bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical reaction engineering methodologies for post‐contrastographic biomedical imaging analysis
Authors: Russo Valentina , Di Paola Luisa
Published: April 2014

Post‐contrastographic techniques represent an innovative method to identify pathologies out of anomalous perfusion of specific drugs (contrast agent) in ill body regions. In this framework, pharmacokinetics provides general models to describe the spatio‐temporal distribution of drugs within the body: Simple model relies on the concept of compartment, that is, a body region with uniform properties. So, whole body can be thought of as made up of different compartments, interacting with each other by mass flows; this scheme reminds us of the typical sketch of a chemical process, whose active elements are tanks exchanging mass flows with each other.

In this framework, chemical engineering fundamentals (transport phenomena and chemical reaction engineering) provide the basic tools to represent the dynamic evolution of biological systems, once they can be sketched in terms of interacting compartments. The quantitative analysis, thus, is based on physically representative models, whose parameters describe physiological properties.

In this work, we present a physiologically based pharmacokinetics model based on a joint, multiscale representation of body seen at global (systemic compartment) and local (region of interest compartment) scales: This model is able to face different limits of benchmark physiologically based pharmacokinetics models (Tofts, Brix, and Patlak), providing meaningful and quantitative model parameters, descriptive of contrast‐enhanced physiological key properties. We apply the model to the analysis of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with a contrast agent perfusion in Crohn's disease. All in all, we are going to demonstrate the method that can discriminate among ill and sane tissues, whereas the systemic parameters remain substantially invariant.

The model complies very well with clinical data, assessing the vascularization degree through characteristic properties (permeation characteristic time), and the spatial analysis assesses the vascular distribution around the suspect lesions. This result fosters the application of this class of models for the clinical assessment of hypervascularizing pathologies.

All in all, out of their classical field of application, chemical reaction engineering traditional methods are shown to help in the quantitative analysis of biomedical images, which are, as for now, the cutting‐edge methodologies in the post‐contrastographic imaging field. © 2014 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A physical route to porous ethyl cellulose microspheres loaded with TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Cai Weiwei , Yang Hui , Han Daxin , Guo Xingzhong
Published: April 2014

Porous ethyl cellulose (EC) microspheres were prepared via a physical method in oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions. The morphologies and pore structures of the resulting porous microspheres were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury porosimeter and spectrometer equipped with an integrating sphere. The increase of EC amount in oil phase will increase the size of the microspheres. All the microspheres possess open macropores in the shell and interconnected pores inside the microspheres by means of phase separation. The saturation of the Ethyl acetate (EA) in external phase has an effect on the morphology of the EC particles obtained. Using EA unsaturated aqueous solution as the external water phase in the emulsion process results in the formation of porous EC particles with irregular shape. The loaded TiO2 nanoparticles uniformly disperse in EC matrix, and slightly deceases the size and volume of interconnected pores inside the microspheres. The addition of TiO2 nanoparticles is also proved to increase the light‐scattering power of the porous EC microspheres. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40822.
Fracture mechanical analysis of two commercial polyoxymethylene homopolymer resins
Authors: Berer Michael , Pinter Gerald , Feuchter Michael
Published: April 2014

This research addresses the fracture mechanical analysis of two commercially available polyoxymethylene homopolymer resins. Two types of experiments are used: monotonic fracture toughness tests and cyclic fatigue crack growth tests. The resulting total lifetimes in the fatigue crack growth tests are split up into the appropriate parts of crack growth initiation and fatigue crack propagation. Fracture surfaces of monotonic and cyclic tests are analyzed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Besides the mechanical tests, the morphology within the used compact tension specimens is examined in detail by using differential scanning calorimetry, small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, and polarized light microscopy. The results are analyzed and discussed, considering observations in the previous studies published in the literature. It is shown that both materials can be well analyzed using linear elastic fracture mechanics and their fracture mechanical properties are presented in conjunction with a detailed documentation of the microstructure. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40831.
Preparation of microgel composite hydrogels by heating natural drying microgel composite polymers
Authors: Zhao Fang , Qin Xuping , Feng Shengyu , Gao Yang
Published: April 2014

Acrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid‐based microgel composite (MC) hydrogels were prepared by heating natural drying MC polymers. It can reduce the influence of water content on the hydrogel properties. The natural drying MC polymer was swelling when the microgel content exceeded 0.5. It was soluble when the microgel content was 0.25, which was used to investigate the heating conditions. Under 50°C, MC hydrogels was obtained and hydrogen bonding was the reason for their formation. The tensile strength increased and the tensile elongation decreased as the heating time increased. When the heating time was 3 h, the tensile elongation decreased, as the heating temperature increased from 50°C to 80°C. However, the tensile strength increased first and then decreased. Under 60°C, the MC hydrogel had a high tensile strength of 155.3 kPa and a high tensile elongation of 313.3%. The more crosslinking density and the formation of covalent crosslinking bonds between the microgel particles and hydrogel matrix led to an increase in the tensile strength. However, the excess crosslinking of the polymer chains under high temperature could reduce the tensile strength. The tensile strength increased as the microgel content increased to 0.75 and then decreased as microgel content further increased. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40841.
In search of a network theory of innovations: Relations, positions, and perspectives
Authors: Leydesdorff Loet , Ahrweiler Petra
Published: April 2014

As a complement toNelson andWinter's (1977) article titled “InSearch of aUsefulTheory ofInnovation,” a sociological perspective on innovation networks can be elaborated usingLuhmann's social systems theory, on the one hand, andLatour's “sociology of translations,” on the other. Because of a common focus on communication, these perspectives can be combined as a set of methodologies.Latour's sociology of translations specifies a mechanism for generating variation in relations (“associations”), whereasLuhmann's systems perspective enables the specification of (functionally different) selection environments such as markets, professional organizations, and political control. Selection environments can be considered as mechanisms of social coordination that can self‐organize—beyond the control of human agency—into regimes in terms of interacting codes of communication. Unlike relatively globalized regimes, technological trajectories are organized locally in “landscapes.” A resulting “duality of structure” (Giddens, 1979) between the historical organization of trajectories and evolutionary self‐organization at the regime level can be expected to drive innovation cycles. Reflexive translations add a third layer of perspectives to (a) the relational analysis of observable links that shape trajectories and (b) the positional analysis of networks in terms of latent dimensions. These three operations can be studied in a single framework, but using different methodologies.Latour's first‐order associations can then be analytically distinguished from second‐order translations in terms of requiring other communicative competencies. The resulting operations remain infrareflexively nested, and can therefore be used for innovative reconstructions of previously constructed boundaries.
Getting a second opinion: Social capital, digital inequalities, and health information repertoires
Authors: Chen Wenhong , Lee Kye‐Hyoung , Straubhaar Joseph D. , Spence Jeremiah
Published: April 2014

This research adopts a repertoire approach to examine the concept of a health information repertoire defined as a set of sources through which people get health information. Drawing on a random sample survey in Austin, TX, it borrows the concepts of cultural omnivores and univores to investigate how health information repertoire are related to social capital and digital inequalities. Results demonstrate that both the size and the composition of health information repertoires vary by social and digital connectivity. People with greater social capital have a larger repertoire and are less likely to be univores dependent on the Internet or interpersonal contacts. People with Internet access have a larger repertoire and are less likely to be univores dependent on television. More skilled Internet users are less likely to be univores dependent on interpersonal contacts, whereas frequent Internet users are more likely to be omnivores with a four‐channel repertoire including the Internet, interpersonal contacts, television, and newspaper. The positive relationship between social capital and repertoire size is stronger among less‐skilled Internet users. There are significant variations in health information repertoires in terms of media access and sociodemographic characteristics. Scholarly and practical implications are discussed.
Citations with different levels of relevancy: Tracing the main paths of legal opinions
Authors: Liu John S. , Chen Hsiao‐Hui , Ho Mei Hsiu‐Ching , Li Yu‐Chen
Published: April 2014

This study explores the effect from considering citation relevancy in the main path analysis. Traditional citation‐based analyses treat all citations equally even though there can be various reasons and different levels of relevancy for one document to reference another. Taking the relevancy level into consideration is intuitively advantageous because it adopts more accurate information and will thus make the results of a citation‐based analysis more trustworthy. This is nevertheless a challenging task. We are aware of no citation‐based analysis that has taken the relevancy level into consideration. The difficulty lies in the fact that the existing patent or patent citation database provides no readily available relevancy level information. We overcome this issue by obtaining citation relevancy information from a legal database that has relevancy level ranked by legal experts. This paper selects trademark dilution, a legal concept that has been the subject of many lawsuit cases, as the target for exploration. We apply main path analysis, taking citation relevancy into consideration, and verify the results against a set of test cases that are mentioned in an authoritative trademark book. The findings show that relevancy information helps main path analysis uncover legal cases of higher importance. Nevertheless, in terms of the number of significant cases retrieved, relevancy information does not seem to make a noticeable difference.
The modulation of tropical storm activity in the Western North Pacific by the Madden–Julian Oscillation in GEOS‐5 AGCM experiments
Authors: Kim Dongmin , Lee Myong‐In , Kim Hye‐Mi , Schubert Siegfried D. , Yoo Jin Ho
Published: April 2014

This study examines the influence of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) on tropical storm (TS) activity in the western North Pacific, using observations and GEOS‐5 simulations at 50‐km horizontal resolution. While GEOS‐5 produces an MJO of faster propagation and weaker amplitude, it nevertheless reproduces the observed modulation of TS activity by the MJO with the highest TS genesis and increased track density in the active phases of MJO. The study suggests that the simulation of the sub‐seasonal variability of TS activity could be improved by improving the simulations of the MJO in climate models.
Biology of purinergic signalling: Its ancient evolutionary roots, its omnipresence and its multiple functional significance
Authors: Verkhratsky Alexei , Burnstock Geoffrey
Published: April 2014

The purinergic signalling system, which utilises ATP, related nucleotides and adenosine as transmitter molecules, appeared very early in evolution: release mechanisms and ATP‐degrading enzymes are operative in bacteria, and the first specific receptors are present in single cell eukaryotic protozoa and algae. Further evolution of the purinergic signalling system resulted in the development of multiple classes of purinoceptors, several pathways for release of nucleotides and adenosine, and a system of ectonucleotidases controlling extracellular levels of purinergic transmitters. The purinergic signalling system is expressed in virtually all types of tissues and cells, where it mediates numerous physiological reactions and contributes to pathological responses in a variety of diseases.
Development of a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of Grayanotoxins in rat blood and its application to toxicokinetic study
Authors: Cho Hwang Eui , Ahn Su Youn , Kim Dong‐Woo , Woo Sang‐Hee , Park Seung‐Hyeok , Hwang Kyunghwa , Moon Dong‐Cheul , Kim Suncheun
Published: April 2014

A sensitive and specific high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of Grayanotoxin I (GTX I) and Grayanotoxin III (GTX III) in rat whole blood. Grayanotoxins (GTXs) and clindamycin as internal standard (IS) were extracted from rat blood via solid‐phase extraction using PEP solid‐phase extraction cartridges. Chromatographic separation of the analytes was achieved on a Kinetex C18 (100 × 2.1 mm, 2.6 µm) reversed‐phase column using a gradient elution with the mobile phase of 1% acetic acid in water and methanol at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was operated in the positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring. The calibration curves obtained were linear over the concentration range of 1–100 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 1 ng/mL for GTXs. The relative standard deviation of intra‐day and inter‐day precision was below 6.8% and accuracy ranged from 94.8 to 106.6%. The analytes were stable in the stability studies. The validated method was successfully applied to the quantification and toxicokinetic study of GTXs in rats for the first time after oral administration of 11.52 mg/kg mad honey and 0.35 mg/kg GTX III, respectively. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fragmentation patterns study of iridoid glycosides in Fructus Gardeniae by HPLC‐Q/TOF‐MS/MS
Authors: Fu Zhiwen , Xue Rui , Li Zhixiong , Chen Mingcang , Sun Zhaolin , Hu Yiyang , Huang Chenggang
Published: April 2014

Iridoid glycosides (IGs), the major constituents in Fructus Gardeniae, have demonstrated various pharmacological activities, but there is no systematic chemical profile of IGs in Fructus Gardeniae in the published literature until now. Therefore, it is imperative that a rapid and sensitive high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐Q/TOF‐MS/MS) method is established for comprehensive characterization of IGs in Fructus Gardeniae. Firstly, the fragmentation patterns of six known IGs were investigated and proposed and further concluded the diagnostic fragment ions and characteristic fragmentation pathways. Then, based on the summarized fragmentation patterns and the known compounds in the literatures, the other IGs in Fructus Gardeniae were identified successively. As a result, a total of 20 IGs were identified, of which three pairs of epimers were structurally characterized and differentiated. More importantly, one compound, the isoshanzhiside methyl ester, was tentatively identified as a new compound. The results of this study demonstrate the superiority of HPLC‐MS with a high‐resolution mass spectrometer for the rapid and sensitive structural elucidation of the multiple groups of constituents in Fructus Gardeniae. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Retrospective analysis of Guillain–Barré syndrome and Fisher syndrome after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Tsuboi Hirofumi , Sugeno Naoto , Tateyama Maki , Nakashima Ichiro , Hasegawa Takafumi , Kuroda Hiroshi , Kaneko Kimihiko , Kobayashi Michiko , Ishigaki Aya , Fujimori Juichi , Aoki Masashi
Published: April 2014

Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) and Fisher syndrome (FS) are immune‐mediated peripheral neuropathies, and most of these cases were known to be associated with a preceding infection. Recent reports evidenced an increase in the number of infectious disease cases after the earthquake. The aim of this report is to investigate the incidence and clinical features of GBS and FS after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We found GBS and FS patients had markedly increased in 2011, the year of the earthquake. In regard to an antecedent illness, gastrointestinal infection was significantly increased in GBS patients after the earthquake. These results suggest environmental factors including infectious agents and stress caused by the earthquake might have been involved in the outbreak of the diseases.
Insertion of core CpG island element into human CMV promoter for enhancing recombinant protein expression stability in CHO cells
Authors: Mariati  , Yeo Jessna H. M. , Koh Esther Y. C. , Ho Steven C. L. , Yang Yuansheng
Published: April 2014

The human cytomegalovirus promoter (hCMV) is susceptible to gene silencing in CHO cells, most likely due to epigenetic events, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. The core CpG island element (IE) from the hamster adenine phosphoribosyltransferase gene has been shown to prevent DNA methylation. A set of modified hCMV promoters was developed by inserting one or two copies of IE in either forward or reverse orientations either upstream of the hCMV enhancer, between the enhancer and core promoter (CP), or downstream of the CP. The modified hCMV with one copy of IE inserted between the enhancer and core promoter in reverse orientation (MR1) was most effective at enhancing expression stability without compromising expression level when compared with the wild‐type (WT) hCMV. A third of 18 EGFP expressing clones generated using MR1 retained 70% of their starting expression level after 8 weeks of culture in the absence of selection pressure, while none of 18 WT hCMV generated clones had expression above 50%. MR1 also improved antibody expression stability of methotrexate (MTX) amplified CHO cell lines. Stably transfected pools generated using MR1 maintained 62% of their original monoclonal antibody titer after 8 weeks of culture in the absence of MTX, compared to only 37% for WT hCMV pools. Low levels of CpG methylation within both WT hCMV and MR1 were observed in all the analyzed cell lines and the methylation levels did not correlate to the expression stability, suggesting IE enhances expression stability by other mechanisms other than preventing methylation. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:523–534, 2014
Outcome comparison of African‐American and caucasian patients with severe aortic stenosis subjected to transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A single‐center experience
Authors: Minha Sa'ar , Barbash Israel M. , Magalhaes Marco A. , Ben‐Dor Itsik , Okubagzi Petros G. , Pendyala Lakshmana K. , Satler Lowell F. , Pichard Augusto D. , Torguson Rebecca , Waksman Ron
Published: April 2014

Objective

This study aimed to report the outcomes of African Americans (AAs) in the US undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Background

Compared to Caucasians, AAs are reported to have poorer outcomes from most cardiovascular diseases, including high complication rates after surgical aortic valve replacement. The outcomes of AAs undergoing TAVR are not well established.

Methods

Consecutive patients who underwent TAVR were included in this analysis. Patients' baseline characteristics, procedural data, in‐hospital‐ and long‐term outcomes were recorded and a comparison was performed between the AA and Caucasian cohorts.

Results

In a cohort of 469 consecutive patients, 51 (10.8%) were AA and 345 (74.5%) were Caucasian. The remaining patients (n = 73; 15.3%) self‐reported their race as “unknown” or were from other races. Most baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups except for less men (33.3 vs. 50.1%; P = 0.016), a lower mean left ventricular ejection fraction (48.85 ± 16.35 vs. 53.24 ± 13.41%; P = 0.04) and lower rates of atrial fibrillation in AAs (15.7 vs.45.4%; P < 0.001). TAVR procedures in AAs were less frequently performed as part of a clinical trial (60.8 vs. 76.8%; P = 0.014). Most procedural and periprocedural outcome parameters were similar save for a higher rate of hemodynamic instability and postoperative need for intubation in AAs (10.4 vs. 2.5%; P = 0.018 and 29.4 vs. 16.9%; P = 0.03, respectively). This did not translate into a difference in mortality between AAs and Caucasians (30‐day mortality 9.8 vs. 9.9%; P = 0.99; 1‐year mortality 19.6 vs. 24.3%; P = 0.458, respectively).

Conclusion

Unlike with other cardiovascular interventions, this study demonstrates that AA patients referred for TAVR shared similar risks and outcomes when compared to a Caucasian population. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Economic analysis of endovascular interventions for femoropopliteal arterial disease: A systematic review and budget impact model for the United States and Germany
Authors: Pietzsch Jan B. , Geisler Benjamin P. , Garner Abigail M. , Zeller Thomas , Jaff Michael R.
Published: April 2014

Objectives

To study the economic impact on payers and providers of the four main endovascular strategies for the treatment of infrainguinal peripheral artery disease.

Background

Bare metal stents (BMS), drug‐eluting stents (DES), and drug‐coated balloons (DCB) are associated with lower target lesion revascularization (TLR) probabilities than percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), but the economic impact is unknown.

Methods

In December 2012, PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for studies with TLR as an endpoint. The 24‐month probability of TLR for each treatment was weighted by sample size. A decision‐analytic Markov model was used to assess the budget impact from payers' and facility‐providers' perspectives of the four index procedure strategies (BMS, DES, DCB, and PTA). Base cases were developed for U.S. Medicare and the German statutory sickness fund perspectives using current 2013 reimbursement rates.

Results

Thirteen studies with 2,406 subjects were included. The reported probability of TLR in the identified studies varied widely, particularly following treatment with PTA or BMS. The pooled 24‐month probabilities were 14.3%, 19.3%, 28.1%, and 40.3% for DCB, DES, BMS, and PTA, respectively. The drug‐eluting strategies had a lower projected budget impact over 24 months compared to BMS and PTA in both the U.S. Medicare (DCB: $10,214; DES: $12,904; uncoated balloons $13,114; BMS $13,802) and German public health care systems (DCB €3,619; DES €3,632; BMS €4,026; PTA €4,290).

Conclusions

DCB and DES, compared to BMS and PTA, are associated with lower probabilities of target lesion revascularization and cost savings for U.S. and German payers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Photoinduced Color Change and Photomechanical Effect of Naphthalene Diimides Bearing Alkylamine Moieties in the Solid State
Authors: Matsunaga Yuki , Goto Kenta , Kubono Koji , Sako Katsuya , Shinmyozu Teruo
Published: April 2014

Photoinduced color change of naphthalene diimides (NDIs) bearing alkylamine moieties has been observed in the solid state. The color change is attributed to the generation of a NDI radical‐anion species, which may be formed through a photoinduced electron‐transfer process from the alkylamine moiety to the NDI. The photosensitivity of NDIs is highly dependent on the structures of the alkylamine moieties. Crystallographic analysis, kinetic analysis, UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopic measurements, and analysis of the photoproduct suggested that a radical anion was formed through an irreversible process initiated by proton abstraction between an amine radical cation and the neutral amine moiety. The radical anions formed stacks including mixed‐valence stacks and radical‐anion stacks, as shown by the broad absorption bands in near‐IR spectra. These photosensitive NDIs also showed crystal bending upon photoirradiation, which may be associated with a change in the intermolecular distance of the NDI stacks by the formation of monomeric radical anions, mixed‐valence stacks, and radical‐anion stacks.
Asymmetric Synthesis of Tetrahydroquinolines through a [3+2] Cycloaddition Controlled by Dienamine Catalysis
Authors: Li Wenjun , Wei Jia , Jia Qianfa , Du Zhiyun , Zhang Kun , Wang Jian
Published: April 2014

A dienamine‐mediated enantioselective 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition catalyzed by a chiral prolinol silyl ether catalyst has been developed. Removal of the benzamide group of the intermediates could furnish chiral C‐1 substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines (see scheme) in high yields and excellent stereoselectivities.
Applications of Sensor‐Based Sorting for the Processing of Mineral Resources
Authors: Wotruba Hermann , Knapp Henning , Neubert Kilian , Schropp Christian
Published: April 2014

Der primäre Rohstoffsektor steht vor der Herausforderung stetig sinkender Wertstoffgehalte und zunehmend schwieriger aufzubereitender Lagerstätten. Für eine effiziente Gewinnung primärer Rohstoffe ist die Entwicklung und Nutzung innovativer und ressourcenschonender Technologien wie der sensorgestützten Sortierung notwendig. Der Artikel beschreibt die Wirkungsweise der sensorgestützten Sortierung und stellt sowohl Forschungsansätze als auch industrielle Einsätze der sensorgestützten Sortierung in der Mineralaufbereitung dar.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Electrochemical Cells Containing Bulk Metal
Authors: Britton Melanie M.
Published: April 2014

The development of improved energy‐storage devices, as well as corrosion prevention and metal‐electrofinishing technologies, requires knowledge of local composition and transport behaviour in electrolytes near bulk metals, in situ and in real time. It remains a challenge to acquire such data and new analytical methods are required. Recent work shows that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is able to map concentration gradients and visualise electrochemical processes in electrochemical cells containing bulk metals. This recent work, along with the challenges, and solutions, associated with MRI of these electrochemical cells are reviewed.
Hybrid Gels Assembled from Fmoc–Amino Acid and Graphene Oxide with Controllable Properties
Authors: Xing Pengyao , Chu Xiaoxiao , Li Shangyang , Ma Mingfang , Hao Aiyou
Published: April 2014

A supramolecular gel is obtained from the self‐assembly of an ultralow‐molecular‐weight gelator (N‐fluorenyl‐9‐methoxycarbonyl glutamic acid) in good and poor solvents. The gelators can self‐assemble into a lamellar structure, which can further form twisted fibers and nanotubes in the gel phase. Rheological studies show that the gels are robust and rigid, and are able to rapidly self‐recover to a gel after being destroyed by shear force. Fluorescence experiments reveal the aggregation‐induced emission effects of the gel system; the fluorescence intensity is significantly enhanced by gel formation. Graphene oxide (GO) is introduced into the system efficiently to give a hybrid material, and the interaction between gelators–GO sheets is studied. Rheological and fluorescent studies imply that the mechanical properties and the fluorescent emission of the hybrid materials can be fine‐tuned by controlling the addition of GO.
Pulsed PECVD for Low‐temperature Growth of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Baro Mahananda , Gogoi Dolly , Pal Arup Ratan , Adhikary Nirab Chandra , Bailung Heremba , Chutia Joyanti
Published: April 2014

Pulsed plasma‐enhanced (PE)CVD is used for the growth of vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at a low temperature range of 350–490 °C. A pulsed plasma is generated by the application of a rectangular negative pulse to the substrate electrode with an on time of 4.5 μs, off time of 5.5 μs, duty cycle of 45%, and pulse repetition frequency of 100 kHz. CNTs are synthesized from Ni catalyst film of 20–40 nm thickness deposited on a silicon substrate under pressures of 0.01 and 0.5 Torr by magnetron sputtering. The effect of Ni catalyst film morphology on low temperature growth of CNTs by pulsed PECVD is studied. It is found that CNTs grown from Ni catalyst films depend on the process pressure employed to prepare the film by magnetron sputtering. A comparison with the direct current (DC) discharge‐produced CNTs reveals that the growth rate of pulsed plasma‐produced CNTs is two times higher. CH species density is studied using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) by an actinometrical approach, which shows that DC discharge plasma has a higher CH concentration, but still has a lower growth rate. Further, it is observed that using pulsed plasma, growth of CNTs is possible at temperatures down to 350 °C, whereas in the case of DC discharge plasma, CNTs growth is possible only at temperatures down to 450 °C in the present experimental set‐up. Possible reasons for the better performance of pulsed plasma in respect of growth rate and low temperature growth are discussed.
Weight‐for‐length trajectories in the first year of life in children of mothers with eating disorders in a large norwegian cohort
Authors: Perrin Eliana M. , Von Holle Ann , Zerwas Stephanie , Skinner Asheley Cockrell , Reba‐Harrelson Lauren , Hamer Robert M. , Stoltenberg Camilla , Torgersen Leila , Reichborn‐Kjennerud Ted , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: April 2014

Objective

To describe weight‐for‐length (WFL) trajectories in the children (birth‐12 months) of mothers with and without eating disorders.

Method

This study is based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. We categorized women (N = 57,185) based on diagnosis prior to and during pregnancy: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, eating disorder not otherwise specified‐purging subtype, binge eating disorder, or no eating disorder. The primary analysis included a shape invariant model fitted with nonlinear mixed effects to compare growth rates across eating disorder subtypes.

Results

The children of mothers reporting any eating disorder had a lower WFL growth rate from birth to 12 months than the children of mothers without eating disorders, even after adjusting for relative birth weight and some confounders known to affect growth.

Discussion

In this cohort, child WFL was related to maternal eating disorder status before and/or during pregnancy. These differences in growth trajectories warrant further study of long‐term health outcomes and, if replicated, tailoring counseling to mothers with eating disorders during pregnancy. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:406–414)
An ecological paradox: high species diversity and low position of the upper forest line in the Andean Depression
Authors: Peters Thorsten , Braeuning Achim , Muenchow Jannes , Richter Michael
Published: April 2014

Systematic investigations of the upper forest line (UFL) primarily concentrate on mid and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, whereas studies of Neotropical UFLs are still fragmentary. This article outlines the extraordinary high tree diversity at the UFL within the Andean Depression and unravels the links between the comparatively low position of the local UFL, high tree‐species diversity, and climate. On the basis of Gentry′s rapid inventory methodology for the tropics, vegetation sampling was conducted at 12 UFL sites, and local climate (temperature, wind, precipitation, and soil moisture) was investigated at six sites. Monotypic forests dominated by Polylepis were only found at the higher located margins of the Andean Depression while the lower situated core areas were characterized by a species‐rich forest, which lacked the elsewhere dominant tree‐species Polylepis. In total, a remarkably high tree‐species number of 255 tree species of 40 different plant families was found. Beta‐diversity was also high with more than two complete species turnovers. A non‐linear relationship between the floristic similarity of the investigated study sites and elevation was detected. Temperatures at the investigated study sites clearly exceeded 5.5°C, the postulated threshold value for the upper tree growth limit in the tropics. Instead, quasi‐permanent trade winds, high precipitation amounts, and high soil water contents affect the local position of the UFL in a negative way. Interestingly, most of the above‐mentioned factors are also contributing to the high species richness. The result is a combination of a clearly marked upper forest line depression combined with an extraordinary forest line complexity, which was an almost unknown paradox.
Fifty years since Monteith's 1965 seminal paper: the emergence of global ecohydrology
Authors: Dolman A. Johannes , Miralles Diego G. , de Jeu Richard A.M.
Published: April 2014

Since Monteith published his seminal paper on evaporation and introduced the canopy resistance 50 years ago, evaporation research has shown great progress, such that his contribution describing evaporation as the delicate interplay between supply, demand and control, needs a tribute. We first identify the key contributions of John Monteith to this development and then identify a new set of challenges in the field of ecohydrology made possible by his breakthrough. These relate to adequate prediction of the occurrence, frequency and severity of drought, in relation to vegetation water use and resilience, and the interplay between the carbon and water cycles. Importantly, since Monteith published his paper, development of satellite remote sensing has made it possible to generalize site level processes and to investigate vegetation, carbon and water relations at global scale. This emerging field of research, tentatively called global ecohydrology, is set to address key questions related to the resilience and vulnerability of the world's ecosystems to their changing environment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Series of O,N,O‐Tridentate Ligands Zinc(II) Complexes with High Solid‐State Photoluminescence Quantum Yield
Authors: Borbone Fabio , Caruso Ugo , Causà Mauro , Fusco Sandra , Panunzi Barbara , Roviello Antonio , Shikler Rafi , Tuzi Angela
Published: April 2014

Four neutral complexes were synthesized by reaction of tridentate N‐salicylidene‐N′‐aroylhydrazine ligands with zinc(II) acetate and pyridine as a further ligand. The O,N,O‐chelating molecules N‐4‐[octyloxy(phenoxy)]salicylidene‐N′‐fluorobenzoylhydrazine (L1), N‐4‐[octyloxy(phenoxy)]salicylidene‐N′‐(benzothiazolyl)hydrazine (L2), N‐4‐[octyloxy(phenoxy)]salicylidene‐N′‐cyanobenzoylhydrazine (L3), and N‐4‐[octyloxy(phenoxy)]salicylidene‐N′‐nitrobenzoylhydrazine (L4) gave dinuclear O‐bridged complexes Zn2Li2Py2n (n = 1 or 2 in a special case). The ligands and complexes were characterized by mass spectrometry and 1H NMR, UV/Vis, photoluminescence (PL), and FTIR spectroscopy. The structures of the complexes were solved by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Nematogenic phase behavior was detected for some ligands by thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA‐DSC) and optical observations. The solution and solid‐state photoluminescence spectra were recorded and show that the ligands are roughly nonfluorescent, whereas all of the complexes show noteworthy emission in widely different spectral regions. The photoluminescence maxima of the complexes in the solid state are dependent on the acceptor group, and medium‐to‐high PL quantum yields were recorded for all of the crystalline complexes. Both periodic and molecular DFT calculations were performed to rationalize the absorbance of these complexes at the “one‐particle” level.
Reactions of β‐Azolylenamines with Sulfonyl Azides as an Approach to N‐Unsubstituted 1,2,3‐Triazoles and Ethene‐1,2‐diamines
Authors: Efimov Ilya , Bakulev Vasiliy , Beliaev Nikolai , Beryozkina Tetyana , Knippschild Uwe , Leban Johann , Zhi‐Jin Fan , Eltsov Oleg , Slepukhin Pavel , Ezhikova Marina , Dehaen Wim
Published: April 2014

The reactions of β‐azolylenamines 1 with sulfonyl azides 2 in acetonitrile furnished 1H‐4‐(azol‐5‐yl)‐1,2,3‐triazoles 3 in yields of 52–93 %. β‐Benzoylenaminones and β‐nitroenamine of type 1 also reacted with tosyl azide to form the same type of products 3, proving the generality and efficiency of the method for the synthesis of N‐unsubstituted 1,2,3‐triazoles. On the other hand, the reactions of 3‐(1‐aryl‐1,2,3‐triazol‐5‐yl)enamines with tosyl azide in the absence of a solvent afforded a mixture of (E)‐1‐dimethylamino‐2‐tosylaminoethenes 5 and N,N‐dimethyl‐N′‐tosylformamidine 6 in yields of 40–50 and 20 %, respectively. The formation of a variety of compounds from the reactions of enamines 1 with sulfonyl azides 2 is rationalized by the various possible transformations of the intermediate 5‐dimethylamino‐1,2,3‐triazolines 7.
Palladium and TEMPO as Co‐Catalysts in a Desulfinative Homocoupling Reaction
Authors: Ortgies Dirk H. , Chen Fei , Forgione Pat
Published: April 2014

A range of aryl sulfinates can be oxidatively dimerized to generate substituted biphenyls with concomitant extrusion of sulfur dioxide with a palladium catalyst. Catalytic amounts of TEMPO and excess oxygen are utilized as oxidants to regenerate the palladium catalyst.
The effect of acclimatization and ambient temperature on heat withdrawal threshold in rats
Authors: Vítková J. , Loučka M. , Boček J. , Vaculín Š.
Published: April 2014

Background

Nociception in rats is frequently measured in terms of latency of withdrawal reaction to radiant heat (thermal nociceptive threshold). The aim of this study was to determine how much housing acclimatization and ambient temperature affect the results of thermal pain threshold testing.

Methods

All experiments used adult male Wistar rats. Thermal pain thresholds were tested using the radiant heat withdrawal reaction at three different body sites: forepaws, hind paws and tail. Skin temperature was measured using an Infrared thermometer and ambient temperature was set at 18, 20, 24 or 26 °C.

Results

The results demonstrate that (1) thermal pain threshold was inversely related to both ambient and skin temperature; (2) housing acclimatization and repeated testing had no effect on nociceptive thresholds at any of the three body sites; (3) a resting, cranio‐caudal distribution, of nociceptive sensitivity was observed; (4) hind paws and tail were more sensitive to changes of skin and ambient temperature than forepaws.

Conclusion

These findings show the importance of recording laboratory conditions in experiments and their influence on results.
Influence of renal and hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of anacetrapib
Authors: Lauring Brett , Li Xiujiang (Susie) , Liu Yang , Corr Christy , Lazarus Nicole , Cote Josee , Larson Patrick , Levonas Amy O. Johnson , Lasseter Kenneth C. , Preston Richard A. , Smith William B. , Lai Eseng , Wagner John A.
Published: April 2014

Two open‐label, parallel‐group studies evaluated the influence of renal and hepatic insufficiency on the pharmacokinetics of a single‐dose anacetrapib 100 mg. Eligible participants included adult men and women with moderate hepatic impairment (assessed by Child–Pugh criteria) or severe renal impairment (CrCl <30 mL/min/1.73 m2). In both studies, patients were matched (race, age, sex, BMI) with healthy control subjects. Twenty‐four subjects were randomized in each study (12 with either moderate hepatic or severe renal impairment and 12 matched healthy controls). In the hepatic insufficiency study, the geometric mean ratio (GMR; mean value for the group with moderate hepatic insufficiency/mean value for the healthy controls) and 90% CIs for the area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity (AUC0–∞) and the maximum concentration of drug in plasma (Cmax) were 1.16 (0.84, 1.60) and 1.02 (0.71, 1.49), respectively. In the renal insufficiency study, the GMRs (mean value for the group with severe renal insufficiency/mean value for the healthy controls) and 90% CIs for AUC0–∞ and Cmax were 1.14 (0.80, 1.63) and 1.31 (0.93, 1.83), respectively. Anacetrapib was generally well tolerated and there was no clinically meaningful effect of moderate hepatic or severe renal insufficiency on the pharmacokinetics of anacetrapib.
The influence of genetic polymorphism of Cyp2c19 isoenzyme on the pharmacokinetics of clopidogrel and its metabolites in patients with cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Karaźniewicz‐Łada Marta , Danielak Dorota , Rubiś Błażej , Burchardt Paweł , Oszkinis Grzegorz , Główka Franciszek
Published: April 2014

An extensive investigation on pharmacokinetics of clopidogrel and its metabolites as well as pharmacodynamics of the drug was performed in patients with cardiovascular disease carrying various alleles coding CYP2C19 isoenzyme. The influence of non‐genetic factors on the clopidogrel response was also studied. Plasma concentrations of clopidogrel, its carboxylic metabolite, and diastereoisomers of a thiol metabolite (the inactive H3 and the active H4) following an administration of 75 mg of the drug were determined in three groups of patients divided with respect to their CYP2C19 genotype: ultrametabolizers, extensive metabolizers, and intermediate metabolizers. The mean peak plasma concentration of H4 in intermediate metabolizers was 3.1‐ and 2.8‐fold lower than that of ultrametabolizers (P = 0.055) and extensive metabolizers (P = 0.026), respectively. The mean H4 area under the curve (AUC0–24 h) for intermediate metabolizers were significantly lower than that for ultrametabolizers (P = 0.046). Intermediate metabolizers exhibited a significantly higher platelet aggregation than ultrametabolizers and extensive metabolizers (P = 0.035). A multivariate analysis showed that the effect of CYP2C19*2 allele on an ADP‐induced platelet aggregation was better pronounced in the presence of non‐genetic risk factors (P = 0.008).

We concluded that the CYP2C19*2 genotype is the primary determinant of the antiplatelet response to clopidogrel therapy.
Recombinant protein production by sucrose‐utilizing Escherichia coli W: untreated beet molasses‐based feeding strategy development
Authors: Akdağ Burcu , Çalık Pınar
Published: April 2014

BACKGROUND

Untreated beet molasses feeding strategy was developed for recombinant thermostable glucose isomerase (GI) production by sucrose‐utilizing Escherichia coli W.

RESULTS

pRSETA::xylA plasmid carrying GI encoding gene of Thermus thermophilus (xylA) was transferred into E. coli W, and the effects of carbon sources, i.e. glucose, sucrose, and beet molasses containing 50% sucrose, on GI production were investigated. 32 g L−1 beet molasses‐based medium resulted in the highest recombinant GI production (A = 4364.1 U L−1) and cell concentration (CX = 4.2 g L−1) in laboratory‐scale shake‐bioreactors. Using beet molasses as the carbon source, pulse and exponential feeding strategies were designed. The highest recombinant GI production was achieved as 35 265 U L−1 at t = 16 h in V = 3.0 L controlled bioreactors, where the cell concentration was CX = 17 g L−1, by the application of a three‐stage strategy: Stage I (0<t<5 h): batch operation with the beet molasses and (NH4)2HPO4 initial concentrations of CM0 = 32 g L−1 and CN0,(NH4)2HPO4 = 5 g L−1, respectively; Stage II (5≤t<11 h): semi‐batch operation by consecutive pulse feeding of (NH4)2HPO4 containing molasses at t = 5 h and t = 8 h, to increase CM to 32 g L−1 and C (NH4)2HPO4 to 5 g L−1; and Stage III (t ≥11 h): semi‐batch operation by continuous feeding of molasses with the pre‐determined specific growth rate of μ0 = 0.05 h−1, starting at t = 11 h.

CONCLUSIONS

This work demonstrates the significance of the use of beet molasses containing high concentrations of sucrose by designing semi‐batch feeding strategies for the over‐production of recombinant proteins by sucrose‐utilizing E. coli W. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Improved Fe2O3/Al2O3 as heterogeneous Fenton catalysts for the oxidation of phenol solutions in a continuous reactor
Authors: di Luca Carla , Massa Paola , Fenoglio Rosa , Cabello Francisco Medina
Published: April 2014

BACKGROUND

Improved Fe2O3/Al2O3 catalysts were studied for the catalytic oxidation of concentrated phenol solutions (5 g L−1) with H2O2. To enhance catalyst stability, two strategies were investigated: the use of a high calcination temperature and a step of immersion into an organic acid solution. The reaction runs were performed in a continuous reactor at 70°C and atmospheric pressure.

RESULTS

For all the catalysts, almost complete phenol degradation was achieved. The mineralization levels were incomplete, reaching 60 and 50% for the catalysts treated with acetic and oxalic acid, respectively. The leaching levels were reduced from 25% (for the untreated catalyst) to 11% after the immersion in oxalic acid. In all cases, the formation of reversible carbonaceous deposits was observed during reaction and a progressive decay in phenol, TOC and H2O2 conversions was registered.

CONCLUSION

Catalyst resistance to leaching was significantly enhanced by combining both thermal and acidic treatments. These procedures did not affect the catalytic wet hydrogen peroxide oxidation (CWHPO) performance in terms of mineralization levels. The lixiviation levels were acceptable, taking into account the strong acidic reaction medium. Deactivation processes might be primarily associated with the formation of reversible carbonaceous deposits due to intermediates accumulation onto the catalyst surface. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry