bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct differentiation of stereoisomers of ezetimibe/ambrisentan/atorvastatin and their mechanism study by electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Lu , Wang Yali , Yu Lushan , Sun Cuirong , Kang Yu , Zeng Su
Published: October 2018

A mass spectrometric method is introduced for rapid and accurate chiral quantification by examining a trimeric metal complex into which a chiral reference is incorporated with the analyte. Several metal ions (CuII, NiII, MgII, MnII, CoII, and ZnII) were selected as the central metal ion, and chiral drugs ezetimibe (EZM) and ambrisentan (AMB) were used as the reference to each other for isomeric differentiation by using electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Doubly charged trimeric cluster ions instead of the singly charged clusters were applied in this study. Kinetic method (KM) and chiral recognition (CR) method were used for construction of a calibration curve for chiral quantitation. The results from the two methods were found to be complementary to each other, which improved quantitative analysis of stereoisomers for EZM. Furthermore, we have successfully used S‐AMB as reference for the chiral differentiation of enantiomeric atorvastatin (ATO), which is frequently combined with EZM as a codrug. Experimental results showed that the binary mixture of EZM and ATO enantiomers can be determined simultaneously without prior separation steps. The direct measurement of chiral purity within 5% was demonstrated. This mass spectrometric method represents an effective alternative to commonly used chromatographic techniques as means of chiral purity determination and is of potential use in rapid screening experiments.
The ability of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer land surface temperatures to simulate cold air drainage and microclimates in complex Arctic terrain
Authors: Pepin Nicholas C. , Pike Gary , Read Spencer , Williams Ryan
Published: October 2018

The Arctic has experienced the most rapid warming in the world in recent decades. Complex topography combines with low solar elevation to create distinct microclimates in Arctic regions, and for many applications such as ecological response and cryospheric change it is critical to obtain reliable temperature trends at the local scale. Due to lack of weather stations, satellite land surface temperature (LST) is increasingly important as a proxy for air temperature (Tair), but how accurately it can represent microclimates is unknown. For the first time, we compare 10 years (2007–2017) of Tair recorded over a dense network of 65 sites (~25 km2) around Kevo Subarctic Research Station in Finland with equivalent moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST at 1 km resolution from MOD11A2/MYD11A2 8‐day products. We assess whether LST can pick up the extreme local gradients in air temperature (>20 °C/km) caused by cold air drainage. Although there is a high correspondence between LST and Tair anomalies on a synoptic timescale, small‐scale patterns in Tair (lapse rates, aspect contrasts) are not picked up by LST. Temperature gradients in Tair become positive (temperature inversions) in winter, and at night, but LST gradients show almost the reverse. Aspect contrasts in Tair peak in spring and autumn during the day, but LST shows biggest differences in the evening. Land cover has a large influence on LST, tundra heating up/cooling down more than birch or pine forest. The conflation between land cover and elevation means that differential land‐cover response dominates the elevational LST signal. Contrasts between Tair and LST cannot be explained by the number of stations measuring Tair in a pixel, elevation error, timing differences or the frequency of cloud cover within the 8‐day composite. Important features of the Arctic climate such as microscale cold air drainage are thus potentially obscured by land‐cover effects.
Seasonal space use and habitat selection of sambar in Taiwan
Authors: Yen Shih‐Ching , Wang Ying , Yu Pin‐Huan , Kuan Yuan‐Peng , Liao Yu‐Chuan , Chen Kuang‐Hsun , Weng Guo‐Jing
Published: October 2018

Sambar (Rusa unicolor) in Taiwan experienced overexploitation by humans before the 1990s. In recent years, however, the population has recovered rapidly, and has become regionally abundant, resulting in damage to forests in some conservation areas. We investigated space use and habitat selection of sambar using global positioning system telemetry and resource selection function models. We collected sambar locations from 12 collared deer (6 males and 6 females) from December 2009 to March 2014 in Taroko National Park, Taiwan. Males had the largest mean home range size during the hot‐wet season (May–Oct, 95% fixed kernel method: 1.43 ± 0.23 km2). Males in the cold‐dry season (Nov–Apr) and females in both seasons had similar mean home range sizes of approximately 0.70 km2. Sambar moved to higher elevations during the hot–wet season and moved to lower elevations during the cold–dry season. Sambar preferred cypress (Chamaecyparis spp.) forest, pine (Pinus spp.) forest, fir (Abies spp.)‐hemlock (Tsuga spp.) forest, or thicket to broad‐leaved forest and open areas during both seasons. In addition, they preferred areas that were humid and had moderate solar radiation. We recommend estimating sambar population density in the cold–dry season when males and females have similar home range sizes. We predict that the rapid growth of the sambar population in Taiwan will be restrained as they expand to lower elevations because they prefer alpine landcover types and sambar habitats at lower elevations are fragmented. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
Factors influencing nesting ecology of lesser prairie‐chickens
Authors: Lautenbach Joseph M. , Haukos David A. , Sullins Daniel S. , Hagen Christian A. , Lautenbach Jonathan D. , Pitman James C. , Plumb Reid T. , Robinson Samantha G. , Kraft John D.
Published: October 2018

Lesser prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) populations have declined since the 1980s. Understanding factors influencing nest‐site selection and nest survival are important for conservation and management of lesser prairie‐chicken populations. However, >75% of the extant population is in the northern extent of the range where data on breeding season ecology are lacking. We tested factors influencing fine‐scale and regional nest‐site selection and nest survival across the northern portion of the lesser prairie‐chicken range. We trapped and affixed satellite global positioning system and very high frequency transmitters to female lesser prairie‐chickens (n = 307) in south‐central and western Kansas and eastern Colorado, USA. We located and monitored 257 lesser prairie‐chicken nests from 2013 to 2016. We evaluated nest‐site selection and nest survival in comparison to vegetation composition and structure. Overall, nest‐site selection in relation to vegetation characteristics was similar across our study area. Lesser prairie‐chickens selected nest microsites with 75% visual obstruction 2.0–3.5 dm tall and 95.7% of all nests were in habitat with ≥1 dm and ≤4 dm visual obstruction. Nests were located in areas with 6–8% bare ground, on average, avoiding areas with greater percent cover of bare ground. The type of vegetation present was less important than cover of adequate height. Nest survival was maximized when 75% visual obstruction was 2.0–4.0 dm. Nest survival did not vary spatially or among years and generally increased as intensity of drought decreased throughout the study although not significantly. To provide nesting cover considering yearly variation in drought conditions, it is important to maintain residual cover by managing for structural heterogeneity of vegetation. Managing for structural heterogeneity could be accomplished by maintaining or strategically applying practices of the Conservation Reserve Program, using appropriate fire and grazing disturbances in native working grasslands, and establishing site‐specific monitoring of vegetation composition and structure. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
Effects of soil type, temperature, moisture, application dose, fertilizer, and organic amendments on chemical properties and biodegradation of dimethyl disulfide in soil
Authors: Han Dawei , Yan Dongdong , Wang Qiuxia , Fang Wensheng , Wang Xianli , Li Jun , Wang Dong , Li Yuan , Ouyang Canbin , Cao Aocheng
Published: October 2018

Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) is a potential alternative to methyl bromide for soil fumigation to control soil‐borne disease. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of combinations of soil and environmental factors of DMDS degradation in soil. The results showed that soil pH and soil organic matter content are the major factors influencing the degradation of DMDS in soil. Generally, DMDS degradation was significantly slower in acidic and high organic content soils. The degradation rate increased with temperature and water content. However, when the temperature exceeded 35°C, the degradation rate decreased, and when the soil water content was raised to 10%, the change in DMDS degradation was not significant in Fangshan soil. The degradation of DMDS in soil depended on the initial application rate. Degradation slowed down as the fumigant application rate increased. DMDS degradation in soil was restrained by the addition of organic matter to soil, and the effect was enhanced by increased dosage. DMDS degradation in soil was also restrained by the use of chemical fertilizers except when amended with sodium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium thiosulfate. The impact of fumigant application rates and chemical fertilizers on bacterial communities in soil was determined by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The results showed that bacterial diversity was affected by different treatments. Our study provides useful information to evaluate environmental safety assessments of DMDS in soil.
Analysis of drought and vulnerability in the North Darfur region of Sudan
Authors: Mohmmed Alnail , Zhang Ke , Kabenge Martin , Keesstra Saskia , Cerdà Artemi , Reuben Makomere , Elbashier Mohammed M.A. , Dalson Twecan , Ali Albashir A.S.
Published: October 2018

North Darfur of Sudan is located on the edge of the Sahara Desert and endures frequent droughts due to water shortages and high summer temperatures. Monitoring and understanding drought characteristics are essential for integrated drought risk mitigation and prevetion of land degradation. This study evaluates drought conditions in North Darfur by analyzing the spatiotemporal distribution of drought using three drought indices (Standardized Precipitation Index, Vegetation Condition Index, and Soil Moisture Content Index) and their combined drought index (CDI) from 2004 to 2013. Biophysical and socioeconomic indicators are further used to measure vulnerability to drought risk and its three components (exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity) through a comprehensive risk assessment framework. The results show that most of North Darfur has experienced prolonged droughts during the study period, especially from 2007 to 2011. There is also a significant correlation between the monsoon season CDI and annual crop yield anomaly. The results confirm the validity of the CDI index, which provides a comprehensive description of the drought situation by combing four drought indices quantifying different drought aspects. The vulnerability results show that the majority of this region is highly exposed and sensitive to drought risks. In particular, the northern zone of the region is highly vulnerable, which is categorized by less‐crop diversity, higher land degradation, frequent droughts, and high‐poverty levels. This study provides valuable information for coping with climate change‐induced drought risk in this region and demonstrates that there is still a large room for enhancing the adaptation capacity in this region.
Furfuryl‐ and Maleimido Polysaccharides: Synthetic Strategies Toward Functional Biomaterials
Authors: Elschner Thomas , Obst Franziska , Heinze Thomas
Published: October 2018

In context with facile and efficient syntheses of functional polymeric materials, the combination of polysaccharides and functional moieties based on renewable resources is a sustainable and valuable approach. This review presents alternatives to prominent click reactions utilizing biopolymer derivatives with furfuryl and maleimide groups. On the one hand, the cross‐linking by Diels–Alder reaction of these polymers enables the synthesis of novel materials in the fields of self‐healing polymers, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. On the other hand, thiol‐ene click reactions allow their conjugation to complex (bio)molecules. Different synthetic strategies are reviewed and the applicability of functional materials is evaluated.
Comparison of superplastic forming abilities of as‐cast AZ91 magnesium alloy prepared by twin roll casting and WE43 magnesium alloy
Authors: Taylor S. , Janik V. , Grimes R. , Mogire E. , Dashwood R.
Published: October 2018

This paper describes and compares the superplastic behaviour and microstructural evolution of twin roll cast AZ91 and WE43 rolled sheet alloys. Tests were carried out in uniaxial tension on both alloys across a range of temperatures (300 °C–525 °C) and strain rates (1⋅10‐4 s‐1–1⋅10‐1 s‐1). In the case of WE43 gas bulge testing was employed at 400 °C and 0.6 MPa to offer a better analogy to superplastic forming than uniaxial tensile testing. Elongations of over 400 % were observed within WE43 when tested at 450 °C and 1⋅10‐3 s‐1 strain rate, and over 200 % within AZ91 when tested at 350 °C and 1⋅10‐3 s‐1 strain rate. A peak cone height of 41 mm was achieved with WE43 at a temperature of 400 °C and pressure of 0.6 MPa. Electron back scattered detection technique was employed to analyse the microstructural evolution of the two alloys during the forming process. Both WE43 and AZ91 were observed to undergo dynamic recrystallization during elevated temperature tensile testing and failed at low strain rates mainly by means of coalescence of cavitation, in the case of AZ91 at high strain rates cracking of Al12Mg17 intermetallic particles was the dominating failure mechanism. Both alloys were seen to achieve good levels of superplastic ductility over 200 % elongation, which would be industrially useful in niche vehicle and aerospace manufacturing.
Texture and mechanical properties of single crystal copper during equal channel angular pressing by route C
Authors: Guo T.B. , Li Q. , Wang C. , Jia Z. , Hu Y. , Tang X.C.
Published: October 2018

Single crystal copper has excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, but the lower strength seriously limited its application. Traditional strengthening methods, such as alloying, will severely damage its conductivity. Severe plastic deformation is the most effective methods for increasing the metals strength and not reducing the conductivity. The microstructure and texture evolution of single crystal copper (99.999 %) during equal channel angular pressing by route C was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, the mechanical properties and conductivity were tested, and the influence mechanism of texture and microstructure on mechanical properties and conductivity were analyzed. The results show that during equal channel angular pressing, the original <111> orientation gradually changed to <001>, accompany lots of low‐angle grain boundaries were formed. With strain increasing, the high‐angle grain boundaries increased gradually, and the deformation bands with <110> orientation was formed in the single crystal structure, which plays a positive role on the conductivity. After 5 passes, the tensile strength of single crystal copper increased from 168 MPa to 415 MPa by route A and 385 MPa by route C, and the elongation declined sharply from 63 % to 30 % and 27.9 %, respectively. After 16 passes, the hardness increased from 60.4 HV to 130.8 HV and the conductivity only slightly down.

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High‐performance Cu/Al laminated composites fabricated by horizontal twin‐roll casting
Authors: Liu S. Y. , Wang A. Q. , Lu S. J. , Xie J. P.
Published: October 2018

Horizontal twin‐roll casting technology was successfully introduced to produce high‐performance copper/aluminum (Cu/Al) laminated composites. The interface morphology, electrical properties and peeling strength after different annealing and cold rolling processes were investigated and contrasted with Cu/Al clad plates fabricated by conventional methods. The results show that sound metallurgical bonding between the copper and aluminum matrix can be attained after the horizontal twin‐roll casting processes and Al2Cu is the only intermetallics at the interfacial region, the thickness of interfacial interlayer is about 0.7 μm. The peeling strength is 31.4 N/mm and can be further increased to 37.1 N/mm after annealing at 250 °C. However, higher temperature like 400 °C will cause the excessive growth of intermetallics so that peeling strength sharply decreases to 9.2 N/mm. Electrical conductivity of the clad plate is 51 MS/m. At the same electrical current intensity, the temperature‐rise of the composite plate is between the pure copper plate and the aluminum plate, and closer to the copper plate. All of the properties are outstanding than that of Cu/Al clad plate fabricated by conventional methods.
Investigation of the damage evolution of metal inserts embedded in carbon fiber reinforced plastic by means of computed tomography and acoustic emission
Authors: Pottmeyer F. , Schlegel O. , Weidenmann K.A. , Merzkirch M.
Published: October 2018

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics are promising materials for lightweight structures, for instance in automotive applications due to their outstanding specific mechanical properties. However, the load transfer in structural carbon fiber reinforced plastics parts via a detachable connection poses a challenge for the composite. Conventionally, the parts have to be drilled for this purpose whereby the fiber continuity is interrupted and hence the associated local stress accumulation decreases the load bearing capacity of the composite. This can be prevented by using embedded metal elements, so‐called inserts, for joining parts in structures. The damage behavior under tensile loading of inserts turned out to be extremely complex and is based on different mechanisms. In order to understand the damage evolution under tensile loading detailed knowledge about the deformation of the insert, crack growth in the laminate and debonding between metal insert and carbon fiber reinforced plastics is necessary. This paper aims for an investigation of the in situ failure behavior during tensile loading of composite sheets equipped with two different types of inserts by means of acoustic emission and computed tomography analysis. An inductive strain gauge was additionally installed underneath the laminate when performing the tensile tests monitored by acoustic emission analysis.
The role of compatible solutes in desiccation resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Zeidler Sabine , Müller Volker
Published: October 2018

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen which can persist in the hospital environment not only due to the acquirement of multiple antibiotic resistances, but also because of its exceptional resistance against disinfectants and desiccation. A suitable desiccation assay was established in which A. baumannii ATCC 19606T survived for ca. 1 month. The growth medium slightly influenced survival after subsequent desiccation. A significant effect could be attributed to the growth phase in which bacteria were dried: In exponential phase, cells were much more desiccation sensitive. The main focus of the present study was the elucidation of the role of compatible solutes, which are known to protect many bacteria under low water activity conditions, in desiccation survival of A. baumannii. Exogenous trehalose was shown to efficiently protect A. baumannii on dry surfaces, in contrast to other compatible solutes tested such as mannitol or glycine betaine. To analyze the importance of intracellularly accumulated solutes, a double mutant lacking biosynthesis pathways for mannitol and trehalose was generated. This mutant accumulated glutamate as sole solute in the presence of high NaCl concentrations and showed severe growth defects under osmotic stress conditions. However, no effect on desiccation tolerance could be seen, neither when cells were dried in water nor in the presence of NaCl.
Evaluation of the self‐heating effect in a group of thermometers used in meteorological and climate applications
Authors: García Izquierdo Carmen , Hernández Sonia , González Alicia , Matias Laura , Šindelářová Lenka , Strnad Radek , del Campo Dolores
Published: October 2018

A procedure for the metrological evaluation of the self‐heating effect in resistance thermometers is reported. This procedure is applied to different designs of resistance thermometers, used for meteorological and climate applications. The study of the self‐heating effect variation with the applied electrical current, temperature and different surrounding environments is described, as well as the influence of wind speed on the self‐heating effect.
A comparison of preconditioned Krylov subspace methods for large‐scale nonsymmetric linear systems
Authors: Ghai Aditi , Lu Cao , Jiao Xiangmin
Published: October 2018

Preconditioned Krylov subspace (KSP) methods are widely used for solving large‐scale sparse linear systems arising from numerical solutions of partial differential equations (PDEs). These linear systems are often nonsymmetric due to the nature of the PDEs, boundary or jump conditions, or discretization methods. While implementations of preconditioned KSP methods are usually readily available, it is unclear to users which methods are the best for different classes of problems. In this work, we present a comparison of some KSP methods, including GMRES, TFQMR, BiCGSTAB, and QMRCGSTAB, coupled with three classes of preconditioners, namely, Gauss–Seidel, incomplete LU factorization (including ILUT, ILUTP, and multilevel ILU), and algebraic multigrid (including BoomerAMG and ML). Theoretically, we compare the mathematical formulations and operation counts of these methods. Empirically, we compare the convergence and serial performance for a range of benchmark problems from numerical PDEs in two and three dimensions with up to millions of unknowns and also assess the asymptotic complexity of the methods as the number of unknowns increases. Our results show that GMRES tends to deliver better performance when coupled with an effective multigrid preconditioner, but it is less competitive with an ineffective preconditioner due to restarts. BoomerAMG with a proper choice of coarsening and interpolation techniques typically converges faster than ML, but both may fail for ill‐conditioned or saddle‐point problems, whereas multilevel ILU tends to succeed. We also show that right preconditioning is more desirable. This study helps establish some practical guidelines for choosing preconditioned KSP methods and motivates the development of more effective preconditioners.
A hybrid variational Allen‐Cahn/ALE scheme for the coupled analysis of two‐phase fluid‐structure interaction
Authors: Joshi Vaibhav , Jaiman Rajeev K.
Published: October 2018

We present a partitioned iterative formulation for the modeling of fluid‐structure interaction (FSI) in two‐phase flows. The variational formulation consists of a stable and robust integration of three blocks of differential equations, viz, an incompressible viscous fluid, a rigid or flexible structure, and a two‐phase indicator field. The fluid‐fluid interface between the two phases, which may have high density and viscosity ratios, is evolved by solving the conservative phase‐field Allen‐Cahn equation in the arbitrary Lagrangian‐Eulerian coordinates. While the Navier‐Stokes equations are solved by a stabilized Petrov‐Galerkin method, the conservative Allen‐Cahn phase‐field equation is discretized by the positivity preserving variational scheme. Fully decoupled implicit solvers for the two‐phase fluid and the structure are integrated by the nonlinear iterative force correction in a staggered partitioned manner and the generalized‐α method is employed for the time marching. We assess the accuracy and stability of the phase‐field/ALE variational formulation for two‐ and three‐dimensional problems involving the dynamical interaction of rigid bodies with free surface. We consider the decay test problems of increasing complexity, namely, free translational heave decay of a circular cylinder and free rotation of a rectangular barge. Through numerical experiments, we show that the proposed formulation is stable and robust for high density ratios across fluid‐fluid interface and for low structure‐to‐fluid mass ratio with strong added‐mass effects. Overall, the proposed variational formulation produces results with high accuracy and compares well with available measurements and reference numerical data. Using unstructured meshes, we demonstrate the second‐order temporal accuracy of the coupled phase‐field/ALE method via decay test of a circular cylinder interacting with the free surface. Finally, we demonstrate the three‐dimensional phase‐field FSI formulation for a practical problem of internal two‐phase flow in a flexible circular pipe subjected to vortex‐induced vibrations due to external fluid flow.
Anthropometry Versus Imaging for Prediction of Inflammation Among Hispanic Girls
Authors: Bea Jennifer W. , Funk Janet , Hetherington‐Rauth Megan , Wertheim Betsy C. , Mosquiera Lucia , Thuraisingam Ravina , Lee Vinson , Blew Robert , Lohman Timothy , Roe Denise J. , Going Scott
Published: October 2018

Objective: This study aimed to compare total and regional estimates of body composition, by direct and indirect techniques, for the optimal prediction of C‐reactive protein (CRP) among young (aged 9‐12 years) Hispanic girls (N = 232).

Methods: Standard anthropometric techniques were used to measure height, weight, and waist circumference. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) assessed body composition. Fasting serum CRP was measured by the AU5812 Clinical Chemistry Analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Brea, California). Associations between each total and regional body composition parameter and CRP were tested using linear regression (log‐transformed, continuous CRP) and ordinal logistic regression (CRP < 1.0, ≥ 1.0‐2.9, and ≥ 3.0 mg/L), controlling for maturation, dietary energy, physical activity, and medications.

Results: All measures of total and regional body fat were positively associated with CRP (P < 0.0001) except for intermuscular fat by pQCT. There were no clinically relevant differences in their association with CRP between anthropometric (BMI; waist circumference) and DXA‐derived (total fat and regional fat: trunk, gynoid, android fat, leg) measures of fat.

Conclusions: Measurement of body habitus in Hispanic girls, by multiple commonly available means, predicts CRP equally well.
Habitual Sleep Measures are Associated with Overall Body Fat, and not Specifically with Visceral Fat, in Men and Women
Authors: Dekker Sigrid A. , Noordam Raymond , Biermasz Nienke R , de Roos Albert , Lamb Hildo J. , Rosendaal Frits R. , Rensen Patrick C.N. , van Heemst Diana , de Mutsert Renée
Published: October 2018

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the associations of sleep duration and sleep quality with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in middle‐aged individuals.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional analysis of baseline measurements of the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) study, participants underwent anthropometry and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for assessing short sleep duration (as sex‐specific age‐adjusted percentiles) and poor quality (PSQI > 5). VAT was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in a random subgroup. We performed linear regression analyses to examine associations of short sleep and poor sleep with measures of body fat, adjusted for confounding, including total body fat in models with VAT.

Results

A total of 5,094 participants (52% women; mean age of 56 [SD 6] years), 1,947 of whom had VAT measurements, were analyzed. The difference in VAT between poor sleep (PSQI > 5) and good sleep (PSQI ≤ 5) was 7.2cm2 (95% CI: 1.2‐13.8) in women and 16.1cm2 (95% CI: 6.2‐26.0) in men. These differences attenuated toward the null after the adjustment for total body fat. Similar patterns of associations were observed for short sleep (lowest 10% compared with median 60%).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that measures of sleep are not specifically associated with a higher amount of VAT.
Body Composition Percentiles in Urban South Indian Children and Adolescents
Authors: Kuriyan Rebecca , Selvan Sumithra , Thomas Tinku , Jayakumar Jayakumar , Lokesh Deepa P. , Phillip Mamatha P. , Aravind Jini V. , Kurpad Anura V.
Published: October 2018

Objective

This study aimed to generate age‐ and sex‐specific percentiles for body composition indices in children and to assess the variability in these indices, in relation to BMI.

Methods

Anthropometry and body fat were measured with the BOD POD (Cosmed; Rome, Italy) in 9,702 children from Bangalore, India. Smoothed percentile curves using the lambda‐mu‐sigma method were obtained for BMI, fat‐free mass index (FFMI), fat mass index (FMI), and body fat percentage (% BF).

Results

Percentile curves for % BF and FMI in boys increased from 6 to 12 years and declined from 13 years on, while in girls, it increased until 15 years. The FFMI percentile curves increased with age in both sexes. The mean FMI declined from 12 years on in boys, corresponding to a large increase in FFMI from that age, while in girls, both FMI and FFMI continued to increase. The 75th percentile of % BF and FMI had greater sensitivity to identify children with obesity.

Conclusions

This study developed smoothed percentile curves for body composition in Indian children and suggests FMI and FFMI as good indicators of growth in children.
Improve Operations by Developing Staff Versatility
Authors: Geisenhoff Jack , Wiman David R.
Published: October 2018

Columbia Water, the water/wastewater utility in Columbia, S.C., developed and implemented a plan to reorganize its workforce. The result improved operational effectiveness by empowering workers to develop a wide range of operator skills.
Identify Critical Valves and Their Influence on System Operations
Authors: Rodriguez Shannon
Published: October 2018

Some valves are more important than others when it comes to mitigating the effects of planned and unplanned large‐scale events.
Fine‐tune Operations Beyond Manufacturer Specifications
Authors: Seabold Bill , Rogers Andrea , Vaillancourt Francis , Vial Denis , Berg Peter
Published: October 2018

Membrane water treatment plants are typically operated within supplier recommendations, but experienced plant operators may modify process parameters to evaluate their effect on running costs, maintenance, and performance.
Amniotic fluid cell‐free DNA in preterm prelabor rupture of membranes
Authors: Kacerovsky Marian , Vlkova Barbora , Musilova Ivana , Andrys Ctirad , Pliskova Lenka , Zemlickova Helena , Stranik Jaroslav , Halada Petr , Jacobsson Bo , Celec Peter
Published: October 2018

Introduction

We evaluated the levels of cell‐free nuclear DNA (nDNA) and cell‐free mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the amniotic fluid supernatant from pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) based on evidence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and/or intra‐amniotic inflammation (IAI).

Material and methods

A total of 155 women with PPROM were included in this study. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis. The levels of cell‐free nDNA and mtDNA in the amniotic fluid supernatant were assessed and quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The levels of cell‐free nDNA and mtDNA were higher in women with MIAC and IAI than in women without these conditions (nDNA: with MIAC: median 3.9 × 104 genome equivalent [GE]/mL vs without MIAC: median 1.2 × 104 GE/mL, with IAI: median: 5.3 × 104 GE/mL vs without IAI: median 1.2 × 104 GE/mL; mtDNA: with MIAC: median 9.2 × 105 GE/mL vs without MIAC: median 2.5 × 105 GE/mL, with IAI: median 1.1 × 106 GE/mL vs without IAI: median 2.5 × 105; all P values ≤ 0.01). Women with the microbial‐associated IAI showed the highest levels of cell‐free nDNA and mtDNA.

Conclusions

Cell‐free nDNA and mtDNA are constituents of the amniotic fluid supernatant from PPROM pregnancies. Both cell‐free nDNA and mtDNA are involved in the intra‐amniotic inflammatory response in women with PPROM.
WTe2 Synthesis by Tellurization of W Precursors Using Isothermal Close Space Vapor Transport Annealing
Authors: de Melo Osvaldo , Sánchez María , Borroto Alejandro , de Melo Claudia , García Basilio J. , Pau José L. , Horwat David
Published: October 2018

The preparation of WTe2 by isothermal tellurium annealing of sputtered W or WO3 precursors is reported. X‐ray diffraction, energy dispersive, and Raman spectroscopies confirm the presence of 1T́ WTe2 phase in the annealed films which are preferentially oriented with the [001] crystallographic direction normal to the surface. Atomic force microscopy images indicate noticeable morphology differences between thin samples tellurized from different precursors. Rounded small grains or small platelets are obtained when W and WO3 precursor are used, respectively.
Effect of Hot Pressing on the Electrochemical Performance of Multilayer Holey Graphene Materials in Li‐ion Batteries
Authors: Stolyarova Svetlana G. , Okotrub Alexander V. , Shubin Yury V. , Asanov Igor P. , Galitsky Alexander A. , Bulusheva Lyubov G.
Published: October 2018

Annealing and pressing are useful for improvement of the structural ordering of graphitic materials. Depending on the processing conditions, this may cause a gain or deteriorate the performances of graphitic anodes in batteries. In the present work, we study the effect of hot pressing on the interaction of multilayer holey graphene (HG) material with lithium ions. The initial HG sample with the holes of about 0.6–2 nm was pressured at 100 bar and room temperature, 600 °C, and 800 °C or at 500 bar and 800 °C. The analysis of the samples using X‐ray diffraction detected an increase in the thickness of graphene stacks after pressing. Electrochemical tests revealed the best performance for the HG sample produced at 100 bar and 600 °C. A rise of the temperature and pressure reduces the contribution from cross‐plane diffusion of lithium ions in the HG capacity.
Exploring Surface Effects in Co Doped ZnO Nanowires With Hybrid‐Density Functional Theory
Authors: da Rosa Andreia L. , Tacca Leticia L. , Frauenheim Thomas
Published: October 2018

In this work, density‐functional theory with hybrid functionals is employed to investigate the atomic and electronic structure of bare and hydrogenated Co doped ZnO nanowires. It is found that, in the absence of passivation on the nanowire surface, the cobalt atoms segregate to the surface. On the other hand, under hydrogen passivation, the incorporation of Co is more favorable at inner sites. This suggests that the incorporation of Co in nanostructures has a dependence on the environment and may be facilitated by adsorption of external atoms and relaxation of the wire surface.
A control scheme for monitoring process covariance matrices with more variables than observations
Authors: Li Zhonghua , Tsung Fugee
Published: October 2018

In this paper, we propose a new control chart that integrates a powerful high‐dimensional covariance matrix test with the exponentially weighted moving average procedure for monitoring high‐dimensional variability with individual observations. Design and implementation of the proposed chart are provided, including search algorithm and a table for the control limits, diagnostic aids after the signal, effect of misspecifying the in‐control distribution, and a bootstrap procedure. Monte Carlo simulation results show that the new chart, with its powerful inherited properties, provides satisfactory performance in various cases, especially for covariance shifts that involve diagonal components. The application of the proposed method is illustrated with a real data example from a white wine production process.
A Facile Route for Oriented Covalent Immobilization of Recombinant Protein A on Epoxy Agarose Gels: In Situ Generation of Heterofunctional Amino‐Epoxy Supports
Authors: Yang Jiamei , Sun Lifen , Guo Renling , Yang Haiyan , Feng Xiyun , Zhang Xufeng
Published: October 2018

The poor reactivity between proteins and epoxy agarose gels limits studies of many protein‐agarose conjugates. We present here a novel and simple strategy for oriented covalent immobilization of recombinant protein A (rSpA) on epoxy agarose gels. The method can be basically considered as an immobilization of proteins on the heterofunctional amino‐epoxy agarose gels generated in situ. The epoxy agarose gel was directly incubated with rSpA solution containing ethylenediamine (EDA). The presence of EDA during immobilization permits the generation of an in‐situ heterofunctional amino‐epoxy agarose gel, which permits the ion exchange of rSpA and the following covalent reaction with the epoxy groups. The immobilization efficiency of more than 90% could be achieved by controlling the EDA concentration and pH. Interestingly, the obtained rSpA‐agarose conjugates (rSpA@Aga) using the strategy exhibits approximately 20% higher human IgG‐binding capacity than those through the immobilization of rSpA on the heterofunctional amino‐epoxy agarose gel. Moreover, the resultant rSpA@Aga can selectively adsorb Fc type antibodies and hardly adsorb albumin. Therefore, an effective strategy to develop a high IgG‐binding adsorbent is provided, showing potential applications for hemoperfusion in blood purified therapy.
Nitrogen‐Rich Ligands Directed Transition Metal (Co/Ni/Zn) 3,5‐Dinitrobenzoic Acid Energetic Complexes: Syntheses, Crystal Structures and Properties
Authors: Li Zhimin , Zhang Yanqiang , Yuan YuTao , Jiao Nianming , Liu Long
Published: October 2018

Energetic transition metal (Co/Ni/Zn) complexes based on 3,5‐dinitrobenzoic acid (DNBA), 1,5‐diaminotetrazole (DAT), and semicarbazide (SCZ) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. The structures of the nine complexes were confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction as: [Co(DNBA)2(H2O)4⋅4(H2O)] (1), [Ni(DNBA)2(H2O)4⋅4(H2O)] (2), [Zn(DNBA)2]n (3), Co(SCZ)2(DNBA)2 (4), Ni(SCZ)2(DNBA)2 (5), Zn(SCZ)2(DNBA)2 (6), Co(DAT)2(DNBA)2(H2O)2 (7), Ni(DAT)2(DNBA)2(H2O)2 (8), Zn(DAT)2(DNBA)2(H2O)2 (9). It is worth mentioning that 3 exhibits a fascinating trigonal helical chain architecture bridged along the c‐axis by Zn(II) and carboxylic O atoms. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) analyses were applied to assess the thermal decomposition processes and the non‐isothermal kinetics parameters. The decomposition temperatures of 1–9 are in the range of 190 °C to 374 °C, which of 1, 2 and 3 are higher than 350 °C, 7 possesses the lowest decomposition temperatures. The nitro‐rich ligands advanced the thermal decompositions of these complexes. The sensitivities toward impact and friction were tested according to a standard BAM method, and resulting that all the energetic complexes are much lower sensitive than primary explosive lead azide.
A Facile Synthesis of Organotin(IV) Carboxylates: Application as Single Source Precursor for Deposition of Tin Oxide Thin Films and Evaluation of Biological Activities
Authors: Butt Arshad Farooq , Bhatti Moazzam Hussain , Aamir Muhammad , Ch Muhammad Aziz , Tahir Muhammad Nawaz , Sher Muhammad , Ahmed Mirza Jamil , Akhtar Javeed
Published: October 2018

Herein, we report synthesis of novel organotin(IV) carboxylates i.e; [(C6H5)3Sn(C10H14NO3)] B1 and [(C4H9)3Sn(C10H14NO3)] B2 by reacting triphenyltin hydroxide and bis(tributyltin) oxide with as‐prepared ligand 3‐cyclohexylcarbamoyl‐acrylic acid A under inert atmosphere. The as‐synthesized complexes were characterized by elemental analysis (CHNS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR) and mass spectrometry (EI‐MS). The structures of both as‐prepared tin complexes B1 and B2 were determined by single crystal X‐ray crystallography. Thermogravimetric analysis has shown single step decomposition of both these complexes. The as‐prepared complexes were used as single source precursor for the deposition of tin oxide thin films at 350 °C and 400 °C by aerosol assisted chemical deposition (AACVD) on bare and at 400 °C on carbon nanodots pre‐coated glass substrate. The as‐deposited thin films were characterized by powdered X‐rays diffraction (pXRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE‐SEM) and energy dispersive X‐rays spectroscopy (EDX). Furthermore, antimicrobial, anti‐oxidant and cytotoxicity studies of both complexes showed moderate to good biological activities. Thus, as‐prepared novel complexes have potential applications in materials as‐well as in medicinal chemistry.
Deriving a Statistically Reliable Abundance Index from Landings Data: An Application to the Taiwanese Coastal Dolphinfish Fishery with a Multispecies Feature
Authors: Chang Shui‐Kai , Yuan Tzu‐Lun , Wang Sheng‐Ping , Chang Yi‐Jay , DiNardo Gerard
Published: October 2018

Data from coastal fisheries are often incomplete, as these fisheries are usually small in scale, rendering them exempt from logbook submission requirements. The catch of Dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus by Taiwanese fisheries once ranked second in the world but has dramatically declined to very low levels in recent years. To address this decline, assessment of a Dolphinfish abundance index was necessary. However, due to the small scale of the fisheries, logbook data were not available to calculate CPUE. This study aimed to estimate a statistically reliable index by (1) assigning effort matrices to landings data using coastal surveillance radar data; (2) standardizing the 2001–2015 CPUEs while using four approaches (classifying fishing tactics by multivariate techniques and principal components analysis) to differentiate the fisheries' effort toward catching Dolphinfish from the effort toward other target species; and (3) evaluating performance of the standardization models by using an R2 estimated by cross‐validation and bootstrap procedures. The approach that used a delta‐generalized additive model with a direct principal components procedure demonstrated the best fit. This study presents an example of deriving a statistically reliable abundance index from the data‐incomplete situations common for coastal fisheries, which allows for follow‐up population dynamics studies. The resulting index for Dolphinfish in the Taiwanese region showed two 7‐year cycles, with a prominent decline in 2015. Reasons for the fluctuation are unknown but may be due to environmental factors, the fast‐growing nature of the fish, and heavy exploitation of the stock by Taiwanese fisheries.
Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Biomass‐Derived Hierarchical Porous Heteroatom‐Doped Carbon from Bamboo Shoots: Design, Synthesis and Applications
Authors: Song Tao , Yang Yong
Published: October 2018

Heteroatom‐doped porous carbon derived from biomass have recently received increasing attention due to their unique properties such as high electrical conductivity, large specific surface area, high porosity, and easy availability, which are appealing materials for versatile applications in catalysis, energy, separation and adsorption, and life sciences as well. On the basis of our previous work in this field, we summarized in this account our recent progress on design, synthesis of metal (e. g., Pd, Co) nanoparticles supported heteroatom‐doped hierarchical porous carbon material derived from bamboo shoots and their applications for important organic transformations, including chemoselective semihydrogenation of alkynes, hydrosilylation of alkynes, cascade synthesis of benzofurans from terminal alkynes and iodophenols, selective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes to form anilines, imines, and formamides. Finally, the current state and future challenges in this field are discussed. We hope this account could shed light on the rational design of novel non‐noble metal based heterogeneous catalysts derived from biomass for efficient and sustainable organic transformations.
Recent Progress in Sublimable Cationic Iridium(III) Complexes for Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Ma Dongxin , Duan Lian
Published: October 2018

Sublimable cationic iridium(III) complexes consisting of light‐emitting coordinated iridium(III) cations and nonluminous negative counter‐ions, show excellent photophysical properties, superior electrochemical behaviors and high thermal stabilities, therefore have emerged as a new library of phosphorescent materials for various organic optoelectronic devices. Here we summarize and highlight the recent progress in sublimable cationic iridium(III) complexes, regarding the material design strategies, synthetic routes, photoluminescent characteristics in both solutions and neat films, together with the current utilization in organic light‐emitting diodes based on the emissive material layers fabricated by vacuum evaporation deposition. Finally, we present a brief outlook thereon, indicating the great promise and brilliant application prospect of sublimable cationic iridium(III) complexes in future flat‐panel display and solid‐state lighting technology.
Effects of natural weathering on the degradation of alkaline‐treated peanut shell filled recycled polypropylene composites
Authors: Zaaba Nor Fasihah , Ismail Hanafi
Published: October 2018

The present work evaluates the potential of the natural filler peanut shell powder (PSP) on the properties and degradation behavior of alkaline‐treated PSP filled recycled polypropylene (RPP) composites. For this purpose, 0–40 wt% of untreated PSP and hydrogen peroxide‐treated PSP were incorporated into RPP composites that were fabricated via a melt‐mixing molding system. The fabricated composites were exposed to the natural environment of Penang, Malaysia for 6 months. The properties of both untreated and treated RPP/PSP composites were assessed. Results showed that the tensile properties of the treated RPP/PSP composites were higher than that of the untreated RPP/PSP composites. The treated RPP/PSP composites were less affected by weathering degradation compared to the untreated RPP/PSP composites. An increase in the carbonyl index of both composites also confirmed that some degradation had taken place. On comparing the crystallinity of both composites, the treated composites showed lower crystallinity than untreated composites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:26–34, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Public Policy, Big Data, and Counterfactual Evaluation: An Illustration from an Employment Activation Programme
Authors: Martins Pedro S.
Published: October 2018

Active labour market policies are regarded as an important tool to reduce unemployment in several countries. This chapter describes the design, implementation and evaluation of one such policy, based on the strengthening of the activation efforts (in particular job search support and monitoring) conducted by the public employment services of Portugal since 2012. The analysis draws on rich longitudinal data, the programme’s focus on those unemployed for at least 6 months and (fuzzy) regression discontinuity methods. The results indicate that, despite the weak labour market and relatively light intensity of the intervention, the programme doubled the probability that participating jobseekers become employed. The chapter also draws a number of public policy lessons from this programme and its evaluation.