bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total Synthesis of Lagerstannin C: Follow-up of the Khanbabaee’s Synthesis
Authors: Yamada Hidetoshi , Kaneko Yuki , Wakamori Shinnosuke , Ikeuchi Kazutada , Ohara Kenya , Tanaka Takashi
Published: July 2017

This report describes the total synthesis of lagerstannin C, a natural ellagitannin that has d-gluconic acid in the molecule. The study presented here is the first synthesis of the gluconic acid containing ellagitannin. The key step in the synthesis is the opening of δ-lactone through transesterification to form the corresponding benzyl ester.
Synthesis of (±)-γ-Lycorane by Using an Intramolecular Friedel–Crafts Reaction
Authors: Doan Bao , Tan Xin , Ang Chin , Bates Roderick
Published: July 2017

A total synthesis of γ-lycorane has been achieved by employing N-tosylpyrrole as a key building block. The synthesis employs both an intermolecular and an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reaction, as well as a completely diastereoselective hydrogenation of a late-stage pyrrole intermediate.
Lewis Acid Assisted C–CN Cleavage of Benzonitrile Using [(dippe)NiH]2
Authors: Jones William , Swartz Brett , Brennessel William
Published: July 2017

Reactions of [(dippe)NiH]2 with benzonitrile and varying concentrations of Lewis acids (primarily BPh3 and BF3) have shown a dramatic variation of reaction rate compared to the same reaction without Lewis acids. When less than one equivalent of Lewis acid is used, the reaction rate is as much as 100 times greater than without Lewis acid. Boron exchange was observed with less than one equivalent of Lewis acid allowing the formation of a Ni(0)–η2-aryl complex (observed by low-temperature NMR and calculations) to which the Lewis acid is postulated to re-coordinate as the rate-limiting step allowing the formation of a stable Ni(II) product. When one equivalent or greater of Lewis acid is used, the reaction shows dramatic inhibition even compared to the reaction without Lewis acid. Lewis acid dissociation can be considered as the rate-limiting step under these conditions. The overall work detailed herein has shown the importance of Lewis acids in the activation of benzonitriles due to the strengthening of the C–N bond allowing for increased stabilization of the products.
Ether Synthesis through Reductive Cross-Coupling of Ketones with Alcohols Using Me2SiHCl as both Reductant and Lewis Acid
Authors: Morandi Bill , Lee Yong
Published: July 2017

We report that a Lewis acidic silane, Me2SiHCl, can mediate the direct cross-coupling of a wide range of carbonyl compounds with alcohols to form dialkyl ethers. The reaction is operationally simple, tolerates a range of polar functional groups, can be utilized to make sterically hindered ethers, and is extendable to sulfur and nitrogen nucleo­philes.
Single Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection for Early Stage of Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Authors: Martini Liborio , Via Alessio , Fossati Chiara , Randelli Filippo , Randelli Pietro , Cucchi Davide
Published: July 2017

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the safety efficacy and outcomes of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) intra-articular injections for early stages of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods Twenty-five patients affected by grade I and II knee primary OA according to the Kellgren–Lawrence scale received a single intra-articular PRP injection. Patients were prospectively evaluated for 6 months. Visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) scoring scales were used to evaluate clinical outcomes. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to evaluate significance of improvement of WOMAC, KOOS, and VAS scores.

Results Twenty-one patients completed 6-months follow-up. The median WOMAC score improved from 29.1 points (range: 17.4–60.4; standard deviation [SD] = 13.0) at baseline to 42.41 (range: 24.3–71.2; SD = 12.5) at final follow-up. Improvements in median KOOS and VAS score have been also found, from 37.49 points and 64.2 mm before injection to 59.71 points and 42.8 mm, respectively. All these improvements were statistically significant (p < 0.05). No adverse reactions have been observed.

Conclusion Treating knee OA with PRP injection is safe. A single dose of PRP seems to be effective in managing pain and improving quality of life in patients with low-grade knee OA.

Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Recurrent Drop Attacks as Presenting Manifestation of Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis: An Atypical Presentation
Authors: More Aniruddha , Verma Rajesh
Published: July 2017

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a potentially fatal progressive complication of measles virus infection of the brain occurring in children and adolescents. It typically presents with a progressive decline in cognitive abilities along with periodic myoclonic jerks. We report a case of SSPE with atypical presentation. Our patient presented with intermittent drop attacks without any obvious myoclonic jerks or cognitive decline making his diagnosis difficult. Atypical manifestations of SSPE occur in 10% of patients, and a high index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis and management of this dreaded disease.
Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Can Provide Useful Information for Differentiating Thymic Epithelial Tumors
Authors: Ayabe Takanori , Tsuchiya Kazuyo , Nakamura Kunihide , Tomita Masaki
Published: July 2017

Background We examined the usefulness of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in predicting the World Health Organization (WHO) histologic type and Masaoka stage of thymic epithelial tumors.

Methods A total of 73 patients with thymic epithelial tumors who underwent preoperative FDG-PET were included. Relationships between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and WHO histologic type and the Masaoka stage of the tumor were examined. Differences in SUVmax between the various groups were calculated. To avoid the effect of the tumor size on SUVmax, the ratio of SUVmax to tumor size (SUVmax/T) was also examined.

Results There was a significant relationship between SUVmax and WHO histologic type. SUVmax of high-risk thymomas (types B2 and B3) was significantly higher than that of low-risk thymomas (types A, AB, and B1). SUVmax of thymic carcinomas was also significantly higher than those of the low-risk and high-risk groups. The relationship between the SUVmax/T and WHO histologic type showed more significant results. SUVmax and SUVmax/T showed higher values in patients with advanced Masaoka stage disease than in those with early-stage disease.

Conclusions FDG-PET can provide useful information for differentiating thymic epithelial tumors. The SUVmax/T is more useful than the SUVmax for differentiating between low-risk and high-risk thymomas.
Update on Focal Cortical Dysplasia and the Imaging of Epilepsy
Authors: Schwartz Erin , Gadde Judith
Published: July 2017

Epilepsy affects up to 1 in 1,000 children annually. While it is increasingly recognized that forms of epilepsy may have genetic origins, congenital and acquired structural abnormalities of the brain parenchyma are common causes of seizures. Among the most difficult etiologies to diagnose are focal cortical dysplasias, which will be discussed along with their unique imaging features. While magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the mainstay of epilepsy imaging, magnetoencephalography (MEG) and positon emission tomography (PET) have become increasingly recognized as adding value to the presurgical evaluation of medically refractory epilepsy. More recently, PET/MR hybrid scanning is gaining popularity.
Neurotraining im Zirkel
Authors: Horst Renata , Gebhardt Britta
Published: July 2017

Unsere Dozentin Renata Horst ging der Frage nach, wie Patienten mit neurologischen Erkrankungen außerhalb einer Einzeltherapie effektiv
motorische Fähigkeiten trainieren können. Sie entwickelte dafür einen an der ICF orientierten Trainingszirkel. Dessen Stationen ermöglichen,
die Trainingsziele auf der Struktur- und Funktionsebene sowie auf der Aktivitäts- und Partizipationsebene zu erreichen.
Stellenwert der Patientenverfügung in der Postreanimationsbehandlung
Authors: Christ Martin , von Auenmüller Katharina , Grett Martin , Amirie Scharbanu , Brand Michael , Trappe Hans-Joachim
Published: July 2017

Hintergrund Bislang fehlen Untersuchungen zum Einfluss von Patientenverfügungen auf die Behandlung von Patienten mit akut lebensbedrohlichen Krankheitsbildern wie dem außerklinischen Herzstillstand (OHCA = out-of-hospital cardiac-arrest). Die hier präsentierte Studie wurde daher initiiert, um zu ermitteln, wie groß der Anteil an Patienten ist, bei denen in der Phase der Postreanimationsbehandlung eine Patientenverfügung vorgelegt wird.

Methode Alle Patienten, die zwischen dem 1. Januar 2008 und dem 31. Juli 2016 nach OHCA in unser Krankenhaus eingeliefert wurden, wurden anhand eines zentralen Aufnahmeregisters erfasst. Die personenbezogenen Daten wurden aus den Patientenunterlagen ermittelt und anonymisiert in einer zentralen Datenbank gespeichert.

Ergebnisse Insgesamt wurden zwischen dem 1. Januar 2008 und dem 31. Juli 2016 343 Patienten nach außerklinischem Herzstillstand in unser Krankenhaus eingeliefert, darunter 16 Patienten (4,7 %), bei denen eine Patientenverfügung und 18 Patienten (5,2 %), bei denen eine Vorsorgevollmacht vorgelegt wurde. Die Überlebensrate lag bei Patienten mit Patientenverfügung bei 31,2 %, bei Patienten mit Vorsorgevollmacht bei 27,8 % und bei Patienten ohne schriftlich fixierten Patientenwunsch bei 33,3 %.

Folgerung Der Anteil an Patienten, bei denen in der Postreanimationsbehandlung nach OHCA eine Patientenverfügung vorgelegt wurde, ist gering. Wird bei Patienten nach OHCA jedoch eine Patientenverfügung oder Vorsorgevollmacht vorgelegt, ist dies nicht gleichbedeutend mit dem Versterben der betroffenen Patienten. Die Begrenzung intensivmedizinischer Maßnahmen resultiert am häufigsten aus Angehörigengesprächen.
Labiale Gingivarezessionen und die Proklination von Unterkiefer-Schneidezähnen nach Behandlung
Authors: Renkema Anne-Marie , Navratilova Zuzanna , Mazurova Katerina , Katsaros Christos , Fudalej Piotr
Published: July 2017

Einleitung Eine Grundvoraussetzung für die Entstehung einer Gingivarezession ist das Vorliegen einer alveolären Knochendehiszenz. Eine Proklination der Unterkiefer-Schneidezähne kann zu einer Ausdünnung der Alveole und zu Dehiszenzbildung führen.

Zielsetzung Untersuchung eines Zusammenhangs zwischen der Proklination der Unterkiefer-Schneidezähne und der Entstehung von Gingivarezessionen.

Methoden Insgesamt 117 Probanden, die folgende Einschlusskriterien erfüllten, wurden in die Studie aufgenommen: 1. Alter 11–14 Jahre zu Beginn der kieferorthopädischen Behandlung (TS); 2. Platzierung eines geklebten Retainers unmittelbar nach Behandlung (T0); 3. Modelle und laterale Fernröntgenaufnahmen vor Behandlung (TS), nach Behandlung (T0) und 5 Jahre nach Behandlung (T5) verfügbar; und 4. Inklination der Unterkiefer-Schneidezähne (Inc_Incl) nach Behandlung (T0) von<95° oder >100,5°. Die Probanden wurden 2 Gruppen zugeordnet: nicht prokliniert (N=57; mittlere Inc_Incl=90,8°) und prokliniert (N=60; mittlere Inc_Incl=105,2°). Die klinischen Kronenhöhen der Unterkiefer-Schneidezähne und das Vorliegen von Stellen mit Gingivarezession in diesem Bereich wurden auf Gipsmodellen untersucht. Zur Analyse der Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen wurden Berechnungen mittels Fishers exakter-Tests, t-Tests und Regressionsmodellen durchgeführt.

Ergebnisse Die mittlere Zunahme der klinischen Kronenhöhen (zwischen T0 und T5) der Unterkiefer-Schneidezähne variierte zwischen 0,75 mm in der nicht proklinierten und 0,83 mm in der proklinierten Gruppe (p=0,273). Bei T5 waren Stellen mit Gingivarezessionen bei 12,3 bzw. 11,7% der Patienten in der nicht proklinierten bzw. proklinierten Gruppe vorhanden. Der Unterschied war auch nicht signifikant (p=0,851).

Schlussfolgerungen Während der 5-jährigen Beobachtungsphase führte die Proklination der Unterkiefer-Schneidezähne nicht zu einem erhöhten Risiko zur Entstehung einer Gingivarezession im Vergleich zu nicht proklinierten Zähnen.
Kariesprophylaxe in der kieferorthopädischen Praxis: Entwicklung einer medizinischen Leitlinie
Authors: Oosterkamp Barbara , van der Sanden Wil , Frencken Jo , Kuijpers-Jagtman Anne
Published: July 2017

Zielsetzung Initialkaries oder White-Spot-Läsionen (WSL) sind eine Begleiterscheinung kieferorthopädischer Behandlungen. Sie führen zu ästhetischen Problemen und beinhalten das Risiko für tiefergehende Schmelz- und Dentinläsionen. Zur Prophylaxe der WSL sind viele Strategien entwickelt worden, die angewandten Präventionsmaßnahmen sind im Detail jedoch sehr unterschiedlich. In der vorliegenden Studie werden Maßnahmen zusammengestellt, mit deren Hilfe eine medizinische Leitlinie entwickelt werden kann. Diese ermöglicht es dem Kieferorthopäden, Prophylaxemaßnahmen auf Grundlage der besten verfügbaren Evidenz auszuwählen.

Material und Methoden Zur Anwendung kam ein nominales Gruppenverfahren (RAND-e-modifiziertes Delphi-Verfahren). Eine multidisziplinär zusammengesetzte Expertenkommission beurteilte insgesamt 264 praxis- und evidenzbasierte Maßnahmen zur Prophylaxe der WSL. Um sicherzustellen, dass die Kommissionsmitglieder auf demselben Wissensstand waren, sollten die Mitglieder als Vorbereitung auf die 3 Konsensrunden insgesamt 6 Publikationen durcharbeiten, die über eine systematische Literaturauswertung zusammengestellt worden waren. Gemäß dem Verfahren wurde eine Übereinstimmung von mehr als 75% innerhalb jedes einzelnen der 3 Punkte umfassenden Abschnitte der 9-Punkte-Skala als Konsens angesehen.

Ergebnisse Nach der ersten und der zweiten Konsensrunde war Konsens bei 37,5 bzw. bei 31,1% der Maßnahmen erreicht worden. Bei den verbliebenen 31,4% der Maßnahmen wurde Konsens während einer 4 Stunden dauernden Konferenz erzielt.

Schlussfolgerungen Aus einer systematischen Literaturauswertung gewonnene Maßnahmen zur Prophylaxe der WSL wurden mit der Einschätzung von Experten kombiniert und mithilfe eines nominalen Gruppenverfahrens formal zu einem Konsens zusammengefasst. Diese Maßnahmen bildeten die Grundlage für die Formulierung einer Leitlinie zur Prophylaxe der WSL vor und während einer kieferorthopädischen Behandlung.
Switch – The German process for moving medicines from prescription to non-prescription status
Authors: Kroth Elmar
Published: July 2017

Background Germany has a long tradition of switch and has long been considered one of the most liberal countries in terms of the
release of modern active substances from prescription, the so-called switch. In the period 2000–2016, a total of more than 30 active
ingredients – partly in different dosage strengths, dosage forms or indications – were released from prescription status in Germany. Of
these, almost half can be described as “innovative” switches. Recently a significant decline of filed switch proposals can be noted, with
only a few being successful.

Methods Reflecting that the German switch procedure is barely mentioned in the literature it is the aim of this article to describe
the German approach. The legal framework in the national and European Legislation are assessed as well as the experience of the author and
his predecessor over more than 35 years of membership in the German Switch Committee were described.

Results Although the German switch procedure is based on European legislation a successful switch application demands insights in the
national particularities. The process is complex and partly intransparent. After a phase of restraint there are positive developments
recently particularly the possibility for a scientific advice in pre-submission meetings.
Fourth order Douglas implicit scheme for solving three dimension reaction diffusion equation with non-linear source term
Authors: Hasnain Shahid , Saqib Muhammad , Mashat Daoud Suleiman
Published: July 2017

This research paper represents a numerical approximation to non-linear three dimension reaction diffusion equation with non-linear source term from population genetics. Since various initial and boundary value problems exist in three dimension reaction diffusion phenomena, which are studied numerically by different numerical methods, here we use finite difference schemes (Alternating Direction Implicit and Fourth Order Douglas Implicit) to approximate the solution. Accuracy is studied in term of L2, L∞ and relative error norms by random selected grids along time levels for comparison with analytical results. The test example demonstrates the accuracy, efficiency and versatility of the proposed schemes. Numerical results showed that Fourth Order Douglas Implicit scheme is very efficient and reliable for solving 3-D non-linear reaction diffusion equation.
High gradient, high reliability, and low wakefield accelerating structures for the FERMI FEL
Authors: Serpico Claudio , Shafqat Nuaman , Grudiev Alexej , Vescovo Roberto
Published: July 2017

The FERMI seeded free-electron laser (FEL), located at the Elettra laboratory in Trieste, is a 4th generation light source operating in the vacuum ultraviolet to soft X-rays range. The FEL design is based on an external seeding scheme which improves the output pulse coherence and the central wavelength control and reduces the spectral bandwidth. FERMI has achieved its original energy target by producing photon energies above 300 eV from a 1.50 GeV, 600 A peak current, electron beam. However, there is a strong scientific motivation to push the energy envelop further higher to photon energy up to 600 eV to cover both the x-ray absorption edges of nitrogen K (400 eV) and oxygen K (532 eV). To achieve this goal, the electron beam energy will be increased from 1.50 GeV to 1.80 GeV and the peak beam current will be pushed towards 1 kA. This requires essentially the development of more reliable high gradient S-band accelerating structures, with low wakefields contribution up to 1 nC charge per bunch. Accordingly, in the following, we present the design of high gradient, high reliability, and low wakefield S-band accelerating structures for the upgrade program of the FERMI linac.
Crystallization of deformed Virasoro algebra, Ding-Iohara-Miki algebra, and 5D AGT correspondence
Authors: Awata Hidetoshi , Fujino Hiroki , Ohkubo Yusuke
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we consider the q→0 limit of the deformed Virasoro algebra and that of the level 1, 2 representation of the Ding-Iohara-Miki algebra. Moreover, 5D AGT correspondence in this limit is discussed. This specialization corresponds to the limit from Macdonalds functions to Hall-Littlewood functions. Using the theory of Hall-Littlewood functions, some problems are solved. For example, the simplest case of 5D AGT conjectures is proven in this limit, and we obtain a formula for the 4-point correlation function of a certain operator.
HfxAlyO ternary dielectrics for InGaAs based metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors
Authors: Krylov Igor , Ritter Dan , Eizenberg Moshe
Published: July 2017

The electrical properties of HfxAlyO compound dielectric films and the HfxAlyO/InGaAs interface are reported for various dielectric film compositions. Despite the same trimethylaluminum (TMA) pre-deposition treatment, dispersion in accumulation and capacitance-voltage (C-V) hysteresis increased with hafnium content. Different kinds of border traps were identified as being responsible for the phenomena. After anneal, the density of states in the HfxAlyO/InGaAs interface varied quite weakly with dielectric film composition. The optimal composition for obtaining high inversion charge density in metal oxide semiconductor gate stacks is determined by a tradeoff between leakage and dielectric constant, with the optimum atomic cation ratio ([Hf]/[Al]) of ∼1.
Universal two-dimensional characteristics in perovskite-type oxyhydrides ATiO2H (A = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs)
Authors: Sato Nobuya , Akashi Ryosuke , Tsuneyuki Shinji
Published: July 2017

A series of unsynthesized perovskite-type oxyhydrides ATiO2H (A = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) are investigated by the density functional calculations. These oxyhydrides are stable in the sense of the formation energies for some possible synthesis reactions. They are crystallized into quite similar crystal structures with the long c-axis, and the corner-sharing TiO4H2 octahedra of the ideal perovskite-type structure are deformed into the 5-fold coordinated titanium atoms with the OH plane and the apical oxygen atoms. All of these oxyhydrides exhibit two-dimensional electronic states at the valence band maximum characterized by the in-plane oxygen 2p and the hydrogen 1s orbitals. While the c-axis becomes short as the ionic radius of the A atom becomes small and the two-dimensional characteristics are weakened, the electronic state at the valence band maximum is still characterized as the O–H in-plane state. Additionally, the Born effective charge tensors, spontaneous electric polarizations, dielectric tensors, and piezoelectric tensors are evaluated. It is found that the spontaneous electric polarizations of these oxyhydrides are much larger than that of tetragonal BaTiO3.
Spin-filtering and giant magnetoresistance effects in polyacetylene-based molecular devices
Authors: Chen Tong , Yan Shenlang , Xu Liang , Liu Desheng , Li Quan , Wang Lingling , Long Mengqiu
Published: July 2017

Using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism in combination with density functional theory, we performed ab initio calculations of spin-dependent electron transport in molecular devices consisting of a polyacetylene (CnHn+1) chain vertically attached to a carbon chain sandwiched between two semi-infinite zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbon electrodes. Spin-charge transport in the device could be modulated to different magnetic configurations by an external magnetic field. The results showed that single spin conduction could be obtained. Specifically, the proposed CnHn+1 devices exhibited several interesting effects, including (dual) spin filtering, spin negative differential resistance, odd–even oscillation, and magnetoresistance (MR). Marked spin polarization with a filtering efficiency of up to 100% over a large bias range was found, and the highest MR ratio for the CnHn+1 junctions reached 4.6 × 104. In addition, the physical mechanisms for these phenomena were also revealed.
Qualitative analysis of the positron-acoustic waves in electron-positron-ion plasmas with κ deformed Kaniadakis distributed electrons and hot positrons
Authors: Saha Asit , Tamang Jharna
Published: July 2017

Qualitative analysis of the positron acoustic (PA) waves in a four-component plasma system consisting of static positive ions, mobile cold positron, and Kaniadakis distributed hot positrons and electrons is investigated. Using the reductive perturbation technique, the Korteweg-de Vries (K-dV) equation and the modified KdV equation are derived for the PA waves. Variations of the total energy of the conservative systems corresponding to the KdV and mKdV equations are presented. Applying numerical computations, effect of parameter (κ), number density ratio (μ1) of electrons to ions and number density (μ2) of hot positrons to ions, and speed (U) of the traveling wave are discussed on the positron acoustic solitary wave solutions of the KdV and mKdV equations. Furthermore, it is found that the parameter κ has no effect on the solitary wave solution of the KdV equation, whereas it has significant effect on the solitary wave solution of the modified KdV equation. Considering an external periodic perturbation, the perturbed dynamical systems corresponding to the KdV and mKdV equations are analyzed by employing three dimensional phase portrait analysis, time series analysis, and Poincare section. Chaotic motions of the perturbed PA waves occur through the quasiperiodic route to chaos.
Centrifugal instability in the regime of fast rotation
Authors: Gueroult R. , Rax J. M. , Fisch N. J.
Published: July 2017

Centrifugal instability, which stems from a difference between the azimuthal angular drift velocity of ions and electrons, is studied in the limit of fast rotation for which ions can rotate up to twice as fast as electrons. As the angular velocity approaches the so-called Brillouin limit, the growth rate for the centrifugal instability in a collisionless solid-body rotating plasma increases markedly and is proportional to the azimuthal mode number. For large wavenumbers, electron inertia effects set in and lead to a cut-off. Interestingly, conditions for the onset of this instability appear to overlap with the operating conditions envisioned for plasma mass separation devices.
Effects of atmospheric pressure plasma jet with floating electrode on murine melanoma and fibroblast cells
Authors: Xu G. , Liu J. , Yao C. , Chen S. , Lin F. , Li P. , Shi X. , Zhang Guan-Jun
Published: July 2017

Atmospheric pressure cold plasma jets have been recently shown as a highly promising tool in certain cancer therapies. In this paper, an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) with a one inner floating and two outer electrode configuration using helium gas for medical applications is developed. Subjected to a range of applied voltages with a frequency of 19.8 kHz at a fixed rate of gas flow (i.e., 3 l/min), electrical and optical characteristics of the APPJ are investigated. Compared with the device only with two outer electrodes, higher discharge current, longer jet, and more active species in the plasma plume at the same applied voltage together with the lower gas breakdown voltage can be achieved through embedding a floating inner electrode. Employing the APPJ with a floating electrode, the effects of identical plasma treatment time durations on murine melanoma cancer and normal fibroblast cells cultured in vitro are evaluated. The results of cell viability, cell apoptosis, and DNA damage detection show that the plasma can inactivate melanoma cells in a time-dependent manner from 10 s to 60 s compared with the control group (p < 0.05). However, for fibroblast cells compared with their control group, the plasma with treatment time from 30 s to 60 s can induce significant changes (p < 0.05), showing a less cytotoxic effect than that on melanoma cells at the same treatment time. The different basal reactive oxygen species level and antioxidant superoxide dismutase level of two kinds of cells may account for their different responses towards the identical plasma exposure.
Note: A portable automatic capillary viscometer for transparent and opaque liquids
Authors: Soltani Ghalehjooghi A. , Minaei S. , Gholipour Zanjani N. , Beheshti B.
Published: July 2017

A portable automatic capillary viscometer, equipped with an AVR microcontroller, was designed and developed. The viscometer was calibrated with Certified Reference Material (CRM) s200 and utilized for measurement of kinematic viscosity. A quadratic equation was developed for calibration of the instrument at various temperatures. Also, a model was developed for viscosity determination in terms of the viscometer dimensions. Development of the portable viscometer provides for on-site monitoring of engine oil viscosity.
Carrier mobility in mesoscale heterogeneous organic materials: Effects of crystallinity and anisotropy on efficient charge transport
Authors: Kobayashi Hajime , Shirasawa Raku , Nakamoto Mitsunori , Hattori Shinnosuke , Tomiya Shigetaka
Published: July 2017

Charge transport in the mesoscale bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) of organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) is studied using multiscale simulations in combination with molecular dynamics, the density functional theory, the molecular-level kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) method, and the coarse-grained kMC method, which was developed to estimate mesoscale carrier mobility. The effects of the degree of crystallinity and the anisotropy of the conductivity of donors on hole mobility are studied for BHJ structures that consist of crystalline and amorphous pentacene grains that act as donors and amorphous C60 grains that act as acceptors. We find that the hole mobility varies dramatically with the degree of crystallinity of pentacene because it is largely restricted by a low-mobility amorphous region that occurs in the hole transport network. It was also found that the percolation threshold of crystalline pentacene is relatively high at approximately 0.6. This high percolation threshold is attributed to the 2D-like conductivity of crystalline pentacene, and the threshold is greatly improved to a value of approximately 0.3 using 3D-like conductive donors. We propose essential guidelines to show that it is critical to increase the degree of crystallinity and develop 3D conductive donors for efficient hole transport through percolative networks in the BHJs of OPVs.
Note: Diagnostic deuterium beam with an ultra-small energy spread for plasma spectroscopy
Authors: Savkin V. Ya. , Lizunov A. A.
Published: July 2017

The DINA-5M diagnostic atomic beam has been upgraded to reduce the energy spread down to 50 eV. An active voltage stabilization system introduces a chain of varistors connected in series that can be switched with the time constant of 70 μs to minimize the deviation from the reference to the high-voltage level. Using deuterium, the enhanced diagnostic beam has the current of four atomic amperes and the energy of 50 keV ± 50 eV. The primary considered application is a motional Stark effect diagnostic combined with laser-induced fluorescence, where the beam energy spread is an ultimate parameter determining the measurement performance.
Effect of ZnO-processing methods on device performance and stability of effective inverted solar cells
Authors: Fan Haijun , Zhu Xiaozhang
Published: July 2017

The effect of ZnO electron-transporting layers from different processing methods on device performance as well as on stability was investigated. Although inverted devices incorporating a ZnO layer via a sol–gel method or single-solution processing method achieved comparable power conversion efficiency, the former device exhibited better long-term stability than the latter device. The reason for such a phenomenon was traced to oxygen-deficient defects, which affected the long-term stability of inverted devices by altering the resistance of the ZnO layer to oxygen intrusion and influenced the recombination state after long-term storage.
A thermal model for nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of aluminum
Authors: Zhang Yu , Zhang Daixian , Wu Jianjun , He Zhen , Deng Xiong
Published: July 2017

In order to simulate the nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of aluminum, a novel model was presented for the target ablation and plume expansion. The simulation of the target ablation was based on one-dimensional heat conduction, taking into account temperature dependent material properties, phase transition, dielectric transition and phase explosion. While the simulation of the plume expansion was based on one-dimensional gas-dynamical equation, taking into account ionization, plume absorption and shielding. By coupling the calculations of the target ablation and plume expansion, the characteristics of the target and plume were obtained. And the calculated results were in good agreement with the experimental data, in terms of ablation threshold and depth within the fluence range of the tested laser. Subsequently, investigations were carried out to analyze the mechanisms of nanosecond pulsed laser ablation. The calculated results showed that the maximum surface temperature remained at about 90% of the critical temperature (0.9Tc) due to phase explosion. Moreover, the plume shielding has significant effects on the laser ablation, and the plume shielding proportion increase as the laser fluence increasing. The ambient pressure belows 100 Pa is more suitable for laser ablation, which can obtained larger ablation depth.
Low thermal budget annealing technique for high performance amorphous In-Ga-ZnO thin film transistors
Authors: Shin Joong-Won , Cho Won-Ju
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we investigate a low thermal budget post-deposition-annealing (PDA) process for amorphous In-Ga-ZnO (a-IGZO) oxide semiconductor thin-film-transistors (TFTs). To evaluate the electrical characteristics and reliability of the TFTs after the PDA process, microwave annealing (MWA) and rapid thermal annealing (RTA) methods were applied, and the results were compared with those of the conventional annealing (CTA) method. The a-IGZO TFTs fabricated with as-deposited films exhibited poor electrical characteristics; however, their characteristics were improved by the proposed PDA process. The CTA-treated TFTs had excellent electrical properties and stability, but the CTA method required high temperatures and long processing times. In contrast, the fabricated RTA-treated TFTs benefited from the lower thermal budget due to the short process time; however, they exhibited poor stability. The MWA method uses a low temperature (100 °C) and short annealing time (2 min) because microwaves transfer energy directly to the substrate, and this method effectively removed the defects in the a-IGZO TFTs. Consequently, they had a higher mobility, higher on-off current ratio, lower hysteresis voltage, lower subthreshold swing, and higher interface trap density than TFTs treated with CTA or RTA, and exhibited excellent stability. Based on these results, low thermal budget MWA is a promising technology for use on various substrates in next generation displays.
Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Reaction of Secondary Amines with Maleic Anhydride
Authors: Kour Manjinder , Gupta Raakhi , Bansal Raj K.
Published: July 2017

The reaction of secondary amines, namely 1-methylpiperazine, pyrrolidine, morpholine, 2-methylpiperidine, and diethylamine, with maleic anhydride has been investigated experimentally and theoretically at the DFT level. Under kinetic control, i.e. at −78°C or −15°C, amines add across the C=O functionality exclusively and the initially formed addition products isomerize to the corresponding N-substituted maleimic acid derivatives. In contrast to the acyclic α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, amine does not add across the C=C functionality in maleic anhydride even under thermodynamic control. This behaviour of maleic anhydride can be rationalized on the basis of the local condensed Fukui functions, which reveal that the carbonyl carbon atoms in maleic anhydride are much harder than in an acyclic α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound, such as acrolein. This prompts the amines to attack the carbonyl group in maleic anhydride exclusively.
Genome-wide DNA methylation profile of prepubertal porcine testis
Authors: Chen Xi , Shen Liu-Hong , Gui Li-Xuan , Yang Fang , Li Jie , Cao Sui-Zhong , Zuo Zhi-Cai , Ma Xiao-Ping , Deng Jun-Liang , Ren Zhi-Hua , Chen Zhong-Xu , Yu Shu-Min
Published: July 2017

The biological structure and function of the mammalian testis undergo important developmental changes during prepuberty and DNA methylation is dynamically regulated during testis development. In this study, we generated the first genome-wide DNA methylation profile of prepubertal porcine testis using methyl-DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) combined with high-throughput sequencing (MeDIP-seq). Over 190 million high-quality reads were generated, containing 43 642 CpG islands. There was an overall downtrend of methylation during development, which was clear in promoter regions but less so in gene-body regions. We also identified thousands of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) among the three prepubertal time points (1 month, T1; 2 months, T2; 3 months, T3), the majority of which showed decreasing methylation levels over time. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that many genes in the DMRs were linked with cell proliferation and some important pathways in porcine testis development. Our data suggest that DNA methylation plays an important role in prepubertal development of porcine testis, with an obvious downtrend of methylation levels from T1 to T3. Overall, our study provides a foundation for future studies and gives new insights into mammalian testis development.
Nucleoredoxin guards against oxidative stress by protecting antioxidant enzymes
Authors: Kneeshaw Sophie , Keyani Rumana , Delorme-Hinoux Valérie , Imrie Lisa , Loake Gary J. , Le Bihan Thierry , Reichheld Jean-Philippe , Spoel Steven H.
Published: July 2017

Significance

Cellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) is associated with stress responses as well as aging. The reactive nature of ROS marks these molecules as a serious threat to cell integrity. Consequently, eukaryotic cells deploy numerous antioxidant enzymes that detoxify ROS to protect them from ROS-induced damage to proteins. Although the importance of antioxidant enzymes is well understood, how these proteins avoid becoming damaged in the hostile, ROS-rich environments in which they function remains unknown. We show that in plant cells the oxidoreductase Nucleoredoxin 1 (NRX1) protects antioxidant enzymes such as catalase from ROS-induced oxidation. Importantly, this protective effect of NRX1 boosted the H
2
O
2
detoxification capacity of catalase, thereby protecting the plant cell from oxidative stress.
Effects of Al addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–4Y alloys
Authors: Yin Han , Liu Zili , Liu Xiqin , Fan Ruyou , Liu Yang , Li Jian
Published: July 2017

The effects of Al additions (≤4 wt-%) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–4Y alloys were investigated. The microstructure of the as-cast Mg–4Y–1Al alloy consisted of an α-Mg matrix, together with Mg24Y5 and Al2Y phases. Al2Y formed preferentially when Al was added, replacing the Mg24Y5 phase by consuming Y solute. The eutectic reaction occurred, forming α-Mg and Mg24Y5 phases for Al contents below 2 wt-%; however, the pseudo-binary eutectic reaction occurred, forming α-Mg and Al2Y phases, for Al contents higher than 2 wt-%. The addition of Al improved mechanical properties. The Mg–4Y–4Al alloy exhibited the optimal ultimate tensile strength and yield strength, with values of 208 and 81 MPa, respectively.

This paper is part of a thematic issue on Light Alloys.
The Rhetoric of Higher Education in Crisis
Authors: Archibald Robert B.
Published: July 2017

Crisis rhetoric dominates the conversation about higher education. This chapter provides a few fictional stories about the future of colleges and universities facing today’s stresses. It introduces the threats that US higher education faces. These include internal threats, classified as those that come from conducting business as usual in the traditional model of producing a college education; environmental threats, broader economic changes in the world outside of higher education that make the current financial model for colleges and universities more challenging; and technological threats, that is, the expansion of online education. The chapter also discusses reasons apocalyptic predictions of disruption and bankruptcy for large segments of the US higher education system are overblown.
The Diverse US Higher Education System
Authors: Archibald Robert B.
Published: July 2017

The American higher education system consists of over 4,700 institutions educating over twenty-one million students. The most striking feature of this system is its diversity. There is no “typical college.” Much of the story about the future of America’s four-year higher education institutions is found in their differences, not their similarities. Schools are public and private, large and small, elite and open enrollment, tuition dependent and well endowed, liberal arts oriented and vocational. The challenges facing America’s colleges and universities will affect the diverse parts of this system in very different ways. Generalizing about this system can be very dangerous.
Environmental Threat II
Authors: Archibald Robert B.
Published: July 2017

Changes in public funding of higher education have affected cost, price, and access. State budgets have become more volatile in recent years, and this has increased budget uncertainty for public institutions. In addition, the real value of state appropriation has trended downward in most states for many years. Public universities continue to fall further behind selective private competitors in spending per student. Falling quality at many public universities affects time to graduation and graduation rates, and the burden falls disproportionately on less-well-off students. We risk a bifurcation of our higher education system into well-funded selective private colleges and a less selective underfunded public sector that serves the bulk of the nation’s most vulnerable students.
The Enduring Bundle
Authors: Archibald Robert B.
Published: July 2017

In addition to providing classroom instruction, the traditional college offers a set of experiences and opportunities that are built on the premise that they just might alter a life trajectory. The bundle of services offered by most campus-based universities retains great value for traditional-aged college students. In addition to instruction, which is the primary activity of a college or university, all students in traditional institutions use a substantial portion of the bundle that is provided. Most students do not use all parts of the bundle, but all have the option. For many the option proves crucial to their future. To explain the role of the bundle at contemporary residential colleges and universities, this chapter explores three specific components: counseling, undergraduate research, and intercollegiate athletics.
Domestic Interiors, National Concerns
Authors: Nichols Marden Fitzpatrick
Published: July 2017

This chapter examines the phenomenon of “Pompeian” (or “Pompeian Revival”) interior decoration in elite US houses and hotels from the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. The “Pompeian Room” functioned in the popular press and wider discourse of that era as a metonym for an increasingly inaccessible pseudo-aristocracy. The Pompeian Revival Style in the United States must also be seen within the larger scope of the Aesthetic Movement of the last third of the nineteenth century, through which beautification of the American home became a topic of heightened national interest. Pompeian decoration most strongly conveyed the impression of luxury and elevated social status. However, the complex range of contemporary reactions to the Pompeian style, colored by unease about the expansion of private wealth and luxury building projects during the Gilded Age and the years surrounding it, likewise had a national slant. Finally this chapter aims to transcend a singular emphasis on the self-fashioning of patrons in order to incorporate a wider spectrum of contributors and interpreters, such as designers and taste-makers who shaped these spaces.
The Impossible Exedra
Authors: Deusner Melody Barnett
Published: July 2017

The sudden appearance and proliferation of Greco-Roman exedrae (and their domestic derivations) in American parks and homes at the close of the nineteenth century marks a particularly revealing collision between the Classical past and the present, the private and the public, the ideal and the startlingly real. In its various manifestations as house, street, and garden furniture, the somber and pedigreed form of the exedra encouraged dignified bodily management, quiet contemplation, and polite socialization, but also proved dismayingly susceptible to unconstrained lounging, sprawling, loitering, and unsolicited encounters between strangers. This essay considers the Classical bench as studio furniture and compositional device for artists, such as Thomas Wilmer Dewing and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Then, venturing into the lavishly decorated mansions inspired by these bohemian haunts, it examines custom-built curved settees that extended painted Classical fantasies into the lived social spaces of the nation’s financial elite. Finally, it analyzes the deployment of marble and granite exedrae in commemorative monumental public spaces in New York’s Herald Square, Chicago’s Lincoln Park, and Washington, DC, as case studies that extend this investigation to discuss the public exedra as a fully national phenomenon.
A Commotion over Motion
Authors: Sytsma David S.
Published: July 2017

This chapter addresses Baxter’s response to Copernicanism, substantial forms, Descartes’s laws of motion, and Henry More’s variant of mechanical philosophy. Baxter was far more concerned about changing notions of substance and causality than he was about Copernicanism. His objections to mechanical philosophy stemmed from a desire to affirm secondary causes as intrinsic sources of motion, which he regarded as important to a correct understanding of God and creation. He defended a concept of substantial form and objected to the theological foundation of Descartes’s first law of motion. Baxter also argued for the plausibility of various kinds of nonliving principles of motion against Henry More’s restriction of motion to spiritual beings.
From “Epicurean” Physics to Ethics
Authors: Sytsma David S.
Published: July 2017

This chapter discusses Baxter’s theory of natural law and his polemics against Thomas Hobbes and Benedict de Spinoza on ethical matters. Baxter’s natural law theory drew on Francisco Suárez’s De legibus, which grounded the obligation of the natural law in the divine will and the content of the natural law in the divine wisdom. Baxter responded to the necessitarianism and natural law theories of both Hobbes and Spinoza, but engaged with Spinoza’s arguments more fully. His response is noteworthy for drawing lines of continuity between their physical and ethical views. Unlike most contemporary responses to Spinoza’s Tractatus theologico-politicus, which focused on his denial of miracles and the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, Baxter addressed Spinoza’s natural law and political theory, which was central to the argument of the Tractatus.
Detroit
Authors: Farley Reynolds
Published: July 2017

This chapter introduces the City of Detroit, starting with a glimpse of its early history and growth as an industrial power through the first half of the 20th century. The chapter also offers a political, demographic, and statistical overview of its decline in the second half of the 20th century. The chapter offers an up-to-date summary of the city’s federal Chapter 9 bankruptcy proceedings and its emergence from financial disaster. It ends by describing several perspectives on Detroit’s future from optimistic to realistic, setting the stage for what the city has faced leading up to and during the time of the Skillman Foundation’s Good Neighborhoods work.
Community Development and Place-Based Neighborhood Change
Authors: Gant Larry M.
Published: July 2017

Abstract: This chapter describes the model of community development used by the University of Michigan School of Social Work’s Technical Assistance Center (UMSSW/TAC). The chapter presents a definition and description of community development as a distinct model of community practice. The chapter discusses the goals of community development, core values and principles of community development. The chapter summarizes the role of place based initiatives in community development. The limits and challenges of discerning the evidence base of the effectiveness of community development are reviewed, and an emerging perspective of possibilities of evidence based community development is outlined. The chapter ends with thoughtful considerations about the tactical use of community development within municipal communities during Detroit’s more recent times of turbulent economic, financial and political change.