bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photomobile Polymer Materials: Photoresponsive Behavior of Cross‐Linked Liquid‐Crystalline Polymers with Mesomorphic Diarylethenes
Authors: Mamiya Jun‐ichi , Kuriyama Akito , Yokota Naoki , Yamada Munenori , Ikeda Tomiki
Published: January 2015

Cross‐linked liquid‐crystalline (LC) polymers with a mesomorphic diarylethene were prepared to demonstrate a versatile strategy for cross‐linked photochromic LC polymers as photomobile materials. Upon exposure to UV light to cause photocyclization of the diarylethene chromophore, the cross‐linked polymer films bend toward an actinic light source. By irradiation with visible light to cause a closed‐ring to open‐ring isomerization, the bent films revert to the initial flat state. Without visible‐light irradiation, the bent films remain bent even at 120 °C, indicating high thermal stability of the cross‐linked diarylethene LC polymers.
A Reevaluation of the Photolytic Properties of 2‐Hydroxybenzophenone‐Based UV Sunscreens: Are Chemical Sunscreens Inoffensive?
Authors: Ignasiak Marta T. , Houée‐Levin Chantal , Kciuk Gabriel , Marciniak Bronislaw , Pedzinski Tomasz
Published: January 2015

The excited states of a set of popular sunscreen agents (2‐hydroxybenzophenone, oxybenzone, and sulisobenzone) are studied by using femto‐ and nanosecond time‐resolved spectroscopy. Upon excitation, the compounds undergo an ultrafast excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction as the major energy‐wasting process and the rate constant of this reaction is k=2×1012 s−1. The ESIPT yields a keto conformer that undergoes a fast, picosecond internal conversion decay. However, a photodegradative pathway is a monophotonic HO bond breakage that subsequently leads to trace yields of phenoxyl radicals. Because potentially harmful phenoxyl radicals are formed upon irradiation of sunscreen agents, care should be taken about their reactivity towards biologically relevant compounds.
Exploring the Catalytic Potential of ZIF‐90: Solventless and Co‐Catalyst‐Free Synthesis of Propylene Carbonate from Propylene Oxide and CO2
Authors: Tharun Jose , Mathai George , Kathalikkattil Amal Cherian , Roshan Roshith , Won Yong‐Sun , Cho Sung June , Chang Jong‐San , Park Dae‐Won
Published: January 2015

Reported is the application of ZIF‐90, which is a highly porous zeolitic imidazolate framework, as a novel catalyst for the cycloaddition of propylene oxide (PO) with CO2 in the absence of co‐catalysts and solvents under moderate reaction conditions. The effects of various reaction parameters were investigated. The activity of ZIF‐90 was compared with that of various metal–organic‐framework (MOF)‐based catalysts for the cycloaddition of PO with CO2. Density functional theory calculations elucidated the role of ZIF‐90 in creating a favorable environment for the PO–CO2 cycloaddition reaction. A reaction mechanism for the ZIF‐90‐catalyzed PO–CO2 cycloaddition on the basis of DFT calculations is proposed and the regeneration of ZIF‐90 is discussed.
Modeling, Simulation, and Fabrication of a Fully Integrated, Acid‐stable, Scalable Solar‐Driven Water‐Splitting System
Authors: Walczak Karl , Chen Yikai , Karp Christoph , Beeman Jeffrey W. , Shaner Matthew , Spurgeon Joshua , Sharp Ian D. , Amashukeli Xenia , West William , Jin Jian , Lewis Nathan S. , Xiang Chengxiang
Published: January 2015

A fully integrated solar‐driven water‐splitting system comprised of WO3/FTO/p+n Si as the photoanode, Pt/TiO2/Ti/n+p Si as the photocathode, and Nafion as the membrane separator, was simulated, assembled, operated in 1.0 M HClO4, and evaluated for performance and safety characteristics under dual side illumination. A multi‐physics model that accounted for the performance of the photoabsorbers and electrocatalysts, ion transport in the solution electrolyte, and gaseous product crossover was first used to define the optimal geometric design space for the system. The photoelectrodes and the membrane separators were then interconnected in a louvered design system configuration, for which the light‐absorbing area and the solution‐transport pathways were simultaneously optimized. The performance of the photocathode and the photoanode were separately evaluated in a traditional three‐electrode photoelectrochemical cell configuration. The photocathode and photoanode were then assembled back‐to‐back in a tandem configuration to provide sufficient photovoltage to sustain solar‐driven unassisted water‐splitting. The current–voltage characteristics of the photoelectrodes showed that the low photocurrent density of the photoanode limited the overall solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency due to the large band gap of WO3. A hydrogen‐production rate of 0.17 mL hr−1 and a STH conversion efficiency of 0.24 % was observed in a full cell configuration for >20 h with minimal product crossover in the fully operational, intrinsically safe, solar‐driven water‐splitting system. The solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiency, ηSTH, calculated using the multiphysics numerical simulation was in excellent agreement with the experimental behavior of the system. The value of ηSTH was entirely limited by the performance of the photoelectrochemical assemblies employed in this study. The louvered design provides a robust platform for implementation of various types of photoelectrochemical assemblies, and can provide an approach to significantly higher solar conversion efficiencies as new and improved materials become available.
AACVD of Molybdenum Sulfide and Oxide Thin Films From Molybdenum(V)‐based Single‐source Precursors**
Authors: Savjani Nicky , Brent Jack R. , O'Brien Paul
Published: January 2015

The decomposition of Mo2O3(S2CNEt2) 4 (1) and Mo2O3(S2COEt)4 (2) single‐source precursors (SSPs) via aerosol‐assisted (AA−) CVD onto glass substrates is reported. The films grown from 2 are achieved at a lower temperature than 1 (300 and 425 °C, respectively), potentially attributable to the Chugaev elimination mechanism. Raman spectroscopy (RS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show the composition of the films to be variable; films that are grown from the AACVD reaction of 1 are found to be of pure MoS2 nanoplates, whereas those grown from 2 consist of MoO3 microparticles and MoO2 noncrystalline films, together with various nanostructures of MoS2, depending on deposition temperature. The decomposition processes of the SSPs are assessed to determine why these variations in thin films are seen.
Titanium Dioxide Thin Films Deposited by Electric Field‐Assisted CVD: Effect on Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Properties**
Authors: Romero Luz , Piccirillo Clara , Castro Paula M. L. , Bowman Christopher , Warwick Michael E. A. , Binions Russell
Published: January 2015

Thin films of anatase titanium dioxide are deposited on fluorine‐doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates utilizing the electric field‐assisted aerosol (EA)CVD reaction of titanium isopropoxide in toluene at 450 °C. The as‐deposited films are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and UV‐vis spectroscopy. The photoactivity and antibacterial activity of the films are also assessed. The characterization analysis reveals that the use of an electric field affects the film microstructure, its preferential orientation, and the functional properties. XRD of the anatase films reveals that the application of electric fields causes a change in the preferential orientation of the films from (101) to (004) or (211) planes, depending on the strength of the applied field during the deposition.
Branching of lung epithelium in vitro occurs in the absence of endothelial cells
Authors: Havrilak Jamie A. , Shannon John M.
Published: January 2015

Background: Early lung morphogenesis is driven by tissue interactions. Signals from the lung mesenchyme drive epithelial morphogenesis, but which individual mesenchymal cell types are influencing early epithelial branching and differentiation remains unclear. It has been shown that endothelial cells are involved in epithelial repair and regeneration in the adult lung, and they may also play a role in driving early lung epithelial branching. These data, in combination with evidence that endothelial cells influence early morphogenetic events in the liver and pancreas, led us to hypothesize that endothelial cells are necessary for early lung epithelial branching. Results: We blocked vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling in embryonic day (E) 12.5 lung explants with three different VEGF receptor inhibitors (SU5416, Ki8751, and KRN633) and found that in all cases the epithelium was able to branch despite the loss of endothelial cells. Furthermore, we found that distal lung mesenchyme depleted of endothelial cells retained its ability to induce terminal branching when recombined with isolated distal lung epithelium (LgE). Additionally, isolated E12.5 primary mouse lung endothelial cells, or human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC‐L), were not able to induce branching when recombined with LgE. Conclusions: Our observations support the conclusion that endothelial cells are not required for early lung branching. Developmental Dynamics 244:553–563, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantitative genetics of learning ability and resistance to stress inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Nepoux Virginie , Babin Aurélie , Haag Christoph , Kawecki Tadeusz J. , Le Rouzic Arnaud
Published: January 2015

Even though laboratory evolution experiments have demonstrated genetic variation for learning ability, we know little about the underlying genetic architecture and genetic relationships with other ecologically relevant traits. With a full diallel cross among twelve inbred lines ofDrosophila melanogasteroriginating from a natural population (0.75 <F < 0.93), we investigated the genetic architecture of olfactory learning ability and compared it to that for another behavioral trait (unconditional preference for odors), as well as three traits quantifying the ability to deal with environmental challenges: egg‐to‐adult survival and developmental rate on a low‐quality food, and resistance to a bacterial pathogen. Substantial additive genetic variation was detected for each trait, highlighting their potential to evolve. Genetic effects contributed more than nongenetic parental effects to variation in traits measured at the adult stage: learning, odorant perception, and resistance to infection. In contrast, the two traits quantifying larval tolerance to low‐quality food were more strongly affected by parental effects. We found no evidence for genetic correlations between traits, suggesting that these traits could evolve at least to some degree independently of one another. Finally, inbreeding adversely affected all traits.
Evolutionary dynamics of ecological niche in threeRhinogobiofishes from the upper Yangtze River inferred from morphological traits
Authors: Wang Meirong , Liu Fei , Lin Pengcheng , Yang Shaorong , Liu Huanzhang
Published: January 2015

In the past decades, it has been debated whether ecological niche should be conserved among closely related species (phylogenetic niche conservatism,PNC) or largely divergent (traditional ecological niche theory and ecological speciation) and whether niche specialist and generalist might remain in equilibrium or niche generalist could not appear. In this study, we employed morphological traits to describe ecological niche and test whether different niche dimensions exhibit disparate evolutionary patterns. We conducted our analysis on threeRhinogobiofish species (R. typus,R. cylindricus,andR. ventralis) from the upper Yangtze River, China. Among the 32 measured morphological traits except body length,PCAextracted the first four principal components with their loading scores >1.000. To find thePNCamong species, Mantel tests were conducted with the Euclidean distances calculated from the four principal components (representing different niche dimensions) against the pairwise distances calculated from mitochondrial cytochromebsequence variations. The results showed that the second and the third niche dimension, both related to swimming ability and behavior, exhibited phylogenetic conservatism. Further comparison on niche breadth among these three species revealed that the fourth dimension ofR. typusshowed the greatest width, indicating that this dimension exhibited niche generalism. In conclusion, our results suggested that different niche dimensions could show different evolutionary dynamic patterns: they may exhibitPNCor not, and some dimensions may evolve generalism.
How squalene GLAdly helps generate antigen‐specific T cells via antigen‐carrying neutrophils and IL‐18
Authors: Kedl Justin D. , Kedl Ross M.
Published: January 2015

The mechanisms by which squalene, which in oil‐and‐water emulsions has been shown to be an excellent formulation for TLR agonists, enhances the magnitude and quality of adaptive immune responses are not thoroughly defined. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology [Eur. J. Immunol. 2015. 45: 407–417], Desbien et al. show that a squalene/TLR4‐based adjuvant augments antigen‐specific Th1 responses in vaccinated mice through a caspase/IL‐18‐dependent mechanism. This commentary will discuss the authors’ findings in the context of elucidating the mechanism of action of squalene as an adjuvant, and the new questions that the work generates.
Metabolomic applications in nutritional research: a perspective
Authors: O'Gorman Aoife , Brennan Lorraine
Published: January 2015

Metabolomics focuses on the global study of metabolites in cells, tissues and biofluids. Analytical technologies such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and hyphenated mass spectrometry (MS) combined with advanced multivariate statistical methods allow us to study perturbations in metabolism. The close link between metabolism and nutrition has seen the application of metabolomics in nutritional research increase in recent times. Such applications can be divided into three main categories, namely (1) the area of dietary biomarker identification, (2) diet‐related diseases and (3) nutritional interventions. The present perspective gives an overview of these applications and an outlook to the future. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Thermal‐aided phosvitin extraction from egg yolk
Authors: Ren Jiandong , Wu Jianping
Published: January 2015

BACKGROUND

Phosvitin is the principal phosphoprotein in egg yolk and has great potential for use as a functional food ingredient in improving bone health. This study reports a thermal‐aided extraction method without using organic solvents or non‐food‐compatible chemicals.

RESULTS

Egg yolk was two times diluted with water and then extracted by 100 g L−1 NaCl. Effects of pH and heating temperature on the extract were examined. The phosvitin purity increased from 75.7% at pH 8.0 to 80.1% at pH 5.0 and then started to decrease, but the yield decreased at decreasing pHs. The phosvitin purity increased at increasing temperature up to 90 °C and then started to decrease at 95 °C, while the yield increased from 70 to 80 °C and then started to decline at 85 °C.

CONCLUSION

A purity of 88.0% and a yield of 23.5 g kg−1 yolk dry matter were obtained at 90 °C. The purity and yield were comparable to or higher than those of previously methods. The method developed in this study is simple, including mainly two steps, i.e. water dilution of egg yolk and NaCl extraction with heating, and can be scaled up for industrial production. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Extraction and enrichment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by ordered mesoporous carbon reinforced hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction
Authors: Liu Li , Zhou Xin , Wang Chun , Wu Qiuhua , Wang Zhi
Published: January 2015

A novel microextraction method, ordered mesoporous carbon reinforced hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection, was developed for the determination of some organic pollutants in water samples. Four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluorene, anthracene, fluoranthene, and pyrene) were selected to validate this new method. Main parameters that could influence the extraction efficiency such as extraction time, fiber length, stirring rate, the type of the extraction solvent, pH value, the concentration of ordered mesoporous carbon, and salt effect were optimized. Under the optimal extraction conditions, good linearity was observed in the range of 2–1000 ng/L, with the correlation coefficients of 0.9954–0.9986. The recoveries for the spiked samples were in the range of 88.96–100.17%. The limits of detection of the method were 0.4–4 ng/L. The relative standard deviations varied from 4.2–5.9%. The results demonstrated that the newly developed method was an efficient pretreatment and enrichment procedure for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental water samples.
Ionic‐liquid‐based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the determination of multiclass pesticide residues in water samples
Authors: Tadesse Bezuayehu , Teju Endale , Gure Abera , Megersa Negussie
Published: January 2015

Ionic‐liquid‐based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction in combination with high‐performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection has been proposed for the simultaneous analysis of four multiclass pesticide residues including carbaryl, methidathion, chlorothalonil, and ametryn from water samples. The major experimental parameters including the type and volume of ionic liquid, sample pH, type, and volume of disperser solvent and cooling time were investigated and optimum conditions were established. Under the optimum experimental conditions, limits of detection and quantification of the method were in the range of 0.1–1.8 and 0.4–5.9 μg/L, respectively, with satisfactory enrichment factors ranging from 10–20. The matrix‐matched calibration curves, which were constructed for lake water, as a representative matrix were linear over wide range with coefficients of determination of 0.996 or better. Intra‐ and interday precisions, expressed as relative standard deviations, were in the range of 1.1–9.7 and 3.1–7.8%, respectively. The relative recoveries of the spiked environmental water samples at one concentration level were in the range of 77–102%. The results of the present study revealed that the proposed method is simple, fast, and uses environmentally friendly extraction solvent for the analysis of the target pesticide residues in environmental water samples.
Multiobjective optimization strategy based on desirability functions used for the microemulsion liquid chromatographic separation and quantification of norfloxacin and tinidazole in plasma and formulations
Authors: Abou‐Taleb Noura Hemdan , El‐Wasseef Dalia Rashad , El‐Sherbiny Dina Tawfik , El‐Ashry Saadia Mohamed
Published: January 2015

The aim of the present study was to optimize a microemulsion liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of norfloxacin and tinidazole binary mixture using a chemometric protocol. Optimization experiments were conducted through a process of screening and optimization. A 27‐4 fractional factorial design was used as screening design. While the location of optimum conditions was established by applying Derringer's desirability function. The optimal mobile phase composition was predicted to be: 3.5% w/v SDS, 10.03% v/v 1‐propanol, 0.5% v/v 1‐octanol, and 0.3% triethylamine in 0.02 M phosphoric acid at pH 6.5. The mobile phase was delivered isocratically at a flow rate of 1 mL/min with UV detection at 290 nm. Tinidazole and norfloxacin were eluted with retention times of 1.8 and 5.8 min, respectively. The calibration plots displayed good linear relationships in the concentration ranges of 0.5–50 and 0.75–75 μg/mL for norfloxacin and tinidazole, respectively. The method was successfully applied for determination of both drugs in pharmaceutical dosage forms and real human plasma. Where the accuracy was proved by the low values of % error and high values of recovery, also the relative standard deviation for the results did not exceed 1.5%, proving the precision of the method.
Sputum induction improves detection of pathogens in children with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Hoppe Jordana E. , Towler Elinor , Wagner Brandie D. , Accurso Frank J. , Sagel Scott D. , Zemanick Edith T.
Published: January 2015

Background

Sputum induction is a safe, well tolerated means of obtaining lower airway secretions from children with cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly for assessment of airway inflammation but the clinical value in diagnosing outpatient infections has not been extensively studied.

Objectives

Investigate the success rate and microbiologic yield of induced sputum (IS) compared to oropharyngeal swabs (OP) and expectorated sputum (ES) samples in children with CF, and determine if IS culture results impact treatment.

Methods

Two cohorts were included in this prospective, longitudinal comparative study. In one cohort, simultaneously collected OP, ES, and IS specimens were obtained from 17 CF children at three visits over 1 year. In the second group, sputum induction was performed in 35 CF subjects at four annual visits, and culture results were compared to their nearest respiratory culture within 4 months. Antimicrobial treatment regimens were captured retrospectively.

Results

Sputum induction was successful in 149 of 158 (94%) visit encounters. Polymicrobial infection (combined P = 0.005) and gram negative organisms (combined P = 0.003) were detected more frequently in IS samples compared to OP, as were the individual pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa (combined P = 0.04) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (combined P = 0.05). The microbiologic yield of serial IS samples collected over 1 year was stable. IS culture results led to antibiotic changes in 6% of visit encounters. However, based on current practice 13% of visits could have resulted in treatment changes.

Conclusions

Sputum induction is feasible in the outpatient setting and appears to improve pathogen detection in children with CF. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:638–646. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Estimation of the quality of refined protein crystal structures
Authors: Wang Jimin
Published: January 2015

Crystallographic Rwork and Rfree values, which are measures of the ability of the models of macromolecular structures to explain the crystallographic data on which they are based, are often used to assess structure quality. It is widely known, and confirmed here that both are sensitive to the methods used to compute them, and can be manipulated to improve the apparent quality of the model. As an alternative it is proposed here that the quality of crystallographic models should be assessed using a global goodness‐of‐fit metric RO2A/Rwork where RO2A is the number of reflections used for refinement divided by the number of nonhydrogen atoms in the structure, and Rwork is the working R‐factor of the refined structure. Also, analysis of structures in the Protein Data Bank suggests that many data sets have been truncated at high resolution, thereby improving the R‐factor statistics. To discourage this practice, it is proposed that the resolution of a dataset be defined as the resolution of the shell of data where  falls to 1. The proposed goodness‐of‐fit metric encourages investigators to use all the data available rather than a truncated subset.
Regular, median and Huber cross‐validation: A computational comparison
Authors: Yu Chi‐Wai , Clarke Bertrand
Published: January 2015

We present a new technique for comparing models using a median form of cross‐validation and least median of squares estimation (MCV‐LMS). Rather than minimizing the sums of squares of residual errors, we minimize the median of the squared residual errors. We compare this with a robustified form of cross‐validation using the Huber loss function and robust coefficient estimators (HCV). Through extensive simulations we find that for linear models MCV‐LMS outperforms HCV for data that is representative of the data generator when the tails of the noise distribution are heavy enough and asymmetric enough. We also find that MCV‐LMS is often better able to detect the presence of small terms. Otherwise, HCV typically outperforms MCV‐LMS for ‘good’ data. MCV‐LMS also outperforms HCV in the presence of enough severe outliers.

One of MCV and HCV also generally gives better model selection for linear models than the conventional version of cross‐validation with least squares estimators (CV‐LS) when the tails of the noise distribution are heavy or asymmetric or when the coefficients are small and the data is representative. CV‐LS only performs well when the tails of the error distribution are light and symmetric and the coefficients are large relative to the noise variance. Outside of these contexts and the contexts noted above, HCV outperforms CV‐LS and MCV‐LMS.

We illustrate CV‐LS, HVC, and MCV‐LMS via numerous simulations to map out when each does best on representative data and then apply all three to a real dataset from econometrics that includes outliers.
Building efficient comparative effectiveness trials through adaptive designs, utility functions, and accrual rate optimization: finding the sweet spot
Authors: Gajewski Byron J. , Berry Scott M. , Quintana Melanie , Pasnoor Mamatha , Dimachkie Mazen , Herbelin Laura , Barohn Richard
Published: January 2015

The time is right for the use of Bayesian Adaptive Designs (BAD) in comparative effectiveness trials. For example, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute has joined the Food and Drug Administration and National Intitutes of Health in adopting policies/guidelines encouraging their use. There are multiple aspects to BAD that need to be considered when designing a comparative effectiveness design. First, the adaptation rules can determine the expected size of the trial. Second, a utility function can be used to combine extremely important co‐endpoints (e.g., efficacy and tolerability) and is a valuable tool for incorporating clinical expertise and potentially patient preference. Third, accrual rate is also very, very important. Specifically, there is a juxtaposition related to accrual and BAD. If accrual rate is too fast we never gain efficient information for adapting. If accrual rate is too slow we never finish the clinical trial. We propose methodology for finding the ‘sweet spot’ for BAD that addresses these as design parameters. We demonstrate the methodology on a comparative effectiveness BAD of pharmaceutical agents in cryptogenic sensory polyneuropathy. The study has five arms with two endpoints that are combined with a utility function. The accrual rate is assumed to stem from multiple sites. We perform simulations from which the composite accrual rates across sites result in various piecewise Poisson distributions as parameter inputs. We balance both average number of patients needed and average length of time to finish the study. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inference of median difference based on the Box–Cox model in randomized clinical trials
Authors: Maruo K. , Isogawa N. , Gosho M.
Published: January 2015

In randomized clinical trials, many medical and biological measurements are not normally distributed and are often skewed. The Box–Cox transformation is a powerful procedure for comparing two treatment groups for skewed continuous variables in terms of a statistical test. However, it is difficult to directly estimate and interpret the location difference between the two groups on the original scale of the measurement. We propose a helpful method that infers the difference of the treatment effect on the original scale in a more easily interpretable form. We also provide statistical analysis packages that consistently include an estimate of the treatment effect, covariance adjustments, standard errors, and statistical hypothesis tests. The simulation study that focuses on randomized parallel group clinical trials with two treatment groups indicates that the performance of the proposed method is equivalent to or better than that of the existing non‐parametric approaches in terms of the type‐I error rate and power. We illustrate our method with cluster of differentiation 4 data in an acquired immune deficiency syndrome clinical trial. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of glycerol monostearate on the gelatinization behavior of maize starches with different amylose contents
Authors: Garcia Marina Costa , Franco Célia Maria Landi
Published: January 2015

The effect of different concentrations (1, 2, and 3% w/w) of glycerol monostearate (GMS) on gelatinization behavior of normal maize starch (NMS), waxy maize starch (WMS), and high amylose maize starch (HAMS) was evaluated. Leaching of amylose and solubility decreased in all starches with added GMS. Gelatinization temperatures increased in NMS but there was no change in WMS. During first heating in DSC, only NMS with added GMS displayed the dissociation peak of amylose–lipid complex. In cooling the exothermic peaks (∼74°C) confirmed the recrystallization of inclusion complexes in NMS and HAMS. In second heating, the complex enthalpy increased in NMS and HAMS while WMS with added GMS did not display any transition peak of inclusion complex. Pasting temperature increased in NMS and was not altered in WMS as GMS was added. Addition of GMS decreased retrogradation and syneresis, and increased paste transparency in NMS and WMS. The results indicated inclusion complex formation in NMS and HAMS. The whole emulsifier amount complexed with amylose in NMS when 1% GMS was added, while 3% GMS was necessary in HAMS. A slight increase in paste viscosity at ∼ 70°C during cooling among the decrease in leached amylose, solubility, retrogradation, and gelatinization enthalpy evidenced interactions between few amylose molecules and/or longer amylopectin branched chains with GMS in WMS.
Influence of annealing flours from raw and pre‐cooked plantain fruit on cooked starch digestion rates
Authors: De la Rosa‐Millan Julian , Lin Amy Hui‐Mei , Osorio‐Díaz Perla , Agama‐Acevedo Edith , Hamaker Bruce R. , Bello‐Perez Luis Arturo
Published: January 2015

While native plantain starch is resistant to digestive enzymes, gelatinization increases its digestion rate and may be negatively associated with glycemia‐related health issues. It is known that thermal treatments can be used to reduce starch digestibility. In this study, precooking of plantain fruit was used along with thermal treatment of its derived flours, with and without storage, to decrease the susceptibility of its starch in the final cooked product to α‐amylase hydrolysis. Plantain flours from raw and pre‐cooked fruits were annealed at 65°C and stored at 4°C for 7 days. Starches were isolated from treated samples, and were then cooked and treated with α‐amylase. With annealing, hydrolysis of starch from pre‐cooked plantain fruit decreased from 62.3 to 44.9% in the final cooked product. Storage had only a minor effect of promoting retrogradation of leached molecules. In conclusion, a combination of thermal treatments applied at various levels on both fruit and flour, affected starch organization and decreased susceptibility of the final cooked starch to α‐amylase, for potential use in processed products.
Show Me What You Know
Authors: Young Teresa , Morgan Ashley
Published: January 2015

Early childhood teachers promote literacy learning through intentional instructional practices and the establishment of classroom environments that encourage and support the work, interest, and curiosity of young learners. They provide opportunities for children to engage with their teacher and peers and consider this an important component of literacy learning. Moreover, teachers design visually pleasing environments that support students’ prior knowledge and experiences. The project approach to learning integrates all of the basic elements of literacy learning while respecting the natural inquisitive nature of children and their need to construct their own learning as they interact within their classroom environment, peers, and teachers. In this article, we share a snapshot of how one kindergarten teacher incorporated elements of the project approach within her classroom in the hopes that other teachers will feel inspired to try aspects of this method of teaching in their own classrooms.
Major Liver Resection as Definitive Treatment in Post‐cholecystectomy Common Bile Duct Injuries
Authors: Pekolj Juan , Yanzón Alejandro , Dietrich Agustin , del Valle Gabriela , Ardiles Victoria , de Santibañes Eduardo
Published: January 2015

Background

Common bile duct injuries (CBDI) are serious complications of cholecystectomies which are often associated with vascular involvement, meaning that their management represents a major challenge to the physician. We present our experience in major hepatectomy due to CBDI, highlighting indications, postoperative complications, and long‐term outcomes.

Methods

From August 1993 to September 2013, 287 patients with CBDI were treated in our centre. In 15 patients of this group (5 %), a major hepatectomy was performed. Eleven patients presented E4 and four presented E5 injuries of Strasberg classification. Seven patients presented vascular involvement. In 12 patients, prior treatment attempts, either biliodigestive anastomosis, endoscopic or percutaneous drainage, was performed without success. The median time delay between lesional surgery and hepatectomy was 24 months.

Results

Right hepatectomy was performed in 10 patients and left hepatectomy in 5. Postoperative morbidity was 60 %. The incidence of serious complications (≥grade IIIa of DC classification) was 40 %. There was no mortality in our study. The mean follow‐up was 43.5 months and the overall survival was 100 %. Three patients had a single episode of ascendant cholangitis who were successfully treated with medical treatment. All other patients were asymptomatic during follow‐up. No patients required further surgical procedures.

Conclusion

In our series, major hepatectomy due to CBDI was a successful treatment with high rates of postoperative morbidity and excellent long‐term outcomes which require a multidisciplinary approach in referral centres of HPB surgery.
Redirecting metabolic flux in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through regulation of cofactors in UMP production
Authors: Chen Yong , Liu Qingguo , Chen Xiaochun , Wu Jinglan , Guo Ting , Zhu Chenjie , Ying Hanjie
Published: January 2015

Although it is generally known that cofactors play a major role in the production of different fermentation products, their role has not been thoroughly and systematically studied. To understand the impact of cofactors on physiological functions, a systematic approach was applied, which involved redox state analysis, energy charge analysis, and metabolite analysis. Using uridine 5′-monophosphate metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model, we demonstrated that regulation of intracellular the ratio of NADPH to NADP+ not only redistributed the carbon flux between the glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathways, but also regulated the redox state of NAD(H), resulting in a significant change of ATP, and a significantly altered spectrum of metabolic products.
Development of Mineral Resources, Economics of Mining and Rural Employment Generation
Authors: Sawkar R. H.
Published: January 2015

Dr. B.P. Radhakrishna in his Anthology of Editorials (Memois 51, 61 and 81) had covered wide range of topics such as Geoscience, Mineral Exploration & Exploitation, Mining Industry, Science, Impending Water Crisis in Bengaluru city, Climate and Monsoon, Natural Disasters, Extra-terrestrial Phenomena, outstanding contributions of some eminent persons and important subjects like rural employment, sanitation, environment and human waste disposal. On these subjects he had listed our failures with analysis of what went wrong. In the following pages I have tried to summarize and highlight with occasional comments on mineral exploration, resources, reserves, mining environment, economics of mining and on policy matters related to Acts and Rules published in JGSI.
Petroleum Play Analysis of the Jurassic Sequence, Meyal-field, Potwar Basin, Pakistan
Authors: Ghazi Shahid , Aziz Tahir , Khalid Perveiz , Sahraeyan Mohammad
Published: January 2015

This research work is an attempt to confirm the sub-surface Jurassic sequence present in the Meyal field and to delineate promising location for test drilling. The Meyal field, one of the major oil and gas producing fields, lies in the active foreland and thrust belt in the Potwar basin of Pakistan. Petroleum play components of the Jurassic sequence encountered in the Meyal field were analyzed by seismic and well log data, acquired in this area. Based on lithological interpretation, Jurassic sequence was divided into upper and lower parts. Petrophysical interpretation including formation water resistivity, water saturation, hydrocarbon saturation, and permeability suggests presence of potential reservoir in lower sandstone part of the Jurassic sequence. Wells are drilled at the top of the pop-up structure which are indicated by the time and depth contour maps to obtain overall structure of the area.
Changes in Body Mass and Metabolic Profiles in Patients with First-Episode Schizophrenia Treated for 12 Months with A First-Generation Antipsychotic
Authors: Chiliza B. , Asmal L. , Oosthuizen P. , van Niekerk E. , Erasmus R. , Kidd M. , Malhotra A. , Emsley R.
Published: January 2015

Objectives:

To assess changes in body mass and metabolic profiles in patients with first-episode schizophrenia receiving standardised, assured treatment and to identify predictors and moderators of the effects.

Methods:

We investigated the changes in body mass, fasting blood glucose and lipids in 107 largely antipsychotic naïve, first-episode schizophrenia patients who were treated according to a standard algorithm with long-acting injectable flupenthixol decanoate over 12 months.

Results:

Eighty-three (78%) participants completed the 12 months of treatment, and 104 (97%) received 100% of the prescribed injections during their participation. There were significant increases in BMI (P < .0001), waist circumference (P = 0.0006) and triglycerides (P = 0.03) and decrease in HDL (P = 0.005), while systolic (P = 0.7) and diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.8), LDL (P = 0.1), cholesterol (P = 0.3), and glucose (P = 0.9) values did not change over time. The triglyceride: HDL ratio increased by 91%. Change in BMI was only correlated with change in triglycerides (P = .008). The only significant predictor of BMI increase was non-substance abuse (P = .002).

Conclusions:

The risks of weight gain and metabolic syndrome associated with antipsychotic treatment in first-episode schizophrenia are not restricted to second generation antipsychotics. This is a global problem, and developing communities may be particularly susceptible.
Gnetales
Authors: Pearson H. H. W.
Published: January 2015

Henry Pearson (1870–1916) was an English botanist specialising in research on the Gnetophyta division of woody plants. In 1903 he was elected to the Henry Bolus Professorship of Botany at the South African College, Cape Town (now known as the University of Cape Town), and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1916 shortly before his death. In 1915 Pearson was commissioned to write this volume for the Cambridge Botanical Handbooks series. Published posthumously in 1929, it was the first extensive study on the Gnetales order and the only such study in English published during the twentieth century. In it, Pearson investigates the morphology and reproduction of the three Gnetophyta genera and examines their relation to the angiosperms (flowering plants). His research on Gnetophyta was later used together with genetic studies to provide theories explaining the evolution of seed plants.
On Financial Reform
Authors: Parnell Henry
Published: January 2015

Prior to its publication in 1830, the draft of this work by Sir Henry Parnell, later Baron Congleton (1776–1842), was praised by John Stuart Mill, who said he could 'not see that it is possible to lay down the principles of political economy more broadly'. Chair of the select committee on public income and expenditure during the Duke of Wellington's first ministry, Parnell called for greater retrenchment and reduced taxation. He also argues here that 'the passage of merchandise from one state to another … ought to be as free as air and water', denouncing the supporters of protection as 'among the greatest enemies of mankind'. A later pamphlet by Parnell, A Plain Statement of the Power of the Bank of England (1832), highly critical of the Bank's monopoly, is included in this reissue. His Treatise on Roads (1833) is reissued separately in the Cambridge Library Collection.
Machiavelli and the Modern State
Authors: Ardito Alissa M.
Published: January 2015

This book offers a significant reinterpretation of the history of republican political thought and of Niccolò Machiavelli's place within it. It locates Machiavelli's political thought within enduring debates about the proper size of republics. From the sixteenth century onward, as states grew larger, it was believed only monarchies could govern large territories effectively. Republicanism was a form of government relegated to urban city-states, anachronisms in the new age of the territorial state. For centuries, history and theory were in agreement: constructing an extended republic was as futile as trying to square the circle; but then James Madison devised a compound representative republic that enabled popular government to take on renewed life in the modern era. This work argues that Machiavelli had his own Madisonian impulse and deserves to be recognized as the first modern political theorist to envision the possibility of a republic with a large population extending over a broad territory.
The Holocaust and the Germanization of Ukraine
Authors: Steinhart Eric C.
Published: January 2015

The German invasion of the Soviet Union during the Second World War was central to Nazi plans for territorial expansion and genocidal demographic revolution. To create 'living space', Nazi Germany pursued two policies. The first was the systematic murder of millions of Jews, Slavs, Roma, and other groups that the Nazis found undesirable on racial, religious, ethnic, ideological, hereditary, or behavioral grounds. It also pursued a parallel, albeit smaller, program to mobilize supposedly Germanic residents of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union - so-called Volksdeutsche or ethnic Germans - as the vanguard of German expansion. This study recovers the intersection of these two projects in Transnistria, a portion of southern Ukraine that, because of its numerous Volksdeutsche communities, became an epicenter of both Nazi Volksdeutsche policy and the Holocaust in conquered Soviet territory, ultimately asking why local residents, whom German authorities identified as Volksdeutsche, participated in the Holocaust with apparent enthusiasm.
The Prairie Traveller
Authors: Marcy Randolph B.
Published: January 2015

This work by Randolph B. Marcy (1812–87), who retired from the US Army as a brigadier general in 1881, was first published in 1859. Reissued here is the 1863 edition, edited with notes by the British explorer Sir Richard Burton (1821–90). The subtitle of the original edition describes it as A Hand-Book for Overland Expeditions, with Maps, Illustrations, and Itineraries of the Principal Routes between the Mississippi and the Pacific, and it was hugely influential, as an official US Government publication, in encouraging the great overland migrations which took European settlers to the American west. The book, based on Marcy's own experience of western travel, covers the routes to Oregon and California, the equipment needed, the treatment of animals, and the possibility of encounters with Native American tribes. This is a fascinating account of the practical steps necessary to enable emigrants to be self-reliant and to survive.
Cabool
Authors: Burnes Alexander
Published: January 2015

In the long and often disastrous history of British entanglement in Afghanistan, the name of Alexander Burnes (1805–41) deserves to be remembered. Aged sixteen, he went to India to take up a post in the army, and speedily learned both Hindustani and Persian. His skills led him to political work, and he himself proposed a covert expedition to Bukhara, to survey the country and to observe the expansionist activities of the Russians in central Asia. (Burnes' 1834 account of this journey is also reissued in this series.) In 1836, he was sent to Kabul, and became involved in the British plan to replace Dost Muhammad Khan with Shah Shuja (which he personally thought a mistake). The British became a focus of increasing local discontent, and in November 1841 Burnes was murdered in Kabul by a mob. This account of his stay in the city was published posthumously in 1842.
Multiple True False Questions for the Final FFICM
Authors: Bellchambers Emma , Davies Keith , Ford Abigail , Walton Benjamin
Published: January 2015

Following the introduction in 2013 of the FFICM exam for trainees in intensive care, this book provides candidates with practice materials for the MCQ section. Written by a team of specialists in intensive care medicine, including senior trainees who have recently passed the new exam and authors of the popular FRCAQ website, the book contains 270 multiple true-false questions that cover the breadth of the current Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine curriculum. These are presented as three 90-question practice papers, providing candidates with a faithful simulation of the style, standard and format of the questions they will encounter. With short and long explanations for each question, presented with up-to-date references for extended reading, this book is both an ideal tool for in-depth exam preparation, and an excellent resource for practising consultants in intensive care medicine. It is also suitable for candidates taking the EDIC and other intensive care exams worldwide.
The Archaeology of Early China
Authors: Shelach-Lavi Gideon
Published: January 2015

This volume aims to satisfy a pressing need for an updated account of Chinese archaeology. It covers an extended time period from the earliest peopling of China to the unification of the Chinese Empire some two thousand years ago. The geographical coverage includes the traditional focus on the Yellow River basin but also covers China's many other regions. Among the topics covered are the emergence of agricultural communities; the establishment of a sedentary way of life; the development of sociopolitical complexity; advances in lithic technology, ceramics, and metallurgy; and the appearance of writing, large-scale public works, cities, and states. Particular emphasis is placed on the great cultural variations that existed among the different regions and the development of interregional contacts among those societies.
Arguments in Syntax and Semantics
Authors: Williams Alexander
Published: January 2015

Argument structure - the pattern of underlying relations between a predicate and its dependents - is at the base of syntactic theory and the theory of the interface with semantics. This comprehensive guide explores the motives for thematic and event-structural decomposition, and its relation to structure in syntax. It also discusses broad patterns in the linking of syntactic to semantic relations, and includes insightful case studies on passive and resultative constructions. Semantically explicit and syntactically impartial, with a careful, interrogative approach, Williams clarifies notions of argument within both lexicalist and nonlexicalist approaches. Ideal for students and researchers in syntactic and semantic theory, this introduction includes:
• A comprehensive overview of arguments in syntax and semantics
• Discussion questions and suggestions for further reading
• A glossary with helpful definitions of key terms.