bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How is the Jovian main auroral emission affected by the solar wind?
Authors: Chané E. , Saur J. , Keppens R. , Poedts S.
Published: January 2017

The influence of the solar wind on Jupiter's magnetosphere is studied via three‐dimensional global MHD simulations. We especially examine how solar wind density variations affect the main auroral emission. Our simulations show that a density increase in the solar wind has strong effects on the Jovian magnetosphere: the size of the magnetosphere decreases, the field lines are compressed on the dayside and elongated on the nightside (this effect can be seen even deep inside the magnetosphere), and dawn‐dusk asymmetries are enhanced. Our results also show that the main oval becomes brighter when the solar wind is denser. But the precise response of the main oval to such a density enhancement in the solar wind depends on the local time: on the nightside the main oval becomes brighter, while on the dayside it first turns slightly darker for a few hours and then also becomes brighter. Once the density increase in the solar wind reaches the magnetosphere, the magnetopause moves inward, and in less than 5 h, a new approximate equilibrium position is obtained. But the magnetosphere as a whole needs much longer to adapt to the new solar wind conditions. For instance, the total electrical current closing in the ionosphere slowly increases during the simulation and it takes about 60 h to reach a new equilibrium. By then the currents have increased by as much as 45%.
Deep convective cloud characterizations from both broadband imager and hyperspectral infrared sounder measurements
Authors: Ai Yufei , Li Jun , Shi Wenjing , Schmit Timothy J. , Cao Changyong , Li Wanbiao
Published: January 2017

Deep convective storms have contributed to airplane accidents, making them a threat to aviation safety. The most common method to identify deep convective clouds (DCCs) is using the brightness temperature difference (BTD) between the atmospheric infrared (IR) window band and the water vapor (WV) absorption band. The effectiveness of the BTD method for DCC detection is highly related to the spectral resolution and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of the WV band. In order to understand the sensitivity of BTD to spectral resolution and SNR for DCC detection, a BTD to noise ratio method using the difference between the WV and IR window radiances is developed to assess the uncertainty of DCC identification for different instruments. We examined the case of AirAsia Flight QZ8501. The brightness temperatures (Tbs) over DCCs from this case are simulated for BTD sensitivity studies by a fast forward radiative transfer model with an opaque cloud assumption for both broadband imager (e.g., Multifunction Transport Satellite imager, MTSAT‐2 imager) and hyperspectral IR sounder (e.g., Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) instruments; we also examined the relationship between the simulated Tb and the cloud top height. Results show that despite the coarser spatial resolution, BTDs measured by a hyperspectral IR sounder are much more sensitive to high cloud tops than broadband BTDs. As demonstrated in this study, a hyperspectral IR sounder can identify DCCs with better accuracy.
The power of vertical geolocation of atmospheric profiles from GNSS radio occultation
Authors: Scherllin‐Pirscher Barbara , Steiner Andrea K. , Kirchengast Gottfried , Schwärz Marc , Leroy Stephen S.
Published: January 2017

High‐resolution measurements from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) provide atmospheric profiles with independent information on altitude and pressure. This unique property is of crucial advantage when analyzing atmospheric characteristics that require joint knowledge of altitude and pressure or other thermodynamic atmospheric variables. Here we introduce and demonstrate the utility of this independent information from RO and discuss the computation, uncertainty, and use of RO atmospheric profiles on isohypsic coordinates—mean sea level altitude and geopotential height—as well as on thermodynamic coordinates (pressure and potential temperature). Using geopotential height as vertical grid, we give information on errors of RO‐derived temperature, pressure, and potential temperature profiles and provide an empirical error model which accounts for seasonal and latitudinal variations. The observational uncertainty of individual temperature/pressure/potential temperature profiles is about 0.7 K/0.15%/1.4 K in the tropopause region. It gradually increases into the stratosphere and decreases toward the lower troposphere. This decrease is due to the increasing influence of background information. The total climatological error of mean atmospheric fields is, in general, dominated by the systematic error component. We use sampling error‐corrected climatological fields to demonstrate the power of having different and accurate vertical coordinates available. As examples we analyze characteristics of the location of the tropopause for geopotential height, pressure, and potential temperature coordinates as well as seasonal variations of the midlatitude jet stream core. This highlights the broad applicability of RO and the utility of its versatile vertical geolocation for investigating the vertical structure of the troposphere and stratosphere.
A 1‐D variational retrieval of temperature, humidity, and liquid cloud properties: Performance under idealized and real conditions
Authors: Ebell K. , Löhnert U. , Päschke E. , Orlandi E. , Schween J. H. , Crewell S.
Published: January 2017

An extended version of the Integrated Profiling Technique (IPT) is presented. The IPT combines measurements from cloud radar and microwave radiometer (MWR) with prior information in a 1D‐Var approach in order to retrieve physically consistent atmospheric profiles of temperature, absolute humidity, liquid water content (LWC), and recently also cloud droplet effective radius (REF). Physical consistency implies the reproducibility of the measurements within the uncertainties. Results based on synthetic observations revealed a good retrieval performance with a high convergence rate of 98%. Retrieval uncertainties are typically around 0.06 g m−3 for LWC and 0.6 μm for REF. For the application to real measurements, quality‐controlled, bias‐free observations are crucial. A newly developed MWR spectral consistency check, which was applied to the measurements at the Jülich Observatory for Cloud Evolution (JOYCE), revealed strongly bias‐affected channels. The IPT itself can serve as a further quality check: particularly in clear‐sky cases, nonconvergence or physically inconsistent solutions may hint at measurement offset errors. Based on sensitivity studies, the final set of MWR frequencies was identified and the retrieval applied to 1 year of data. Physically consistent solutions could be found in 62% of all processed cases. A focus was put on the analysis of nondrizzling single‐layer water clouds which typically have small geometrical thicknesses (<300 m), low liquid water paths (<50 g m−2), and small REF (<5 μm). The retrieved data product contains a high potential for the analysis of warm cloud characteristics and, in combination with auxiliary information from the JOYCE instrumentation, of associated boundary layer processes.
Recent Progress in Energy‐Driven Water Splitting
Authors: Tee Si Yin , Win Khin Yin , Teo Wee Siang , Koh Leng‐Duei , Liu Shuhua , Teng Choon Peng , Han Ming‐Yong
Published: January 2017

Hydrogen is readily obtained from renewable and non‐renewable resources via water splitting by using thermal, electrical, photonic and biochemical energy. The major hydrogen production is generated from thermal energy through steam reforming/gasification of fossil fuel. As the commonly used non‐renewable resources will be depleted in the long run, there is great demand to utilize renewable energy resources for hydrogen production. Most of the renewable resources may be used to produce electricity for driving water splitting while challenges remain to improve cost‐effectiveness. As the most abundant energy resource, the direct conversion of solar energy to hydrogen is considered the most sustainable energy production method without causing pollutions to the environment. In overall, this review briefly summarizes thermolytic, electrolytic, photolytic and biolytic water splitting. It highlights photonic and electrical driven water splitting together with photovoltaic‐integrated solar‐driven water electrolysis.
Biocatalysis with Unnatural Amino Acids: Enzymology Meets Xenobiology
Authors: Agostini Federica , Völler Jan‐Stefan , Koksch Beate , Acevedo‐Rocha Carlos G. , Kubyshkin Vladimir , Budisa Nediljko
Published: January 2017

The goal of xenobiology is to design biological systems endowed with unusual biochemical functions, whereas enzymology concerns the study of enzymes, the workhorses of biocatalysis. Biocatalysis employs enzymes and organisms to perform useful biotransformations in synthetic chemistry and biotechnology. During the past few years, the effects of incorporating noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into enzymes with potential applications in biocatalysis have been increasingly investigated. In this Review, we provide an overview of the effects of new chemical functionalities that have been introduced into proteins to improve various facets of enzymatic catalysis. We also discuss future research avenues that will complement unnatural mutagenesis with standard protein engineering to produce novel and versatile biocatalysts with applications in synthetic organic chemistry and biotechnology.
Biorefining in the UK: Perspectives on opportunities, challenges,the future
Authors: Deswarte Fabien
Published: January 2017

This Feature provides an insight into the potential of the UK bioeconomy from the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC). The BDC is an R&D centre that helps businesses develop ways to convert plants, microbes, and biowastes into profitable biorenewable products. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Acquired hemophilia A in a patient treated by Ginkgo‐dipyridamolum
Authors: Liu Jinbo , Wang Hongyu , Shang Guangyun , Wang Lichun , Zhao Hongwei , Liu Huan
Published: January 2017

Key Clinical Message

Acquired hemophilia A might be caused by Ginkgo‐dipyridamolum especially by Ginkgo, and it was successfully treated with hemostasis and immune‐suppression therapy including methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide.
The role of diode array ultraviolet detection for the identification of synthetic cathinones
Authors: Rowe Walter F. , Marginean Ioan , Carnes Stephanie , Lurie Ira S.
Published: January 2017

The utility of diode array ultraviolet (UV) detection for aiding in the identification of synthetic cathinones, including different sub‐classes and positional isomers is presented. For 35 synthetic cathinones, unique UV spectra are obtained for seven sub‐classes, including mostly beta ketones, where position and type of substitution on benzene rings give rise to differences in UV maxima and relative intensity of the spectral bands. This aspect is key to distinguishing positional isomers that contain differences in R substitution (mono and di) around the benzene ring, which provides complementary information to electron ionization mass spectrometry, where the latter technique cannot distinguish between these types of positional isomers. In addition, it is possible to ascertain the substitution position based on the UV spectra. For ten sets of positional isomers, it was possible to distinguish most of the positional isomers within a set. For ultra‐high performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC) versus reversed phase ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), there was at least a 10 nm blue shift in UV maximum (shift to shorter wavelengths). This highlights the importance of taking in account the effect of mobile phase on the UV maximum when performing method development in UHPSFC. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth‐form and spatiality driving the functional difference of native and alien aquatic plants in Europe
Authors: Lukács Balázs A. , Vojtkó Anna E. , Mesterházy Attila , Molnár V Attila , Süveges Kristóf , Végvári Zsolt , Brusa Guido , Cerabolini Bruno E. L.
Published: January 2017

Trait‐based approaches are widely used in community ecology and invasion biology to unravel underlying mechanisms of vegetation dynamics. Although fundamental trade‐offs between specific traits and invasibility are well described among terrestrial plants, little is known about their role and function in aquatic plant species. In this study, we examine the functional differences of aquatic alien and native plants stating that alien and native species differ in selected leaf traits. Our investigation is based on 60 taxa (21 alien and 39 native) collected from 22 freshwater units of Hungarian and Italian lowlands and highlands. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the effects of nativeness on four fundamental traits (leaf area, leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area, and leaf nitrogen content), while the influence of growth‐form, altitude, and site were employed simultaneously. We found significantly higher values of leaf areas and significantly lower values of specific leaf areas for alien species if growth‐form was included in the model as an additional predictor.We showed that the trait‐based approach of autochthony can apply to aquatic environments similar to terrestrial ones, and leaf traits have relevance in explaining aquatic plant ecology whether traits are combined with growth‐forms as a fixed factor. Our results confirm the importance of traits related to competitive ability in the process of aquatic plant invasions. Alien aquatic plants can be characterized as species producing soft leaves faster. We argue that the functional traits of alien aquatic plants are strongly growth‐form dependent. Using the trait‐based approach, we found reliable characteristics of aquatic plants related to species invasions, which might be used, for example, in conservation management.
Asymmetric Synthesis of Quaternary β‐Perfluorophenyl‐β‐amino‐indolin‐2‐ones
Authors: Zhang Wenzhong , Sha Wanxing , Zhu Yi , Han Jianlin , Soloshonok Vadim A. , Pan Yi
Published: January 2017

Reported herein is a design and synthesis of N‐tert‐butylsulfinyl‐(perfluoro)benzaldimine, and a study of its reactivity and stereocontrolling properties in Mannich addition reactions with indolinone derived tertiary enolates generated in situ. The corresponding products, quaternary β‐perfluorophenyl‐β‐amino‐indolin‐2‐ones, were obtained with good to excellent yields and diastereoselectivity, underscoring the exciting synthetic potential of this newly introduced pentafluorophenyl‐containing chiral imine.
Removal of nitric oxide from flue gas using sulfate/hydroxyl radicals from activation of oxone with cobalt and high temperature
Authors: Xu Wen , Liu Yangxian , Wang Qian , Zhang Jun , Pan Jianfeng
Published: January 2017

A simple and efficient method for removing NO from flue gas using sulfate and hydroxyl free radicals from activation of Oxone with cobalt and high temperature has been developed. A comparison of NO removal efficiencies and the yields of sulfate and hydroxyl free radicals in several reaction systems were carried out. Co2+ concentration, Oxone concentration, solution pH, flue gas flow rate, stirring rate, solution temperature, and NO inlet concentration were evaluated as the key factors impacting on NO removal efficiency. The highest removal efficiency of 94.9% for NO was achieved under optimal conditions. The sulfate and hydroxyl radicals as the major reactive species which are responsible for removing NO were determined using ESR spectrometer. The NO is finally oxidized to nitric acid through a series of redox reactions. The chemical reaction mechanism of NO removal has also been proposed. These results prove the feasibility of this new NO removal technology. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1013–1021, 2017
Evaluation of a standardized ward round in a prenatal inpatient setting
Authors: Christensen Katie , Janssens Sarah , Beckmann Michael
Published: January 2017

Objective

To evaluate the impact of incorporating a standardized ward round (SWR) tool including checklists for communication, safety, and efficiency into ward rounds.

Methods

A prospective non‐randomized, before‐and‐after observational study was conducted at a tertiary maternity hospital in Brisbane, Australia, between October 1, 2014, and October 1, 2015. Obstetric team members performing prenatal ward rounds used role‐specific lanyards prompting the structure of each consultation. Rounds were audited before and after the introduction of the SWR for safety checks, hand hygiene, the duration of patient encounters, and plan congruity. Patients completed a paper‐based satisfaction survey. Results from before and after the introduction of the SWR were compared.

Results

There were 71 conventional ward rounds and 79 SWRs audited, and no difference was found in the mean duration of patient encounters (P=0.566). SWRs were associated with increased rates of each of the five safety checks being performed and of hand hygiene being observed correctly (all P<0.001). SWR was also associated with a greater proportion of patients indicating that they understood their plan of care.

Conclusion

The use of a structured tool for ward rounds improved communication with patients, increased the frequency of safety checks being performed, and improved hand hygiene without prolonging ward rounds.
Increasing dietary nitrate has no effect on cancellous bone loss or fecal microbiome in ovariectomized rats
Authors: Conley Melissa N. , Roberts Cooper , Sharpton Thomas J. , Iwaniec Urszula T. , Hord Norman G.
Published: January 2017

Scope

Studies suggest diets rich in fruit and vegetables reduce bone loss, although the specific compounds responsible are unknown. Substrates for endogenous nitric oxide (NO) production, including organic nitrates and dietary nitrate, may support NO production in age‐related conditions, including osteoporosis. We investigated the capability of dietary nitrate to improve NO bioavailability, reduce bone turnover and loss.

Methods and results

Six‐month‐old Sprague Dawley rats [30 ovariectomized (OVX) and 10 sham‐operated (sham)] were randomized into three groups: (i) vehicle (water) control, (ii) low‐dose nitrate (LDN, 0.1 mmol nitrate/kg bw/day), or (iii) high‐dose nitrate (HDN, 1.0 mmol nitrate/kg bw/day) for three weeks. The sham received vehicle. Serum bone turnover markers; bone mass, mineral density, and quality; histomorphometric parameters; and fecal microbiome were examined. Three weeks of LDN or HDN improved NO bioavailability in a dose‐dependent manner. OVX resulted in cancellous bone loss, increased bone turnover, and fecal microbiome changes. OVX increased relative abundances of Firmicutes and decreased Bacteroideceae and Alcaligenaceae. Nitrate did not affect the skeleton or fecal microbiome.

Conclusion

These data indicate that OVX affects the fecal microbiome and that the gut microbiome is associated with bone mass. Three weeks of nitrate supplementation does not slow bone loss or alter the fecal microbiome in OVX.
d‐Chiro inositol ameliorates endothelial dysfunction via inhibition of oxidative stress and mitochondrial fission
Authors: Zhang Bobo , Guo Xudan , Li Yunlong , Peng Qiang , Gao Jinfeng , Liu Baolin , Wang Min
Published: January 2017

Scope

d‐chiro inositol (DCI), an isomer of inositol, possesses anti‐oxidative and endothelial protective properties. The mechanism by which DCI prevents endothelial dysfunction was investigated, with emphasis on oxidative stress.

Methods and results

DCI was found to inhibit NOX4 induction and enhance Nrf2 activity in palmitate (PA)‐stimulated cells, showing that DCI prevents oxidative stress. DCI suppressed Ser616 phosphorylation and increased Ser637 phosphorylation of Drp1 and inhibited PA‐induced mitochondrial fission. Knockdown of Drp1 attenuated NOX4 over‐expression and increased the inhibitory effect of DCI. In addition, DCI enhanced AMPK activity through the LKB1‐dependent pathway. AMPK knockdown diminished the inhibitory effect of DCI on Drp1/NOX4 induction, indicating that AMPK is essential for Drp1 and NOX4 suppression by DCI. As a result, DCI inhibited cell apoptosis against PA insults. Consistent with the effects observed in cells, DCI reversed endothelial dysfunction in rat aorta rings under lipid‐challenged conditions. In high fat‐fed mice, oral administration of DCI inhibited Drp1/NOX4 induction and enhanced NO generation in the aortic endothelium, confirming its protective role in endothelial function in vivo.

Conclusion

Drp1 activation‐induced mitochondrial fission and NOX4 over‐expression are associated with endothelial injury. DCI prevented endothelial dysfunction by inhibiting oxidative stress and mitochondrial fission in an AMPK‐dependent manner.
NMR line‐fitting quantification of polysaccharide N‐acylurea‐based modification in glycoconjugates of Salmonella Typhi Vi polysaccharide
Authors: Garrido Raine , Soubal Jean Pierre , Torres Leonid , Ramírez Ubel , Vérez Vicente
Published: January 2017

The polysaccharides modification via carbodiimide reaction is one of the most applied methods for obtaining conjugated vaccines against Salmonella enterica. However, N‐acylurea carbodiimide adduct generated in the process is a critical impurity in carbohydrate‐based vaccines. A quantitative NMR method was developed for assessing the N‐acylurea carbodiimide adduct impurity. The procedure was based on line‐fitting facilities for processing the NMR signals on complex spectra. The method showed good linearity, accuracy and precision under inter‐operator variation (relative standard deviation <5%). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A flux conserving meshfree method for conservation laws
Authors: Suchde Pratik , Kuhnert Jörg , Schröder Simon , Klar Axel
Published: January 2017

Lack of conservation has been the biggest drawback in meshfree generalized finite difference methods (GFDMs). In this paper, we present a novel modification of classical meshfree GFDMs to include local balances which produce an approximate conservation of numerical fluxes. This numerical flux conservation is performed within the usual moving least squares framework. Unlike Finite Volume Methods, it is based on locally defined control cells, rather than a globally defined mesh. We present the application of this method to an advection diffusion equation and the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Our simulations show that the introduction of flux conservation significantly reduces the errors in conservation in meshfree GFDMs. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
iTRAQ‐based quantitative proteomic analysis and bioinformatics study of proteins in pterygia
Authors: Linghu Dandan , Guo Lili , Zhao Yinghua , Liu Zhiming , Zhao Mingwei , Huang Lvzhen , Li Xiaoxin
Published: January 2017

Purpose

To analyze proteins in the tissue of pterygia, and to investigate their potential roles in pterygia, using the comparative proteomic technique of Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation (iTRAQ) coupled with offline 2DLC‐MS/MS, Western‐bolt.

Method

The tissue of pterygia and healthy conjunctiva was collected from 10 pterygia patients (6 females, 4 males; average age was 52 years old; average course of disease was 6 years) in our hospital from September, 2015 to March, 2016. iTRAQ was used to analyze proteins in the patients’ pterygia and healthy conjunctiva. Proteins with a fold change of >2. 0 or <0. 5 were considered to be significantly differentially expressed (with corrected p‐values of <0. 1). The identified proteins were subjected to subsequent gene ontology analysis using the DAVID database. Then we confirmed the targeted proteins with western‐blot.

Results

156 proteins that expressed differently between the pterygia and healthy conjunctiva were identified using iTRAQ analysis. Of these proteins, 18 were down‐regulated, and 138 were up‐regulated. On the basis of biological processes in gene ontology, the identified proteins were mainly involved in cellular process, metabolic process, developmental process, location, cellular component organization, Among these proteins, matrix Metalloproteinase 10 (MMP‐10) and CD34 may have potential roles in the pathogenesis of pterygia. Then we confirmed with Western‐bolt that MMP‐10 and CD34 were up‐regulated in pterygia.

Conclusion

This study is the first to identify 156 proteins associated with pterygia with iTRAQ technology. Data in our study will aid in providing a better understanding of pterygia.
Effective Model for Olefin/Paraffin Separation using (Co, Fe, Mn, Ni)‐MOF‐74
Authors: Luna‐Triguero Azahara , Vicent‐Luna Jose Manuel , Becker Tim M. , Vlugt Thijs J. H. , Dubbeldam David , Gómez‐Álvarez Paula , Calero Sofia
Published: January 2017

An increase in demand for energy efficient processes for the separation of saturated and unsaturated light hydrocarbons mixtures drives the need of noncryogenic processes. The adsorptive separation using Metal‐Organic Frameworks with coordinatively unsaturated metal sites may provide a cost‐effective alternative due to the strong binding of the metal cation with the unsaturated hydrocarbons. Since experiments on adsorption equilibrium of gas mixtures are challenging, we propose classical force field based simulations to analyse the ability of MOF‐74 with different metal substitutions for the separation of C2 and C3 olefin/paraffin binary mixtures. We parametrized the force field by fitting to available experimental single‐component adsorption isotherms of ethane, ethene, propane, and propene in M–MOF‐74 (M=Co, Fe, Mn, and Ni). The force field was validated for a variety of temperatures ranged from 273 K to 353 K. We then conducted Monte Carlo simulations in the Grand‐Canonical ensemble to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of the saturated/unsaturated hydrocarbon mixtures, at 318 K and 353 K. We computed the adsorption isotherms, and from these the adsorption selectivity, and addressed the variations of MOF properties with different metal cations. Fe‐based MOF‐74 appears the best option for both ethane/ethene and propane/propene separation applications. This finding partly agrees with previous work based on the Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory.
The Nature of the Chemical Bond from a Quantum Mechanical Interference Perspective
Authors: Fantuzzi Felipe , de Sousa David Wilian Oliveira , Nascimento Marco Antonio Chaer
Published: January 2017

The analysis of the chemical bond in a variety of systems exhibiting distinct bonding patterns was performed using the Generalized Product Function Energy Partitioning (GPF‐EP) approach in order to verify the role played by quantum interference. Diatomic and polyatomic molecules, with single, double and triple bonds, with different degrees of polarity, linear or branched, cyclic or not, conjugated and aromatics, have been considered. In all cases the conclusion was exactly the same: for each bond of the molecule the energy partitioning results showed that the main contribution to the depth of the potential wells comes from the interference term. From the quantum interference perspective the minimum requirement for a chemical bond to be formed is one electron and two interfering one‐electron states belonging to different atoms. As a consequence, all chemical bonds are covalent in the sense that it takes a one‐electron state of each atom to form the bond, irrespective of its polarity.
Highly Monodisperse Pt/Rh Nanoparticles Confined in the Graphene Oxide for Highly Efficient and Reusable Sorbents for Methylene Blue Removal from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Yildiz Yunus , Okyay Tugba Onal , Sen Betül , Gezer Bahdisen , Kuzu Sultan , Savk Aysun , Demir Enes , Dasdelen Zeynep , Sert Hakan , Sen Fatih
Published: January 2017

Addressed herein, a robust methodology to generate monodisperse Pt/Rh@GO nanocomposites and their adsorption performances have been reported to clean methylene blue (MB) from the aqueous mixtures. The monodisperse Pt/Rh@GO nanocomposites were produced by the ultrasonic double solvent reduction method. Their characterization was performed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mechanism of MB adsorption was explored in aqueous solutions. The adsorbtion findings revealed that the Pt/Rh@GO nanocomposites are highly effective adsorbents for MB removal offering 346.79 mg/g as the one of the record adsorption capacity. 40 minutes was observed as the equilibrium time for MB adsorption. More than that, they are reusable as they promise cleaning MB from MB‐contaminated waters maintaining 97.83 % of their initial efficacy after six sequential cycles of adsorption‐desorption.
The Synthesis and Study of Compounds Based on 3,4‐Bis(aminofurazano)furoxan
Authors: Yu Qiong , Yang Hongwei , Ju Xuehai , Lu Chunxu , Cheng Guangbin
Published: January 2017

N‐trinitroethylamino functionalization products of 4,4′′‐diamino‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐oxadiazole)] 2′‐oxide (i) and energetic salts of 4,4′′‐bis(nitroamino)‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐oxadiazole)] 2′‐oxide (4) were synthesized. These compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR, IR, and elemental analyses. The structures of 4′′‐amino‐4‐((2,2,2‐trinitroethyl)amino)‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐oxadiazole)] 2′‐oxide (1), 4,4′′‐bis((2,2,2‐trinitroethyl)amino)‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter (1,2,5‐ oxadiazole)] 2′‐oxide (2), dihydroxylammonium (2′‐oxido‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐oxadiazole)]‐4,4′′‐diyl)bis(nitroamide) (5), diguanidium (2′‐oxido‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐oxadiazole)]‐4,4′′‐diyl)bis(nitroamide) (6) and diaminoguanidium (2′‐oxido‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐oxadiazole)]‐4,4′′‐diyl)bis(nitroamide) (7) were further confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray structure analyses. Among all these new compounds, compounds 2, 5 and 4,4′′‐bis(nitro(2,2,2‐trinitroethyl)amino)‐[3,3′:4′,3′′‐ter(1,2,5‐ oxadiazole)] 2′‐oxide (3), exhibit favorable measured densities (1.83‐1.90 g cm‐1), good thermal stabilities (167.3‐171.3 oC, except 3, 108.6 oC), acceptable sensitivities (IS, 3.6‐14.2 J; FS, 100‐240 N) and excellent detonation performance (D, 8935‐9407 m s‐1; P, 35.9‐40.5 GPa). Furthermore, compound 2 shows good compatibilities with the traditional explosives. These indicate that compounds 2, 3 and 5 could be used as high detonation performance energetic materials.
Electrochemical Studies on the Interaction between (E)‐4‐((6‐Methoxybenzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)diazenyl)‐N‐Phenylaniline (MBDPA) and Bovine Serum Albumin
Authors: Surucu Ozge , Abaci Serdar
Published: January 2017

Protein electrochemistry is important in the understanding of the redox properties of biomacromolecules and in the development of commercial applications such as biosensors and diagnostic tools. For this purpose, the interaction between a novel synthesized (E)‐4‐((6‐methoxybenzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)diazenyl)‐N‐phenylaniline and bovine serum albumin was investigated electrochemically. The measurements were carried out by using cyclic voltammetry technique and pencil graphite electrode. The modification of pencil graphite electrode was performed using (E)‐4‐((6‐methoxybenzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)diazenyl)‐N‐phenylaniline. 10 cycles were made for coating. The interaction occurred with bovine serum albumin after 15 minutes. The characterization of surfaces was carried out using scanning electron microscope and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The limit of detection and kinetic parameters were calculated using various concentrations of bovine serum albumin and various scan rates. The results were compared with hemoglobin and the priority of interaction between azo dyes and protein was proved. The binding constant and binding ratio were calculated as 3.98 × 1022 and 1:5, respectively. The interference study was made using coexisting substances including metal ions, amino acids and carbohydrates in blood.
Development of Quasi‐Solid‐State Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells Based on a Poly (vinyl alcohol)/Poly (ethylene glycol)/Functionalized Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes Gel Electrolyte
Authors: Khannam Momina , Nath Bikash Chandra , Mohan Kiran Jyoti , Dolui Swapan Kumar
Published: January 2017

A series of quasi‐solid state dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated with different wt % of carboxy functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes (c‐MWCNTs) containing poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (ethylene glycol) gel electrolyte. The structure and morphology of the polymeric gel electrolyte were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X‐ray spectrum (EDX) analyses. The thermal stability of the polymeric gel electrolyte was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis. Fabrication of the DSSCs were carried out by sandwiching the poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (ethylene glycol)/ c‐MWCNT nanocomposite gel electrolyte in between the dye sensitized TiO2 photoanode and platinum‐based counter electrode. However, c‐MWCNTs forms network with channels of PVA/PEG matrix in gel electrolyte which reduces the charge transfer resistance (Rct) of DSSCs, thereby significantly improving the photovoltaic properties of the DSSCs. The maximum photo conversion efficiency (η) of 3.5 % and short circuit current density (Jsc) of 8.80 mAcm‐2 was achieved using an optimum loading of 0.5 % c‐MWCNT.
Mechanistic Insight into Biomass Conversion to Five–membered Lactone Based on Computational and Experimental Analysis
Authors: Yamaguchi Sho , Deguchi Hikaru , Kawauchi Susumu , Motokura Ken , Miyaji Akimitsu , Baba Toshihide
Published: January 2017

We investigated the mechanism of a cascade coupling reaction between 1,3‐dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and formaldehyde using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Based on our experimental results, and in contrast to the previously proposed reaction pathway, we propose the following pathway: i) the isomerization and dehydration of DHA to an enolate, ii) an aldol reaction between the enolate and formaldehyde, iii) the formation of a five‐membered ring, and iv) a proton transfer to form α‐hydroxy‐γ‐butyrolactone (HBL). Consideration of the thermodynamic stability of each substrate enabled us to suggest the most likely pathway, and the construction of a transition state model helped us to clarify the origin of the observed product selectivity.
Relevance of neuroimaging for neurocognitive and behavioral outcome after pediatric traumatic brain injury
Authors: Königs Marsh , Pouwels Petra JW , Ernest van Heurn LW , Bakx Roel , Jeroen Vermeulen R , Carel Goslings J , Poll-The Bwee Tien , van der Wees Marleen , Catsman-Berrevoets Coriene E , Oosterlaan Jaap
Published: January 2017

This study aims to (1) investigate the neuropathology of mild to severe pediatric TBI and (2) elucidate the predictive value of conventional and innovative neuroimaging for functional outcome. Children aged 8–14 years with trauma control (TC) injury (n = 27) were compared to children with mild TBI and risk factors for complicated TBI (mildRF+,n = 20) or moderate/severe TBI (n = 17) at 2.8 years post-injury. Neuroimaging measures included: acute computed tomography (CT), volumetric analysis on post-acute conventional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and post-acute diffusion tensor imaging (DTI, analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics and voxel-wise regression). Functional outcome was measured using Common Data Elements for neurocognitive and behavioral functioning. The results show that intracranial pathology on acute CT-scans was more prevalent after moderate/severe TBI (65%) than after mildRF+TBI (35%;p = .035), while both groups had decreased white matter volume on conventional MRI (ps ≤ .029,ds ≥ −0.74). The moderate/severe TBI group further showed decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in a widespread cluster affecting all white matter tracts, in which regional associations with neurocognitive functioning were observed (FSIQ, Digit Span and RAVLT Encoding) that consistently involved the corpus callosum. FA had superior predictive value for functional outcome (i.e. intelligence, attention and working memory, encoding in verbal memory and internalizing problems) relative to acute CT-scanning (i.e. internalizing problems) and conventional MRI (no predictive value). We conclude that children with mildRF+TBI and moderate/severe TBI are at risk of persistent white matter abnormality. Furthermore, DTI has superior predictive value for neurocognitive out-come relative to conventional neuroimaging.
Predictors of Pharmacological Intervention in Adolescents With Protracted Symptoms After Sports‐Related Concussion
Authors: Pinto Shanti M. , Twichell Maria F. , Henry Luke C.
Published: January 2017

Background

Although recovery after concussion is spontaneous and typically occurs within 2‐3 weeks, a subset of adolescents develop persistent symptoms after a sports‐related concussion. Medications are frequently prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment approach to alleviate these symptoms; however, there are no guidelines for prescription of pharmacologic therapy after concussion.

Objective

To investigate common factors that are associated with the use of medications (antiepileptic, antidepressant, neurostimulant, or sleeping medication) during recovery from a sports‐related concussion.

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Setting

Single‐center specialty concussion center.

Participants

A total of 100 adolescents, between the ages of 12 and 18 years, who sustained concussion due to sports.

Assessment of Risk Factors

Independent variables collected included age at the time of concussion, gender, sports played, personal history of prior concussion or mental health disorder, and personal or family history of headache (eg, migraines) or seizure disorder.

Main Outcome Measure

Prescription of medications for treatment of concussion.

Results

Twenty‐four patients (24%) were prescribed medications in this study, all of whom reported headache at the time of medication prescription. Amantadine was the most commonly prescribed medication, with amitriptyline and melatonin also being prescribed. Among the demographic information collected, only age and gender met criteria for inclusion in the regression model. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the odds that female participants were prescribed medications was 3.790 (95% confidence interval = 1.262‐11.380) higher than male participants. A higher symptom score on the initial Post Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) was associated with increased odds of being prescribed medications (odds ratio = 1.031, 95% CI = 1.009‐1.052).

Conclusions

The current study found that initial symptom severity and female gender were associated with use of medication in recovery from sports‐related concussion among variables available for study.

Level of Evidence

II
Musa Siphiwe Doctor Manzi Receives 2016 Africa Award for Research Excellence in Earth Science
Authors:   AGU
Published: January 2017

Musa Siphiwe Doctor Manzi received the 2016 Africa Award for Research Excellence in Earth Science at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 14 December 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. The award honors an early-career scientist from the African continent for "completing significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Earth and space sciences."
Using Archives of Past Floods to Estimate Future Flood Hazards
Authors: Swierczynski Tina , Ionita Monica , Pino David
Published: January 2017

Cross Community Workshop on Past Flood Variability; Grenoble, France, 27–30 June 2016
River’s Rise Linked to Oklahoma’s Largest Earthquake
Authors: Witman Sarah
Published: January 2017

As human-induced earthquakes increase in frequency and magnitude, researchers race to uncover their effects on surface water and groundwater.
War Trauma, Psychological Distress, and Coping Among Afghan Civilians Seeking Primary Health Care
Authors: Wildt Hillary , Umanos Jerry , Khanzada Nargis Karim , Saleh Masooda , Rahman Habib Ul , Zakowski Sandra G.
Published: January 2017

The present study examined the relationship between war trauma and distress and the potential moderating role of emotion and social, avoidant, and religious coping among 81 participants seeking medical services at a primary care clinic in Kabul. Local Afghan researchers administered the Afghan Symptom Checklist, Afghan War Experiences Scale, a brief scale of other non-war-related traumatic experiences, two subscales of the COPE, an Avoidant Coping Scale, and a demographics questionnaire, and conducted a brief semistructured interview. Results revealed a significant contribution of war-related traumatic events (11%) to symptoms of distress and an additional contribution of nonwar-related trauma (7%) to distress ( p’s ≤ .01). Emotion and social coping and avoidant coping were positively correlated with distress ( r = .23, and .60, respectively) and did not moderate the relationship between war trauma and distress. Qualitative responses were also recorded regarding various coping strategies and shed light on specific ways in which participants dealt with trauma. Demographics revealed that women reported higher symptom levels than men ( p < .05), and age was positively correlated with symptoms, while education showed a negative relation with symptoms ( r = .46 and −.22, respectively). While traumatic events were positively associated with distress, adaptive coping strategies that mitigated this distress were not identified by the quantitative analyses. Qualitative data suggested that religious practices, staying busy, and seeking help from others were the most frequently reported coping strategies. It is important to continue to explore these factors and others that may help mitigate the impact of traumatic events in this culture.
The reference frame of the tilt aftereffect measured by differential Pavlovian conditioning
Authors: Nakashima Yusuke , Sugita Yoichi
Published: January 2017

We used a differential Pavlovian conditioning paradigm to measure tilt aftereffect (TAE) strength. Gabor patches, rotated clockwise and anticlockwise, were used as conditioned stimuli (CSs), one of which (CS+) was followed by the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), whereas the other (CS−) appeared alone. The UCS was an air puff delivered to the left eye. In addition to the CS+ and CS−, the vertical test patch was also presented for the clockwise and anticlockwise adapters. The vertical patch was not followed by the UCS. After participants acquired differential conditioning, eyeblink conditioned responses (CRs) were observed for the vertical patch when it appeared to be tilted in the same direction as the CS+ owing to the TAE. The effect was observed not only when the adapter and test stimuli were presented in the same retinotopic position but also when they were presented in the same spatiotopic position, although spatiotopic TAE was weak—it occurred approximately half as often as the full effect. Furthermore, spatiotopic TAE decayed as the time after saccades increased, but did not decay as the time before saccades increased. These results suggest that the time before the performance of saccadic eye movements is needed to compute the spatiotopic representation.
Development of interface-dominant bulk Cu/V nanolamellar composites by cross accumulative roll bonding
Authors: Zeng L. F. , Gao R. , Xie Z. M. , Miao S. , Fang Q. F. , Wang X. P. , Zhang T. , Liu C. S.
Published: January 2017

Traditional nanostructured metals are inherently comprised of a high density of high-energy interfaces that make this class of materials not stable in extreme conditions. Therefore, high performance bulk nanostructured metals containing stable interfaces are highly desirable for extreme environments applications. Here, we reported an attractive bulk Cu/V nanolamellar composite that was successfully developed by integrating interface engineering and severe plastic deformation techniques. The layered morphology and ordered Cu/V interfaces remained stable with respect to continued rolling (total strain exceeding 12). Most importantly, for layer thickness of 25 nm, this bulk Cu/V nanocomposite simultaneously achieves high strength (hardness of 3.68 GPa) and outstanding thermal stability (up to 700 °C), which are quite difficult to realize simultaneously in traditional nanostructured materials. Such extraordinary property in our Cu/V nanocomposite is achieved via an extreme rolling process that creates extremely high density of stable Cu/V heterophase interfaces and low density of unstable grain boundaries. In addition, high temperature annealing result illustrates that Rayleigh instability is the dominant mechanism driving the onset of thermal instability after exposure to 800 °C.
BST-2 restricts IAV release and is countered by the viral M2 protein
Authors: Hu Siqi , Yin Lijuan , Mei Shan , Li Jian , Xu Fengwen , Sun Hong , Liu Xiaoman , Cen Shan , Liang Chen , Li Ailing , Guo Fei
Published: January 2017

BST-2 (tetherin, CD317, and HM1.24) is induced by interferon and restricts virus release by tethering the enveloped viruses to the cell surface. The effect of BST-2 on influenza A virus (IAV) infection has been inconclusive. In the present study, we report that BST-2 diminishes the production of IAV virus-like particles (VLPs) that are generated by viral neuraminidase and hemagglutinin proteins to a much greater degree than it inhibits the production of wild-type IAV particles. This relatively weaker inhibition of IAV is associated with reduction in BST-2 levels, which is caused by the M2 protein that interacts with BST-2 and leads to down-regulation of cell surface BST-2 via the proteasomal pathway. Similarly to the viral antagonist Vpu, M2 also rescues the production of human immunodeficiency virus-1 VLPs and IAV VLPs in the presence of BST-2. Replication of wild-type and the M2-deleted viruses were both inhibited by BST-2, with the M2-deleted IAV being more restricted. These data reveal one mechanism that IAV employs to counter restriction by BST-2.
Real‐time and precise insect flight control system based on virtual reality
Authors: Zheng Nenggan , Jin Mengjie , Hong Hui , Huang Lei , Gu Zonghua , Li Hong
Published: January 2017

A non‐invasive and automatic control method based on real‐time virtual reality and reinforcement learning is reported to modulate insects’ flight behaviour. The online configurable LED display system is proposed to present the visual stimulus within ultra‐low latency. State‐action‐reward‐state‐action (SARSA) coupled with sequential K‐means clustering is applied to generate optimal control sequence automatically to ensure the satisfactory control performance. By evaluating the control results of 15 bumblebees, it shows that the proposed method achieves to modulate the abdominal waving pattern quickly (less than six steps) with small deviation (<0.03).
75 Gbit/s transmission over single mode fibre links using 8‐PAM and 8‐AACC modulations
Authors: Dong‐Nhat N. , Nguyen L. , Malekmohammadi A.
Published: January 2017

Absolute added correlative coding with eight levels has been proposed and demonstrated numerically at bit rates of 30 and 60 Gbps back‐to‐back, and up to 75 Gbps over 2000 and 3000 m standard single‐mode fibre using a single‐drive multiple quantum‐well Mach–Zehnder modulator. The transmission performance is compared with the conventional eight‐level pulse amplitude modulation.
Denoising MEMS accelerometer sensors based on L2‐norm total variation algorithm
Authors: Abbasi‐Kesbi R. , Nikfarjam A.
Published: January 2017

A method for denoising accelerometer data based on the L2‐norm total variation (LTV) algorithm is presented. In order to collect accelerometer data, a wireless accelerometer sensor was developed that is directly connected to a central node. By benefiting from the LTV algorithm, the obtained signals from the accelerometer are denoised. The proposed method is tested by denoising in different accelerometer signals and the results are evaluated by signal‐to‐noise ratio and power spectral density functions of the signals. The obtained results reveal that noise reduction has been implemented satisfactorily. Hence, the measurement accuracy of accelerometer signals for the proposed method have improved ∼4–10% than other the three low‐pass filters including Savitzky–Golay, equiripple‐pass‐band and Butterworth.