bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical and thermal properties of compatibilized polypropylene reinforced by woven doum
Authors: Malha Mustapha , Nekhlaoui Souad , Essabir Hamid , Benmoussa Khalid , Bensalah Mohammed‐Ouadi , Arrakhiz Fatima‐Ezzahra , Bouhfid Rachid , Qaiss Abouelkacem
Published: July 2013

In this work, the development and the mechanical characterization of a doum textile composite based on a polypropylene matrix were carried out. Mechanical and rheological tests were effectuated, to illustrate the effect of woven fibers on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties at 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45° directions. The woven fibers were treated and the matrix was melted to a coupling agent to assure compatibility between the fibers and the polymer. The composites with long fiber are generally used as film and the main properties is the tensile. In this study, our goal was to improve the tensile properties. Results have shown that tensile properties exhibited a significant increase when compared to the polypropylene. However, it was observed that the stress direction has no influence on the thermal properties of the composite. Also, this article evaluates models that predict the stiffness of the composites at different stress directions to be compared to the experiments. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4347–4356, 2013
Effects of copolymer microstructure on the properties of electrospun poly(l‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) absorbable nerve guide tubes
Authors: Thapsukhon Boontharika , Thadavirul Napaphat , Supaphol Pitt , Meepowpan Puttinan , Molloy Robert , Punyodom Winita
Published: July 2013

The main objective of this work has been to study the effects of copolymer microstructure, both chemical and physical, on the microporosity,in vitrohydrolytic degradability and biocompatibility of electrospun poly(l‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone), PLC, copolymer tubes for potential use as absorbable nerve guides. PLC copolymers with L : C compositions of 50 : 50 and 67 : 33 mol % were synthesized via the ring‐opening copolymerization ofl‐lactide (L) and ε‐caprolactone (C) at 120°C for 72 h using stannous octoate (tin(II) 2‐ethylhexanoate) andn‐hexanol as the initiating system. Electrospinning was carried out from solution in a dichloromethane/dimethylformamide (7 : 3 v/v) mixed solvent at room temperature. Thein vitrohydrolytic degradation of the electrospun PLC tubes was studied in phosphate buffer saline over a period of 36 weeks. The microporous tubes were found to be gradually degradable by a simple hydrolysis mechanism leading to random chain scission. At the end of the degradation period, the % weight retentions of the PLC 50 : 50 and 67 : 33 tubes were 15.6% and 70.2%, respectively. Pore stability during storage as well as cell attachment and proliferation of mouse fibroblast cells (L929) showed the greater potential of the PLC 67 : 33 tubes for use as temporary scaffolds in reconstructive nerve surgery. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4357–4366, 2013
Copolymers of glycerol and propylene glycol diglycidyl ethers with aromatic dithiols
Authors: Kasetaite Sigita , Ostrauskaite Jolita , Grazuleviciene Violeta , Svediene Jurgita , Bridziuviene Danguole
Published: July 2013

Monomers derived from renewable recourses have the potential to become the biobased alternatives for petroleum derived chemicals in the production of polymers. Glycerol, the byproduct of biodiesel refining, and propylene glycol derived from glycerol are promising candidates which can be used in the synthesis of polymers as they are or after chemical modification. The new copolymers of glycerol and propylene glycol diglycidyl ethers with aromatic dithiols were synthesized and investigated in this study. Their chemical structures were confirmed by IR, 1H‐NMR spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. The dependencies of the mechanical, thermal properties, swelling in the different solvents, biodegradability, and bioresistance of synthesized copolymers on their chemical structures were studied. The properties of some synthesized copolymer films were found to be comparable with those of commodity polymer films. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4367–4374, 2013
Investigation of a postprocessing method to tailor the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube/polyamide fibers
Authors: Palardy Genevieve , Trudel‐Boucher David , Hubert Pascal
Published: July 2013

The incorporation of carbon nanotubes to thermoplastic fibers can potentially improve mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. In this article, a methodology to tailor the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube/nylon fibers is presented. Multiwalled nanotubes (MWNT) were combined to polyamide 12 through melt compounding and twin‐screw extrusion. Pellets containing between 0 and 5.0 wt % MWNT were extruded and subsequently melt spun with a capillary rheometer to produce filaments. To further promote the alignment of the polymer chains and MWNTs, postdrawing parameters were systematically investigated: temperature, drawing speed and elongation. The best improvements in terms of elastic modulus and yield strength were measured at 140°C and 500% elongation, whereas drawing speed was shown to have a negligible effect. It was confirmed through electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction that these enhancements were mainly induced by the alignment of the polymer chains along the fibers' axis. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4375–4382, 2013
Aluminum silicate fibers impregnated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber composites: Ablation, thermal transport/stability, and mechanical inspection
Authors: Iqbal Nadeem , Sagar Sadia , Khan Mohammad Bilal , Bassyouni Mohamed Ismail , Khan Zaffar M.
Published: July 2013

Variant concentrations of ceramic fibers (CerFs) were incorporated into acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) to fabricate elastomeric ablative composites for ultrahigh temperature applications. The CerFs introduction into the polymer matrix has enhanced the ablation resistance up to 59% and successfully reduced the backface temperature of the polymer composite up to 110oC during the ultrahigh temperature ablation investigation. Thermal decomposition of the polymer composites was diminished up to 10% with increasing fiber concentration in the rubber matrix. Thermal conductivity was reduced equal to 63% while thermal impedance was enhanced up to 84% with the utmost fiber incorporation into the NBR matrix. The CerFs have adversely affected the mechanical properties of NBR matrix due to their brittle/inert nature and weak interface bonding with the host matrix. Scanning electron microscopy along with the energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy was used to examine the ablated specimens and the fiber dispersion within the host matrix. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4392–4400, 2013
Nanoindentation response of poly(ether ether ketone) surfaces—A semicrystalline bimodal behavior
Authors: Iqbal Tanveer , Briscoe Brian J. , Yasin Saima , Luckham Paul F.
Published: July 2013

Indentation is a relatively simple and virtually nondestructive technique of assessing mechanical properties of materials by an indenter inducing localized deformation into a solid surface. The load–displacement curves, the hardness, and the elastic modulus data together with associated analysis for poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) surfaces are presented as a function of contact displacement. The major conclusions are that nanoindentation into the polymer show a surface hardening response that is dependent upon the contact conditions. PEEK, a semicrystalline polymer, has bimodal nanoindentation characteristics because of the presence of hard crystalline lamella within a softer amorphous phase. The bimodal character is confirmed by the load–displacement, the hardness, and the elastic modulus data. The semicrystalline polymer exhibits periodic fluctuations in mechanical properties with the increasing penetration depth. Finally, the nanoindentation is found to be a convenient method to estimate the degree of crystallinity of semicrystalline polymers. The technique may provide a convenient means to understand morphological description of the polymeric surfaces. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4401–4409, 2013
Dual application of cryogel as solid support in peptide synthesis and subsequent protein‐capture
Authors: Jespersen Gry Ravn , Nielsen Anders Lærke , Matthiesen Finn , Andersen Henrik Sune , Kirsebom Harald
Published: July 2013

The use of a cryogel in a combined application as a solid support for automated synthesis of a peptide ligand followed by affinity chromatography of a target protein is evaluated. The advantage, of synthesizing the ligand directly on the cryogel, is the circumvention of the standard process of synthesizing a peptide on a solid support, followed by cleavage, purification, analysis, and finally immobilization on the cryogel. To demonstrate the application, a peptide affinity ligand is synthesized directly on a cryogel with a yield of 28.4 μmol g−1 dry polymer and purity of 45% of crude product. The affinity capture of an antipeptide antibody reveals a specific binding capacity of 0.86 mg g−1 dry polymer. To further elucidate the general availability of a peptide ligand to a macromolecular interaction, a trypsin substrate is synthesized on a cryogel. Trypsin cleavage of immobilized substrate is determined to 1.5 μmol g−1 dry polymer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4383–4391, 2013
Assessment of CYP3A‐mediated drug–drug interaction potential for victim drugs using an in vivo rat model
Authors: Rioux Nathalie , Bellavance Edith , Bourg Serge , Garneau Michel , Ribadeneira Maria D. , Duan Jianmin
Published: July 2013

The present study aims to determine if an in vivo rat model of drug–drug interaction (DDI) could be useful to discriminate a sensitive (buspirone) from a ‘non‐sensitive’ (verapamil) CYP3A substrate, using ketoconazole and ritonavir as perpetrator drugs. Prior to in vivo studies, ketoconazole and ritonavir were shown to inhibit midazolam hydroxylation with IC50 values of 350 ± 60 nm and 11 ± 3 nm, respectively, in rat liver microsomes (RLM). Buspirone and verapamil were also shown to be substrates of recombinant rat CYP3A1/3A2. In the rat model, the mean plasma AUC0‐inf of buspirone (10 mg/kg, p.o.) was increased by 7.4‐fold and 12.8‐fold after co‐administration with ketoconazole and ritonavir (20 mg/kg, p.o.), respectively. The mean plasma AUC0‐inf of verapamil (10 mg/kg, p.o.) was increased by 3.0‐fold and 4.8‐fold after co‐administration with ketoconazole and ritonavir (20 mg/kg, p.o.), respectively. Thus, the rat DDI model correctly identified buspirone as a sensitive CYP3A substrate (>5‐fold AUC change) in contrast to verapamil. In addition, for both victim drugs, the extent of DDI when co‐administered was greater with ritonavir compared with ketoconazole, in line with their in vitro CYP3A inhibition potency in RLM. In conclusion, our study extended the rat DDI model applicability to two additional victim/perpetrator pairs. In addition, we suggest that use of this model would increase our confidence in estimation of the DDI potential for victim drugs in early discovery. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enantioselective Uptake and Translocation of a Novel Chiral Neonicotinoid Insecticide Cycloxaprid in Youdonger (Brassica campestris subsp. Chinensis)
Authors: Zhang Jianbo , Fu Qiuguo , Wang Haiyan , Li Juying , Wang Wei , Yang Zhen , Zhang Sufen , Ye Qingfu , Li Chao , Li Zhong
Published: July 2013

For a novel potential commercial chiral pesticide, an independent study on the fate characteristics and residues of each stereoisomer is essential if the application rates for the pesticide and human exposure are to be reduced. The absorption and translocation behavior of a chiral insecticide, cycloxaprid, in plants treated by root immersion and blade smearing was studied using 14C‐labeling tracer techniques. With the root treatment, total absorption of (1R;8S)‐cycloxaprid (RS) (12.39%) was much greater than that of (1S;8R)‐cycloxaprid (SR) (3.31%) at 192 h after treatment (HAT). The mass concentrations (RS/SR) of cycloxaprid in the roots, cotyledons, leaf 1, leaf 2, and leaf 3 were 37.0/16.8, 8.3/2.8, 11.7/6.5, 5.1/4.8, and 8.0/4.7 mg kg‐1 (fresh weight), respectively, at 192 HAT at an initial concentration 1.6 mg kg‐1. With the foliar application treatment, no significant difference was observed between the total absorption of RS (3.11%) and SR (4.03%) at the end of the treatment. Both acropetal and basipetal transport of absorbed 14C occurred and more than 71.83% of absorbed RS and 82.42% of SR remained in the treated leaf. Stereoselective absorption was observed during root uptake but not during foliar absorption. Chirality 25:686–691, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Orientational Fluctuations Near the Smectic A to Smectic C Phase Transition in Two “de Vries”‐Type Liquid Crystals
Authors: Nonnenmacher Dorothee , Jagiella Stefan , Song Qingxiang , Lemieux Robert P. , Giesselmann Frank
Published: July 2013

On the basis of thorough analysis of 2D X‐ray diffraction patterns from smectic monodomains, we examine the influence of orientational fluctuations on the weakly first‐order smectic A (SmA) to smectic C (SmC) transitions in two nonchiral organosiloxane “de Vries”‐type liquid crystals. We find that these materials exhibit very large molecular tilt fluctuations with magnitudes of up to 35°—thus larger than the average tilt itself. This is essential to understand the underlying molecular mechanism behind the practical absence of smectic layer contraction in these materials: in the SmA phase, the nematic order parameter is very low (molecular fluctuations correspondingly high), and the expected layer shrinkage at the SmA to SmC transition is almost fully compensated by the increase in orientational order, as the fluctuations diminish with decreasing temperature. In addition to the general tilt fluctuations, we observe intrinsic soft‐mode fluctuations. They have a λ‐shaped temperature dependence that peaks at the SmA—SmC transition with a maximum amplitude of about 2°.
Improving the Overall Efficiency of Front‐End Power Supplies by Surge Energy Recycling
Authors: Okubo Toshikazu , Shoji Hiroyuki , Yamamura Hideho , Irikura Shinobu , Maru Naoki
Published: July 2013

In this paper, the authors propose a surge energy recycling converter. The proposed circuit is able to reduce the surge voltage of the secondary side and to recycle the surge energy in a DC‐DC converter stage of a conventional front‐end power supply. Thus, the use of low‐blocking‐voltage rectifier elements is possible, and the conduction loss is decreased. Further, the amount of surge energy that is wasted in a snubber circuit is decreased. As a result, the efficiency of the DC‐DC converter stage is improved by about 1 percentage point.
Forecasting the Effects of a Canada–US Currency Union on Output and Prices: A Counterfactual Analysis
Authors: Mahdi Barakchian S.
Published: July 2013

This paper is a counterfactual analysis investigating the consequences of the formation of a currency union for Canada and the USA: whether outputs increase and prices decrease if these countries form a currency union. We use a two‐country cointegrated model to conduct the counterfactual analysis, where the conditional forecasts are generated based on the Gaussian assumption. To deal with structural breaks and model uncertainty, conditional forecasts are generated from different models/estimation windows and the model‐averaging technique is used to combine the forecasts. We also examine the robustness of our results to parameter uncertainty using the wild bootstrap method. The results show that forming the currency union would probably boost the Canadian economy, whereas it would not have significant effects on US output or Canadian and US price levels. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Term Structure Forecasting of Government Bond Yields with Latent and Macroeconomic Factors: Do Macroeconomic Factors Imply Better Out‐of‐Sample Forecasts?
Authors: Ullah Wali , Tsukuda Yoshihiko , Matsuda Yasumasa
Published: July 2013

This study empirically examines the role of macroeconomic and stock market variables in the dynamic Nelson–Siegel framework with the purpose of fitting and forecasting the term structure of interest rate on the Japanese government bond market. The Nelson–Siegel type models in state‐space framework considerably outperform the benchmark simple time series forecast models such as an AR(1) and a random walk. The yields‐macro model incorporating macroeconomic factors leads to a better in‐sample fit of the term structure than the yields‐only model. The out‐of‐sample predictability of the former for short‐horizon forecasts is superior to the latter for all maturities examined in this study, and for longer horizons the former is still compatible to the latter. Inclusion of macroeconomic factors can dramatically reduce the autocorrelation of forecast errors, which has been a common phenomenon of statistical analysis in previous term structure models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Finding Novel Genes by Testing G × E Interactions in a Genome‐Wide Association Study
Authors: Gauderman W. James , Zhang Pingye , Morrison John L. , Lewinger Juan Pablo
Published: July 2013

In a genome‐wide association study (GWAS), investigators typically focus their primary analysis on the direct (marginal) associations of each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with the trait. Some SNPs that are truly associated with the trait may not be identified in this scan if they have a weak marginal effect and thus low power to be detected. However, these SNPs may be quite important in subgroups of the population defined by an environmental or personal factor, and may be detectable if such a factor is carefully considered in a gene–environment (G × E) interaction analysis. We address the question “Using a genome wide interaction scan (GWIS), can we find new genes that were not found in the primary GWAS scan?” We review commonly used approaches for conducting a GWIS in case‐control studies, and propose a new two‐step screening and testing method (EDG×E) that is optimized to find genes with a weak marginal effect. We simulate several scenarios in which our two‐step method provides 70–80% power to detect a disease locus while a marginal scan provides less than 5% power. We also provide simulations demonstrating that the EDG×E method outperforms other GWIS approaches (including case only and previously proposed two‐step methods) for finding genes with a weak marginal effect. Application of this method to a G × Sex scan for childhood asthma reveals two potentially interesting SNPs that were not identified in the marginal‐association scan. We distribute a new software program (G×Escan, available at http://biostats.usc.edu/software) that implements this new method as well as several other GWIS approaches.
Electrocatalytic Fast and Efficient Multicomponent Approach to Medicinally Relevant (2‐Amino‐4H‐chromen‐4‐yl) phosphonate Scaffold
Authors: Elinson Michail N. , Nasybullin Ruslan F. , Nikishin Gennady I.
Published: July 2013

‘One‐pot’ electrocatalytic transformation of salicylaldehydes, malononitrile, and triethyl phosphite in an undivided cell results in the formation of diethyl (2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4H‐chromen‐4‐yl)phosphonates in 88–93% substance yields and 880–930% current efficiency via complex multicomponent process. This novel electrocatalytic chain process opens an effective, fast, and convenient way to cyano‐functionalized (2‐amino‐4H‐chromen‐4‐yl)phosphonate systems which are promising compounds for biomedical applications. This efficient electrocatalytic approach to the (2‐amino‐4H‐chromen‐4‐yl)phosphonate scaffold represents novel synthetic concept for multicomponent reactions (MCR) strategy and allows to combine the synthetic virtues of conventional MCR with ecological benefits and convenience of facile electrocatalytic procedure.
CHFR silencing or microsatellite instability is associated with increased antitumor activity of docetaxel or gemcitabine in colorectal cancer
Authors: Pelosof Lorraine , Yerram Sashidhar R. , Ahuja Nita , Delmas Andrew , Danilova Ludmila , Herman James G. , Azad Nilofer S.
Published: July 2013

Phenotypic differences among cancers with the same origin may be associated with chemotherapy response. CHFR silencing associated with DNA methylation has been suggested to be predictive of taxane sensitivity in diverse tumor types. However, the use of microsatellite instability (MSI:unstable–MSS:stable) as a predictive marker for therapeutic effect has had conflicting results. We examined these molecular alterations as predictors of chemotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancer (CRC). Differential sensitivity to docetaxel and gemcitabine was compared to potential predictive biomarkers CHFR methylation and MSI status. Cell lines that were MSI‐H/CHFR‐methylated, MSS/CHFR‐methylated and MSS/CHFR‐unmethylated were assessed for in vivo sensitivity of CRC cell line xenografts to docetaxel and/or gemcitabine. We observed increased sensitivity in vitro to gemcitabine in cell lines with MSI and docetaxel in cell lines with CHFR inactivation via DNA methylation. In vivo treatment of human xenografts confirmed differential sensitivity, with the MSI‐H/CHFR‐methylated line RKO having tumor growth inhibition to each agent, and at least additive tumor growth inhibition with combination therapy. The MSS‐CHFR‐unmethylated line, CACO2, was resistant to single and combination therapy, while COLO205, the MSS/CHFR‐methylated line, showed tumor growth inhibition with docetaxel, but not gemcitabine, therapy. CHFR methylation in CRC cell lines predicted for sensitivity in vitro and in vivo to docetaxel, while MSI‐H cell lines were more sensitive to gemcitabine. These data suggest that a subset of CRC patients would be selectively sensitive to a novel combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel, and are the basis for an ongoing clinical trial of this combination in a biomarker‐selected patient population.
T cells in the human metastatic melanoma microenvironment express site‐specific homing receptors and retention integrins
Authors: Salerno Elise P. , Olson Walter C. , McSkimming Chantel , Shea Sofia , Slingluff Craig L.
Published: July 2013

T‐cell infiltration into the metastatic melanoma microenvironment (MME) correlates with improved patient survival. However, diffuse infiltration into tumor occurs in only 8% of melanoma metastases. Little is known about mechanisms governing T‐cell infiltration into human melanoma metastases or about how those mechanisms may be altered therapeutically. We hypothesized that T cells in the MME would be enriched for chemokine receptors CCR4, CCR5, CXCR3 and homing receptors relevant to the tissue site. Viably cryopreserved single cell suspensions from nineteen melanoma metastases representing three metastatic sites (tumor‐infiltrated lymph node, skin and small bowel) were evaluated by multiparameter flow cytometry and compared to benign lymph nodes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with Stage IIB–IV melanoma. T cells in the melanoma metastases contained large effector memory populations, high proportions of activated, moderately differentiated cells and few regulatory T cells. Site‐specific homing was suggested in bowel, with high expression of CCR9. We neither encounter the anticipated enrichment of integrin α4β7 in bowel, cutaneous leukocyte antigen (CLA) in skin, nor integrin α4β1 or receptor CXCR3 in metastatic sites. Retention integrins αEβ7, α1β1 and α2β1 were significantly elevated in metastases. These data suggest limited tissue site‐specific homing to human melanoma metastases, but a significant role for retention integrins in maintaining intratumoral T cells. Our findings also raise the possibility that T‐cell homing, infiltration, and retention in melanoma metastases may be increased by increasing expression of ligands for CLA, α4β1 and CXCR3 on intratumoral endothelium.
Changes in cancer incidence attributable to tobacco smoking in Germany, 1999–2008
Authors: Wienecke A. , Barnes B. , Lampert T. , Kraywinkel K.
Published: July 2013

Tobacco smoking, a major cancer risk factor, is very common in Germany as in many other high‐income countries. Few studies have assessed the burden of tobacco‐associated cancer incidence in the German population. We calculated the proportion of cancers attributable to tobacco smoking to estimate the burden of tobacco‐associated cancer in 1999 and 2008. Smoking prevalence was determined from national surveys of a representative sample of the German population in 1998 and 2008–2011, and data on relative risks were obtained from meta‐analyses. Cancer incidence for the years 1999 and 2008 was estimated by the German Centre for Cancer Registry Data at the Robert Koch Institute. We estimate that 72,208 incident cancer cases were attributable to tobacco smoking in Germany in 2008, an increase of >6,200 cases over 1999 levels. Among the cases in 2008 were 55,057 cases among men (22.8% (95% CI, 21.3–24.1) of all new cases) and 17,151 cases among women (7.9% (95% CI, 7.21–8.68) of all new cases). The highest proportions attributable to smoking were estimated for cancer of the lung, larynx, pharynx and the lower urinary tract. Tobacco smoking is currently responsible for more than one in five cancer cases among men and nearly 1 in 12 among women. Considering the increasing trends in cancer incidence and, until very recently, rising prevalence of smoking among women, it can be expected that the number of tobacco‐attributable cancer cases will rise further.
Evidence for the antagonistic form of CXC‐motif chemokine CXCL10 in serous epithelial ovarian tumours
Authors: Rainczuk Adam , Rao Jyothsna R. , Gathercole Jessica L. , Fairweather Nicole J. , Chu Simon , Masadah Rina , Jobling Thomas W. , Deb‐Choudhury Santanu , Dyer Jolon , Stephens Andrew N.
Published: July 2013

Patients with high‐grade, serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) are generally diagnosed with extensive peritoneal metastases, and exhibit 5‐year survival rates <30%. A subset of these tumours, defined as “immunoreactive,” overexpress mRNA encoding the T‐cell‐recruiting chemokine CXCL10 (10‐kDa interferon gamma‐induced protein; C‐X‐C motif chemokine 10). Tumour‐infiltrating CD4+CD8+ T‐cells are a well‐documented, positive prognostic indicator for HGSOC patients; paradoxically, however, patients diagnosed with HGSOC (overexpressing CXCL10 and therefore theorised to recruit T‐cells) typically exhibit poor survival. Recently, an “antagonistic” CXCL10 variant was identified that inhibited leucocyte recruitment to inflamed liver in vivo (Casrouge et al., J Clin Invest 2011;121:308–17). We hypothesised that “immunoreactive” HGSOC might also express antagonistic CXCL10, interfering with leucocyte recruitment and contributing to poor patient prognosis. CXCL10 expression was analysed in HGSOC tissues grouped according to pathology, grade and FIGO stage at diagnosis, and its localisation and association with T‐cells established by immunohistochemical staining in tissue microarrays. CXCL10 expression was increased in a subset of serous epithelial tumour samples; however, it did not correlate well with CD45‐positive tumour infiltrate. Immunoprecipitation and de novo sequence analysis of CXCL10 identified the N‐terminally cleaved, “antagonistic” variant of CXCL10 specifically in malignant tumours, and not in benign ovarian disease. The data demonstrate the presence of the antagonistic form of CXCL10 in HGSOC for the first time, and provide a partial explanation for reduced leucocyte infiltration observed in these tumours. We suggest that CXCL10 cleavage and subsequent antagonism of immune cell recruitment may be a feature of the “immunoreactive” HGSOC subtype, leading to early impairment of the immune response and subsequently worsening patient prognosis.
Exposure to Nitrofurantoin During the First Trimester of Pregnancy and the Risk for Major Malformations
Authors: Goldberg Ori , Koren Gideon , Landau Daniella , Lunenfeld Eitan , Matok Ilan , Levy Amalia
Published: July 2013

Antibacterial drugs are among the most common medications used by pregnant women. While medical literature generally defines nitrofurantoin as an antibiotic that is safe for use during the first trimester of pregnancy, new concerns about a possible association between congenital malformations following exposure to nitrofurantoin during the first trimester of pregnancy have recently surfaced. To address these concerns, we conducted a large population‐based retrospective cohort study to assess this possible association (including cases of medical terminations of pregnancy or stillbirth) and congenital malformations. A computerized database for medications dispensed to pregnant women in southern Israel was linked with records from the district hospital. Associations between exposure to nitrofurantoin during the first trimester and major malformations were assessed. Our research included a total of 105,492 pregnancies, 1,112 of which involved pregnancy terminations for medical reasons. A total of 1,329 infants and abortuses had been exposed to nitrofurantoin during the first trimester of pregnancy. Exposure to nitrofurantoin was not associated with increased risk of major malformations in general (adjusted OR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.67–1.08) or with specific malformations. First trimester exposure to nitrofurantoin was not associated with increased risk for total major congenital malformations or with specific malformations.
Flash rate discrimination in rats: Rate bisection and generalization peak shift
Authors: Fox Andrew T. , Smethells John R. , Reilly Mark P.
Published: July 2013

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether responding by albino rats can be brought under the stimulus control of different flash rates. In the first experiment, a conditional discrimination procedure was employed whereby two different flash rates (fast or slow) signaled the availability of reinforcement on one of two levers (left or right). Stimulus control emerged rapidly and improved with continued training. When intermediate flash rates were presented during probe sessions, the bisection point of the fast and slow flash rates was near their geometric mean, consistent with research employing other stimulus types. In the second experiment, a successive discrimination procedure was employed whereby responding in the presence of one flash rate (S+) was reinforced while responding in the presence of another flash rate (S−) was not reinforced. Again, stimulus control emerged quickly and improved with continued training. Test sessions in which many different flash rates were presented for brief periods in extinction revealed the peak shift phenomenon, in which peak response rates are shifted from the S+ in a direction away from the S−. Flash rate is endorsed as a continuous stimulus dimension that is useful for differentially signaling schedule components.
Do Alternative Base Periods Increase Unemployment Insurance Receipt Among Low‐Educated Unemployed Workers?
Authors: Gould‐Werth Alix , Shaefer H. Luke
Published: July 2013

Unemployment Insurance (UI) is the major social insurance program that protects against lost earnings resulting from involuntary unemployment. Existing literature finds that low‐earning unemployed workers experience difficulty accessing UI benefits. The most prominent policy reform designed to increase rates of monetary eligibility, and thus UI receipt, among these unemployed workers is the Alternative Base Period (ABP). In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act sought to increase use of the ABP, making ABP adoption a necessary precondition for states to receive their share of the $7 billion targeted at UI programs. By January 2013, 40 states and the District of Columbia had adopted the ABP despite the absence of an evaluation of ABP efficacy using nationally representative data. This study analyzes Current Population Survey data from 1987 to 2011 to assess the efficacy of the ABP in increasing UI receipt among low‐educated unemployed workers. We used a natural‐experiment design to capture the combined behavioral and mechanical effects of the policy change. We found no association between state‐level ABP adoption and individual UI receipt for all unemployed workers. However, among part‐time unemployed workers with less than a high school degree, adoption of the ABP was associated with a 2.8 percentage point increase in the probability of UI receipt.
Effect of solid lubricants on tribological behavior of glass fiber reinforced polyamide 6
Authors: You Yi‐Lan , Li Du‐Xin , Deng Xin , Li Wen‐Juan , Xie Ying
Published: July 2013

The tribological properties of glass fiber reinforced polyamide 6 (GF/PA6, 15/85 by weight) and its composites filled with solid lubricants were investigated. The main purposes of this article were to study the hybrid effect of solid lubricants with glass fiber as well as the synergism of combined solid lubricants, the wear mechanisms were studied by SEM. The results showed that graphite impaired the tribological properties of GF/PA6, but the tribology behavior of graphite filled GF/PA6 composite could be significantly improved by polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) or/and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and the GF/PA6 composite filled with 5 wt % graphite, 5 wt % PTFE together with 5 wt % UHMWPE exhibited the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate, which was almost a reduction in friction coefficient by 37% and in wear rate by 34% contrast to GF/PA6. The effect of load was also studied, and the results showed that the friction coefficient was virtually not affected by load, while the wear rate all increased with increasing load. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1783–1793, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Preparation and electromagnetic properties of the BaFe12O19/multiwall carbon nanotubes/poly(3‐methyl‐thiophene) composites
Authors: Zhao Jie , Xie Yu , Le Zhanggao , Luo Yan , Gao Yunhua , Zhong Rong , Qin Yuancheng , Pan Jianfei , Huang Yan
Published: July 2013

The BaFe12O19/multiwall carbon nanotubes/poly(3‐methyl‐thiophene) (BaFe12O19/MCNTs/P(3MT)) composites were synthesized through an in situ chemical polymerization of 3‐methyl‐thiophene (3MT) in the presence of BaFe12O19/MCNTs composite powders. The BaFe12O19/MCNTs/P(3MT) composites were characterized by the fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The morphologies of the composites were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electric conductive properties were tested by a four‐probe conductivity tester and the magnetic properties were measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The electromagnetic performance tests showed that when the mass ratio of BaFe12O19 to MCNTs was 0.4, and the BaFe12O19/MCNTs to P(3MT) was 0.15, the conductivity, saturation magnetization (Ms) and residual magnetization (Mr) of the BaFe12O19/MCNTs/P(3MT) composites achieved 166.740 S/m, 29.884 emu/g, and 17.581 emu/g, respectively. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1801–1808, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Preparation, morphology, and properties of organo‐montmorillonite/nitrile butadiene rubber nanocomposites
Authors: Liu Mengjiao , Zhang Qiuyu , Yin Changjie , Zhou Lunwei , Xin Tiejun
Published: July 2013

Organo‐montmorillonite/nitrile butadiene rubber (OMMT/NBR) nanocomposites were prepared by co‐coagulating process, and then were combined with rubber ingredient and vulcanized by traditional rubber mixing procedure. The SEM micrographs of the nanocomposites showed uniform dispersion of the OMMT particles in NBR. The ATR‐FTIR spectra illustrated the existence of montmorillonite in the nanocomposites. The XRD patterns further indicated the structure of nanocomposites, and confirmed an effective intercalation of NBR in the interlayer space of the OMMT. Moreover, the tensile strength and elongation at break of nanocomposites tended to increased rapidly with increasing OMMT loading, due to the reinforcing properties of OMMT to NBR. In addition, the TGA and DTA curves demonstrated the thermal performance of the nanocomposites enhanced. Furthermore, the addition of OMMT accelerated the vulcanization process. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1809–1815, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Cure kinetic study of organoclay‐unsaturated polyester resin nanocomposites by using advanced isoconversional approach
Authors: Poorabdollah Mehdi , Beheshty Mohammad Hosain , Atai Mohammad , Vafayan Mehdy
Published: July 2013

Curing behavior of an unsaturated polyester (UP) resin containing 3 wt % Cloisite 10A (UP/10A) and 3 wt % Cloisite 30B (UP/30B) catalyzed with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) as initiator and promoted by cobalt naphthenate as accelerator was investigated by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at heating rates of 2, 2.5, 3, and 3.5°C min−1. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to evaluate the morphology of UP/10A and UP/30B nanocomposites. Kinetic parameters of cure reactions were evaluated using the advanced isoconversional method. The addition of nanoclay resulted in a decrease in the activation energy of the redox reaction compared to that of the neat UP resin. The pre‐exponential factor of the redox reaction for UP/10A and UP/30B was less than that of the neat UP. Results showed an increase in the concentration of styrene between Cloisite 10A platelets leading to a decrease in the intralayer styrene content. The high concentration of styrene between nanoclay layers may lead to the formation of polystyrene chains grafted on the alkyds chains. This homo‐polymerization was also observed in the variation of activation energy of UP/10A specimen versus the degree of conversion for 0.42 ≤ α ≤ 0.6 which is very close to the activation energy of free radical homo‐polymerization of styrene. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1824–1831, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
THE PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS PROGRAMS
Authors: Suldo Shannon M. , Shaunessy‐Dedrick Elizabeth
Published: July 2013

This cross‐sectional study determined whether students who take part in academically challenging high school curricula experience elevated levels of stress and whether this stress co‐occurs with psychological and/or academic problems. Data from self‐report questionnaires and school records were collected from 480 students from four high schools. Results of analyses of covariance suggested that stress is not always associated with deleterious outcomes, as students in academically rigorous programs (specifically, Advanced Placement [AP] classes and International Baccalaureate [IB] programs) reported more perceived stress than did students in general education, while maintaining exceptionally high academic functioning. Furthermore, despite their stress level, the psychological functioning of students in AP and IB is similar or superior to the levels of psychopathology, life satisfaction, and social functioning reported from their peers in general education.
NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIOECONOMIC WELL‐BEING, HOME LITERACY, AND EARLY LITERACY SKILLS OF AT‐RISK PRESCHOOLERS
Authors: Froiland John Mark , Powell Douglas R. , Diamond Karen E. , Son Seung‐Hee Claire
Published: July 2013

In response to growing research and policy interest in the developmental contexts of early literacy, this study examined relations between neighborhood socioeconomic well‐being, home literacy (parent–child shared reading and number of books at home), and directly assessed early literacy outcomes among 551 Head Start students in the fall of preschool. In Structural Equation Models, neighborhood socioeconomic well‐being predicted home literacy, which in turn predicted early literacy (a latent variable derived from receptive vocabulary, letter‐word identification, and concepts about print). Implications for future research concerning parent involvement at home in the context of neighborhoods and the early literacy of at‐risk preschoolers is discussed.
Using the concept of transient complex for affinity predictions in CAPRI rounds 20–27 and beyond
Authors: Qin Sanbo , Zhou Huan‐Xiang
Published: July 2013

Predictions of protein–protein binders and binding affinities have traditionally focused on features pertaining to the native complexes. In developing a computational method for predicting protein–protein association rate constants, we introduced the concept of transient complex after mapping the interaction energy surface. The transient complex is located at the outer boundary of the bound‐state energy well, having near‐native separation and relative orientation between the subunits but not yet formed most of the short‐range native interactions. We found that the width of the binding funnel and the electrostatic interaction energy of the transient complex are among the features predictive of binders and binding affinities. These ideas were very promising for the five affinity‐related targets (T43‐45, 55, and 56) of CAPRI rounds 20–27. For T43, we ranked the single crystallographic complex as number 1 and were one of only two groups that clearly identified that complex as a true binder; for T44, we ranked the only design with measurable binding affinity as number 4. For the nine docking targets, continuing on our success in previous CAPRI rounds, we produced 10 medium‐quality models for T47 and acceptable models for T48 and T49. We conclude that the interaction energy landscape and the transient complex in particular will complement existing features in leading to better prediction of binding affinities. Proteins 2013; 81:2229–2236. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assessment of CASP10 contact‐assisted predictions
Authors: Taylor Todd J. , Bai Hongjun , Tai Chin‐Hsien , Lee Byungkook
Published: July 2013

In CASP10, for the first time, contact‐assisted structure predictions have been assessed. Sets of pairs of contacting residues from target structures were provided to predictors for a second round of prediction after the initial round in which they were given only sequences. The objective of the experiment was to measure model quality improvement resulting from the added contact information and thereby assess and help develop so‐called hybrid prediction methods—methods where some experimentally determined distance constraints are used to augment de novo computational prediction methods. The results of the experiment were, overall, quite promising. Proteins 2014; 82(Suppl 2):84–97. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High‐gain observers in nonlinear feedback control
Authors: Khalil Hassan K. , Praly Laurent
Published: July 2013

In this document, we present the main ideas and results concerning high‐gain observers and some of their applications in control. The introduction gives a brief history of the topic. Then, a motivating second‐order example is used to illustrate the key features of high‐gain observers and their use in feedback control. This is followed by a general presentation of high‐gain‐observer theory in a unified framework that accounts for modeling uncertainty, as well as measurement noise. The paper concludes by discussing the use of high‐gain observers in the robust control of minimum‐phase nonlinear systems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A capacity degradation model under interferences for sectorized cellular networks with fractional frequency reuse
Authors: Sheu Tsang‐Ling , Liu Kuo‐Liang , Chou Zi‐Tsan
Published: July 2013

This paper presents a capacity degradation model under interferences for sectorized cellular networks with fractional frequency reuse. In a sectorized fractional frequency reuse network, allocated bandwidth consists of a number of frequency partitions. To avoid intra‐cell interferences, each frequency partition is then assigned to two different groups, the super group (Sup‐G) and the regular group. However, because a Sup‐G in a cell employs the same frequency partition as the other Sup‐Gs in the neighboring cells, inter‐cell interferences may become serious when the radius of the Sup‐G is largely increased. In the worse case, the largely increasing inter‐cell interferences will eventually degrade the overall system capacity. Additionally, different density distributions of mobile stations may have different levels of impact on the capacity degradation. In this paper, both folded normal distribution and uniform distribution are considered in building the capacity degradation model. Numerical simulations show that by carefully adjusting the ratio between the radius of the Sup‐G and the radius of a cell, (i) an mobile station could receive the same capacity no matter where it is residing, and (ii) the maximum system capacity can be therefore achieved. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spatiotemporal variability of hyporheic exchange through a pool‐riffle‐pool sequence
Authors: Gariglio Frank P. , Tonina Daniele , Luce Charles H.
Published: July 2013

Stream water enters and exits the streambed sediment due to hyporheic fluxes, which stem primarily from the interaction between surface water hydraulics and streambed morphology. These fluxes sustain a rich ecotone, whose habitat quality depends on their direction and magnitude. The spatiotemporal variability of hyporheic fluxes is not well understood over several temporal scales and consequently, we studied their spatial and temporal variation over a pool‐riffle‐pool sequence at multiple locations from winter to summer. We instrumented a pool‐riffle‐pool sequence of Bear Valley Creek, an important salmonid spawning gravel‐bed stream in central Idaho, with temperature monitoring probes recording at high temporal resolution (12 minute intervals). Using the thermal time series, weekly winter season seepage fluxes were calculated with a steady‐state analytical solution and spring‐summer fluxes with a new analytical solution that can also quantify the streambed thermal properties. Longitudinal pool‐riffle‐pool conceptualizations of downwelling and upwelling behavior were generally observed, except during the winter season when seepage fluxes tended toward downwelling conditions. Seepage fluxes near the edges of the channel were typically greater than fluxes near the center of the channel, and demonstrated greater seasonal variability. Results show that the interaction between streamflow and streambed topography has a primary control near the center of the channel, whereas the interaction between stream water and groundwater table has a primary control on seepage fluxes near the banks of the stream.
Do a country's logistical capabilities moderate the external integration performance relationship?
Authors: Wiengarten Frank , Pagell Mark , Ahmed Muhammad Usman , Gimenez Cristina
Published: July 2013

Companies have reacted to the opportunities and threats of globalization through numerous production practices that have increased supply chain complexity. One of the ways companies have been able to manage this increased level of complexity is by integrating their supply chains. Logistical capabilities at the company level play a key role in integrating global supply chains, but logistical capabilities need not be company specific. In this study we explore the role of a country's logistical capabilities in external supply chain integration. Our results indicate that plants situated in countries with superior levels of logistical capabilities adopt significantly lower levels of external supply chain integration. Additionally, plants situated in countries with superior logistical capabilities do not gain the same performance benefits from external integration as plants situated in countries with relatively low levels of logistical capabilities.