bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasticized poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) with improved melt processing and balanced properties
Authors: Panaitescu Denis Mihaela , Nicolae Cristian Andi , Frone Adriana Nicoleta , Chiulan Ioana , Stanescu Paul Octavian , Draghici Constantin , Iorga Michaela , Mihailescu Mona
Published: January 2017

The widespread application of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) in the food packaging and biomedical fields has been hindered by its high brittleness, slow crystallization, poor thermal stability, and narrow processing window. To overcome these limitations, a mixture of biodegradable and biocompatible plasticizers was used to modify PHB. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), acetyl tributyl citrate, poly(ethylene glycol) 4000 (PEG4000), and poly(ethylene glycol) 6000 (PEG6000) were tested to improve PHB melt processing and to achieve balanced thermal and mechanical properties. These plasticizers increased the flexibility and decreased the melt viscosity, improving the processability. The tensile strength was maintained within the limit of experimental error for ESO and decreased slightly (6–7%) for the other plasticizers. PEG6000 and ESO delayed the decomposition process of PHB. The plasticizers did not hinder the crystallization, and poly(ethylene glycol)s increased the crystallinity. The change in the interplanar distance and crystallite size, correlated with lamellar stack dimensions, gave more information on the plasticizers' effects in PHB. The blend with 5 wt % ESO was considered suitable for the fabrication of marketable PHB films. This study showed that it is possible to tailor the rheological, thermal, and mechanical behavior of a commercial PHB through the addition of a second plasticizer. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44810.
Expanded graphite/polydimethylsiloxane composites with high thermal conductivity
Authors: Tao Zechao , Wang Hongbao , Li Xiangfen , Liu Zhanjun , Guo Quangui
Published: January 2017

Expanded graphite (EG)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites with high thermal conductivity and high flexibility are prepared in this work. EG derived from natural graphite flake is infiltrated in PDMS prepolymer solution and then hot pressed in a steel mould at 80 °C for 2 h. Optical microscope and scanning electron microscope investigation reveals the interpenetrating network structures in the EG/PDMS composites. When mass fraction of EG increases to 10.0 wt %, the thermal conductivity of EG/PDMS reaches to 4.70 W/m K which should be attributed to the conductive path of graphite platelets. Meanwhile, the composites have excellent flexibility (the compressive modulus is 0.68 Mpa) because of its continuous PDMS network. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44843.
Diterpenoids from Wedelia prostrata and Their Derivatives and Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Ma Xin‐Hua , Wang Zhi‐Biao , Zhang Lei , Li Wei , Deng Cui‐Min , Zhong Tian‐Hua , Li Guang‐Yu , Zheng Wei‐Ming , Zhang Yong‐Hong
Published: January 2017

One new ent‐kaurane diterpenoid, 11β,16α‐dihydroxy‐ent‐kauran‐19‐oic acid (1), together with eight known analogues 2 – 9 were isolated from the aerial parts of Wedelia prostrata. One of the acidic diterpenoids, kaurenoic acid (3), was converted to seven derivatives, 10 – 16. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity in vitro against human leukemia (K562), liver (HepG‐2), and stomach (SGC‐7901) cancer cell lines. Only four kaurenoic acid derivatives, 13 – 16, with 15‐keto and substitutions at C(19) position, exhibited notable cytotoxic activities on these tumor cell lines with IC50 value ranging from 0.05 to 3.71 μm. Compounds 10 – 12, with oxime on C(15) showed moderate inhibitory effects and compounds 1 – 9 showed no cytotoxicities on them. Structure–activity relationships were also discussed based on the experimental data obtained. The known derivative, 15‐oxokaurenoic acid 4‐piperdin‐1‐ylbutyl ester (17), induced typical apoptotic cell death in colon SW480 cells upon evaluation of the apoptosis‐inducing activity by flow‐cytometric analysis.
Thermotropic MIDA Boronates as a Case Study for the Role of Dipolar Interactions in Liquid Crystalline Self‐Assembly
Authors: Wöhrle Tobias , Gündemir Rafet , Frey Wolfgang , Knecht Friederike , Köhn Andreas , Laschat Sabine
Published: January 2017

A series of MIDA (N‐methylimino diacetic acid) boronates carrying 4‐alkoxy, 3,4‐bisalkoxy, or 3,4,5‐trisalkoxyphenyl substituents were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) techniques such as small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS, respectively). Most derivatives were liquid crystalline. In the case of mono‐ and bisalkoxy‐substituted derivatives, C6 chains already induced smectic A (SmA) mesophases despite the bulky MIDA head group. With increasing chain length, columnar hexagonal (Colh) phases replaced SmA phases in the disubstituted series. Quantum chemical calculations on a series of MIDA boronates show that the B−N bond is a dative bond with a positive charge on the boron atom and negative charges on the nitrogen and oxygen atoms. In addition, no π‐interaction between the aryl moiety and B−N bond was found, thus the mesogenic unit is electronically decoupled from the MIDA head group. These theoretical findings were supported by IR and Raman spectra as well as by asingle crystal structure analysis of 4‐ethoxyphenyl MIDA boronate. Calculations of the electrostatic potential of the MIDA boronate reveal a special polarity pattern that can support the formation of a two‐dimensional network and is likely to explain the liquid crystalline self‐assembly. The absence of any electronic cross‐talk between the MIDA head group and B‐aryl or B‐alkyl substituents allows the efficient tailoring of the mesophase type through variation of the substituents.
A Copper‐based Supramolecular Nanocapsule that Enables Straightforward Purification of Sc3N‐based Endohedral Metallofullerene Soots
Authors: Fuertes‐Espinosa Carles , García‐Simón Cristina , Castro Edison , Costas Miquel , Echegoyen Luis , Ribas Xavi
Published: January 2017

A self‐assembled CuII‐based nanocapsule enables efficient and straightforward isolation of Sc3N@C80 from arc‐processed raw soot. The newly designed CuII‐based supramolecular nanocapsule 5⋅(OTf)8 was used to effectively entrap fullerenes and endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) with different affinities depending on their size and shape. Moreover, we took advantage of the sharply different entrapment abilities of the 5⋅(OTf)8 cage in the solid state versus in solution to encapsulate all the species with the exception of Sc3N@C80 (both Ih and D5h isomers), which remains pure in solution. HPLC quantification determined that up to 85 % of the total Sc3N@C80 content in the initial mixture was recovered in very high purity (>99.5 %). The complete release of the encapsulated species with an orthogonal solvent‐washing strategy regenerates 5⋅(OTf)8 ready to be re‐used. This approach opens new opportunities for EMFs purification.
Enhanced Structural Organization in Covalent Organic Frameworks Through Fluorination
Authors: Alahakoon Sampath B. , McCandless Gregory T. , Karunathilake Arosha A. K. , Thompson Christina M. , Smaldone Ronald A.
Published: January 2017

Here, we report a structure–function study of imine covalent organic frameworks (COFs) comparing a series of novel fluorine‐containing monomers to their non‐fluorinated analogues. We found that the fluorine‐containing monomers produced 2D‐COFs with not only greatly improved surface areas (over 2000 m2 g−1 compared to 760 m2 g−1 for the non‐fluorinated analogue), but also with improved crystallinity and larger, more defined pore diameters. We then studied the formation of these COFs under varying reaction times and temperatures to obtain a greater insight into their mechanism of formation.
Influence of Enhanced O2 Provision on the Discharge Performance of Li–air Batteries by Incorporating Fluoroether
Authors: Wan Hao , Mao Ya , Liu Zixuan , Bai Qingyou , Peng Zhe , Bao Jingjing , Wu Gang , Liu Yang , Wang Deyu , Xie Jingying
Published: January 2017

As the first step during discharge, the mass transfer of oxygen should play a crucial role in Li–air batteries to tailor the growth of discharge products, however, not enough attention has been paid to this issue. Herein, we introduce an oxygen‐enriching cosolvent, 1,2‐(1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethoxy) ethane (FE1), into the electrolyte, and investigate its influence on the discharge performance. The incorporation of this novel cosolvent consistently enhances the oxygen solubility of the electrolyte, and improves the oxygen diffusivity following a volcano‐shape trend peaking at 50 % FE1. It is interesting that the discharge capacities obtained with the investigated electrolytes share the similar volcano trends as the oxygen transport under 50 mA gcarbon−1 and higher current densities. The improved oxygen diffusion could benefit the volumetric utilization of the air cathode, especially at the separator side, probably owing to the fast oxygen transport to moderate its concentration gradient. Our results demonstrate the importance of oxygen provision, which easily becomes the capacity‐determining factor.
From Targets to Action: Rolling up our Sleeves after Paris
Authors: Knopf Brigitte , Fuss Sabine , Hansen Gerrit , Creutzig Felix , Minx Jan , Edenhofer Ottmar
Published: January 2017

At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015 ambitious targets for responding to the threat of climate change have been set: limiting global temperature increase to “well below 2 °C […] and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C”. However, calculating the CO2 budget for 1.5 °C, it becomes clear that there is nearly no room left for future emissions. Scenarios suggest that negative emission technologies will play an even more important role for 1.5 °C than they already play for 2 °C. Especially against this background the feasibility of the target(s) is hotly debated, but this debate does not initiate the next steps that are urgently needed. Already the negotiations have featured the move from targets to implementation which is needed in the coming decade. Most importantly, there is an urgent need to develop and implement instruments that incentivize the rapid decarbonization. Moreover, it needs to be worked out how to link the climate and development agenda and prevent a buildup of coal power causing lock‐in effects. Short term entry points into climate policy should now be in the focus instead of the fruitless debate on the feasibility of targets.
Increased risk of mortality by fibrosis stage in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Dulai Parambir S. , Singh Siddharth , Patel Janki , Soni Meera , Prokop Larry J. , Younossi Zobair , Sebastiani Giada , Ekstedt Mattias , Hagstrom Hannes , Nasr Patrik , Stal Per , Wong Vincent Wai‐Sun , Kechagias Stergios , Hultcrantz Rolf , Loomba Rohit
Published: January 2017

Liver fibrosis is the most important predictor of mortality in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Quantitative risk of mortality by fibrosis stage has not been systematically evaluated. We aimed to quantify the fibrosis stage–specific risk of all‐cause and liver‐related mortality in NAFLD. Through a systematic review and meta‐analysis, we identified five adult NAFLD cohort studies reporting fibrosis stage–specific mortality (0‐4). Using fibrosis stage 0 as a reference population, fibrosis stage–specific mortality rate ratios (MRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all‐cause and liver‐related mortality were estimated. The study is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses statement. Included were 1,495 NAFLD patients with 17,452 patient years of follow‐up. Compared to NAFLD patients with no fibrosis (stage 0), NAFLD patients with fibrosis were at an increased risk for all‐cause mortality, and this risk increased with increases in the stage of fibrosis: stage 1, MRR = 1.58 (95% CI 1.19‐2.11); stage 2, MRR = 2.52 (95% CI 1.85‐3.42); stage 3, MRR = 3.48 (95% CI 2.51‐4.83); and stage 4, MRR = 6.40 (95% CI 4.11‐9.95). The results were more pronounced as the risk of liver‐related mortality increased exponentially with each increase in the stage of fibrosis: stage 1, MRR = 1.41 (95% CI 0.17‐11.95); stage 2, MRR = 9.57 (95% CI 1.67‐54.93); stage 3, MRR = 16.69 (95% CI 2.92‐95.36); and stage 4, MRR = 42.30 (95% CI 3.51‐510.34). Limitations of the study include an inability to adjust for comorbid conditions or demographics known to impact fibrosis progression in NAFLD and the inclusion of patients with simple steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis without fibrosis in the reference comparison group. Conclusion: The risk of liver‐related mortality increases exponentially with increase in fibrosis stage; these data have important implications in assessing the utility of each stage and benefits of regression of fibrosis from one stage to another. (Hepatology 2017;65:1557‐1565).
Epigenetics of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in pancreatic carcinoma
Authors: Träger Max M. , Dhayat Sameer A.
Published: January 2017

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignant diseases with late diagnosis, rapid progression, high invasiveness, and early metastasis. Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial step in metastasis that enables polarized immotile epithelial cells to gain fibroblast‐like mesenchymal abilities such as enhanced motility. The dynamic process of EMT in PDAC with its powerful influence on disease progression and especially metastasis is of vigorous interest in biomedical research to elucidate its signaling pathways and regulation mechanisms. It is evident that epigenetics such as histone and DNA modification or noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs are of high importance in initiation and progress of EMT in PDAC. This review analyzes the latest research dealing with EMT and its epigenetic regulation in PDAC and summarizes its potentials in diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic management.
Magnesium alloy AZ91 exhibits antimicrobial properties in vitro but not in vivo
Authors: Brooks Emily K. , Ahn Richard , Tobias Menachem E. , Hansen Lisa A. , Luke‐Marshall Nicole R. , Wild Linda , Campagnari Anthony A. , Ehrensberger Mark T.
Published: January 2017

Magnesium alloys hold great promise for developing orthopedic implants that are biocompatible, biodegradable, and mechanically similar to bone tissue. This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial properties of magnesium–9%aluminum–1%zinc (AZ91) and commercially pure titanium (cpTi) against Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab307). The in vitro results showed that as compared to cpTi, incubation with AZ91 significantly reduced both the planktonic (cpTi = 3.45e8, AZ91 = 8.97e7, p < 0.001) colony forming units (CFU) and biofilm‐associated (cpTi = 3.89e8, AZ91 = 1.78e7, p = 0.01) CFU of Ab307. However, in vivo results showed no significant differences in the CFU enumerated from the cpTi and AZ91 implants following a 1‐week implantation in an established rodent model of Ab307 implant associated infection (cpTi = 5.23e3, AZ91 = 2.46e3, p = 0.29). It is proposed that the in vitro results were associated with an increased pH in the bacterial culture as a result of the AZ91 corrosion process. The robust in vivo buffering capacity likely diminished this corrosion associated pH antimicrobial effect. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 221–227, 2018.
The role of errors related to DFT methods in calculations involving ion pairs of ionic liquids
Authors: Lage‐Estebanez Isabel , del Olmo Lourdes , López Rafael , García de la Vega José Manuel
Published: January 2017

Ionic liquids (ILs) play a key role in many chemical applications. As regards the theoretical approach, ILs show added difficulties in calculations due to the composition of the ion pair and to the fact that they are liquids. Although density functional theory (DFT) can treat this kind of systems to predict physico–chemical properties, common versions of these methods fail to perform accurate predictions of geometries, interaction energies, dipole moments, and other properties related to the molecular structure. In these cases, dispersion and self‐interaction error (SIE) corrections need to be introduced to improve DFT calculations involving ILs. We show that the inclusion of dispersion is needed to obtain good geometries and accurate interaction energies. SIE needs to be corrected to describe the charges and dipoles in the ion pair correctly. The use of range–separated functionals allows us to obtain interaction energies close to the CCSD(T) level. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Membrane insertion of fusion peptides from Ebola and Marburg viruses studied by replica‐exchange molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Olson Mark A. , Lee Michael S. , Yeh In‐Chul
Published: January 2017

This work presents replica‐exchange molecular dynamics simulations of inserting a 16‐residue Ebola virus fusion peptide into a membrane bilayer. A computational approach is applied for modeling the peptide at the explicit all‐atom level and the membrane‐aqueous bilayer by a generalized Born continuum model with a smoothed switching function (GBSW). We provide an assessment of the model calculations in terms of three metrics: (1) the ability to reproduce the NMR structure of the peptide determined in the presence of SDS micelles and comparable structural data on other fusion peptides; (2) determination of the effects of the mutation Trp‐8 to Ala and sequence discrimination of the homologous Marburg virus; and (3) calculation of potentials of mean force for estimating the partitioning free energy and their comparison to predictions from the Wimley–White interfacial hydrophobicity scale. We found the GBSW implicit membrane model to produce results of limited accuracy in conformational properties of the peptide when compared to the NMR structure, yet the model resolution is sufficient to determine the effect of sequence differentiation on peptide‐membrane integration. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Topologically preserving straightening of spinal cord MRI
Authors: De Leener Benjamin , Mangeat Gabriel , Dupont Sara , Martin Allan R. , Callot Virginie , Stikov Nikola , Fehlings Michael G. , Cohen‐Adad Julien
Published: January 2017

Purpose

To propose a robust and accurate method for straightening magnetic resonance (MR) images of the spinal cord, based on spinal cord segmentation, that preserves spinal cord topology and that works for any MRI contrast, in a context of spinal cord template‐based analysis.

Materials and Methods

The spinal cord curvature was computed using an iterative Non‐Uniform Rational B‐Spline (NURBS) approximation. Forward and inverse deformation fields for straightening were computed by solving analytically the straightening equations for each image voxel. Computational speed‐up was accomplished by solving all voxel equation systems as one single system. Straightening accuracy (mean and maximum distance from straight line), computational time, and robustness to spinal cord length was evaluated using the proposed and the standard straightening method (label‐based spline deformation) on 3T T2‐ and T1‐weighted images from 57 healthy subjects and 33 patients with spinal cord compression due to degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Results

The proposed algorithm was more accurate, more robust, and faster than the standard method (mean distance = 0.80 vs. 0.83 mm, maximum distance = 1.49 vs. 1.78 mm, time = 71 vs. 174 sec for the healthy population and mean distance = 0.65 vs. 0.68 mm, maximum distance = 1.28 vs. 1.55 mm, time = 32 vs. 60 sec for the DCM population).

Conclusion

A novel image straightening method that enables template‐based analysis of quantitative spinal cord MRI data is introduced. This algorithm works for any MRI contrast and was validated on healthy and patient populations. The presented method is implemented in the Spinal Cord Toolbox, an open‐source software for processing spinal cord MRI data.

Level of Evidence: 1

Technical Efficacy: Stage 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1209–1219.
Serious gaming for orthotopic liver transplant anesthesiology: A randomized control trial
Authors: Katz Daniel , Zerillo Jeron , Kim Sang , Hill Bryan , Wang Ryan , Goldberg Andrew , DeMaria Samuel
Published: January 2017

Anesthetic management of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is complex. Given the unequal distributions of liver transplant surgeries performed at different centers, anesthesiology providers receive relatively uneven OLT training and exposure. One well‐suited modality for OLT training is the “serious game,” an interactive application created for the purpose of imparting knowledge or skills, while leveraging the self‐motivating elements of video games. We therefore developed a serious game designed to teach best practices for the anesthetic management of a standard OLT and determined if the game would improve resident performance in a simulated OLT. Forty‐four residents on the liver transplant rotation were randomized to either the gaming group (GG) or the control group (CG) prior to their introductory simulation. Both groups were given access to the same educational materials and literature during their rotation, but the GG also had access to the OLT Trainer. Performance on the simulations were recorded on a standardized grading rubric. Both groups experienced an increase in score relative to baseline that was statistically significant at every stage. The improvements in scores were greater for the GG participants than the CG participants. Overall score improvement between the GG and CG (mean [standard deviation]) was statistically significant (GG, 7.95 [3.65]; CG, 4.8 [4.48]; P = 0.02), as were scores for preoperative assessment (GG, 2.67 [2.09]; CG, 1.17 [1.43]; P = 0.01) and anhepatic phase (GG, 1.62 [1.01]; CG, 0.75 [1.28]; P = 0.02). Of the residents with game access, 81% were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the game overall. In conclusion, adding a serious game to an existing educational curriculum for liver transplant anesthesia resulted in significant learning gains for rotating anesthesia residents. The intervention was straightforward to implement and cost‐effective. Liver Transplantation 23 430–439 2017 AASLD.
Failure evolution of steam‐side oxide scales grown on T91 superheater tubes by acoustic emission technique
Authors: Qi J. , Zhou K. Y. , Huang J. L. , Tu Y. Y.
Published: January 2017

The damage of steam‐side oxide scales grown on the high temperature components of boiler can seriously influence the safety of power plants. In this paper, the uniaxial tension test and the acoustic emission (AE) technique were used to investigate the damage evolution and the failure characteristics of steam‐side oxide scales with varying thicknesses grown on T91 alloy tubes. The AE features associated with the metallographic investigation were adopted to detect the onset of each failure type of oxide scales. The frequency components of AE signals were extracted by the wavelet based method, and the quantitative correlation between failure types and AE signals was established. The surface and interface fracture toughness of the oxide were assessed by the critical state of the failure process. The results showed the quantitative damage evolution of steam‐side oxide scales, and found the oxide thickness had more significant effect on critical strain than the fracture toughness of oxide scales.
Control of electro‐osmotic flow by mixed polymer brushes: Molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Yan Guang , Cao Qianqian , Xin Jingtao , Luo Fei , Zhu Lianqing
Published: January 2017

Molecular dynamics simulations of electro‐osmotic flow through a channel coated by a mixed polymer brush reveal the modulation of electro‐osmotic flow. The mixed polymer brush consists of two types of neutral chains, denoted as PA and PB chains, respectively. The effect of the interaction strength between PA and PB monomers on fluid transport is studied. It was found that the PA‐PB interaction plays an important role in controlling the flow. The mixed polymer brush adopts a layered structure owing to the difference in solvent‐polymer interactions. Stronger shear force from the solvent flow leads to larger extension of polymer chains on the top layer (or PA chains). Such layering structure also causes different coupling between polymer conformational dynamics and fluid dynamics. At high grafting densities, there are remarkable differences in the velocity profiles for different PA‐PB interactions. For repulsive and attractive interactions, the increase of grafting density leads to reduced fluid transport. However, when the attraction between PA and PB interactions becomes stronger, the flow behavior is more complicated depending on the grafting density. Our simulation results indicate the change of ionic distribution induced by the conformational transition due to the PA‐PB interaction has significant contributions to the flow controlling. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1293–1300, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Supramolecular Silicone Elastomers with Healable and Hydrophobic Properties Crosslinked by “Salt‐Forming Vulcanization”
Authors: Lu Hang , Feng Shengyu
Published: January 2017

In this article, supramolecular silicone elastomers with self‐healing function were first prepared by simple and controllable “salt‐forming vulcanization” of polyaminopropylmethylsiloxane with acids. Their structures and micrographs were verified by Fourier transform infrared spectra, Small‐angle X‐ray scattering experiments and atomic force microscope. The experimental results showed that the ion‐association complexes were formed during vulcanization, and the obtained elastomers displayed self‐healing and good mechanical properties even if the cross‐linking agent was excessed. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the elastomers crosslinked by inorganic acid were stable under high temperature. Unexpectedly, bionic structures were observed in the elastomers, which further changed the hydrophobicity of the surfaces of the elastomers physically. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem.2017,55, 903–911
Group contribution method for the swelling behavior of thermo‐responsive hydrogels
Authors: Yang Han Earl , Bae Young Chan
Published: January 2017

A group contribution method is introduced to describe the swelling behavior of thermo‐sensitive hydrogel systems. The accuracy of group contribution calculations is strongly dependent on the choice of thermodynamic model. Therefore, we revise the modified double lattice (MDL) model and develop a new expression for the interaction energy parameter using the association theory of Sanchez to take into account complex polymer/solvent mixing. The net Helmholtz energy for a hydrogel is established by combining the revised MDL model and modified Flory–Rehner elastic model. Group parameters are generated by fitting to experimental swelling data from both homopolymer and copolymer gel systems. The effect of salt on the volume phase transition is modeled by introducing an additional salt‐specific parameter to investigate various stimuli‐response swelling behavior. Calculated swelling equilibria using the new group contribution method shows excellent agreement with experimental data and various stimuli‐response volume phase transitions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017, 55, 455–463
Effect of Electrolytic Plasma Processing on the Removal of Surface Scale for Fe6.5Si Alloy
Authors: Gui Wanyuan , Lin Junpin , Hao Guojian , Qu Yuhai , Jiang Zhipeng , Cheng Fang , Liang Yongfeng , Zhang Hui
Published: January 2017

The principal purpose of this study is to develop an innovation technology for effectively removing surface scale of Fe6.5Si alloy. The surface cleaning of rolled Fe6.5Si alloy has been carried out by electrolytic plasma processing (EPP) for various intervals with an optimized parameters. The characterization analyses confirm that the oxide scale of the rolled steel almost completely disappears after EPP treatment of 40 s. In the meanwhile, the EPP treated surface exhibits the occurrence of relatively fine structure and crater feature due to high power of plasma discharge. It is also found that EPP cleaning has no detrimental impact on the bulk properties of the steel. The effective cleaning of the EPP provides a guidance in surface modification of Fe6.5Si alloy and other metallic materials for future application.
Water sources and water‐use efficiency of desert plants in different habitats in Dunhuang, NW China
Authors: Cui Yong‐Qin , Ma Jian‐Ying , Feng Qi , Sun Jia‐Huan , Sun Wei
Published: January 2017

To understand habitat associated differences in desert plant water‐use patterns, water stable oxygen isotope composition was used to determine water source and leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C) was used to estimate long‐term water‐use efficiency in three typical habitats (saline land, sandy land and Gobi) in Dunhuang. The primary findings are: (1) in the three habitats, plant species used mainly deep soil water (>120 cm), except for Kalidium foliatum in the saline land, which relied primarily on 0–40 cm soil water; (2) in the saline land and Gobi habitat, Alhagi sparsifolia had the most negative foliar δ13C; in the sandy land, Elaeagnus angustifolia leaf was enriched in 13C than the other three species in 2011, but no species differences in foliar δ13C was observed among the four species in 2012; (3) common species (Tamarix ramosissima and A. sparsifolia) may alter their water sources to cope with habitat differences associated changes in soil water availability with deeper water sources were used in the Gobi habitat with lower soil water content (SWC) compared to in the saline land and sandy land; (4) we detected significant habitat differences in foliar δ13C in A. sparsifolia which may have resulted from differences in SWC and soil electrical conductivity. However, no habitat differences in foliar δ13C were observed in T. ramosissima, which may attribute to the strong genetic control in T. ramosissima or the ability to access stable deep soil water. Overall, the results suggest that extremely arid climate, root distribution and soil properties worked together to determine plant water uptake in Dunhuang area.
Feruloylated Products from Coconut Oil and Shea Butter
Authors: Compton David L. , Goodell John R. , Berhow Mark A. , Kenar James A. , Cermak Steven C. , Evans Kervin O.
Published: January 2017

The synthesis of feruloylated coconut oil and feruloylated shea butter were demonstrated in 0.5‐L scale, shaken, batch reactions. Ethyl ferulate and the vegetable oil/fat were combined in a 1.0:1.3 mol ratio in the presence of Candida antartica lipase B immobilized on an acrylic resin (Novozym 435) at 60 °C. The transesterification of ethyl ferulate with coconut oil and shea butter reached equilibrium conversions, after 22 days, of 63 and 70%, respectively, with the shea butter transesterifications producing a white precipitate not observed in the coconut oil transesterifications. The faster transesterification rates, equilibrium conversions and white precipitate were shown to result from di‐ and monoacylglycerols (DAG and MAG) present in the shea butter. The transesterification of ethyl ferulate and coconut oil was also tested in a continuous, enzymatic, packed‐bed bioreactor using Novozym 435 at 60 °C to produce feruloylated coconut oil at rates of 0.5–0.9 kg/day over 4.5 months. The feruloylated coconut oil acylglycerol species were identified by LC–MS analysis of transesterification reactions of ethyl ferulate with medium chain triacylglycerol (TAG) standards, C8–C14. The feruloylated vegetable oils possessed an ultra violet (UV) absorbing λmax 328 nm, making them good UVAII absorbers, as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The feruloylated coconut oil possessed a 17.5% higher absorption capacity than feruloylated shea butter on a per weight basis. All the feruloylated vegetable oils possessed rapid antioxidant capacity (50% reduction of initial radical concentration <5 min) at the concentrations tested, 0.5–2.5 mM. Feruloylated coconut oil possessed chemical and physical characteristics that suggested it would be fungible for feruloylated soybean oil in current retail formulations.
Influence of Soybean Oil Blending with Polylactic Acid (PLA) Films: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation
Authors: Aydın R. Seda Tığlı , Akyol Elvan , Hazer Baki
Published: January 2017

Due to the great interest in oil‐based polymers, which are prepared from renewable resources, different forms and amounts of soybean oil‐based PLA films were prepared and evaluated for their potential usage as a medical biomaterial. Soybean oil, epoxidized soybean oil and auto‐oxidized soybean oil were blended with PLA and PLA/oil films with appropriate oil amounts [2, 7, 14 and 20% (w/w)] were obtained by solvent casting. Thermal stability and plasticization effect were determined by adjusting oil amounts and type. Epoxidized soybean oil blended films showed the smallest increase in elongation breaks (13–20%) and the highest decrease in thermal decomposition temperatures (364–327 °C) compared to other oil blended films. In vitro quantitative and qualitative cytotoxicity results showed no reactivity (grade 0) for the L929 cells treated with 14% (w/w) oil blended PLA films. In vivo irritation and implantation tests concluded that 14% (w/w) oil blended PLA films were non‐irritant. No erythema, no oedema reactions, no traumatic necrosis and foreign debris were observed. Thus, along with superior biocompatibility, PLA/oil films can replace petroleum‐based products for several biomedical uses.
On the Interconnectedness and Prognostic Value of Visual and Auditory Hallucinations in First-Episode Psychosis
Authors: Clark M.L. , Waters F. , Vatskalis T.M. , Jablensky A.
Published: January 2017

Background

Visual hallucinations (VH) are common symptoms in schizophrenia and other psychoses. An understanding of their cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of association with auditory hallucinations (AH) is essential for developing accurate models of hallucinatory phenomena.

Objective

This study presents the most comprehensive examination of the association between VH and AH, and its change over time, in 1303 individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and 469 individuals with chronic schizophrenia.

Method

The samples included data from the WHO multicentre study on the Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders and the Western Australian Family Study of Schizophrenia (WAFSS). Standardized assessment of symptoms and functioning were used to examine the clinical profile and symptom co-occurrence of hallucinations over time.

Results

VH were approximately half as frequent as AH, almost always co-occurred with AH, and tended to be linked to a more severe psychopathological profile. AH and VH at baseline also predicted higher disability, risk of relapse and duration of psychosis after 1 and 2 years, especially when occurring in combination.

Conclusions

The findings point to three hallucination ‘subtypes’ with different symptom profile. The VH + AH combination signals greater psychopathology and a less favourable prognosis, than hallucinations occurring in isolation, and no hallucinations. This conclusion points to one common mechanism for all hallucinations, which can separate into distinct pathways and modalities. For a more complete clinical picture, clinicians should carefully probe for both auditory and VHs in presenting patients.
A Systematic Review on the Effect of Mechanical Stretch on Hypertrophic Scars after Burn Injuries
Authors: Zhang Yu-ting , Li-Tsang Cecilia W.P. , Au Ricky K.C.
Published: January 2017

Objective/Background

To review the effect of mechanical stretch on hypertrophic scars after burn injuries.

Methods

A systematic review of all controlled trials related to the effect of mechanical stretch on post burn hypertrophic scars was conducted. Studies of conservative scar managements that applied mechanical forces parallel to the scar surface, including stretching exercise, massage, and splinting, were appraised. Eligible studies published in English between 1995 and 2016 were extracted from The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Science direct, SPORTDiscus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro). The journals were further screened with inclusion and exclusion criteria. PEDro was selected for further analysis and appraisal.

Results

There were 853 articles identified. After a standardized screening mechanism stipulated, only nine full-text articles were selected for critical appraisal using PEDro. There were five articles of high quality, two of fair quality, and two of poor quality. Detailed training regime and outcomes of nine studies were summarised, including two studies with stretching exercise, six studies with massage, and one study with splinting. The physical parameters of scar assessments and the range of motion on affected areas were compared.

Conclusion

From extensive literature search, there was no strong evidence indicating the positive effect of mechanical stretch using stretching exercise, massage, or splinting on hypertrophic scars. A firm conclusion cannot be drawn for the discrepancy of outcome measures and varied effectiveness. Most of the included studies lacked objective evaluation or control group for comparison. Further high quality studies with larger sample size and using standardized measurements are needed.
The New Self-Governance: A Theoretical Framework
Authors: Maurer Stephen M.
Published: January 2017

Industry has organized increasingly effective self-governance initiatives since the 1980s. Almost all of these are based on the economic leverage of large retailers and manufacturers over their worldwide supply chains. This article documents commonalities in six of the best-studied examples—coffee, dolphin-safe tuna, fisheries, lumber, food processing, and artificial DNA—and offers straightforward economic and political theories to explain them. The theories teach that oligopoly competition can strongly constrain private power so that firms are answerable to a shadow electorate of consumers. Furthermore, rational firms often benefit from ceding significant power to suppliers and NGOs. These results extend traditional arguments that free markets constrain private power and suggest an explicit framework for deciding when private politics are legitimate.1
Pigs and Cattle in Gaul: The Role of Gallic Societies in the Evolution of Husbandry Practices
Authors: Frémondeau Delphine , Nuviala Pauline , Duval Colin
Published: January 2017

In this article we present a comparative study of pig and cattle morphologies, and stable isotope analysis relating to pig demographic management at Levroux Les Arènes (Indre, France), to evaluate changes in husbandry practices between the Iron Age and the Roman period in Gallic societies. Results indicate the establishment of new production and distribution structures, probably before the second centurybc, along with the implementation of a specific size/weight selection for the specialized production of pork. Pig and cattle size evolves progressively from the end of the third centurybc. These changes are likely to be the result of an internal evolution within Gallic societies, based on local herds, but possibly they are a response to a broader changing economic climate. Within the Western Roman Empire, each province, and Italy, follows its own evolutionary pattern, which also differs between pig and cattle, suggesting that each region adapted its husbandry strategies according to its agro-pastoral characteristics, capacities, or ambitions.
When Absence Means Things Are Going Well: Waste Disposal in Roman Towns and its Impact on the Record as Observed in Aquileia
Authors: Furlan Guido
Published: January 2017

Scholars of Roman archaeology, epigraphy, and history are increasingly discussing urban maintenance and waste disposal, but the impact of these phenomena on the archaeological record remains largely understudied. The presence of waste disposal systems in Roman towns entails that a large part of what was discarded was periodically removed from the urban area. This in turn implies that whole historical periods may be underrepresented by the finds recovered within the city. This aspect can be apprehended through the post-excavation analysis of the House of Titus Macer in Aquileia, whose mid-imperial phase, during which thedomuswas inhabited and regularly maintained, is poorly represented. What has been observed suggests that great caution must be exercised when using data collected within urban sites to draw conclusions on ancient economic trends. To tackle this problem, our research agendas should target large extra moenia dumps more frequently.
Rings of Polynomials With Artinian Coefficients
Authors: Johnson F. E. A.
Published: January 2017

We study the extent to which the weak Euclidean and stably free cancellation properties hold for rings of Laurent polynomials with coefficients in an Artinian ring A.
Intraguild interactions between five congeneric species ofThaparocleidus(Monogenoidea) from the freshwater sharkWallago attu, Lucknow, India
Authors: Agrawal N. , Rajvanshi S. , Asthana A.
Published: January 2017

The fish host (Wallago attu) and monogenoid parasite (Thaparocleidussp.) have been recorded during 2 years (2011 and 2012) to investigate intra/interspecific interactions among query species (T. sudhakari(Gusev, 1976) Lim, 1996;T. indicus(Kulkarni, 1969) Lim, 1996;T. gomtius(Jain, 1952) Lim, 1996;T. yogendraiiAgrawal, 1981 andT. wallagoniusJain, 1952) in the light of parasitic worm burden, morphological and molecular data. Each species is highly host specific (oioxenous), with a specialized functional niche. Being niche specialists, they exhibit niche overlapping along with co-existence due to reproductive barrier. Furthermore, a molecular marker, affirming clear-cut genetic variation in spite of structural entities, provides evidence for infra-speciation as well as co-speciation.
Intracellular proteolysis in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar fingerlings (0+) from different biotopes in an Arctic river (Varzuga River, White Sea Basin)
Authors: Nemova Nina N. , Kaivarainen Elena I. , Krupnova Marina Y. , Veselov Aleksey E. , Murzina Svetlana A. , Pavlov Dmitry S.
Published: January 2017

The activity of intracellular proteolytic enzymes was studied in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fingerlings (0+) after hatching from spawning nests and dispersal in the Varzuga River main stem and its Pyatka tributary (Kola Peninsula, White Sea Basin). The study focused on calcium-dependent cytosolic proteinases (µ- and m-calpains), lysosomal proteinases (cathepsins В and D) and collagenase, and determined the free/protein-bound hydroxyproline ratio, which portrays collagenolytic activity. Compared to fingerlings from the Varzuga main stem, the intracellular proteolytic enzyme activity of cysteine proteinase and collagenase was higher in fingerlings from the Pyatka tributary, where current velocities and food availability were higher. These results indicate that there is a higher rate of intracellular protein metabolism in the juveniles from this phenotypic group.
An outbreak of norovirus GI-6 infection following a wedding in North West England
Authors: SMITH K. C. , INNS T. , DECRAENE V. , FOX A. , ALLEN D. J. , SHAH A.
Published: January 2017

In August 2015 a gastroenteritis outbreak occurred following a wedding. An outbreak investigation was undertaken and a cohort study was conducted using an online survey. Of 140 guests, 134 received the survey and 113 responded (84·3% response rate). Seventy respondents met the case definition of vomiting and/or diarrhoea within 72 h of the wedding (61·9% attack rate). Fifteen exposures were associated with illness; on stratification, all were confounded by the ham hock starter. Multivariable analysis showed a significant association with exposure to ham hock (risk ratio 6·62, 95% confidence interval 2·19–20·03). Eight guests and two catering staff submitted stool samples. All tested positive for norovirus GI-6 infection, including a food handler who had vomiting less than 48 h before the wedding. A single genotype was detected among all samples, suggesting a single source of contamination. The transmission pattern suggested point-source exposure. The most plausible cause of the outbreak was transmission from an infected food handler via contaminated food. This highlights the importance of appropriate exclusions for symptomatic food handlers. Additionally, the food handler's stool sample was submitted 7 days after symptom resolution. The potential for extended viral excretion, and the extremely low infective dose of norovirus, may mean that current exclusion guidelines are not of sufficient duration.
Execution time of λ-terms via denotational semantics and intersection types
Authors: DE CARVALHO DANIEL
Published: January 2017

The multiset-based relational model of linear logic induces a semantics of the untyped λ-calculus, which corresponds with a non-idempotent intersection type system, System R. We prove that, in System R, the size of type derivations and the size of types are closely related to the execution time of λ-terms in a particular environment machine, Krivine's machine.
Natural language processing in mental health applications using non-clinical texts
Authors: CALVO RAFAEL A. , MILNE DAVID N. , HUSSAIN M. SAZZAD , CHRISTENSEN HELEN
Published: January 2017

Natural language processing (NLP) techniques can be used to make inferences about peoples’ mental states from what they write on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. These inferences can then be used to create online pathways to direct people to health information and assistance and also to generate personalized interventions. Regrettably, the computational methods used to collect, process and utilize online writing data, as well as the evaluations of these techniques, are still dispersed in the literature. This paper provides a taxonomy of data sources and techniques that have been used for mental health support and intervention. Specifically, we review how social media and other data sources have been used to detect emotions and identify people who may be in need of psychological assistance; the computational techniques used in labeling and diagnosis; and finally, we discuss ways to generate and personalize mental health interventions. The overarching aim of this scoping review is to highlight areas of research where NLP has been applied in the mental health literature and to help develop a common language that draws together the fields of mental health, human-computer interaction and NLP.
Three Reasons Why Earth Scientists Should Edit Wikipedia
Authors: Goldstein Evan
Published: January 2017

Are you looking to communicate science more broadly? Start by editing articles on the Internet's most popular general reference work.