bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermo‐physical and kinetics parameters determination and gases emissions of self‐ignition of sieved rice husk of different sizes on a hot plate
Authors: El‐Sayed Saad A. , Khass T.M. , Mostafa Mohamed E.
Published: May 2017

Hot plate self‐ignition standard tests at constant temperature have been performed on a paddle rice husk of size 75 to 1500 μm and a sieved rice husk of sizes 75 : 106, 106 : 120, and 120 : 150 μm. Modified tests using insulated metal ring have been investigated and compared with the standard test. Gases emissions showed that CO is the main component, and its maximum percentage occurs at the maximum temperature and depends on the dust layer thickness. It was found that as the thickness of dust layer increases, the maximum temperature and its corresponding time increase. Ring with insulation showed lower maximum and ignition temperature and ignition time compared with that without insulation. The flue gases temperature and CO% and CO2% emissions were higher in case of insulated ring. Thermal and physical properties as density, thermal conductivity, heat transfer coefficient, and kinetic parameters as activation energy and frequency factor have been determined. The activation energy of the sieved husk (75 : 106, 106 : 120, 120 : 150 μm) and paddle husk was 174.76, 183.37, 189.1, and 206.1 kJ/mol, respectively. Also, (QA0) factors were 2.696 × 1014, 6.211 × 1016, 6.105 × 1019 and 3.0461 × 1016 (J/kg s), respectively. It has been noted that as the dust particle size increases, the (E) and (QA0) values increase. © 2017 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Syntheses and properties of the PET‐co‐PEA copolyester
Authors: Wang Lipeng , Wang Yu , Zhang Fuchen , Bai Yongping , Ding Liping
Published: May 2017

An aliphatic‐aromatic random‐block copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and poly(enthylene adipate) (PEA), PET‐co‐PEA, was synthesized via melt polycondensation. The chemical structure of the products were characterized by two kinds of spectroscopic techniques (Fourier transform infrared and 1H‐NMR). The thermal properties of the copolyester were characterized by thermogravimetry analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and polarized optical microscopy. It was found that the crystallization ability, melting point, glass transition temperature of the random‐block coplyester decreased apparently. Meanwhile, the tensile strength and hydrolysis performance were measured as well. The result showed that the random‐block copolyesters PET‐co‐PEA displayed excellent properties in elasticity and strength. In addition, the potential degradability was found in hydrolysis measurement. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44967.
Antioxidant and hydrophilic poly(lactic acid) fibers obtained through their modification with amines and ferulic acid
Authors: Wojciechowska Dorota , Herczyńska Lucyna , Simon Frank , Puchalski Michał , Stawski Dawid
Published: May 2017

The ferulic acid (FA) is a natural antioxidant, abundantly present in plants, which acts as the plant's immune system. In order to take advantage of its properties, a method has been developed, which combines antioxidant FA with bio‐based biodegradable poly(lactic acid) fibers and biocompatible hydrophilic polyallylamine, enabling the production of versatile base material that could be used for active anti‐inflammatory wound dressings. The fibers are first subjected to aminolysis in order to obtain amino moieties on the surface, able to react with the molecules of FA. Next, the FA was attached to the aminolyzed fibers surface with use of 1‐ethyl‐3–(3‐dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N‐hydroxysuccinimide. The anti‐inflammatory properties of the modified fibers were assessed using 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. Presence of FA on the fibers’ surface was investigated through X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and Folin–Ciocalteu (total phenolic content) test. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45112.
Graphene nanosheets‐filled epoxy composites prepared by a fast dispersion method
Authors: Li An , Zhang Cong , Zhang Yang‐Fei
Published: May 2017

Graphene nanosheets‐filled epoxy composites (GNS/Epoxy) were prepared at different filler loading levels from 0.25 to 3.00 wt %. A fast dispersion method as short as 5 min is employed to disperse GNS in epoxy matrix, which was enough for the homogeneous dispersion of GNS with the help of high ultrasonic frequency of 100 kHz and power of 200 W and high heat treatment temperature of 70 °C. The maximum electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity of the composites achieved 0.058 S m−1 and 0.57 W m−1 K−1, respectively, with a low electrical percolation threshold of 1.50 wt %. The electrical conductivities were further predicted by percolation theory and found to agree well with the experimental results, which indicated that the graphene nanosheets dispersed very well in the matrix even at very short processing time. The results showed that the microstructures, thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of epoxy polymer were significantly improved by adding a low amount of graphene nanosheets. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45152.
Morphology and properties of electrically and rheologically percolated PLA/PCL/CNT nanocomposites
Authors: Urquijo J. , Dagréou S. , Guerrica‐Echevarría G. , Eguiazábal J. I.
Published: May 2017

Poly(lactic acid)/poly(ɛ‐caprolactone)/carbon nanotube (PLA/PCL/CNT) nanocomposites (NCs) were melt‐processed in a conventional industrial‐like twin‐screw extruder maintaining a constant PLA/PCL 80/20 wt. ratio. CNTs located in the thermodynamically favored PCL phase and, as a result, the “sea–island” morphology of the unfilled blend was replaced by a more continuous PCL dispersed phase in the ternary NCs. Rheological and electrical percolation took place at the same CNT contents (over 1.2 wt %) that TEM images suggest continuity of the PCL phase. The electrical and the low‐strain mechanical behaviors upon CNT addition were similar in the reference binary PLA/CNT and ternary PLA/PCL/CNT NCs. In the percolated NCs, the conductivity became 106–107 times higher than in the insulating compositions, while the Young modulus increased linearly upon the addition of CNT (12% increase at 4.9 wt % loading). Moreover, all the PLA/PCL/CNT NCs showed a ductile behavior (elongation at break >130%) similar to that of the unfilled PLA/PCL blend (140%), in contrast to the brittle behavior of binary PLA/CNT NCs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45265.
Bipartite Linear χ‐Consensus of Double‐Integrator Multi‐Agent Systems With Measurement Noise
Authors: Ma Cuiqin , Zhao Weiwei , Zhao Yun‐Bo
Published: May 2017

The bipartite consensus problem is investigated for double‐integrator multi‐agent systems in the presence of measurement noise. A distributed protocol with time‐varying consensus gain is proposed. By using tools of state transition matrix and algebraic graph theory, necessary and sufficient conditions for the designed protocol to be a mean square bipartite linear χ‐consensus protocol are given. It is shown that the signed digraph being structurally balanced and having a spanning tree are not only sufficient, but also necessary for bipartite consensus. Furthermore, the protocol is proved to be a mean square bipartite average consensus protocol if the signed graph is weight balanced.
Taking control over microbial populations: Current approaches for exploiting biological noise in bioprocesses
Authors: Delvigne Frank , Baert Jonathan , Sassi Hosni , Fickers Patrick , Grünberger Alexander , Dusny Christian
Published: May 2017

Phenotypic plasticity of microbial cells has attracted much attention and several research efforts have been dedicated to the description of methods aiming at characterizing phenotypic heterogeneity and its impact on microbial populations. However, different approaches have also been suggested in order to take benefit from noise in a bioprocess perspective, e.g. by increasing the robustness or productivity of a microbial population. This review is dedicated to outline these controlling methods. A common issue, that has still to be addressed, is the experimental identification and the mathematical expression of noise. Indeed, the effective interfacing of microbial physiology with external parameters that can be used for controlling physiology depends on the acquisition of reliable signals. Latest technologies, like single cell microfluidics and advanced flow cytometric approaches, enable linking physiology, noise, heterogeneity in productive microbes with environmental cues and hence allow correctly mapping and predicting biological behavior via mathematical representations. However, like in the field of electronics, signals are perpetually subjected to noise. If appropriately interpreted, this noise can give an additional insight into the behavior of the individual cells within a microbial population of interest. This review focuses on recent progress made at describing, treating and exploiting biological noise in the context of microbial populations used in various bioprocess applications.
Fabrication of viable and functional pre‐vascularized modular bone tissues by coculturing MSCs and HUVECs on microcarriers in spinner flasks
Authors: Zhang Songjie , Zhou Min , Ye Zhaoyang , Zhou Yan , Tan Wen‐Song
Published: May 2017

Slow vascularization often impedes the viability and function of engineered bone replacements. Prevascularization is a promising way to solve this problem. In this study, a new process was developed by integrating microcarrier culture and coculture to fabricate pre‐vascularized bone microtissues with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Initially, coculture medium and cell ratio between MSCs and HUVECs were optimized in tissue culture plates concerning cell proliferation, osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Subsequently, cells were seeded onto CultiSpher S microcarriers in spinner flasks and subjected to a two‐stage (proliferative‐osteogenic) culture process for four weeks. Both cells proliferated and functioned well in chosen medium and a 1 : 1 ratio between MSCs and HUVECs was chosen for better angiogenesis. After four weeks of culture in spinner flasks, the microtissues were formed with high cellularity, evenly distributed cells and tube formation ability. While coculture with HUVECs exerted an inhibitory effect on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, with downregulated alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization and gene expression of COLI, RUNX2 and OCN, this could be attenuated by employing a delayed seeding strategy of HUVECs against MSCs during the microtissue fabrication process. Conclusion: Collectively, this work established an effective method to fabricate pre‐vascularized bone microtissues, which would lay a solid foundation for subsequent development of vascularized tissue grafts for bone regeneration.
3‐Amino‐1H‐pyrazolopyridine Derivatives as a Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase Inhibitor
Authors: Park Chul Min , Jadhav Vithal B. , Song Jong‐Hwan , Lee Sunkyung , Won Hee Young , Choi Sang Un , Son You Hwa
Published: May 2017

Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) has been implicated in various cellular processes and is highly upregulated in diverse cancers, then it is thought to be a promising anticancer target. 3‐Anilino‐1H‐pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridine scaffold was identified as a novel scaffold for MELK kinase inhibitors in high throughput screening (HTS). From exploration for structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies mainly by the modification of the 3 (C3), and 5‐positions (C5), 4‐(4‐methylpiperazin‐1‐yl)‐N‐{5‐[1‐(piperidin‐4‐yl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl]‐1H‐pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridin‐3‐yl}benzamide (21a) was found to exhibit good activity (IC50 = 0.15 μM) on MELK as a lead in early state.
Comparative pharmacokinetics of acteoside from total glycoside extracted from leaves of Rehmannia and Dihuangye total glycoside capsule in normal and diabetic nephropathy rats
Authors: Dai Xin‐Xin , Su Shu‐Lan , Cai Hong‐Die , Wei Dan‐Dan , Zheng Tian‐Yao , Zhu Zhen‐Hua , Yan Hui , Shang Er‐Xin , Guo Sheng , Qian Da‐Wei , Duan Jin‐Ao
Published: May 2017

Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch (RG), is officially listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and is widely used in China. In this paper, a sensitive and rapid ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method including multiple‐reaction monitoring mode was developed and applied to study the pharmacokinetic effect of acteoside from total glycoside extracted from the leaves of Rehmannia (TLR) and Dihuangye total glycoside capsule (DTG) in normal and diabetic nephropathy rats. The diabetic nephropathy rat model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of a small dose of streptozotocin and high‐fat diet and plus 5% glucose drinking water. Samples of plasma of rats were obtained at different times after rats were administered TLR (7.2 g/kg) and DTG (360 mg/kg). After deproteinization by acetonitrile, the concentrations of acteoside in rats at different time points were detected by UPLC‐TQ‐MS method and pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated using DAS 3.2.8 software. A good linearity of acteoside was shown in the range of 8.51–3404.8 ng/m L (r2 = 0.9987). The mean extraction recovery of analyte was in the range of 63.55–79.49%, and the intra‐ and inter‐day RSD values were <8.8%. Compared with the normal group, the maximum plasma concentration, AUC0–t, AUC0–∞ and apparent plasma clearance corresponding dose in model group rats decreased significantly. After rats were administered TLR and DTG, the acteoside reached the maximum plasma concentration at about 15 min. The method proved to be simple, rapid and specific, and to be suitable for the determination of acteoside in plasma of diabetic nephropathy rats and pharmacokinetic study.
Religious heterogeneity of food consumers: The impact of global markets upon methods of production
Authors: White Gareth Reginald Terence , Samuel Anthony , Zhou Peng , Razak Azley Abd , Thomas Simon
Published: May 2017

The production and distribution of food is a topic of perennial interest. Specific concern arises over the provision of foods that have been prepared in accordance with religious requirements because they place additional demands and constraints upon methods of food production and distribution.

This paper explores the attitude of consumers towards the method of production of food that has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of their own and other faiths. Consumer's gender, age, education level, and the degree of respondent religiosity are all found to be influential. Furthermore, the assumption that such foods are acceptable to nonreligious people is flawed.

This study advances our understanding of the role of religiosity upon consumer behaviour. It makes a unique investigation of attitudes towards food that has been prepared in accordance with religious requirements and finds that consumer religion is an important demographic but that the degree of religiosity and other attitudes, such as those towards animal husbandry, are also important factors that need to be taken into account during production and retailing.

Such polydoxicity has implications for marketing systems concerned with the production and consumption of religiously prepared foodstuff. This research concludes that religious consumers are a highly heterogeneous group. Although interfaith differences may be obvious and expected, intrafaith differences also exist.
Fabrication of Amorphous Mesoporous Ni(OH)2 Hollow Spheres with Waxberry‐Like Morphology for Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Zhou Cong , Lin Lina , Ma Yuzhu , Huang Liyan , Li Jun , Liu Zhengping , Dong Zhaoxia
Published: May 2017

The amorphous mesoporous Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres (Ni(OH)2‐HSs) with waxberry‐like morphology were fabricated by using a facile hydrothermal method with poly(styrene‐acrylic acid) spheres as the template, followed by extraction of the template. In the hydrothermal process, Ni(NO3)2⋅6H2O was employed as the precursor of Ni(OH)2. SEM, TEM, XPS, XRD, and N2 adsorption‐desorption isotherm techniques were used to characterize the structure and morphology of Ni(OH)2‐HSs. The obtained Ni(OH)2‐HSs have a uniform morphology with an average diameter of 300 nm and shell thickness of about 25 nm. The mesoporous shells of the Ni(OH)2‐HSs are composed of amorphous Ni(OH)2 particles. When used as an electrode, the as‐prepared Ni(OH)2‐HSs exhibit pseudocapacitive behavior with a high specific capacitance of 2559 F g−1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s−1 and a good capacitance retention of 91.8% after 1000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g−1. These results suggest promising applications of the waxberry‐like amorphous Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres in electrode materials for supercapacitors.
Self‐Assembly of Perylenediimide–Single‐Strand‐DNA Conjugates: Employing Hydrophobic Interactions and DNA Base‐Pairing To Create a Diverse Structural Space
Authors: Mishra Ashutosh Kumar , Weissman Haim , Krieg Elisha , Votaw Kevin A. , McCullagh Martin , Rybtchinski Boris , Lewis Frederick D.
Published: May 2017

The self‐assembly behavior of DNA conjugates possessing a perylenediimide (PDI) head group and an N‐oligonucleotide tail has been investigated using a combination of optical spectroscopy and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo‐TEM) imaging. To obtain insight into the interplay between PDI hydrophobic interactions and DNA base‐pairing we employed systematic variation in the length and composition of the oligo tails. Conjugates with short (TA)n or (CG)n oligo tails (n≤3) form helical or nonhelical fibers constructed from π‐stacked PDI head groups with pendent oligo tails in aqueous solution. Conjugates with longer (TA)n oligo tails also form stacks of PDI head groups, which are further aggregated by base‐pairing between their oligo tails, leading to fiber bundling and formation of bilayers. The longer (CG)n conjugates form PDI end‐capped duplexes, which further assemble into PDI‐stacked arrays of duplexes leading to large scale ordered assemblies. Cryo‐TEM imaging reveals that (CG)3 gives rise to both fibers and large assemblies, whereas (CG)5 assembles preferentially into large ordered structures.
A New Polyoxometalate (POM)‐Based Composite: Fabrication through POM‐Assisted Polymerization of Dopamine and Properties as Anode Materials for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ding Yan‐Hong , Peng Jun , Khan Shifa‐Ullah , Yuan Yue
Published: May 2017

Organic substrates are indispensable in the fabrication of multifunctional polyoxometalate (POM)‐based composites for various applications. A new molybdovanadophosphoric heteropolyacid (PMo10V2)‐based polydopamine (PDA) composite (PMo10V2/PDA) is first synthesized through a facile, in situ polymerization method under hydrothermal conditions, without the addition of extra buffer solution. The obtained PMo10V2/PDA composite shows homogeneous microsphere morphology. Through utilization of the adhesive ability of PDA, the composite can be used as an anode material without additional binder for rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries. Excellent electrochemical performances are obtained, with a high, stable specific capacity of 915.3 mA h g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1, remarkable rate capability, and good cycling stability (≈93 % capacity retention after 300 cycles at a high current density of 1000 mA g−1).
Hexakis [60]Fullerene Adduct‐Mediated Covalent Assembly of Ruthenium Nanoparticles and Their Catalytic Properties
Authors: Leng Faqiang , Gerber Iann C. , Lecante Pierre , Bentaleb Ahmed , Muñoz Antonio , Illescas Beatriz M. , Martín Nazario , Melinte Georgian , Ersen Ovidiu , Martinez Hervé , Axet M. Rosa , Serp Philippe
Published: May 2017

The C66(COOH)12 hexa‐adduct has been successfully used as a building block to construct carboxylate bridged 3D networks with very homogeneous sub‐1.8 nm ruthenium nanoparticles. The obtained nanostructures are active in nitrobenzene selective hydrogenation.
Synthesis of a Single‐Crystalline Macroporous Layered Silicate from a Macroporous UTL‐Type Zeolite and Its Accelerated Intercalation
Authors: Asakura Yusuke , Kawaura Naoki , Kuroda Yoshiyuki , Koike Masakazu , Wada Hiroaki , Shimojima Atsushi , Kuroda Kazuyuki
Published: May 2017

A single‐crystalline macroporous layered silicate was obtained for the first time. Firstly, UTL‐type zeolite with macropores was prepared hydrothermally under the presence of acetylene black as a macropore template and the subsequent calcination to remove the template. Double four‐membered ring (d4r) units in the UTL framework were selectively dissolved to yield a layered silicate with macropores. Intercalation of tetrabutylammonium ions into the macroporous layered silicate is accelerated if compared with that into the same silicate without macropores, indicating the effectiveness of macropores due to easy diffusion. The layered silicate with macropores was converted into PCR‐type zeolite with macropores, a hierarchically micro‐ and macroporous material, through interlayer condensation.
Lipophilic N‐Hydroxyphthalimide Catalysts for the Aerobic Oxidation of Cumene: Towards Solvent‐Free Conditions and Back
Authors: Petroselli Manuel , Melone Lucio , Cametti Massimo , Punta Carlo
Published: May 2017

A new class of lipophilic N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) catalysts designed for the aerobic oxidation of cumene in solvent‐free conditions was synthesized and tested. The specific strategy proposed for the introduction of lipophilic tails on the NHPI moiety leads to lipophilic catalysts that—while completely preserving the activity of the precursor—allow the catalytic oxidation to be conducted in neat cumene, for the first time. The corresponding cumyl hydroperoxide is obtained in good yields (28–52 %) and with high selectivity (95–97 %), under mild conditions. Importantly, the presence of a polar solvent is no longer required to guarantee complete solubilization of the catalyst. On the other hand, the oxidation conducted in neat cumene reveals the unexpected necessity of using small amounts of acetonitrile to fully promote the hydrogen atom transfer process and prevent the catalyst from detrimental hydrogen‐bond (HB) driven aggregation.
High‐Throughput Assay for Enantiomeric Excess Determination in 1,2‐ and 1,3‐Diols and Direct Asymmetric Reaction Screening
Authors: Shcherbakova Elena G. , Brega Valentina , Lynch Vincent M. , James Tony D. , Anzenbacher Pavel
Published: May 2017

A simple and efficient method for determination of the yield, enantiomeric/diasteriomeric excess (ee/de), and absolute configuration of crude chiral diols without the need of work‐up and product isolation in a high throughput setting is described. This approach utilizes a self‐assembled iminoboronate ester formed as a product by dynamic covalent self‐assembly of a chiral diol with an enantiopure fluorescent amine such as tryptophan methyl ester or tryptophanol and 2‐formylphenylboronic acid. The resulting diastereomeric boronates display different photophysical properties and allow for fluorescence‐based ee determination of molecules containing a 1,2‐ or 1,3‐diol moiety. This method has been utilized for the screening of ee in a number of chiral diols including atorvastatin, a statin used for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation of benzil was performed in a highly parallel fashion with errors <1 % ee confirming the feasibility of the systematic examination of crude products from the parallel asymmetric synthesis in real time and in a high‐throughput screening (HTS) fashion.
Efficient Pd‐Catalyzed Regio‐ and Stereoselective Carboxylation of Allylic Alcohols with Formic Acid
Authors: Fu Ming‐Chen , Shang Rui , Cheng Wan‐Min , Fu Yao
Published: May 2017

Formic acid is efficiently used as a C1 source to directly carboxylate allylic alcohols in the presence of a low loading of palladium catalyst and acetic anhydride as additive to afford β,γ‐unsaturated carboxylic acids with excellent chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselectivity. The reaction proceeds through a carbonylation process with in situ‐generated carbon monoxide under mild conditions, avoiding the use of high‐pressure gaseous CO. A bisphosphine ligand with a large bite angle (4,5‐bis{diphenylphosphino}‐9,9‐dimethylxanthene, Xantphos) was found to be uniquely effective for this transformation. The regio‐ and stereoconvergence of this reaction is ascribed to the thermodynamically favored isomerization of the allylic electrophile in the presence of the palladium catalyst.
Markovnikov versus anti‐Markovnikov Hydrophosphination: Divergent Reactivity Using an Iron(II) β‐Diketiminate Pre‐Catalyst
Authors: King Andrew K. , Gallagher Kimberley J. , Mahon Mary F. , Webster Ruth L.
Published: May 2017

The ability to tune between different regioselectivities using a common pre‐catalyst is an unusual yet highly desirable process. Here, we report the use of an iron(II) pre‐catalyst that can be used to synthesize vinyl phosphines in a Markovnikov‐selective manner in benzene, whereas a simple change to dichloromethane as the reaction solvent leads to the Z‐selective anti‐Markovnikov product. Preliminary mechanistic studies are reported that suggest Markovnikov selectivity is a radical‐mediated process, whereas the anti‐Markovnikov selectivity is not radical in nature but is due to a change in oxidation state.
The inexpensive additive N‐methylmorpholine effectively decreases the equivalents of nucleophiles in the catalytic highly enantioselective arylation of aryl aldehydes
Authors: Wang Pei , Liu Yue , Zhang Ya‐Lun , Da Chao‐Shan
Published: May 2017

Highly enantioselective arylation of aryl aldehydes catalyzed by (S)‐H8‐BINOL‐Ti(Oi‐Pr)2 complex in the presence of N‐methylmorpholine (NMM) as an effective and inexpensive additive is described for the first time. We found high enantioselectivity and yield but successfully reduced the equivalents of nucleophiles triarylaluminums by 50% compared with our previous report. The practicability of the process was thereby greatly increased.
Hydrogel Banding Improves Plant Growth, Survival, and Water Use Efficiency in Two Calcareous Soils
Authors: El‐Asmar Jessica , Jaafar Hadi , Bashour Issam , Farran Mohammad T. , Saoud Imad P.
Published: May 2017

Improving water use efficiency in the agricultural sector, particularly in arid regions, is becoming increasingly important in response to increasing global population and concomitant demand for food, water, and land. The authors performed experiments to determine whether the use of super‐absorbent polymers, also known as hydrogels, can increase plant survival, plant growth, and plant water use efficiency. The effect of hydrogel application proportions and application methods on plant survival and growth in clay and sandy clay loam (SCL) soils was investigated. Two pot experiments using Zea mays and Pinus pinea as model plants were performed. The hydrogel was applied at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 g kg−1 soil in one of two methods: Banding or mixing. Hydrogel effects on water retention in the two soil types were recorded. The results suggest that hydrogel banding at 0.4% application in SCL improves corn's fresh and dry above‐ground biomass by 25%, and prolongs survival time of pine seedlings by 90%. Evapotranspiration was greater in soils banded with hydrogel at 0.4% and water use efficiency increased by 10–13% in both soils. Additionally, hydrogel increased water retention of SCL by up to 33% at 100 kPa, but had negligible effects when applied in clay soils. Accordingly, the efficacy of hydrogels in agriculture water conservation depends on using appropriate application methods and quantities.
Towards a fast and secure design for enterprise‐oriented cloud storage systems
Authors: Dong Fang , Zhou Pengcheng , Liu Zijian , Shen Dian , Xu Zhuqing , Luo Junzhou
Published: May 2017

With the rapid development of information technology, enormous volumes of data are being generated by enterprises at all times. The management and storage of these large‐scale data have always been challenging enterprises. As these data are usually shared among users in a collaborative manner, secure data access and access performance are 2 key concerns for data storage of enterprises. However, current solutions fail to meet the requirements of enterprises since they suffer from the following drawbacks: (1) they do not support fine‐grained access control and cannot meet the strict secure data access requirements of enterprises, and (2) they suffer from the unpredictable access latency. Thus in this paper, we propose Frostor, an enterprise‐oriented cloud storage system, which addresses the secure data access issue through a user account and IP‐based fine‐grained access control mechanism, and guarantees the access performance via a two‐level performance optimization mechanism. We further implement Frostor and deploy it on the testbed environment in a real data center. Extensive evaluations have shown that Frostor implements fine‐grained access control, while achieving a significant reduction (≥60%) on access latency.
Prediction of T‐ and H‐Phase Two‐Dimensional Transition‐Metal Carbides/Nitrides and Their Semiconducting–Metallic Phase Transition
Authors: Chen Chi , Ji Xiao , Xu Kui , Zhang Bao , Miao Ling , Jiang Jianjun
Published: May 2017

The discovery of various two‐dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with different phases is fundamentally and technologically intriguing, leading to diverse physical and chemical properties for expanded applications. Herein, we performed systematic first‐principles calculations to explore a series of single‐layer MXenes (M2X: M=Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta; X=C, N). The new H‐phase MXenes are firstly predicted, which are compared with the usually synthesized MXenes named as T‐phase MXenes on their structure and electronic properties. Semiconducting–metallic transitions could be realized by T‐/H‐ phase transition for Sc2CO2, Sc2CO2H2, and Ti2CO2. Besides, the differences between MXenes and MoS2 on energy storage are discussed. Our work will provide valuable directions for the discovery of new MXene phases and give a systematic understanding of 2D MXenes.
Weakly dissipative dust acoustic solitons in the presence of superthermal particles
Authors: Khan Saadat , Rahman Ata‐ur‐ , Hadi F. , Zeb Aurang , Khan M.Z.
Published: May 2017

An investigation of the linear and non‐linear properties of low‐frequency electrostatic (dust acoustic) waves in a collisional dusty plasma with negative dust grains, Maxwellian electrons, and κ‐distributed ions is carried out. Low dust–neutral collisions accounting for dissipation (wave damping effect) is considered. The linear properties of dust acoustic excitations are discussed for varying values of relevant plasma parameters. It is shown that large wavelengths (beyond a critical value) are overdamped. In the limit of low dust–neutral collision rate, we have derived a damped Korteweg de Vries (KdV) equation by using the reductive perturbation technique. Supplemented by vanishing boundary conditions, the time‐varying solution of damped KdV equation leads to a weakly dissipative negative potential soliton. The soliton evolution with the damping parameter and other physical plasma parameters (superthermality, dust concentration, ion temperature) is delineated.
Image‐based modeling and scoring of Howell–Jolly Bodies in human erythrocytes
Authors: Angay Oguzhan , Friedrich Mike , Pinnecker Jürgen , Hintzsche Henning , Stopper Helga , Hempel Klaus , Heinze Katrin G.
Published: May 2017

The spleen selectively removes cells with intracellular inclusions, for example, detached nuclear fragments in circulating erythrocytes, called Howell–Jolly Bodies (HJBs). With absent or deficient splenic function HJBs appear in the peripheral blood and can be used as a simple and non‐invasive risk‐indicator for fulminant potentially life‐threatening infection after spleenectomy. However, it is still under debate whether counting of the rare HJBs is a reliable measure of splenic function. Investigating HJBs in premature erythrocytes from patients during radioiodine therapy gives about 10 thousand times higher HJB counts than in blood smears. However, we show that there is still the risk of false‐positive results by unspecific nuclear remnants in the prepared samples that do not originate from HJBs, but from cell debris residing above or below the cell. Therefore, we present a method to improve accuracy of image‐based tests that can be performed even in non‐specialized medical institutions. We show how to selectively label HJB‐like clusters in human blood samples and how to only count those that are undoubtedly inside the cell. We found a “critical distance” dcrit referring to a relative HJB‐Cell distance that true HJBs do not exceed. To rule out false‐positive counts we present a simple inside‐outside‐rule based on dcrit—a robust threshold that can be easily assessed by combining conventional 2D imaging and straight‐forward image analysis. Besides data based on fluorescence imaging, simulations of randomly distributed HJB‐like objects on realistically modelled cell objects demonstrate the risk and impact of biased counting in conventional analysis. © 2017 The Authors. Cytometry Part A published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of ISAC.
The effects of restoring logged tropical forests on avian phylogenetic and functional diversity
Authors: Cosset Cindy C. P. , Edwards David P.
Published: May 2017

Selective logging is the most prevalent land‐use change in the tropics. Despite the resulting degradation of forest structure, selectively logged forests still harbor a substantial amount of biodiversity leading to suggestions that their protection is the next best alternative to conserving primary, old‐growth forests. Restoring carbon stocks under Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) schemes is a potential method for obtaining funding to protect logged forests, via enrichment planting and liberation cutting of vines. This study investigates the impacts of restoring logged forests in Borneo on avian phylogenetic diversity, the total evolutionary history shared across all species within a community, and on functional diversity, with important implications for the protection of evolutionarily unique species and the provision of many ecosystem services. Overall and understorey avifaunal communities were studied using point count and mist netting surveys, respectively. Restoration caused a significant loss in phylogenetic diversity andMPD(mean pairwise distance) leaving an overall bird community of less total evolutionary history and more closely related species compared to unlogged forests, while the understorey bird community hadMNTD(mean nearest taxon distance) that returned toward the lower levels found in a primary forest, indicating more closely related species pairs. The overall bird community experienced a significant loss of functional strategies and species with more specialized traits in restored forests compared to that of unlogged forests, which led to functional clustering in the community. Restoration also led to a reduction in functional richness and thus niches occupied in the understorey bird community compared to unlogged forests. While there are additional benefits of restoration for forest regeneration, carbon sequestration, future timber harvests, and potentially reduced threat of forest conversion, this must be weighed against the apparent loss of phylogenetic and functional diversity from unlogged forest levels, making the biodiversity‐friendliness of carbon sequestration schemes questionable under futureREDD+ agreements. To reduce perverse biodiversity outcomes, it is important to focus restoration only on the most degraded areas or at reduced intensity where breaks between regimes are incorporated.
World without borders—genetic population structure of a highly migratory marine predator, the blue shark (Prionace glauca)
Authors: Veríssimo Ana , Sampaio Íris , McDowell Jan R. , Alexandrino Paulo , Mucientes Gonzalo , Queiroz Nuno , da Silva Charlene , Jones Catherine S. , Noble Leslie R.
Published: May 2017

Highly migratory, cosmopolitan oceanic sharks often exhibit complex movement patterns influenced by ontogeny, reproduction, and feeding. These elusive species are particularly challenging to population genetic studies, as representative samples suitable for inferring genetic structure are difficult to obtain. Our study provides insights into the genetic population structure one of the most abundant and wide‐ranging oceanic shark species, the blue shark Prionace glauca, by sampling the least mobile component of the populations, i.e., young‐of‐year and small juveniles (<2 year; N = 348 individuals), at three reported nursery areas, namely, western Iberia, Azores, and South Africa. Samples were collected in two different time periods (2002–2008 and 2012–2015) and were screened at 12 nuclear microsatellites and at a 899‐bp fragment of the mitochondrial control region. Our results show temporally stable genetic homogeneity among the three Atlantic nurseries at both nuclear and mitochondrial markers, suggesting basin‐wide panmixia. In addition, comparison of mtDNA CR sequences from Atlantic and Indo‐Pacific locations also indicated genetic homogeneity and unrestricted female‐mediated gene flow between ocean basins. These results are discussed in light of the species' life history and ecology, but suggest that blue shark populations may be connected by gene flow at the global scale. The implications of the present findings to the management of this important fisheries resource are also discussed.
The landscape of fear as an emergent property of heterogeneity: Contrasting patterns of predation risk in grassland ecosystems
Authors: Atuo Fidelis Akunke , O'Connell Timothy John
Published: May 2017

The likelihood of encountering a predator influences prey behavior and spatial distribution such that non‐consumptive effects can outweigh the influence of direct predation. Prey species are thought to filter information on perceived predator encounter rates in physical landscapes into a landscape of fear defined by spatially explicit heterogeneity in predation risk. The presence of multiple predators using different hunting strategies further complicates navigation through a landscape of fear and potentially exposes prey to greater risk of predation. The juxtaposition of land cover types likely influences overlap in occurrence of different predators, suggesting that attributes of a landscape of fear result from complexity in the physical landscape. Woody encroachment in grasslands furnishes an example of increasing complexity with the potential to influence predator distributions. We examined the role of vegetation structure on the distribution of two avian predators, Red‐tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), and the vulnerability of a frequent prey species of those predators, Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We mapped occurrences of the raptors and kill locations of Northern Bobwhite to examine spatial vulnerability patterns in relation to landscape complexity. We use an offset model to examine spatially explicit habitat use patterns of these predators in the Southern Great Plains of the United States, and monitored vulnerability patterns of their prey species based on kill locations collected during radio telemetry monitoring. Both predator density and predation‐specific mortality of Northern Bobwhite increased with vegetation complexity generated by fine‐scale interspersion of grassland and woodland. Predation pressure was lower in more homogeneous landscapes where overlap of the two predators was less frequent. Predator overlap created areas of high risk for Northern Bobwhite amounting to 32% of the land area where landscape complexity was high and 7% where complexity was lower. Our study emphasizes the need to evaluate the role of landscape structure on predation dynamics and reveals another threat from woody encroachment in grasslands.
Single nucleotide polymorphism barcoding of cytochrome c oxidase I sequences for discriminating 17 species of Columbidae by decision tree algorithm
Authors: Yang Cheng‐Hong , Wu Kuo‐Chuan , Dahms Hans‐Uwe , Chuang Li‐Yeh , Chang Hsueh‐Wei
Published: May 2017

DNA barcodes are widely used in taxonomy, systematics, species identification, food safety, and forensic science. Most of the conventional DNA barcode sequences contain the whole information of a given barcoding gene. Most of the sequence information does not vary and is uninformative for a given group of taxa within a monophylum. We suggest here a method that reduces the amount of noninformative nucleotides in a given barcoding sequence of a major taxon, like the prokaryotes, or eukaryotic animals, plants, or fungi. The actual differences in genetic sequences, called single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, provide a tool for developing a rapid, reliable, and high‐throughput assay for the discrimination between known species. Here, we investigated SNPs as robust markers of genetic variation for identifying different pigeon species based on available cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) data. We propose here a decision tree‐based SNP barcoding (DTSB) algorithm where SNP patterns are selected from the DNA barcoding sequence of several evolutionarily related species in order to identify a single species with pigeons as an example. This approach can make use of any established barcoding system. We here firstly used as an example the mitochondrial gene COI information of 17 pigeon species (Columbidae, Aves) using DTSB after sequence trimming and alignment. SNPs were chosen which followed the rule of decision tree and species‐specific SNP barcodes. The shortest barcode of about 11 bp was then generated for discriminating 17 pigeon species using the DTSB method. This method provides a sequence alignment and tree decision approach to parsimoniously assign a unique and shortest SNP barcode for any known species of a chosen monophyletic taxon where a barcoding sequence is available.
Factors shaping community assemblages and species co‐occurrence of different trophic levels
Authors: Trivellone Valeria , Bougeard Stephanie , Giavi Simone , Krebs Patrik , Balseiro Diego , Dray Stephane , Moretti Marco
Published: May 2017

Species assemblages are the results of various processes, including dispersion and habitat filtering. Disentangling the effects of these different processes is challenging for statistical analysis, especially when biotic interactions should be considered. In this study, we used plants (producers) and leafhoppers (phytophagous) as model organisms, and we investigated the relative importance of abiotic versus biotic factors that shape community assemblages, and we infer on their biotic interactions by applying three‐step statistical analysis. We applied a novel statistical analysis, that is, multiblock Redundancy Analysis (mbRA, step 1) and showed that 51.8% and 54.1% of the overall variation in plant and leafhopper assemblages are, respectively, explained by the two multiblock models. The most important blocks of variables to explain the variations in plant and leafhopper assemblages were local topography and biotic factors. Variation partitioning analysis (step 2) showed that pure abiotic filtering and pure biotic processes were relatively less important than their combinations, suggesting that biotic relationships are strongly structured by abiotic conditions. Pairwise co‐occurrence analysis (step 3) on generalist leafhoppers and the most common plants identified 40 segregated species pairs (mainly between plant species) and 16 aggregated pairs (mainly between leafhopper species). Pairwise analysis on specialist leafhoppers and potential host plants clearly revealed aggregated patterns. Plant segregation suggests heterogeneous resource availability and competitive interactions, while leafhopper aggregation suggests host feeding differentiation at the local level, different feeding microhabitats on host plants, and similar environmental requirements of the species. Using the novel mbRA, we disentangle for the first time the relative importance of more than five distinct groups of variables shaping local species communities. We highlighted the important role of abiotic processes mediated by bottom‐up effects of plants on leafhopper communities. Our results revealed that in‐field structure diversification and trophic interactions are the main factors causing the co‐occurrence patterns observed.
Amine‐Functionalized Silica Nanoparticles Incorporating Covalently Linked Visible‐Light‐Excitable Eu3+ Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Cell‐Uptake Studies
Authors: Francis Biju , Neuhaus Bernhard , Reddy M. L. P. , Epple Matthias , Janiak Christoph
Published: May 2017

We report the synthesis, characterization, photophysical investigations, and cell‐uptake studies of luminescent silica nanoparticles incorporating covalently linked visible‐light‐excitable Eu3+ complexes. Visible‐light excitation was accomplished by using highly conjugated carbazole‐based β‐diketonate ligands. Covalent incorporation of the Eu3+ complexes into the silica nanoparticles was achieved by modification of the bidentate phosphine oxide 4,6‐bis(diphenylphosphoryl)‐10H‐phenoxazine (DPOXPO), which was used as the neutral donor for the Eu3+ ion. The surface amine functionalization of the nanoparticles was carried out using aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The prepared nanoparticles (Eu@Si‐OH and Eu@Si‐NH2) are around 35–40 nm in diameter, monodisperse, stable in aqueous dispersion, and also retain the luminescent properties of the incorporated Eu3+ complex. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibit a promising luminescence quantum yield of 38 % and an excited‐state lifetime of 638 µs at physiological pH. The photobleaching experiments revealed that the developed nanoparticles are more photostable than the parent Eu3+ complex 1. In vitro experiments with Eu@Si‐NH2 nanoparticles on HeLa cells showed that they are biocompatible and are readily taken up by cells.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Deformylation Reactions with Detailed Experimental and in Silico Mechanistic Studies
Authors: Modak Atanu , Rana Sujoy , Phukan Ashwini K. , Maiti Debabrata
Published: May 2017

A facile, efficient, and general deformylation reaction with a wide‐ranging functional group compatibility has been developed with palladium acetate as a precatalyst under exogenous ligand‐free conditions. The mechanistic details of the palladium‐catalyzed deformylation reaction have been outlined on the basis of a combination of experimental and computational studies. The heterogeneous pathway is predominant for the deformylation, and homogeneous catalysis occurs to a lesser extent. This ligand‐free catalytic cycle is proposed to undergo oxidative addition, migratory extrusion, and reductive elimination as the key steps. Kinetic studies reveal a first‐order rate dependency with respect to the aldehyde. Furthermore, kinetic isotope effects, competition experiments, and Hammett studies suggest that the migratory extrusion step is the rate‐determining step. For the homogeneous pathway, the experimental findings are also supported by DFT studies.