bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Re‐Engineering Poly(Acrylic Acid) Binder toward Optimized Electrochemical Performance for Silicon Lithium‐Ion Batteries: Branching Architecture Leads to Balanced Properties of Polymeric Binders
Authors: Jiang Sisi , Hu Bin , Shi Zhangxing , Chen Wei , Zhang Zhengcheng , Zhang Lu
Published: December 2019

Silicon is a promising anode material for lithium‐ion batteries with its superior capacity. However, the drastic volume changes during lithiation/delithiation cycles hinder the cycling performance, resulting in particle pulverization, conductivity loss, and an unstable electrode–electrolyte interface. Herein, a series of synthetic polymeric binders, poly(acrylic acid‐co‐tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate)—featuring a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) backbone branched via tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (TEGDA)—are developed that edge toward evidencing well‐balanced properties to confront capacity fading in Si‐based electrodes. The incorporation of ether chain not only leads to the branching architecture of the PAA backbone, thus affecting its mechanical properties, but also promotes the conductivity of Li ions. As a result, a synergistic performance improvement is observed in both half and full cells. The best‐performing cell using a branched PAA binder (bPAA) with a feeding molar ratio ([TEGDA]:[acrylic acid(AA)]) of 0.2 results in a 10% increase in initial capacity and a 31% increase in capacity retention over 100 cycles compared to the linear PAA cell. The cross‐sectional microscopic images of the cycled electrodes reveal that bPAA binders can drastically reduce the electrode expansion. This improvement results from the well‐balanced properties of the polymer design, which could guide further development for more advanced binder materials.
Confining Sub‐Nanometer Pt Clusters in Hollow Mesoporous Carbon Spheres for Boosting Hydrogen Evolution Activity
Authors: Wan Xian‐Kai , Wu Hao Bin , Guan Bu Yuan , Luan Deyan , Lou Xiong Wen (David)
Published: December 2019

Electrochemical water splitting is considered as a promising approach to produce clean and sustainable hydrogen fuel. As a new class of nanomaterials with high ratio of surface atoms and tunable composition and electronic structure, metal clusters are promising candidates as catalysts. Here, a new strategy is demonstrated to synthesize active and stable Pt‐based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution by confining Pt clusters in hollow mesoporous carbon spheres (Pt5/HMCS). Such a structure would effectively stabilize the Pt clusters during the ligand removal process, leading to remarkable electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen production in both acidic and alkaline solutions. Particularly, the optimal Pt5/HMCS electrocatalyst exhibits 12 times the mass activity of Pt in commercial Pt/C catalyst with similar Pt loading. This study exemplifies a simple yet effective approach to improve the cost effectiveness of precious‐metal‐based catalysts with stabilized metal clusters.
Integrating Conductivity, Immobility, and Catalytic Ability into High‐N Carbon/Graphene Sheets as an Effective Sulfur Host
Authors: Xu Huifang , Jiang Qingbin , Zhang Bingkai , Chen Chao , Lin Zhan
Published: December 2019

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are considered to be one of the most promising candidate systems for next‐generation electrochemical energy storage. The major challenge of this system is the polysulfide shuttle, which results in poor cycling efficiency. In this work, a highly N‐doped carbon/graphene (NC/G) sheet is designed as a sulfur host, which combines the merits of abundant N active sites and high electrical conductivity to achieve in situ anchoring–conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Such a host not only has strong binding with LiPSs but also promotes redox kinetics, which are revealed by both experimental investigations and theoretical studies. The sulfur cathode based on the NC/G host exhibits a high initial capacity of 1380 mA h g−1 and a superior cycle stability with a low capacity decay of 0.037% per cycle within 500 cycles at 2 C. Steady areal capacity with a high sulfur loading (5.6 mg cm−2) is also attained even without the addition of LiNO3 in the electrolyte. This work proposes and illustrates the importance of in situ anchoring–conversion of LiPSs, offering a new strategy to design multifunctional sulfur hosts for high‐performance Li–S batteries.
Impact of Nanoscale Roughness on Heat Transport across the Solid–Solid Interface
Authors: Wang Jingwei , Zhang Zhongwei , Shi Run , Chandrashekar Bananakere Nanjegowda , Shen Nan , Song Haisheng , Wang Ning , Chen Jie , Cheng Chun
Published: December 2019

The performance of 1D nano/microbeam‐based devices greatly relies on heat dissipation to substrates. The surface roughness plays a key role in interfacial heat transport while this issue is seldom investigated due to the difficulty in quantitative determination of thermal contact resistance (TCR) at nanoscale. Here, the impact of interfacial roughness on heat transport at solid–solid interface by taking VO2 microbeam on Si substrate (VO2/Si) as a prototype is investigated. With the increased interface roughness from atomic fluctuation to ≈100 nm, it is found that an unusual uncertainty emerges in thermal interface transport along with the dramatical increase in TCR with two orders of magnitudes. Besides, a single‐layer graphene is inserted into VO2/Si interface as thermal interface material to study its performance under interface roughness. The inserted graphene not only substantially reduces the TCR but also reduces the uncertainty of thermal interface transport. This enhancement is even remarkable at rougher interface. Microscopic characterization and molecular dynamics simulation suggest that suspended condition and high heat conductivity of graphene on rough surface are responsible for the above effects. This work provides the quantitative evaluation of TCR and contributes to the in‐depth understanding on heat transport at imperfect interface.
Integrating superstructure‐based design of molecules, processes, and flowsheets
Authors: Schilling Johannes , Horend Christian , Bardow André
Published: December 2019

The key to many chemical and energy conversion processes is the choice of the right molecule, for example, used as working fluid. However, the choice of the molecule is inherently coupled to the choice of the right process flowsheet. In this work, we integrate superstructure‐based flowsheet design into the design of processes and molecules. The thermodynamic properties of the molecule are modeled by the PC‐SAFT equation of state. Computer‐aided molecular design enables considering the molecular structure as degree of freedom in the process optimization. To consider the process flowsheet as additional degree of freedom, a superstructure of the process is used. The method results in the optimal molecule, process, and flowsheet. We demonstrate the method for the design of an organic Rankine cycle considering flowsheet options for regeneration, reheating, and turbine bleeding. The presented method provides a user‐friendly tool to solve the integrated design problem of processes, molecules, and process flowsheets.
Hearing loss in individuals with osteogenesis imperfecta in North America: Results from a multicenter study
Authors: Machol Keren , Hadley Trevor D. , Schmidt Jake , Cuthbertson David , Traboulsi Henri , Silva Rodrigo C. , Citron Chloe , Khan Sobiah , Citron Kate , Carter Erin , Brookler Kenneth , Shapiro Jay R. , Steiner Robert D. , Byers Peter H. , Glorieux Francis H. , Durigova Michaela , Smith Peter , Bober Michael B. , Sutton Vernon R. , Lee Brendan H. ,   Members of the BBD Consortium, Nagamani Sandesh C. S. , Raggio Cathleen
Published: December 2019

Hearing loss (HL) is an extra‐skeletal manifestation of the connective tissue disorder osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Systematic evaluation of the prevalence and characteristics of HL in COL1A1/COL1A2‐related OI will contribute to a better clinical management of individuals with OI. We collected and analyzed pure‐tone audiometry data from 312 individuals with OI who were enrolled in the Linked Clinical Research Centers and the Brittle Bone Disorders Consortium. The prevalence, type, and severity of HL in COL1A1/COL1A2‐related OI are reported. We show that the prevalence of HL in OI is 28% and increased with age in Type I OI but not in Types III and IV. Individuals with OI Types III and IV are at a higher risk to develop HL in the first decade of life when compared to OI Type I. We also show that the prevalence of SNHL is higher in females with OI compared to males. This study reveals new insights regarding prevalence of HL in OI including a lower general prevalence of HL in COL1A1/COL1A2‐related OI than previously reported (28.3 vs. 65%) and high prevalence of SNHL in females. Our data support the need in early routine hearing evaluation in all types of OI that can be adjusted to the severity of the skeletal disease.
Reducing the primate pet trade: Actions for primatologists
Authors: Norconk Marilyn A. , Atsalis Sylvia , Tully Gregg , Santillán Ana Maria , Waters Siân , Knott Cheryl D. , Ross Stephen R. , Shanee Sam , Stiles Daniel
Published: December 2019

This commentary emerged from a panel presentation at the International Primatological Society Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, 2018. The goal was to provide regional updates on the status of primate removal from habitat countries, especially for the pet trade, and develop guidelines that could help primatologists address this critical problem. The trade in live primates includes those used as pets, in entertainment, and as subjects of biomedical experimentation, but here we focus on those primates destined for the pet trade. Such transactions are a hugely lucrative business, impacting hundreds of thousands of individuals annually and affecting the survival of wild populations. Being intimately familiar with primate social behavior, life history and biology, primatologists, whether they work with captive or wild primates, are in a unique position to understand the nature of the trade and attempt to counter its effects. In addition to updating the status of the primate pet trade, we provide recommendations that may help primatologists formulate a plan to deal, locally and regionally, with illegal trafficking in live primates. General guidelines include increasing awareness of local customs, policies and laws; developing collaborative research opportunities for local people; engaging in training/informational opportunities; and instructing on how to take action when encountering illegally‐trafficked primates.
Effective Mass Enhancement and Thermal Conductivity Reduction for Improving the Thermoelectric Properties of Pseudo‐Binary Ge2Sb2Te5
Authors: Du Wenbing , Gu Yayun , Wang Ke , Yang Xinxin , Xing Juanjuan , Guo Kai , Luo Jun , Zhao Jing‐Tai
Published: December 2019

Ge2Sb2Te5 is a famous phase‐change memory material for rewriteable optical storage, which is widely applied in the information storage field. The stable trigonal phase of Ge2Sb2Te5 shows potential as a thermoelectric material as well, due to its tunable electrical transport properties and low lattice thermal conductivity. In this work, the carrier concentration and effective mass of Ge2Sb2Te5 are modulated by substituting Te with Se. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity reduces from 2.48 W m−1 K−1 for Ge2Sb2Te5 to 1.37 W m−1 K−1 for Ge2Sb2Te3.5Se1.5 at 703 K. Therefore, the thermoelectric figure of merit zT increases from 0.24 for Ge2Sb2Te5 to 0.41 for Ge2Sb2Te3.5Se1.5 at 703 K. This study reveals that Se alloying is an effective way to enhance the thermoelectric properties of Ge2Sb2Te5.
Biocatalytic Feedback‐Controlled Non‐Newtonian Fluids
Authors: Hao Xiang , Yang Kaixiang , Wang Hairong , Peng Feng , Yang Haiyang
Published: December 2019

Non‐Newtonian fluids are ubiquitous in daily life and industrial applications. Herein, we report an intelligent fluidic system integrating two distinct non‐Newtonian rheological properties mediated by an autocatalytic enzyme reaction. Associative polyelectrolytes bearing a small amount of ionic and alkyl groups are engineered: by carefully balancing the charge density and the hydrophobic effect, the polymer solutions demonstrate a unique shear thickening property at low pH while shear thinning at high pH. The urea‐urease clock reaction is utilized to program a feedback‐induced pH change, leading to a strong upturn of the nonlinear viscoelastic properties. As long as the chemical fuel is supplied, two distinct non‐Newtonian states can be achieved with a tunable lifetime span. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate how the physical energy‐driven nonequilibrium properties can be manipulated by a chemical‐fueled process.
Surface Engineering of g‐C3N4 by Stacked BiOBr Sheets Rich in Oxygen Vacancies for Boosting Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Liu Dongni , Chen Dongyun , Li Najun , Xu Qingfeng , Li Hua , He Jinghui , Lu Jianmei
Published: December 2019

BiOBr containing surface oxygen vacancies (OVs) was prepared by a simple solvothermal method and combined with graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) to construct a heterojunction for photocatalytic oxidation of nitric oxide (NO) and reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2). The formation of the heterojunction enhanced the transfer and separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. Furthermore, the surface OVs sufficiently exposed catalytically active sites, and enabled capture of photoexcited electrons at the surface of the catalyst. Internal recombination of photogenerated charges was also limited, which contributed to generation of more active oxygen for NO oxidation. Heterojunction and OVs worked together to form a spatial conductive network framework, which achieved 63 % NO removal, 96 % selectivity for carbonaceous products (that is, CO and CH4). The stability of the catalyst was confirmed by cycling experiments and X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy after NO removal.
Molecular Engineering for Metal‐Free Amorphous Materials with Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence
Authors: Zhang Ting , Ma Xiang , Wu Hongwei , Zhu Liangliang , Zhao Yanli , Tian He
Published: December 2019

Materials displaying room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have been attracting wide attention in recent years due to their distinctive characteristics including long emissive lifetime and large Stokes shift, and their various applications. Most synthesized RTP materials are metal complexes that display enhanced intersystem crossing and crystallization is a common way to restrict nonradiative transition. Amorphous metal‐free RTP materials, which do not rely on expensive and toxic metals and can be prepared in a straightforward fashion, have become an important branch of the field. This Minireview summarizes recent progress in amorphous RTP materials according to the approaches used to immobilize phosphors: host–guest interactions, molecule doping, copolymers, and small‐molecule self‐assembly. Some existing challenges and insightful perspectives are given at the end of the Minireview, which should benefit the future design and development of amorphous metal‐free RTP materials.
Development and processing of flame retardant cellulose acetate compounds for foaming applications
Authors: Breuer Robert , Zhang Yuxiao , Erdmann Rafael , Vernaez Hernandez Oscar Eduardo , Kabasci Stephan , Kostka Melanie , Reinhardt Nicolas , Facklam Martin , Hopmann Christian
Published: December 2019

Cellulose acetate (CA) is a bio‐based polymeric material suitable to replace foamed polystyrene (PS) boards in applications for building insulation. Foam boards can be produced by extrusion foaming with physical blowing agents. In addition, the high heat deflection temperature and good mechanical properties (e.g., tensile and compression strength) of CA make it suitable for the injection molding of technical parts. In general, flame retardancy of foamed products is often required in building or electronic applications. This article presents the effects of various flame retardant (FR) additives, process settings, and the calibration of the foam board on flammability, foam morphology, and mechanical properties of extruded CA boards. Different formulations of FR additives and foaming agents were investigated regarding density and morphology of the foamed boards. Furthermore, investigations on foam behavior for foam injection molding with physical blowing agents were conducted. The foamed parts were characterized with regard to their flammability. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Applied Polymer Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48863.
Syntheses of 1,1‐Diethyl‐ or ‐Dihexyl‐3,4‐Diphenyl‐2,5‐Dibromo‐ or ‐Bis(Trimethylsilyl)Siloles and Electrochemical Properties for Lithium Ion Battery
Authors: Park Ji Young , Jung Young Min , Park Young Tae
Published: December 2019

1,1‐Diethyl‐ and 1,1‐dihexyl‐3,4‐diphenyl‐2,5‐dibromosiloles (3a and 3b, respectively) as well as 1,1‐diethyl‐ and 1,1‐dihexyl‐3,4‐diphenyl‐2,5‐bis(trimethylsilyl)siloles (4a and 4b, respectively) were prepared by intramolecular reductive cyclization and bromination or trimethylsilylation of diethyl‐ or dihexyl‐bis(phenylethynyl)silanes (2a and 2b), respectively. The IR stretching frequencies for all the synthesized silole derivatives appeared within the range 1543–1566 cm−1. The UV–vis absorption data of the siloles in THF include absorption peaks at 303–326 nm, with molar absorptivities ranging from 2.63 × 103 to 5.99 × 103 L/(cm·mol). In the excitation spectra, maximum excitation bands were found at 355–371 nm, while maximum emission peaks in the fluorescence spectral data were observed at 419–443 nm. Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of 3a and 3b revealed oxidation peaks at 0.16 and 0.58 V, and reduction peaks at −0.25 and − 0.28 V, respectively. Meanwhile, CVs of 4a and 4b showed two oxidation peaks between −0.46 and 0.14 V, and two reduction peaks between −1.32 and − 0.69 V, respectively. Thermogravimetric ananysis (TGA) experimental data illustrated that all the synthesized siloles were thermally stable at temperatures up to 150 °C with only 0.3–3% loss of their original masses under nitrogen. The long cycling performance of anodes 4a and 4b, at 1.0 A/g current density, exhibited initial discharge/charge capacities of 1967/754 and 5559/1174 mAh/g with Coulombic efficiencies of 38.2 and 21.1% after 20 and 15 cycles, respectively.
Is evil rewarded with evil? The market penalty effect of corporate environmentally irresponsible events
Authors: Jin Youliang , Cheng Chen , Zeng Huixiang
Published: December 2019

The negative response of the capital market to environmentally irresponsible events is an important governance mechanism that motivates enterprises to assume environmental responsibility. Based on the theory of effective markets and organizational legitimacy, this paper takes corporate environmentally irresponsible events in Chinese environmentally sensitive industries during the period of 2014–2018 as a research sample, and our work uses the event study methodology to explore the penalty effect of the capital market from a mathematical empirical and case empirical dimension. Furthermore, this research discusses the spillover effect of corporate environmentally irresponsible events in the capital markets. The empirical results show that once an irresponsible event is exposed, it causes a significant negative cumulative abnormal return (CAR) in the short term, and the difference between the industry and the ownership type leads to a significant difference in the duration and impact of the penalty effect. More interestingly, the capital market's penalty for corporate environmentally irresponsible events may have a notable industry spillover effect, but there are differences between the penalty effect and the spillover effect in different markets. This paper confirms that the penalty mechanism of the capital market related to an environmentally irresponsible event can effectively restrain the behaviour of the company involved and the industry to which it belongs, and it may also provide a new way for the government to build an eco‐environmental protection system of multisubject “co‐governance” and bring the punitive “forced” mechanism of the capital market to bear on corporate environmentally responsible behaviour.
The impact of sustainability (environmental, social, and governance) disclosure and board diversity on firm value: The moderating role of industry sensitivity
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Azeem , Kirkerud Sina , Theresa Kim , Ahsan Tanveer
Published: December 2019

Using a large panel data set comprising 812 listed European firms, this study investigates whether sustainability disclosure (environmental, social, and governance) and female representation on boards affect firm value. We observe a positive impact of sustainability disclosure and board gender diversity on firm value, suggesting that the best management practices, enhanced stakeholder trust, and female representation on boards improve firm value. We observe that the firms in sensitive industries achieve superior social and governance performance. We also observe that the firms with higher female representation on their boards present significantly superior environmental, social, and governance performance. Our results are robust to different firm and country specific control variables and to year‐ and country‐fixed effects.
The relationship between the posterior tibial slope and the sagittal femoral condylar shape: Two circles and ellipses
Authors: Zhang Zheng , Liu Mingyang , Wen Xiaoyu , Liu Shiwei , Zhang Guanpeng , Yang Chen
Published: December 2019

Background

Whether the posterior tibial slope (PTS) is associated with the femoral condylar shape has remained unclear. Classical anatomical studies considered the sagittal profiles of femoral condyles to consist of two circles. Recently, an elliptical method was described to simplify the “two circles” model. Our purpose was to analyze the relationship between the PTS and the shape of the sagittal femoral condyle, that is, two circles and two ellipses, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Methods

Eighty right knees of healthy subjects were scanned by MRI at full extension. The medial and lateral PTS were measured (mPTS and lPTS). On the distal‐most medial and lateral slices, the femoral condylar articular surfaces were best fitted by circles or ellipses, respectively. The radii of the medial and lateral posterior circles and inferior circles (rm and rl, Rm and Rl, respectively), the semi‐major axes and the semi‐minor axes of the medial and lateral ellipses (am and al, bm and bl, respectively), and the rm/Rm, bm/am, rl/Rl, bl/al ratios were measured and calculated.

Results

mPTS correlated significantly with the parameters of the medial condyle (all p < .05) and the ratios bm/am and rm/Rm (p = .017 and p = .027, respectively). However, the lPTS did not correlate with the parameters of the lateral condyle (all p > .05) or the ratios bl/al and rl/Rl (p = .461 and p = .241, respectively).

Conclusion

The mPTS is associated with the sagittal shape of the medial femoral condyle but the lPTS is not. Both two circles and two ellipses are feasible ways to represent the sagittal femoral condylar shape.
Nanoparticle albumin‐bound paclitaxel in elder patients with advanced squamous non‐small‐cell lung cancer: A retrospective study
Authors: Liu Yang , Dong Yinping , Zhu Hui , Jing Wang , Guo Hongbo , Yu Jinming
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the effect of nanoparticle albumin‐bound paclitaxel (nab‐PTX) chemotherapy regimens in elderly patients (≥70 years old) with advanced squamous non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients and Methods

The clinical records of elderly patients aged ≥70 years with advanced squamous NSCLC were reviewed retrospectively. All of these patients received nab‐PTX, with or without combination of chemotherapy in Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2017. We analyzed the toxicity profiles, progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR).

Results

Totally, 52 elderly patients with squamous NSCLC were included in the analysis. For all patients, the ORR was 34.6%, the DCR was 80.8%, median PFS was 5.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.0‐7.8 months), and median OS was 14.3 months (95% CI: 11.0‐17.8 months). Combination with chemotherapy significantly prolonged OS (19.3 vs 11.2 months, P = .016), despite a nonsignificant improvement in PFS (7.1 vs 4.2 months, P = .060) vs monotherapy. For patients who received nab‐PTX as first‐line treatment, the median PFS and OS were 6.7 months and 17.2 months, respectively, and the median OS in combination therapy subgroup was significantly higher than that in monotherapy group (20.3 vs 11.2 months, P = .013). Meanwhile, the median PFS and OS of patients with nab‐PTX as second‐ or later‐line treatment were 4.4 months and 13.3 months, respectively, but no survival benefit was achieved by the combination chemotherapy when compared with single‐agent chemotherapy. Hematologic toxicities were the most common adverse events (AEs), which include grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (13.7%), thrombocytopenia (4.1%), and anemia (6.8%). The main nonhematologic toxicities were peripheral sensory neuropathy (39.7%), followed by anorexia and nausea/vomiting.

Conclusion

In elderly advanced squamous NSCLC patients, the treatment of nab‐PTX was effective and well tolerated.
The link between social interactions and trust recovery in customer–business relationships
Authors: da Rosa Pulga Andréia Alcântara , Basso Kenny , Viacava Keitiline Ramos , Pacheco Natália Araújo , Ladeira Wagner Junior , Dalla Corte Vitor Francisco
Published: December 2019

Trust plays a crucial role in interpersonal relationships, including customer–company relationships, where the customer expects that a company will behave predictably in any particular situation. Companies do not always fulfill customers' expectations and thereby breach the trust relationship. To avoid negative consequences of this trust violation, companies may issue a formal apology as one possible path to regaining customer trust. In the same way, a previous social interaction, which can increase the customer's levels of oxytocin, can help to recover trust after service failures. In this study, three experiments were conducted as follows: the first manipulating a simulated social interaction with images; the second manipulating a physical social interaction, (i.e., a hug); and the third with exogenous oxytocin administration. The results showed that both physical interaction, (i.e., a hug) and simulated social interaction, (i.e., images of people interacting with each other) had a positive effect on customer trust recovery and provided support for oxytocin release as the underlying mechanism in this process. This research contributes to understanding of the link between social interactions and trust by elucidating the effects of both simulated and physical interactions on trust recovery.
Protective effects of cilengitide on inflammation in chondrocytes under excessive mechanical stress
Authors: Hirose Naoto , Okamoto Yuki , Yanoshita Makoto , Asakawa Yuki , Sumi Chikako , Takano Mami , Nishiyama Sayuri , Su Shao‐Ching , Mitsuyoshi Tomomi , Kunimatsu Ryo , Tanne Kazuo , Tanimoto Kotaro
Published: December 2019

Chondrocytes constantly receive external stimuli, which regulates remodeling. An optimal level of mechanical stress is essential for maintaining chondrocyte homeostasis, however, excessive mechanical stress induces inflammatory cytokines and protease, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Therefore, excessive mechanical stress is considered to be one of the main causes to cartilage destruction leading to osteoarthritis (OA). Integrins are well‐known as cell adhesion molecules and act as receptors for extracellular matrix (ECM), and are believed to control intracellular signaling pathways both physically and chemically as a mechanoreceptor. However, few studies have focused on the roles and functions of integrins in inflammation caused by excessive mechanical stress. In this study, we examined the relationship between integrins (αVβ3 and αVβ5) and the expression of inflammatory factors under mechanical loading in chondrocytes by using an integrin receptor antagonist (cilengitide). Cilengitide suppressed the gene expression of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP‐3), and MMP‐13 induced by excessive mechanical stress. In addition, the protein expression of IL1‐β and MMP‐13 was also inhibited by the addition of cilengitide. Next, we investigated the involvement of intracellular signaling pathways in stress‐induced integrin signaling in chondrocytes by using western blotting. The levels of p‐FAK, p‐ERK, p‐JNK, and p‐p38 were enhanced by excessive mechanical stress and the enhancement was suppressed by treatment with cilengitide. In conclusion, this study revealed that excessive mechanical stress may activate integrins αVβ3 and αVβ5 on the surface of chondrocytes and thereby induce an inflammatory reaction by upregulating the expression of IL‐1β, TNF‐α, MMP‐3, and MMP‐13 through phosphorylation of FAK and MAPKs.
Ozone alleviates ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrion‐mediated apoptosis pathway in SH‐SY5Y cells
Authors: Cai Hua‐An , Tao Xi , Zheng Li‐Jun , Huang Liang , Peng Yan , Liao Ruo‐Yi , Zhu Yi‐Min
Published: December 2019

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries are common and often cause severe complications. Ozone has been applied for protecting I/R injury in animal models of several organs including cerebra, but the detailed mechanism remains unclear. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and lactate dehydrogenase measurement were used to determine the influence of ozone on cell activity and damage of SH‐SY5Y cells. Some redox items such as catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was determined by JC‐1 assay. Cytochrome‐c (cyt‐c) level in the cytoplasm and mitochondrion was measured by western blotting. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry, and some apoptosis‐related molecules were detected by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Ozone alleviated oxidative damage by increasing GSH‐Px, SOD, CAT, and decreasing MDA. Ozone decreased mitochondrial damage caused by I/R injury and inhibited the release of cyt‐c from mitochondrion to cytoplasm in SH‐SY5Y cells. The cell apoptosis caused by I/R was inhibited by ozone, and ozone could decrease apoptosis by increasing the ratio of Bcl‐2/Bax and inhibiting caspase signaling pathway in SH‐SY5Y cells. Ozone has the ability of maintaining redox homeostasis, decreasing mitochondrion damage, and inhibiting neurocytes apoptosis induced by I/R. Therefore, ozone may be a promising protective strategy against cerebral I/R injury.
Association between neutropenia and IgG antineutrophil antibodies in a case of CD40LG deficiency due to two novel mutations
Authors: Assing Kristian , Nielsen Kaspar René , Tenstad Helene Broch , Jakobsen Marianne Antonius , Nielsen Christian , Grosen Dorthe , Hartling Ulla Birgitte
Published: December 2019

This case suggests a mechanistic rationale for the clinical efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) in treating CD40 ligand (CD40L) deficiency associated neutropenia as it is the first reported instance of free and cell‐bound antineutrophil antibodies in a case of CD40L deficiency, accompanied by a prolonged and clinically severe neutropenia.
Molybdenum Sulfide Nanosheets Coupled with Ni2P Hollow Microspheres as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Generation over a Wide pH Range Mediated by a 3D/2D Interface
Authors: Gao Caiyan , Li Zhuoqian , Wang Haiyang , Yang Yaqi , Li Baojun , Peng Zhikun , Li Jun , Liu Zhongyi
Published: December 2019

Developing high activity, strong durability, and cost‐efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical for the sustainable production of hydrogen energy. Herein, we have rationally designed three‐dimensional (3D) heterogeneous catalyst of hollow nickel phosphide spheres coupled with molybdenum sulfide nanosheets (Ni2P@MoS2). Benefiting from the hollow spherical structure and the coupling effects between MoS2 and Ni2P, Ni2P@MoS2 shows superior activity for hydrogen generation over a wide pH range. It displays overpotentials of 181, 269 and 535 mV in 1.0 M KOH, 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1.0 M PBS, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. A series of characterization techniques demonstrate that the strong coupling interaction between Ni2P and MoS2 effectively optimizes the electronic structure of the Ni2P‐MoS2 3D/2D interfaces, beneficial for regulating H* adsorption energy. This work offers a novel strategy for enhancing the HER performance of metal phosphide/sulfide catalysts by constructing heterostructured materials with abundant 3D/2D interfaces.
Towards a Stronger Halogen Bond Involving Astatine: Unexpected Adduct with Bu3PO Stabilized by Hydrogen Bonding
Authors: Liu Lu , Guo Ning , Champion Julie , Graton Jérôme , Montavon Gilles , Galland Nicolas , Maurice Rémi
Published: December 2019

The halogen bond is a powerful tool for the molecular design and pushing the limits of its strength is of major interest. Bearing the most potent halogen‐bond donor atom, astatine monoiodide (AtI) was recently successfully probed [Nat. Chem. 2018, 10, 428–434]. In this work, we continue the exploration of adducts between AtI and Lewis bases with the tributylphosphine oxide (Bu3PO) ligand, revealing the unexpected experimental occurrence of two distinct chemical species with 1:1 and 2:1 stoichiometries. The 1:1 Bu3PO⋅⋅⋅AtI complex is found to exhibit the strongest astatine‐mediated halogen bond so far (with a formation constant of 10(4.24±0.35)). Quantum chemical calculations unveil the intriguing nature of the 2:1 2Bu3PO⋅⋅⋅AtI adduct, involving a halogen bond between AtI and one Bu3PO molecular unit plus CH⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds chelating the second Bu3PO unit.
High‐Content Screening for Protein‐Protein Interaction Modulators Using Proximity Ligation Assay in Primary Neurons
Authors: Mendes Tiago , Herledan Adrien , Leroux Florence , Deprez Benoit , Lambert Jean‐Charles , Kilinc Devrim
Published: December 2019

The proximity ligation assay (PLA) allows the detection and subcellular localization of protein‐protein interactions with high specificity. We recently developed a high‐content screening model based on primary hippocampal neurons cultured in 384‐well plates and screened a library of ∼1100 compounds using a PLA between tau and bridging integrator 1, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. We developed image‐segmentation and spot‐detection algorithms to delineate PLA signals in the axonal network, but not in cell bodies, from confocal images acquired via a high‐throughput microscope. To compare data generated from different plates and through different experiments, we developed a computational routine to optimize the image analysis parameters for each plate and devised a range of quality‐control measures to ultimately identify compounds that consistently increase or decrease our read‐out. We provide the following protocols. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Basic Protocol 1: Routine culture of rat postnatal hippocampal neurons in 384‐well plates

Basic Protocol 2: Compound incubation using the high‐content screening platform

Support Protocol 1: Preparation of intermediate plates for compound screening

Support Protocol 2: Preparation of intermediate plates for hit validation (dose‐response curves)

Basic Protocol 3: Proximity ligation assay in 384‐well plates

Basic Protocol 4: Image acquisition and analysis

Support Protocol 3: Optimization of analysis parameters

Basic Protocol 5: Identification of hits

Basic Protocol 6: Validation of hits based on dose‐response curves
A Sensitive and Quantitative mKeima Assay for Mitophagy via FACS
Authors: Wang Chunxin
Published: December 2019

Mitophagy is a selective autophagy process that specifically removes damaged mitochondria via general autophagy. The two major recessive Parkinson's disease genes PINK1 and Parkin play essential roles in mitophagy initiation, increasing the interest in mitophagy in both basic and translational research over the past 10 years. Initially, mitophagy was measured by the loss of mitochondria either through confocal imaging or immunoblot of mitochondrial proteins such as Tom20 or COXII. Confocal imaging of mitochondria DNA loss via anti‐DNA staining is another option. All of these methods, which take considerable effort and labor, are not sensitive enough to detect early stages of mitophagy with unambiguous objectivity. The mKeima assay can be used for both confocal imaging and FACS analysis to provide a thorough picture of mitophagy with a wide dynamic range. The Keima fluorophore has bimodal excitation under neutral and acidic pH conditions. Thus, when Keima is targeted to mitochondria it can accurately reveal the formation of mitolysosomes. Here the author briefly describes the origin and history of mKeima and how it is adapted to measure mitophagy. The author presents detailed protocols for making stable cell lines for optimized mitophagy detection and discuss many parameters that might affect the assay. A troubleshooting section is also provided to discuss possible pitfalls to improve reproducibility and sensitivity of the assay. © 2019 The Authors.

This article was corrected on 20 August 2022. See the end of the full text for details.

Basic Protocol 1: Making stable lines expressing mito‐mKeima and YFP‐Parkin

Support Protocol: Retrovirus/lentivirus infection

Basic Protocol 2: FACS analysis of mitophagy
Population Pharmacokinetics of Paliperidone Palmitate (Once‐Monthly Formulation) in Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese Patients With Schizophrenia
Authors: Shimizu Hiroko , Neyens Martine , De Meulder Marc , Gopal Srihari , Tsukamoto Yuko , Samtani Mahesh N. , Remmerie Bart
Published: December 2019

The paliperidone pharmacokinetics after intramuscular administration of once‐monthly paliperidone palmitate in Japanese patients were studied in 3 phase 1 studies and in 2 phase 3 studies performed in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. These data (Japanese, n = 509; Korean, n = 31; Taiwanese, n = 47) were used to describe the paliperidone palmitate pharmacokinetics in Japanese, to compare with non‐Japanese, and to validate the historical population pharmacokinetic (Pop‐PK) model for paliperidone palmitate, developed using data from studies in patients with schizophrenia outside Japan. The final historical Pop‐PK model, including all significant patient covariates of Japanese studies, was used to simulate paliperidone plasma concentration–time data using nonlinear mixed effects, followed by comparison with actual data. Visual predictive checks displayed considerable overlap between predicted and actual plasma concentrations; the majority of observations were within the 90% prediction interval. Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese patients had comparable plasma concentrations. Covariate distributions demonstrated comparatively lower median body mass index in Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese patients versus rest‐of‐world population. Prediction errors for the data set used for external validation were within cutoff values, confirming accuracy/precision of the model. Paliperidone pharmacokinetics were adequately predicted for Japanese studies using the historical Pop‐PK model, confirming its robustness. Pharmacokinetics in Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese patients with schizophrenia were comparable with rest‐of‐world population.
Efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for internet gaming disorder
Authors: Han Jiwon , Seo Yesul , Hwang Hyunchan , Kim Sun Mi , Han Doug Hyun
Published: December 2019

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is considered to be an effective treatment for internet gaming disorder (IGD). This study examined the effectiveness of CBT in treating impulsivity, anxiety, avoidance, and family and environmental problems in patients. A total of 101 patients completed the CBT programme, and 104 completed the supportive therapy. The CBT programme consisted of fourteen 90‐min sessions with one therapist and four to five patients, once or twice a week. The supportive therapy group visited a psychiatric outpatient department once or twice a week until they completed 14 visits. Outcomes were measured in terms of improvement in IGD, psychological symptoms, and social interaction. The CBT group (improvement: 67 [66.3%] versus non‐improvement: 34 [33.7%]) showed more improvement in IGD compared with the supportive therapy group. The CBT group also showed a greater decrease in internet addiction, anxiety, impulsivity, and social avoidance. In the CBT group, among patients who improved, the greatest improvements were in internet addiction, attention, depression, anxiety, impulsivity, social avoidance, and family cohesion. Our CBT programme may be more effective than supportive therapy with regard to improvement in IGD symptoms by controlling anxiety, impulsivity, and social avoidance. In addition, CBT‐related improvements in patients with IGD could be enhanced by controlling anxiety, social avoidance, and family cohesion.
Reporting as a booster of the corporate social performance effect on corporate reputation
Authors: Pérez‐Cornejo Clara , de Quevedo‐Puente Esther , Delgado‐García Juan Bautista
Published: December 2019

Corporate social performance (CSP) is one of the main drivers of corporate reputation. The main aim of this study is to analyze the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting quality on the relation of CSP and corporate reputation through two effects. First, it may enhance the firm's credibility because CSR reporting favors CSP consistency by reducing managers' CSR discretion and easing CSP comparability along the time. Second, it may increase the visibility of CSR actions beyond direct stakeholders involved in them. Analyzing an international sample of 132 companies from nine countries for the period 2011–2016, we show that all of the CSP dimensions (social, environmental, and economic) positively affect corporate reputation. We also find that good CSR reporting quality increases the intensity of the environmental and social performance effects on corporate reputation. Results provide a new perspective of the role CSR reporting quality that managers have to deal to get better impacts of CSP on corporate reputation.
Voltammetric Determination of Arsenic with Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Stanković Anamarija , Kajinić Žana , Turkalj Jelena Vešligaj , Romić Željka , Sikirić Maja Dutour , Asserghine Abdelilah , Nagy Geza , Medvidović‐Kosanović Martina
Published: December 2019

In this study, glassy carbon electrode modified with nano gold‐crystal violet film has been used to detect arsenite (As (III)) in a model system and in groundwater samples. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Using voltammetric measuring technique, linear response was obtained in a concentration range of 2.0–22.0 μM. The arsenite concentrations in groundwater samples varied between 2.4 μM to 4.8 μM. The sensitivity of the modified electrode for As (III) detection was 5.6 μA/μM cm2 and 0.8 μM concentration was found as lower limit of detection (LOD). The accuracy of the method was checked with standard method anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). Groundwater samples were characterized with dynamic (DLS) and electrophoretic (ELS) light scattering measurements which have shown that particles present in different samples differ in size distribution and zeta potential which did not interfere with As (III) detection.
Hidden Markov random field models applied to color homogeneity evaluation in dyed textile images
Authors: Freguglia Victor , Garcia Nancy L. , Bicas Juliano L.
Published: December 2019

Color is one of the most important features in any textile material. Due to its competitive price, most of the colorants currently used for textile dyeing are synthetic, originated from nonrenewable sources, and highly pollutant. There is an increasing interest for natural processes to dye fabrics. When new textile dyeing technologies are developed, evaluating the quality of these techniques involves measuring the resulting color homogeneity using digital images. The presence of a texture effect, caused by the interlacing of warp and weft yarns, as well as small displacement of the fabric, creates a sophisticated dependence structure in pixels coloring. A random effects model is employed in order to separate the signal from the dyeing effect (fixed effect described by smooth functions) and warp and weft texture effect (Gaussian mixture driven by a hidden Markov random field), allowing an evaluation of color homogeneity in dyed textiles regardless of the effect of the texture.
Resource allocation in 5G heterogeneous networks with downlink‐uplink decoupled access
Authors: Khan Humayun Zubair , Ali Mudassar , Naeem Muhammad , Rashid Imran , Imran Muhammad
Published: December 2019

Fifth‐generation (5G) heterogeneous network (HetNet) with downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) decoupled cell association strategy is a promising solution to challenges faced in fourth‐generation (4G) HetNet, ie, mitigating interference, addressing traffic imbalances, and enhanced sum‐rate. This work carries out performance analysis of 4G HetNet with DL and uplink coupled (DUCo) access scheme vs 5G HetNet with DL and UL decoupled (DUDe) access scheme employing outer approximation and heuristic algorithms. First, a mathematical model, mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem, is formulated for DUCo access and DUDe access schemes considering cell association, addressing user traffic imbalances, mitigating interference, and sum‐rate maximization in HetNet. Then, the formulated problem is solved, employing outer approximation algorithm (OAA) to find near optimal solution. Similarly, heuristic algorithms are developed for DUCo access and DUDe access schemes considering cell association, addressing user traffic imbalances, mitigating interference, and sum‐rate maximization in HetNet. Detailed performance analysis of DUCo access and DUDe access schemes is done by comparing results employing OAA and heuristic algorithms. Simulation results have shown that proposed DUDe access scheme outperforms DUCo access scheme in HetNet in term of cell association, addressing user traffic imbalances, mitigating interference, and sum‐rate maximization.
Flame‐retardant compounds for polymeric materials from an abundantly available, renewable biosource, castor oil
Authors: Howell Bob A. , Ostrander Eric A.
Published: December 2019

Castor oil is a triglyceride extracted from the seed (castor bean) of the castor plant. This plant will thrive on relatively poor soil and in an arid climate. The oil is nonedible but is produced annually in large volume to be converted to biodiesel (largely for the European market). The oil contains both unsaturation and hydroxyl functionality that may be utilized for conversion to flame retarding materials. A series of phosphorus esters has been generated from castor oil. All display good flame retardancy in the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin. Introduction of bromine at the double bond generally enhances the flame retardancy of these esters.