bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Actovegin® reduces PMA-induced inflammation on human cells
Authors: Reichl Franz-Xaver , Högg Christof , Liu Fangfang , Schwarz Markus , Teupser Daniel , Hickel Reinhard , Bloch Wilhelm , Schweikl Helmut , Thomas Peter , Summer Burkhard
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The effect of Actovegin® was investigated on PMA- and LPS-induced human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Methods

PBMCs (1 × 106 cells/ml) from five blood donors (2 f, 3 m; 45–55 years) were grown in medium and exposed to Actovegin® in the presence or absence of PMA or LPS. Supernatants were collected to assess the concentration of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-10). The reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed by a ROS-GloTM H2O2 assay.

Results

Stimulation of cells by PMA or LPS (without Actovegin®) significantly increased the secretion of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α from PBMCs, compared to controls. Pre-treatment of cells with Actovegin® (1, 5, 25, 125 µg/ml) plus PMA significantly decreased the secretion of IL-1beta from PBMCs, compared to controls (PMA without Actovegin®). In contrast, addition of Actovegin® (1, 5, 25, 125 and 250 µg/ml) plus LPS did not alter the IL-1beta production, compared to controls (LPS without Actovegin®). TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 do not contribute to the reduction of inflammatory reactions with Actovegin®.

Conclusions

Actovegin® can reduce the PMA-induced IL-1beta release and the ROS production from PBMCs. These findings may help to explain the clinically known positive effects of Actovegin® on athletic injuries with inflammatory responses (e.g., muscle injuries, tendinopathies).
Tspan18 is a novel regulator of thrombo-inflammation
Authors: Gavin Rebecca L. , Koo Chek Ziu , Tomlinson Michael G.
Published: May 2020

The interplay between thrombosis and inflammation, termed thrombo-inflammation, causes acute organ damage in diseases such as ischaemic stroke and venous thrombosis. We have recently identified tetraspanin Tspan18 as a novel regulator of thrombo-inflammation. The tetraspanins are a family of 33 membrane proteins in humans that regulate the trafficking, clustering, and membrane diffusion of specific partner proteins. Tspan18 partners with the store-operated Ca2+ entry channel Orai1 on endothelial cells. Orai1 appears to be expressed in all cells and is critical in health and disease. Orai1 mutations cause human immunodeficiency, resulting in chronic and often lethal infections, while Orai1-knockout mice die at around the time of birth. Orai1 is a promising drug target in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and Orai1 inhibitors are in clinical trials. The focus of this review is our work on Tspan18 and Orai1 in Tspan18-knockout mice and Tspan18-knockdown primary human endothelial cells. Orai1 trafficking to the cell surface is partially impaired in the absence of Tspan18, resulting in impaired Ca2+ signaling and impaired release of the thrombo-inflammatory mediator von Willebrand factor following endothelial stimulation. As a consequence, Tspan18-knockout mice are protected in ischemia–reperfusion and deep vein thrombosis models. We provide new evidence that Tspan18 is relatively highly expressed in endothelial cells, through the analysis of publicly available single-cell transcriptomic data. We also present new data, showing that Tspan18 is required for normal Ca2+ signaling in platelets, but the functional consequences are subtle and restricted to mildly defective platelet aggregation and spreading induced by the platelet collagen receptor GPVI. Finally, we generate structural models of human Tspan18 and Orai1 and hypothesize that Tspan18 regulates Orai1 Ca2+ channel function at the cell surface by promoting its clustering.
Detection of miR-155-5p and imaging lung cancer for early diagnosis: in vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Zhu Hai-Zhen , Fang Chun-Ju , Guo Yi , Zhang Qi , Huang Li-Min , Qiu Dong , Chen Guang-Peng , Pang Xiu-Feng , Hu Jian-Jun , Sun Jian-Guo , Chen Zheng-Tang
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Currently, the routine screening program has insufficient capacity for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Therefore, a type of chitosan-molecular beacon (CS-MB) probe was developed to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells for the early diagnosis.

Methods

Based on the molecular beacon (MB) technology and nanotechnology, the CS-MB probe was synthesized self-assembly. There are four types of cells—three kinds of animal models and one type of histopathological sections of human lung cancer were utilized as models, including A549, SPC-A1, H446 lung cancer cells, tumor-initiating cells (TICs), subcutaneous and lung xenografts mice, and lox-stop-lox(LSL) K-ras G12D transgenic mice. The transgenic mice dynamically displayed the process from normal lung tissues to atypical hyperplasia, adenoma, carcinoma in situ, and adenocarcinoma. The different miR-155-5p expression levels in these cells and models were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The CS-MB probe was used to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells by confocal microscopy in vitro and by living imaging system in vivo.

Results

The CS-MB probe could be used to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells significantly in these cells and models. The fluorescence intensity trends detected by the CS-MB probe were similar to the expression levels trends of miR-155 tested by qRT-PCR. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity showed an increasing trend with the tumor progression in the transgenic mice model, and the occurrence and development of lung cancer were dynamically monitored by the differen fluorescence intensity. In addition, the miR-155-5p in human lung cancer tissues could be detected by the miR-155-5p MB.

Conclusion

Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the CS-MB probe could be utilized to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells. It provided a novel experimental and theoretical basis for the early diagnosis of the disease. Also, the histopathological sections of human lung cancer research laid the foundation for subsequent preclinical studies. In addition, different MBs could be designed to detect other miRNAs for the early diagnosis of other tumors.
Treatment-resistant nephrotic syndrome in dense deposit disease: complement-mediated glomerular capillary wall injury?
Authors: Duineveld Caroline , Steenbergen Eric J. , Bomback Andrew S. , van de Kar Nicole C. A. J. , Wetzels Jack F. M.
Published: May 2020

Background

The C3 glomerulopathies (C3G) are recently defined glomerular diseases, attributed to abnormal complement regulation. Dense deposit disease (DDD) is part of the spectrum of C3G, characterized by electron-dense deposits in the lamina densa of the glomerular basement membrane. Patients with DDD present with hematuria, variable degrees of proteinuria, and kidney dysfunction. Kidney biopsies typically disclose proliferative and inflammatory patterns of injury. Treatment with glucocorticoids and mycophenolate mofetil has been shown to achieve remission of proteinuria in a significant proportion of C3G patients.

Case-diagnosis/treatment

We report two patients with persistent nephrotic syndrome while on immunosuppressive therapy. Repeat kidney biopsies disclosed massive C3 deposits with foot process effacement in the absence of proliferative or inflammatory lesions on light microscopy.

Conclusion

These cases, coupled with data from animal models of disease and the variable response to eculizumab in C3G patients, illustrate that two different pathways might be involved in the development of kidney injury in C3G: a C5-independent pathway leading to glomerular capillary wall injury and the development of proteinuria versus a C5-dependent pathway that causes proliferative glomerulonephritis and kidney dysfunction.
Sliding on wet sand
Authors: Liefferink Rinse W. , Aliasgari Mojgan , Maleki-Jirsaraei Nahid , Rouhani Shahin , Bonn Daniel
Published: May 2020

We present sliding experiments of a sledge on wetted sand and describe that the frictional response is controlled by the penetration hardness of the granular medium. Adding a small amount of water to sand increases the hardness which results in a decrease of the sliding friction. Pouring even more water to sand results in a decrease of the hardness and a subsequent increase of the friction. This inverse correlation between hardness of a wetted granular material and its frictional response to sliding is found to be due to ploughing of the sledge. When the load of the sledge exceeds the penetration hardness of the water-sand mixture the granular material is irreversibly deformed, which is evident by a trace of the slider left after its passage. The penetration hardness sets how deep the trace of the slider is which, in turn, controls the ploughing force. Consequently, increasing the hardness of the water-sand mixtures makes pulling a sledge over it easier. In addition, we quantify the critical shear strain which sets the transition of an elastic to plastic response of (wet) granular materials which enables us to directly relate the shear modulus, in the elastic regime, to the hardness, in the plastic regime.

Graphic abstract
Modelling seawater intrusion in the Pingtung coastal aquifer in Taiwan, under the influence of sea-level rise and changing abstraction regime
Authors: Dibaj Mahdieh , Javadi Akbar A. , Akrami Mohammad , Ke Kai-Yuan , Farmani Raziyeh , Tan Yih-Chi , Chen Albert S.
Published: May 2020

A three-dimensional variable-density finite element model was developed to study the combined effects of overabstraction and seawater intrusion in the Pingtung Plain coastal aquifer system in Taiwan. The model was generated in different layers to represent the three aquifers and two aquitards. Twenty-five multilayer pumping wells were assigned to abstract the groundwater, in addition to 95 observation wells to monitor the groundwater level. The analysis was carried out for a period of 8 years (2008–2015 inclusive). Hydraulic head, soil permeability, and precipitation were assigned as input data together with the pumping records in different layers of the aquifer. The developed numerical model was calibrated against the observed head archives and the calibrated model was used to predict the inland encroachment of seawater in different layers of the aquifer. The effects of pumping rate, sea-level rise, and relocation of wells on seawater intrusion were examined. The results show that all layers of the aquifer system are affected by seawater intrusion; however, the lengths of inland encroachment in the top and bottom aquifers are greater compared with the middle layer. This is the first large-scale finite-element model of the Pingtung Plain, which can be used by decision-makers for sustainable management of groundwater resources and cognizance of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers.
Wage response to global production links: evidence for workers from 28 European countries (2005–2014)
Authors: Parteka Aleksandra , Wolszczak-Derlacz Joanna
Published: May 2020

Using rich individual level data on workers from 28 European countries, this study provides the first so extensive cross-country assessment of wage response to global production links within GVC in the period 2005–2014. Unlike the other studies, the authors (i) address the importance of backward linkages in globally integrated production structures (capturing imports of goods and services neededin anystage of the production of the final product); (ii) measure occupational task profile of workers with country-specific indices of routinisation; (iii) compare the impact of global production links on wages between workers from Western, Central-Eastern and Southern Europe; employed in manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors; (iv) account for direct and indirect dependence on GVC imports from developing and high income countries. The study takes into account the potential endogeneity issues. The  results suggest that global import intensity of production exhibits negative pressure on wages in Europe. This effect concerns mainly workers from Western Europe employed in manufacturing and is driven by production links with non-high income countries but our counterfactual estimates suggest that the effect is economically small.
An exploratory study of benthic diatom communities in stormwater ponds of different land uses and varying biocide contamination
Authors: Minelgaite Greta , van Alst Nikki , Stephansen Diana Agnete , Bollmann Ulla Elisabeth , Bester Kai , Fejerskov Morten Lauge , Nielsen Asbjørn Haaning , Vollertsen Jes
Published: May 2020

Stormwater retention ponds receive a variety of urban and highway pollutants that may have adverse effects on water-dwelling organisms. In this exploratory study, the benthic diatom community composition at genus level of nine such ponds servicing highway, residential, industrial, and mixed industrial/residential catchments was examined. Thirteen biocides were measured in the pond water as one of the possible explanatory factors for diatom taxonomic variability. The uppermost 1 cm of sediment was sampled, and a total of 50 diatom genera were identified. Moderate to high similarities were found among the diatom communities of the ponds. Two genera, namely Navicula and Nitzschia, were the most abundant and accounted for 19–47% of the relative abundance in the ponds. Estimated relative abundances of diatom genera and measured biocide concentrations in the ponds were grouped according to land use. Highway ponds were found to be significantly different from ponds servicing residential and industrial catchments, while no significant differences were found between residential and industrial ponds. The presence of biocides alone could not explain diatom taxonomic variability, although some evidence was found that communities differed depending on the catchment type of the ponds. The results of this exploratory study are an important contribution to future works investigating stormwater diatom communities, where combined effects of biocides and other stormwater contaminants and community stressors, e.g., metals, PAHs, road salt, should be explicitly looked at.
Patient-Reported Outcomes in ATLAS and FLAIR Participants on Long-Acting Regimens of Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine Over 48 Weeks
Authors: Murray Miranda , Antela Antonio , Mills Anthony , Huang Jenny , Jäger Hans , Bernal Enrique , Lombaard Johan , Katner Harold , Walmsley Sharon , Khuong-Josses Marie-Aude , Hudson Krischan , Dorey David , Griffith Sandy , Spreen William , Vanveggel Simon , Shaefer Mark , Margolis David , Chounta Vasiliki
Published: May 2020

The phase 3 ATLAS and FLAIR studies demonstrated that maintenance with Long-Acting (LA) intramuscular cabotegravir and rilpivirine is non-inferior in efficacy to current antiretroviral (CAR) oral therapy. Both studies utilized Patient-Reported Outcome instruments to measure treatment satisfaction (HIVTSQ) and acceptance (ACCEPT general domain), health status (SF-12), injection tolerability/acceptance (PIN), and treatment preference. In pooled analyses, LA-treated patients (n = 591) demonstrated greater mean improvements from baseline than the CAR group (n = 591) in treatment satisfaction (Week 44, + 3.9 vs. +0.5 HIVTSQs-points;p < 0.001) and acceptance (Week 48, +8.8 vs. +2.0 ACCEPT-points;p < 0.001). The acceptability of injection site reactions (PIN) significantly improved from week 5 (2.10 points) to week 48 (1.62 points;p < 0.001). In both studies, ≥ 97% of LA group participants with recorded data preferred LA treatment compared with prior oral therapy. These results further support the potential of a monthly injectable option for people living with HIV seeking an alternative to daily oral treatment.
“Those are Your Words, Not Mine!” Defence Strategies for Denying Speaker Commitment
Authors: Boogaart Ronny , Jansen Henrike , van Leeuwen Maarten
Published: May 2020

In response to an accusation of having said something inappropriate, the accused may exploit the difference between the explicit contents of their utterance and its implicatures. Widely discussed in the pragmatics literature are those cases in which arguers accept accountability only for the explicit contents of what they said while denying commitment to the (alleged) implicature (“Those are your words, not mine!”). In this paper, we sketch a fuller picture of commitment denial. We do so, first, by including in our discussion not just denial of implicatures, but also the mirror strategy of denying commitment to literal meaning (e.g. “I was being ironic!”) and, second, by classifying strategies for commitment denial in terms of classical rhetorical status theory (distinguishing between denial, redefinition, an appeal to ‘external circumstances’ or to a ‘wrong judge’). In addition to providing a systematic categorization of our data, this approach offers some clues to determine when such a defence strategy is a reasonable one and when it is not.
Targeting reactive oxygen species (ROS) to combat the age-related loss of muscle mass and function
Authors: Thoma Anastasia , Akter-Miah Tania , Reade Rebecca L. , Lightfoot Adam P.
Published: May 2020

The loss of muscle mass and function with age, termed sarcopenia, is an inevitable process, which has a significant impact on quality of life. During ageing we observe a progressive loss of total muscle fibres and a reduction in cross-sectional area of the remaining fibres, resulting in a significant reduction in force output. The mechanisms which underpin sarcopenia are complex and poorly understood, ranging from inflammation, dysregulation of protein metabolism and denervation. However, there is significant evidence to demonstrate that modified ROS generation, redox dis-homeostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction may have an important role to play. Based on this, significant interest and research has interrogated potential ROS-targeted therapies, ranging from nutritional-based interventions such as vitamin E/C, polyphenols (resveratrol) and targeted pharmacological compounds, using molecules such as SS-31 and MitoQ. In this review we evaluate these approaches to target aberrant age-related ROS generation and the impact on muscle mass and function.
The Role of Risk Climate and Ethical Self-interest Climate in Predicting Unethical Pro-organisational Behaviour
Authors: Sheedy Elizabeth , Garcia Patrick , Jepsen Denise
Published: May 2020

Unethical pro-organisational behaviour (UPB) is an ongoing concern, prompting the need for more nuanced understanding of the workplace environment most likely to inhibit it. This study considers the role of risk climate, sometimes referred to as risk culture, as well as ethical climate, for reducing UPB. The study investigates whether four risk climate factors (avoidance, valued, proactive and manager) can, by focusing on the long-term consequences of UPB to the organisation, and providing guidance on behavioural norms, reduce UPB misconduct. Surveying employees in three financial institutions we found that only one of the risk climate factors, avoidance, is consistently associated with UPB. On the other hand, a self-interested, (un)ethical climate significantly increases UPB in all samples. In multi-climate analysis, we found that risk climate factors interacted with ethical climate to predict UPB. That is, when employees perceive that the workplace ethos is not self-interested, three factors of risk climate—avoidance, proactive and manager—significantly predict UPB. UPB is least likely when self-interest is low, avoidance risk climate is low, proactive risk climate is high and manager risk climate is high. Implications for leaders are discussed.
Quantifying the potential scale of mitigation deterrence from greenhouse gas removal techniques
Authors: McLaren Duncan
Published: May 2020

Greenhouse gas removal (GGR) techniques appear to offer hopes of balancing limited global carbon budgets by removing substantial amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere later this century. This hope rests on an assumption that GGR will largely supplement emissions reduction. The paper reviews the expectations of GGR implied by integrated assessment modelling, categorizes ways in which delivery or promises of GGR might instead deter or delay emissions reduction, and offers a preliminary estimate of the possible extent of three such forms of ‘mitigation deterrence’. Type 1 is described as ‘substitution and failure’: an estimated 50–229 Gt-C (or 70% of expected GGR) may substitute for emissions otherwise reduced, yet may not be delivered (as a result of political, economic or technical shortcomings, or subsequent leakage or diversion of captured carbon into short-term utilization). Type 2, described as ‘rebounds’, encompasses rebounds, multipliers, and side-effects, such as those arising from land-use change, or use of captured CO2in enhanced oil recovery. A partial estimate suggests that this could add 25–134 Gt-C to unabated emissions. Type 3, described as ‘imagined offsets’, is estimated to affect 17–27% of the emissions reductions required, reducing abatement by a further 182–297 Gt-C. The combined effect of these unanticipated net additions of CO2to the atmosphere is equivalent to an additional temperature rise of up to 1.4 °C. The paper concludes that such a risk merits further deeper analysis and serious consideration of measures which might limit the occurrence and extent of mitigation deterrence.
From historical backgrounds towards the functional classification of river phytoplankton sensu Colin S. Reynolds: what future merits the approach may hold?
Authors: Abonyi Andras , Descy Jean-Pierre , Borics Gábor , Smeti Evangelia
Published: May 2020

River phytoplankton has been studied to understand its occurrence and composition since the end of the nineteenth century. Later, pioneers addressed mechanisms that affected river phytoplankton by “origin of plankton”, “turbulent mixing”, “flow heterogeneity”, “paradox of potamoplankton maintenance” and “dead zones” as keywords along the twentieth century. A major shift came with the recognition that characteristic units in phytoplankton compositions could be linked to specific set of environmental conditions, known as the “Phytoplankton Functional Group concept” sensu Reynolds. The FG concept could successfully be applied to river phytoplankton due to its close resemblance to shallow lakes phytoplankton. The FG approach enables one to separate the effects of “natural constraints” and “human impacts” on river phytoplankton and to evaluate the ecological status of rivers. The FG classification has mainly been advocated in the context of how the environment shaped the functional composition of phytoplankton. It may be further developed in the future by a trait-based mechanistic classification of taxa into FGs, and by the exact quantification of FGs on ecosystem functioning. These improvements will help quantify how global warming and human impacts affect river phytoplankton and corresponding alterations in ecosystem functioning.
Understanding the local structure of Eu3+- and Y3+-stabilized zirconia: insights from luminescence and X-ray absorption spectroscopic investigations
Authors: Eibl M. , Shaw S. , Prieur D. , Rossberg A. , Wilding M. C. , Hennig C. , Morris K. , Rothe J. , Stumpf T. , Huittinen N.
Published: May 2020

This study combines bulk structural and spectroscopic investigations of Eu3+- or Y3+/Eu3+ co-doped tetragonal and cubic zirconia polymorphs to gain an in-depth understanding of the solid solution formation process. Our bulk structural characterizations show that the dopant is homogenously distributed in the ZrO2 host structure resulting in an increase of the bulk symmetry with increasing dopant substitution (from 8 to 26 mol%). The local site symmetry around the Eu3+ dopant, however, determined with luminescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), remains low in all samples. Results obtained with X-ray pair distribution function and X-ray absorption spectroscopy show that the average coordination environment in the stabilized zirconia structures remains practically unchanged. Despite this very constant average dopant environment, site-selective TRLFS data show the presence of three nonequivalent Eu3+ environments in the ZrO2 solid structures. These Eu3+ environments are assumed to arise from Eu3+ incorporation at superficial sites, which increase in abundance as the size of the crystallites decrease, and incorporation on two bulk sites differing in the location of the oxygen vacancies with respect to the dopant cation.
Existence and properties of solutions for boundary value problems based on the nonlinear reactor dynamics
Authors: Orpel Aleksandra
Published: May 2020

We deal with the existence of positive solutions for the following class of nonlinear equation $$u^{\prime \prime }(t)+Au^{\prime }(t)+g(t,u(t),v(t))=0$$

u
″

(
t
)

+
A

u
′

(
t
)

+
g

(
t
,
u

(
t
)

,
v

(
t
)

)

=
0

a.e. in (0, 1), with boundary conditions $$u^{\prime }(0)=0$$

u
′

(
0
)

=
0

, $$u^{\prime }(1)+Au(1)=0$$

u
′

(
1
)

+
A
u

(
1
)

=
0

, where v is a functional parameter. The form of the problem is associated with the classical model described by Markus and Amundson. We show the existence of at least one positive solution of this problem and discuss its properties. Moreover we describe conditions that guarantee the continuous dependence of solution on parameter v also in the case of the lack of the uniqueness of a solution. The results are based on the clasical fixed point methods. Our approach allows us to consider both sub and superlinear nonlinearities which may be singular with respect to the first variable.
Magnetization of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ Micrometer Thin Ring and Its Depinning Line
Authors: Semenenko B. , Camargo B. C. , Setzer A. , Böhlmann W. , Kopelevich Y. , Esquinazi P. D.
Published: May 2020

We demonstrate a geometrical effect on the depinning line (DL) of the flux line lattice of the Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ high-Tc superconductor (HTSC) micrometer ring. The DL shifts to notably lower temperatures in comparison with bulk crystals and thin flakes of the same sample. The shift is attributed to a decrease in the overall pinning potential due to a double size effect, namely (a) the ring thickness $\sim 1~\mu $
∼
1

μ
m being smaller than the pinning correlation length and (b) the increase in the effective London penetration depth of the vortices (Pearl vortices). The large shift of the DL to lower temperatures may influence the suitability of this HTSC for applications in microstrip antennas and THz emitters.
Enhancing the Electrical Conductivity of Electrolytic Tough Pitch Copper Rods Processed by Incremental Equal Channel Angular Pressing
Authors: Ciemiorek Marta , Pawliszak Łukasz , Chromiński Witold , Olejnik Lech , Lewandowska Małgorzata
Published: May 2020

Electrolytic tough pitch copper rods were processed by Incremental Equal Channel Angular Pressing and subjected to short-term annealing. Conductivity of 94 pct IACS without significant changes in the material’s microstructure and mechanical properties, up to 130 HV0.2, was achieved, which gives a very good ratio of electrical conductivity to strength in comparison with other processing methods. The proposed method offers a solution for manufacturing rods of significant sizes with good mechanical strength and electrical conductivity.
Charged Exciton Dissociation Energy in (Cd,Mn)Te Quantum Wells with Variable Disorder and Carrier Density
Authors: Łopion A. , Bogucki A. , Połczyńska K. E. , Pacuski W. , Golnik A. , Kazimierczuk T. , Kossacki P.
Published: May 2020

We report on the magneto-photoluminescence of (Cd,Mn)Te/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum wells excited by photons with varied energy. We observe that laser illumination modifies the carrier density and Coulomb disorder in the quantum wells. Three different regimes are analyzed, corresponding to low hole density with low disorder, low hole density with significant disorder, and high hole density. By using the diluted magnetic semiconductor as a quantum well material, we can induce the spin singlet–triplet transition of charged excitons in a magnetic field. This transition is then used as a tool to determine the charged exciton dissociation energy. With this approach, we find the same value for the dissociation energy in all the regimes of hole density and disorder. Our result is compared with the dissociation energy obtained from the PL splitting between the X and X$$^{\!\! +}$$

+

lines at zero field, which exhibits significantly greater variation.
Predictors of Successful First-Pass Thrombectomy with a Balloon Guide Catheter: Results of a Decision Tree Analysis
Authors: Velasco Gonzalez Aglaé , Görlich Dennis , Buerke Boris , Münnich Nico , Sauerland Cristina , Rusche Thilo , Faldum Andreas , Heindel Walter
Published: May 2020

Complete recanalization after a single retrieval maneuver is an interventional goal in acute ischemic stroke and an independent factor for good clinical outcome. Anatomical biomarkers for predicting clot removal difficulties have not been comprehensively analyzed and await unused. We retrospectively evaluated 200 consecutive patients who suffered acute stroke and occlusion of the anterior circulation and were treated with mechanical thrombectomy through a balloon guide catheter (BGC). The primary objective was to evaluate the influence of carotid tortuosity and BGC positioning on the one-pass Modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction Scale (mTICI) 3 rate, and secondarily, the influence of communicating arteries on the angiographic results. After the first-pass mTICI 3, recanalization fell from 51 to 13%. The regression models and decision tree (supervised machine learning) results concurred: carotid tortuosity was the main constraint on efficacy, reducing the likelihood of mTICI 3 after one pass to 30%. BGC positioning was relevant only in carotid arteries without elongation: BGCs located in the distal internal carotid artery (ICA) had a 70% probability of complete recanalization after one pass, dropping to 43% if located in the proximal ICA. These findings demonstrate that first-pass mTICI 3 is influenced by anatomical and interventional factors capable of being anticipated, enabling the BGC technique to be adapted to patient’s anatomy to enhance effectivity.
What is the Value of Experimentation and Measurement?
Authors: Liu C. H. Bryan , Chamberlain Benjamin Paul , McCoy Emma J.
Published: May 2020

Experimentation and Measurement (E&M) capabilities allow organizations to accurately assess the impact of new propositions and to experiment with many variants of existing products. However, until now, the question of measuring the measurer, or valuing the contribution of an E&M capability to organizational success has not been addressed. We tackle this problem by analyzing how, by decreasing estimation uncertainty, E&M platforms allow for better prioritization. We quantify this benefit in terms of expected relative improvement in the performance of all new propositions and provide guidance for how much an E&M capability is worth and when organizations should invest in one.
Anthropomorphism Indexes of the Kinematic Chain for Artificial Hands
Authors: Llop-Harillo Immaculada , Pérez-González Antonio , Andrés-Esperanza Javier
Published: May 2020

Anthropomorphic hands have received increasing research interest in the fields of robotics and prosthetics. But it is not yet clear how to evaluate their anthropomorphism. Similarity in the kinematic chain is essential to achieve both functionality and cosmesis. A few previous works have addressed the definition of anthropomorphism indexes, although they have some limitations in its definition. In this study, three different anthropomorphism indexes have been defined to compare the kinematic chain of artificial hands with that of the human hand. These indexes are based on the comparison of: (1) the parameters of the kinematic chain (dimensions, type of joints, orientations and ranges of motion), (2) the reachable workspace, and (3) common grasping postures. Five artificial hands with different degrees of anthropomorphism have been compared using the three Anthropomorphism Indexes of the Kinematic Chain (AIKC). The results show a high correlation between the first and third AIKC for the hands compared. The second AIKC presents much lower values than the other two, although they are higher for hands that combine abduction/adduction and flexion/extension movements in the kinematic chain of each finger. These indexes can be useful during the initial stage of designing artificial hands or evaluating their anthropomorphism.
Investigating the role of social media marketing on value co-creation and engagement: An empirical study in China and Hong Kong
Authors: Cheung Man Lai , Pires Guilherme D. , Rosenberger Philip J. , Leung Wilson K.S. , Ting Hiram
Published: May 2020

Despite promising conceptual developments in value co-creation and consumer-brand engagement (CBE), the scholarly attention afforded to the importance of social media marketing (SMM) activities in strengthening consumers’ intention for value co-creation and CBE is limited. SMM is conceptualised as a hierarchical construct with five dimensions: entertainment, customisation, interaction, electronic-word-of-mouth (EWOM) and trendiness. This study examines the role of SMM in building value co-creation and CBE, as well as repurchase intention and on-going search behaviour as behavioural responses. Based on primary data from a survey of 392 smartphone users in China and Hong Kong, we use partial least squares - structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses. The findings show that effective SMM strategies lead to the strengthening of value co-creation, CBE, repurchase intention and ongoing search behaviour. It is also found that there is a significant difference in the impact of CBE on repurchase intention between China and Hong Kong consumers. These findings contribute to the marketing literature by empirically validating the five elements in the SMM construct, providing intelligence on how SMM can drive value co-creation and CBE. The findings also enrich the marketing literature by showing that value co-creation acts as an antecedent of CBE, driving consumers’ behavioural intention, reflected by on-going search behaviour and repurchase intention.
The implications of artificial intelligence on the digital marketing of financial services to vulnerable customers
Authors: Mogaji Emmanuel , Soetan Taiwo O. , Kieu Tai Anh
Published: May 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming digital marketing practices. While the extant literature extensively covers AI applications that generally benefit businesses and customers, there is scant research on AI deployments that exacerbate problems for financially vulnerable customers. These customers have limited access to financial systems, services or technologies. To rectify this research deficit, this paper describes the challenges confronting businesses as they attempt to integrate AI into the digital marketing of their financial services. Ultimately, Al-enabled digital marketing is not as simple as collecting big data and using analytical algorithms; the technology may not always help businesses target their customers more effectively. This paper examines the relationships between AI, digital marketing, and financial services in relation to vulnerable customers, highlighting key implications in the collection, processing, and delivery of information, as well as the importance of human connection for optimal customer experience and engagement with financial services providers. Understanding ethical implications, as well as data and modelling challenges, is necessary for the successful deployment of AI. This study provides a theoretical framework to financial services providers, AI developers, marketers, policymakers, and academics, aiding the understanding of the precarious conditions facing vulnerable customers, and the ways in which they can more effectively be reached.
Frontline Cyborgs at Your Service: How Human Enhancement Technologies Affect Customer Experiences in Retail, Sales, and Service Settings
Authors: Grewal Dhruv , Kroschke Mirja , Mende Martin , Roggeveen Anne L. , Scott Maura L.
Published: May 2020

Human enhancement technology (HET) is advancing a host of industries, yet it remains limited in its retail, sales, and service applications. Soon, however, these technologies appear likely to have notable impacts on customer experiences. To address their potential influences on customer–employee interactions and the customer experience, this article leverages insights about the human–robot continuum to predict that a mid-range approach may be realistic for retail, sales, and service encounters (cf. pure robot range), at least in the near term. Furthermore, the authors detail the likelihood of both beneficial (elevated warmth and competence) and detrimental (dehumanization) mediating effects of HET on customer experiences. They also propose four moderators: information about the HET, gain/loss frames, persuasion ability, and strategic fit between HET and firm orientations. These insights suggest various implications and research directions pertaining to HET, as well as ways that these technologies might be used effectively in different industries.
Magnetic Reconnection Inside a Flux Transfer Event‐Like Structure in Magnetopause Kelvin‐Helmholtz Waves
Authors: Kieokaew R. , Lavraud B. , Foullon C. , Toledo‐Redondo S. , Fargette N. , Hwang K.‐J. , Malakit K. , Ruffolo D. , Øieroset M. , Phan T.‐D. , Hasegawa H. , Fadanelli S. , Avanov L. , Burch J. , Gershman D. J. , Giles B. , Dorelli J. , Génot V. , Jacquey C. , Moore T. , Paterson W. , Pollock C. , Rager A. , Saito Y. , Sauvaud J.‐A. , Schiff C. , Vernisse Y. , Penou E.
Published: May 2020

Magnetopause Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) waves are believed to mediate solar wind plasma transport via small‐scale mechanisms. Vortex‐induced reconnection (VIR) was predicted in simulations and recently observed using NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission data. Flux Transfer Events (FTEs) produced by VIR at multiple locations along the periphery of KH waves were also predicted in simulations, but detailed observations were still lacking. Here we report MMS observations of an FTE‐type structure in a KH wave trailing edge during KH activity on 5 May 2017 on the dawnside flank magnetopause. The structure is characterized by (1) bipolar magnetic BY variation with enhanced core field (BZ) and (2) enhanced total pressure with dominant magnetic pressure. The cross‐section size of the FTE is found to be consistent with vortex‐induced flux ropes predicted in the simulations. Unexpectedly, we observe an ion jet (VY); electron parallel heating, ion, and electron density enhancements; and other signatures that can be interpreted as a reconnection exhaust at the FTE central current sheet. Moreover, pitch angle distributions of suprathermal electrons on either side of the current sheet show different properties, indicating different magnetic connectivities. This FTE‐type structure may thus alternatively be interpreted as two interlaced flux tubes with reconnection at the interface as reported by Kacem et al. (2018) and Øieroset et al. (2019s). The structure may be the result of interaction between two flux tubes, likely produced by multiple VIR at the KH wave trailing edge, and constitutes a new class of phenomenon induced by KH waves.
Statistical Study of Magnetosheath Jet‐Driven Bow Waves
Authors: Liu Terry Z. , Hietala Heli , Angelopoulos Vassilis , Omelchenko Yuri , Vainio Rami , Plaschke Ferdinand
Published: May 2020

When a magnetosheath jet (localized dynamic pressure enhancements) compresses ambient magnetosheath at a (relative) speed faster than the local magnetosonic speed, a bow wave or shock can form ahead of the jet. Such bow waves or shocks were recently observed to accelerate particles, thus contributing to magnetosheath heating and particle acceleration in the extended environment of Earth's bow shock. To further understand the characteristics of jet‐driven bow waves, we perform a statistical study to examine which solar wind conditions favor their formation and whether it is common for them to accelerate particles. We identified 364 out of 2,859 (~13%) magnetosheath jets to have a bow wave or shock ahead of them with Mach number typically larger than 1.1. We show that large solar wind plasma beta, weak interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength, large solar wind Alfvén Mach number, and strong solar wind dynamic pressure present favorable conditions for their formation. We also show that magnetosheath jets with bow waves or shocks are more frequently associated with higher maximum ion and electron energies than those without them, confirming that it is common for these structures to accelerate particles. In particular, magnetosheath jets with bow waves have electron energy flux enhanced on average by a factor of 2 compared to both those without bow waves and the ambient magnetosheath. Our study implies that magnetosheath jets can contribute to shock acceleration of particles especially for high Mach number shocks. Therefore, shock models should be generalized to include magnetosheath jets and concomitant particle acceleration.
Broadband Finite Frequency Ambient Noise Tomography: A Case Study in the Western United States Using USArray Stations
Authors: Zhao Kaifeng , Yang Yingjie , Luo Yinhe
Published: May 2020

We demonstrate the feasibility of finite frequency ambient noise tomography (ANT) in mapping broadband surface wave phase velocities in the western United States using data from the USArray. We obtain cross‐correlation functions (CCFs) of ambient noise data between pairs of stations and then construct a 2‐D phase sensitivity kernel for each CCF between a pair of stations by treating one station as a “virtual” point source and the other as the receiver. Based on a standard, iterative, linearized inversion technique, we develop a finite frequency ANT method and use this method to construct phase velocity maps. These phase velocity maps are very similar to other reported maps generated by established tomography methods based on ray theory at short periods. At intermediate and long periods (>40 s), phase velocity maps based on finite frequency ANT significantly differ from those based on ray theory ANT; however, they are similar with those based on Helmholtz tomography which uses earthquake surface wave data and considers finite frequency effects of surface waves. Our results suggest that finite frequency effects need to be considered in intermediate‐ and long‐period ANT if one intends to resolve upper‐mantle structures with subwavelength scales using ANT.
Modeling Transverse Coastal Bedforms at Anna Maria Island (Florida)
Authors: Blondeaux Paolo , Vittori Giovanna
Published: May 2020

Sea bedforms with crests perpendicular to the coastline are observed at Anna Maria Island, close to the Passage Key inlet where the local velocity field is mainly driven by tidal currents and episodic longshore currents generated by the passage of cold fronts. An idealized model able to predict the formation and the geometrical characteristics of these bedforms is described. The depth‐averaged oscillating flow generated around the inlet by the tide propagation and by the longshore currents is analyzed by assuming the flow Reynolds number large enough to determine the flow field as the superposition of an irrotational component plus a contribution due to the vorticity shed by the edges of the inlet. Qualitative comparisons of the dynamics of the vortices shed by the inlet edges with laboratory and field visualizations suggest that the approach can provide a reliable evaluation of the depth‐averaged velocity. Then, the geometrical characteristics of the bedforms generated by the interaction of the local flow with the sea bed are determined by means of a linear stability analysis of the flat bed configuration. It is shown that the model fairly predicts the orientation and the wavelength of the observed bedforms. A southward migration of the bedforms is predicted only when the southward episodic currents observed in the area are taken into account.
Prebomb to Postbomb 14C History From the West Side of Palawan Island: Insights Into Oceanographic Changes in the South China Sea
Authors: Wu Yang , Fallon Stewart J.
Published: May 2020

Compared to the natural production of 14C, thermonuclear tests have produced a globally abnormal 14C signal. To examine and reconstruct ocean circulation in the South China Sea (SCS), we generated a prebomb to postbomb 14C time series from a Porites lobata coral from the west side of Palawan Island, Philippines. Results show a diluted early bomb 14C intrusion in late 1955. We use this record to extend our understanding of the surface ocean circulation in and around the SCS by tracing 14C labeled water from nuclear test sites. Our postbomb Δ14C peaked at 154‰ in 1975, which lags ~10 years from the atmospheric peak, consistent with other marine records. This coral record also displayed clear seasonal Δ14C cycles indicating different surface waters passed the Palawan Island coral site due to seasonal variations of the East Asian Monsoon.
Quantifying Contributions of Uncertainties in Physical Parameterization Schemes and Model Parameters to Overall Errors in Noah‐MP Dynamic Vegetation Modeling
Authors: Li Jianduo , Chen Fei , Lu Xingjie , Gong Wei , Zhang Guo , Gan Yanjun
Published: May 2020

Quantifying contributions of errors in model structure and parameters to biases in a land surface model (LSM) is critical for model improvement. This paper investigated the uncertainties in parameterizations and parameters in the Noah with multiparameterization (Noah‐MP) LSM with dynamic vegetation using eddy flux data. First, we conducted full factorial experiments of eight land subprocesses, followed by sensitivity analysis (SA) to identify the subprocesses for which possible parameterizations made significant difference. Then, based on the full factorial experiments and SA results, we selected the statistically optimal parameterizations combination and the most biased parameterizations combination. Lastly, we calibrated the parameters in two selected parameterizations combinations. The results showed that five subprocesses—surface exchange coefficient, soil moisture β threshold, radiation transfer, runoff and groundwater, and surface resistance to evaporation—had significant influence on the model performances, and the interactions were generally low but contributed up to 80% of the variation in the performance at some sites. In the optimization period, following the criterion by Moriasi et al. (2007, https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.23153), parameter optimization improved the performance of both parameterizations combinations at most sites to be satisfactory, and the superiority between two parameterizations combinations was preserved; in the validation period, adjusting the parameterizations was more robust than parameter optimization in improving LSMs. Finally, we found that uncertainty in soil parameters was much higher than that in vegetation parameters because the optimal soil parameters were significantly different among sites with the same soil types and recommended that spatially calibrating the soil parameters was a major issue for Noah‐MP dynamic vegetation modeling.