bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do affective reactions to sustainability performance unintendedly influence lending decisions?
Authors: Guiral Andres , Moon Doocheol , Perez‐Garcia Javier , Byun Jungyoon 
Published: March 2021

AbstractRecent research finds that affective reactions elicited from exposure to Sustainability reports unintentionally influence investors' decisions and that this bias is mitigated through explicit assessment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance. An unexplored implication is whether this bias can also affect lenders' decisions, where this bias may have serious unintended consequences on the efficient allocation of credit. While investing decisions' main concern relies on stock return maximization, the borrower's ability to pay back the debt is central in lending decisions and may help lenders to compensate for information asymmetry and assess creditworthiness. Using an experimental method, we find that CSR performance reports do elicit affective reactions but, contrary to the case of investing, they do not provoke unintended effects on credit judgments and lending decisions. Our findings suggest that lenders are likely to attribute their CSR affects to its source and use CSR performance as a proxy for borrowers' integrity.
Supramolecular Engineering to Improve Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction Activity of Cu2O
Authors: Zhang Ya , Zhang Xiao‐Yu , Chen Kai , Sun Wei‐Yin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractElectrochemical conversion of CO2 into value‐added fuels and feedstocks attracts worldwide attention to mitigate energy and environmental problems. However, pursuing highly efficient electrocatalyst is still a challenge. In this study, cuprous oxide (Cu2O) modified by cucurbit[6]urils (Q[6]), a kind of rigid macromolecule, is found to act as an efficient supramolecular inorganic nanocomposite catalyst for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to C1 fuels. This catalyst affords a high total faradaic efficiency (FECO+formate) of 93.96 % at a potential of −0.7 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode and over 85 % from −0.6 to −0.9 V in 0.5 M KHCO3, which is higher than that of pure Cu2O (39.89 %). The enhancements in selectivity and activity for CO2RR could significantly benefit from the strong CO2 adsorption capacity and hydrophobic nature of the cavity of Q[6], which simultaneously trap gaseous reactants near the catalyst to tune the local environment and limit the diffusion of water molecules. This study provides a strategy to adjust catalytic environments through supramolecular engineering.
A bidirectional multiport DC‐DC converter applied for energy storage system with hybrid energy sources
Authors: Pourjafar Saeed , Shayeghi Hossein , Sedaghati Farzad , Seyedshenava Seyedjalal , Blaabjerg Frede 
Published: March 2021

SummaryThis paper presents a novel bidirectional multiport DC‐DC converter for the electrical vehicles with hybrid energy sources. The benefits of the suggested converter are high voltage conversion ratio and high efficiency, simple structure, low voltage stress across the semiconductor elements, low number of components, and common ground features. It has two bidirectional ports, which are suitable for energy storage systems (ESS) such as a battery. Due to the step‐up and step‐down operations of the proposed converter, it can charge and discharge the ESS. Additionally, only two power switches with low ON‐state resistance are utilized that make the control circuit to be simple. Furthermore, the suggested converter has low number of component, which leads to decrease its volume and cost. The operation principle in buck and boost mode is analyzed thoroughly. Finally, to verify the analysis and effectiveness of the proposed structure, a laboratory prototype is built with 12‐ and 20‐V input voltages and a power rating of 120 W used in 50‐kHz operating frequency.
Design of classifiers based on ANN approximations of traditional methods
Authors: Kruglyak Natan , Forchheimer Robert 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we suggest basing the development of classification methods on traditional techniques but approximating them in whole or in part with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Compared to a direct ANN approach, the underlying traditional method is often easier to analyse. Classification failures can be better understood and corrected for, while at the same time faster execution can be obtained due to the parallel ANN structure. Furthermore, such a two‐step design philosophy partly eliminates the ‘guesswork’ associated with the design of ANNs. The expected gain is thus that the benefits from the traditional field, and the ANN field can be obtained by combining the best features from both fields. We illustrate our approach by working through an explicit example, namely, a Nearest Neighbour classifier applied to a subset of the MNIST database of handwritten digits. Two different approaches are discussed for how to translate the traditional method into an ANN. The first approach is based on a constructive implementation which directly reflects the original algorithm. The second approach uses ANNs to approximate the whole, or part of, the original method. An important part of the approach is to show how improvements can be introduced. In line with the presented philosophy, this is done by extending the traditional method in several ways followed by ANN approximation of the modified algorithms. The extensions are based on a windowed version of the nearest neighbour algorithm. We show that the improvements carry over to the ANN implementations. We further investigate the stability of the solutions by modifying the training set. It is shown that the errors do not change significantly. This also holds true for the ANN approximations providing confidence that the two‐step strategy is robust.
Multiband triple folding monopole antenna for wireless applications in the laptop computers
Authors: Kulkarni Jayshri 
Published: March 2021

SummaryThis manuscript presents a multiband triple‐folding inverted‐F antenna (TFIFA) design with a very small overall dimension of 21 × 8 × 0.2 mm3 for Long Term Evolution (LTE), Wireless‐Fidelity (Wi‐Fi) and sub‐6GHz 5th Generation (5G) applications for laptop computers. The proposed TFIFA design is ultra‐thin, compact, economical and easy to install inside the laptop computers. The simulated study of routing a coaxial cable on the system ground is also carried out in order to achieve desirable reflection coefficient, gain, efficiency and radiation patterns. As the measured impedance bandwidths of proposed TFIFA are 15.95% (2.25–2.64) GHz, 11.04% (3.25–3.63) GHz and 24.71% (5.00–6.41) GHz, it can therefore, functions in LTE‐38/40/46, Wi‐Fi 2.4/5 and sub‐6GHz 5G bands. The measured gain and radiation efficiency are better than 3.64 dBi and 77%, respectively, in all functioning bands. Practical experimentation is carried out by installing the proposed TFIFA into a ThinkPad Lenovo‐14 laptop for the validation of reflection coefficient S11(dB). The simulated, measured and practical outcomes are in good conformity, which validates the suitability of the proposed TFIFA for LTE 38/40/46, Wi‐Fi 2.4/5 and sub‐6GHz 5G applications in the laptop computers.
Wireless fading channels performance based on Taylor expansion and compressed sensing: A comparative approach
Authors: Xifilidis Theofanis , Psannis Kostas E. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryThis paper addresses the performance of wireless fading channels, namely, Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami‐m fading channels, taking both noiseless and additive noisy cases into account. The performance metrics investigated are channel capacity, channel model variance estimation, required average description length based on Shannon entropy, and relative entropy and symbol error probability assessment. Taylor expansion is considered as an approximation for the aforementioned metrics together with the compressed sensing (CS) compressibility rule. Technical comments are provided for supporting simulation results. Mathematical interpretations are provided to support the simulation results along with feasible applications in 5G wireless systems. Conclusions and future research directions finalize the paper.
Effect of non‐invasive brain stimulation on behavior and serum brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 levels in autistic patients
Authors: Robinson‐Agramonte Maria de los Angeles , Michalski Bernadeta , Fernández Lázaro Gomez , Vidal‐Martinez Belkis , Cuesta Hector Vera , Rizo Carlos Maragoto , Fahnestock Margaret 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAberrant neural connectivity and intra‐cortical inhibitory dysfunction are key features of autism. Non‐invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) protocols have been proposed that modulate this aberrant plasticity. However, additional investigations are needed to evaluate the impact of this intervention on biological biomarkers of the disease. We recently demonstrated alterations in serum insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immunoreactivity in subjects with autism compared to controls. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the change in serum levels of the neurotrophic factors BDNF and IGF‐1 in patients undergoing NIBS therapy. Sixteen subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were tested 1 week before and 1 week after NIBS to determine the short‐term outcome on behavior using the total score on the autism behavior checklist, autism treatment evaluation checklist, clinical global impression severity and the autism diagnostic interview. ASD subjects younger than 11 years old (n = 11) were treated with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and those 11 years and older (n = 5) were treated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Serum levels of BDNF and IGF‐1 were evaluated by Enzyme‐Linked Immuno‐Sorbent Assay before and after the intervention with NIBS. A significant reduction in scores on the clinical behavioral scales was observed in patients treated with NIBS (ABC‐T p = .002, CGI‐S p = .008, ADI‐T and ATEC‐T p < .0001). There was a trend towards reduced serum BDNF levels after NIBS (p = .061), while there was no change in IGF‐1 levels. These data support further studies on the potential of BDNF as a biomarker to measure the effectiveness of NIBS in autism.
CQMUH‐011 mitigates autoimmune hepatitis via inhibiting the function of T lymphocytes
Authors: Ling Qiao , Hu Xiangnan , Jiang Rong , Liu Hailin , Qiu Hongmei , Jiang Xuejun , Zubreri Abdallah , Zhu Hongda , Wan Jingyuan , Liu Yingju 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCQMUH‐011 is a modified adamantane sulfonamide compound, that inhibits macrophage proliferation and possesses anti‐inflammatory properties. Here, fresh mouse splenocytes were obtained and stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA, 5 μg/ml) in vitro; and experimental autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was induced by ConA (20 mg/kg, iv) in vivo, to clarify the protective effects of CQMUH‐011 against AIH and its possible mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that CQMUH‐011 pretreatment can dose‐dependently inhibit the proliferation of splenocytes in vitro. In vivo, CQMUH‐011 administration reduced the hepatic histopathological score and the infiltration of lymphocytes in the liver parenchyma; additionally, it downregulated the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and pro‐inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)‐γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, and interleukin (IL)‐6 in serum, as well as those of methane dicarboxylic aldehyde and myeloperoxidase in the liver tissues. It also down‐regulated the expression of p‐NF‐κB and related proteins in the liver tissues. Furthermore, CQMUH‐011 could maintain the balance of CD3+CD4+/CD3+CD8+ and decrease the percentages of CD8+CD69+ and CD4+CD25+/‐CD69+ T‐cells in the splenocytes of ConA‐challenged mice. Moreover, we found thatCD4+CD25+/−CD69+ T‐cells were significantly correlated with ALT levels, especially CD4+CD25−CD69+ T‐cells. In conclusion, CQMUH‐011 exerts potential protective effects against ConA‐induced hepatitis, which may be partially attributed to its inhibition of T cells, especially the suppression of the proliferation of CD4+CD25−CD69+ and CD8+CD69+ subsets in the spleen. CQMUH‐011 also reduced the early apoptosis of lymphocytes in the thymus.
The adhesion GPCR Adgrg6 (Gpr126): Insights from the zebrafish model
Authors: Baxendale Sarah , Asad Anzar , Shahidan Nahal O. , Wiggin Giselle R. , Whitfield Tanya T. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryAdhesion GPCRs are important regulators of conserved developmental processes and represent an untapped pool of potential targets for drug discovery. The adhesion GPCR Adgrg6 (Gpr126) has critical developmental roles in Schwann cell maturation and inner ear morphogenesis in the zebrafish embryo. Mutations in the human ADGRG6 gene can result in severe deficits in peripheral myelination, and variants have been associated with many other disease conditions. Here, we review work on the zebrafish Adgrg6 signaling pathway and its potential as a disease model. Recent advances have been made in the analysis of the structure of the Adgrg6 receptor, demonstrating alternative structural conformations and the presence of a conserved calcium‐binding site within the CUB domain of the extracellular region that is critical for receptor function. Homozygous zebrafish adgrg6 hypomorphic mutants have been used successfully as a whole‐animal screening platform, identifying candidate molecules that can influence signaling activity and rescue mutant phenotypes. These compounds offer promise for further development as small molecule modulators of Adgrg6 pathway activity.
The association between anxiety and academic performance in children with reading disorder: A longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Hossain Bushra , Bent Stephen , Hendren Robert 
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between anxiety and overall academic performance (AP) in children with reading disorder (RD). This two‐year longitudinal cohort study included 128 participants (aged 7–14 years) with RD. Anxiety symptoms were evaluated using the School Anxiety Scale – Teacher Report for the first year and the eight‐item Spence Children's Anxiety Scale for the second year. AP was assessed by teacher ratings of progress in academic content areas, including reading, writing and math. Teachers completed evaluations every 3 months. We standardized all scores (to z scores). Multivariate linear regression models (adjusting for age, sex and Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms) assessed the association cross‐sectionally at each timepoint of survey completion. Repeated measures analysis using mixed models assessed the relationship longitudinally. Results from both univariate and multivariate analyses showed anxiety being significantly negatively associated with AP in children with RD, both cross‐sectionally and longitudinally. Importantly, increased anxiety was significantly associated with reduced AP over time within an individual (adjusted β = −0.22, p = .002). This lends support to screening for anxiety disorders in children with RD. Future research should examine the directionality of this relationship, potential mediators in the pathway and whether interventions to reduce anxiety increase AP.
Dynamics of bird assemblages in response to temporally and spatially variable resources in arid Australia
Authors: Pascoe Bruce A. , Pavey Chris R. , Morton Stephen R. , Schlesinger Christine A. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBird assemblages in arid Australia are often characterized as being highly variable through time in response to boom and bust dynamics, although the importance of habitat in structuring assemblages at a local‐scale is also recognized. We use a novel approach to investigate the importance of rainfall variability in structuring bird assemblages in a resource‐limited environment. Monthly bird surveys were conducted at ten plots for 8 years at a botanical and zoological park in central Australia, including five irrigated plots within a fenced area and five natural plots outside. Irrigation—used to promote growth, flowering, and fruiting of plants—created an artificial resource‐enhanced environment against which the response of birds to natural fluctuations in season and rainfall were compared. Species richness was generally maintained at a higher level in resource‐enhanced plots during dry times but was higher in natural plots when rainfall was high, mainly due to increases in granivores and insectivores. Honeyeaters were consistently more abundant at irrigated plots. Rainfall was important in structuring bird assemblages at all plots; however, assemblages were more stable in irrigated plots and did not respond as dramatically to a period of very high rainfall. The comparative smoothing of fluctuations in the composition and abundance of birds in irrigated areas highlights the importance of primary productivity, normally tied to rainfall, in driving temporal change in arid‐zone bird communities. There was also evidence that different plots in differing habitats supported distinct bird assemblages and that this spatial distinctiveness persisted irrespective of rainfall and determined, to some extent, the response to rainfall. Our study is one of few long‐term studies of arid bird assemblages and highlights the importance of both long‐term cycles of productivity driven by rain and season as well as site differences in the dynamics of arid‐zone bird communities. These insights are particularly valuable as climate change further exacerbates rainfall variability worldwide and initiatives to conserve avifauna in increasingly extreme environments may be required.
The complex ecology of genitalia: Gonopodium length and allometry in the Trinidadian guppy
Authors: de Lira José Jonathas Pereira Rodrigues , Yan Yue , Levasseur Sophie , Kelly Clint D. , Hendry Andrew P. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMale genitalia present an extraordinary pattern of rapid divergence in animals with internal fertilization, which is usually attributed to sexual selection. However, the effect of ecological factors on genitalia divergence could also be important, especially so in animals with nonretractable genitalia because of their stronger interaction with the surrounding environment in comparison with animals with retractable genitalia. Here, we examine the potential of a pervasive ecological factor (predation) to influence the length and allometry of the male genitalia in guppies. We sampled guppies from pairs of low‐predation (LP) and high‐predation (HP) populations in seven rivers in Trinidad, and measured their body and gonopodium length. A key finding was that HP adult males do not have consistently longer gonopodia than do LP adult males, as had been described in previous work. However, we did find such divergence for juvenile males: HP juveniles have longer gonopodia than do LP juveniles. We therefore suggest that an evolutionary trend toward the development of longer gonopodia in HP males (as seen in the juveniles) is erased after maturity owing to the higher mortality of mature males with longer gonopodia. Beyond these generalities, gonopodium length and gonopodium allometry were remarkably variable among populations even within a predation regime, thus indicating strong context dependence to their development/evolution. Our findings highlight the complex dynamics of genitalia evolution in Trinidadian guppies.
Divide and conquer: Multicolonial structure, nestmate recognition, and antagonistic behaviors in dense populations of the invasive ant Brachymyrmex patagonicus
Authors: Eyer Pierre‐André , Shults Phillip T. , Chura Madeleine R. , Moran Megan N. , Thompson Morgan N. , Helms Anjel M. , Saran Raj K. , Vargo Edward L. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe ecological success of ants has made them abundant in most environments, yet inter‐ and intraspecific competition usually limit nest density for a given population. Most invasive ant populations circumvent this limitation through a supercolonial structure, eliminating intraspecific competition through a loss of nestmate recognition and lack of aggression toward non‐nestmates. Native to South America, Brachymyrmex patagonicus has recently invaded many locations worldwide, with invasive populations described as extremely large and dense. Yet, in contrast with most invasive ants, this species exhibits a multicolonial structure, whereby each colony occupies a single nest. Here, we investigated the interplay between genetic diversity, chemical recognition, and aggressive behaviors in an invasive population of B. patagonicus. We found that, in its invasive range, this species reaches a high nest density with individual colonies located every 2.5 m and that colony boundaries are maintained through aggression toward non‐nestmates. This recognition and antagonism toward non‐nestmates is mediated by chemical differentiation between colonies, as different colonies exhibit distinct chemical profiles. We highlighted that the level of aggression between colonies is correlated with their degree of genetic difference, but not their overall chemical differentiation. This may suggest that only a few chemical compounds influence nestmate recognition in this species or that weak chemical differences are sufficient to elicit aggression. Overall, this study demonstrates that invasive ant populations can reach high densities despite a multicolonial structure with strong aggression between colonies, raising questions about the factors underlying their ecological success and mitigating negative consequences of competitive interactions.
Effects of temperature on life‐history traits of the newly invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda in Southeast China
Authors: Huang Li‐Li , Xue Fang‐Sen , Chen Chao , Guo Xin , Tang Jian‐Jun , Zhong Ling , He Hai‐Min 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn mid‐May, 2019, the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda invaded Jiangxi Province, China, and caused extensive damage to corn crops. However, little attention has been given to the life‐history traits of the FAW. In the present study, we systematically investigated the life‐history traits of the newly invasive FAW on corn leaves at 19, 22, 25, 28, and 31°C under a photoperiod of LD 15:9 hr. The FAW thrived on the corn leaves with short developmental periods, high survival rates of larvae and pupae, very high mating success rates, and high fecundity. The pupal developmental stage was significantly longer in males than females at all temperatures, thus resulting in a protogyny phenomenon. The pupal weight was heaviest after a relatively shorter larval development stage at a higher temperature (25°C); thus, the FAW did not follow the temperature–size rule. Females were smaller than males, indicating sexual size dimorphism. A small proportion of females delayed their pre‐oviposition period and began to lay eggs on the 7th to 9th day after adult emergence. There were positive relationships between pupal weight and larval developmental time and between adult weight and fecundity. There was a negative relationship between fecundity and longevity. These findings can help us to predict the population dynamics of the FAW on corn and to develop a suitable and practical management strategy.