bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Schottky Diode Based on a Single Carbon–Nanotube–ZnO Hybrid Tetrapod for Selective Sensing Applications
Authors: Postica Vasile , Schütt Fabian , Adelung Rainer , Lupan Oleg
Published: July 2017

In this work, a general strategy to change the selectivity of individual ZnO tetrapod (ZnO‐T)‐Schottky diode‐based devices by hybridization with carbon nanotubes (CNT) is presented. A microscale Schottky diode based on Pt‐nanocontacts to a single ZnO‐T covered/hybridized with CNT, designated as ZnO‐T−CNT, is fabricated and the temperature‐dependent UV and gas sensing properties are investigated. The gas sensing investigations indicate that due to the presence of CNTs on the surface of the ZnO‐T a higher NH3 response (factor of ≈90) at room temperature is observed, compared to H2 gas response (≈14). This effect is attributed to the excellent charge transfer between the CNTs and ZnO‐T as well as NH3 molecule adsorption on the surface of the CNTs, which can efficiently reduce the Schottky barrier height. By increasing the operating temperature up to 150 °C (starting from 50 °C) the NH3 response is considerably reduced, leading to an excellent H2 gas selectivity. In the case of H2 gas, an increase in temperature up to 150 °C shows a considerably increase in gas response of about 140 (≈10 times). Thus, this device offers the possibility to be used for selective detection of NH3 and H2 by only changing the operating temperature. Furthermore, by using the developed strategy/approach other materials can be used for the fabrication of gas sensors with selectivity to other gases.
Synthesis of a Class of Fused δ‐Sultone Heterocycles via DBU‐Catalyzed Direct Annulative SuFEx Click of Ethenesulfonyl Fluorides and Pyrazolones or 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds
Authors: Chen Xing , Zha Gao‐Feng , Bare Grant A. L. , Leng Jing , Wang Shi‐Meng , Qin Hua‐Li
Published: July 2017

(E)‐2‐(hetero)arylethenesulfonyl fluorides and (E,E)‐1,3‐dienylsulfonyl fluorides are bis‐electrophiles and rare members of the sulfonyl fluoride family with limited information being known of their reactivity and synthetic utility. The direct annulation reaction of these 2‐substituted ethenesulfonyl fluorides with medicinally important enolizable pyrazolones and 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds utilizing catalytic DBU in DCM under mild conditions leads to over 50 structurally diverse δ‐sultone fused heterocycles with a pyrazolone ring or a cyclic enone, respectively, in good to excellent yield. The double bond at the 1‐position adjacent to the sulfonyl fluoride group in 1,3‐dienylsulfonyl fluoride is the chemoselective site of reactivity but is less reactive than the double bond of arylethenesulfonyl fluoride. High turnover and robustness of construction for these fused heterocycles, including the novel fused pyrazolone δ‐sultone heterocycle series, may make compounds like these attractive to drug discovery, development and material science.

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A rigorous method to evaluate the consistency of experimental data in phase equilibria. Application to VLE and VLLE
Authors: Fernández Luís J. , Ortega Juan , Wisniak Jaime
Published: July 2017

This work forms part of a broader study that describes a methodology to validate experimental data of phase equilibria for multicomponent systems from a thermodynamic‐mathematical perspective. The goal of this article is to present and justify this method and to study its application to vapor–liquid equilibria (VLE) and vapor–liquid–liquid equilibria (VLLE), obtained under isobaric/isothermal conditions. A procedure based on the Gibbs‐Duhem equation is established which presents two independent calculation paths for its resolution: (a) an integral method and (b) a differential method. Functions are generated for both cases that establish the verification or consistency of data, δψ for the integral test and δζ for the differential approach, which are statistically evaluated by their corresponding average values [
,
], and the standard deviations [
,
]. The evaluation of these parameters for application to real cases is carried out using a set of hypothetical systems (with data generated artificially), for which the values are adequately changed to determine their influence on the method. In this way, the requirements of the proposed method for the data are evaluated and their behavior in response to any disruption in the canonical variables (p,T, phase compositions). The conditions for thermodynamic consistency of data are:
,
,
, and
. In systems with VLLE, in addition to the previous criteria, must occur that:
and
. The new proposed method has been tested with a set of 300 experimental binary systems, biphasic and triphasic, obtained from published bibliography, and the results are compared with those of other tests commonly used for testing thermodynamic consistency. The results show that the greater rigor of the proposed method is mainly due to the simultaneous verification of various independent variables. As a result, the conditions for the new test are verified for fewer systems than using other tests mentioned in the literature (i.e., Fredenslund‐test and direct of Van Ness). Its unique application is sufficient to ensure the consistency of experimental data, without using other tests. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2017
The Effect of the Multi‐Environment for Quantum Correlation: Geometry Discord vs Quantum Discord
Authors: Ding Chang‐Chun , Zhu Qin‐Sheng , Wu Shao‐Yi , Lai Wei
Published: July 2017

A two qubits system interacting with two independent spin‐environments connecting with the third environment is constructed in order to demonstrate the effect of the multi‐environment for quantum correlation. In this process, the freezing phenomenon appears for SCI and X states under Quantum Discord and Geometric Discord measures, respectively, but not for the same initial state measured by different measures. Meanwhile, the properties of the freezing platform, characterized by the collapse, revival and persistent time, are researched by the different parameters. The result of this paper may pave a way to control quantum correlation and design nanospintronic devices.
Phosphorylated Polyacrylonitrile Fibers as an Efficient and Greener Acetalization Catalyst
Authors: Xu Gang , Cao Jian , Zhao Yali , Zheng Lishuo , Tao Minli , Zhang Wenqin
Published: July 2017

A novel solid acid catalyst (PANEAPF) is developed by immobilization of phosphoric acid on polyacrylonitrile fiber through covalent bonding. Various characterization techniques such as elemental analysis (EA), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), etc. are utilized to confirm the successful grafting and the stability of the fiber catalysts during application. PANEAPF shows high catalytic activity in the acetalization of aldehydes owing to the high utilization efficiency of its functionalized acid sites. In addition, the strong polarity micro‐environment in the surface layers of PANEAPF make it highly suitable for catalytic application in both water and alcohol. Furthermore, the fiber catalyst can be applied to the acetalization of aldehydes in a continuous‐flow process at room temperature, and shows excellent reactivity and superior recyclability (over 20 times). The many advantages of PANEAPF such as simple preparation, convenient regulation of acid amount, high durability, and eco‐friendly process make it very attractive for fixed‐bed reactors in the chemical industry.
Double aortic arch anomalies in Children: A Systematic 20‐Year Single Center Study
Authors: Kaldararova M. , Simkova I. , Varga I. , Tittel P. , Kardos M. , Ondriska M. , Vrsanska V. , Masura J.
Published: July 2017

Aortic arch anomalies underlie numerous congenital disorders. Effectively diagnosing and treating them requires close understanding of cardiovascular embryology. As our Center serves the entire pediatric population of our country, we performed a comprehensive retrospective analysis of all aortic arch anomalies diagnosed at our Center over the past 20 years. We analyzed 40 children with aortic arch anomalies, distinguishing two defect types: Group 1 displayed ring‐forming anomalies, and Group 2 other types of aortic arch anomalies that did not form a vascular ring. We performed detailed morphological analyses using echocardiography, angiography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging and generated a catalog of all aortic arch anomalies present. Group 1 was represented by 25 patients; 40% with persistent both aortic arches, and 60% with various forms of right aortic arch and an incomplete left aortic arch. Group 2 was represented by 15 patients with complex heart defects. On the basis of our dataset, the incidence of all aortic arch anomalies was 0.033%, and of ring‐forming pathologies 0.021%. Although aortic arch anomalies are rare, it is important to diagnose them correctly. It is critical to distinguish ring‐forming types. Although in complex defects the aortic arch anomaly represents only an additive diagnosis, its correct definition could be crucial for further management. Cumulatively, this unique, long‐term study provides a systematic patient registry and offers critical epidemiological data to aid the study of rare congenital cardiovascular defects. Clin. Anat. 30:929–939, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The prevalence of transpancreatic common hepatic artery and coexisting variant anatomy
Authors: Ishigami Kousei , Nishie Akihiro , Asayama Yoshiki , Ushijima Yasuhiro , Takayama Yukihisa , Okamoto Daisuke , Fujita Nobuhiro , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Harimoto Norifumi , Ohtsuka Takao , Nakata Kohei , Honda Hiroshi
Published: July 2017

We studied the prevalence of the transpancreatic common hepatic artery (tp‐CHA) and coexisting variant anatomy. The study group comprised 788 consecutive liver transplant donor candidates who had undergone thin‐section multidetector‐row computed tomography (MDCT) studies to investigate vascular anatomy. Multiplanar reformatted (MPR) images obtained from the arterial phase were retrospectively reviewed to assess the presence/absence of the tp‐CHA. Five cases of tp‐CHA with pancreaticobiliary tumors were also included in an investigation of the presence/absence of variant hepatic arteries, celiac stenosis, and circumportal pancreas. Three of the 788 (0.38%) donor candidates had a tp‐CHA. Overall, eight tp‐CHA cases were assessed for coexisting variant anatomy. Seven of these eight cases had a hepatomesenteric trunk, six had celiac stenosis, and two had a circumportal pancreas. The prevalence of the tp‐CHA was 0.38% (approx. one in 260 in normal populations). A tp‐CHA can commonly be associated with a hepatomesenteric trunk and celiac stenosis. A circumportal pancreas can also coexist with a tp‐CHA. Clin. Anat. 31:598–604, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How to harvest the greatest length of tibialis posterior tendon for tendon transfer: A cadaveric study
Authors: Thamphongsri Korakot , Harnroongroj Thos , Jarusriwanna Atthakorn , Chuckpaiwong Bavornrit
Published: July 2017

In anterior transfer of the tibialis posterior tendon, the tendon was harvested using two incisions, the first at its attachment point on the navicular bone and second on the medial side of the leg above the medial malleolus. To provide the maximum tendon length, the second incision needs to be as proximal as possible but injury to the muscle origin must be avoided. The purpose of this study is to establish the location of the second incision that yields the greatest tendon length. Forty‐five unpaired embalmed cadaveric legs were dissected. Demographic data, gender, age, and side of specimen were recorded. The distance between the tip of the medial malleolus and the muscle origin was measured. Mobile tendon length, muscle origin, foot length, tibial length, and position of ankle were also noted. The mean mobile tendon length was 11.1 (range 10.7–11.4) cm and the distance between the tip of the medial malleolus and the muscle origin was 6.8 (range 6.5–7.0) cm. The mean foot length was 22.2 cm (range 21.7–22.7), tibial length was 31.5 cm (range 30.8–32.2), and muscle origin was 23.7 cm (range 21.0–26.3). The mean angle position was 46 degrees plantar flexion (range 43–49). In subgroup analysis by gender, the mobile tendon length, distance between the tip of the medial malleolus and the muscle origin, and tibial length, were significantly greater in males than females. In conclusion, for anterior transfer of the tibialis posterior tendon, an incision 7.1 cm above the medial malleolus in the male and 6.4 cm above it in the female provides the longest mobile tendon without injury to its origin. Clin. Anat. 30:1083–1086, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Level of Evidence: V, Cadaveric descriptive study.
Synthetic Analogues of Nitrogenase Metallocofactors: Challenges and Developments
Authors: Sickerman Nathaniel S. , Tanifuji Kazuki , Hu Yilin , Ribbe Markus W.
Published: July 2017

Nitrogenase is the only known biological system capable of reducing N2 to NH3, which is a critical component of bioavailable nitrogen fixation. Since the discovery of discrete iron‐sulfur metalloclusters within the nitrogenase MoFe protein, synthetic inorganic chemists have sought to reproduce the structural features of these clusters in order to understand how they facilitate the binding, activation and hydrogenation of N2. Through the decades following the initial identification of these clusters, significant progress has been made to synthetically replicate certain compositional and functional aspects of the biogenic clusters. Although much work remains to generate synthetic iron–sulfur clusters that can reduce N2 to NH3, the insights borne from past and recent developments are discussed in this concept article.
Similarities and differences between male and female novice designers on color‐concept associations for warnings, action required, and signs and equipment status messages
Authors: Ng Annie W. Y. , Chan Alan H. S.
Published: July 2017

This research examined the male and female novice designers toward color associations for the concepts used for ‘warnings’, ‘action required’, and ‘signs and equipment status’ through a questionnaire‐based study. A total of 178 Hong Kong Chinese final year undergraduate design students (89 males and 89 females) participated in the study. The test used required the participants to indicate their choice of one of nine colors to associations with each of 38 concepts in a color‐concept table, so that any one color could be associated with any one of the concepts. For both male and female groups of novice designers, chi‐square tests revealed a strong color association for each concept tested in this study (P < .05). The results showed males and females agreed on some color‐concept association stereotypes which were therefore gender neutral. The male and female novice designers had the same color associations and similar levels of stereotype strengths for 21 concepts. The nine strongest and therefore most useful color‐concept association stereotypes for both male and female novice designers were: red‐danger, red‐fire, red‐hot, red‐stop, red‐emergency, red‐error, blue‐cold, blue‐male, and green‐exit. However, the male and female novice designers had different color association stereotypes for the standby (green vs. yellow), emergency exit (green vs. red), and toxic (purple vs. black) concepts, and the strengths of the 14 remaining associations for both groups were not at equivalent levels. Overall, it is anticipated that the findings of this study will act as a useful reference for novice designers and other design practitioners to optimize color coding in the design of ‘warnings’, ‘action required’, and ‘signs and equipment status’ messages.
Drivers of woody canopy water content responses to drought in a Mediterranean‐type ecosystem
Authors: Paz‐Kagan Tarin , Asner Gregory P.
Published: July 2017

Severe droughts increase physiological stress in woody plant species, which can lead to mortality, fundamentally altering the composition, structure, and biogeography of forests in many regions. Little is known, however, about the factors determining the physiological response of woody plants to drought at landscape scales. Our objective was to understand woody plant species responses to ongoing changes in climate, using remotely sensed canopy water content (CWC) as an indicator of plant physiological and phenological status. We used fused imaging spectroscopy and light detection and ranging from the Carnegie Airborne Observatory to quantify the factors affecting species compositional changes in CWC in a diverse Mediterranean‐type ecosystem (Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, California, USA) between 2013 and 2015. Mapped CWC was spatially variable in both of the observation years, and proved to be most closely tied to species composition and distribution across the landscape. The secondary predictors of CWC were elevation and soil substrate. In contrast, we found that CWC change was much more related to environmental factors than to the species composition. We suggest that the effect of environment on CWC change is mediated through species resistance and resilience to drought. Monitoring CWC change with imaging spectroscopy is a powerful approach to identifying species‐level responses to climatic events and long‐term change, which may provide support for policy decisions and conservation at large spatial scales.
Clinical assessment of uterine contractions
Authors: Cohen Wayne R.
Published: July 2017

The assessment of uterine contractions is important in clinical decision‐making, but the precise role for appraising contractions remains controversial. Four clinical approaches to assessing contractions are available: manual palpation; intrauterine pressure determination; external tocodynamometry; and electrohysterography. Palpation is inexpensive and harmless but requires the constant bedside presence of a trained observer. Intrauterine pressure measurement is considered the most sensitive and specific technique, and has become the standard by which other methods are judged; however, its quantitative measurements are not always precise or reproducible. Moreover, the availability of intrauterine pressure measurements does not seem to improve maternal or neonatal outcomes in most situations. External tocodynamometry is the most widely used technique. It is easy to apply and provides reasonably accurate information about the frequency and duration of contractions, but not their amplitude. It can require frequent adjustment during labor and might not work well in patients who are obese. Electrohysterography is a recently available noninvasive technology that detects uterine electrical activity using electrodes placed on the mother's abdominal wall. This approach is at least as reliable and accurate as tocodynamometry.
Indocyanine green near‐infrared lymphangiography for evaluation of effectiveness of edema fluid flow under therapeutic compression
Authors: Zaleska Marzanna T. , Olszewski Waldemar L.
Published: July 2017

The commonly used modalities for therapy of limb lymphedema are manual lymphatic drainage, manual devices moving edema fluid and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC). What seems to be necessary for validation of the effect of the compression procedure is imaging of the mobilized moving edema fluid. Picture of edema fluid flow would allow the therapist to use force adjusted to the tissue volume and stiffness differing in various limb regions as well as identify sites of abundant accumulation of fluid requiring more compression. The purpose of the present study was to visualize tissue edema fluid flow during manual drainage, Linforoll massage, IPC and bandaging. To obtain data how high compression pressures should be used to mobilize indocyanine green (ICG)‐stained fluid, concomitantly tissue fluid pressure measurements were performed. The following observations were obtained: (1) the possibility of real‐time observation of edema fluid movement using various compression modalities, (2) the threshold pressures necessary to move edema fluid to be over 80 mm Hg in the compression device and over 40 mm Hg in the tissue fluid and (3) inefficacy of compression in some cases despite applying high compression force. These observations point to the need of ICG lymphangiography before compression therapy in each patient. The images observed during the compression procedure give an insight into the distribution of edema fluid, sites of its accumulation and efficacy of applied external force on fluid mobilization.
Overexpression of GαS in Murine Osteoblasts In Vivo Leads to Increased Bone Mass and Decreased Bone Quality
Authors: Zhang Lucia , Sugamori Kim S , Claridge Colin , dela Cruz Ariana , Grynpas Marc D , Mitchell Jane
Published: July 2017

GαS is a heterotrimeric G protein that transduces signals from activated G protein-coupled receptors on the cell surface to stimulate adenylyl cyclase/cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) signaling. GαS plays a central role in mediating numerous growth and maintenance processes including osteogenesis and bone turnover. Decreased GαS expression or activating mutations in GαS both affect bone, suggesting that modulating GαS protein levels may be important for bone health and development. To examine the effects of increased osteoblastic GαS expression on bone development in vivo, we generated transgenic mice with GαS overexpression in osteoblasts (HOM-Gs mice) driven by the 3.6-kilobase (kb) Col1A1 promoter. Both male and female HOM-Gs mice exhibit increased bone turnover with overactive osteoblasts and osteoclasts, resulting in a high bone mass phenotype with significantly reduced bone quality. At 9 weeks of age, HOM-Gs mice have increased trabecular number, volumetric BMD (vBMD), and bone volume; however, the bone was woven and disorganized. There was also increased cortical bone volume despite an overall reduction in size in HOM-Gs mice along with increased cortical porosity and brittleness. The skeletal phenotype of HOM-Gs mice progressed into maturity at 26 weeks of age with further accrual of trabecular bone, whereas WT mice lost trabecular bone at this age. Although cortical bone volume and geometry were similar between mature HOM-Gs and WT mice, increased porosity persisted and the bone was weaker. At the cellular level, these alterations were mediated by an increase in bone resorption by osteoclasts and an overwhelmingly higher increase in bone formation by osteoblasts. In summary, our findings demonstrate that high osteoblastic GαS expression results in aberrant skeletal development in which bone production is favored at the cost of bone quality. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
FAAH, but not MAGL, inhibition modulates acute TLR3‐induced neuroimmune signaling in the rat, independent of sex
Authors: Flannery Lisa E. , Henry Rebecca J. , Kerr Daniel M. , Finn David P. , Roche Michelle
Published: July 2017

Toll‐like receptor (TLR)3 is a key component of the innate immune response to viral infection. The present study firstly examined whether sex differences exist in TLR3‐induced inflammatory, endocrine, and sickness responses. The data revealed that TLR3‐induced expression of interferon‐ or NFkB‐inducible genes (IFN‐α/β, IP‐10, or TNF‐α), either peripherally (spleen) or centrally (hypothalamus), did not differ between male and female rats, with the exception of TLR3‐induced IFN‐α expression in the spleen of female, but not male, rats 8 hr post TLR3 activation. Furthermore, TLR3 activation increased plasma corticosterone levels, induced fever, and reduced locomotor activity and body weight — effects independent of sex. Thus, the acute‐phase inflammatory, endocrine, and sickness responses to TLR3 activation exhibit minimal sex‐related differences. A further aim of this study was to examine whether enhancing endocannabinoid tone — namely, 2‐arachidonylglycerol (2‐AG) or N‐arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA), exhibited similar effects on TLR3‐induced inflammatory responses in male versus female rats. Systemic administration of the monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitor MJN110 and subsequent increases in 2‐AG levels did not alter the TLR3‐induced increase in IP‐10, IRF7, or TNF‐α expression in the spleen or the hypothalamus of male or female rats. In contrast, the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 increased levels of AEA and related N‐acylethanolamines, an effect associated with the attenuation of TLR3‐induced inflammatory responses in the hypothalamus, but not the spleen, of male and female rats. These data support a role for FAAH, but not MAGL, substrates in the modulation of TLR3‐induced neuroinflammatory responses, effects independent of sex.
Implementation of a clinical pharmacy service in the Transfer Unit of a tertiary hospital: a clinical quality audit
Authors: Hare Monique P. , Teasdale Trudy L. , Crilly Julia
Published: July 2017

Aim

To describe the nature and impact of a clinical pharmacist in the Transfer Unit of a tertiary hospital.

Methods

A retrospective audit was conducted based on operational and clinical measures assessing patient flow and medication safety. Patient inclusion criteria included all patients (excluding outpatients) transferred to the Transfer Unit prior to discharge or admission to hospital over a 5 month period in 2014.

Results

The increase in the average number of patients transiting through the Transfer Unit prior to 11:00 hours was 31 patients per month (42–73). The pharmacist performed a total of 41 medicine‐related interventions and identified 12 patient safety incidents.

Conclusion

The implementation of a pharmacist in the Transfer Unit may have contributed to: (i) improving patient flow, particularly at the time of hospital discharge; and (ii) identifying adverse drug events. Further research is required regarding the cost‐effectiveness of the Transfer Unit pharmacist role.
A new sample preparation and separation combination for the precise, accurate, and simultaneous determination of uracil and dihydrouracil in human plasma by reversed‐phase HPLC
Authors: Pan Wen , Li Yuandong , Feng Yan , Yang Fan , Liu Haizhou
Published: July 2017

We have developed an efficient procedure and detection method using reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous measurement of uracil and dihydrouracil in human plasma. The procedure, including chromatographic conditions and sample preparation, was optimized and validated. Optimization of the sample preparation included deproteinization, extraction, and cleanup. A new sample preparation method which resulted in an improved extraction yield of analytes and significantly reduced interference at low‐wavelength UV detection was developed. The developed method was validated for specificity, linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, precision, and accuracy. All calibration curves showed excellent linear regression (R2 > 0.9990) within the testing range. The limit of detection for uracil and dihydrouracil was 2.5 and 5.0 ng/mL, respectively. The extraction yields were >94% for uracil and 91% for dihydrouracil. Intra‐ and interassay precision and accuracy for uracil and dihydrouracil were lower than 8% at all tested concentrations. The proposed method was successfully applied to measure plasma concentrations of uracil and dihydrouracil in colorectal cancer patients scheduled to receive fluoropyrimidine‐based chemotherapy.
A fast discontinuous finite element discretization for the space‐time fractional diffusion‐wave equation
Authors: Liu Zhengguang , Cheng Aijie , Li Xiaoli
Published: July 2017

In this article, we study fast discontinuous Galerkin finite element methods to solve a space‐time fractional diffusion‐wave equation. We introduce a piecewise‐constant discontinuous finite element method for solving this problem and derive optimal error estimates. Importantly, a fast solution technique to accelerate Toeplitz matrix‐vector multiplications which arise from discontinuous Galerkin finite element discretization is developed. This fast solution technique is based on fast Fourier transform and it depends on the special structure of coefficient matrices. In each temporal step, it helps to reduce the computational work from required by the traditional methods to log , where is the size of the coefficient matrices (number of spatial grid points). Moreover, the applicability and accuracy of the method are verified by numerical experiments including both continuous and discontinuous examples to support our theoretical analysis.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 33: 2043–2061, 2017
An analytical constitutive model for progressive damage analysis of three‐dimensional braided composites
Authors: Tian Ziyang , Yan Ying , Ye Jinxin , Hong Yang , Li Xin
Published: July 2017

This study investigates the progressive damage behavior of three‐dimensional (3D) braided composites using a new analytical constitutive model. The composite microstructure is represented by yarns and an out‐of‐yarn matrix. The progressive damage behavior of yarns is modeled by a 3D Linde failure criterion, and that of the out‐of‐yarn matrix is modeled by an extended Drucker–Prager criterion. A bridging model is used to establish stress and strain relations between fiber and polymer matrix. Thus, the constitutive model of 3D braided composites is developed in the form of a system of analytical equations, and a numerical solution for the equation set is provided in this study. The elastic modulus, the strength constants, and the stress–strain behavior of 3D braided composites under tension and shear are computed by the model, and the results are consistent with the finite element results and the experimental data. The nonlinear damage behavior of 3D braided composites under unidirectional tension, compression, and shear is analyzed. The composite materials show repeated stiffness degradations during damage evolution because of successive failures of different compositions. Damage behavior depends significantly on the stress states and braiding structures of the composites. Braiding angle and fiber volume fraction mainly influence the mechanical properties of the composites, but barely affect the failure modes and tendencies of stress–strain curves. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4188–4204, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Surface structure and water adsorption behavior of waxy/amylose extender (wx/ae) double‐mutant rice starch
Authors: Takagi Hiroki , Suzuki Shiho , Akdogan Guray , Kitamura Shinichi
Published: July 2017

We studied the surface structure and water adsorption behavior of waxy/amylose extender (wx/ae) double‐mutant rice starch using scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen gas adsorption, and water adsorption capacity analysis under various relative humidity conditions, and the nature of the bound water in the starch by differential scanning calorimetry. The wx/ae starch sample had a specific surface area of 3.26 m2/g and pores on its surface with diameters ranging from 6 to 60 nm. Its water adsorption capacity was 0.278 of the weight fraction of water and its weight fraction of bound water molecules was 0.233, both of which are larger than those of wx and wild‐type (WT) starches. We suggest that the starch–water interaction is primarily determined by the morphology and nanostructure of the starch, such as the granule shape and size, specific surface area, porosity, and crystal structure, and that wx/ae starch has a greater capacity to interact with water molecules because of its unique structure.
Performance of the centre section of broad gage prestressed concrete sleepers under fatigue loading and controlled cracking
Authors: Zanuy Carlos , Albajar Luis
Published: July 2017

Prestressed concrete sleepers have been widely used in railway tracks for some decades with excellent performance. The traditional design rule for prestressed concrete sleepers has been based on limiting the long‐term tensile stress at the most loaded point of the cross section to avoid cracking. In broad gage tracks, the centre section is subjected to higher bending moment than the rail seat section. Controlled cracking has been allowed at the centre section by recent design guidelines (prEN 13230‐6) but fatigue and durability issues may arise under such situation. In addition, it is realistic that single events like overloads or dynamic effects may lead to cracking. Therefore, the performance of the centre section under controlled cracking situation should be studied, with emphasis on fatigue and residual cracks. The present paper presents an experimental campaign and a theoretical analysis on prestressed concrete sleepers subjected to severe fatigue loading at the centre section. According to the results, it can be concluded that the fatigue performance of studied sleepers is rather satisfactory. Moreover, the study has also focused on the evolution of the residual crack width and it is shown that residual cracks remain smaller than 0.05 mm for bending moments significantly larger than the characteristic bending moment.
E. M. Forster: The Novels
Authors: Edwards Mike
Published: July 2017

E. M. Forster’s writings have enjoyed remarkable popularity since the early years of the twentieth century. Their strongly visual quality, vividly evoking the English landscape as well as the more exotic settings of Italy and India, has lent itself to adaptation in several highly successful films. Forster’s masterpiece A Passage to India, has a powerful popular appeal and an assured place in the English literary heritage. This guide seeks to explore creatively the fascination of Forster’s writing and to show how interesting ideas can emerge from close reading of extracts from the novels. The approach is open-minded. Readers are encouraged to think for themselves, enjoy evolving their own interpretations and have confidence in the judgements they arrive at. Detailed analysis brings out the delicate balance of the novels - the humour, irony and ambiguity underlying the urbane, readable surface, and their unique blending of realism, comedy and romance. The result is a deeper appreciation of the subtlety and range of Forster's ideas, the technical mastery of his work, and the unconventional cast of his mind.
Implication of the Middle Jurassic Pholadomyoids of Kachchh in the Palaeobiogeography of the Middle East and South Asia: A Review
Authors: Jaitly Anand K.
Published: July 2017

The Kachchh basin is known world over for its rich occurrence of the Middle to Late Jurassic mollusks. The Middle Jurassic sediments in Kachchh range in age from Bajocian (possibly Aalenian) to Callovian. Amongst the Middle Jurassic benthic communities of Kachchh, the pholadomyoid bivalves are one of the dominant groups in both diversity and number. These are represented by 13 genera and 30 constituent species. Distribution of these bivalves was much affected by the evolutionary history of the basin which has been created due to inundation by Tethys sea owing to the opening of Arabian sea sometime in Middle Jurassic. By and large these fauna are typical of the southern Hemisphere and belonged to east African biochore of the Tethyan realm or to the so called Ethiopian faunal province. Analyzing the (palaeo-) autecological behavior of the studied pholadomyoid bivalves and their distribution pattern, an attempt has been made to ascertain the usefulness of these pholadomyoids in evaluating the Middle Jurassic paleobiogeography.
Sensitivity of Nasal Bone as Aneuploidy Marker—First Trimester versus Second Trimester Assessment
Authors: Lakshmy Selvaraj Ravi , Shobana Umapathy , Rose Nity
Published: July 2017

Objective To assess the reliability of nasal bone (NB) as an aneuploidy marker in the first trimester vs. second trimester and to highlight the technical difficulties in evaluating the nasal bone at 11–14 week scan.

Methods Nasal bone was examined in 4478 women who enrolled for nuchal translucency (NT) scan and NB was assessed in both midsagittal and coronal planes. Risk assessment was done based on serum biochemistry and NT without including the NB status. Absence of NB was confirmed at 17 week and aneuploidy risk was modified from the obtained first trimester risk. The midsagittal images from the cases with absent NB were randomly assorted among 81 normal ones and were peer reviewed.

Results Nineteen fetuses had absent NB in the first trimester, of which five had NT above the 90th percentile. In the remaining 14 cases followed up at second trimester, nasal bone was present in 3 cases in the subsequent scan. Five of 11 cases were screen positive after modifying the risk and were counseled appropriately. In retrospective evaluation of the 100 images, concordance was obtained only in 76%, reflecting the observer variability. Down’s syndrome was confirmed in 4 cases of which three also had an increased NT.

Conclusions Routine inclusion of NB in first trimester risk assessment with conventional midsagittal view alone in all cases may lead to an increased number of false positives. Inclusion in the second trimester would still have the same detection rate but would eliminate technical difficulties of imaging NB in the first trimester.
Appraisal of the Preparedness of Midwives and Nurses in Bahrain to Conduct Early Screening for Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Women
Authors: G. V. Asokan , Nama Mariam Mohammed Baqer , Salman Feryal Juma , AlGhareeb Zainab Habib Ali , Almoosawi Ali Moosa , Al Hammam Ridha Abdulla , Awadhalla Muyssar Sabri
Published: July 2017

Objective

To appraise the awareness and knowledge levels of midwives and nurses concerning early screening for Zika virus (ZIKV) infection among pregnant women attending health care facilities in Bahrain.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, purposely chosen study of Bahraini and expatriate midwives, nurses, and supervisors employed in gynecology/obstetrics and labor wards of Salmanya hospital, a maternity hospital, 4 private hospitals, and health centers in Bahrain. The chosen individuals were invited to participate in a survey on awareness and knowledge of early screening for ZIKV infection.

Results

Of 266 midwives and nurses employed in the study sites, 170 (64%) consented to participate in the study. Of those who agreed to participate, 76 were midwives and 94 were nurses. Admittedly, 39% of midwives and nurses were unaware of ZIKV infection. The grand mean knowledge score in the study was 39%. Expatriate midwives and nurses scored better than did Bahrainis (P<0.001). The grand mean knowledge scores of evening and night shift duty participants were significantly higher than those of the day duty participants.

Conclusions

The awareness and knowledge scores of midwives and nurses concerning ZIKV infection were inadequate, which supported our hypothesis. By harnessing modern technology and support systems, lifelong learning can be used as a means to enhance preparedness for public health crises such as ZIKV. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:7–13)
On the Age and Origin of Lake Ejagham, Cameroon, and Its Endemic Fishes
Authors: Curt Stager Jay , Alton Kenneth , Martin Christopher H. , King David T. , Petruny Lucille W. , Wiltse Brendan , Livingstone Daniel A.
Published: July 2017

Lake Ejagham is a small, shallow lake in Cameroon, West Africa, which supports five endemic species of cichlid fishes in two distinct lineages. Genetic evidence suggests a relatively young age for the species flocks, but supporting geologic evidence has thus far been unavailable. Here we present diatom, geochemical, mineralogical, and radiocarbon data from two sediment cores that provide new insights into the age and origin of Lake Ejagham and its endemic fishes. Radiocarbon ages at the base of the longer core indicate that the lake formed approximately 9 ka ago, and the diatom record of the shorter core suggests that hydroclimate variability during the last 3 millennia was similar to that of other lakes in Cameroon and Ghana. These findings establish a maximum age of ca. 9 cal ka BP for the lake and its endemic species and suggest that repeated cichlid speciation in two distinct lineages occurred rapidly within the lake. Local geology and West African paleoclimate records argue against a volcanic, chemical, or climatic origin for Lake Ejagham. Although not conclusive, the morphometry of the lake and possible signs of impact-induced effects on quartz grains are instead more suggestive of a bolide impact.
PEARL MILLET PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN BRAZIL: A REVIEW
Authors: DE ASSIS RENATO LARA , DE FREITAS ROGÉRIO SOARES , MASON STEPHEN C.
Published: July 2017

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum(L.) R. Br.] is grown as a forage, cover and grain crop in Brazil. Historically, forage production has the most important use, but during the last 30 years, the use as a cover crop in no-till soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merrill] production systems has expanded greatly and is currently used on over 5 million ha. Grain production as livestock feed is presently of minor importance but expanding. This review cites 125 references and documents pearl millet research conducted in Brazil which is largely published in Portuguese. The review addresses recommended pearl millet production practices for different uses, including stand establishment, row spacing and plant population, fertiliser and pest management, and the use of pearl millet in rotation and as a cover crop between soybean or maize (Zea maysL.) production to reduce crop losses from nematode infestation. It is concluded that greater research investment in crop improvement, fertiliser and pest management, nematode management, and forage/grain utilisation is needed to fully take advantage of pearl millet to meet feed, food and soil improvement needs in Brazil. In addition, creation of a database on pearl millet production, marketing and utilisation to assist farmers and grain merchandisers, and increased extension programming on pearl millet production is needed.
Uncanny Hybridity and Nostalgia Politics inThe Yellow Sea
Authors: Rhee Suk Koo
Published: July 2017

This article analyzes the ways that Korean Chinese migrants are exploited aesthetically in their ancestral homeland by focusing on their mass-media refiguration. These return migrants, or the Chosŏnjok, have been received by their South Korean co-ethnics into what may be called a “hierarchical nationhood.” The strategies of temporal displacement, this article contends, are employed in South Korean cinema and television dramas in order to contain the uncanny cultural difference embodied by these ethnic returnees. As a result, a certain sense of belatedness is inscribed on the bodies of these migrants. If this temporal refiguration wards off the psychological discomfort of dealing with difference in the midst of sameness, it may be said at the same time to fetishize its object within an archaic constellation that South Koreans find endearing, yet disturbingly absent, from their highly consumerist contemporary society. In attempting to delineate the “nostalgia politics,” the article aims to shed light on the function of certain mass media representations, including Hongjin Na's movieThe Yellow Sea, in the context of the socioeconomic realities of South Korea.
The Tolerable Cost of European Union Regulation: Leaving the EU and the Market for Politically Convenient Facts
Authors: FOOKS GARY , MILLS TOM
Published: July 2017

European Union (EU) law-making has played a key role in promoting social equity in the UK through safer working conditions, enhanced rights for workers, and by reducing environmental pollution. Concerns over its effect on business competitiveness have long been a major driver of Euroscepticism, underpinning criticism of the EU by influential opinion formers within British conservatism. The Leave Campaign argued that EU laws damage the UK economy by imposing unnecessary costs on British business, claiming that EU regulations cost the UK economy £33.3 billion per year. This paper examines the reliability of, and assumptions that underpin, aggregated estimates of the costs and benefits of EU-derived regulation, and considers how the economisation of public policy influences understanding of the social value of regulation. It brings together the findings of studies that have evaluated the accuracy of the estimated costs and benefits in formal impact assessments and analyses impact assessments of EU-derived policy instruments aimed at regulating working conditions. Our findings suggest that aggregated estimates represent poor guides to understanding the social costs and benefits of social regulation and highlight the value of discarding impact assessment estimates of costs and benefits in the context of efforts to shape social policy post-Brexit.
Introduction to Symposium on the Third Restatement of Conflict of Laws
Authors: Vázquez Carlos M.
Published: July 2017

The American Law Institute (ALI) has recently embarked on the project of elaborating a new Restatement of Conflict of Laws. Its first two Restatements on this subject have been enormously influential. The Ali began its work on the First Restatement in 1923, naming Joseph Beale of the Harvard Law School as its Reporter. Adopted in 1934, the First Restatement reflected the highly territorialist approach to the conflict of laws that had long prevailed in this country. Even before the First Restatement’s adoption, the First Restatement’s territorialist approach, and the “vested rights” theory on which it was based, was subjected to intense scholarly criticism. Nevertheless, the First Restatement’s approach continued to prevail in the United States until the New York Court of Appeals initiated a “choice-of-law revolution” in the early 1960’s with its decision inBabcock v. Jackson. Although most states have departed from the First Restatement’s approach, the First Restatement retains its adherents. Ten states continue to follow the First Restatement for tort cases and twelve states for contract cases.
What a Third Restatement of Conflict of Laws Can Do
Authors: Roosevelt Kermit , Jones Bethan
Published: July 2017

More than forty years after the Second Restatement of Conflict of Laws, the American Law Institute (ALI) has begun work on a Third. Forty years is a long time, and the magnitude of the gap since the Second Restatement is itself a reason to think a Third is appropriate. But there are other reasons that it is time for a Third. In this essay, we want to explain why we think American choice of law has progressed to the point that a new Restatement is appropriate, and also, and relatedly, what we hope the Third Restatement can achieve.

These are our views, not those of the Ali, the Advisers to the Third Restatement, or even the other Reporters. It is simply our understanding of the significance of where we are in American conflicts scholarship and practice and where we might hope to go.
What I Like Most About the Restatement (Second) of Conflicts, and Why it Should not be Thrown out With the Bathwater
Authors: Brilmayer Lea
Published: July 2017

I’m a recent convert to the Restatement (Second) of Conflicts. In my thirty years of teaching the course, it’s been all too easy to parrot the conventional wisdom—that the Second Restatement is conceptually muddled, self-contradictory, and bordering on vacuous. I am now convinced, however, that there are both intellectual consistency and practical wisdom in its approach. (What better time to make this discovery than just as the American Law Institute decides to replace it?) I summarize below my reasons for believing that substantial parts of the Second Restatement’s basic structure should be left as is.
Lex Pacificatoria Colombiana: Colombia’s Peace Accord in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Bell Christine
Published: July 2017

In this short piece, I open a conversation over how the Colombian Final Peace Accord provides evidence of, and a contribution to, a more generallex pacificatoriaor “law of the peacemakers” (lex paxfor short). In light of the Accord’s recent ballot defeat, I integrate into this assessment the merits of using a referendum to approve (in Colombia’s case “affirm or deny”) the Agreement as a whole. Throughout, I draw on a peace agreement database which has coded over one thousand four hundred peace agreements since 1990 for comparative insight.