bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Specifying composites in structural equation modeling: A refinement of the Henseler–Ogasawara specification
Authors: Yu Xi , Schuberth Florian , Henseler Jörg 
Published: January 2023

AbstractStructural equation modeling (SEM) plays an important role in business and social science and so do composites, that is, linear combinations of variables. However, existing approaches to integrate composites into structural equation models still have limitations. A major leap forward has been the Henseler–Ogasawara (H–O) specification, which for the first time allows for seamlessly integrating composites into structural equation models. In doing so, it relies on emergent variables, that is, the composite of interest, and one or more orthogonal excrescent variables, that is, composites that have no surplus meaning but just span the remaining space of the emergent variable's components. Although the H–O specification enables researchers to flexibly model composites in SEM, it comes along with several practical problems: (i) The H–O specification is difficult to visualize graphically; (ii) its complexity could create difficulties for analysts, and (iii) at times SEM software packages seem to encounter convergence issues with it. In this paper, we present a refinement of the original H–O specification that addresses these three problems. In this new specification, only two components load on each excrescent variable, whereas the excrescent variables are allowed to covary among themselves. This results in a simpler graphical visualization. Additionally, researchers facing convergence issues of the original H–O specification are provided with an alternative specification. Finally, we illustrate the new specification's application by means of an empirical example and provide guidance on how (standardized) weights including their standard errors can be calculated in the R package lavaan. The corresponding Mplus model syntax is provided in the Supplementary Material.
Hierarchy‐assisted gene expression regulatory network analysis
Authors: Yan Han , Zhang Sanguo , Ma Shuangge 
Published: January 2023

AbstractGene expressions have been extensively studied in biomedical research. With gene expression, network analysis, which takes a system perspective and examines the interconnections among genes, has been established as highly important and meaningful. In the construction of gene expression networks, a commonly adopted technique is high‐dimensional regularized regression. Network construction can be unadjusted (which focuses on gene expressions only) and adjusted (which also incorporates regulators of gene expressions), and the two types of construction have different implications and can be equally important. In this article, we propose a variable selection hierarchy to connect the unadjusted regression‐based network construction with the adjusted construction that incorporates two or more types of regulators. This hierarchy is sensible and amounts to additional information for both constructions, thus having the potential of improving variable selection and estimation. An effective computational algorithm is developed, and extensive simulation demonstrates the superiority of the proposed construction over multiple closely relevant alternatives. The analysis of TCGA data further demonstrates the practical utility of the proposed approach.
Can the innovation in sustainability disclosures reflect organisational sustainable development? An integrated reporting perspective from China
Authors: Sun Yanqi 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIntegrated reporting (IR) represents the newest development of organisational reporting approach. Although IR approach is gaining momentum globally, its relevance in decision‐making for stakeholders is experiencing ongoing debate. Studies on the relationship between IR practices and organisations' sustainable development are scarce. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms between 2006 and 2019, this article examines the association between IR practices (the integration level of sustainability disclosures) and firms' sustainability performance excellence. We provide strong empirical evidence showing that higher IR practices can offer a positive signal about firms' excellent sustainability performance. Firms tend to signal their excellent sustainability performance in the aspects of social service, environment protection and product quality by increasing their IR practices, which is consistent with the argumentation of signalling theory. Our findings are robust to a number of sensitivity analyses. The empirical evidence of this study enhances stakeholders' confidence in IR as an approach to disclosing a company's sustainability information.
A Green Biocomposite Produced by Passive Cell Immobilization onto Waste Biomass Support for Biodecolorization of Reactive Dye Contamination
Authors: Celik Sema 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe waste biomass of grape pomace was utilized for the immobilization of model fungal cells (Thamnidium elegans) providing a green, innovative, and practical biocomposite for efficient biodecolorization of a model reactive dye (Reactive Yellow 2). Appreciable decolorization capacity at optimized conditions was observed as qmax=151.0 mg g‐1 with the suggested biocomposite (TECWGP). During the batch process, the biocomposite exhibited the highest dye removal of 98.57 % in the RY2‐contaminated solutions. The biosorptive decolorization process was the best predicted by the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic models. The possible interactions between RY2 and TECWGP were also examined. Synthetic wastewater treatment experiments indicated that TECWGP has a good decolorization potential. Overall, the findings indicated that TECWGP could be a good alternative to synthetic materials for the treatment of reactive dye‐contaminated aqueous phase. Furthermore, the utilization of agro‐industrial waste to support fungal cells contributes to the growth of a solid circular bio‐based economy.
Electrochemical Investigation of Viral Respiratory Infection Inflammatory Biomarker Serum Amyloid A Protein by Using PtNP Modified Electrode
Authors: Kalpana  , Ghrera Aditya Sharma 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe present study reports the optimisation of electrochemical deposition parameters for platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) on (Indium‐tin‐oxide) surface. PtNPs were electrochemically deposited on APTES (3‐Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane) modified ITO surface to prepare working electrode (PtNP/APTES/ITO). This electrode is further used to fabricate immunoelectrode for detection of SAA biomarker (APO‐SAA) by SAA specific antibodies (SAAAb) which are immobilised by SAM on the surface of PtNP/APTES/ITO to fabricate SAA‐Ab/PtNP/APTES/ITO immunoelectrode. Characterization of prepared immunoelectrode is done by electrochemical characterization techniques like Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Characterization by electrochemical techniques reveal that SAA‐Ab/PtNP/APTES/ITO immunoelectrode can detect Serum Amyloid A protein (SAA) when 10 μl of it (from initial concentration of 10 fg/ml to 106 fg/ml) is poured on immunoelectrode and kept for 10 minutes. Linearity equation is obtained and the LOD is found to be 8.22 fg/ml by applying equation 3σ/sensitivity.
A Green Binary Solvent Method to Control Organic Semiconductor Crystallization
Authors: Sun Li , Li Tianyu , Zhou Jiajian , Li Wenhao , Wu Zhongming , Niu Ruikun , Cheng Jinxiang , Asare‐Yeboah Kyeiwaa , He Zhengran 
Published: January 2023

AbstractWhile solution‐processed small‐molecular organic semiconductors have been reported with significant research progress, their random crystal orientations and abundant defects at grain boundaries remain as a major obstacle to achieving high performance in organic electronic devices. In this paper, we demonstrate a binary solvent method that comprises a green solvent to manipulate the crystal alignment, morphology and charge transport of organic semiconductors. 6,13‐bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) was studied as an example to showcase the enlargement of grain width and millimeter‐scale alignment of organic crystals based on the toluene/n‐amyl acetate binary solvents. At an optimized volume ratio of 3 : 1, the toluene/n‐amyl acetate binary solvent gave rise to a 4‐fold reduction in misorientation angle and approximately 40 % increase in the grain width. UV‐visible spectroscopy confirmed strong H‐aggregations with more favorable intrachain interaction and charge transport in TIPS pentacene. X‐ray diffraction showed enhanced peak intensities in (00 l) type of reflections and improved film crystallinity. Finally, thin film transistors were demonstrated to test the charge transport in the TIPS pentacene organic crystals. This work demonstrates the binary green solvent method can effectively regulate the organic semiconductor crystallization and alignment even in the absence of external alignment techniques such as solution shearing, and thereby sheds light on advancing facile organic electronic applications.
Preventive Effect of 3,3′‐Dimethoxy‐4,4′‐dihydroxystilbene Triazole against Alzheimer's Disease by Inhibition of Neuronal Apoptosis
Authors: Li Qi , Alotaibi Saad H. , Wei Yan , Lone Ali Mohd 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe present study investigated 3,3′‐dimethoxy‐4,4′‐dihydroxy‐stilbene triazole (DMDHSB) in vitro for alleviation of β‐amyloid mediated damage to the PC12 neuronal cells. Exposure of PC12 cells to DMDHSB significantly (P<0.05) reversed β‐amyloid induced loss of viability of PC12 cells in dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, DMDHSB exposure significantly (P<0.05) inhibited over production of PGE2 activated by β‐amyloid in PC12 cells. The β‐amyloid promoted higher levels of COX‐2 and NO were also down‐regulated in PC12 cells on exposure to DMDHSB. The exposure to DMDHSB led to a significant (P<0.05) inhibition of β‐amyloid promoted higher expression of iNOS. The β‐amyloid promoted higher release of iNOS was effectively alleviated by DMDHSB exposure in PC12 cells. In DMDHSB exposed PC12 cells, the β‐amyloid promoted elevation of NF‐κB nuclear translocation was effectively prevented compared to the control. It was observed from the docking studies that one‐pose of DMDHSB interacted with COX‐2 protein at binding affinity of −9.6 kcal/mol at 0‐rmsd. Thus, β‐amyloid promoted loss of PC12 cell viability is prevented on DMDHSB exposure through targeting inflammatory response. Therefore, DMDHSB may be developed as therapeutic candidate for investigation in detail against Alzheimer's disease.
Experimental and Computational Characterisation of the Molecular Interactions between 1‐Butyl‐1‐methyl‐pyrrolidin‐1‐ium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide and Human Serum Albumin
Authors: Saraswat Juhi , Kumar Shiv , Alzahrani Khalid Ahmed , Malik Maqsood Ahmad , Patel Rajan 
Published: January 2023

AbstractRecently, ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as a therapeutic agent for industrial‐based pharmacology. In this regard, the current study highlights the key aspects of IL, (1‐butyl‐1‐methyl‐pyrrolidine‐1‐ium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide), [Pyr C4 NTf3−] such as pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. We performed a detailed experimental and computational analysis of [Pyr C4 NTf3−] with human serum albumin (HSA) using various spectroscopic techniques viz. UV‐vis, steady‐state fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence, time‐resolved fluorescence, steady‐state anisotropy and tensiometry study along with molecular docking. Absorption and emission spectral studies revealed the complex formation between [Pyr C4 NTf3−] and HSA where the binding constant (Kb) was found to be 5.5×103 Lmol−1. Thermodynamic parameters, Gibb's free energy change (ΔG), molar enthalpy change (ΔH), and molar entropy change (ΔS) revealed that the complex formation process is spontaneous, and enthalpy driven where involvement of hydrogen bond and van der Waal forces play a major role. Further, CD spectroscopy and ANS experiment showed the stability of HSA in presence of [Pyr C4 NTf3−]. A site marker study suggested that the binding of [Pyr C4 NTf3−] occurred at site II in HSA which is well supported by a molecular docking study. Also, MD simulation was done which revealed the stability of the complex formed between HSA and [Pyr C4 NTf3−]. The study might help in utilizing [Pyr C4 NTf3−], IL as a therapeutic agent in the pharmaceutical industries.
Immunomodulation with Nucleic Acid Nanodevices
Authors: Ding Fei , Zhang Shuangye , Chen Qian , Feng Hao , Ge Zhilei , Zuo Xiaolei , Fan Chunhai , Li Qian , Xia Qiang 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe precise regulation of interactions of specific immunological components is crucial for controllable immunomodulation, yet it remains a great challenge. With the assistance of advanced computer design, programmable nucleic acid nanotechnology enables the customization of synthetic nucleic acid nanodevices with unprecedented geometrical and functional precision, which have shown promising potential for precise immunoengineering. Notably, the inherently immunologic functions of nucleic acids endow these nucleic acid‐based assemblies with innate advantages in immunomodulatory engagement. In this review, the roles of nucleic acids in innate immunity are discussed, focusing on the definition, immunologic modularity, and enhanced bioavailability of structural nucleic acid nanodevices. In light of this, molecular programming and precise organization of functional modules with nucleic acid nanodevices for immunomodulation are emphatically reviewed. At last, the present challenges and future perspectives of nucleic acid nanodevices for immunomodulation are discussed.
Design of advanced aerogel structures for oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis
Authors: Peles‐Strahl Leigh , Persky Yeela , Elbaz Lior 
Published: January 2023

AbstractOxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is considered the bottleneck reaction in fuel cells. Its sluggish kinetics requires the use of scarce and expensive platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts. Significant efforts have been invested in trying to find a PGM‐free catalyst to replace Pt for this reaction or reduce its loadings. One interesting family of materials that has shown great promise in doing so is aerogels, which are based on covalent frameworks. The aerogels’ high surface area and porosity enable good mass transport and high catalyst utilization that is expected to lower PGM loadings or replacing them completely. This review summarizes recent research in this field, introducing methods of using aerogels as cathodes for ORR, from carbon to metal aerogels. The catalytic sites vary from nanoparticles to atomically dispersed metal ions embedded in carbon aerogels that form all‐in‐one platform which can serve as both the support and the catalyst.
Cadmium modulates steatosis, fibrosis, and oncogenic signaling in liver cancer cells by activating notch and AKT/mTOR pathways
Authors: Niture Suryakant , Gadi Sashi , Lin Minghui , Qi Qi , Niture Samiksha S. , Moore John T. , Bodnar Wanda , Fernando Reshan A. , Levine Keith E. , Kumar Deepak 
Published: January 2023

AbstractCadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that increases hepatotoxicity and the risk of liver diseases. In the current study, we investigated the effect of a physiologically relevant, low concentration of Cd on the regulation of liver cancer cell proliferation, steatosis, and fibrogenic/oncogenic signaling. Exposure to low concentrations of Cd increased endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and enhanced cell proliferation in a human bipotent progenitor cell line HepaRG and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. Acute exposure of Cd increased Jagged‐1 expression and activated Notch signaling in HepaRG and HCC cells HepG2 and SK‐Hep1. Cd activated AKT/mTOR signaling by increasing phosphorylation of AKT‐S473 and mTOR‐S‐4448 residues. Moreover, a low concentration of Cd also promoted cell steatosis and induced fibrogenic signaling in HCC cells. Chronic exposure to low concentrations of Cd‐activated Notch and AKT/mTOR signaling induced the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNFα) and its downstream target TNF‐α‐Induced Protein 8 (TNFAIP8). RNA‐Seq data revealed that chronic exposure to low concentrations of Cd modulated the expression of several fatty liver disease‐related genes involved in cell steatosis/fibrosis in HepaRG and HepG2 cells. Collectively, our data suggest that low concentrations of Cd modulate steatosis along with fibrogenic and oncogenic signaling in HCC cells by activating Notch and AKT/mTOR pathways.
Syngas production from thermochemical conversion of mixed food waste: A review
Authors: Yadav Sanjeev , Katiyar Priyanka , Mesfer Mohammed K. Al , Danish Mohd 
Published: January 2023

AbstractLately, the generation of leftover food or cooked food waste has turned out to be a critical issue and its disposal in an environmental friendly way has been a challenge. This food waste is being sent for incineration and landfilling which results in a significant contribution to environmental pollution. Therefore, alternative methods for processing food waste in an environmentally benign way have been explored by many researchers. Thermochemical methods are one of those methods and are found to be promising for not only handling the food waste in an ecological way but also producing renewable energy efficiently in the form of bio‐oil and syngas along with a solid byproduct, that is, biochar. However, the generation of syngas is favored by only two thermochemical processes, fast pyrolysis, and gasification. Some derived processes such as co‐pyrolysis, and co‐gasification can also generate syngas. All these processes for syngas generation differ from each other in terms of process conditions (temperature, reaction agents, and residence time) and syngas quality generated (amount of syngas produced, syngas composition, and heating capacity). Additionally, supercritical water gasification is the latest process developed for processing food waste to generate syngas with much higher hydrogen fraction; however, it produces syngas with less yield and involves high operational costs.This article is categorized under:
Sustainable Energy > Bioenergy
Emerging Technologies > New Fuels
Sustainable Development > Energy‐Water‐Food Nexus
Suez and the United States: Oil, Lifelines, and “All of Mankind” in the Cold War
Authors: Dietrich Christopher R. W. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis chapter analyzes the rhetoric and policy of U.S. officials regarding oil and the Suez Canal during the early Cold War. When William J. Casey warned experts that the 1970s energy crisis was “a strategy of progressive strangulation” and that American military power was the best response, he drew on a decades-long set of beliefs that identified the Suez Canal as an artery for the economic health of “the West.” According to that perspective—which took root after World War II and drew on earlier strategic discourses of the British Empire—the supply of cheap oil was crucial to the political-economic health and national security of the capitalist world. Beginning with the threat of economic nationalism and the creation of the concepts of a “world oil market” and interdependence, that powerfully ingrained perception is critical to our understanding of twentieth century international history.
A black hole solution in conformal supergravity
Authors: Alvarez Pedro D. , Corral Cristóbal , Zanelli Jorge 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
We present a three-parameter family of analytic black-hole solutions in the bosonic sector of a four-dimensional supersymmetric model with matter fields in the adjoint representation. The solutions are endowed with a curvature and torsional singularities which are both surrounded by an event horizon. They are asymptotically Lorentz flat, representing the torsional generalization of the Riegert black hole in conformal gravity. We compute the partition function to first order in the saddle-point approximation which turns out to be finite without any reference to boundary counterterms. We find a non-maximmally symmetric thermalized ground state, whose existence is relevant when studying Hawking-Page phase transitions. Finally, we discuss future directions regarding its extended phase space.
Scalar-singlet assisted leptogenesis with CP violation from the vacuum
Authors: Barreiros D. M. , Câmara H. B. , Felipe R. G. , Joaquim F. R. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIn the vanilla type-I seesaw leptogenesis scenario, CP violation required to generate the lepton asymmetries in the heavy Majorana neutrino decays stem from complex Dirac-type Yukawa couplings. In this paper we explore the case in which that CP violation originates from the vacuum expectation value of a complex scalar singlet at a very high scale. This non-trivial CP-violating phase can be successfully communicated to the low-energy neutrino sector via the heavy neutrino portal. The new scalar-singlet degrees of freedom generate new contributions to the CP asymmetries relevant for leptogenesis not only at the one-loop level but also through tree-level three-body decays. These are computed here for an arbitrary number of heavy neutrinos, Higgs doublets and scalar singlets. We also take into account the new decays and scattering processes that enter the unflavoured Boltzmann equations governing the heavy-neutrino particle densities and the (B – L)-asymmetry evolution. Having established the framework of interest, we present a simple model with two RH neutrinos, two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet, supplemented with aƵ8flavour symmetry. This symmetry minimises the number of free parameters without compromising the possibility of spontaneous CP violation and compatibility with neutrino data. In fact, the only viableƵ8charge assignment shows a preference for a non-trivial spontaneous CP-violating phase, which in turn leads to a non-vanishing CP asymmetry due to the direct link between high- and low-energy CP violation. An interesting feature of this simple setup is that the usual wave and vertex type-I seesaw contributions to the CP asymmetry vanish due to theƵ8symmetry. Thus, the observed baryon-to-photon ratio can be explained thanks to the new couplings among the heavy neutrinos and the new scalar degrees of freedom.
T-duality of D-brane versus O-plane actions
Authors: Hosseini Mohammad R. , Garousi Mohammad R. 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
It is known that, in the static gauge, the world-volume and the transverse Kaluza-Klein (KK) reductions of the O-plane effective actions on a circle satisfy the T-duality constraint for arbitrary base space background. In this paper we show that due to the presence of the second fundamental form in the D-brane couplings at order α′ and higher, the T-duality is satisfied only for a subclass of the couplings for arbitrary base space background. They are m = 0 couplings where m is the number of $$ \overset{\sim }{B} $$

B
~

-field (without derivative on it). For m > 0 couplings, the base space metric must be block-diagonal and the momentum U(1) vector field in the transverse reduction must be zero. However, the derivatives of the metric and the vector field are arbitrary.Using the assumption that the effective actions at the critical dimension are background independent, we then show that the T-duality constraint for the couplings at order α′ and for m = 0, fixes completely both bulk and boundary actions. These couplings indicate that the propagators of the massless open string fields receive α′-correction. We have also imposed the T-duality constraint on m = 1, 2, 3, 4 couplings. Because of the above restriction on the base space background in these cases, however, the T-duality can only partially fix the couplings for m > 0. This study shows that the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) factor appears in both bulk and boundary actions at order α′.