bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orientação e gestão para stakeholders no processo de decisão organizacional
Authors: Stocker Fabricio , Mascena Keysa Manuela Cunha de
Published: June 2019

A participação dos stakeholders no processo de decisão tem sido recomendada por trazer vantagens competitivas para as organizações. Nesse sentido, esta pesquisa tem por objetivo entender qual a relação entre a gestão para stakeholders e a participação no processo de decisão. Para tanto, foi desenvolvido um ensaio teórico com o objetivo de levantar proposições de pesquisa e reflexões teóricas sobre o tema. Com este trabalho busca-se instigar pesquisas sobre as seguintes proposições: Proposição 1: Quanto maior a prioridade do stakeholder maior a participação no processo de decisão organizacional; Proposição 2: Quanto maior a reciprocidade no relacionamento com o stakeholder maior a participação no processo de decisão organizacional; Proposição 3: O tipo de stakeholder modera a relação entre a prioridade do stakeholder e a participação no processo de decisão organizacional e Proposição 4: As características do stakeholder moderam a relação entre a reciprocidade no relacionamento com o stakeholder e a participação no processo de decisão organizacional. Embora o trabalho discuta o tema ainda de forma embrionária, pode-se verificar um potencial de investigação para as questões que o permeiam. Uma dessas questões refere-se aos limites para a participação dos stakeholders na tomada de decisão para que haja benefício mútuo em vez do aumento de conflitos de interesses ou de alianças políticas. Outro ponto é como operacionalizar empiricamente e operar gerencialmente um relacionamento de reciprocidade entre a organização e seus stakeholders.
Investment Analysis of Small Scale Private Forest Plantation Development in Ogun State, Nigeria
Authors: Fasoro O. A. , Ajewole O. I.
Published: June 2019

Forest plantation development has the capacity of increasing wood supply and stemming the pressure on natural forest in Nigeria. However, forest under public institution control has not been sustainably managed due to rate of forest resources exploitation and inadequate funding of forestry projects. Hence, this paper examines private investment in forest plantation development with a view to encourage and alert potential private investors on feasibility and benefits of forest plantation development. Measures such as Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Annual Equivalent Value (AEV), Land Expected Value (LEV), Return on Investment (ROI) and Discounted Payback Period (DPBP) were used to analyse the cash flow statement of the investment.

The study revealed that small scale Tectona grandis plantation of 0.4 ha with 12 year rotation had NPV of ₦1,096,118.00, BCR of 2.62, IRR of 35.30%, AEV of ₦208,262.42 ha-1, LEV of ₦1,608,350.84 ha-1, ROI of 162% and DPBP of 5.6 years.  The results showed that investment in small scale forest plantation development is profitable going by the economic returns indices. It is recommended that private forest plantation development should incorporate multiple land use systems in order to increase economic returns and reduce the payback period.
Multiple Exact Travelling Solitary Wave Solutions of Nonlinear Evolution Equations
Authors: El-Horbaty M. M. , Ahmed F. M.
Published: June 2019

An extended Tanh-function method with Riccati equation is presented for constructing multiple exact travelling wave solutions of some nonlinear evolution equations which are particular cases of a generalized equation. The results of solitary waves are general compact forms with non-zero constants of integration. Taking the full advantage of the Riccati equation improves the applicability and reliability of the Tanh method with its extended form.
Effect of Different Doses of Nitrogen and Potassium on Growth and Yield of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal
Authors: Kundu Champak Kumar , Bera Purnendu Sekhar , Giri Arundhati , Das Shyamali , Datta Madhab Kumar , Bandopadhyay Pintoo
Published: June 2019

An experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2012-13 and 2013-14 at Instructional Farm, Jaguli, Nadia, West Bengal to find out the different doses of nitrogen and potassium on growth and yield of potato. The experiment was designed in RBD with 10 treatments replicated thrice in potato cultivated variety Kufri Jyoti. Different doses of nitrogen and potassium were considered as treatments. For all the treatments P2O5 dose was 150 kg ha-1. The size of the experimental plots were 12 square meter and seed tubers were planted with 50 cm X 20 cm spacing. In this experiment, it was observed that the growth attributes like plant height, leaf area index, dry matter accumulation of tubers at 80 DAP, crop growth rate at 60-80 DAP were highest with the application of 250 kg ha-1 N, 200 kg K2O (T9) and statistically at par with 300 kg ha-1 N, 150 kg ha-1  K2O (T10). Again among the yield parameters, T9 recorded the highest tuber number per square meter and tuber yield which was closely followed by T10. Highest B:C ratio was also observed in T9.This result proves that T9 can be recommended to get better growth and economic yield of potato than T10  (farmer practice does) in the new alluvial soil of West Bengal.
Channel Planform Dynamics along Distributary Channels: Case Study of the River Nun a Major Distributary of the River Niger
Authors: Akana Tombra S. , Adeigbe O. C.
Published: June 2019

Channel planform dynamics were analyzed for the River Nun; a major distributary of the River Niger from 1985 to 2015 using GIS and Remote sensing applications. Satellite imagery of the area from 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015 were analyzed by means of GIS and used to determine the planform characteristics and changes in width, sinuosity, and shoreline migration rates. The channel planform dynamics were determined by comparing sequential changes in the position of the shorelines in these years. Sinuosity adjustments during the study were small and range between 1.74–1.76. The initial sinuosity (1.74 in 1985) increased to 1.75 in 1995 and then increased to 1.76 in 2015. Channel expansion is observed to be the dominant planform process, owing to periodic floods within the study area. The river’s channel width barely expanded from 1985 to 1995 (by 0.1 %). However, there is a constant increase in expansion within the study years that by 2005-2015 expansion had increased to 9%. The bank erosion was prevalent. Mean erosion rates ranged from 0.7 m/year in 20 years (1985-2005) to 2m/year in 30 years (1985-2015). In the 1st 10 years (1985-1995) less than 0.1 m of deposition was observed. The mean erosion rates ranged from 1.3 to 1.6 m/year on the left side and 2.8 to 3.8 m/year on the right side of the channel. Mean accretion rates of 1.2 m/year on the left side and 1.8 m/year on the right side were observed. The channel is observed to move generally towards the east (right).
Survey on the Prevalence of Intravenous Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and H2-antagonists in Internal Medicine Ward
Authors: Fallahzade Ebrahim , Aliabadi Arian
Published: June 2019

Background: Anti-acids drugs are commonly used for stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP). Some inpatients receiving acid suppression therapy without risk factors for nosocomial upper gastrointestinal bleeding and this inappropriate usage increase time, costs and avoidable side effects such as hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of stress ulcer prophylactic drugs use, the number of properly indicated administrations and prescription prevalence of intravenous use of proton pump inhibitors (PIPs) and H2-antagonists in preventing nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding and pneumonia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 280 patients in two different time zone before and after implementing of guidelines for SUP usage on the medical service in January and March of 2014(pre-intervention period) and January and march of 2015 (post-intervention period). Indicated anti-acid therapy for stress ulcer prophylaxis was defined according to the 1999 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) guidelines for the use of SUP. The Patient’s data such as kind of stress ulcer prophylaxis drug, ICU admission and the indication of prophylaxis pre and post-intervention were collected. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using the Pearson Chi-square test and unpaired t-test.

Results: There was no significant change in the administration of stress ulcer prophylaxis drugs in general, but anti-acid medications misused decreased from 63.6% to 55.2% after intervention.

Conclusion: The use of anti-acids without proper indication had 11.4% fall. The IV administration had a dramatic decrease as opposed to PO anti-acids use, which had a significant effect on hospital financial costs. In the end, there was no significant change detected in the total use of SUP (stress ulcer prophylaxis).
Effect of dose constraint on the thyroid gland during locoregional intensity‐modulated radiotherapy in breast cancer patients
Authors: Haciislamoglu Emel , Canyilmaz Emine , Gedik Sonay , Aynaci Ozlem , Serdar Lasif , Yoney Adnan
Published: June 2019

The aim of the present study was to compare radiation dose received by thyroid gland using different radiotherapy (RT) techniques with or without thyroid dose constraint (DC) for breast cancer patients. Computerized tomography (CT) image sets for 10 patients with breast cancer were selected. All patients were treated originally with opposite tangential field‐in field (FinF) for the chest wall and anteroposterior fields for the ipsilateral supraclavicular field. The thyroid gland was not contoured on the CT images at the time of the original scheduled treatment. Four new treatment plans were created for each patient, including intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and helical tomotherapy (HT) plans with thyroid DC exclusion and inclusion (IMRTDC(−), IMRTDC(+), HTDC(−), and HTDC(+), respectively). Thyroid DCs were used to create acceptable dose limits to avoid hypothyroidism as follows: percentage of thyroid volume exceeding 30 Gy less than 50% (V30 < 50%) and mean dose of thyroid (TDmean) ≤ 21 Gy. Dose‐volume histograms (DVHs) for TDmean and percentages of thyroid volume exceeding 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 Gy (V10, V20, V30, V40, and V50, respectively) were also analyzed. The Dmean of the FinF, IMRTDC(−), HTDC(−), IMRTDC(+) and HTDC(+) plans were 30.56 ± 5.38 Gy, 25.56 ± 6.66 Gy, 27.48 ± 4.16 Gy, 18.57 ± 2.14 Gy, and 17.34 ± 2.70 Gy, respectively. Median V30 values were 55%, 33%, 36%, 18%, and 17%, for FinF, IMRTDC(−), HTDC(−), IMRTDC(+), and HTDC(+), respectively. Differences between treatment plans with or without DC with respect to Dmean and V30 values were statistically significant (P < 0.05). When thyroid DC during breast cancer RT was applied to IMRT and HT, the TDmean and V30 values significantly decreased. Therefore, recognition of the thyroid as an organ at risk (OAR) and the use of DCs during IMRT and HT planning to minimize radiation dose and thyroid volume exposure are recommended.
Electrophoretic‐Deposition of Graphene and Microstructure and Friction Behavior of Ni–Graphene Composite Coatings
Authors: Dong Ya‐ru , Sun Wan‐chang , Liu Xiao‐jia , Ma Min , Zhang Ya‐gang , Liu Yu‐wan
Published: June 2019

Ni–graphene composite coatings with promising friction reduction and wear resistance are successfully deposited on magnesium alloys substrate by an integrative approach involved electrophoresis and pulse electrodeposition. The optimization parameters for electrophoretic deposition are explored extensively. The effect of duty cycle on microstructure, micro‐indentation hardness, friction, and tribological properties for Ni–graphene composite coatings are investigated. The Ni matrix exhibits most refined at 60% duty cycle according to surface micrographs of the Ni–graphene composite coatings. The cross‐section microstructure and line energy spectra proves that the Ni–graphene coating is deposited on the substrates successfully and is physically bonded to the substrates. The peak value of micro‐indentation hardness about 181.78 HV at 60% is achieved. The lowest friction coefficient and minimal wear loss of Ni–graphene composite coatings are obtained at 60% duty cycle, indicating optimal friction reduction and wear resistance performance.
Enhancement of Anomalous Hall Effect via Interfacial Scattering in Metal‐Organic Semiconductor Fex(C60)1−x Granular Films Near the Metal‐Insulator Transition
Authors: Zheng Lingcheng , He Zhihao , Zhang Rui , Qu Jiangtao , Feng Deqiang , He Jie , Chen Hansheng , Yun Fan , Cheng Yahui , Li Zhiqing , Liu Hui , Zhang Xixiang , Zheng Rongkun
Published: June 2019

Ferromagnetic metal‐insulator granular films suffer from superparamagnetism, which causes a decrease in the values and temperature stabilities of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE). In this work, organic semiconductor (OSC) fullerene (C60), instead of the traditional inorganic insulators, is used as the matrix and a series of Fex(C60)1−x (x = 0.58–0.91) granular films are fabricated. By utilizing the strong metal/OSC interfacial hybridization, the temperature stability of both magnetization and AHE is significantly improved, and the disordered scattering and consequently the anomalous Hall coefficient is enhanced. The saturated anomalous Hall resistivity of Fe0.58(C60)0.42 is 74 µΩ cm at 300 K, which is over three times larger than that of Fe0.59(SiO2)0.41 granular film, and it remains 63 µΩ cm at 2 K. The anomalous Hall coefficient of Fe0.58(C60)0.42 is 9.9 × 10−8 Ω cm G−1, which is four orders larger than that of pure Fe and larger than most of the existing inorganic granular films. The roles of the intergrain Coulomb interaction, skew‐scattering, side‐jump, and intrinsic mechanism in AHE are evaluated. These results indicate that the organic materials have clear advantages in developing anomalous Hall devices.
Additive Manufacturing of 3D‐Architected Multifunctional Metal Oxides
Authors: Yee Daryl W. , Lifson Max L. , Edwards Bryce W. , Greer Julia R.
Published: June 2019

Additive manufacturing (AM) of complex three‐dimensional (3D) metal oxides at the micro‐ and nanoscales has attracted considerable attention in recent years. State‐of‐the‐art techniques that use slurry‐based or organic–inorganic photoresins are often hampered by challenges in resin preparation and synthesis, and/or by the limited resolution of patterned features. A facile process for fabricating 3D‐architected metal oxides via the use of an aqueous metal‐ion‐containing photoresin is presented. The efficacy of this process, which is termed photopolymer complex synthesis, is demonstrated by creating nanoarchitected zinc oxide (ZnO) architectures with feature sizes of 250 nm, by first patterning a zinc‐ion‐containing aqueous photoresin using two‐photon lithography and subsequently calcining them at 500 ºC. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis reveals their microstructure to be nanocrystalline ZnO with grain sizes of 5.1 ± 1.6 nm. In situ compression experiments conducted in a scanning electron microscope show an emergent electromechanical response: a 200 nm mechanical compression of an architected ZnO structure results in a voltage drop of 0.52 mV. This photopolymer complex synthesis provides a pathway to easily create arbitrarily shaped 3D metal oxides that could enable previously impossible devices and smart materials.
Horizontal Growth of Lithium on Parallelly Aligned MXene Layers towards Dendrite‐Free Metallic Lithium Anodes
Authors: Zhang Di , Wang Shuai , Li Bin , Gong Yongji , Yang Shubin
Published: June 2019

Although metallic lithium is an extremely promising anode for lithium‐based batteries due to its high theoretical capacity, the uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites, in particular under deep stripping and plating, have stagnated its application. It is demonstrated that parallelly aligned MXene (Ti3C2Tx
) layers enable the efficient guiding of lithium nucleation and growth on the surface of 2D MXene nanosheets, giving rise to horizontal‐growth lithium anodes. Moreover, the inherent fluorine terminations in MXene afford a uniform and durable solid electrolyte interface with lithium fluoride at the anode/electrolyte interface, efficiently regulating electromigration of lithium ions. Thus, a dendrite‐free lithium anode with a long cycle life up to 900 h and excellent deep stripping–plating capabilities up to 35 mAh cm−2 is achieved, which can further serve as an anode for a lithium metal battery, exhibiting high cycle stability up to 1000 cycles.
Twinning Lignosulfonate with a Conducting Polymer via Counter‐Ion Exchange for Large‐Scale Electrical Storage
Authors: Che Canyan , Vagin Mikhail , Ail Ujwala , Gueskine Viktor , Phopase Jaywant , Brooke Robert , Gabrielsson Roger , Jonsson Magnus P. , Mak Wing Cheung , Berggren Magnus , Crispin Xavier
Published: June 2019

Lignosulfonate (LS) is a large‐scale surplus product of the forest and paper industries, and has primarily been utilized as a low‐cost plasticizer in making concrete for the construction industry. LS is an anionic redox‐active polyelectrolyte and is a promising candidate to boost the charge capacity of the positive electrode (positrode) in redox‐supercapacitors. Here, the physical‐chemical investigation of how this biopolymer incorporates into the conducting polymer PEDOT matrix, of the positrode, by means of counter‐ion exchange is reported. Upon successful incorporation, an optimal access to redox moieties is achieved, which provides a 63% increase of the resulting stored electrical charge by reversible redox interconversion. The effects of pH, ionic strength, and concentrations, of included components, on the polymer–polymer interactions are optimized to exploit the biopolymer‐associated redox currents. Further, the explored LS‐conducting polymer incorporation strategy, via aqueous synthesis, is evaluated in an up‐scaling effort toward large‐scale electrical energy storage technology. By using an up‐scaled production protocol, integration of the biopolymer within the conducting polymer matrix by counter‐ion exchange is confirmed and the PEDOT‐LS synthesized through optimized strategy reaches an improved charge capacity of 44.6 mAh g−1.
Beyond Coherent Oxide Heterostructures: Atomic‐Scale Structure of Misfit Dislocations
Authors: Dholabhai Pratik P. , Uberuaga Blas P.
Published: June 2019

Nanoscale design of complex oxide heterostructures and thin films is imperative as they have significant promise in novel technological applications. A coherent interface is formed in oxide heterostructures with small mismatches, and the lattice mismatch is completely compensated by elastic strain. In semi‐coherent oxide heterostructures, when an epitaxial layer is grown on the substrate above the critical thickness of the film, misfit dislocations are formed to mitigate the strain between the two materials with dissimilar lattice constants. Key properties of semi‐coherent oxide heterostructures are influenced or even controlled by the presence of misfit dislocations. Therefore, it is critical to understand the atomic‐scale structure of semi‐coherent oxide heterostructures, specifically the structure of misfit dislocations that are ubiquitous at such heterointerfaces. Numerous state‐of‐the‐art experiments have reported emergent phenomena at semi‐coherent oxide heterostructures, wherein misfit dislocations play a crucial role. However, their atomic‐scale and nanoscale structure is not always discernable from experiments. Due to large system sizes, computational studies dedicated to examining misfit dislocations in semi‐coherent oxide heterostructures are still in their infancy. This review aims to summarize the recent advancements and challenges involved in computational studies elucidating the atomic‐scale structure of misfit dislocations in semi‐coherent oxide heterostructures and motivate future computational efforts.
The influence of cardiometabolic risk factors on cardiorespiratory fitness in volunteer Chilean firefighters
Authors: Espinoza Fernando , Delgado‐Floody Pedro , Martínez‐Salazar Cristian , Jerez‐Mayorga Daniel , Guzmán‐Guzmán Iris Paola , Caamaño‐Navarrete Felipe , Ramirez‐Campillo Rodrigo , Chamorro Claudio , Campos‐Jara Christian
Published: June 2019

Objectives

Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) plays a fundamental role in firefighters' occupational activities due to the high intensity tasks they perform in their professional duties. In Chile, firefighters are volunteers (non‐salary) and their lack of continuous and programmed physical activity may affect their physical fitness and health. The goal of this study was to determine the influence of anthropometric parameters and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors on the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of volunteer Chilean firefighters.

Methods

Seventy‐six volunteer male firefighters (median [5‐95 percentiles]) aged 27.5 years [26‐56], body mass index (BMI) 27.7 kg m−2 [19.9‐35], and VO2max 44 mL kg−1 min−1 [36‐56]) participated in the study. The following variables were assessed: BMI, fat mass%, body density, waist circumference (WC), waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, blood glucose, and VO2max.

Results

In total, 68% of the samples were overweight or obese. A total of 36% presented abdominal obesity (WC ≥102 cm). High blood pressure (HBP) was observed in 25% of firefighters and high blood glucose was found in about 20%. The presence of abdominal obesity was the strongest predictor of VO2max (OR = 12.35, 95% CI = 3.56‐42.82, P < .001), followed by the WHR (OR = 11.5, 95% CI = 3.1‐42.7, P < .001) and high blood glucose (OR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.7‐7.3, P = 0.019).

Conclusion

This study showed that abdominal obesity in firefighters was the strongest predictor of low CRF. In addition, CRF was associated with CMR factors, except for HBP.
Sulfonylacetonitriles as Building Blocks in Copper‐Catalyzed Domino Reactions: An Efficient Apporach to Sulfonated Isoquinolin‐1(2H)‐ones
Authors: Gong Xueqin , Li Guoqing , Gan Ziyu , Yan Qiuli , Dou Xiaomeng , Yang Daoshan
Published: June 2019

A simple and practical copper‐catalyzed one pot synthesis of C‐4 sulfonated isoquinolin‐1(2H)‐ones has been developed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example for the synthesis of sulfone‐containing heterocycles through transition‐metal‐catalyzed Ullmann‐type coupling reactions using sulfonylacetonitriles as the sulfonylating agents.
Enhancement of Autofocusing Performance for Circular Arrayed‐Airy Vortex Beams
Authors: Lai Songtao , Wang Yihao , Lan Yangping , Qian Yixian
Published: June 2019

Numerically and experimentally circular arrayed‐Airy vortex beams (CAAVBs) are demonstrated, of which propagation dynamics and autofocusing performance are investigated. In contrast to the classical circular Airy beams, the focal intensity of CAAVBs can be abruptly enhanced several orders of magnitude by introducing vortex arrays (VAs) and increasing Airy arrays number, and the autofocusing performance markedly increases in the focal plane due to introducing VAs. The position of the focal point can be readily controlled by varying the circular arrayed Airy radius is also demonstrated. Experimental results agree with the numerical calculations. These advantages could be beneficial for potential applications in optical trapping, the generation of high intensity laser, medical treatment, and nonlinear effect.
Production of Human Milk Fat Substitutes by Interesterification of Tripalmitin with Ethyl Oleate Catalyzed by Candida parapsilosis Lipase/Acyltransferase
Authors: Tecelão Carla , Perrier Véronique , Dubreucq Eric , Ferreira‐Dias Suzana
Published: June 2019

In human milk fat, the saturated fatty acids, namely palmitic acid, are located at the sn‐2 position of triacylglycerols (TAG) while unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. oleic acid) are esterified at position sn‐1,3. Thus, sn‐1,3‐dioleoyl‐2‐palmitoylglycerol (OPO) is the target TAG to be used as human milk fat substitutes (HMFS) in infant formulas. In this study, the noncommercial recombinant lipase/acyltransferase from Candida parapsilosis (CpLIP2) was immobilized in Accurel MP1000, and used as a biocatalyst for the interesterification of tripalmitin with ethyl oleate in a solvent‐free medium, to obtain structured lipids used as HMFS. Different molar ratios (MR) of ethyl oleate to tripalmitin (2:1–8:1) were used. After 4 h reaction at 60°C, about 30 mol% of oleic acid incorporation was already observed for all tested MR. An apparent equilibrium was reached after 8–24 h, with 32–51 mol% final incorporation, increasing with the MR. The incorporation of oleic acid into TAG was compared with the maximum predicted values when a random or a sn‐1,3‐regioselective biocatalyst was used. The obtained values are consistent with the maximum incorporation expected for a sn‐1,3‐regioselective enzyme. In fact, the amount of oleic acid at position sn‐2 was approximately 15% for all the MR tested, which is explained by the acyl migration phenomenon. CpLIP2 exhibited higher activity than most commercial immobilized lipases (e.g. faster reaction in solvent‐free media, low enzyme load, and low MR needed), and showed a recognized sn‐1,3 regioselective behavior.
Improving the ductility of polylactic acid parts produced by fused deposition modeling through polyhydroxyalkanoate additions
Authors: Kaygusuz Burçin , Özerinç Sezer
Published: June 2019

Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most commonly used materials for fused deposition modeling (FDM) due to its low cost, biocompatibility, and desirable printing characteristics. However, its low ductility is a major disadvantage for engineering applications where high damage tolerance is needed. This study investigates the feasibility of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) additions to PLA for improving the ductility of parts produced by FDM. Thermal and mechanical behavior of PLA/PHA specimens containing 12 wt % PHA is investigated for a range of printing nozzle temperatures. All PLA/PHA specimens exhibit amorphous PLA phase with semicrystalline PHA and possess outstanding ductility exceeding 160% for nozzle temperatures in the range of 200 °C–240 °C. Lower and higher nozzle temperatures result in low ductility, similar to that of pure PLA. Overall, PLA/PHA is a very promising polymer blend for FDM processes, providing a combination of sufficient strength with excellent damage tolerance. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48154.
Tuning gradient microstructures in immiscible polymer blends by viscosity ratio
Authors: Pan Dan , Hufenus Rudolf , Qin Zongyi , Chen Long , Gooneie Ali
Published: June 2019

Bioinspired gradient microstructures provide an attractive template for functional materials with tailored properties. In this study, filaments with gradient microstructures are developed by melt‐spinning of immiscible polymer blends. The distribution of the gradient morphology is shown to be controlled by the viscosity ratio of polymers as well as the geometry of the capillary die. Distinct microstructure gradients with long thin fibrils near the surface region and short large droplets near the center region of the filament, as well as the inverse pattern, are formed in systems with different viscosity ratios. The shear flow field in the capillary can elucidate the formation mechanisms of gradient morphologies during processing. The results demonstrate how the features of a gradient microstructure can be tailored by the design of capillary geometry and processing conditions. The viscosity ratio is then introduced as an adjusting tool to control the gradient morphology in a given processing setup. In consequence, this study provides novel design routes for achieving gradient morphologies in immiscible polymers. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2019,136, 48165.
Conductive and flexible multi‐walled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane composites made with naphthalene/toluene mixture
Authors: Mulembo Titus , Nagai Gakuji , Tamagawa Hirohisa , Nitta Takahiro , Sasaki Minoru
Published: June 2019

Conventional conductive materials face challenges when utilizing them for flexible and wearable electronics and soft robotics. Carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane (CNT/PDMS) composites are a promising alternative to the conventional hard conductors because they are light and can realize large deformation. To date, well dispersion of CNTs into PDMS to increase conductivity while maintaining flexibility remains challenging. We aimed at developing highly electrically conductive and flexible multi‐walled carbon nanotube/PDMS (MWCNT/PDMS) composites. To this end, we proposed a method to enhance the dispersion of MWCNTs into PDMS using naphthalene and toluene. Our results showed that the addition of naphthalene and toluene into the composites improved dispersion of the MWCNTs and increased the direct current (DC) electrical conductivity. We also found that the morphology of primary aggregates of the MWCNTs influenced the DC electrical conductivity of the composites. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48167.
Exploring the filler–polymer interaction and solvent transport behavior of nanocomposites derived from reduced graphene oxide and polychloroprene rubber
Authors: Maya M. G. , Abraham Jiji , George Soney C. , Thomas Sabu
Published: June 2019

Aliphatic solvent resistance of polychloroprene rubber (CR) reinforced reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites were explored in the temperature range of 30–50 °C using hexane, heptane, and octane. Microstructure‐assisted solvent resistant property is evident from transmission electron microscopy images of fabricated composites. Different transport parameters such as diffusion, permeation, and sorption constants were moderate while increasing RGO content. Diffusion mechanism was explained based on the permeating molecule and is found to be close to Fickian mechanism except for heptane. Evaluation of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters shows the ability of nanoreinforcement to alter thermodynamic characteristics and rate constant values. The extent of reinforcement was also evaluated by Kraus equation. From swelling studies, molecular mass between crosslinks was evaluated using Flory–Rehner equation and compared these values with theoretical predictions such as phantom and affine models to analyze the deformation and mobility of the network during swelling. Temperature plays a significant role in the transport of organic solvent through CR/RGO nanocomposites. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48168.
Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari: addressing catchment and marine issues in an integrated marine spatial planning process
Authors: Peart Raewyn
Published: June 2019

Marine spatial planning (MSP) has increasingly been applied around the world to better manage the pressures and conflicts arising from human use of the sea. More recently it has been conceived as an approach to implement an ecosystem‐based management approach to the marine environment.

New Zealand was a late adopter of MSP, commencing its first MSP process in 2013 for the Hauraki Gulf (Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari), and completing the plan in late 2016.

The planning process drew on international experience in MSP and collaborative processes but was adapted considerably to take account of the local context. Most particularly, the plan reflected concerns about the ecological decline of the Hauraki Gulf as well the strong and growing role of Māori in natural resource management in New Zealand.

The Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari project was experimental and represents an innovation in MSP practice in a number of respects including: establishing a co‐governance structure for the project; tasking a group of Māori tribal and stakeholder representatives with producing the plan on a collaborative basis; addressing both catchment and marine issues and sectors in an integrated manner; and integrating indigenous knowledge with science.

A number of valuable lessons from marine planning can be drawn from this project, including: MSP can support ecosystem‐based management; collaborative processes can be powerful in achieving shared outcomes for the community and can create a rich learning environment for scientists; indigenous knowledge can strengthen planning processes by providing more holistic knowledge; and scientists within a MSP project can help frame the planning process and act as a conduit between the scientific and layperson communities.
Novel ketoprofen–antioxidants mutual codrugs as safer nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs: Synthesis, kinetic and pharmacological evaluation
Authors: Sehajpal Shikha , Prasad Deo Nandan , Singh Rajesh K.
Published: June 2019

Ketoprofen belongs to one of the most common nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but its clinical usefulness has been restricted due to the high incidence of gastrointestinal complications. The release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in NSAIDs therapy plays a major role in causing gastric complications. Antioxidants not only prevent gastric ulceration and lipid peroxidation but also preserve glutathione‐type peroxidase (GPO) activity. Therefore, the present study investigates the utility of combining anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties of two different compounds in a single molecule to form a series of 16 ketoprofen–antioxidant mutual codrugs. The free carboxylic group, which is believed to be one of the reasons for gastric toxicity of ketoprofen, was masked temporarily by simple and double esterification with alcoholic/phenolic–OH of natural antioxidants. In simple esterification, ketoprofen is directly linked to natural antioxidants (IIa–h) in the hope to obtain drugs free of gastric side effects. In an attempt to improve the in vivo lability, as well as gastric side effects, the double ester codrugs, that is, ketoprofen–antioxidant through the glycolic acid spacer (–CH2COO; IIIa–h), have also been designed and synthesized. The synthesized codrugs were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The in vitro hydrolysis studies showed the lowest hydrolysis (highest stability) in acidic pH 1.2, whereas moderate hydrolysis was seen at pH 7.4 and significant hydrolysis in 80% human blood plasma, as indicated by their t1/2. The pharmacological evaluation results indicate that these ketoprofen–antioxidant mutual codrugs showed the retention of anti‐inflammatory and analgesic activity with a significant reduction in the ulcer index.
Radial basis neural tree model for improving waste recovery process in a paper industry
Authors: Chakraborty Tanujit , Chattopadhyay Swarup , Chakraborty Ashis Kumar
Published: June 2019

In this article, we propose a novel hybridization of regression trees (RTs) and radial basis function networks, namely, radial basis neural tree model, for waste recovery process (WRP) improvement in a paper industry. As a by‐product of the paper manufacturing process, a lot of waste along with valuable fibers and fillers come out from the paper machine. The WRP involves separating the unwanted materials from the valuable ones so that the recovered fibers and fillers can be further reused in the production process. This job is done by fiber‐filler recovery equipment (FFRE). The efficiency of FFRE depends on several crucial process parameters, and monitoring them is a difficult proposition. The proposed model can be useful to find the essential parameters from the set of available data and to perform prediction task to improve WRP efficiency. An idea of parameter optimization along with regularity conditions for the universal consistency of the proposed model is given. The proposed model has the advantages of easy interpretability and excellent performance when applied to the FFRE efficiency improvement problem. Improved waste recovery will help the industry to become environmentally friendly with less ecological damage apart from being cost‐effective.
Meta-analysis of routine calcium/vitamin D3 supplementationversusserum calcium level-based strategy to prevent postoperative hypocalcaemia after thyroidectomy
Authors: Sanabria A , Rojas A , Arevalo J
Published: June 2019

Background

The aim was to assess the effectiveness of routine administration of calcium +/– vitamin D3 compared with a serum calcium level-based strategy to prevent symptomatic hypocalcaemia after thyroidectomy.

Methods

RCTs comparing routine supplementation of calcium +/– vitamin D3 with treatment based on serum calcium levels measured after total thyroidectomy, published between 1980 and 2017, were identified in MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS and Google Scholar databases. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Risk differences were calculated by random-effects meta-analysis. Meta-regression and cumulative meta-analysis were used to explore the best therapeutic approach.

Results

Fifteen studies with 3037 patients were included, and seven treatment comparisons were made. Routine supplementation with calcium + vitamin D3 offered a lower risk of symptomatic (risk difference (RD) –0·25, 95 per cent c.i. –0·32 to –0·18) and biochemical (RD –0·24, –0·31 to –0·17) hypocalcaemia than treatment based on measurement of calcium levels. The number needed to treat was 4 (95 per cent c.i. 3 to 6) for symptomatic hypocalcaemia. No publication bias was found; although heterogeneity was high for some comparisons, sensitivity analysis did not change the main results.

Conclusion

Routine postoperative administration of calcium + vitamin D3 is effective in decreasing the rate of symptomatic and biochemical hypocalcaemia.
Electrical storm in an acquired short QT syndrome successfully treated with quinidine
Authors: Spartalis Michael , Livanis Efthimios , Spartalis Eleftherios , Tsoutsinos Alexandros
Published: June 2019

Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a malignant heart disorder defined by the presence of ventricular arrhythmias causing syncope and sudden cardiac arrest. The prevalence in the pediatric population is 0.05%. Quinidine is an established agent for pharmacological prophylaxis in SQTS patients, but can also terminate an electrical storm.
Oxygen Reduction Reaction Activity of Mesostructured Cobalt‐Based Metal Oxides Studied with the Cavity‐Microelectrode Technique
Authors: Behnken Julian , Yu Mingquan , Deng Xiaohui , Tüysüz Harun , Harms Corinna , Dyck Alexander , Wittstock Gunther
Published: June 2019

Cobalt oxides are known as abundant and stable catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an alkaline environment. Here, the ORR activity of Co3O4 and mixed metal oxides NiCo2O4 and CuCo2O4 was studied. Synthesis by using the nanocasting procedure resulted in a mesostructured spinel phase with uniform morphology and high surface area. However, the evaluation of the specific activity of this material class is often hampered by limitations in determining the real surface area. The cavity‐microelectrode technique did not require the addition of any additives to the catalytic material. Thus, measuring the double layer capacitance was used to assess the surface area. This approach showed comparable and reliable values for all samples and different cavity depths. Furthermore, the in situ derived surface area enabled the determination of the specific ORR activity, which is more accurate than utilizing the geometric and nitrogen absorption derived surface area. Although the activity of Co3O4 was rather low, the presence of Ni2+ and Cu2+ in the mixed metal oxides led to a substantial activity enhancement, possibly by providing additional active sites.
Enhancing the Variability of [Ge9] Cluster Chemistry through Phosphine Functionalization
Authors: Wallach Christoph , Geitner Felix S. , Klein Wilhelm , Fässler Thomas F.
Published: June 2019

The synthetic approach towards molecules that contain Ge atoms with oxidation state 0, and which are exclusively connected to other Ge atoms, is explored by using anionic clusters extracted from binary solids. Besides providing a novel variable method for the introduction of alkenyl moieties to [Ge9] cluster compounds, this work expands the spectrum of mixed‐functionalized [Ge9] cluster anions, which are suitable for the straightforward synthesis of zwitterionic compounds upon coordination to metal cations. In detail, the synthesis of a series of mixed‐functionalized [Ge9] clusters is reported, including [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}3PRRI] (R=tBu, RI=(CH2)3CH=CH2; 2) and [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}2PRRI]− (R and RI: alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, aminoalkyl; 3 a to 11 a, TMS: (trimethyl)silyl). In 2 and 3 a, pentenyl functionalization of the [Ge9] clusters was achieved by reaction of the novel chlorophosphine tBu{(CH2)3CH=CH2}PCl (1) with silylated [Ge9] clusters. Furthermore, the reactivity of the cluster anions 3 a to 11 a towards NHCDippMCl (NHCDipp=1,3‐di(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazolylidine; M=Cu, Ag) showed a dependency on the steric demand of the phosphine either zwitterions (3‐MNHCDipp to 7‐MNHCDipp) featuring P–M interactions are formed, or Ge–M coordination (8‐MNHCDipp to 11‐MNHCDipp) occurs. For M=Ag, the formation of zwitterionic complexes was unequivocally proven by NMR investigations showing 1J(31P‐107Ag/109Ag) spin‐spin coupling.
Multi‐tier authentication schemes for fog computing: Architecture, security perspective, and challenges
Authors: Manzoor Awais , Shah Munam Ali , Khattak Hasan Ali , Din Ikram Ud , Khan Muhammad Khurram
Published: June 2019

Fog computing has revolutionized the computing domain by enabling resource sharing, such as online storage, and providing applications and software as services in near vicinity to the edge nodes through the Internet. Small‐ to large‐sized companies, like Amazon, Google, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, have started switching to fog‐computing–enabled infrastructures. Fog computing being distributed in nature and in near vicinity gives rises to security and privacy issues. Although mostly now a days, user identification is adopted via single sign‐in process, such as simple password‐based authentications, which is not a secure process. Several multi‐tier authentication techniques are proposed to overcome single sign‐in process limitations. In this article, we go through state‐of‐the‐art schemes proposed over the period of 2011‐2018 for multi‐tier authentication, their weaknesses and security issues, and finally their solutions for fog‐computing environment. We performed the comparison of available multi‐tier authentication techniques based on three factors, ie, level of security, cost of deployment, and usability. Multi‐tier authentication techniques are classified into categories in accordance with the aspects that are concerned with the authentication process. We are optimistic that this work will provide useful information to the researchers about the architectures of fog enabled systems and the underlying authentication models in a consolidated form.
Guide rather than discipline employees
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: June 2019

Only the worst employees need to be disciplined. Everyone else needs your guidance. My father taught me that principle, not in so many words but in the way he lived. It's the way he raised his children, and it's the way he treated those whom he supervised in the workplace. I know because I observed him at his job many, many times.
Acacia dealbata invasion in Chile: Surprises from climatic niche and species distribution models
Authors: Langdon Bárbara , Pauchard Aníbal , Bustamante Ramiro O.
Published: June 2019

Aim

Tree invasions are a threat to biodiversity conservation, and although it is hard to predict the future spread of invasive tree species, there are tools available which could allow some estimations. The magnitude of spatial spread (a proxy of invasiveness) can be predicted from species climatic requirement (climatic niche) and can be represented by species distribution models (SDMs). We aimed to assess whether Acacia dealbata conserves its niche in the new environment of south‐central Chile, and also, to estimate the invasive stage of the species.

Location

South‐central area of Chile, between the O'Higgins (34°0″0′S) and Aysen Regions (47°0″0′S).

Methods

We used a combination of global, native, and regional data to improve the estimation of the potential distribution of A. dealbata, which has been considered one of the most invasive species of the genus, being registered in at least 34 countries in all the Continents.

Results

Our results show that A. dealbata does not conserve its niche in the study area, invading areas with climatic conditions different from those of the native range. It is also not at equilibrium with the environment. According to the global versus regional SDM comparisons, populations present in south‐central Chile present different invasion stages. There are some stable populations, but there are other populations colonizing new areas, occupying unsuitable habitats and some of them are adapting to new climatic conditions. Climatic factors, such as precipitation seasonality, could be acting behind the expansion to new environments, and biotic factors or dispersal limitations could be preventing the species to colonize suitable areas.

Main conclusions

The invasion process of A. dealbata is far from stabilizing, and management options should focus on prevention, avoiding, for example, the introduction of the species to Patagonia where the species has not spread yet. More research is needed to complement our results and enhance the development of effective management strategies.
Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Highly Substituted trans α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones with Potent Anticancer Properties from Glycals
Authors: Jovanovic Predrag , Petkovic Milos , Simic Milena , Jovanovic Milos , Tasic Gordana , Crnogorac Marija Djordjic , Zizak Zeljko , Savic Vladimir
Published: June 2019

A novel synthetic route for highly substituted conjugated ketones has been developed utilizing glycals as starting materials. The two‐step process combined the Heck reaction/Lewis acid promoted ring opening to afford the products in 33–80 % overall yields and with a high level of trans stereoselectivity. Since the products are essentially the aldols, this methodology may be employed in some cases as an alternative synthetic route to the typical aldol condensation. Densely substituted, selectively protected conjugated ketones are synthetically attractive structures which, in our case, proved to be biologically equally appealing. Namely, they showed activity against several cancer cell lines, such as HeLa, K562, MDA‐MB‐453, in some instances overperforming cisplatin used as a standard.
Population structure and the evolution of Homo sapiens in Africa
Authors: Klein Richard G.
Published: June 2019

It has been proposed that a multiregional model could describe how Homo sapiens evolved in Africa beginning 300,000 years ago. Multiregionalism would require enduring morphological or behavioral differences among African regions and morphological or behavioral continuity within each. African fossils, archeology, and genetics do not comply with either requirement and are unlikely to, because climatic change periodically disrupted continuity and reshuffled populations. As an alternative to multiregionalism, I suggest that reshuffling produced novel gene constellations, including one in which the additive or cumulative effect of newly associated genes enhanced cognitive or communicative potential. Eventual fixation of such a constellation in the lineage leading to modern H. sapiens would explain the abrupt appearance of the African Later Stone Age 50–45 thousand years ago, its nearly simultaneous expansion to Eurasia in the form of the Upper Paleolithic, and the ability of fully modern Upper Paleolithic people to swamp or replace non‐modern Eurasians.