bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concepciones urbanas basadas en las arquitecturas de grandes luces desde el transporte
Authors: Humanes Cisnal Dr. Alberto
Published: July 2018

En los albores del siglo XXI, con los medios técnicos disponibles, es necesario reflexionar sobre cómo entendemos la ciudad. Los medios de transporte han modelado las ciudades, como una adaptación a los tiempos. Este entendimiento hoy ha de ir ligado a la concepción espacial del proyecto y las grandes luces, ya que constituyen el ámbito de experimentación en el que se encuentra el germen de un nuevo urbanismo. Así las grandes luces han de tenerse en consideración, como medio para la consecución de los nuevos conceptos urbanos, ya que son un recurso proyectual indisociable de nuestro tiempo. Un breve recorrido por algunos proyectos de los últimos años, pueden ofrecernos una imagen del panorama de cambio en el que nos encontramos y si éste es viable, ya que cada uno de los proyectos es de por sí un prototipo de lo que podría llegar a ser la ciudad.

* El artículo forma parte de la tesis doctoral del autor, desarrollada en la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, España.
Interacción, Afecto y Sociedad; Reflexiones desde la Neurociencia Afectiva y Customer Experience
Authors: Brantes Alexis
Published: July 2018

Es un hecho biológicamente respaldado y clínicamente validado que el afecto tiene un rol importante en la interacción entre humanos y la tecnología, y que se produce pese a que estas interacciones no estén pensadas con el objetivo de establecer tipo alguno de afecto, sino que aparecen como una característica de la condición humana. Existe una relación tácita entre el afecto y la interacción, que se hace evidente con el desarrollo y mejora de los sistemas informáticos y la evolución de la complejidad de los sistemas de vida humanos, lo que ha llevado al concepto de interacciones socioemocionales. Este trabajo busca presentar suficiente evidencia para llegar a conclusiones sobre la relación entre la interacción, el afecto y la sociedad, abordando una perspectiva multidisciplinaria que nos facilite la relación entre lo humano y lo tecnológico en función de una comunicación efectiva y afectiva que construya relaciones de largo y corto plazo.
Integrated Supplementary Task-based Games
Authors: Maghsoud Hadi
Published: July 2018

This article explored the background for task-based games and how they could best fit in educational contexts tomake use of their potential benefits for language teaching and learning purposes. First, the assumptions of task-basedlanguage teaching (TBLT) and game-based learning (GBL), as the two underlying theories of task-based games,were touched upon. It was suggested that pedagogical tasks could be used as a framework for designing educationalgames. The benefits and pitfalls of implementation of TBLT and GBL were also investigated. Moreover, it wasargued that supplementary educational games that are in line with the syllabus rather than games used as the mainmeans of instruction could result in more efficient teaching and learning. Finally, task-based games were posited as apowerful educational tool to utilize the merits and to compensate for the shortcomings of TBLT and GBL.
Comparison of Academic Suspension Levels of Faculty of Sports Sciences Students and Faculty of Education Students
Authors: Aydos Latif , Koç Haluk , Pekel Hacı Ahmet
Published: July 2018

Faculty of Education students in terms of age, gender, active sports making, department, graduated high school,mother education level, father education level, mother profession and father occupation variables have beenexamined. A total of 364 university students studying in the Faculty of Sport Sciences and the Faculty of Educationin Gazi University, Hacettepe University and Ankara University were formed the Research group in the academicyears 2017-2018. The Academic Suspension Scale developed by Çakıcı in 2003 was used in the study. It wascompared average scores in unrelated measures, Variance Analysis (one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-test) forcomparison of mean scores in unrelated measures, the Tukey test to determine which groups had significantdifferences were used. In addition, a Pearson Correlation analysis was conducted to test the relationship between theparticles collected in the single sub-dimension. Findings obtained from this research reveal that the students ofFaculty of Sports Sciences showed more academic suspension behaviors than the students of Faculty of Education.
Transformational Leadership Behaviors of High School Students’ According to Leisure Preferences and Participation Type
Authors: Ustun Umit Dogan
Published: July 2018

This paper aimed to investigate the transformational leadership behavior of high school students according to leisurepreferences and participation type. 226 high school students attending Bursa Atatürk High School participated in thestudy voluntarily. In the study, to collect data transformational and transactional leadership scale developed byBaşoğlu (2013a) was revised and used. The construct validity of the scale assessed by confirmatory & explanatoryfactor analyzes. To investigate the differences between the participants' transformational leadership behavior KruskalWallis and Mann Whitney U nonparametric tests used. As a result, this study showed that students who chosephysical activities and who actively involved in leisure activities showed more transformational leadership than theother students.
Gender and Students’ Achievements: Evidence from PISA 2015
Authors: Bijou Mohammed , Liouaeddine Mariem
Published: July 2018

This study’s objective is to examine school performance gaps according to gender on a global scale. After exploitingthe data of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of 2015, we can see inequalities of students’achievements between countries and within every country, by mobilizing a multilevel modelling. Resorting to thistype of modelling has allowed more robustness, as opposed to the OLS estimator, which doesn’t take data hierarchyinto consideration. Our results generally reveal that gender has a significant impact on school performance. Thus,girls perform a lot better than boys when it comes to reading, while boys perform better than girls in mathematicsand science. Our thinking and analysis are made in the context of the verification of hypotheses on a global scale, inorder to draw innovative and coherent conclusions. This contribution can also be a line of research to verify otherhypotheses that are linked to the deciding factors of inequalities of students’ achievements.
The Effect of Pre-Service Teachers’ Life Skills on Teacher Self-Efficacy
Authors: Koyuncu Bengisu
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study is to find out the extent to which pre-service teachers’ life skills predict their sense of self-efficacy. The study employed a relational screening model within the quantitative research paradigm and included 195 pre-service teachers in Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Pedagogical Formation Program. The data was collected through a life skills scale, a teacher self-efficacy scale and a questionnaire. The findings indicated a significant strong positive correlation between pre-service teachers’ life skills and their sense of self-efficacy in teaching (r=.624). Life skills accounted for 38.9 of the variance in teacher sense of self-efficacy. There were not any significant differences in teacher sense of self-efficacy between males and females, graduates and non-graduates, participants and non-participants in life skills training (p>0.05). The sense of self-efficacy of pre-service teachers with teaching experience was found to be higher than that without it (p<0.05).
Evaluation of Road Infrastructure Alternatives Through a Saving Gradient in Travel Times. Case Study: Second Connection Villamaría-Manizales, Colombia
Authors: Escobar Diego Alexander , Cardona Santiago , Moncada Carlos Alberto
Published: July 2018

In the last century, the migration of people from rural to urban areas of cities has generated a set of dynamics in different sectors such as social, economic, educational that have led cities to collaborate among them, generating a constant synergy in order to obtain a sustained development in multiple aspects. In this sense, Manizales as the capital of the department of Caldas in Colombia has generated a conurbation with the nearest neighboring municipality, Villamaría reaching a combined population of 419 943. Although this synergy has taken place for several decades, these municipalities only have a place of connection, because they are separated by a geographical barrier, the Chinchiná River. This connection has had clear connection problems, due to the high flow of vehicles that move between both municipalities, so it is essential to project a second connection, to further boost mobility among its inhabitants. For this reason, in this research four (4) alternatives of connection are proposed, according to the suggestions of the Manizales 2017 Mobility Master Plan, through the calculation of the global average accessibility and the quantification of the gradient of savings generated in the average times of trip, based on the current situation of both cities. The results show which is the alternative that benefits population the most in terms of travel time savings, although three of them generate considerable savings and only one is discarded because it benefits a smaller number of inhabitants in very low percentages of savings compared to the others. The evaluation of infrastructure alternatives through the gradient of savings in travel times is useful to determine the best options in the pre-feasibility phase of investment projects in the transport area.
The Role of Government Schools in Creative Education of Students in the State of Kuwait
Authors: Alzyoud Mohammad Sayel , Al-Heifi Eman Saad , Suleiman Bilal Mohammad Salah , Al Ali Ali Salem
Published: July 2018

This paper focuses on identifying the role of government schools in creative education of students from the point of view of primary school teachers in the State of Kuwait. It also aims at finding the difference in the role of the school in the creative education of students due to the variables of experience, qualification, and specialization. The sample of the study consisted of 265 teachers from the primary government schools selected by random stratified method. A questionnaire was developed and its validity and reliability was verified. The questionnaire consisted of 45 items distributed over 5 themes; the administration, teachers, curriculum, school building, community, and parents.  The results of the study showed that the role of schools in the creative education of students from the point of view of primary school teachers in government schools in the State of Kuwait was moderate. The results showed no statistically significant differences at the level (α = 00.05) due to years of experience, qualifications, and specialization in all themes. In the light of the results of the study, several recommendations were made to improve the role of primary school in the creative education of students.
Travelling Salesman Problem Solution Based-on Grey Wolf Algorithm over Hypercube Interconnection Network
Authors: Shaheen Ameen , Sleit Azzam , Al-Sharaeh Saleh
Published: July 2018

Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) is one of the most popular NP-complete problems for the researches in the field of computer science which focused on optimization. TSP goal is to find the minimum path between cities with a condition of each city must to visit exactly once by the salesman. Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) is a new swarm intelligent optimization mechanism where it success in solving many optimization problems. In this paper, a parallel version of GWO for solving the TSP problem on a Hypercube Interconnection Network is presented. The algorithm has been compared to the alternative algorithms. Algorithms have been evaluated analytically and by simulations in terms of execution time, optimal cost, parallel runtime, speedup and efficiency. The algorithms are tested on a number of benchmark problems and found parallel Gray wolf algorithm is promising in terms of speed-up, efficiency and quality of solution in comparison with the alternative algorithms.
Change Management in Public High Schools in Jordan, Based on Administrative Innovation principles from the Schools' Principals' Point of View
Authors: AlSarhan Khaled , Abu Rumman Hana'a M.
Published: July 2018

The study aimed to identify the actuality of change management within secondary schools in Jordan based on the administrations innovative principles. Where the members of the study consisted of (275) public secondary schools principals of both genders, which were chosen randomly. The descriptive approach has been used since it suits the purpose of study, the study found that the level of administrative innovative principles among public high schools principals were low in its four dimensions (originality, fluency, flexibility and sensitivity to problems).There were statistically significant differences at the level of significance (0.05) in administrative innovation principles related to  applying the element of originality with regard to gender, The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (0.05) in the principles of administrative creativity with its four dimensions attributed to scientific qualification, while it showed that there were statistically significant differences at the level of significance (0.05) in the level of sensitivity to the problems attributed to the experience, The researcher recommended the need for change in the management of public secondary schools in Jordan, based on the principles of administrative innovation.
An Overview of Service Composition in Service Oriented Architecture
Authors: hamad Faten
Published: July 2018

Service oriented architecture (SOA) is a form of software design in which application component supply services to other components through a network communication protocol, it has many services that can transfer small data with communication channels or additional services which bring into a relationship that ensure efficiency of service activities, SOA simplify the structure of loosely coupled applicable applications and enable contribution for enterprise working of services together. In order to assure the effectiveness of Service oriented architecture we have to confirm service composition which is the collection of services together in order to perform a specific function which can be used in service oriented architecture. In this paper we proposed a Service composition in SOA, it is present service composition with various techniques used for composing services and provided a comparison between them.
Lean Bundles and Performance Outcomes in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Benchmarking a Jordanian Company and Operational Excellence International Project
Authors: Alkhalidi Bashar A. , Abdallah Ayman Bahjat
Published: July 2018

This study benchmarks the implementation levels and performance outcomes of lean bundles of a Jordanian pharmaceutical manufacturing company with the results of the Operational Excellence (OPEX) model. The OPEX model is an ongoing international research project in the pharmaceutical industry. The results of the OPEX project were obtained, along with permission to use them in the present study. The same question items used in the OPEX project were used to prepare a questionnaire to collect data from the Jordanian pharmaceutical company. Fifteen managers from the Jordanian company with responsibilities related to lean management completed the questionnaire. The results demonstrated that the implementation levels of lean practices and the lean performance outcomes of the Jordanian pharmaceutical company varied in comparison to the OPEX project. The overall assessment showed that the Jordanian company is excellent in the total quality management bundle (at or above the levels of the benchmarked data), good in the human resource bundle (almost at the levels of the benchmarked data), acceptable in the just-in-time bundle (below the levels of the benchmarked data), and weak in the total preventive maintenance bundle (considerably below the levels of the benchmarked data). There are few benchmarking studies in the pharmaceutical industry in the area of lean management. In particular, this area is under-investigated in the developing world. The current study provides insights into the value of benchmarking key lean metrics against leading companies. This approach is expected to support pharmaceutical industry managers in the developing world to evaluate their current lean state, estimate the desired state based on the benchmarking results, and set appropriate strategies to promote lean management and operational excellence in their companies.
Deep Electromagnetic Stimulation and Radial Shock Wave Therapy in Back Pain
Authors: Tomska Natalia , Turoń-Skrzypińska Agnieszka , Szylińska Aleksandra , Rył Aleksandra , Lubińska-Gruszka Agnieszka , Mosiejczuk Hanna , Rotter Iwona
Published: July 2018

Background. Pain significantly decreases the quality of life. The treatment of back pain relies heavily on comprehensive rehabilitation. This study compared the effectiveness of deep electromagnetic stimulation and radial shock wave therapy in the opinion of patients with back pain of various aetiology.
Material and methods. The study group consisted of 73 subjects, of whom 36 patients underwent radial shock wave therapy and 37 patients underwent deep electromagnetic stimulation. All patients had a diagnosis of discopathy or osteoarthritis in the cervical or lumbar spine. Data were collected by means of an original ano­nymous questionnaire.
Results. Both groups demonstrated a reduction in pain intensity after a series of their respective treatments (p=0.03). There were no statistically significant differences in pain intensity between the groups directly on com­pletion of the treatment (p=0.227) and at 2 weeks (p=0.058) and 1 month after the treatment (p=0.084).
Conclusion. Deep electromagnetic stimulation and radial shock wave therapy provide similarly satisfac­tory analgesic outcomes in patients with back pain.
Evaluation of the Solus One Listeria Method for the Detection of Listeria Species on Environmental Surfaces
Authors: Tonner Elizabeth , Kelly Siobhan , Illingworth Simon , Perera Nevin , Bastin Benjamin , Bird Patrick , Joseph Benzinger M , Agin James , Goins David , Chen Yi , Salfinger Yvonne , Brodsky Michael
Published: July 2018

Background: Solus One Listeria is designed to accurately detect Listeria species (Listeria grayi, L. innocua, L. ivanovii, L. marthii, L. monocytogenes, L. seeligeri, and L. welshimeri) from stainless steel and plastic environmental surface matrixes using an antibody-based technology test system paired with proprietary SOLO+ media and combined with manual or automated sample preparation method. Objective: Solus One Listeria was evaluated for inclusivity and exclusivity and a matrix comparison study fortwo environmental surfaces. Methods: Solus One Listeria was comparedwith the following reference method for the method comparison study: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual Chapter 10 from stainless steel and plastic environmental surfaces. Both the manual and automatedpreparation methods were performed for stainless steel and plastic environmental surfaces. Results: For the inclusivity and exclusivityevaluation, Solus One Listeria correctly identified all 50 target organism isolates and correctly excluded all 30 nontarget strains that were analyzed. In the method comparison study, bothSolus One Listeria manual and automated preparation methods demonstrated no significant differences based on probability of detection statistical analysis between presumptive and confirmed results or between candidate and reference methodresults for two environmental surfaces after 22–30 h of enrichment time. Probability of detection analysis of Solus One Listeria method robustness, product consistency (lot-to-lot), and stability studies using the automated preparation method demonstrated no statistically significant differences. Conclusions: The data from the study support the product claims of Solus One Listeria for the accurate detection of Listeria species, using both the manual and automated methods (using theDynex DS2 instrument), on both environmental surfaces analyzed.
Orquídeas epifíticas de uma Floresta Sazonal na encosta da Serra Geral, Itaara, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
Authors: Breier Tiago Böer , Rosito Jumaida Maria
Published: July 2018

The epiphytic Orchidaceae in a seasonal deciduous forest located at the Centro Tabor, 29° 37' 30" Se 53° 47' 30" W, Itaara, Serra Geral of the Rio Grande do Sul State were listed. In this research 18 species in eight genera were found: Bulbophyllum, Capanemia, Cyrtopodium, Gomesa, Isochilus, Lophia ris, Oncidium, Pleurothallis and Sophronitis.
Uso do solo e dinâmica de conflitos, na bacia do Rio dos Sinos - municípios de Campo Bom, Novo Hamburgo e São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil
Authors: Robaina Luis Eduardo , Figueró Adriano Severo , Cristo Sandro Sidnei Vargas de
Published: July 2018

The regional occupation has its origin dating back to the start of German immigration. The European settlers that arrived from the state of Rio Grande do Sul brought with them relatively more advance production techniques. Thus, there was rapid regional economic growth, based on agricultural products supplying Porto Alegre, the state's capital city. Capital accumulation in the region brought about industrialization which was also linked to the development of cattle raising activities due to abundance of laborpower and related raw materials. Urban occupation was divided in three categories, according to their intensity: high, medium and low as determined by building patterns, urban equipment and available services Non-urban areas are considered as being latent urban development grounds. Both the small farms used primarily for leisure activities and those with some agricultural and cattle raising activities seem to have little future.
L’acquisition de la phonologie en français langue seconde : le profil phonologique d’enfants allophones en maternelle
Authors: Meziane Rabia Sabah , MacLeod Andrea A. N.
Published: July 2018

La ville de Montréal est l’une des villes les plus multiethniques du Canada. Compte tenu de cette diversité, il y a une grande proportion d’enfants qui apprennent deux langues et donc deux phonologies ; la phonologie de leur langue maternelle et celle du français. L’interaction entre ces deux systèmes phonologiques peut influencer le développement de la phonologie de la langue seconde. Le but de cet article est de comparer les compétences phonologiques en français des enfants allophones à celles des enfants francophones unilingues issues d’études précédentes. Nous utiliserons des mesures pour évaluer le pourcentage de consonnes bien produites par les enfants dans une tâche de dénomination d’images et nous analyserons différents facteurs qui peuvent contribuer aux résultats à cette tâche.
Non-invasive imaging of CSF-mediated brain clearance pathways via assessment of perivascular fluid movement with diffusion tensor MRI
Authors: Harrison Ian F , Siow Bernard , Akilo Aisha B , Evans Phoebe G , Ismail Ozama , Ohene Yolanda , Nahavandi Payam , Thomas David L , Lythgoe Mark F , Wells Jack A
Published: July 2018

The glymphatics system describes a CSF-mediated clearance pathway for the removal of potentially harmful molecules, such as amyloid beta, from the brain. As such, its components may represent new therapeutic targets to alleviate aberrant protein accumulation that defines the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions. Currently, however, the absence of any non-invasive measurement technique prohibits detailed understanding of glymphatic function in the human brain and in turn, it’s role in pathology. Here, we present the first non-invasive technique for the assessment of glymphatic inflow by using an ultra-long echo time, low b-value, multi-direction diffusion weighted MRI sequence to assess perivascular fluid movement (which represents a critical component of the glymphatic pathway) in the rat brain. This novel, quantitative and non-invasive approach may represent a valuable biomarker of CSF-mediated brain clearance, working towards the clinical need for reliable and early diagnostic indicators of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Germ layer-specific regulation of cell polarity and adhesion gives insight into the evolution of mesoderm
Authors: Salinas-Saavedra Miguel , Rock Amber Q , Martindale Mark Q
Published: July 2018

In triploblastic animals, Par-proteins regulate cell-polarity and adherens junctions of both ectodermal and endodermal epithelia. But, in embryos of the diploblastic cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, Par-proteins are degraded in all cells in the bifunctional gastrodermal epithelium. Using immunohistochemistry, CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, and mRNA overexpression, we describe the functional association between Par-proteins, ß-catenin, and snail transcription factor genes in N. vectensis embryos. We demonstrate that the aPKC/Par complex regulates the localization of ß-catenin in the ectoderm by stabilizing its role in cell-adhesion, and that endomesodermal epithelial cells are organized by a different cell-adhesion system than overlying ectoderm. We also show that ectopic expression of snail genes, which are expressed in mesodermal derivatives in bilaterians, is sufficient to downregulate Par-proteins and translocate ß-catenin from the junctions to the cytoplasm in ectodermal cells. These data provide molecular insight into the evolution of epithelial structure and distinct cell behaviors in metazoan embryos.
The origin of the odorant receptor gene family in insects
Authors: Brand Philipp , Robertson Hugh M , Lin Wei , Pothula Ratnasri , Klingeman William E , Jurat-Fuentes Juan Luis , Johnson Brian R
Published: July 2018

The origin of the insect odorant receptor (OR) gene family has been hypothesized to have coincided with the evolution of terrestriality in insects. Missbach et al. (2014) suggested that ORs instead evolved with an ancestral OR co-receptor (Orco) after the origin of terrestriality and the OR/Orco system is an adaptation to winged flight in insects. We investigated genomes of the Collembola, Diplura, Archaeognatha, Zygentoma, Odonata, and Ephemeroptera, and find ORs present in all insect genomes but absent from lineages predating the evolution of insects. Orco is absent only in the ancestrally wingless insect lineage Archaeognatha. Our new genome sequence of the zygentoman firebrat Thermobia domestica reveals a full OR/Orco system. We conclude that ORs evolved before winged flight, perhaps as an adaptation to terrestriality, representing a key evolutionary novelty in the ancestor of all insects, and hence a molecular synapomorphy for the Class Insecta.
Novel resilience in response to revitalisation after exposure to lethal salinity causes differential reproductive success in an extremely plastic organism
Authors: Khudr Mouhammad Shadi , Purkiss Samuel Alexander , de Sampaio Kalkuhl Alice , Hager Reinmar
Published: July 2018

Phenotypic plasticity is central to an organism’s ability to adapt to variable environmental conditions. For aquatic organisms, exposure to elevated salt levels poses a challenge and organisms may fail to tolerate or survive much higher levels short-term. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, in a laboratory study ofDaphnia magnathat exposure to levels of salinity higher than those previously shown to lead to apparent death (paralysis) can be reversed following a transfer to optimal conditions. We established experimental populations from one clone ofD. magna, each with five replicates, that were exposed to different short periods of three different lethal levels of salinity (12.27 PSU [45, 60, 90 and 120 min], 18.24 PSU [45, 60 and 90 min] and 24.22 PSU [45, 60 and 90 min]). In all populations, all individuals were paralysed at the end of their exposure, usually classified in the literature as dead. Subsequently, all individuals were transferred to optimal conditions. However, after the transfer, a proportion of the individuals not only came back from the verge of death (i.e. were revitalised), but also showed afterwards differential reproductive success over a period of 20 days, depending on the level and the length of exposure before revitalisation. Both exposure level and time had an overall negative effect on population size that differed across all treatments. Revitalisation occurred within an hour after the transfer to optimal conditions for 18.24 PSU but took 14–16 h for 12.27 PSU. There was no instantaneous revitalisation nor was there any revitalisation after 16 h no matter how long the paralysedDaphniaindividuals were left in the optimal conditions. Our findings cast new light on resilience in cladocerans and suggest that abrupt environmental change can reveal novel plastic responses to extreme conditions.
Caprellid amphipods (Caprella spp.) are vulnerable to both physiological and habitat-mediated effects of ocean acidification
Authors: Lim Emily G. , Harley Christopher D.G.
Published: July 2018

Ocean acidification (OA) is one of the most significant threats to marine life, and is predicted to drive important changes in marine communities. Although OA impacts will be the sum of direct effects mediated by alterations of physiological rates and indirect effects mediated by shifts in species interactions and biogenic habitat provision, direct and indirect effects are rarely considered together for any given species. Here, we assess the potential direct and indirect effects of OA on a ubiquitous group of crustaceans: caprellid amphipods (Caprella laeviuscula and Caprella mutica). Direct physiological effects were assessed by measuring caprellid heart rate in response to acidification in the laboratory. Indirect effects were explored by quantifying caprellid habitat dependence on the hydroid Obelia dichotoma, which has been shown to be less abundant under experimental acidification. We found that OA resulted in elevated caprellid heart rates, suggestive of increased metabolic demand. We also found a strong, positive association between caprellid population size and the availability of OA-vulnerable O. dichotoma, suggesting that future losses of biogenic habitat may be an important indirect effect of OA on caprellids. For species such as caprellid amphipods, which have strong associations with biogenic habitat, a consideration of only direct or indirect effects could potentially misestimate the full impact of ocean acidification.
Trends in the treatment of urinary stone disease in Turkey
Authors: Yildirim Kadir , Olcucu Mahmut Taha , Colak Muhammed Emre
Published: July 2018

Introduction

In this study, a survey was prepared for urologists that asked about their primary choice of treatment for urolithiasis in daily practice and their answers were evaluated.

Methods

The survey was prepared on the Google Docs website and it was sent to 1,016 urologists via email with 752 confirmed deliveries. In addition to the demographic questions about each participant’s age, gender, and institution, the survey presented case scenarios focusing on their preferred treatment modalities for distal ureteric, proximal ureteric, and renal calculi. The participating urologists were divided into two groups according to the frequency that they treat urolithiasis patients.

Results

Of the 752 surveys delivered, 211 urologists (28.05%) responded and 204 answered all questions. According to the results, there were no significant differences between the treatment approaches and the other localizations, but there was a statistically significant difference for treatment approaches to lower pole stones between two groups. In response to the question of which stone treatment method was used less frequently, 124 (60.7%) participants answered that they used shock wave lithotripsy less in the last 10 years.

Conclusion

The present study has shown that while the management of renal and ureteric calculi by Turkish urologists is highly varied, the overall treatment patterns are in accordance with the European Association of Urology guidelines. However, similar to the global trend extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is less preferred by Turkish urologists.
Local Structural Heterogeneity and Electromechanical Responses of Ferroelectrics: Learning from Relaxor Ferroelectrics
Authors: Li Fei , Zhang Shujun , Damjanovic Dragan , Chen Long‐Qing , Shrout Thomas R.
Published: July 2018

Long‐range ordering of dipoles is a key microscopic signature of ferroelectrics. These ordered dipoles form ferroelectric domains, which can be reoriented by electric fields. Relaxor ferroelectrics are a type of ferroelectric where the long‐range ordering of dipoles is disrupted by cation disorder, exhibiting complex polar states with a significant amount of local structural heterogeneity at the nanoscale. They are the materials of choice for numerous devices such as capacitors, nonlinear optical devices, and piezoelectric transducers, owing to their extraordinary dielectric, electro‐optic, and electromechanical properties. However, despite their extensive applications in these devices, the origins of their unique properties are yet to be fully understood, hindering the design and exploration of new relaxor ferroelectric‐based materials. Herein, the complex polar states and applications of relaxor ferroelectrics are first introduced. Attention is then focused on their electromechanical properties, where the relationship between local structural heterogeneity and the extraordinary electromechanical properties is discussed. Based on the understanding of relaxor ferroelectrics, potential strategies to exploit the local structural heterogeneity to design ferroelectrics for drastically enhancing their electromechanical performances are also discussed. It is expected that this article will stimulate future studies on the important roles of local structural heterogeneity in improving the properties of various functional materials.
Polydopamine‐Graphene Oxide Flame Retardant Nanocoatings Applied via an Aqueous Liquid Crystalline Scaffold
Authors: Kim Hanim , Kim Dae Woo , Vasagar Vivek , Ha Heonjoo , Nazarenko Sergei , Ellison Christopher J.
Published: July 2018

A highly effective flame retardant (FR) nanocoating was developed by conducting oxidative polymerization of dopamine monomer within an aqueous liquid crystalline (LC) graphene oxide (GO) scaffold coating. Due to its high water content, the LC scaffold coating approach facilitated fast transport and polymerization of dopamine precursors into polydopamine (PDA) within the water swollen interlayer galleries. Uniform and periodically stacked (14.5 Å d‐spacing) PDA/GO nanocoatings could be universally applied on different surfaces, including macroporous flexible polyurethane (PU) foam and flat substrates such as silicon wafers. Remarkably, PDA/GO coated PU foam exhibited highly efficient flame retardant performance reflected by a 65% reduction in peak heat release rate at 5 wt% PDA/GO loading in an 80 nm thick coating. While many physically mixed flame retardants are usually detrimental to the mechanical properties of the foam, the PDA/GO coating did not affect mechanical properties substantially. In addition, the PDA/GO coatings were stable in water due to the intrinsic adhesion capability of PDA and the transformation of GO to the more hydrophobic reduced GO form. Given that PDA is produced from dopamine, a molecule prevalent in nature, these findings suggest that significant opportunities exist for new polymeric FRs derived from other natural catechols.
Magnetic (Hyper)Thermia or Photothermia? Progressive Comparison of Iron Oxide and Gold Nanoparticles Heating in Water, in Cells, and In Vivo
Authors: Espinosa Ana , Kolosnjaj‐Tabi Jelena , Abou‐Hassan Ali , Plan Sangnier Anouchka , Curcio Alberto , Silva Amanda K. A. , Di Corato Riccardo , Neveu Sophie , Pellegrino Teresa , Liz‐Marzán Luis M. , Wilhelm Claire
Published: July 2018

Magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) are emergent state‐of‐the‐art modalities for thermal treatment of cancer. While their mechanisms of action have distinct physical bases, both approaches rely on nanoparticle‐mediated remote onset of thermotherapy. Yet, are the two heating techniques interchangeable? Here, the heating obtained either with MHT or with PTT is compared. The heating is assessed in distinct environments and involves a set of nanomaterials differing in shape (spheres, cubes, stars, shells, and rods) as well as in composition (maghemite, magnetite, cobalt ferrite, and gold). The nanoparticle's heating efficacy in an aqueous medium is first evaluated. Subsequently, the heating efficiency within the cellular environment, where intracellular processing markedly decreases MHT, is compared. Conversely, endosomal sequestration could have a positive effect on PTT. Finally, iron oxide nanocubes and gold nanostars are compared in MHT and PTT in vivo within the heterogeneous intratumoral environment. Overall, two distinct therapeutic approaches, related to high dosage allowing MHT and low dosage associated with PTT, are identified. It is also demonstrated that PTT mediated by magnetic nanoparticles has an efficacy that is comparable to that of plasmonic nanoparticles, but only at significant nanoparticle dosages. At low concentrations, only plasmonic nanoparticles can deliver a therapeutic heating.
Developing a “Water‐Defendable” and “Dendrite‐Free” Lithium‐Metal Anode Using a Simple and Promising GeCl4 Pretreatment Method
Authors: Liao Kaiming , Wu Shichao , Mu Xiaowei , Lu Qian , Han Min , He Ping , Shao Zongping , Zhou Haoshen
Published: July 2018

Lithium metal is an ultimate anode in “next‐generation” rechargeable batteries, such as Li–sulfur batteries and Li–air (Li–O2) batteries. However, uncontrollable dendritic Li growth and water attack have prevented its practical applications, especially for open‐system Li–O2 batteries. Here, it is reported that the issues can be addressed via the facile process of immersing the Li metal in organic GeCl4–THF steam for several minutes before battery assembly. This creates a 1.5 µm thick protection layer composed of Ge, GeOx, Li2CO3, LiOH, LiCl, and Li2O on Li surface that allows stable cycling of Li electrodes both in Li‐symmetrical cells and Li–O2 cells, especially in “moist” electrolytes (with 1000–10 000 ppm H2O) and humid O2 atmosphere (relative humidity (RH) of 45%). This work illustrates a simple and effective way for the unfettered development of Li‐metal‐based batteries.
Organic Semiconducting Agents for Deep‐Tissue Molecular Imaging: Second Near‐Infrared Fluorescence, Self‐Luminescence, and Photoacoustics
Authors: Miao Qingqing , Pu Kanyi
Published: July 2018

Optical imaging has played a pivotal role in biology and medicine, but it faces challenges of relatively low tissue penetration and poor signal‐to‐background ratio due to light scattering and tissue autofluorescence. To overcome these issues, second near‐infrared fluorescence, self‐luminescence, and photoacoustic imaging have recently emerged, which utilize an optical region with reduced light–tissue interactions, eliminate real‐time light excitation, and detect acoustic signals with negligible attenuation, respectively. Because there are only a few endogenous molecules absorbing or emitting above the visible region, development of contrast agents is essential for those deep‐tissue optical imaging modalities. Organic semiconducting agents with π‐conjugated frameworks can be synthesized to meet different optical imaging requirements due to their easy chemical modification and legible structure–property relation. Herein, the deep‐tissue optical imaging applications of organic semiconducting agents including small‐molecule agents and nanoparticle derivatives are summarized. In particular, the molecular engineering and nanoformulation approaches to further improve the tissue penetration and detection sensitivity of these optical imaging modalities are highlighted. Finally, current challenges and potential opportunities in this emerging subfield of biomedical imaging are discussed.
Defect Engineering toward Highly Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Li Bowei , Ferguson Victoria , Silva S. Ravi P. , Zhang Wei
Published: July 2018

Metal halide perovskite solar cells are emerging candidates amongst the next‐generation thin‐film photovoltaic devices with extremely low fabrication cost and high power conversion efficiency. Defects (both in the bulk material and at the interfaces) are recognized as one of the most fundamental reasons for the compromised device performance and long‐term stability of perovskite solar cells. In this review article, the authors analyze the possible origins of the defects formation in metal halide perovskites, followed by the rationalization of various approaches being utilized to reduce the density of defects. The authors demonstrate that defect engineering, including adding dopants in the precursor solutions, interface passivation, or other physical treatments (thermal or light stress), is an essential way to further boost the device performance and enhance their long‐term stability. The authors note that although the exact mechanisms of defect elimination in some approaches are yet to be elucidated, the research on defect engineering is expected to have enormous impact on next wave of device performance optimization of metal halide perovskite solar cells toward Shockley–Queisser limit.
Imaging Electric and Magnetic Modes and Their Hybridization in Single and Dimer AlGaAs Nanoantennas
Authors: McPolin Cillian P. T. , Marino Giuseppe , Krasavin Alexey V. , Gili Valerio , Carletti Luca , De Angelis Costantino , Leo Giuseppe , Zayats Anatoly V.
Published: July 2018

All‐dielectric nanoantennas enable the manipulation and confinement of light on the nanoscale through a variety of resonant excitations. Understanding and controlling the interactions among resonances at a level of individual nanoantennas is required for the development of appropriate design rules for their applications, especially with regard to nonlinear optics, where the nonlinear interaction depends on the resonant behavior in a superlinear manner. Here, cathodoluminescence imaging spectroscopy is used to experimentally investigate the electric and magnetic modes supported by single AlGaAs nanoantennas and their hybridization in a dimer configuration. An interplay is shown between the resonant modes of the nanostructures and interband emission of the semiconductor material, which contrasts with Si nanoantennas, where the bandgap effects are not significant. The measurements are in very good agreement with numerical simulations, which also provided further insight into the nature of the modes. The resonant modes of semiconductor nanoantennas are important for engineering linear and nonlinear metasurfaces, as well as for sensing applications and fluorescence control in nanophotonic environments.
Phase Behavior of Block Copolymer Nanocomposite Systems
Authors: Diaz Javier , Pinna Marco , Zvelindovsky Andrei V. , Pagonabarraga Ignacio
Published: July 2018

Nanocomposite materials made of block copolymer (BCP) and nanoparticles display properties which can be different from the purely polymeric matrix. The resulting material is a crossover of the original properties of the BCP and the presence of the assembled nanoparticles. A mesoscopic study using cell dynamic simulations is reported, to quantitatively describe the structural properties of such hybrid materials. The most relevant parameters are identified to be the fraction of nanoparticles in the system and its chemical affinity, while the nanoparticle size with respect to the BCP length scales plays a role in the assembly. The morphological phase diagram of the BCP is constructed for nanoparticles with chemical affinity ranging from A‐compatible to B‐compatible for a symmetric A‐B diblock copolymer. Block‐compatible nanoparticles are found to induce a phase transition due to changes in the effective concentration of the hosting phase, while interface‐compatible particles induce the appearance of two new phases due to the saturation of the diblock copolymer interface.
In Situ “Chainmail Catalyst” Assembly in Low‐Tortuosity, Hierarchical Carbon Frameworks for Efficient and Stable Hydrogen Generation
Authors: Li Yiju , Gao Tingting , Yao Yonggang , Liu Zhenyu , Kuang Yudi , Chen Chaoji , Song Jianwei , Xu Shaomao , Hitz Emily M. , Liu Boyang , Jacob Rohit J. , Zachariah Michael R. , Wang Guofeng , Hu Liangbing
Published: July 2018

The chainmail catalysts (transition metals or metal alloys encapsulated in carbon) are regarded as stable and efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation. However, the fabrication of chainmail catalysts usually involves complex chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or prolonged calcination in a furnace, and the slurry‐based electrode assembly of the chainmail catalysts often suffers from inferior mass transfer and an underutilized active surface. In this work, a freestanding wood‐based open carbon framework is designed embedded with nitrogen (N) doped, few‐graphene‐layer‐encapsulated nickel iron (NiFe) alloy nanoparticles (N‐C‐NiFe). 3D wood‐derived carbon framework with numerous open and low‐tortuosity lumens, which are decorated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) “villi”, can facilitate electrolyte permeation and hydrogen gas removal. The chainmail catalysts of the N‐C‐NiFe are uniformly in situ assembled on the CNT “villi” using a rapid heat shock treatment. The high heating and quenching rates of the heat shock method lead to formation of the well‐dispersed ultrafine nanoparticles. The self‐supported wood‐based carbon framework decorated with the chainmail catalyst displays high electrocatalytic activity and superior cycling durability for hydrogen evolution. The unique heat shock method offers a promising strategy to rapidly synthesize well‐dispersed binary and polynary metallic nanoparticles in porous matrices for high‐efficiency electrochemical energy storage and conversion.
Palladium/Copper Co‐Catalyzed Cascade Metallo‐ene/Sonogashira Coupling Reaction of Allenamides
Authors: Liang Hanbing , Meng Long , Chi Xiaochen , Yao Shuzhi , Chen Hongshuai , Jiao Luyang , Liu Qing , Zhang Daopeng , Liu Hui , Dong Yunhui
Published: July 2018

A mild and efficient type of Pd/Cu‐catalyzed allenamide allyl acetate reaction with terminal alkynes affording polyfunctionalized 2,3‐dihydropyrrole derivatives is reported. Allenamide substrates went through two π‐allyl palladium complex processes, and then it was trapped by terminal alkynes on the distal position via a Sonogashira reaction. Two new Csp3−Csp2 and Csp3−Csp bonds were efficiently constructed in one pot.
Environmental enrichment and mouse models: Current perspectives
Authors: Bayne Kathryn
Published: July 2018

The provision of environmental enrichment to numerous species of laboratory animals is generally considered routine husbandry. However, mouse enrichment has proven to be very complex due to the often contradictory outcomes (animal health and welfare, variability in scientific data, etc.) associated with strain, age of the animal when enrichment is provided, gender of the animal, scientific use of the animal, and other housing attributes. While this has led to some suggesting that mice should not be provided enrichment, more recently opinion is trending toward acknowledging that enrichment actually normalizes the animal and data obtained from a mouse living in a barren environment are likely not to be representative or even reliable. This article offers an overview of the types of impact enrichment can have on various strains of mice and demonstrates that enrichment not only has a role in mouse husbandry, but also can lead to new areas of scientific enquiry in a number of different fields.