bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reusable Magnetic Nanocomposite Sponges for Removing Oil from Water Discharges
Authors: Furlan Ping Y. , Ackerman Brian M. , Melcer Michael E. , Perez Sergio E.
Published: July 2017

Vessels produce oily wastewater during evolutions including engine room operations and maintenance, cargo operations, deck machinery operations, washdown, and runoff. Currently, technologies require effluent be gathered in a central tank for treatment or managed through best management practices. Technologies to remove oil include gravity separation, filtration, absorption, coalescing, centrifuging, and flocculation. The majority of the technologies require periodic replacement of treatment materials associated with oil removal. These technologies may lose efficiency due to vessel motion. In this article we introduce a simple, efficient, eco-friendly procedure using readily available materials and equipment for fabricating high-performance magnetic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite sponges for oil-water separation. The magnetic sponges are resistant to corrosive chemicals, exhibit high sorption capacities for oils and cleaning agents, and selective sorption for oil from oil-water emulsions. The sponges can be reused multiple times with no signs of deterioration. They are magnetically controllable and will hold position when magnetized, allowing for separations not compromised by vessel motion. The magnetic PDMS nanocomposite sponge(s) provide a promising technology for removing oil from vessel water discharges.

1. Introduction

The removal of oil from water discharges is a concern for all vessels. Oil comingling with water discharges may occur at various locations on the vessel during operations and repair evolutions. These occurrences include the following:Engine room repairs and operationsMachinery leakagesEngine room and other bilge accumulationsCargo pumping operationsDeck washdown and drainageCargo gear and deck equipment leakagesCargo and portable cargo handling equipment leakagesScrubber effluent discharges for vessels equipped with SOx scrubbing equipmentAccidental oil discharges

Increasing environmental regulations and awareness have resulted in more stringent regulations regarding oil in vessel discharges.

Challenges to oil removal from water discharges include a wide variation in oil grades, chemicals used for treatment and maintenance, solids entrainment, and biologic contaminants. Effective treatment of water to reduce onboard quantities may be a challenge depending on the mixture and location of the effluent on board. Use of a common and simple-to-use technology for removal of oil from water discharges is advantageous to the vessel owner. Although one size does not fit all, a simple design with good efficiency and reusability is desirable. Magnetic nanocomposite sponges (MNSs) meet these requirements.
A Large and Heavy Cargo Transport System Designed for Small and Medium Ship Maintenance and Repair
Authors: Jiang Ge , Feng Dingzhong , Zhu Weihang
Published: July 2017

In order to cope with the significant decrease in shipbuilding market demand and shipbuilding overcapacity, Chinese shipbuilding enterprises are actively restructuring production and seeking new business opportunities in the ship maintenance and repair sector. Many small and medium shipyards lack large shipbuilding facilities such as docks. Therefore, they are facing great difficulty in switching to ship maintenance and repair business. The authors designed a practical and economical cargo transport system that is suitable for transporting large and heavy cargos (specifically, ships) in small and medium shipyards. The system design considers the market requirement and the characteristics of heavy-lifts material handling in the ship and maritime engineering. In this system, with integrated control technology, a hydraulic pallet transporter can dive to be under a ship, clamp the ship bottom and push the ship up. Automatic variable pumps are used to control the diving, floating, lifting, depressing, and braking of the transporter flatbeds. By using this system, a ship can be moved from water to land safely and smoothly for repair or maintenance, or moved from land back to water. This method allows ships of under 10,000 gas turbine (GT) to be repaired and maintained without docks. The system has been implemented in a shipyard. The case study demonstrates that the transport system can help bring in new business opportunities in ship maintenance and repair for small and medium shipyards, effectively improve ship maintenance and repair environment, and reduce maintenance and repair cycle time.

1. Introduction

The maritime and shipping industry has been important to many coastal countries. As a major maritime and shipping power in the world, China has numerous ships of many types. Each year a large number of ships need scheduled service, maintenance, and repair. The market for ship maintenance and repair has a tremendous potential with the increasing revenue in the past years. Statistics have shown that in 2015, the ship maintenance and repair service in China has generated the revenue of 12.9 billion RMB (nearly US$2 Billion), and 3740 ships were repaired and maintained. This is an increase of 9.6% on the year-on-year growth rate. Table 1 lists the major shipbuilding enterprises in China, their ship maintenance and repair completion value, and number of completed ships.
From Design to Production: An Integrated Methodology to Speed Up the Industrialization of Wooden Hulls
Authors: Fragassa Cristiano
Published: July 2017

A new design and construction procedure for manufacturing wooden boats is presented, based on modular, parameterized components produced by computer numerical control (CNC) machining. This semiautomated procedure greatly reduces time requirements for vessel assembly compared with traditional methods and yields similar economic viability to other less sustainable materials such as fibreglass. Starting from computer-aided design drawings, the three-dimensional geometry is optimized considering target functions (resistance, dynamics…). Segmentation of wooden strips and transformation into two-dimensional segments permits to simplify CNC machining, with component borders shaped and tapered for better interconnection. Tool path generation is part of the cutting procedure to achieve the required components with the minimum use of raw materials and operational time. All strips, together with the frame, are manufactured using a 5-axis CNC machining center and finally assembled to produce the first industrialized prototype of wooden boat. Manufacturing in this way represents a significant step toward viable mass production of wooden boats.

1. Introduction

The application of modem manufacturing techniques to the production of wooden boats has the potential to revitalize the use a cheap and environmentally sustainable material in the boating industry. Such a consideration is particularly relevant in the current global context of economic downturn and climate change. Historically, the use of wood (as in [Lanapoppi 2000, Howorth 1980]) was phased out in favor of materials that were cheaper and simpler to deal with, such as fiber-reinforced composites and aluminium (Espeut 1983). The use of wood was inherently manual (Fig. 1) and time consuming, leading to lower economic viability. The widespread adoption of fiberglass eventually came due to its superior malleability and strength-to-weight ratio, as well as its potential to reduce manual labor requirements during construction (Fox 2001). Several decades later, the needs of both manufacturers and customers alike have changed.

Natural materials, zero-impact boating and embodied energy are now regular subjects of discussion in the literature (Guamán et al. 2015). The use of wood and electric-solar drivetrains are common approaches when striving for a negative carbon footprint (Pommier et al. 2015). Increasing attention on environmental sustainability, together with several recent changes in wood production technology, suggest the necessity for reevaluation of resource use in boatbuilding, with emphasis placed on environmental sustainability.
Realities of Graphic Novels: An Interview with Frederick Aldama
Authors: Babaee Ruzbeh
Published: July 2017

The trend about producing and reading graphic novels has grown since the late twentieth century. These books with comic backgrounds seem to have a miraculous energy. They have been even appealing to unenthusiastic readers. They tempt people of different age groups, races and genders. They are also used for teaching ESL courses, e-learning activities, designing reality games, and teaching creative writing. If you talk to its followers, you may get the feedback that graphic novels can fulfil your demands and dreams from writing your assignments to taking you to the moon. Although many researchers have investigated the benefits of graphic novels, many faculties and librarians are still reluctant to include graphic novels in their curricula. Perhaps it is simply the attitude of many teachers and librarians that graphic novels look like a comic book, and simply are not “real” books. They have too few words, too many pictures, and lack quality to be seriously considered as literature. In the following, I, Ruzbeh Babaee, did an interview with Distinguished Professor Frederick Luis Aldama on realities of graphic novels.Aldama is a distinguished scholar and Professor of English at The Ohio State University, United States. In the departments of English and Spanish & Portuguese he is involved in teaching courses on US Latino and Latin American cultural phenomena, literature, film, music, video games, and comic books.  He has founded and directed the White House Hispanic Bright Spot awarded LASER/Latino and Latin American Space for Enrichment Research. Professor Aldama won the Ohio Education Summit Award for Founding & Directing LASER in 2016. In April 2017, Aldama was awarded OSU’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching and inducted into the Academy of Teaching. He is the author, co-author, and editor of 30 books, including his first book of fiction/graphic fiction, Long Stories Cut Short: Fictions from the Borderlands.
Translation of Colloquialisms in the Arabic-into-English Subtitled Film, The Dupes
Authors: Al-Kharabsheh Aladdin , Yassin Omar
Published: July 2017

This study attempts to investigate the difficulties and problems that subtitlers may encounter in subtitling colloquial expressions from Arabic into English. To achieve the main objectives of the study, some authentic examples have been obtained from the subtitled film The Dupes and  analyzed linguistically and translationally in order to identify the subtitling inaccuracies, to highlight the subtitling strategies used by the film's subtitler, and to draw other workable subtitling solutions for dealing with colloquialisms or slang language. Analysis isolates three major problems relevant to subtitling Arabic colloquial expressions into English: (1) some colloquialisms,  especially those reflecting religious overtones, have been missubtitled, (2) some colloquialisms have been totally dropped out from subtitling (i.e. zero-subtitling), (3) and in subtitling certain colloquialisms, a considerable subtitling loss has occurred. Finally, to resolve such recalcitrant problems and difficulties, the study, in its concluding part, suggests some other practical subtitling mechanisms, other than the ones that have been adopted by the film's subtitler.
Rereading 'A Rose for Emily' from the Perspective of Wolfgang Iser's Reader Response Theory
Authors: Khrais Sura M.
Published: July 2017

The aim of this paper is to examine Iser's 'reader response' theory with special focus on Iser's concept of 'dynamic reading' and 'blanks' as major narrative devices. The researcher will discuss how blanks or gaps function, through applying Iser's theory on William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". She will discuss how gaps in characters and events engage the reader in a dynamic process of reading which leads to revealing the text's meaning. This paper is an application of text-reader interaction which, as Iser states, generates meaning. It is worth mentioning here that Iser views meaning as an effect to be experienced rather than an object to be defined. It is here where Iser's contribution to the world of criticism becomes clear. He redirects focus from the text as an object to the subjectivity of the reader.
An Investigation into EFL Learners’ Translations of Metaphors from Cognitive and Cultural Perspectives
Authors: Chen Yi-chen
Published: July 2017

The study investigates how EFL learner-translators deal with metaphors and how cognitive factors and cultural background influence their choices. An English-to-Chinese translation task consisting of 20 English sentences was given to 70 Taiwanese university students; each sentence contains a figurative expression that falls into the categories in the cognitive cultural models (Kövecses, 2005). The students’ performances on the task were rated; quantitative analyses show that the students performed significantly better on translating metaphors whose conceptual metaphors exist in both languages than on metaphors whose conceptual metaphors are exclusive to English. Additionally, twenty students were selected for post-task interviews; qualitative analyses indicate that sentence context, concerns over style and register, and translators’ personal preferences affected their choices while translating. Communicative strategies, like providing neutral meanings to avoid uncertain translation, were adopted. The results contribute to the literature on and pedagogical applications for EFL learner translators from both cognitive and cultural aspects.
Convergence and Divergence between the Arabic ʿUdhrî (Chaste) Love and Platonic Love: A Comparative Study
Authors: Thnaybat Ahmed , Zeidanin Hussein
Published: July 2017

The study explores the Udhrî ghazal as a classical literary phenomenon in the Arabic poetry; and it seeks to correlate it with Plato’s theories of love in The Symposium. The issues the study raises are: history of the Udhrî love, factors leading to its emergence, impact of Islam on the Udhrî poets, and stages of the Udhrî narrative based on classical Arabic poetry and prose. The study controverts the claims associating the Udhrî ghazal with Islam due to the profound discrepancies between Islamic teachings and the practices and behaviors of the Udhrî poets. It as well reviews the theories of love Plato introduces in the Symposium for the purpose of estimating their manifestations in classical Arabic prose and impact on the Udhrî ghazal. The beginnings of Udhrî love go back to the pre-Islamic era during which poets, such as Antara Al-Absi, frequently combined the motif of chaste love with other related topics in their poems. Yet, the Udhrî ghazal flourishes in the Umayyad age during which poets tackled Udhrî love as an autonomous motif and subgenre. The study further questions the various possible factors, i.e. political, religious, environmental and social, modernists believe have led to the evolution of the Udhrî ghazal in the Islamic age and the Umayyad age.
‘My Verses Are the Children of My Blood’: Autobiography in the Poetry of Kostas Karyotakis
Authors: Menelaou Iakovos
Published: July 2017

Kostas Karyotakis (1896-1928) is one of the most important Modern Greek poets. His poetry not only influenced several other poets, but it also attracted critics’ interest. Former critics dealt with Karyotakis’ poetry and spoke about the relation between life and work in his poems. Nevertheless, they did not analyse extensively certain poems, which reflect clearly the poet’s personal experience. In addition, other critics attempted to analyse and see Karyotakis’ poems as independent entities, isolated from the poet’s life. While the results of such an approach were interesting, indeed, in fact they do not show the real meaning of the poems. Although such theories are useful and productive, when reading poets who made their life an important part of their poetry, biography is a key element for the interpretation of their works; thus a New Historicism approach is preferred.  My purpose in this paper is to show the close relation between life and work in Karyotakis’ poetry through a parallel focus on life and poetry. Going beyond the results of previous critique, I intend to show how Karyotakis’ poetry alludes to his personal experience.
Persian Renderings of English Conceptual Discourse Patterns: A Case Study of Animal Farm
Authors: Faghih Esmail , Moghiti Roya
Published: July 2017

Discourse includes both structural and conceptual patterns.  Most of these patterns are different in various languages.  A conceptual pattern in source language can be realized in different ways in target language.  Therefore, the translator should be aware of differences between SL and TL conceptual patterns because rendering these patterns from the source text into the target one can be problematic.  The present descriptive study aimed to investigate the conceptual discourse patterns and related ideologies in George Orwell’s Animal Farm and its Persian translations.  Accordingly, the researchers selected and analyzed the samples based on Fairclough’s (2001) approach to CDA.  Based on the findings, Gheybi (2010) has been more successful in rendering the conceptual discourse patterns and ideologies, because her translation was much more similar to the source text in terms of conceptual discourse patterns as compared to the translation by Hoseyni and Nabizadeh (2003).  The findings indicated that the translators’ ideological and socio-cultural norms affect their translation strategies and lexical and grammatical choices and this in turn influences their success to recognize and transmit the ST implicit ideologies into TT.
The Symbolism of the Sun in Ghassan Kanafani's Fiction: A Political Critique
Authors: Neimneh Shadi S.
Published: July 2017

This article explores the symbolism of the sun in Ghassan Kanafani's fiction, in particular his novella Men in the Sun (originally written and published in Arabic under the title Rijal fi al-Shams). The article argues that the sun is a naturalistic emblem standing for the harsh realities encountered by Palestinian refugees. Hence, it is employed as a political metaphor representing the "hellish" life of exiled Palestinians. In this light, the metaphorical employment of the motif of the sun serves the protest message of Kanafani's postcolonial literature of resistance. It is part of a larger project of employing gritty, harsh realism to depict a wretched world of agony, loneliness, despair, and helplessness. In Kanafani’s fiction, the sun directly figures pain, alienation and suffering, rather than hope, light, and renewal as commonly viewed in literary and mythical depictions. Instead of embodying light and birth, the sun figures loss and death in Kanafani’s fictional world. Therefore, it gives Kanafani’s fiction a mythical dimension when this fiction is viewed in its entirety. At the individual level of singular pieces, the sun underscores the realistic weight of such pieces, adding to their ideological, political and historical value. In Men in the Sun, the sun as a dominant symbol functions contra abstract metaphorical language by making the brutal realities of exile and suffering more concrete, more immediate, and more perceptible for the reader. Thus, it is a pessimistic symbol for Kanafani used to create realistic portraits of Palestinian life rather than an optimistic one as traditionally viewed.
The Rhetoric of Madness in Kathy Acker’s Don Quixote
Authors: Cao Claudia
Published: July 2017

This essay examines the rhetorical experimentation of Don Quixote by Kathy Acker, starting from a theoretical concept central in the author’s thought: her search for a “language of the body”. A brief introduction to Kathy Acker’s plagiaristic poetics frames her narrative strategies between postmodern rewriting and pastiche. It shows the way in which her Don Quixote transposes the representative scheme of the chivalric quest into the contemporary value system with the aim of questioning Cervantes’ text as one of the canonical works of the Western literary tradition. The following section deepens three focal concepts of Acker’s theoretical works – body, madness, and norm – illuminating the connections between her rhetorical experimentation and the works by Luce Irigaray and Judith Butler. Finally, the paper will demonstrate how these concepts in Acker's rewriting of Don Quixote are strictly related to paradox, which she uses in order to actualize a “language of the body”: in the passage from the former novel to the postmodern work, madness has become the device which, from the semantic level to the rhetorical one, expresses Acker’s idea of language of the body, as an alternative and in contrast to the canonical language of the logos.
Acoustic Magnifying Lens for Far‐Field High Resolution Imaging Based on Transformation Acoustics
Authors: Song Gang Yong , Jiang Wei Xiang , Cheng Qiang , Wu Li Ting , Dong Hui Yuan , Cui Tie Jun
Published: July 2017

Based on transformation acoustics and effective medium theory, a magnifying lens is proposed at sound frequencies, which is employed to realize the far‐field high resolution imaging with matched impedance to free space. Different from the acoustic superlens that creates images with sub‐wavelength features in narrow frequency band, the proposed acoustic magnifying lens enables high‐resolution imaging over broadband that can be captured directly by normal microphone in the far field. Since the acoustic lens is made of inhomogeneous but nearly isotropic sub‐wavelength structures, the design will be greatly simplified without considering the influence of anisotropic mass density or bulk modulus exhibited by most meta‐atoms. The high‐resolution imaging effect is demonstrated both numerically and experimentally, showing promise for a variety of potential applications such as medical imaging, biomedical sensors, as well as focused ultrasound surgery.
Efficient Light Extraction of Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes on a Fully Solution‐Processed Flexible Substrate
Authors: Tong Kwing , Liu Xiaofeng , Zhao Fangchao , Chen Dustin , Pei Qibing
Published: July 2017

A flexible, nanocomposite substrate for maximizing light outcoupling efficiencies of organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) is introduced. In depth investigation is performed on designing the integrated strategy based on considerations of surface conductivity, microcavity tuning, and internal light scattering. The resulting nanocomposite substrate consists of silver nanowires as the electrode and a high‐index polymer layer and a light‐scattering layer for light extraction. It is able to outcouple both the waveguide and the substrate modes, two modes accounting for significant losses in OLED device efficiency. With enhanced light outcoupling, white OLEDs subsequently fabricated on the nanocomposite substrates demonstrate performance metrics of 107 lm W−1 power efficiency and 49% external quantum efficiency at 1000 cd m−2. The nanocomposite substrate is fabricated by solution processes at low temperatures for potentially low manufacturing cost.
Modular manufacturing processes: Status, challenges, and opportunities
Authors: Baldea Michael , Edgar Thomas F. , Stanley Bill L. , Kiss Anton A.
Published: July 2017

Chemical companies are constantly seeking new, high‐margin growth opportunities, the majority of which lie in high‐grade, specialty chemicals, rather than in the bulk sector. To realize these opportunities, manufacturers are increasingly considering decentralized, flexible production facilities: large‐scale production units are uneconomical for innovative products with a short lifespan and volatile markets. Small modular plants have low financial risks, are flexible and can respond rapidly to changes in demand. Logistics costs can be also reduced by moving production closer to customers and/or sources of raw materials. Moreover, stricter safety regulations can in many cases be more easily met using smaller distributed facilities. Modularization of chemical production can thus have potentially significant economic and safety benefits. In this article, several drivers for modular production are reviewed, and modular production architectures are evaluated based on a new metric, the value density of feedstock resources and markets for the products of a process. The links between modularization and process intensification are also discussed. Several industrial examples are provided and used to highlight challenges and future directions for this area. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 4262–4272, 2017
A California Correction? Legislature Will Consider Allowing Attorney Malpractice Proof from Mediation
Authors: Kichaven Jeff
Published: July 2017

The evidence is in. After 43 years of federal practice under Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of Evidence (1975); 19 years of New York practice under CPLR 4547 (1998); and 16 years of practice in various states under the Uniform Mediation Act (2001), we can conclude: Statutory confidentiality is not necessary for effective mediation.
The Active Intersection Where Dispute Resolution and Insurance Meet
Authors: Jerry Robert H.
Published: July 2017

Consistent readers of this newsletter through the years won't be surprised by the remarkable trajectory of the dispute resolution field, the increased use of alternative dispute resolution processes throughout the conflict resolution landscape, the revolutionary embrace of mediation by courts and governmental agencies in both the state and federal systems, and the maturation of the academic study of the process and substance of dispute resolution.
Who Could Have Known? Dealing with The Emotion of Surprise in Mediation
Authors: Creo Robert A.
Published: July 2017

Researchers studying emotions generally agree on the categorization of six prime emotions: Anger, Disgust, Fear, Happiness, Sadness and Surprise.
Everyone's a Critic: The Public Speaks on Attorney Malpractice and Mediation Confidentiality
Authors: Lawrence Lyn
Published: July 2017

The tentative recommendation approved in June based on Study K‐402 by the California Law Revision Commission—which, if passed into law, would allow new state mediation confidentiality exceptions for proving attorney malpractice—has brought about mixed reviews from ADR professionals, organizations and even state departments operating in the field of mediation.
Multimodal image analysis of clinical influences on preterm brain development
Authors: Ball Gareth , Aljabar Paul , Nongena Phumza , Kennea Nigel , Gonzalez‐Cinca Nuria , Falconer Shona , Chew Andrew T.M. , Harper Nicholas , Wurie Julia , Rutherford Mary A. , Counsell Serena J. , Edwards A. David
Published: July 2017

Objective

Premature birth is associated with numerous complex abnormalities of white and gray matter and a high incidence of long‐term neurocognitive impairment. An integrated understanding of these abnormalities and their association with clinical events is lacking. The aim of this study was to identify specific patterns of abnormal cerebral development and their antenatal and postnatal antecedents.

Methods

In a prospective cohort of 449 infants (226 male), we performed a multivariate and data‐driven analysis combining multiple imaging modalities. Using canonical correlation analysis, we sought separable multimodal imaging markers associated with specific clinical and environmental factors and correlated to neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years.

Results

We found five independent patterns of neuroanatomical variation that related to clinical factors including age, prematurity, sex, intrauterine complications, and postnatal adversity. We also confirmed the association between imaging markers of neuroanatomical abnormality and poor cognitive and motor outcomes at 2 years.

Interpretation

This data‐driven approach defined novel and clinically relevant imaging markers of cerebral maldevelopment, which offer new insights into the nature of preterm brain injury. Ann Neurol 2017;82:233–246
Ante mortem cerebrospinal fluid tau levels correlate with postmortem tau pathology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration
Authors: Irwin David J. , Lleó Alberto , Xie Sharon X. , McMillan Corey T. , Wolk David A. , Lee Edward B. , Van Deerlin Viviana M. , Shaw Leslie M. , Trojanowski John Q. , Grossman Murray
Published: July 2017

Objective

To test the hypotheses that (1) antemortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau levels correlate with postmortem tau pathology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and (2) tauopathy patients have higher phosphorylated‐tau levels compared to transactivation response element DNA‐binding protein 43 (TDP‐43) proteinopathy patients while accounting for Alzheimer's disease (AD) copathology.

Methods

Patients had autopsy‐confirmed FTLD with tauopathy (n = 31), TDP‐43 proteinopathy (n = 49), or AD (n = 26) with antemortem CSF. CSF tau levels were compared between groups and correlated with digital histology measurement of postmortem tau pathology averaged from three cerebral regions (angular gyrus, mid‐frontal cortex, and anterior cingulate gyrus). Multivariate linear regression tested the association of ante mortem CSF tau levels with postmortem tau pathology adjusting for demographics.

Results

Multivariate regression found an independent association of ante mortem CSF phosphorylated tau levels with postmortem cerebral tau pathology in FTLD (Beta = 1.3; 95% confidence interval = 0.2‐2.4; p < 0.02). After excluding patients with coincident AD‐associated tau pathology accompanying sporadic FTLD, we found lower CSF phosphorylated tau levels in the TDP‐43 group (median = 7.4pg/ml; interquartile range [IQR] = 6.0, 12.3; n = 26) compared to the tauopathy group (median = 12.5pg/ml; IQR = 10.7, 15.0; n = 23; Z = 2.6; p < 0.01).

Interpretation

CSF phosphorylated‐tau levels are positively associated with cerebral tau burden in FTLD. In vivo detection of AD copathology in sporadic FTLD patients may help stratify clinical cohorts with pure neuropathology in which low CSF phosphorylated‐tau levels may have diagnostic utility to distinguish TDP‐43 proteinopathy from tauopathy. Autopsy‐confirmed samples are critical for FTLD biomarker development and validation. Ann Neurol 2017;82:247–258
Thiamine deficiency in childhood with attention to genetic causes: Survival and outcome predictors
Authors: Ortigoza‐Escobar Juan Darío , Alfadhel Majid , Molero‐Luis Marta , Darin Niklas , Spiegel Ronen , de Coo Irenaeus F. , Gerards Mike , Taylor Robert W. , Artuch Rafael , Nashabat Marwan , Rodríguez‐Pombo Pilar , Tabarki Brahim , Pérez‐Dueñas Belén ,   Thiamine Deficiency Study Group
Published: July 2017

Primary and secondary conditions leading to thiamine deficiency have overlapping features in children, presenting with acute episodes of encephalopathy, bilateral symmetric brain lesions, and high excretion of organic acids that are specific of thiamine‐dependent mitochondrial enzymes, mainly lactate, alpha‐ketoglutarate, and branched chain keto‐acids. Undiagnosed and untreated thiamine deficiencies are often fatal or lead to severe sequelae. Herein, we describe the clinical and genetic characterization of 79 patients with inherited thiamine defects causing encephalopathy in childhood, identifying outcome predictors in patients with pathogenic SLC19A3 variants, the most common genetic etiology. We propose diagnostic criteria that will aid clinicians to establish a faster and accurate diagnosis so that early vitamin supplementation is considered. Ann Neurol 2017;82:317–330
Brief Report: De Novo Human Herpesvirus 8 Tumors Induced by Rituximab in Autoimmune or Inflammatory Systemic Diseases
Authors: Périer Amandine , Savey Léa , Marcelin Anne‐Geneviève , Serve Philippe , Saadoun David , Barete Stéphane
Published: July 2017

Objective

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8), also known as Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)–associated herpesvirus, is involved in KS and other tumors, including multicentric Castleman's disease and primary effusion lymphoma. Rituximab (RTX) is currently used for the treatment of several autoimmune or inflammatory diseases and humoral organ transplant rejection. De novo HHV‐8 tumors induced by RTX used for these indications have not been reported previously. This study was undertaken to evaluate de novo HHV‐8 tumors induced by RTX.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we investigated the clinical, virologic, and pathologic features of 5 HIV‐negative male patients with HHV‐8 tumors induced by RTX therapy.

Results

Patients were all immunocompromised by previous treatments, which consisted of steroids and/or immunosuppressive agents, and received RTX for insufficient response, disease progression, or transplant rejection. They developed HHV‐8 tumors a median of 4 months after beginning treatment with RTX (range 3–13 months). Four patients had at least 1 risk factor for HHV‐8, including a high Fitzpatrick skin phototype (of >3) (n = 3) and homosexuality (n = 1). Four patients developed KS (all 4 had skin lesions and 2 had visceral involvement), and 1 patient developed a solid primary effusion lymphoma. RTX was discontinued in all patients, and immunosuppressants were reduced when feasible. After a median follow‐up of 20 months, 2 patients died. Remission of KS was complete in 1 patient and partial in 1 patient, and 1 patient had progression.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that patients who have a high skin phototype and are at risk of HHV‐8 should be carefully screened for HHV‐8 before RTX therapy. The safety of RTX, especially in nonlymphomatous disorders, should be carefully evaluated in patients at risk of HHV‐8 tumors.
Learning anatomy through Thiel‐ vs. formalin‐embalmed cadavers: Student perceptions of embalming methods and effect on functional anatomy knowledge
Authors: Kennel Larissa , Martin David M. A. , Shaw Hannah , Wilkinson Tracey
Published: July 2017

Thiel‐embalmed cadavers, which have been adopted for use in anatomy teaching in relatively few universities, show greater flexibility and color retention compared to formalin‐embalmed cadavers, properties which might be considered advantageous for anatomy teaching. This study aimed to investigate student attitudes toward the dissection experience with Thiel‐ compared to formalin/ethanol‐embalmed cadavers. It also aimed to determine if one embalming method is more advantageous in terms of learning functional anatomy through the comparison of student anterior forearm functional anatomy knowledge. Student opinions and functional anatomy knowledge were obtained through use of a questionnaire from students at two medical schools, one using Thiel‐, and one using more traditional formalin/ethanol‐embalmed cadavers. Both the Thiel group and the formalin group of students were surveyed shortly after completing an anterior forearm dissection session. Significant differences (P‐values <0.01) in some attitudes were found toward the dissection experience between cohorts using Thiel‐ vs. formalin‐embalmed cadavers. The Thiel group of students felt more confident about recognizing anatomy in the living individual, found it easier to identify and dissect anatomical structures, and indicated more active exploration of functional anatomy due to the retained flexibility of the cadaver. However, on testing, no significant difference in functional anatomy knowledge was found between the two cohorts. Overall, although Thiel embalming may provide an advantageous learning experience in some investigated areas, more research needs to be carried out, especially to establish whether student perception is based on reality, at least in terms of structure identification. Anat Sci Educ 11: 166–174. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.
A carbon footprint of HVO biopropane
Authors: Johnson Eric
Published: July 2017

Biopropane made by hydrogenating vegetable or animal oil/fat is being commercialized as a biofuel alternative to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Its carbon footprint has been calculated from field to tank, using public data for each process in the supply chain, for six main feedstocks: palm oil, palm oil fatty acid distillate, tallow, used cooking oil, rape oil, and soy oil. Scenarios have been applied to the calculations using four main variables: allocation method, i.e., economic or energy; methane capture at the oil mill (or not); application of indirect land‐use change (or not); and classification of the feedstock as a residue (or not). HVO biopropane's carbon footprint varies, depending on the feedstock and the four variables, from as low as 5 g CO2e/MJ to as high as 102 g. In most cases, this qualifies for government support, i.e., financial credits and biofuel mandates enacted by EU member states under the Renewable Energy Directive. © 2017 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation of carbon dot‐based ratiometric fluorescent probes for cellular imaging from Curcuma longa
Authors: Mazrad Zihnil Adha Islamy , Kang Eun Bi , In Insik , Park Sung Young
Published: July 2017

This work derived biocompatible and stable probes based on fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) from a natural source, Curcuma longa. The multi‐color fluorescence emissions from carbonized Curcuma longa (C‐FNPs) obtained through defined dehydration conditions are soluble in water and have a small particle size (~17 nm). The surface passivation with polyethylene glycol (PEG) capped with amine groups in FNPs (P‐FNPs) generated a probe with a higher quantum yield and longer fluorescence lifetime than obtained with C‐FNPs. The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction spectra confirmed the associated chemical moieties of C‐FNPs and P‐FNPs. Furthermore, the prepared material showed non‐toxic effects with almost 100% cell viability, even at high concentrations. In conclusion, fluorescence sensors from natural sources may be useful for numerous biomedical research applications.
An electrochemiluminescent method for glutamate measurement in small microdialysate samples in asphyxiated young rats
Authors: Ortega‐Ibarra Jorge , López‐Pérez Silvia , Morales‐Villagrán Alberto
Published: July 2017

Glutamate (Glu) quantification has been performed by a combination of intracerebral microdialysis through which the samples are obtained and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); its measurement requires a large expenditure of time (15–30 min per sample) and special training. Therefore, an alternative method is presented here, based on the electrochemiluminescence produced by the use of an enzymatic reactor, containing glutamate‐oxidase, mixed and incubated with microdialysate from dorsal striatum (DS) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of young rats asphyxiated during the neonatal period, under a global asphyxia model in order to test this method. Using this approach, we found high extracellular Glu concentration in the DS of asphyxiated animals, but only during K+ stimulation, while in the PFC, only a delay in the rise of Glu after K+ stimulation was observed, without any difference in extracellular Glu content when compared with controls. This new method permitted a fast measurement of Glu in brain dialysate samples, it significantly reduces the cost of the analysis per sample, since only a single device and pump are needed without using columns and high pressure inside the system or complex hardware and software to control pumps, detector, fraction collector or any other peripheral used in HPLC.
Maximizing the stability of metabolic engineering‐derived whole‐cell biocatalysts
Authors: Kadisch Marvin , Willrodt Christian , Hillen Michael , Bühler Bruno , Schmid Andreas
Published: July 2017

A systematic and powerful knowledge‐based framework exists for improving the activity and stability of chemical catalysts and for empowering the commercialization of respective processes. In contrast, corresponding biotechnological processes are still scarce and characterized by case‐by‐case development strategies. A systematic understanding of parameters affecting biocatalyst efficiency, that is, biocatalyst activity and stability, is essential for a rational generation of improved biocatalysts. Today, systematic approaches only exist for increasing the activity of whole‐cell biocatalysts. They are still largely missing for whole‐cell biocatalyst stability. In this review, we structure factors affecting biocatalyst stability and summarize existing, yet not completely exploited strategies to overcome respective limitations. The factors and mechanisms related to biocatalyst destabilization are discussed and demonstrated inter alia based on two case studies. The factors are similar for processes with different objectives regarding target molecule or metabolic pathway complexity and process scale, but are in turn highly interdependent. This review provides a systematic for the stabilization of whole‐cell biocatalysts. In combination with our knowledge on strategies to improve biocatalyst activity, this paves the way for the rational design of superior recombinant whole‐cell biocatalysts, which can then be employed in economically and ecologically competitive and sustainable bioprocesses.
Operative learning curve trajectory in a cohort of surgical trainees
Authors: Brown C , Abdelrahman T , Patel N , Thomas C , Pollitt M J , Lewis W G
Published: July 2017

Background

Certification of completion of training in general surgery in the UK requires demonstration of competence in index operations by means of three level 4 competence consultant-validated procedure-based assessments (PBAs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the trajectory of operative learning curves related to PBA performance levels for curriculum-defined indicative operations with respect to numbers performed and training time.

Methods

Logbook data from consecutive higher general surgical trainees were compared with PBA evaluations to determine the relationship between PBA performance level, operative experience, training time and indicative numbers. Learning curve gradients were calculated using the inverse trigonometric function of tan related to operative experience and training time.

Results

Eighty-four surgical trainees participated. Median caseload to achieve three level 4 competence assessments was 64 (range 18–110) for inguinal hernia, 83 (15–177) for emergency laparotomy, 87 (23–192) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 95 (22–209) for appendicectomy, 45 (17–111) for segmental colectomy and 16 (6–28) for Hartmann's procedure. Median learning curve gradients to achieve level 4 competence for emergency laparotomy were 15·3° and 33·7° by caseload and training time respectively, compared with 73·3° and 59·9° for Hartmann's procedure. Significant variance was observed in the gradients of all learning curves related to both the caseload between the first level 3 and the first level 4 PBA (P = 0·001), and between the first and third level 4 PBAs (P < 0·001).

Conclusion

Significant learning curve gradient variance was observed, with discrepancies between expected indicative operative numbers and the point at which competence was judged to have been achieved. Numbers of index operations to achieve certification of completion of training warrant further examination.
Changes in treatment and outcome of oesophageal cancer in Denmark between 2004 and 2013
Authors: Kjaer D W , Larsson H , Svendsen L B , Jensen L S
Published: July 2017

Background

Since 2003, care for patients with oesophageal cancer has been centralized in a few dedicated centres in Denmark. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the treatment and outcome of patients registered in a nationwide database.

Methods

All patients diagnosed with oesophageal cancer or cancer of the gastro-oesophageal junction who underwent oesophagectomy in Denmark between 2004 and 2013, and who were registered in the Danish clinical database of carcinomas in the oesophagus, gastro-oesophageal junction and stomach (DECV database) were included. Quality-of-care indicators, including number of lymph nodes removed, anastomotic leak rate, 30- and 90-day mortality, and 2- and 5-year overall survival, were assessed. To compare quality-of-care indicators over time, the relative risk (RR) was calculated using a multivariable log binomial regression model.

Results

Some 6178 patients were included, of whom 1728 underwent oesophagectomy. The overall number of patients with 15 or more lymph nodes in the resection specimen increased from 38·1 per cent in 2004 to 88·7 per cent in 2013. The anastomotic leak rate decreased from 14·8 to 7·6 per cent (RR 0·66, 95 per cent c.i. 0·43 to 1·01). The 30-day mortality rate decreased from 4·5 to 1·7 per cent (RR 0·51, 0·22 to 1·15) and the 90-day mortality rate from 11·0 to 2·9 per cent (RR 0·46, 0·26 to 0·82). There were no statistically significant changes in 2- or 5-year survival rates over time.

Conclusion

Indicators of quality of care have improved since the centralization of oesophageal cancer treatment in Denmark.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Cu‐Nanocluster‐Decorated Brookite TiO2Quasi‐Nanocubes for Enhanced Activity and Selectivity of CO2 Photoreduction to CH4
Authors: Jin Jingpeng , Luo Jiang , Zan Ling , Peng Tianyou
Published: July 2017

A new kind of metallic Cu‐loaded brookite TiO2 composite, in which Cu nanoclusters with a small size of 1–3 nm are decorated on brookite TiO2 quasi nanocube (BTN) surfaces (hereafter referred to as Cu‐BTN), is synthesized via a one‐pot hydrothermal process and then used as photocatalyst for CO2 reduction. It was found that the decoration of Cu nanoclusters on BTN surfaces can improve the activity and selectivity of CO2 photoreduction to CH4, and 1.5 % Cu‐BTN gives a maximum overall photocatalytic activity (150.9 μmol g−1 h−1) for CO/CH4 production, which is ≈11.4 and ≈3.3 times higher than those of pristine BTN (13.2 μmol g−1 h−1) and Ag‐BTN (45.2 μmol g−1 h−1). Moreover, the resultant Cu‐BTN products can promote the selective generation of CH4 as compared to CO due to the number of surface oxygen vacancies and the CO2/H2O adsorption behavior, which differs from that of the pristine BTN. The present results demonstrate that brookite TiO2 would be a potential effective photocatalyst for CO2 photoreduction, and that Cu nanoclusters can act as an inexpensive and efficient co‐catalyst alternative to the commonly used noble metals to improve the photoactivity and selectivity for CO2 reduction to CH4.
Wireless powered underlay cognitive radio network with multiple primary transceivers: Energy constraint, node arrangement, and performance analysis
Authors: Nguyen Tien‐Tung , Pham Nam Minh , Do Dinh‐Thuan
Published: July 2017

This paper considers a cognitive radio–assisted wireless information and power transfer system consisting of multipair of transceiver in primary network and 2‐hop relaying link in secondary network. In this investigation, a decoded‐and‐forward–assisted relay node and power splitting protocol are deployed to obtain ability of wireless energy transfer. The relay node harvests energy from the radio frequency signals of the secondary transmitter and primary transmitters in data transmission to the destination by reusing the licensed spectrum resource. We propose 2 policies for wireless power transfer at the relay, namely, (1) multisource power transfer and (2) single‐source power transfer. To evaluate performance under energy harvesting regime, we derive the closed‐form outage probability expressions and achievable throughput of the secondary network in delay‐limited transmission mode. In addition, we investigate the impact of various system parameters including number of primary transceivers, primary outage threshold, and position arrangement of nodes in primary transceivers on the outage performance of the proposed scheme. Furthermore, we evaluate the system energy efficiency to show trade‐off metric of energy consumption and throughput. Performance results are presented to validate our theoretical derivation and illustrate the impacts of various system parameters. An important result is that the secondary network is more beneficial than harmful from the primary interference under power constraint and reasonable node location arrangement.