorination of the notorious pollutant 4‐chlorophenol. The nanoreactors display rapid dechlorination ability, excellent catalytic activity, and good stability and recyclability. This study provides a new methodology for effective water remediation that combines the advantages of both extraction and supported heterogeneous catalysis.

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The maternal brain: Region‐specific patterns of brain aging are traceable decades after childbirth
Authors: de Lange Ann‐Marie G. , Barth Claudia , Kaufmann Tobias , Anatürk Melis , Suri Sana , Ebmeier Klaus P. , Westlye Lars T.
Published: August 2020

Pregnancy involves maternal brain adaptations, but little is known about how parity influences women's brain aging trajectories later in life. In this study, we replicated previous findings showing less apparent brain aging in women with a history of childbirths, and identified regional brain aging patterns linked to parity in 19,787 middle‐ and older‐aged women. Using novel applications of brain‐age prediction methods, we found that a higher number of previous childbirths were linked to less apparent brain aging in striatal and limbic regions. The strongest effect was found in the accumbens—a key region in the mesolimbic reward system, which plays an important role in maternal behavior. While only prospective longitudinal studies would be conclusive, our findings indicate that subcortical brain modulations during pregnancy and postpartum may be traceable decades after childbirth.
Unique Cholangiocyte‐Targeted IgM Autoantibodies Correlate With Poor Outcome in Biliary Atresia
Authors: Luo Yuhuan , Brigham Dania , Bednarek Joseph , Torres Richard , Wang Dong , Ahmad Sara , Mack Cara L.
Published: August 2020

Background and Aims

The etiology of biliary atresia (BA) is not known and is likely multifactorial, including a genetic predisposition, a viral or environmental trigger, an aberrant autoimmune response targeting cholangiocytes, and unique susceptibilities of the neonatal bile ducts to injury. Damaged cholangiocytes may express neo self‐antigens and elicit autoreactive T‐cell‐mediated inflammation and B‐cell production of autoantibodies. The aim of this study was to discover autoantibodies in BA that correlated with outcomes.

Approach and Results

An autoantigen microarray encompassing approximately 9,500 autoantigens was used to screen for serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies in patients with BA or other liver disease controls. Validation of candidate autoantibodies by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay on a second cohort of subjects (6‐12 months following Kasai portoenterostomy) and correlations of autoantibodies with outcomes were performed (serum bilirubin levels and need for liver transplant in first 2 years of life). Mean anti‐chitinase 3‐like 1 (CHI3L1), anti‐delta‐like ligand (DLL‐4), and antisurfactant protein D (SFTPD) IgM autoantibodies in BA were significantly higher compared with controls, and IgM autoantibody levels positively correlated with worse outcomes. Immunofluorescence revealed cholangiocyte‐predominant expression of CHI3L1, DLL‐4, and SFTPD. The humoral autoantibody response was associated with C3d complement activation and T‐cell autoimmunity, based on detection of cholangiocyte‐predominant C3d co‐staining and peripheral blood autoreactive T cells specific to CHI3L1, DLL‐4 and SFTPD, respectively.

Conclusions

BA is associated with cholangiocyte‐predominant IgM autoantibodies in the first year after Kasai portoenterostomy. Anti‐CHI3L1, anti‐DLL‐4, and anti‐SFTPD IgM autoantibody correlations with worse outcomes and the detection of C3d on cholangioctyes and antigen‐specific autoreactive T cells suggest that autoimmunity plays a role in the ongoing bile duct injury and progression of disease.
Similarities and differences in international and comparative human resource management: A review of 60 years of research
Authors: Sanders Karin , De Cieri Helen
Published: August 2020

In this article, we review similarities and differences in articles in the research field of international and comparative human resource management (HRM), published inHuman Resource Managementover the past 60 years. The extensive review and analysis, based on 189 conceptual articles, reviews, and empirical studies, identified several trends. First, the two distinct research streams in this research field (HRM in MNEs and comparative HRM) have grown over the decades and moved from conceptual articles in the beginning to almost exclusively empirical studies in more recent years. Second, in addition to the two research streams, in more recent years we identified a third research stream that combines elements of HRM in MNEs and comparative HRM research. Third, the research field has become more feminized, with an increasing number of female (first) authors, and has become more international, with more authors affiliated with non‐US universities in the more recent time periods. Finally, while the research streams show some differences in the content of their research, we do not find evidence that the streams developed in isolation. Based on our analysis, we provide suggestions for future research on international and comparative HRM and identify current implications for HR practitioners.
Role of the legal and financial environments in determining the efficiency of working capital management in European SMEs
Authors: Mättö Markus , Niskanen Mervi
Published: August 2020

This paper focuses on whether the rule of law or capital market development can explain observed differences in working capital levels and trade credit in SMEs from 13 EU countries. Our findings indicate that the working capital levels are lower and working capital management is thus more efficient in countries with safer legal systems and better investor protection. We also find that operating in a market‐based capital system has a negative effect on the cash conversion cycle (CCC). This implies that firms operating in countries with a market‐based system as opposed to a bank‐based system have better opportunities to manage their working capital. Our findings indicate that country‐level legal instruments explain much of the cross‐country differences observed in working capital. The results also suggest that working capital practices and the extent to which trade credit is used are a product of the legal system and the financial systems in place in each country. If the financial system changes, the trade credit practices can also be expected to change.
Assessment of the asymmetric impacts of the geopolitical risk on oil market dynamics
Authors: Ozcelebi Oguzhan , Tokmakcioglu Kaya
Published: August 2020

This study employs the time‐varying parameter structural vector autoregression (TVP‐SVAR) models to assess the asymmetric effects of the geopolitical risk (GPR) on oil production and oil prices for BRIC countries and in the global scale. Although slope‐based asymmetry tests deriving from non‐linear VAR model of Kilian and Vigfusson suggest that the effects on oil production and oil prices are symmetric, the directions and the magnitude of the impulse response functions (IRFs) of TVP‐SVAR models did not confirm the relevant relationship. More specifically, it was revealed that the rise/fall of the GPR of Brazil, Russia and India can lead to increasing/decreasing oil prices. While our findings imply that changes in oil prices may not be a factor affecting the oil production through the changes in GPR, we stress that the increase/decrease of GPRs affect the future economic expectations negatively/positively which in turn leads to a change in the oil production.
Waiting for myomectomy during the COVID‐19 pandemic: The vicious cycle of psychological and physical trauma associated with increased wait times
Authors: Strong Sophie M. , Magama Zwelihle , Mallick Rebecca , Sideris Michail , Odejinmi Funlayo
Published: August 2020

The impact of delayed surgical intervention for women with fibroids due to the COVID‐19 pandemic and the resulting adverse effects on their mental and physical health.
Nickel oxide thin films grown by chemical deposition techniques: Potential and challenges in next‐generation rigid and flexible device applications
Authors: Napari Mari , Huq Tahmida N. , Hoye Robert L. Z. , MacManus‐Driscoll Judith L.
Published: August 2020

Nickel oxide (NiOx), a p‐type oxide semiconductor, has gained significant attention due to its versatile and tunable properties. It has become one of the critical materials in wide range of electronics applications, including resistive switching random access memory devices and highly sensitive and selective sensor applications. In addition, the wide band gap and high work function, coupled with the low electron affinity, have made NiOx widely used in emerging optoelectronics and p‐n heterojunctions. The properties of NiOx thin films depend strongly on the deposition method and conditions. Efficient implementation of NiOx in next‐generation devices will require controllable growth and processing methods that can tailor the morphological and electronic properties of the material, but which are also compatible with flexible substrates. In this review, we link together the fundamental properties of NiOx with the chemical processing methods that have been developed to grow the material as thin films, and with its application in electronic devices. We focus solely on thin films, rather than NiOx incorporated with one‐dimensional or two‐dimensional materials. This review starts by discussing how the p‐type nature of NiOx arises and how its stoichiometry affects its electronic and magnetic properties. We discuss the chemical deposition techniques for growing NiOx thin films, including chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and a selection of solution processing approaches, and present examples of recent progress made in the implementation of NiOx thin films in devices, both on rigid and flexible substrates. Furthermore, we discuss the remaining challenges and limitations in the deposition of device‐quality NiOx thin films with chemical growth methods.

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Bioactivity and antibacterial activity of strontium and silver ion releasing titanium
Authors: Masamoto Kazutaka , Fujibayashi Shunsuke , Yamaguchi Seiji , Otsuki Bungo , Okuzu Yaichiro , Kawata Tomotoshi , Goto Koji , Shimizu Takayoshi , Shimizu Yu , Kawai Toshiyuki , Hayashi Makoto , Morizane Kazuaki , Imamura Masashi , Ikeda Norimasa , Takaoka Yusuke , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: August 2020

To overcome problems associated with loosening of orthopedic implants and surgical site infections, we developed a novel, titanium (Ti)‐based material that releases both strontium and silver ions (CaSrAg–Ti) based on alkali‐and‐heat treatment. The results of commercially pure Ti (cp–Ti), Ti that releases Sr ions only (CaSr–Ti), and the novel CaSrAg–Ti material were compared. Mechanical tests were performed to evaluate the in vivo bonding properties of CaSrAg–Ti and the bone‐implant contact (BIC) ratio in histological specimens was determined at 4 and 8 weeks after implantation in a rat femur. Also, the in vitro antibacterial activities of this material against methicillin‐susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) were evaluated after a 24 h incubation period by assaying colony‐forming units. In addition, antibacterial activities were evaluated in vivo at 7 days after implantation in a rat subcutaneous pocket model. There was direct contact between the bone and CaSrAg–Ti in histological specimens and no apparent signs of argyrosis in any rat. The bone‐bonding strength and the BIC ratio were increased by 2.7‐ and 2.3‐fold for CaSrAg–Ti vs. cp‐Ti at 4 weeks and 2.2‐ and 2.0‐fold at 8 weeks, respectively. As compared with cp‐Ti, the number of viable MSSA remaining on CaSrAg–Ti was reduced by 100 ± 0% in vitro and 94.2 ± 6.9% in vivo. Ti that releases Sr and Ag ions is a promising material that exhibits both bone‐bonding properties and anti‐MSSA activities.