bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Larger pore volume tetraphenyladamantane‐based hybrid porous polymers: Facile Friedel–Crafts preparation, CO2 capture, and Rhodamine B removal properties
Authors: Wu Yue , Liu Yu , Dou Ruidi , Tang Wenjie , Sun Bin , Gao Tingting , Yang Zhizhou , Zhou Guowei
Published: October 2019

Synthesis of covalently linked porous polymers with high surface area and larger pore volume for two or more task‐specific functionalities is always a big challenge. In this article, the facile Friedel–Crafts reaction is employed to construct the hierarchical hybrid porous polymers (HPPs) from tetraphenyladamantane and octavinylsilsesquioxane. The resulting polymers, HPP‐1 to HPP‐3, possessed the surface areas from 1356 to 1511 m2 g−1, and the pore volumes from 2.05 to 2.67 cm3 g−1. All these polymers feature micropores, mesopores, and macropores in nature. The resultant polymers exhibit high CO2 adsorption capacity up to 2.0 mmol g−1 (8.82 wt %), at 273 K, 1.0 bar, and the maximum Rhodamine B (RB) sorption capacity of 653.6 mg g−1. To illustrate the adsorption process, the effects of factors, contact time, initial concentration, temperature, and pH value on the adsorption capacity of RB were studied. The adsorption equilibrium data displayed a better fitting to the Langmuir isotherm model than the Freundlich model and the adsorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. The recycle experiments displayed that the capacity recovery was still higher than 95% after four cycles. Theses polymers are promising to be the adsorbents for capturing CO2 and removing RB. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 136, 48572.
Ultraviolet radiation aging impact on physicochemical properties of crosslinked polyethylene cable insulation
Authors: Hedir Abdallah , Moudoud Mustapha , Lamrous Omar , Rondot Sébastien , Jbara Omar , Dony Philippe
Published: October 2019

This article deals within the study of the effect of artificial radiations on physical and chemical properties of the crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) material, widely used for manufacturing high‐voltage cables. Within this framework, several experimental tests, using essential characterization techniques, were performed to study XLPE behavior under ultraviolet (UV) aging. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were thus carried out to identify the main structure changes of the material before and after exposure to UV. In addition, appearance changes and DC (Direct Current) volume resistivity were evaluated. The obtained results showed that UV radiation has a great effect on the physicochemical properties of XLPE cable insulation. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2020,137, 48575.
Addressing models of Maori interaction and regional variation in New Zealand: an analysis of stone adzes from the Auckland (Tamaki) region
Authors: KNEEBONE BRENDAN , MCALISTER ANDREW
Published: October 2019

This study examines evidence for change in adze form and raw materials in the Auckland (Tamaki) region using a sample of 144 adzes from 11 securely dated assemblages spanning the pre‐European Maori sequence. Non‐destructive portable X‐ray fluorescence geochemical analyses indicate that the assemblages were dominated by two stone sources throughout the sequence; locally available Motutapu greywacke, and Tahanga basalt from the Coromandel Peninsula some 100 km distant. Additional analyses, incorporating adze form and use‐life data, indicate that both materials were used in a similar manner. The results of this study suggest that, although patterns of change argued for in existing models of New Zealand's prehistory provide a broad overview of general trends, targeted studies also are required to identify regional variation.
Duff's adze typology versus Polynesian adze exchanges
Authors: RICHARDS MICHELLE J.
Published: October 2019

The inter‐archipelago exchange of adzes after colonisation was not considered in the widely referred to culture historical Polynesian adze typology developed by New Zealand archaeologist, Roger Duff. This portable x‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) geochemical study re‐examined the assemblage of the adzes in museum collections that were classified into Duff Types by archaeologists Gonzalo Figueroa and Eduardo Sanchez. This paper investigates the geochemical patterning of the Polynesian basalt adze types found on the Pitcairn and Gambier Islands by (1) identifying volcanic rock type of the artefact (2) matching the geological sources used to make the artefacts using a Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) and, (3) comparing an artefact's identified source to its recorded find spot. The results of the analyses conducted in this paper identified that 16 (8%) adzes had originated from different island groups than where they were collected from in the twentieth century. These adze exchanges provide more evidence of long‐distance Polynesian connections that occurred after people initially colonised central east Polynesia and thus further refutes the idea that these islands were occupied in isolation – a critical re‐evaluation of Duff's typology is therefore required.
Development of true orthophotomaps of the fortified settlement at Biskupin, Site 4, based on archival data
Authors: Zawieska Dorota , Markiewicz Jakub , Kopiasz Jarosław
Published: October 2019

This article describes the results of the project to reconstruct a Lusatian culture fortified settlement at Biskupin (one of the most well‐known archaeological sites in Poland) using various archival data. This research work will cover Site 4 at Biskupin, based on the archaeological examinations conducted there during the period 1934–1939, i.e. pre‐war photographs acquired from different heights, e.g. from a captive balloon (maximum height up to 150 m) from a blimp (at a height of 50 to 1000/1100 m) and from an aeroplane (at a height of 200 m, 300 m and up to 3 km). Modern technology enables the creation of true orthophotomaps, which are used to amend the missing drawing documentation created in situ during pre‐war archaeological excavations. The orientation of archival, non‐metric photographs acquired from different flight heights for interpretation purposes (but not for metric documentation purposes) was performed using both structure‐from‐motion algorithms (implemented in the Agisoft PhotoScan software) and the conventional approach based on Gruber points. The investigated area was divided into four sections and all the images were orientated in one reference system, which was defined during the surveys and excavations. The estimated orientation accuracy at the check points was in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 m. The final true orthophotomaps, with reference to the maintained vector drawing, were analysed. The estimated relative error was smaller than 3%. The photogrammetric products will allow for a better understanding of construction as a whole, and for the recognition of particular structures, in particular, by taking into account functional and chronological aspects.
Kilonova afterglow rate from spherical and axisymmetrical models
Authors: Kóbori J.
Published: October 2019

Detecting the afterglows of double‐neutron star merger events is a challenging task because of the quick fading of the observed flux. In order to create an efficient observing strategy for their observing method, it is crucial to know their intrinsic rate. Unfortunately, the numerous models existing today predict this rate on a very wide range. Our goal in this paper is to compare the different levels of approximations in order to determine their reliability. We find that there is a significant discrepancy in the expected detection rate between the spherical and axisymmetrical models (∼18 and ≲ 1 yr−1, respectively). In addition, choosing different models for the input parameters (for example, redshift and time delay distribution) has also a strong effect on the results.
Astronomical photographic data archives: Recent status
Authors: Hudec Rene
Published: October 2019

I briefly present and discuss the recent status (with emphasis on digitization and data access) of astronomical photographic data archives worldwide, both photometric and spectroscopic, including various digitization techniques, automated data evaluation pipelines, astrophysical use, and public access. Although there are two major astronomical plate digitization projects (Harvard DASCH USA and APPLAUSE representing German Bamberg, Potsdam and Hamburg plate collections), the majority of astronomical photographic data archives are still awaiting digitization. Numerous plate archives have been visited, and in many of them, the glass plates are affected by various degradation types such as gold decease, sometimes progressing so fast that digitization is of great importance, taking into account the enormous scientific value of these databases.
Impact of micro and macroporous TFF membranes on product sieving and chromatography loading for perfusion cell culture
Authors: Pinto Nuno D. S. , Napoli William N. , Brower Mark
Published: October 2019

Bioprocess intensification can be achieved through high cell density perfusion cell culture with continuous protein capture integration. Protein passage and cell retention are commonly accomplished using tangential flow filtration systems consisting of microporous membranes. Significant challenges, including low efficiency and decaying product sieving over time, are commonly observed in these cell retention devices. Here, we demonstrate that a macroporous membrane overcomes the product sieving challenges when comparing to several other membrane chemistries and pore sizes within the microporous range. This way, variable chromatography column loading is avoided. The macroporous membrane yielded a 13,000 L/m2 volumetric throughput. The membrane's cut‐off size results in an increased permeate turbidity due to particles passage, such as cell debris, through pores ranging from 1 to 4 µm. In addition, successful chromatography column plugging mitigation was achieved by employing depth filtration before the chromatographic step. Depth filtration volumetric throughputs were between 600 and 1,000 L/m2. Combing a macroporous cell retention device with a depth filter not only provided an alternative to address the challenge of undesired long protein residence times in the bioreactor due to product sieving decay, but also exhibited a throughput increase, making the integration of multicolumn capture chromatography with a perfusion cell culture a more robust process.
Density Determination of Au Nanoparticles Using Single Particle ICP‐MS
Authors: Joo Nayoung , Lim H. B.
Published: October 2019

In this work, the densities of Au nanoparticles (NPs) were determined by single particle (sp) inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). Single particle measurement at low concentration with a dwell time of 100 μs showed good agreement with the size measured by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The size of Au nanoparticles up to 100 nm showed linear function with the measured counts, while 250 and 400 nm particles required signal suppression due to signal saturation. The density of Au NPs was estimated, based on the particle size measured using TEM. From four repeated measurement sets, the averaged densities of 50 and 100 nm Au NPs were determined to be 21.9 (±18.3%) and 20.8 (±11.0%) g/cm3, respectively, which were slightly larger than the bulk density of Au, 19.3 g/cm3.
Multifunctional Glycoconjugates for Recruiting Natural Antibodies against Cancer Cells
Authors: Liet Benjamin , Laigre Eugénie , Goyard David , Todaro Biagio , Tiertant Claire , Boturyn Didier , Berthet Nathalie , Renaudet Olivier
Published: October 2019

We have developed a fully synthetic and multifunctional antibody‐recruiting molecule (ARM) to guide natural antibodies already present in the blood stream against cancer cells without pre‐immunization. Our ARM is composed of antibody and tumor binding modules (i.e., ABM and TBM) displaying clustered rhamnose and cyclo‐RGD, respectively. By using a stepwise approach, we have first demonstrated the importance of multivalency for efficient recognition with naturel IgM and αvβ3 integrin expressing M21 tumor cell line. Once covalently conjugated by click chemistry, we confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy that the recognition properties of both the ABM and TBM are conserved, and more importantly, that the resulting ARM promotes the formation of a ternary complex between natural IgM and cancer cells, which is required for the stimulation of the cytotoxic immune response in vivo. Due to the efficiency of the synthetic process, a larger diversity of heterovalent ligands could be easily explored by using the same multivalent approach and could open new perspectives in this field.
Triple‐Bond Directed Csp2−N Bond Formation with N‐Fluorobenzenesulfonimide as Aminating Source: One‐Step Transformation of Aldehydes into Amines
Authors: Sushmita  , Aggarwal Trapti , Shibata Norio , Verma Akhilesh K.
Published: October 2019

A metal‐free, versatile triple‐bond directed approach for the decarbonylative C−H amination of ortho‐alkynyl quinoline/pyridine aldehydes using N‐fluorobenzenesulfonimide as nitrogen source under mild reaction conditions has been described. The designed reaction strategy was triggered by trapping of fluorine by base with subsequent attack of bis(phenylsulfonyl)‐λ2‐azane on the carbonyl carbon of a heterocycle, which was gradually converted into the corresponding amine through a Curtius type rearrangement. This protocol provides a one‐step approach for the conversion of aldehydes into amines in good yields. The synthesized amines were successfully transformed into biologically important pyrroloquinolines/pyridines.
A measure to assess the workplace well‐being of psychological practitioners
Authors: Summers Elisabeth M.A. , Morris Reg C. , Bhutani Gita E.
Published: October 2019

The well‐being of psychological practitioners is a key factor in the effective delivery of psychological therapies and the effectiveness of mental health services. Despite this, there are no measures of well‐being for this professional group. The 26‐item psychological practitioner workplace well‐being measure (PPWWM) measures psychological well‐being for psychological practitioners and was informed by a qualitative study. Items were generated and then verified by groups of practitioners using sorting tasks. The items reflect a broad range of issues relevant to the workplace well‐being of psychological practitioners.

The PPWWM was validated with a sample of 400 psychological practitioners recruited through professional networks. Internal consistency (α = .92) and test–retest reliability (r = .94) were high. Construct validity was indicated by positive correlations with the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards Indicator Tool and Satisfaction with Life Scale and negative correlation with the General Health Questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis produced six factors, explaining 61.2% of the variance: professional and organizational; support and flexibility; professional role; physical environment; clinical supervision; and external personal. PPWWM scores were not significantly associated with a range of demographic variables (gender, health/disability, profession, and type of organization), but it did correlate significantly and negatively with age.

The PPWWM has potential application as a brief measure, suitable for large‐scale surveys that specifically measures workplace well‐being in psychological practitioners. Future research could include cross validation with new samples and validation with subgroups of psychological practitioners.
Severe edema after cessation of laxative abuse and use of a loop diuretic: Case report
Authors: Goldman Paula N. , Cody Paula J.
Published: October 2019

Stimulant laxatives are the class of laxatives most often abused by patients with eating disorders. The abrupt cessation of high‐dose stimulant laxatives is known to cause edema. We present the case of a patient with anorexia nervosa with binge‐purge subtype who was taking ∼100 stimulant laxatives per day. Upon discontinuation of stimulant laxatives, she experienced severe peripheral edema with rapid gain of 11.6 kg over 1 week. Unique features of this case include the high quantity of stimulant laxatives consumed per day, the amount of weight gained due to edema, and the 3 month duration of edema after laxative cessation. This case report details the time course of development of edema after abrupt laxative cessation. It also details the dosing and duration of furosemide used for diuresis in order to provide a precedent to inform future care. This case calls into question the best treatment approach for patients with severe edema after laxative cessation who do not meet criteria for Pseudo Bartter syndrome.
3D‐Superstructured Networks Comprising Fe‐MIL‐88A Metal‐Organic Frameworks Under Mechanochemical Conditions
Authors: Jeong Haneul , Lee Junhyung
Published: October 2019

The synthesis of hierarchical or nanosized metal‐organic framework (MOF) superstructures is highly desirable. However, the development of synthetic methods for designed MOF structures via mechanochemical reaction remains extremely limited. We discovered the eco‐friendly and fast strategy that mechanochemical reaction of FeCl3·6H2O and sodium fumarate resulted in Fe‐MIL‐88A MOF hierarchical superstructures. The resulting MOFs possesses a higher surface area than conventional MIL‐88A. The key finding is that the types of the medium during mechanochemical reaction influence on the morphology of MIL‐88A MOFs, generating 3D superstructure and 1D nanorod. We believe that the synthetic strategy adopted opens the door for the modulation of MOF morphologies under mechanochemical condition.
Stable and contact‐free time stepping for dense rigid particle suspensions
Authors: Bystricky Lukas , Shanbhag Sachin , Quaife Bryan
Published: October 2019

We consider suspensions of rigid bodies in a two‐dimensional viscous fluid. Even with high‐fidelity numerical methods, unphysical contact between particles occurs because of spatial and temporal discretization errors. We extend a time stepping method that avoids overlap by imposing a minimum separation distance between all pairs of bodies. In its original form, the method discretizes interactions between different particles explicitly. Therefore, to avoid stiffness, a large minimum separation distance is used. In this paper, we introduce a new implicit time stepping method that is able to simulate dense suspensions with large time step sizes and a small minimum separation distance. The method is tested on various unbounded and bounded flows, and rheological properties of the resulting suspensions are computed.
Development of a dehydrated fortified food base from fermented milk and parboiled wheat, and comparison of its composition and reconstitution behavior with those of commercial dried dairy‐cereal blends
Authors: Shevade Ashwini V. , O'Callaghan Yvonne C. , O'Brien Nora M. , O'Connor Thomas P. , Guinee Timothy P.
Published: October 2019

Dehydrated blends of milk and cereal are reconstituted and consumed as a nutritious soup or porridge in many regions; the composition and reconstitution behavior of the blends are likely to impact on nutritional quality and consumer acceptability of the soup/porridge. Experimental samples of dried fermented milk‐bulgur wheat blend (FMBW) and commercial samples of dried dairy‐cereal blends, namely kishk, tarhana, and super cereal plus corn–soy blend (SCpCSB) were compared for composition, color, water sorption, and reconstitution characteristics. FMBW blends had higher contents of protein, Ca, lactose and lactic acid, lower levels of salt (NaCl) and Fe, and a lighter, more‐yellow color (higher L* and b*‐color co‐ordinates) than tarhana or kishk. Compared with SCpCSB, FMBW had numerically higher levels of protein, lactose, and lactic acid, lower levels of Ca, Fe, Zn, and Mg, and lower pH. Tarhana had highest mean levels of starch, and on reconstitution (133 g/kg) had highest water holding capacity, viscosity during pasting and cooling, yield stress (σ0), consistency coefficient (K), and viscosity on shearing from 20 to 120 s−1 at 60°C. Reconstituted FMBW, kishk, and SCpCSB had similar pasting and flow behavior properties. Overall, the composition (starch, protein, Ca, Mg), pasting and flow behavior characteristics of FMBW were closer to those SCpCSB and kishk than to tarhana. The results suggest that the FMBW powder, on appropriate supplementation with Ca, Fe, Zn and Mg, could be used for the development of customized fortified blended foods for specific groups.
Preventive effect of flavonoids from Wushan Shencha (Malus doumeri leaves) on CCl4‐induced liver injury
Authors: Zhu Kai , Huang Guangbin , Xie Jing , Zhou Xianrong , Mu Jianfei , Zhao Xin
Published: October 2019

Wushan Shencha (Malus doumeri leaf) is a unique tea‐like drink. Herein, the effect of flavonoids from Wushan Shencha (FWSSC) on carbon tetrachloride‐induced liver injury was studied. The serum and liver tissues of experimental mice were analyzed by kits, a slice technique, and qPCR assay. The liver index is a calculated liver‐to‐body weight ratio, and the experimental results showed that FWSSC reduced the liver index of the model group with liver injury, which was the highest. Sections stained with H&E showed that FWSSC reduced stem cell necrosis caused by liver injury. FWSSC reduced the serum levels of AST, ALT, TG, and TC, as well as the levels of IL‐6, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ cytokines in the serum of mice with liver injury. Liver biochemical tests also showed that FWSSC increased the SOD activity and decreased TC, TG, and MPO levels in mice with liver injury. It was found that FWSSC upregulated the expression of Cu/Zn‐SOD, Mn‐SOD, CAT, and IκB‐α, and downregulated the expression of NF‐κB, COX‐2, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β in the liver tissue of mice with liver injury by detecting the expression of mRNA in liver tissue. It is concluded that FWSSC is an active substance with hepatoprotective effects. The activity of FWSSC increased with increasing concentration, and the hepatoprotective effect of FWSSC at 100 mg/kg concentration was stronger than that of silymarin.
Analytical valuation of Asian options with counterparty risk under stochastic volatility models
Authors: Wang Xingchun
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we consider Asian options with counterparty risk under stochastic volatility models. We propose a simple way to construct stochastic volatility models through the market factor channel. In the proposed framework, we obtain an explicit pricing formula of Asian options with counterparty risk and illustrate the effects of systematic risk on Asian option prices. Specially, the U‐shaped and inverted U‐shaped curves appear when we keep the total risk of the underlying asset and the issuer's assets unchanged, respectively.
CCS makes it to the ministerial table
Authors: Cozier Muriel
Published: October 2019

Carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) continues its rise on the global agenda. Once consigned to the realm of researchers, scientists and those who saw the potential and need for technology to help in climate change mitigation, CCUS is getting increasing ministerial level backing. In this article, GHGS&T's Muriel Cozier reviews the two G20 meetings held in Japan, which put CCUS on the ministerial table. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Upper extremity muscular strength in wrist‐twisting tasks: Model approach towards task design
Authors: Majumder Joydeep , Kotadiya Sanjay M , Sharma Lokesh Kumar , Kumar Sunil
Published: October 2019

Frequent wrist‐twisting operations of hand tools results in wrist injuries, loss of control, localized discomfort and muscular fatigue. The aim was to investigate upper extremity strength in generic wrist‐twisting modes while using hand tools and forecasting the limits while in frequent or continuous operation. Hundred men were recruited (Group 1: 18‐39 years and Group 2: 40‐60 years). Upper extremity isometric muscular strength testing of the preferred hand during wrist‐twisting type of manual hand‐tool operations was carried out for 60 s. Forecasting of strength to generate predictions for future events (60 s) based on measured 60 s was carried out using Holt‐Winters time series model. Descriptive statistics was used for analysis. For prediction model evaluation, WEKA 3.8.2 was used. Anthropometric parameters of both groups were similar, having minimal effect on generated strength. The strength generated by Group 2 workers were slightly higher than their younger counterparts. The mean clockwise strength for both groups were recorded to be higher than the anticlockwise strength. Also, standing posture generated higher strength than in seated posture. During last 5 s of trial, participants could sustain only three‐fifth of strength generated in the first 5 s for anticlockwise trials. Whereas, for clockwise trial, the strength sustainability during the last 5 seconds was around three‐fourth of initial 5 seconds. Uniformly decreasing plateau of strength over time support clockwise torque application for increase efficiency, reduced fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders. Strength data generated would assist in re‐engineering the design of tools at workplace and suggest functional limits of work.
Successful management of a fistula between an external iliac artery and an ileal conduit with endovascular embolization and vascular bypass
Authors: Sekito Sho , Onishi Takehisa , Terabe Takashi , Shibahara Takuji
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Fistula formation between an ileac artery and an ileal conduit after radical cystectomy is a rare complication.

Case presentation

A 72‐year‐old woman underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy with ileal conduit. After surgery, leakage of ileal‐ureteral anastomosis with infection was observed. Five months after surgery, sudden bleeding from the ileal conduit occurred that stopped spontaneously. Contrast‐enhanced computed tomography suggested a pseudo aneurysm of the right external iliac artery in contact with the ileal conduit. A fistula between the artery and ileal conduit was suspected. She underwent embolization of the common iliac artery and femorofemoral bypass. She had a good clinical course and no sign of hematuria over 6 months of follow‐up.

Conclusion

An episode of warning hemorrhage from the urostomy is an important sign of fistula, and endovascular treatment is a feasible approach to treat this condition.
Neonicotinoid trapping by the FA1 site of human serum albumin
Authors: Leboffe Loris , di Masi Alessandra , Trezza Viviana , Pasquadibisceglie Andrea , Macari Gabriele , Polticelli Fabio , Ascenzi Paolo
Published: October 2019

Neonicotinoids are a widely used class of insecticides that target the acetylcholine recognition site of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central nervous system of insects. Although neonicotinoids display a high specificity for insects, their use has been recently debated since several studies led to the hypothesis that they may have adverse ecological effects and potential risks to mammals and even humans. Due to their hydrophobic nature, neonicotinoids need specific carriers to allow their distribution in body fluids. Human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant plasma protein, is a key carrier of endogenous and exogenous compounds. The in silico docking and ligand binding properties of acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam to HSA are here reported. Neonicotinoids bind to multiple fatty acid (FA) binding sites, preferentially to the FA1 pocket, with high affinity. Values of the dissociation equilibrium constant for neonicotinoid binding FA1 of HSA (i.e., calcKn) derived from in silico docking simulations (ranging between 3.9 × 10−5 and 6.3 × 10−4 M) agree with those determined experimentally from competitive inhibition of heme‐Fe(III) binding (i.e., expKn; ranging between 2.1 × 10−5 and 6.9 × 10−5 M). Accounting for the HSA concentration in vivo (~7.5 10−4 M), values of Kn here determined suggest that the formation of the HSA:neonicotinoid complexes may occur in vivo. Therefore, HSA appears to be an important determinant for neonicotinoid transport and distribution to tissues and organs, particularly to the liver where they are metabolized.
The mechanism studies of the adsorption–desorption process of rutin from water/ethanol solution and the extract of bitter orange peel by the carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Gholizadeh Hassan , Ghorbani‐HasanSaraei Azade , Tahermansouri Hasan , Shahidi Seyed‐Ahmad
Published: October 2019

Carboxylated multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs‐COOH) have been used as an efficient adsorbent for the adsorption of rutin from water/ethanol solution and extract of bitter orange peel. Batch experiments such as solution pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, concentration of the rutin, and temperature were carried out to study the sorption process. Kinetic studies were well described by a pseudosecond‐order kinetic model for MWCNT‐COOH. Besides, the adsorbed values of rutin at equilibrium were calculated to be 62.89 mg/g, which agreed well with the experimental data (62.13 mg/g). Isotherm studies showed that the Langmuir isotherm was found to be the best model for the description of the sorption data. ΔG° values at temperatures of 298, 308, and 318 °K were −1.9, −4.5, and −5.3 kJ/mol, respectively; these negative values for MWCNT‐COOH indicated the nature of the spontaneous adsorption process. In addition, rutin molecules can be desorbed from MWCNT‐COOH by up to 93.4% of the sorbed amount by increasing the solution pH to 11, which indicates the ability of reutilization of MWCNT‐COOH. In addition, the results of high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that MWCNT‐COOH leads to the adsorption and extraction of rutin about 50% from the extract of bitter orange peel.
Molecular mechanism of myofibroblast formation and strategies for clinical drugs treatments in hypertrophic scars
Authors: Zhu Ziying , Hou Qian , Li Meirong , Fu Xiaobing
Published: October 2019

Hypertrophic scars (HTS) commonly occurred after burn and trauma. It was characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix with the inadequate remodeling, which could result in severe physiological and psychological problems. However, the effective available prevention and treatment measures were still limited. The main pathological feature of HTS was the excessive formation of myofibroblasts, and they persist in the repaired tissue. To better understand the mechanics of this process, this review focused on the characteristics and formation of myofibroblasts, the main effector cells in HTS. We summarized the present theories and opinions on myofibroblasts formation from the perspective of related signaling pathways and epigenetic regulation, such as DNA methylation, miRNA/lncRNA/ceRNA action, histone modification, and so forth for a better understanding on the development of HTS. This information might assist in developing effective experimental and clinical treatment strategies. Additionally, we also summarized currently known clinical strategies for HTS treatment, including traditional drugs, molecular medicine, stem cells, and exosomes.
CDK11 safeguards the identity of human embryonic stem cells via fine‐tuning signaling pathways
Authors: Ding Jianyi , Fang Zhuoqing , Liu Xinyuan , Zhu Zhexin , Wen Chunsheng , Wang Han , Gu Junjie , Li Qing‐run , Zeng Rong , Li Hui , Jin Ying
Published: October 2019

Signaling pathways transmit extracellular cues into cells and regulate transcriptome and epigenome to maintain or change the cell identity. Protein kinases and phosphatases are critical for signaling transduction and regulation. Here, we report that CDK11, a member of the CDK family, is required for the maintenance of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) self‐renewal. Our results show that, among the three main isoforms of CDK11, CDK11p46 is the main isoform safeguarding the hESC identity. Mechanistically, CDK11 constrains two important mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways (JNK and p38 signaling) through modulating the activity of protein phosphatase 1. Furthermore, CDK11 knockdown activates transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β)/SMAD2/3 signaling and upregulates certain nonneural differentiation‐associated genes. Taken together, this study uncovers a kinase required for hESC self‐renewal through fine‐tuning MAPK and TGF‐β signaling at appropriate levels. The kinase‐phosphatase axis reported here may shed new light on the molecular mechanism sustaining the identity of hESCs.
First insights of SHVO catalyst activity for monomeric phenol production from olive pomace
Authors: Cequier Enrique , Balcells Mercè , Canela‐Garayoa Ramon
Published: October 2019

BACKGROUND

Materials from renewable sources are in great demand to reduce carbon fingerprint. Olive pomace is a waste with high lignin content (>25%) and generated in high volumes. Therefore lignin from olive pomace is susceptible to be transformed into added value chemicals such as monomeric phenols through its catalytic depolymerization combining hydrogen donors (i.e. molecular hydrogen, polar protic solvents and formic acid) and catalysts based on transition metals (i.e. palladium and ruthenium supported on carbon, and SHVO catalyst, also ruthenium‐based).

RESULTS

The reaction conditions for the nitrogen and hydrogen experiments were temperatures of 250 and 200 °C and initial pressures of 4 and 20 bar respectively. The bio‐oil obtained after the catalytic process was approximately half of the initial sample weight, although somewhat lower under hydrogen conditions. The SHVO catalyst yielded 15 and 10% of monomeric phenols under nitrogen and hydrogen conditions respectively, while the other two catalysts yielded between 6 and 9% irrespective of the gas.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the SHVO catalyst provided a richer mixture of phenolic compounds owing to its milder hydrogenation activity compared with the other catalysts, although at the end of the reaction the catalyst did not preserve its native form. The use of formic acid under nitrogen atmosphere was advantageous to increase the yields of phenols. The most abundant monomers in the experiments using SHVO catalyst under both atmospheres were 4‐propylguaiacol, (Z)‐propenylguaiacol, 4‐propylsyringol, dihydroconiferyl alcohol, (Z)‐propenylsyringol and dihydrosinapyl alcohol. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Fusion of mis‐registered GFP and phase contrast images with convolutional sparse representation and adaptive region energy rule
Authors: Qiu Chenhui , Peng Wenxian , Wang Yuanyuan , Hong Jiang , Xia Shunren
Published: October 2019

Biomedical image fusion is the process of combining the information from different imaging modalities to get a synthetic image. Fusion of phase contrast and green fluorescent protein (GFP) images is significant to predict the role of unknown proteins, analyze the function of proteins, locate the subcellular structure, and so forth. Generally, the fusion performance largely depends on the registration of GFP and phase contrast images. However, accurate registration of multi‐modal images is a very challenging task. Hence, we propose a novel fusion method based on convolutional sparse representation (CSR) to fuse the mis‐registered GFP and phase contrast images. At first, the GFP and phase contrast images are decomposed by CSR to get the coefficients of base layers and detail layers. Secondly, the coefficients of detail layers are fused by the sum modified Laplacian (SML) rule while the coefficients of base layers are fused by the proposed adaptive region energy (ARE) rule. ARE rule is calculated by discussion mechanism based brain storm optimization (DMBSO) algorithm. Finally, the fused image is achieved by carrying out the inverse CSR. The proposed fusion method is tested on 100 pairs of mis‐registered GFP and phase contrast images. The experimental results reveal that our proposed fusion method exhibits better fusion results and superior robustness than several existing fusion methods.
Production of melanin pigments in saprophytic fungi in vitro and during infection
Authors: Chongkae Siriporn , Nosanchuk Joshua D. , Pruksaphon Kritsada , Laliam Angkana , Pornsuwan Soraya , Youngchim Sirida
Published: October 2019

Melanins are one of the great natural pigments produced by a wide variety of fungal species that promote fitness and cell survival in diverse hostile environments, including during mammalian infection. In this study, we sought to demonstrate the production of melanin in the conidia and hyphae of saprophytic fungi, including dematiaceous and hyaline fungi. We showed that a melanin‐specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) avidly labeled the cell walls of hyphae and conidia, consistent with the presence of melanin in these structures, in 14 diverse fungal species. The conidia of saprophytic fungi were treated with proteolytic enzymes, denaturant, and concentrated hot acid to yield dark particles, which were shown to be stable free radicals, consistent with their identification as melanins. Samples obtained from patients with fungal keratitis due to Fusarium falciforme, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata, Exserohilum rostratum, or Fonsecaea pedrosoi were found to be intensely labeled by the melanin‐specific MAb at the fungal hyphal cell walls. These results support the hypothesis that melanin is a common component that promotes survival under harsh conditions and facilitates fungal virulence. Increased understanding of the processes of melanization and the development of methods to interfere with pigment formation may lead to novel approaches to combat these complex pathogens that are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality.
Tephra glass chemistry provides storage and discharge details of five magma reservoirs which fed the 75 ka Youngest Toba Tuff eruption, northern Sumatra
Authors: Pearce Nicholas J.G. , Westgate John A. , Gualda Guilherme A.R. , Gatti Emma , Muhammad Ros F.
Published: October 2019

The Youngest Toba Tuff contains five distinct glass populations, identified from Ba, Sr and Y compositions, termed PI (lowest Ba) – PV (highest Ba), representing five compositionally distinct pre‐eruptive magma batches that fed the eruption. The PI–PV compositions display systematic changes, with higher FeO, CaO, MgO, TiO2 and lower incompatible element concentrations in the low‐SiO2 PIV/PV, than the high‐SiO2 PI–PIII compositions. Glass shard abundances indicate PIV and PV were the least voluminous magma batches, and PI and PIII the most voluminous. Pressure estimates using rhyolite‐MELTS indicate PV magma equilibrated at ~6 km, and PI magma at ~3.8 km. Glass population proportions in distal tephra and proximal (caldera‐wall) material describe an eruption which commenced by emptying the deepest PIV and PV reservoirs, this being preferentially deposited in a narrow band across southern India (possibly due to jet‐stream and/or plinian eruption transport), and as abundant pumice clasts in the lowermost proximal ignimbrites. Later, shallower magma reservoirs erupted, with PI being the most abundant as the eruption ended, sourcing the majority of distal ash from co‐ignimbrite clouds (PI‐ and PIII‐dominant), where associated ignimbrites isolated earlier (PIV‐ and PV‐rich) deposits. This study shows how analysis of tephra glass compositional data can yield pre‐eruption magma volume estimates, and enable aspects of magma storage conditions and eruption dynamics to be described.
Risk factors for survival following recurrence after first liver resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases
Authors: Serrano Pablo E. , Gu Chu‐Shu , Husien Mohamed , Jalink Diederick , Ritter Anne , Martel Guillaume , Tsang Melanie E. , Law Calvin H. , Hallet Julie , McAlister Vivian , Sela Nathalie , Solomon Hannah , Moulton Carol‐Anne , Gallinger Steven , Levine Mark
Published: October 2019

Background

Management of recurrence following liver resection for colorectal cancer metastases is a topic of debate. We determined risk factors for survival following recurrence after liver resection.

Methods

Long‐term follow‐up of patients in the PETCAM trial who had recurrence following liver resection. Risk groups were created according to their survival risk. Differences in overall survival (OS) between groups were estimated. Disease‐free survival (DFS), patterns of disease recurrence and management were determined. Cox proportional hazard models, Kaplan‐Meier method, and the log‐rank test were used.

Results

Among 368 patients who underwent liver resection, 264 (72%) experienced disease recurrence (51% lung and 41% liver). Following liver resection, DFS: 17 months (95% CI, 14‐19); OS: 57 months (95% CI, 46‐70). In those who recurred, 120 (45%) received chemotherapy only, and 112 (42%) underwent second surgical resection. Among patients who experienced recurrence (n = 264), the high‐risk group (more than one site of recurrence or disease‐free duration < 5 months and node‐positive disease) had median OS: 19 months (95% CI, 15‐23) vs 36 months (95% CI, 30‐48) for patients in the low‐risk group (HR = 2.9, 95% CI, 2.2‐3.9).

Conclusion

Recurrence following liver resection is common. Following recurrence after liver resection, patients should be carefully selected for surgical re‐resection based on risk factors.
Determining the effect of land consolidation on agricultural production using a novel assessment framework
Authors: Hong Changqiao , Jin Xiaobin , Fan Yeting , Xiang Xiaomin , Cao Shuai , Chen Changchun , Zheng Guang , Zhou Yinkang
Published: October 2019

Land consolidation (LC) is regarded as a useful tool to improve agricultural production. Measuring the effect of LC on agricultural production (ELCAP) is helpful for the planning of LC activities. In the past, it is difficult to measure ELCAP at regional level due to the lack of field observation, the change of crop planting structure, and high cost of sample collection. Satellite data have large coverage and high spatiotemporal resolution for vegetation observation, which can provide a new idea for estimating ELCAP at regional level. This study aims to build a novel assessment framework to quantitatively investigate ELCAP by developing several satellite‐based metrics. In addition, this study also explored the characteristics of ELCAP using the method of spatial autocorrelation and the geographical detector method in 1,281 LC areas in China. Our results show that agricultural productivity in more than 90% of total LC areas shows an increasing trend during 2001–2016. LC could play the positive but limited effects on agricultural production, and its productivity‐boosting effect (64.87% of total LC areas) is greater than its stability‐improving effect (46.53% of total LC areas). The spatial agglomeration of ELCAP is weak (Moran's I < 0.06), which may be resulted from the differences in field conditions and natural‐social–economic situations across LC areas. The interaction between several factors has a greater effect on the ELCAP than each of these factors. Methodology in this study provides a new and useful framework for evaluating ELCAP, and results can be used to guide the planning of LC activities.
Global sensitivity analysis of skeletal muscle dMRI metrics: Effects of microstructural and pulse parameters
Authors: Naughton Noel M. , Georgiadis John G.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Estimating microstructural parameters of skeletal muscle from diffusion MRI (dMRI) signal requires understanding the relative importance of both microstructural and dMRI sequence parameters on the signal. This study seeks to determine the sensitivity of dMRI signal to variations in microstructural and dMRI sequence parameters, as well as assess the effect of noise on sensitivity.

Methods

Using a cylindrical myocyte model of skeletal muscle, numerical solutions of the Bloch‐Torrey equation were used to calculate global sensitivity indices of dMRI metrics (FA, RD, MD, , , ) for wide ranges of microstructural and dMRI sequence parameters. The microstructural parameters were: myocyte diameter, volume fraction, membrane permeability, intra‐ and extracellular diffusion coefficients, and intra‐ and extracellular times. Two separate pulse sequences were examined, a PGSE and a generalized diffusion‐weighted sequence that accommodates a larger range of diffusion times. The effect of noise and signal averaging on the sensitivity of the dMRI metrics was examined by adding synthetic noise to the simulated signal.

Results

Among the examined parameters, the intracellular diffusion coefficient has the strongest effect, and myocyte diameter is more influential than permeability for FA and RD. The sensitivity indices do not vary significantly between the two pulse sequences. Also, noise strongly affects the sensitivity of the dMRI signal to microstructural variations.

Conclusions

With the identification of key microstructural features that affect dMRI measurements, the reported sensitivity results can help interpret dMRI measurements of skeletal muscle in terms of the underlying microstructure and further develop parsimonious dMRI models of skeletal muscle.
Sural nerve sensory response in diabetic distal symmetrical polyneuropathy
Authors: Lai Yun‐Ru , Huang Chih‐Cheng , Chiu Wen‐Chan , Liu Rue‐Tsuan , Tsai Nai‐Wen , Wang Hung‐Chen , Lin Wei‐Che , Cheng Ben‐Chung , Su Yu‐Jih , Su Chih‐Min , Hsiao Sheng‐Yuan , Chang Hsueh‐Wen , Chen Jung‐Fu , Ko Jih‐Yang , Lu Cheng‐Hsien
Published: October 2019

Introduction

The sural sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude is a measure of the number of axons. We tested the hypothesis that sural SNAP amplitude can be used as a marker in screening, severity evaluation, and follow‐up of diabetic distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSPN).

Methods

Patients with type 2 diabetes underwent nerve conduction studies and were followed for 6 years. Composite amplitude scores (CASs) were determined to evaluate DSPN severity.

Results

Sural SNAP amplitudes were negatively correlated with CAS (r = −.790, P < .0001), and changes in sural SNAP amplitudes were negatively correlated with those of CAS after controlling for follow‐up duration (r = −.531, P = .028).

Discussion

When a patient's baseline sural SNAP amplitude is above zero, it can be used as one measure of DSPN in screening, severity evaluation, and follow‐up. However, if the patient's sural SNAP value is zero, CAS can be used as a follow‐up measure.
Towards Space‐Time Boundary Element Methods for Retarded Potential Integral Equations
Authors: Pölz Dominik , Schanz Martin
Published: October 2019

A space‐time discretization scheme for time domain boundary integral equations of the 3d wave equation, so‐called retarded potential boundary integral equations, is proposed. The principal idea of this approach is to treat time like an additional spatial coordinate. This leads to discretization methods in 3+1 dimensions based on simplex meshes of the lateral boundary of the space‐time cylinder. We discuss an explicit representation of the integral operators of the wave equation appropriate for the space‐time setting. A robust and accurate quadrature scheme for the numerical evaluation of the occurring integrals is presented and verified by means of numerical experiments.
Steady state dynamics of pre‐stressed, piezoelectrically excited circular plates – a harmonic balance approach
Authors: Toth Florian , Kaltenbacher Manfred
Published: October 2019

We study the dynamics of radially symmetric circular multi‐layer plates. Geometric non‐linearity is taken into account through the Föppel‐von Karman strain‐displacement relationship. Employing the harmonic balance method we obtain a boundary value problem, which is numerically solved to obtain the non‐linear normal modes of the system.