Reactivity and selectivity modulation within a molecular assembly: recent examples from photochemistry

In recent years, photochemical reactions have emerged as powerful transformations which significantly expand the repertoire of organic synthesis. However, a certain lack of selectivity can hamper their application and limit their scope. In this context, a major research effort continues to focus on an improved control over stereo- and chemoselectivity that can be achieved in molecular assemblies between photosubstrates and an appropriate host molecule. In this tutorial review, some recent, representative examples of photochemical reactions have been collected whose unique outcome is dictated by the formation of a molecular assembly driven by non-covalent weak interactions. Graphical Abstract

Reported Outcomes and Outcome Measures in Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

Purpose: There is a lack of scientific consensus on the best arthroplasty implant option for proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) arthritis, due to diversity in outcome reporting and measurement methods. The development of a standardized core outcome set (COS) and standard outcome measures could mitigate this issue. This study catalogs the reported outcomes and outcome measures found in PIPJ arthroplasty studies, which can be used in the first step of developing a COS. Methods: A database search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science (January 1, 2010, to March 10, 2021) was performed to retrieve studies that reported outcomes of the 3 most common primary PIPJ arthroplasty implants: silicone, pyrocarbon, and metal-polyethylene. The primary objectives of this study include reported outcomes and outcome measures. Secondary objectives include clinimetric properties of outcome measures, study design, and implant types. Results: Fifty articles met inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, 41 (82%) were case series, 8 (16%) were cohort studies, and 1 (2%) was a randomized control trial. Thirty-three unique outcomes were identified. Fifteen (46%) outcomes were clinician-reported and 26 (79%) were patient-reported. Eighteen unique outcome measures were identified. Of the outcome measures, 15 (83%) were patient-reported, 1 (6%) was clinician-reported, and 2 (11%) were reported by both patients and clinicians. Conclusions: Substantial heterogeneity was found in reported outcomes and outcome measures across studies evaluating PIPJ arthroplasty, impeding knowledge translation. The development of a COS for PIPJ arthroplasty is necessary to help compare and pool data across studies, and advance scientific knowledge.

RANCANG BANGUN GAME MOBILE BERJENIS ROGUELIKE MENGGUNAKAN STRUKTUR CERITA BRANCHING NARRATIVE

In 2018 the total revenue from the digital game market has reached 137.9 billion USD with mobile being the largest segment of the digital gaming market. The games downloaded on Google Play have several categories, one of which is the role-playing category. That's where the opportunity to follow a trend appears by making an Android game that has the roguelike genre, which is a subgenre of role-playing games. Most games with the roguelike genre don’t have a story or it has a linear one with no control over the emotions of the player character, so this game will be made with a branching narrative story structure which allows players to choose the storyline to make it more interesting. A branching narrative offers the player with important choices; every choice offers a unique outcome to a certain scenario even though the number of outcomes in the story is limited. The survey shows that the branching narrative in the game can increase the curiosity of the player to the story in the game, increase the desire of players to play the game again, and that the branching narrative is strong enough to increase the desire of players to make an In-App Purchase.

Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Major International Financial Markets: An Empirical Study

This study investigates the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on major international stock markets namely the USA, China, Japan, Germany, and India, the five nations hit severely by Covid-19 which are also the five largest economies in the world during March 11, 2020, to July 10, 2020, at daily level data. This study demonstrates that as COVID-19 is perhaps a unique outcome in terms of its global scope as a pandemic, in terms of its intensity and severity will create a widespread change in the investors’ mood about the future economy. This paper examines the ‘spillover effects” of the Covid-19 pandemic on the major financial markets by structural break analysis using Bai-Perron multiple break tests.

Chinese Investment under China–Pakistan Economic Corridor: Implications on Banking Performance in Pakistan

This study empirically examines the relationship of Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (CFDI) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and commercial bank performance in Pakistan, thereby highlighting the un-explored area of the existing literature. For this purpose, a panel dataset over the period 2009 to 2020 of commercial banks was collected from the State Bank of Pakistan. We have employed various econometric techniques including random effect and System Generalized Method of Movement (Sys-GMM). To more accurately analyse the relationship between CFDI and bank performance, we also separately examined the pre-CPEC period 2009-2013, and the post-CPEC period 2014 to 2020. The results indicate a significant positive impact of Chinese FDI on the banking performance in Pakistan in full as well as in Pre-CPEC samples, while negatively significant with banking performance in Post-CPEC samples. For the control variables, we found some variations in signs and significance across the various bank performance measures and the three samples. This unique outcome of the study is very important for the policymakers of developing countries in general and Pakistan in particular.

Optimal Financing and Disclosure

I study an entrepreneur who finances a project with uncertain cash flows and who jointly chooses the disclosure and financing policies. In the Bayesian persuasion framework, I show that it is optimal to truthfully reveal whether the project’s cash flows are above a threshold. This class of threshold policies is optimal for any prior belief, monotone security, and increasing utility function of the entrepreneur. I characterize how the disclosure threshold depends on the underlying security, the prior, and the cost of investment. The financing choice of the entrepreneur is determined by a new trade-off between the likelihood of persuading investors and relinquishing cash flow rights. Absent further frictions, the optimal security is indeterminate. If there is adverse selection after the entrepreneur has disclosed information, the unique outcome is a pooling equilibrium in which the entrepreneur pledges the entire cash flow. This paper was accepted by Tomasz Piskorski, finance.

Coinfection of HIV and hepatitis C increases complication rates after total joint arthroplasty

Introduction: As advances in efficacy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis-C virus (HCV) anti-viral medications increase, patients are able to maintain higher quality of lives than ever before. While these patients live longer lives, the unique patient population of those co-infected with both HIV and HCV increases. As these older patients seek orthopaedic care, it is important to understand their unique outcome profile. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the complication rate after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in patients with HIV and HCV coinfection compared with patients with HIV or HCV only. Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) at our urban, academic hospital between April 2016 and April 2019 was conducted. Patients were stratified into three groups according to viral status: HIV only, HCV only, or HIV and HCV coinfection. Baseline demographics, intravenous drug (IV) use, surgery type, CD4+ count, follow-up and complications were analysed. Results: Of the 133 patients included in the study, 28 had HIV, 88 had HCV and 17 were coinfected with both HIV and HCV. Coinfected patients were more likely to have a lower BMI (p < 0.039) and a history of IV drug use (p < 0.018) compared to patients with either HIV or HCV only. Coinfected patients had a higher complication rate (41%) than both HIV only (7%; p < 0.001) and HCV only (12.5%; p < 0.001) patients. Discussion: Patients coinfected with HIV and HCV undergoing TJA have a higher complication rate than patients with either infection alone. As this unique population of coinfected patients continues to expand, increasingly they will be under the care of arthroplasty surgeons. Improved awareness and understanding of the baseline demographic differences between these patients is paramount. Recognition of the increased complication rates grants the opportunity to improve their orthopaedic care through preoperative and multidisciplinary management.

Wilderness-Based Professional Development for Educators: Exploring Outcomes and Influential Programmatic Elements

The personal and professional outcomes of experiential wilderness-based professional development programs for K-12 educators have not been adequately evaluated. This study used openended survey questions to identify a range of personal (i.e., self-awareness, new perspectives, self-confidence) and professional (i.e., changes in classroom practices, appreciation for educational practices, improved classroom culture) outcomes. Educators also identified the programmatic elements that were most influential to both personal and professional outcomes. Links between specific programming elements and each unique outcome are also discussed. Results from this study may be used to design experiential continuing professional development approaches for educators.

Overlooking the transition elephant in the ultra-high-risk room: are we missing functional equivalents of transition to psychosis?

In the wake of the almost quarter of a century since the conceptualization of ultra-high-risk (UHR) states for psychosis, empirical evidences in the field are constantly scrutinized and re-assessed through meta-analytic lens. Briefly, such scrutiny converges on three major evidences: pretest risk enrichment, risk hierarchy within UHR states, and declining transition rates. While the former two are intuitive, the dilution effect remains elusive and might be rather symptomatic of unsolved issues in the field. Those include the heterogeneously reported antipsychotic (AP) exposure in UHR samples and the almost univocal focus on purely psychometric transition to psychosis. Both issues lead to the neglect of functional equivalents of transition, i.e. that of a mental state at immediate need for AP medication, and might have a cascading confounding effect on the predictive value of contemporary risk calculators centered on criterial transition as a unique outcome.