bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Premolar Axial Wall Height Effect on CAD/CAM Crown Retention
Authors: Gillette C , Buck R , DuVall N , Cushen S , Wajdowicz M , Roberts H
Published: November 2016

Objective:

To evaluate the significance of reduced axial wall height on retention of adhesively luted, all-ceramic, lithium disilicate premolar computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) crowns based on preparations with a near ideal total occlusal convergence of 10°.

Methods:

Forty-eight recently extracted premolars were randomly divided into four groups (n=12). Each group received all-ceramic CAD/CAM crown preparations featuring axial wall heights of 0, 1, 2, and 3 mm, respectively, all with a 10° total occlusal convergence. Scanned preparations were fitted with lithium disilicate all-ceramic crowns that were luted with a self-etching resin cement. Specimens were tested to failure at a 45° angle to the tooth long axis with failure load converted to megapascals (MPa) based on the measured bonding surface area. Mean data were analyzed using analysis of variance/Tukey's post hoc test (α=0.05).

Results:

Lithium disilicate crowns adhesively luted on preparations with 0 axial wall height demonstrated significantly less failure resistance compared with the crowns luted on preparations with axial wall heights of 1 to 3 mm. There was no failure stress difference between preparations with 1 to 3 mm axial wall height.

Conclusions:

Under conditions of this study, adhesively luted lithium disilicate bicuspid crowns with a total occlusal convergence of 10° demonstrated similar failure resistance independent of axial wall height of 1 to 3 mm. This study provides some evidence that adhesion combined with an ideal total occlusal convergence may compensate for reduced axial wall height.
Laser polishing of ground aluminum surfaces with high energy continuous wave laser
Authors: Burzic Bahrudin , Hofele Markus , Mürdter Steffen , Riegel Harald
Published: November 2016

Conventional polishing of components is a time- and labor-intensive process. Moreover, manual polishing mostly depends on the processor's abilities. In accordance with these and additional difficulties, there is a strong need for automatable and efficient variants. For this purpose, polishing by means of laser beam, which enables a contact free and automatable processing of surfaces, provides a promising alternative. This paper investigates the laser polishing of the aluminum alloy AlSi9MnMg. Aluminum poses a particular challenge for laser polishing, due to high level of reflection, high thermal conductivity, and high coefficient of thermal expansion. For the investigations, a disk laser with a maximum power of 4000 W was used. The processing took place with pulsed wave laser beam at a pulse frequency of 1000 Hz and a minimal pulse duration of 0.3 ms as well as a continuous wave laser beam. The beam guidance was done by 1D-scanner optics in a highly pure inert gas atmosphere. The samples were first generated by vacural pressure and gravity die casting and afterward (belt) ground with a grain size of mesh 180 resulting in a roughness of the initial surfaces from Ra = 1 μm to Ra = 4 μm. A cleaning of the surfaces by means of short pulsed wave laser beam with ns pulse duration followed. The samples were analyzed quantitatively by perthometer for determining surface characteristics Ra, Rz, and Rt according to EN ISO 4288 as well as qualitatively using a white light interferometer and a microscope. First of all, the influence of the manufacturing process of the components on the laser polishing was investigated. A dependence is detected on laser polishing with pulsed and continuous wave laser beam, resulting in more favorable pressure die casted samples compared with gravity die casted samples. Both laser processing variants lead to a reduction of roughness of the initial surfaces in the range of Ra = 2.17 μm to Ra = 2.34 μm to a minimum roughness reached by laser polishing with pulsed wave laser beams of Ra = 0.19 μm and with continuous wave to a minimum of Ra = 0.15 μm. The achieved area rates at a continuous wave mode ranged between 20 and 60 cm2/min, whereas pulsed wave laser beams achieved only 5.5 cm2/min due to hardware-specific limits of the used system.
“All for Love, and Nothing for Reward,”: Psyche from Spenser to Lacan, and the Loss of Critical Values
Authors: Martin Thomas L. , Pesta Duke
Published: November 2016

As a generation of Lacanian critics convert what Spenser does into a science of the formations of subjectivity and psycholinguistic desire, they miss Spenser's project of providing a unique account of human psychology in his encyclopedic work. Both Lacan and Spenser have detailed accounts of the operations of the human soul or psyche and the stages the subject passes through in each. As the essay contrasts these divergent models, a number of illuminating distinctions emerge. While in Lacan the self remains positioned in a single arena where the irreconcilable demands of subjectivity and intersubjectivity oppose one another perpetually, in Spenser the conditions of subjectivity are always perilous for the self, cut off from the nutriments of community and nature. Despite grand claims Lacanians have made on his behalf, Lacan's account of human nature cannot enter the heroic struggles of Spenser's second stage and so never fully engages the dynamics of Spenser's quest narrative. The story Lacan tells of the psyche is always the one that ends in a tragic thwarting. Whether we like Spenser's picture or not, it is clearly not the one espoused by Lacan. In the end, a comparative critical reading of Spenser helps correct an interpretive overeagerness by Lacanian critics, a cast of mind that is perhaps psychologically significant in itself. Spenser's cautionary tales about the pitfalls of subjectivity and its proper correctives outside the self contrast finally with a style of reading that mirrors the critics' own narcissistic obsessions more than they are willing to admit.
Deliberative Stasis According to the Ancients, As Illustrated from Shakespeare's Henry IV
Authors: Shenk Robert
Published: November 2016

Stasis (Latin status) has proven such a fruitful inventional technique for forensic rhetoric that several modern scholars have attempted to form a parallel concept to be used in deliberative circumstances. Their results have not gotten much traction, though, probably because they have not looked to see what classical rhetoric has already provided along these lines. No concept of “deliberative stasis” was explicitly pronounced among the ancient rhetoricians. However, a reading of key rhetorical works of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian along with a couple of early modern authors indicates a general consensus upon three key issues that, taken together, would form the deliberative equivalent of forensic stasis.

Following the example of Aristotle who, in his Rhetoric, made frequent reference to Greek drama for illustration, this article draws on three episodes from Shakespeare's Henry IV to show the usefulness of what I call “forestasis,” a term denominating stasis looking forward, if you will. They include the deliberation of Prince Hal about whether he should participate in the robbery at Gadshill (from early in Part I); an inferred deliberation on the part of the Chief Justice as to whether he should send the young prince to prison for striking him “in my very seat of judgment” (spoken of in Part II as happening in the past); and Hal's likely weighing of alternatives as to what to do with Falstaff once he becomes king (the banishment, of course, taking place late in Part II).
Every Man in His Humour and the Fathers of Ben
Authors: Penuel Suzanne
Published: November 2016

In Every Man in His Humour, Edward Kno'well fils clashes with Edward Kno'well père, who wants his son to occupy himself with something other than poetry. In the father-son pair's vexed relationship with each other and with literature, Every Man In figures Jonson as an author who knows himself to be a developed, powerful literary adult, but who won't accept that identity. His role as a literary child of the Romans, imitative and grateful, has propelled him into it.

Every Man In's two versions, a 1598 Quarto set in Italy and a 1616 Folio version set in England, also indicate mixed feelings about textual inheritance. The play's transformation from neoclassical Q to homegrown F appears an evasion of forebears much like Edward's evasions of his father. But the deference to predecessors in F's plot, its prologue, and its dedication “save” the play from literary autonomy. Jonson downplays his Roman antecedents in F's minimized classical references, just as the New Comedy plot stages the triumph of the younger generation. However, both Kno'wells are eventually subsumed into the world of the paternal Justice Clement, and F as a whole declines the predecessor's authoritative mantle.

As David Riggs notes, in excluding a late English comedy from the 1616 Folio Works and putting a Roman tragedy last, Jonson presents a classicizing narrative. But that narrative doesn't reflect Jonson's career: in the six years before 1616, Jonson's investment in the Europe outside England had actually decreased. Every Man In's transition from Q to F further complicates that plot arc.
Oenone and Colin Clout
Authors: Reid Lindsay Ann
Published: November 2016

Spenser's Shepheardes Calender was still a new work, not even yet publicly acknowledged by its author, when George Peele made the rather surprising decision to co-opt its central character and reanimate Colin Clout onstage in The Araygnement of Paris. This article contends that Peele's bold importation of a well-known Elizabethan literary persona into a familiar Trojan land- and story-scape may offer fresh insight into the early reception of Spenser's pastoral work. The recent tendency has been to emphasize the Virgilian, also the Theocritean or continental Renaissance, precedents for Spenser's pastoralism, but Peele's dramatic revivification of Colin suggests that Elizabethan audiences may also have sensed pastoral patterns and precedents for Spenser's work in other sources including Ovid's Heroides. Peele's dramatic reinterpretation of Spenser's Colin, it is argued, underscores and explores the affective commonalities between this shepherd and Ovid's Oenone, thereby linking the Spenserian swain's plaintive mode with the pastoral elegaics of Heroides 5.
Comparing Apples to Apples: Why the Net Energy Analysis Community Needs to Adopt the Life-Cycle Analysis Framework
Authors: Murphy David , Carbajales-Dale Michael , Moeller Devin
Published: November 2016

How do we know which energy technologies or resources are worth pursuing and which aren’t? One way to answer that question is to compare the energy return of a certain technology—i.e., how much energy is remaining after accounting for the amount of energy expended in the production and delivery process. Such energy return ratios (the most famous of which is energy return on investment (EROI)) fall within the field of net energy analysis (NEA), and provide an easy way to determine which technology is “better”; i.e., higher Energy Return Ratios (ERRs) are, certeris paribus, better than lower ERRs. Although useful as a broad measure of energy profitability, comparisons can also be misleading, particularly if the units being compared are different. For example, the energy content of electricity produced from a photovoltaic cell is different than the energy content of coal at the mine-mouth, yet these are often compared directly within the literature. These types of inconsistencies are common within the NEA literature. In this paper, we offer life cycle assessment (LCA) and the LCA methodology as a possible solution to the persistent methodological issues within the NEA community, and urge all NEA practitioners to adopt this methodology in the future.
Minimization of Cogging Force in Fractional-Slot Permanent Magnet Linear Motors with Double-Layer Concentrated Windings
Authors: Wang Qian , Zhao Bo , Zou Jibin , Li Yong
Published: November 2016

Permanent magnet linear motors (PMLMs) with double-layer concentrated windings generally show significant cogging forces due to the introduction of auxiliary teeth for eliminating the end-effect induced phase unbalance, even when the fractional-slot technology is applied. This paper presents a novel approach to reduce the cogging force by adjusting the armature core dimensions in fractional-slot PMLMs with double-layer concentrated windings, together with magnet skewing. It is shown that the proposed technique is capable of reducing the cogging force of the motor in an effective way, with the peak value minimized to less than 0.4% of the rated thrust force in the case study. Such a technique can also be applicable to other linear motors with appropriate changes.
Combustion and Emission Characteristics According to the Fuel Injection Ratio of an Ultra-Lean LPG Direct Injection Engine
Authors: Park Cheolwoong , Kim Taeyoung , Cho Gyubaek , Lee Janghee
Published: November 2016

The effect of the fuel injection ratio on the combustion and emission characteristics of stratified lean mixture combustion was investigated for a spray-guided liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) direct injection engine. Inter-injection spark-ignition combustion—a specially designed combustion strategy for LPG fuel derived from a two-staged injection—was employed to maximize the improvement in thermal efficiency when combustion stability is secured. When changing the fuel injection ratio, the optimum spark advance and fuel injection timings were experimentally determined to maximize the thermal efficiency based on sweeping timings. The optimum fuel injection ratio with the highest thermal efficiency (42.76%) and stable operation was 60%/40%, with the optimization of the spark advance and fuel injection timing, because of the locally rich mixture region in the recirculation zone. NOx emissions were at their highest level with a fuel injection ratio of 60%/40% because of the high combustion temperature, and the levels of total hydrocarbon and CO emissions with 50%/50% and 60%/40% fuel injection ratios were similar, whereas emissions at 70%/30% were significantly higher because of fuel wetting and the formation of over-lean mixture.
Spatial Distribution of Soil Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Stocks in Moso Bamboo Forests in Subtropical China
Authors: Tang Xiaolu , Xia Mingpeng , Guan Fengying , Fan Shaohui
Published: November 2016

Moso bamboo is famous for fast growth and biomass accumulation, as well as high annual output for timber and bamboo shoots. These high outputs require high nutrient inputs to maintain and improve stand productivity. Soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are important macronutrients for plant growth and productivity. Due to high variability of soils, analysing spatial patterns of soil N, P, and K stocks is necessary for scientific nutrient management of Moso bamboo forests. In this study, soils were sampled from 138 locations across Yong’an City and ordinary kriging was applied for spatial interpolation of soil N, P, and K stocks within 0–60 cm. The nugget-to-sill ratio suggested a strong spatial dependence for soil N stock and a moderate spatial dependence for soil P and K stocks, indicating that soil N stock was mainly controlled by intrinsic factors while soil P and K stocks were controlled by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Different spatial patterns were observed for soil N, P, and K stocks across the study area, indicating that fertilizations with different ratios of N:P:K should be applied for different sites to maintain and improve stand productivity. The total soil N, P, and K stocks within 0–60 cm were 0.624, 0.020, and 0.583 Tg, respectively, indicating soils were important pools for N, P, and K.
Arsenic Exposure and Predicted 10-Year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk Using the Pooled Cohort Equations in U.S. Hypertensive Adults
Authors: Nong Qingjiao , Zhang Yiyi , Guallar Eliseo , Zhong Qiuan
Published: November 2016

This study was to evaluate the association of urine arsenic with predicted 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in U.S. adults with hypertension. Cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 1570 hypertensive adults aged 40–79 years in the 2003–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with determinations of urine arsenic. Predicted 10-year ASCVD risk was estimated by the Pooled Cohort Equations, developed by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association in 2013. For men, after adjustment for sociodemographic factors, urine dilution, ASCVD risk factors and organic arsenic intake from seafood, participants in the highest quartiles of urine arsenic had higher 10-year predicted ASCVD risk than in the lowest quartiles; the increases were 24% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2%, 53%) for total arsenic, 13% (95% CI: 2%, 25%) for dimethylarsinate and 22% (95% CI: 5%, 40%) for total arsenic minus arsenobetaine separately. For women, the corresponding increases were 5% (95% CI: −15%, 29%), 10% (95% CI: −8%, 30%) and 0% (95% CI: −15%, 19%), respectively. Arsenic exposure, even at low levels, may contribute to increased ASCVD risk in men with hypertension. Furthermore, our findings suggest that particular circumstances need urgently to be considered while elucidating cardiovascular effects of low inorganic arsenic levels.
Anthocyanin Attenuates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyotoxicity via Estrogen Receptor-α/β and Stabilizes HSF1 to Inhibit the IGF-IIR Apoptotic Pathway
Authors: Huang Pei-Chen , Kuo Wei-Wen , Shen Chia-Yao , Chen Yu-Feng , Lin Yueh-Min , Ho Tsung-Jung , Padma V. , Lo Jeng-Fan , Huang Chih-Yang , Huang Chih-Yang
Published: November 2016

Doxorubicin (Dox) is extensively used for chemotherapy in different types of cancer, but its use is limited to because of its cardiotoxicity. Our previous studies found that doxorubicin-induced insulin-like growth factor II receptor (IGF-IIR) accumulation causes cardiomyocytes apoptosis via down-regulation of HSF1 pathway. In these studies, we demonstrated a new mechanism through which anthocyanin protects cardiomyoblast cells against doxorubicin-induced injury. We found that anthocyanin decreased IGF-IIR expression via estrogen receptors and stabilized heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) to inhibit caspase 3 activation and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Therefore, the phytoestrogen from plants has been considered as another potential treatment for heart failure. It has been reported that the natural compound anthocyanin (ACN) has the ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we demonstrated that anthocyanin acts as a cardioprotective drug against doxorubicin-induced heart failure by attenuating cardiac apoptosis via estrogen receptors to stabilize HSF1 expression and down-regulated IGF-IIR-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
IBTK Differently Modulates Gene Expression and RNA Splicing in HeLa and K562 Cells
Authors: Fiume Giuseppe , Scialdone Annarita , Rizzo Francesca , De Filippo Maria , Laudanna Carmelo , Albano Francesco , Golino Gaetanina , Vecchio Eleonora , Pontoriero Marilena , Mimmi Selena , Ceglia Simona , Pisano Antonio , Iaccino Enrico , Palmieri Camillo , Paduano Sergio , Viglietto Giuseppe , Weisz Alessandro , Scala Giuseppe , Quinto Ileana
Published: November 2016

The IBTK gene encodes the major protein isoform IBTKα that was recently characterized as substrate receptor of Cul3-dependent E3 ligase, regulating ubiquitination coupled to proteasomal degradation of Pdcd4, an inhibitor of translation. Due to the presence of Ankyrin-BTB-RCC1 domains that mediate several protein-protein interactions, IBTKα could exert expanded regulatory roles, including interaction with transcription regulators. To verify the effects of IBTKα on gene expression, we analyzed HeLa and K562 cell transcriptomes by RNA-Sequencing before and after IBTK knock-down by shRNA transduction. In HeLa cells, 1285 (2.03%) of 63,128 mapped transcripts were differentially expressed in IBTK-shRNA-transduced cells, as compared to cells treated with control-shRNA, with 587 upregulated (45.7%) and 698 downregulated (54.3%) RNAs. In K562 cells, 1959 (3.1%) of 63128 mapped RNAs were differentially expressed in IBTK-shRNA-transduced cells, including 1053 upregulated (53.7%) and 906 downregulated (46.3%). Only 137 transcripts (0.22%) were commonly deregulated by IBTK silencing in both HeLa and K562 cells, indicating that most IBTKα effects on gene expression are cell type-specific. Based on gene ontology classification, the genes responsive to IBTK are involved in different biological processes, including in particular chromatin and nucleosomal organization, gene expression regulation, and cellular traffic and migration. In addition, IBTK RNA interference affected RNA maturation in both cell lines, as shown by the evidence of alternative 3′- and 5′-splicing, mutually exclusive exons, retained introns, and skipped exons. Altogether, these results indicate that IBTK differently modulates gene expression and RNA splicing in HeLa and K562 cells, demonstrating a novel biological role of this protein.
NOD Scid Gamma Mice Are Permissive to Allogeneic HSC Transplantation without Prior Conditioning
Authors: Verbiest Tom , Finnon Rosemary , Brown Natalie , Finnon Paul , Bouffler Simon , Badie Christophe
Published: November 2016

Scid hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have an intrinsic defect in their maintenance within the bone marrow (BM) niche which facilitates HSC transplantation without the absolute requirement of prior conditioning. Nevertheless, NOD scid mice have a significantly altered life span due to early development of thymic lymphomas, which compromises the ability to study the long-term fate of exogenous HSCs and their progeny. Here, we present data on the transplantation of HSCs into NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice to achieve long-term engraftment without prior conditioning. We transplanted allogeneic HSCs constitutively expressing the mCherry fluorescent marker into age-matched NSG mice and assessed donor chimerism 6 months post-transplantation. All transplanted NSG mice showed long-term myeloid and lymphoid cell chimerism. Also, in vivo irradiated HSCs showed long-term engraftment, although overall white blood cell (WBC) donor chimerism was lower compared with non-irradiated HSCs. Using this novel NSG transplantation model, we will be able to study the effects of low dose in vivo X-ray exposure on the long-term fate of HSCs, without the requirement of prior radio-ablation of the recipient, and thus leaving the recipient’s BM microenvironment uncompromised. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time that allogeneic HSCs from a different inbred strain can compete for niches in the BM compartment of NSG mice.
Fto-Deficiency Affects the Gene and MicroRNA Expression Involved in Brown Adipogenesis and Browning of White Adipose Tissue in Mice
Authors: Ronkainen Justiina , Mondini Eleonora , Cinti Francesca , Cinti Saverio , Sebért Sylvain , Savolainen Markku , Salonurmi Tuire
Published: November 2016

Genetic variants in the fat mass- and obesity-associated gene Fto are linked to the onset of obesity in humans. The causal role of the FTO protein in obesity is supported by evidence obtained from transgenic mice; however, the underlying molecular pathways pertaining to the role of FTO in obesity have yet to be established. In this study, we investigate the Fto gene in mouse brown adipose tissue and in the browning process of white adipose tissue. We analyze distinct structural and molecular factors in brown and white fat depots of Fto-deficient mice under normal and obesogenic conditions. We report significant alterations in the morphology of adipose tissue depots and the expression of mRNA and microRNA related to brown adipogenesis and metabolism in Fto-deficient mice. Furthermore, we show that high-fat feeding does not attenuate the browning process of Fto-deficient white adipose tissue as observed in wild-type tissue, suggesting a triggering effect of the FTO pathways by the dietary environment.
A Study on a Novel Phase Change Material Panel Based on Tetradecanol/Lauric Acid/Expanded Perlite/Aluminium Powder for Building Heat Storage
Authors: Wang Enyu , Kong Xiangfei , Rong Xian , Yao Chengqiang , Yang Hua , Qi Chengying
Published: November 2016

Phase change material (PCM) used in buildings can reduce the building energy consumption and indoor temperature fluctuation. A composite PCM has been fabricated by the binary eutectic mixture of tetradecanol (TD) and lauric acid (LA) absorbed into the expanded perlite (EP) using vacuum impregnation method, and its thermal conductivity was promoted by aluminium powder (AP) additive. Besides, the styrene-acrylic emulsion has been mixed with the composite PCM particles to form the protective film, so as to solve the problem of leakage. Thus, a novel PCM panel (PCMP) has been prepared using compression moulding forming method. The thermal property, microstructure characteristic, mechanical property, thermal conductivity, thermal reliability and leakage of the composite PCM have been investigated and analysed. Meanwhile, the thermal performance of the prepared PCMP was tested through PCMPs installed on the inside wall of a cell under outdoor climatic conditions. The composite PCM has a melting temperature of 24.9 °C, a freezing temperature of 25.2 °C, a melting latent heat of 78.2 J/g and a freezing latent heat of 81.3 J/g. The thermal conductivity test exposed that the thermal conductivity has been enhanced with the addition of AP and the latent heat has been decreased, but it still remains in a high level. The leakage test result has proven that liquid PCM leaking has been avoided by the surface film method. The thermal performance experiment has shown the significant function of PCMP about adjusting the indoor temperature and reducing the heats transferring between the wall inside and outside. In view of the thermal performance, mechanical property and thermal reliability results, it can be concluded that the prepared PCMP has a promising building application potential.
Guideline for Forming Stiffened Panels by Using the Electromagnetic Forces
Authors: Tan Jinqiang , Zhan Mei , Liu Shuai
Published: November 2016

Electromagnetic forming (EMF), as a high-speed forming technology by applying the electromagnetic forces to manufacture sheet or tube metal parts, has many potential advantages, such as contact-free and resistance to buckling and springback. In this study, EMF is applied to form several panels with stiffened ribs. The distributions and variations of the electromagnetic force, the velocity and the forming height during the EMF process of the bi-directional panel with gird ribs are obtained by numerical simulations, and are analyzed via the comparison to those with the flat panel (non-stiffened) and two uni-directional panels (only with X-direction or Y-direction ribs). It is found that the electromagnetic body force loads simultaneously in the ribs and the webs, and the deformation of the panels is mainly driven by the force in the ribs. The distribution of force in the grid-rib panel can be found as the superposition of the two uni-directional stiffened panels. The velocity distribution for the grid-rib panel is primarily affected by the X-directional ribs, then the Y-directional ribs, and the variation of the velocity are influenced by the force distribution primarily and secondly the inertial effect. Mutual influence of deformation exists between the region undergoing deformation and the deformed or underformed free ends. It is useful to improve forming uniformity via a second discharge at the same position. Comparison between EMF and the brake forming with a stiffened panel shows that the former has more advantages in reducing the defects of springback and buckling.
Grain Boundary Assemblies in Dynamically-Recrystallized Austenitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Tikhonova Marina , Dolzhenko Pavel , Kaibyshev Rustam , Belyakov Andrey
Published: November 2016

The grain boundary misorientation distributions associated with the development of dynamic recrystallization were studied in a high-nitrogen austenitic stainless steel subjected to hot working. Under conditions of discontinuous dynamic recrystallization, the relationships between the grain or subgrain sizes and flow stresses can be expressed by power law functions with different grain/subgrain size exponents of about −0.76 (for grain size) or −1.0 (for subgrain size). Therefore, the mean grain size being much larger than the subgrain size under conditions of low flow stress gradually approaches the size of the subgrains with an increase in the flow stress. These dependencies lead to the fraction of high-angle boundaries being a function of the flow stress. Namely, the fraction of ordinary high-angle boundaries in dynamically-recrystallized structures decreases with a decrease in the flow stress. On the other hand, the fraction of special boundaries, which are associated with annealing twins, progressively increases with a decrease of the flow stress.
Weldability and Monitoring of Resistance Spot Welding of Q&P and TRIP Steels
Authors: Russo Spena Pasquale , De Maddis Manuela , D’Antonio Gianluca , Lombardi Franco
Published: November 2016

This work aims at investigating the spot weldability of a new advanced Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) steel and a Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel for automotive applications by evaluating the effects of the main welding parameters on the mechanical performance of their dissimilar spot welds. The welding current, the electrode tip voltage and the electrical resistance of sheet stack were monitored in order to detect any metal expulsion and to evaluate its severity, as well as to clarify its effect on spot strength. The joint strength was assessed by means of shear and cross tension tests. The corresponding fracture modes were determined through optical microscopy. The welding current is the main process parameter that affects the weld strength, followed by the clamping force and welding time. Metal expulsion can occur through a single large expulsion or multiple expulsions, whose effects on the shear and cross tension strength have been assessed. Longer welding times can limit the negative effect of an expulsion if it occurs in the first part of the joining process. The spot welds exhibit different fracture modes according to their strengths. Overall, a proper weldability window for the selected process parameters has been determined to obtain sound joints.
RETRACTED: Lee et al. The Aminopyridinol Derivative BJ-1201 Protects Murine Hippocampal Cells against Glutamate-Induced Neurotoxicity via Heme Oxygenase-1. Molecules 2016, 21, 594
Authors: Lee Dong-Sung , Nam Tae-Gyu , Jeong Byeong-Seon , Jeong Gil-Saeng
Published: November 2016

As the authors of the title paper [...]
Statistical Significance of the Maximum Hardness Principle Applied to Some Selected Chemical Reactions
Authors: Saha Ranajit , Pan Sudip , Chattaraj Pratim
Published: November 2016

The validity of the maximum hardness principle (MHP) is tested in the cases of 50 chemical reactions, most of which are organic in nature and exhibit anomeric effect. To explore the effect of the level of theory on the validity of MHP in an exothermic reaction, B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,3pd) and LC-BLYP/6-311++G(2df,3pd) (def2-QZVP for iodine and mercury) levels are employed. Different approximations like the geometric mean of hardness and combined hardness are considered in case there are multiple reactants and/or products. It is observed that, based on the geometric mean of hardness, while 82% of the studied reactions obey the MHP at the B3LYP level, 84% of the reactions follow this rule at the LC-BLYP level. Most of the reactions possess the hardest species on the product side. A 50% null hypothesis is rejected at a 1% level of significance.
Medium Optimization and Fermentation Kinetics for κ-Carrageenase Production by Thalassospira sp. Fjfst-332
Authors: Guo Juanjuan , Zhang Longtao , Lu Xu , Zeng Shaoxiao , Zhang Yi , Xu Hui , Zheng Baodong
Published: November 2016

Effective degradation of κ-carrageenan by isolated Thalassospira sp. fjfst-332 is reported for the first time in this paper. It was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and morphological observation using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Based on a Plackett–Burman design for significant variables, Box–Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology were used to optimize the culture conditions. Through statistical optimization, the optimum medium components were determined as follows: 2.0 g/L κ-carrageenan, 1.0 g/L yeast extract, 1.0 g/L FOS, 20.0 g/L NaCl, 2.0 g/L NaNO3, 0.5 g/L MgSO4·7H2O, 0.1 g/L K2HPO4, and 0.1 g/L CaCl2. The highest activity exhibited by Thalassospira sp. fjfst-332 was 267 U/mL, which makes it the most vigorous wild bacterium for κ-carrageenan production. In order to guide scaled-up production, two empirical models—the logistic equation and Luedeking–Piretequation—were proposed to predict the strain growth and enzyme production, respectively. Furthermore, we report the fermentation kinetics and every empirical equation of the coefficients (α, β, X0, Xm and μm) for the two models, which could be used to design and optimize industrial processes.
Water and Aqueous Mixtures as Convenient Alternative Media for Organoselenium Chemistry
Authors: Santi Claudio , Jacob Raquel , Monti Bonifacio , Bagnoli Luana , Sancineto Luca , Lenardão Eder
Published: November 2016

Even if water is the natural environment for bioorganic reactions, its use in organic chemistry is often severely limited by the high insolubility of the organic derivatives. In this review, we introduce some examples of the use of water to perform organoselenium chemistry. We mainly discuss the advantages of this medium when the recyclability is demonstrated and when the water can control the selectivity of a reaction or enhance the reaction rate.
Nanoparticle-Based Delivery of Anaplasma marginale Membrane Proteins; VirB9-1 and VirB10 Produced in the Pichia pastoris Expression System
Authors: Zhang Bing , Cavallaro Antonio , Mody Karishma , Zhang Jun , Deringer James , Brown Wendy , Mahony Timothy , Yu Chengzhong , Mitter Neena
Published: November 2016

Bovine anaplasmosis or cattle-tick fever is a tick-borne haemolytic disease caused by the rickettsial haemoparasite Anaplasma marginale in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. While difficult to express, the proteins VirB9-1 and VirB10 are immunogenic components of the outer membrane type IV secretion system that have been identified as candidate antigens for vaccines targeting of A. marginale. Soluble VirB9-1 and VirB10 were successfully expressed using Pichia pastoris. When formulated with the self-adjuvanting silica vesicles, SV-100 (diameter: 50 nm, and pore entrance size: 6 nm), 200 µg of VirB9-1 and VirB10 were adsorbed per milligram of nanoparticle. The VirB9-1 and VirB10, SV-100 formulations were shown to induce higher antibody responses in mice compared to the QuilA formulations. Moreover, intracellular staining of selected cytokines demonstrated that both VirB9-1 and VirB10 formulations induced cell-mediated immune responses in mice. Importantly, the SV-100 VirB9-1 and VirB10 complexes were shown to specifically stimulate bovine T-cell linages derived from calves immunised with A. marginale outer membrane fractions, suggesting formulations will be useful for bovine immunisation and protection studies. Overall this study demonstrates the potential of self-adjuvanting silica vesicle formulations to address current deficiencies in vaccine delivery applications.
Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Honeycomb Cell Area-Dependent Optical Reflectance
Authors: Udorn Junthorn , Hatta Akimitsu , Furuta Hiroshi
Published: November 2016

The relationship between the physical structure of carbon nanotube (CNT) honeycomb structures and their total, diffuse, and specular reflectance is investigated for the first time. It is found that CNT honeycomb structures with average cell areas of smaller than 30 μm2 show a higher total reflectance. Particularly, a thinner, highly packed CNT (buckypaper) film, along with a larger wall height and higher ratio of wall height to cell area, markedly increase the total reflectance for cell areas smaller than 30 μm2, which means that a higher total area of buckypapers in CNT walls and bottom areas increases the total reflectance, including the diffuse reflectance. It is also found that the total reflection of non-absorbed light in CNT honeycomb structures consists primarily of diffuse reflectance.
Positive Regulation of Decidualization by l-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 (lat1) in Pregnant Mice
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Tan Dongmei , Ma Jing , Liang Hao , Zhang Qian , Tan Yi , Wang Jiang , Luo Wenping
Published: November 2016

Amino acids have an important role in the pre and post implantation of placenta and embryo development. l-type amino-acid transporter 1 (lat1) is responsible for the transportation of large neutral amino acids and is mainly expressed in human fetal liver, placenta, brain, etc. This study is the first to investigate the expression of lat1 in the early pregnancy of mouse uteri and its role in the process of decidualization. Endometrial stromal cells of a mouse model were used to evaluate decidualization from Day 4–8 of pregnancy in vitro followed by lat1 knock down by small interfering RNA and by a competitive inhibitor of Leucine transport 2-aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH). The effects of lat1 on decidualization in vivo were assessed by injecting BCH into the uterine horns. The mRNA and protein expressions of lat1 in the implantation sites were higher than that in the inter-implantation sites and were localized in the luminal and gland epithelium, stromal and decidual cells. Its increased expression (p < 0.05) was associated with artificial decidualization as well as activation of prl expression. Down-regulation of lat1 expression in these cells by siRNA and BCH inhibited the decidual progression in vitro. Inhibition of lat1 transportation by BCH controlled decidual progression in vivo also accompanied the down-regulation of prl, lat1 expression in the decidual area and embryo size on Day 8 of pregnancy. In conclusion, these results revealed that lat1 might play an important role in the decidual progression both in vitro and in vivo.
Blocking TRPA1 in Respiratory Disorders: Does It Hold a Promise?
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Indranil , Kulkarni Abhay , Khairatkar-Joshi Neelima
Published: November 2016

Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) ion channel is expressed abundantly on the C fibers that innervate almost entire respiratory tract starting from oral cavity and oropharynx, conducting airways in the trachea, bronchi, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles and upto alveolar ducts and alveoli. Functional presence of TRPA1 on non-neuronal cells got recognized recently. TRPA1 plays a well-recognized role of “chemosensor”, detecting presence of exogenous irritants and endogenous pro-inflammatory mediators that are implicated in airway inflammation and sensory symptoms like chronic cough, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergic rhinitis and cystic fibrosis. TRPA1 can remain activated chronically due to elevated levels and continued presence of such endogenous ligands and pro-inflammatory mediators. Several selective TRPA1 antagonists have been tested in animal models of respiratory disease and their performance is very promising. Although there is no TRPA1 antagonist in advanced clinical trials or approved on market yet to treat respiratory diseases, however, limited but promising evidences available so far indicate likelihood that targeting TRPA1 may present a new therapy in treatment of respiratory diseases in near future. This review will focus on in vitro, animal and human evidences that strengthen the proposed role of TRPA1 in modulation of specific airway sensory responses and also on preclinical and clinical progress of selected TRPA1 antagonists.
Activated Carbon-Based System for the Disposal of Psychoactive Medications
Authors: Song Yang , Manian Mahima , Fowler William , Korey Andrew , Kumar Banga Ajay
Published: November 2016

The misuse and improper disposal of psychoactive medications is a major safety and environmental concern. Hence, the proper disposal of these medications is critically important. A drug deactivation system which contains activated carbon offers a unique disposal method. In the present study, deactivation efficiency of this system was tested by using three model psychoactive drugs. HPLC validation was performed for each drug to ensure that the analytical method employed was suitable for its intended use. The method was found to be specific, accurate and precise for analyzing the drugs. The extent and rate of deactivation of the drugs was determined at several time points. After 28 days in the presence of activated carbon, the extent of leaching out of the drugs was evaluated. Deactivation started immediately after addition of the medications into the disposal pouches. Within 8 h, around 47%, 70% and 97% of diazepam, lorazepam and buprenorphine were adsorbed by the activated carbon, respectively. By the end of 28 days, over 99% of all drugs were deactivated. The desorption/leaching study showed that less than 1% of the active ingredients leached out from the activated carbon. Thus, this deactivation system can be successfully used for the disposal of psychoactive medications.
Mechanical and Electrochemical Performance of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer in Oxygen Evolution Environment
Authors: Zhu Ji-Hua , Wei Liangliang , Guo Guanping , Zhu Aizhu
Published: November 2016

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is recognized as a promising anode material to prevent steel corrosion in reinforced concrete. However, the electrochemical performance of CFRP itself is unclear. This paper focuses on the understanding of electrochemical and mechanical properties of CFRP in an oxygen evolution environment by conducting accelerated polarization tests. Different amounts of current density were applied in polarization tests with various test durations, and feeding voltage and potential were measured. Afterwards, tensile tests were carried out to investigate the failure modes for the post-polarization CFRP specimens. Results show that CFRP specimens had two typical tensile-failure modes and had a stable anodic performance in an oxygen evolution environment. As such, CFRP can be potentially used as an anode material for impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) of reinforced concrete structures, besides the fact that CFRP can strengthen the structural properties of reinforced concrete.
A Spectral-Texture Kernel-Based Classification Method for Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Wang Yi , Zhang Yan , Song Haiwei
Published: November 2016

Classification of hyperspectral images always suffers from high dimensionality and very limited labeled samples. Recently, the spectral-spatial classification has attracted considerable attention and can achieve higher classification accuracy and smoother classification maps. In this paper, a novel spectral-spatial classification method for hyperspectral images by using kernel methods is investigated. For a given hyperspectral image, the principle component analysis (PCA) transform is first performed. Then, the first principle component of the input image is segmented into non-overlapping homogeneous regions by using the entropy rate superpixel (ERS) algorithm. Next, the local spectral histogram model is applied to each homogeneous region to obtain the corresponding texture features. Because this step is performed within each homogenous region, instead of within a fixed-size image window, the obtained local texture features in the image are more accurate, which can effectively benefit the improvement of classification accuracy. In the following step, a contextual spectral-texture kernel is constructed by combining spectral information in the image and the extracted texture information using the linearity property of the kernel methods. Finally, the classification map is achieved by the support vector machines (SVM) classifier using the proposed spectral-texture kernel. Experiments on two benchmark airborne hyperspectral datasets demonstrate that our method can effectively improve classification accuracies, even though only a very limited training sample is available. Specifically, our method can achieve from 8.26% to 15.1% higher in terms of overall accuracy than the traditional SVM classifier. The performance of our method was further compared to several state-of-the-art classification methods of hyperspectral images using objective quantitative measures and a visual qualitative evaluation.
Urban–Rural Contrasts in Central-Eastern European Cities Using a MODIS 4 Micron Time Series
Authors: Tomaszewska Monika , Henebry Geoffrey
Published: November 2016

A primary impact of urbanization on the local climate is evident in the phenomenon recognized as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. This urban thermal anomaly can increase the health risks of vulnerable populations to heat waves. The surface UHI results from emittance in the longer wavelengths of the thermal infrared; however, there are also urban anomalies that are detectable from radiance in the shorter wavelengths (3–5 micron) of the Middle Infrared (MIR). Radiance in the MIR can penetrate urban haze which frequently obscures urban areas by scattering visible and near infrared radiation. We analyzed seasonal and spatial variations in MIR for three Central European cities from 2003 through 2012 using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) band 23 (~4 micron) to evaluate whether MIR radiance could be used to characterize heat anomalies associated with urban areas. We examined the seasonality of MIR radiance over urban areas and nearby croplands and found that the urban MIR anomalies varied due to time of year: cropland MIR could be larger than urban MIR when there was more exposed soil at planting and harvest times. Further, we compared monthly mean MIR with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to analyze contrasts between urban and rural areas. We found that the seasonal dynamic range of the MIR could exceed that of the NDVI. We explored the linkage between meteorological data and MIR radiance and found a range of responses from strong to weak dependence of MIR radiance on maximum temperature and accumulated precipitation. Our results extend the understanding of the anomalous characteristics of urban areas within a rural matrix.
High-Throughput Phenotyping of Wheat and Barley Plants Grown in Single or Few Rows in Small Plots Using Active and Passive Spectral Proximal Sensing
Authors: Barmeier Gero , Schmidhalter Urs
Published: November 2016

In the early stages of plant breeding, breeders evaluate a large number of varieties. Due to limited availability of seeds and space, plot sizes may range from one to four rows. Spectral proximal sensors can be used in place of labour-intensive methods to estimate specific plant traits. The aim of this study was to test the performance of active and passive sensing to assess single and multiple rows in a breeding nursery. A field trial with single cultivars of winter barley and winter wheat with four plot designs (single-row, wide double-row, three rows, and four rows) was conducted. A GreenSeeker RT100 and a passive bi-directional spectrometer were used to assess biomass fresh and dry weight, as well as aboveground nitrogen content and uptake. Generally, spectral passive sensing and active sensing performed comparably in both crops. Spectral passive sensing was enhanced by the availability of optimized ratio vegetation indices, as well as by an optimized field of view and by reduced distance dependence. Further improvements of both sensors in detecting the performance of plants in single rows can likely be obtained by optimization of sensor positioning or orientation. The results suggest that even in early selection cycles, enhanced high-throughput phenotyping might be able to assess plant performance within plots comprising single or multiple rows. This method has significant potential for advanced breeding.