bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergy between R&D and advertising on shareholder value: Does firm size matter?
Authors: Peng Chi‐Lu , Wei An‐Pin , Chen Miao‐Ling , Huang Wen‐Tsung
Published: July 2016

Using the hierarchical linear model, we examine whether R&D and advertising and their synergy influence firm value. We also investigate whether firm size moderates the market value effects of R&D, advertising, and the synergistic effect of R&D and advertising on firm value. We find that R&D and the synergy between R&D and advertising have significant positive effects on shareholder value. Moreover, we find that the effects of R&D and advertising are significantly higher in large firms than small firms, while the synergistic effect is significantly positive in small firms but not in large firms. These results offer important insight for executives on the implications of resource allocation on R&D and advertising expenditures to create firm value. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Berliner Blau – ein elektrochromes Material mit vielen Facetten
Authors: Wagner Corina , Oetken Marco
Published: July 2016

Kann man mit Berliner Blau als elektrochromes Material Energie sparen? Elektrochrome Fensterscheiben können durch Reduktion der Licht‐ und Wärmestrahlung helfen, Energie einzusparen. Außerdem kann Berliner Blau in neuartigen Batteriesystemen als Kathodenmaterial verwendet werden und somit zusätzlich als Energiespeicher fungieren.
On The Potential of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Enhanced Diamonds in Solid‐State and Dissolution 13C NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Bretschneider Christian O. , Akbey Ümit , Aussenac Fabien , Olsen Greg L. , Feintuch Akiva , Oschkinat Hartmut , Frydman Lucio
Published: July 2016

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is a versatile option to improve the sensitivity of NMR and MRI. This versatility has elicited interest for overcoming potential limitations of these techniques, including the achievement of solid‐state polarization enhancement at ambient conditions, and the maximization of 13C signal lifetimes for performing in vivo MRI scans. This study explores whether diamond's 13C behavior in nano‐ and micro‐particles could be used to achieve these ends. The characteristics of diamond's DNP enhancement were analyzed for different magnetic fields, grain sizes, and sample environments ranging from cryogenic to ambient temperatures, in both solution and solid‐state experiments. It was found that 13C NMR signals could be boosted by orders of magnitude in either low‐ or room‐temperature solid‐state DNP experiments by utilizing naturally occurring paramagnetic P1 substitutional nitrogen defects. We attribute this behavior to the unusually long electronic/nuclear spin‐lattice relaxation times characteristic of diamond, coupled with a time‐independent cross‐effect‐like polarization transfer mechanism facilitated by a matching of the nitrogen‐related hyperfine coupling and the 13C Zeeman splitting. The efficiency of this solid‐state polarization process, however, is harder to exploit in dissolution DNP‐enhanced MRI contexts. The prospects for utilizing polarized diamond approaching nanoscale dimensions for both solid and solution applications are briefly discussed.
Furfural Synthesis from d‐Xylose in the Presence of Sodium Chloride: Microwave versus Conventional Heating
Authors: Xiouras Christos , Radacsi Norbert , Sturm Guido , Stefanidis Georgios D.
Published: July 2016

We investigate the existence of specific/nonthermal microwave effects for the dehydration reaction of xylose to furfural in the presence of NaCl. Such effects are reported for sugars dehydration reactions in several literature reports. To this end, we adopted three approaches that compare microwave‐assisted experiments with a) conventional heating experiments from the literature; b) simulated conventional heating experiments using microwave‐irradiated silicon carbide (SiC) vials; and at c) different power levels but the same temperature by using forced cooling. No significant differences in the reaction kinetics are observed using any of these methods. However, microwave heating still proves advantageous as it requires 30 % less forward power compared to conventional heating (SiC vial) to achieve the same furfural yield at a laboratory scale.
Immobilization of a Metal–Nitrogen–Carbon Catalyst on Activated Carbon with Enhanced Cathode Performance in Microbial Fuel Cells
Authors: Yang Wulin , Logan Bruce E.
Published: July 2016

Applications of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are limited in part by low power densities mainly due to cathode performance. Successful immobilization of an Fe–N–C co‐catalyst on activated carbon (Fe–N–C/AC) improved the oxygen reduction reaction to nearly a four‐electron transfer, compared to a twoelectron transfer achieved using AC. With acetate as the fuel, the maximum power density was 4.7±0.2 W m−2, which is higher than any previous report for an air‐cathode MFC. With domestic wastewater as a fuel, MFCs with the Fe–N–C/AC cathode produced up to 0.8±0.03 W m−2, which was twice that obtained with a Pt‐catalyzed cathode. The use of this Fe–N–C/AC catalyst can therefore substantially increase power production, and enable broader applications of MFCs for renewable electricity generation using waste materials.
The resilience of reef invertebrate biodiversity to coral mortality
Authors: Nelson Hannah R. , Kuempel Caitlin D. , Altieri Andrew H.
Published: July 2016

Foundation species provide many important ecosystem functions including the provision of habitat for diverse communities, but their degradation and mortality has the potential to compromise these roles. Corals are widely recognized foundation species that create reef habitats that are hotspots for biodiversity. However, the impact of global reef degradation on overall patterns of biodiversity remains difficult to predict because of our limited knowledge of mechanistic relationships between reef structure and community composition. We examined the resilience of invertebrate abundance and biodiversity on reefs following a recent coral mass mortality event on the Caribbean coast of Panama. First, we surveyed mobile invertebrate communities at both healthy and degraded reef sites and found that dead coral habitats support invertebrate assemblages that can be more diverse and abundant than live coral habitats and that coral habitat (whether live or dead) in turn supports higher diversity and abundance than structurally simple sand areas without coral. Second, we experimentally tested mechanisms of reef habitat suitability for invertebrate colonization by manipulating coral mortality and structural complexity. We found that the abundance and species richness of mobile invertebrates were significantly affected by substrate complexity rather than whether coral was live or dead. However, we detected shifts in species identity between live and dead coral. Moreover, the sensitivity of the community to reef structural complexity indicates that the ability of degraded coral reefs to sustain invertebrate assemblages is unlikely to persist if declines in reef complexity outpace recovery of living corals to the reef. Our findings suggest that the biodiversity‐sustaining function of reefs has the potential to persist following coral disturbance at the scale of entire reefs and that some metrics of community structure are therefore resilient to events of foundation species mortality.
Efficient Enzymatic Oxidation of Glucose Mediated by Ferrocene Covalently Attached to Polyethylenimine Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Dilusha Cooray M. C. , Sandanayake Saman , Li Fengwang , Langford Steven J. , Bond Alan M. , Zhang Jie
Published: July 2016

Bioanodes for fuel cell applications require highly efficient oxidation reactions to achieve a sufficiently large current density. In this study, gold nanoparticles have been synthesized using branched polyethylenimine (bPEI), a well‐known polymer that forms a hydrogel in water, as the stabilizer. Primary amine groups available in bPEI provide active sites for further conjugation with ferrocene propionic acid via the 1‐Ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide coupling reaction, with the enzyme glucose oxidase, using glutaraldehyde as linkers. This composite material was then used for the fabrication of glucose oxidase electrodes by drop casting of aqueous solutions onto glassy carbon electrodes. The three‐dimensional structure offered by the new hydrogel facilitates communication between the enzyme and the electrode through the redox mediator ferrocene. This allows the glucose oxidase electrode to exhibit excellent activity towards electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in phosphate buffer solutions at pH 7 with a maximum current density of approximately 800 μA cm−2, one of the highest values reported so far for redox hydrogel based glucose oxidase electrodes. Over a wide glucose concentration range, the enzyme response follows that predicted by the Michaelis‐Menten equation with a Michaelis constant of 8.4 mM. In the sensing context, this electrode also exhibits a wide linear dynamic glucose concentration range of 0.5–10 mM with a limit of detection of 0.04 mM.
Kinetics of Quantized Charging of Au144 Nanoclusters
Authors: Wang Dengchao , Yu Yun , Sun Tong , Mirkin Michael V.
Published: July 2016

Electron transfer (ET) in monolayer‐protected gold clusters (Au MPCs) is crucial for revealing their fundamental energetic and kinetic properties and potential electrochemical and optical applications. In this Communication, we measured the kinetics of quantized charging processes of the Au144 MPCs. A detailed mathematical model was developed, including ET kinetics and diffusion in MPCs. The charging processes of controlled core states were treated as multistep ET reactions, and the corresponding rate constants were determined by steady‐state voltammetry and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM).
Estimating the evaporation from irrigation reservoirs of greenhouses using satellite imagery
Authors: Carvajal F. , Agüera F. , Sánchez‐Hermosilla J.
Published: July 2016

The agricultural system in south‐eastern Spain is based on intensive horticulture in greenhouses. Public and private organizations have spent substantial resources on optimizing irrigation, due to the scant annual precipitation (close to 250 mm). In order to preserve natural water resources, avoiding overexploitation and salinization aquifers, the water loss has to be minimized. Farmers save water in irrigation reservoirs, which are open to the atmosphere most of the time. In this work, the loss to evaporation from open water reservoirs was estimated in a typical agricultural greenhouse area in Almeria province, south‐eastern Spain. The data source was both a high‐resolution satellite image, and a set of climatic data from the Agro‐climatic Information Network of Andalusia (AINA) and from a Class‐A pan evaporimeter. The image was used for detecting and delineating open water bodies applying a supervised classification algorithm based on an artificial neural network. The climatic data were used to estimate the distribution of monthly evaporation. It was concluded that irrigation water reservoirs can evaporate 3.76% of the input water used for crops. If all of the water bodies were covered with shade materials and if the precipitation intercepted by the roofs of greenhouses were saved in the irrigation water reservoirs, 49.87% of water annually consumed by greenhouse crops could be saved. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 1750–1757, 2016
Getting to Know Patients
Authors: Eden Caroline
Published: July 2016

As a third‐year medical student, I have the job of being the first person from the medical team to check in on patients in the morning, follow up on consults that they may need, and communicate with people from other services who are involved with patients’ care. Because third‐year medical students have the most time of anyone on the medical team, we are encouraged to get to know our patients. We are encouraged to take time to understand our patients’ conditions on both a medical and personal level, that is, both to read about their complex diseases and to talk about their preferences, goals, families, and lives outside the hospital. As best we can, we then communicate their personal needs and preferences to the medical team of doctors, nurses, social workers and others. What could be wrong with that?
Politics and Public Health: The Flint Drinking Water Crisis
Authors: Gostin Lawrence O.
Published: July 2016

The Flint, Michigan, lead drinking water crisis is perhaps the most vivid current illustration of health inequalities in the United States. Since 2014, Flint citizens—among the poorest in America, mostly African American—had complained that their tap water was foul and discolored. But city, state, and federal officials took no heed. In March 2016, an independent task force found fault at every level of government and also highlighted what may amount to criminal negligence for workers who seemingly falsified water‐quality results, allowing the people of Flint to continue to be exposed to water well above the federally allowed lead levels. It would have been possible to prevent lead seeping into the drinking water by treating the pipes with federally approved anticorrosives for around $100 per day. But today the cost of repairing the Flint water system is estimated at $1.5 billion, and fixing the ageing and lead‐laden system across the United States would cost at least $1.3 trillion. How will Flint residents get justice and fair compensation for the wrongs caused by individual and systemic failures? And how will governments rebuild a water infrastructure that is causing and will continue to cause toxic conditions, particularly in economically marginalized cities and towns across America?
Nonhuman Primates, Human Need, and Ethical Constraints
Authors: DeGrazia David
Published: July 2016

“The Ethics of Infection Challenges in Primates,” by Anne Barnhill, Steven Joffe, and Franklin Miller, is an exceptionally timely contribution to the literature on animal research ethics. Animal research has long been both a source of high hopes and a cause for moral concern. When it comes to infection challenge studies with nonhuman primates, neither the hope—to save thousands of human lives from such diseases as Ebola and Marburg—nor the concern—the conviction that primates deserve especially strong protections—could be much higher. Coming just a few years after the National Institutes of Health adopted the Institute of Medicine's recommendations regarding chimpanzees, Barnhill and colleagues attempt to nudge the clarification and specification—one might say the evolution—of NHP research ethics and regulation. They assert that NHP challenge studies “are not justified by marginal gains in human safety or by efficacy gains that are unlikely to translate directly into saving human lives or preventing morbidity.” How, in turn, is their standard—which, although stringent, does permit causing NHPs to suffer and die for human benefit—to be justified?
Beyond Primates: Research Protections and Animal Moral Value
Authors: Walker Rebecca L.
Published: July 2016

Should monkeys be used in painful and often deadly infectious disease research that may save many human lives? This is the challenging question that Anne Barnhill, Steven Joffe, and Franklin G. Miller take on in their carefully argued and compelling article “The Ethics of Infection Challenges in Primates.” The authors offer a nuanced and even‐handed position that takes philosophical worries about nonhuman primate moral status seriously and still appreciates the very real value of such research for human welfare. Overall, they argue for an extension and revision of the recommendations regarding chimpanzee research offered by the Institute of Medicine in 2011; the practical upshot of their argument would allow for infection challenge research for promising interventions for Ebola and Marburg virus diseases but not for smallpox or the common cold. The IOM recommendations regarding chimpanzee research put in motion an exceptionalist policy for this great ape population. Barnhill and colleagues’ proposal would enlarge the scope of that exceptionalism to embrace NHPs other than great apes. But is such exceptionalism warranted? It is not obvious to me either that the more sophisticated capacities of a species as a whole give it greater ethical protections or that less intellectually or socially sophisticated animals ought to therefore receive less protection when it comes to painful experimental interventions.
The End of Chimpanzee Research
Authors: Gruen Lori
Published: July 2016

In June 2010, Rosie, a descendant of the chimpanzees sent into space, and thirteen others were shipped from New Mexico to a laboratory in Texas for possible use in hepatitis research. They were to be the first group of approximately two hundred chimpanzees to be reintroduced to invasive research. These chimpanzees had been in semiretirement for a decade after being removed from an enormous laboratory that was in egregious violation of the Animal Welfare Act. I, along with many bioethicists, scientists, primatologists, and others, have long been arguing against the use of chimpanzees in invasive research on ethical grounds. The United States is now poised to join the rest of the world in ending invasive research on our closest primate relatives.
A splicing variant of TERT identified by GWAS interacts with menopausal estrogen therapy in risk of ovarian cancer
Authors: Lee Alice W. , Bomkamp Ashley , Bandera Elisa V. , Jensen Allan , Ramus Susan J. , Goodman Marc T. , Rossing Mary Anne , Modugno Francesmary , Moysich Kirsten B. , Chang‐Claude Jenny , Rudolph Anja , Gentry‐Maharaj Aleksandra , Terry Kathryn L. , Gayther Simon A. , Cramer Daniel W. , Doherty Jennifer A. , Schildkraut Joellen M. , Kjaer Susanne K. , Ness Roberta B. , Menon Usha , Berchuck Andrew , Mukherjee Bhramar , Roman Lynda , Pharoah Paul D. , Chenevix‐Trench Georgia , Olson Sara , Hogdall Estrid , Wu Anna H. , Pike Malcolm C. , Stram Daniel O. , Pearce Celeste Leigh ,   for the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium
Published: July 2016

Menopausal estrogen‐alone therapy (ET) is a well‐established risk factor for serous and endometrioid ovarian cancer. Genetics also plays a role in ovarian cancer, which is partly attributable to 18 confirmed ovarian cancer susceptibility loci identified by genome‐wide association studies. The interplay among these loci, ET use and ovarian cancer risk has yet to be evaluated. We analyzed data from 1,414 serous cases, 337 endometrioid cases and 4,051 controls across 10 case–control studies participating in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Conditional logistic regression was used to determine the association between the confirmed susceptibility variants and risk of serous and endometrioid ovarian cancer among ET users and non‐users separately and to test for statistical interaction. A splicing variant in TERT, rs10069690, showed a statistically significant interaction with ET use for risk of serous ovarian cancer (pint = 0.013). ET users carrying the T allele had a 51% increased risk of disease (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.19–1.91), which was stronger for long‐term ET users of 10+ years (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.28–2.66, pint = 0.034). Non‐users showed essentially no association (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 0.96–1.21). Two additional genomic regions harboring rs7207826 (C allele) and rs56318008 (T allele) also had significant interactions with ET use for the endometrioid histotype (pint = 0.021 and pint = 0.037, respectively). Hence, three confirmed susceptibility variants were identified whose associations with ovarian cancer risk are modified by ET exposure; follow‐up is warranted given that these interactions are not adjusted for multiple comparisons. These findings, if validated, may elucidate the mechanism of action of these loci.
Impact of Different Fertilizer Types on Nutrient Pollutant Loads from Rice Paddy Fields in South Korea
Authors: Jang Jeong‐Ryeol , Hong Eun‐Mi , Song Inhong , Kang Moon‐Seong , Cho Jae‐Young , Cho Young‐Kweon
Published: July 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of best management practices (BMPs) on nutrient load reduction from rice paddy fields. Three different fertilizations were considered as the study BMPs: slow‐release chemical fertilizer (SC), swine compost manure (CM) and swine liquid manure (LM). Two experiments were conducted independently in fields with sizes of 100 × 40 m in the Saemangeum region. One experiment was conducted at Iksan City to compare conventional chemical fertilizer (CA) with SC in non‐point source (NPS) surface runoff, while the other was conducted at Kimje City to compare chemical fertilizer (CB) with CM and LM. Nutrient surface discharge from the SC‐treated paddy was 50–55% less than from the CA‐treated paddy. The nutrient loads from the LM‐ and CM‐treated fields were 18–48% less than the CB field. This indicates that the SC, CM and LM applications can effectively reduce paddy surface nutrient loads and thus be alternatives to chemical fertilizer application. However, rice yield was slightly decreased (by approximately 7.5%) in the SC‐treated field compared to the CA‐treated field. With certain compensation measures for the economic losses, the alternative fertilization can be sustainable ways for paddy nutrient load reduction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vegetative Filter Strip (Vfs) Applications for Runoff and Pollution Management in the Saemangeum Area of Korea
Authors: Choi Kyung‐Sook , Lee Seul‐Gi , Jang Jeong‐Ryeol
Published: July 2016

This study was conducted to develop a vegetative filter strip (VFS) technique to manage agricultural non‐point source (NPS) pollution in the region in Korea. The experimental plots were constructed with two different sizes and slopes in the uplands within the Saemangeum Basin. The soil type of the study area was classified as loam with NRCS hydrologic soil type B, and showed typical upland soil characteristics. The rainfall–runoff relationships and NPS pollution reduction effects of the VFS were assessed, and the total cost of VFS application was estimated. It was noted that runoff reduction effects ranged from 14.1 to 69.3%, and NPS pollution reduction effects were 9.8–94.2% in suspended solid (SS), 24.0–73.3% in total nitrogen (T‐N) and 47.6–80.9% in total phosphorus (T–P) from the VFS plots. The variations of VFS effects were caused by various factors including size and slope of the source area, cover ratio and width of VFS, as well as rainfall characteristics. The total VFS application cost was estimated to be approximately US$3390 ha−1 yr.−1, considering the costs for construction and maintenance of the VFS system and the loss of benefit caused by giving up crop cultivation in the area needed for VFS construction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microscopic and immunohistochemical study on the cornification of the developing beak in the turtle Emydura macquarii
Authors: Alibardi Lorenzo
Published: July 2016

The development and cornification of the ramphoteca (beak) in turtles are not known. The microscopic aspects of beak formation have been analyzed in the pleurodirian turtle Emydura macquarii using histological, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural methods. At embryonic Stage 15 the maxillar beak is originated from discontinuous placodes (one frontal and two oral) formed in the epidermis above and below the mouth that later merge into the epidermis of the beak. The mandibular beak is formed by two lateral placodes. In the placodes, basal keratinocytes in contact with local mesenchymal condensations become columnar, and generate suprabasal cells forming 5–6 layers of embryonic epidermis at Stages 17–20 and a compact shedding alpha‐layer at the base of the embryonic epidermis. These keratinocytes contain irregular or aggregated reticular bodies made of 30–40 nm thick strands of coarse filaments, mixed with tonofilaments and sparse lipid droplets. Beneath the shedding layer are present 3–4 layers of keratinocytes accumulating coarse filaments mixed with beta‐corneous packets, and underneath spindle‐shaped beta‐cells differentiate where beta‐corneous packets completely replace the reticulate bodies. Differently from scales where corneocytes partially merge, beak corneocytes remain separated but they are joined by numerous interlocking spines. The production of beta‐cells in the thick corneous layer of the developing beak, like in claws, occurs before the differentiation of beta‐cells in the body scutes. This indicates that a massive mesenchymal condensation triggers beta‐differentiation before this process is later activated in most of body scutes of the carapace and plastron. J. Morphol. 277:1309–1319, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Oogenesis: From Oogonia to Ovulation in the Flagfish, Jordanella floridae Goode and Bean, 1879 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)
Authors: Uribe Mari Carmen , Grier Harry J. , García‐Alarcón Adriana , Parenti Lynne R.
Published: July 2016

We provide histological details of the development of oocytes in the cyprinodontid flagfish, Jordanella floridae. There are six stages of oogenesis: Oogonial proliferation, chromatin nucleolus, primary growth (previtellogenesis [PG]), secondary growth (vitellogenesis), oocyte maturation and ovulation. The ovarian lamellae are lined by a germinal epithelium composed of epithelial cells and scattered oogonia. During primary growth, the development of cortical alveoli and oil droplets, are initiated simultaneously. During secondary growth, yolk globules coalesce into a fluid mass. The full‐grown oocyte contains a large globule of fluid yolk. The germinal vesicle is at the animal pole, and the cortical alveoli and oil droplets are located at the periphery. The disposition of oil droplets at the vegetal pole of the germinal vesicle during late secondary growth stage is a unique characteristic. The follicular cell layer is composed initially of a single layer of squamous cells during early PG which become columnar during early vitellogenesis. During primary and secondary growth stages, filaments develop among the follicular cells and also around the micropyle. The filaments are seen extending from the zona pellucida after ovulation. During ovulation, a space is evident between the oocyte and the zona pellucida. Asynchronous spawning activity is confirmed by the observation that, after ovulation, the ovarian lamellae contain follicles in both primary and secondary growth stages; in contrast, when the seasonal activity of oogenesis and spawning ends, after ovulation, the ovarian lamellae contain only follicles in the primary growth stage. J. Morphol. 277:1339–1354, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of chitosan on the heat stability of whey protein solution as a function of pH
Authors: Zhao Zhengtao , Xiao Qian
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

Chitosan was reported to interact with proteins through electrostatic interactions. Their interaction was influenced by pH, which was not fully characterized. Further research on the interactions between protein and chitosan at different pH and their influence on the thermal denaturation of proteins is necessary.

RESULTS

In this research, the effect of chitosan on the heat stability of whey protein solution at pH 4.0–6.0 was studied. At pH 4.0, a small amount chitosan was able to prevent the heat‐induced denaturation and aggregation of whey protein molecules. At higher pH values (5.5 and 6.0), whey proteins complexed with chitosan through electrostatic attraction. The formation of chitosan–whey protein complexes at pH 5.5 improved the heat stability of dispersions and no precipitation could be detected up to 20 days. The dispersion with a medium amount of chitosan (chitosan:whey protein 1:5) produced the most stable particles, which had an average radius of 135 ± 14 nm and a zeta potential value of 36 ± 1 mV. In contrast, at pH 6.0 only the dispersion with a high amount of chitosan (chitosan:whey protein 1:2) showed good shelf stability up to 20 days.

CONCLUSIONS

It was possible to produce heat‐stable whey protein beverages by regulating the interaction between chitosan and whey protein molecules. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Contribution of yeast and base wine supplementation to sparkling wine composition
Authors: Martí‐Raga Maria , Martín Valentina , Gil Mariona , Sancho Marta , Zamora Fernando , Mas Albert , Beltran Gemma
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

The differential characteristic of sparkling wine is the formation of foam, which is dependent, among other factors, on yeast autolysis, aging and oenological practices. In this study, we analyzed the effects of yeast strain, nutrient supplementation to the base wine and aging process on the sparkling wine composition and its foamability.

RESULTS

We determined that the addition of inorganic nitrogen promoted nitrogen liberation to the extracellular medium, while the addition of inactive dry yeast to the base wine caused an increase in the polysaccharide concentration and foaming properties of the sparkling wine. The use of synthetic and natural base wines allowed us to discriminate that the differences in high‐molecular‐weight polysaccharides and oligosaccharides could be attributed to the yeast cells and that the higher nitrogen content in the natural wine could be due to external proteolysis.

CONCLUSION

The practices of nitrogen addition and supplementation of inactive dry yeast could modulate the main characteristics of the sparkling wine and be a critical element for the design of this kind of wine. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Carrot juice ingestion attenuates high fructose‐induced circulatory pro‐inflammatory mediators in weanling Wistar rats
Authors: Mahesh Malleswarapu , Bharathi Munugala , Raja Gopal Reddy Mooli , Pappu Pranati , Putcha Uday Kumar , Vajreswari Ayyalasomayajula , Jeyakumar Shanmugam M
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

Adipose tissue, an endocrine organ, plays a vital role not only in energy homeostasis, but also in the development and/or progression of various metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), via several factors and mechanisms, including inflammation. This study tested, whether carrot juice administration affected the adipose tissue development and its inflammatory status in a high fructose diet‐induced rat model. For this purpose, male weanling Wistar rats were divided into four groups and fed either control or high fructose diet of AIN‐93G composition with or without carrot juice ingestion for an 8 week period.

RESULTS

Administration of carrot juice did not affect the adiposity and cell size of visceral fat depot; retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (RPWAT), which was corroborated with unaltered expression of genes involved in adipogenic and lipogenic pathways. However, it significantly reduced the high fructose diet‐induced elevation of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) (P ≤ 0.05), macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1) (P ≤ 0.01) and high sensitive C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) (P ≤ 0.05) levels.

CONCLUSION

Carrot juice administration attenuated the high fructose diet‐induced elevation of levels of circulatory FFA and pro‐inflammatory mediators; MCP1 and hsCRP without affecting the adiposity and cell size of visceral fat depot; RPWAT. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of different fibers on dough properties and biscuit quality
Authors: Blanco Canalis María S , Steffolani María E , León Alberto E , Ribotta Pablo D
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

This study forms part of a broader project aimed at understanding the role of fibers from different sources in high‐fat, high‐sugar biscuits and at selecting the best fibers for biscuit quality. The main purpose of this work was to understand the rheological and structural properties involved in fiber‐enriched biscuit dough. High‐amylose corn starch (RSII), chemically modified starch (RSIV), oat fiber (OF) and inulin (IN) were used at two different levels of incorporation (6 and 12 g) in dough formulation. The influence of fiber on the properties of biscuit dough was studied via dynamic rheological tests, confocal microscopy and spreading behavior. Biscuit quality was assessed by width/thickness factor, texture and surface characteristics, total dietary fiber and sensory evaluation.

RESULTS

Main results indicated that IN incorporation increased the capacity of dough spreading during baking and thus improved biscuit quality. OF reduced dough spreading during baking and strongly increased its resistance to deformation. RSII and RSIV slightly affected the quality of the biscuits. Sensory evaluation revealed that the panel liked IN‐incorporated biscuits as much as control biscuits.

CONCLUSION

The increase in total dietary fiber modified dough behavior and biscuit properties, and the extent of these effects depended on the type of fiber incorporated. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Fabrication of a novel hydrophobic/ion‐exchange mixed‐mode adsorbent for the dispersive solid‐phase extraction of chlorophenols from environmental water samples
Authors: Gao Li , Wei Yinmao
Published: July 2016

A novel mixed‐mode adsorbent was prepared by functionalizing silica with tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine and 3‐phenoxybenzaldehyde as the main mixed‐mode scaffold due to the presence of the plentiful amino groups and benzene rings in their molecules. The adsorption mechanism was probed with acidic, natural and basic compounds, and the mixed hydrophobic and ion‐exchange interactions were found to be responsible for the adsorption of analytes. The suitability of dispersive solid‐phase extraction was demonstrated in the determination of chlorophenols in environmental water. Several parameters, including sample pH, desorption solvent, ionic strength, adsorbent dose, and extraction time were optimized. Under the optimal extraction conditions, the proposed dispersive solid‐phase extraction coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography showed good linearity range and acceptable limits of detection (0.22∽0.54 ng/mL) for five chlorophenols. Notably, the higher extraction recoveries (88.7∽109.7%) for five chlorophenols were obtained with smaller adsorbent dose (10 mg) and shorter extraction time (15 min) compared with the reported methods. The proposed method might be potentially applied in the determination of trace chlorophenols in real water samples.
A learning algorithm for source aggregation
Authors: Papayiannis Georgios I. , Yannacopoulos Athanassios N.
Published: July 2016

The problem of model aggregation from various information sources of unknown validity is addressed in terms of a variational problem in the space of probability measures. A weight allocation scheme to the various sources is proposed, which is designed to lead to the best aggregate model compatible with the available data and the set of prior measures provided by the information sources. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of wave delivery methodology for brain MRE: Insights from computational simulations
Authors: McGrath Deirdre M. , Ravikumar Nishant , Beltrachini Leandro , Wilkinson Iain D. , Frangi Alejandro F. , Taylor Zeike A.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

MR elastography (MRE) of the brain is being explored as a biomarker of neurodegenerative disease such as dementia. However, MRE measures for healthy brain have varied widely. Differing wave delivery methodologies may have influenced this, hence finite element‐based simulations were performed to explore this possibility.

Methods

The natural frequencies of a series of cranial models were calculated, and MRE‐associated vibration was simulated for different wave delivery methods at varying frequency, using simple isotropic viscoelastic material models for the brain. Displacement fields and the corresponding brain constitutive properties estimated by standard inversion techniques were compared across delivery methods and frequencies.

Results

The delivery methods produced widely different MRE displacement fields and inversions. Furthermore, resonances at natural frequencies influenced the displacement patterns. Consequently, some delivery methods led to lower inversion errors than others, and the error on the storage modulus varied by up to 11% between methods.

Conclusion

Wave delivery has a considerable impact on brain MRE reliability. Assuming small variations in brain biomechanics, as recently reported to accompany neurodegenerative disease (e.g., 7% for Alzheimer's disease), the effect of wave delivery is important. Hence, a consensus should be established on a consistent methodology to ensure diagnostic and prognostic consistency. Magn Reson Med 78:341–356, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Field inhomogeneity correction for gradient echo myelin water fraction imaging
Authors: Alonso‐Ortiz Eva , Levesque Ives R. , Paquin Raphaël , Pike G. Bruce
Published: July 2016

Purpose

Recently, the multi‐echo gradient echo (MGRE) sequence has been proposed for multicomponent
(MC
) based myelin water fraction (MWF) mapping. This approach has appeal because it can provide fast whole‐brain coverage, has low specific absorption rate, and short echo spacing. However, the MGRE signal requires correction for accurate MWF mapping, because of its sensitivity to magnetic field inhomogeneities (ΔB0). We propose a ΔB0 correction method for 2D MGRE data obtained for MWF mapping.

Theory and Methods

Latter‐echo MGRE data were fit to estimate B0 gradients in the slice‐select direction (
). The decay signal was corrected for the effects of
, and MC
analysis was performed using nonnegative least‐squares fitting. The method was evaluated using simulations and its performance demonstrated in healthy volunteers.

Results

Simulations showed that MWFs are significantly biased in the presence of
and that our correction method leads to accurate MWF estimates. In vivo MWF maps obtained from corrected data showed recovery of MWF estimates in areas of high ΔB0, and overall good agreement with literature values obtained with the reference MC
‐based method.

Conclusion

A new algorithm was presented for ΔB0 correction of 2D MGRE echo data acquired for MWF imaging. Simulations and in vivo data showed an improvement in MWF estimates. Magn Reson Med 78:49–57, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Single and double acquisition strategies for compensation of artifacts from eddy current and transient oscillation in balanced steady‐state free precession
Authors: Lee Hyun‐Soo , Choi Seung Hong , Park Sung‐Hong
Published: July 2016

Purpose

To develop single and double acquisition methods to compensate for artifacts from eddy currents and transient oscillations in balanced steady‐state free precession (bSSFP) with centric phase‐encoding (PE) order for magnetization‐prepared bSSFP imaging.

Theory and Methods

A single and four different double acquisition methods were developed and evaluated with Bloch equation simulations, phantom/in vivo experiments, and quantitative analyses. For the single acquisition method, multiple PE groups, each of which was composed of N linearly changing PE lines, were ordered in a pseudocentric manner for optimal contrast and minimal signal fluctuations. Double acquisition methods used complex averaging of two images that had opposite artifact patterns from different acquisition orders or from different numbers of dummy scans.

Results

Simulation results showed high sensitivity of eddy‐current and transient‐oscillation artifacts to off‐resonance frequency and PE schemes. The artifacts were reduced with the PE‐grouping with N values from 3 to 8, similar to or better than the conventional pairing scheme of N = 2. The proposed double acquisition methods removed the remaining artifacts significantly. The proposed methods conserved detailed structures in magnetization transfer imaging well, compared with the conventional methods.

Conclusion

The proposed single and double acquisition methods can be useful for artifact‐free magnetization‐prepared bSSFP imaging with desired contrast and minimized dummy scans. Magn Reson Med 78:254–263, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Water and fat separation in real‐time MRI of joint movement with phase‐sensitive bSSFP
Authors: Mazzoli Valentina , Nederveen Aart J. , Oudeman Jos , Sprengers Andre , Nicolay Klaas , Strijkers Gustav J. , Verdonschot Nico
Published: July 2016

Purpose

To introduce a method for obtaining fat‐suppressed images in real‐time MRI of moving joints at 3 Tesla (T) using a bSSFP sequence with phase detection to enhance visualization of soft tissue structures during motion.

Methods

The wrist and knee of nine volunteers were imaged with a real‐time bSSFP sequence while performing dynamic tasks. For appropriate choice of sequence timing parameters, water and fat pixels showed an out‐of‐phase behavior, which was exploited to reconstruct water and fat images. Additionally, a 2‐point Dixon sequence was used for dynamic imaging of the joints, and resulting water and fat images were compared with our proposed method.

Results

The joints could be visualized with good water–fat separation and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), while maintaining a relatively high temporal resolution (5 fps in knee imaging and 10 fps in wrist imaging). The proposed method produced images of moving joints with higher SNR and higher image quality when compared with the Dixon method.

Conclusions

Water–fat separation is feasible in real‐time MRI of moving knee and wrist at 3 T. PS‐bSSFP offers movies with higher SNR and higher diagnostic quality when compared with Dixon scans. Magn Reson Med 78:58–68, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Alternate‐day versus daily energy restriction diets: which is more effective for weight loss? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Alhamdan B. A. , Garcia‐Alvarez A. , Alzahrnai A. H. , Karanxha J. , Stretchberry D. R. , Contrera K. J. , Utria A. F. , Cheskin L. J.
Published: July 2016

Background

Alternate‐day‐fasting (ADF) has been proposed as an effective dieting method. Studies have found that it also can increase life span in rodents, and reduce inflammation in humans. The aim of this paper was to systematically review the efficacy of ADF compared to very‐low‐calorie dieting (VLCD) in terms of weight loss, and reduction of fat mass and fat‐free mass.

Methods

Systematic review: PubMed literature searches were performed. Fixed review procedures were applied. Studies were evaluated for quality. Twenty‐eight studies were included. Meta‐analysis: 10/28 studies (four ADF and six matched VLCD) were further analyzed.

Results

After adjustment for BMI and duration, there was no significant difference in mean body weight loss (VLCD 0.88 kg more weight loss than ADF, 95% CI: −4.32, 2.56) or fat‐free mass (VLCD 1.69 kg more fat‐free mass loss than ADF, 95% CI: −3.62, 0.23); there was a significant difference observed in fat mass (ADF 3.31 kg more fat mass loss than VLCD, 95% CI: 0.05, 6.56). Meta‐analysis showed that, among ADF studies, the pooled change in body weight, fat mass and fat‐free mass was 4.30 kg (95% CI: 3.41, 5.20), 4.06 kg (95% CI: 2.99, 5.13) and 0.72 kg (95% CI: −0.07, 1.51), respectively, while among VLCD studies, the pooled change was 6.28 kg (95% CI: 6.08, 6.49), 4.22 kg (95% CI: 3.95, 4.50) and 2.24 kg (95% CI: 1.95, 2.52), respectively.

Conclusions

Our results from both the systematic review and the meta‐analysis suggest that ADF is an efficacious dietary method, and may be superior to VLCD for some patients because of ease of compliance, greater fat‐mass loss and relative preservation of fat‐free mass. Head‐to‐head randomized clinical trials are needed to further assess relative efficacy of these two approaches.
ZnO/PBAT nanocomposite films: Investigation on the mechanical and biological activity for food packaging
Authors: Venkatesan Raja , Rajeswari Natesan
Published: July 2016

Packaging of foods in high barrier materials is essential to attain food safety. Nanocomposite technology is leading in search of the earlier said kind of packaging materials. The role of zinc oxide (ZnO) loadings on poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) structure were investigated, in addition to that packaging properties such as barrier, thermal, and mechanical properties were studied. Antimicrobial films are developed based on PBAT and ZnO nanoparticles. The nanocomposites exhibits a significant increase in the mechanical and thermal stability. The resulting PBAT/ZnO nanofilms show superior antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development, implementation and outcome analysis of semi‐automated alerts for metformin dose adjustment in hospitalized patients with renal impairment
Authors: Niedrig David , Krattinger Regina , Jödicke Annika , Gött Carmen , Bucklar Guido , Russmann Stefan
Published: July 2016

Purpose

Overdosing of the oral antidiabetic metformin in impaired renal function is an important contributory cause to life‐threatening lactic acidosis. The presented project aimed to quantify and prevent this avoidable medication error in clinical practice.

Methods

We developed and implemented an algorithm into a hospital's clinical information system that prospectively identifies metformin prescriptions if the estimated glomerular filtration rate is below 60 mL/min. Resulting real‐time electronic alerts are sent to clinical pharmacologists and pharmacists, who validate cases in electronic medical records and contact prescribing physicians with recommendations if necessary.

Results

The screening algorithm has been used in routine clinical practice for 3 years and generated 2145 automated alerts (about 2 per day). Validated expert recommendations regarding metformin therapy, i.e., dose reduction or stop, were issued for 381 patients (about 3 per week). Follow‐up was available for 257 cases, and prescribers' compliance with recommendations was 79%. Furthermore, during 3 years, we identified eight local cases of lactic acidosis associated with metformin therapy in renal impairment that could not be prevented, e.g., because metformin overdosing had occurred before hospitalization.

Conclusions

Automated sensitive screening followed by specific expert evaluation and personal recommendations can prevent metformin overdosing in renal impairment with high efficiency and efficacy. Repeated cases of metformin‐associated lactic acidosis in renal impairment underline the clinical relevance of this medication error. Our locally developed and customized alert system is a successful proof of concept for a proactive clinical drug safety program that is now expanded to other clinically and economically relevant medication errors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phosphate removal by Ce(III)‐impregnated crosslinked chitosan complex from aqueous solutions
Authors: Hu Pan , Liu Qian , Wang Jing , Huang Ruihua
Published: July 2016

A novel adsorbent, Ce(III)‐impregnated crosslinked chitosan complex (Ce‐CCS) was prepared by the methods of membrane‐forming and crosslinking for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions. Ce‐CCS was characterized by FTIR, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy combined with EDAX techniques. The adsorption of phosphate onto the Ce‐CCS was determined in batch systems as a function of initial phosphate concentration, pH, contact time, and co‐anions. The maximum adsorption occurred at pH 3 or so. The presence of co‐anions decreased the adsorption of phosphate onto the Ce‐CCS. Ce‐CCS showed a higher adsorption capacity than crosslinked chitosan (CCS) due to the introduction of Ce(III). The equilibrious data by the Ce‐CCS were fitted well with Freundlich isotherm model. The kinetic data followed the pseudo‐second‐order model. Phosphate adsorption mainly included the surface complexation and electrostatic attraction between Ce‐CCS and phosphate. Besides, the Ce‐CCS was prone to regeneration with 0.1 mol/L HCl solution. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:44–51, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers