bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kumarajiva: “Great Man” and Cultural Event
Authors: Felbur Rafal
Published: December 2019

Kumarajiva (Kumārajīva, fl. early fifth centuryce) was one of the most important translators of Indic Buddhist literature into Chinese. This chapter explores the historical context of his activity, presents an overview of the translations attributed to him, and considers the reasons for their remarkable vitality in the Sinitic cultural sphere.
Mahabharata: Brahmins, Kings, and the South Asian Social World
Authors: Obrock Luther
Published: December 2019

The
Mahabharata
(
Mahābhārata
) is a Sanskrit epic poem telling of the battle between two sets of cousins, the five Pandavas (Pāṇḍavas) and their rivals, the 100 Kauravas. Through a process of expansion and redaction, the
Mahabharata
became a foundational text of Hindu society, discussing the just society, the roles of priests and warriors, duty, violence, and kingship. The
Mahabharata
presents a literary vision which both critically responded to and creatively engaged with both South Asia's Vedic past and its religiously and politically altered present. Yet the story and themes of the
Mahabharata
continue to be productive long after the Sanskrit text's first promulgation. The epic has produced numerous tellings, each adapting and speaking to new contexts and audiences.
The
Shijing
: The Beginnings of Chinese (and East Asian) Poetry
Authors: Beecroft Alexander
Published: December 2019

The poems of the
Shijing
are the earliest poems recorded in Chinese, and one of the foundations of the classical Chinese literary tradition. The
Shijing
is an anthology of 300 ancient Chinese poems, whose selection is traditionally attributed to Confucius. More recent scholarship suggests the poems were created from c. 900 to c. 500
bce
, and compiled in their present form beginning around the late fourth century
bce
. The four sections of the anthology (
Airs of the States, Lesser Odes, Greater Odes
, and
Temple Hymns
) contain a wide variety of poems on themes ranging from love and daily life among the people to the mythology and history of the Zhou dynasty. The traditional interpretation of the collection was strongly moralizing, but modern scholars have argued that many of the poems may have had a popular, oral, and non‐political origin.
Metal Clusters on Semiconductor Surfaces and Application in Catalysis with a Focus on Au and Ru
Authors: Howard‐Fabretto Liam , Andersson Gunther G.
Published: December 2019

Metal clusters typically consist of two to a few hundred atoms and have unique properties that change with the type and number of atoms that form the cluster. Metal clusters can be generated with a precise number of atoms, and therefore have specific size, shape, and electronic structures. When metal clusters are deposited onto a substrate, their shape and electronic structure depend on the interaction with the substrate surface and thus depend on the properties of both the clusters and those of the substrate. Deposited metal clusters have discrete, individual electron energy levels that differ from the electron energy levels in the constituting individual atoms, isolated clusters, and the respective bulk material. The properties of clusters with a focus on Au and Ru, the methods to generate metal clusters, and the methods of deposition of clusters onto substrate surfaces are covered. The properties of cluster‐modified surfaces are important for their application. The main application covered here is catalysis, and the methods for characterization of the cluster‐modified surfaces are described.
Renal Clearable Theranostic Nanoplatforms for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Authors: Kang Homan , Stiles Wesley R. , Baek Yoonji , Nomura Shinsuke , Bao Kai , Hu Shuang , Park G. Kate , Jo Min Joo , I Hoseok , Coll Jean‐Luc , Rubin Brian P. , Choi Hak Soo
Published: December 2019

Advances in molecular imaging modalities have accelerated the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. However, tumors less than 1 cm in size still remain difficult to localize by conventional means because of the difficulty in specific targeting/delivery to the tumor site. Furthermore, high nonspecific uptake in the major organs and persistent background retention results in low tumor‐to‐background ratio. The targeting and therapy of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) using nonsticky and renal clearable theranostic nanoparticles (a.k.a. H‐Dots) are demonstrated. H‐Dots not only target GIST for image‐guided surgery, but also tailor the fate of anticancer drugs such as imatinib (IM) to the tumor site resulting in efficient treatment of unresectable GIST. In addition, H‐Dots can monitor targetability, pharmacokinetics, and drug delivery, while also showing therapeutic efficacy in GIST‐bearing xenograft mice following surgical resection. More importantly, IM loaded H‐Dots exhibit lower uptake into the immune system, improved tumor selectivity, and increased tumor suppression compared to free IM, which accumulates in the spleen/liver. Precisely designed H‐Dots can be used as a promising theranostic nanoplatform that can potentially reduce the side effects of conventional chemotherapies.
Switching between Elasticity and Plasticity by Network Strength Competition
Authors: Ming Zunzhen , Pang Yan , Liu Jinyao
Published: December 2019

Switching a material between highly elastic and plastic would be of great use in many fields but has proven to be extremely challenging. Here, the use of mechanical strength competition between two networks in a hybrid material is reported to switch between elasticity and plasticity. In a gel material composed of an elastic polymer network and a shear‐thinning nanofiber network, the excellent elasticity of the gel is demonstrated when the former is stronger than the latter. In contrast, the gel exhibits an extraordinary plasticity, which can be stretched to form a permanent anisotropic and tough gel due to the orientation of the nanofibers. The mechanical strength of each network can be simply tuned by adjusting either the crosslinking density or the loading of the nanofibers. This work may open a window to transform a material between superior elastic and plastic, which is useful for the development of adaptable materials.
Active Anisotropic Coding Metasurface with Independent Real‐Time Reconfigurability for Dual Polarized Waves
Authors: Chen Ke , Zhang Na , Ding Guowen , Zhao Junming , Jiang Tian , Feng Yijun
Published: December 2019

Active metasurfaces incorporated with active elements can achieve tunable and/or reconfigurable functionalities controlled by external stimuli, providing a new platform that may radically change the way people dynamically manipulate electromagnetic waves. Despite the rapid growth, most of the active metasurfaces so far are polarization‐sensitive structures that only support tunable responses for excitation with a certain single polarization. Here, an ultrathin active anisotropic metasurface loaded with voltage‐controlled varactors is reported to enable independent dual‐polarization wavefront control. In particular, multichannel voltage output hardware system is used to realize 1‐bit and 2‐bit active coding metasurface with real‐time reconfigurability independent for two linear‐polarization channels. As the design examples, it is experimentally demonstrated that the far‐field scattering behaviors of the metasurface for orthogonal two polarizations can be dynamically and independently tuned with totally distinct functionalities by simultaneously encoding dual‐channel spatial coding sequences. The proposed concept of active anisotropy has largely enhanced the information capacity of the metasurface, bringing new degrees of freedom in achieving versatile tunable functionalities and offering untapped potentials for sophisticated electromagnetic wave manipulation such as dynamical signal processing, holography, arbitrary beam shaping, etc.
Bridging R2R Printed Wireless 1 Bit‐Code Generator with an Electrophoretic QR Code Acting as WORM for NFC Carrier Enabled Authentication Label
Authors: Sun Junfeng , Shrestha Kiran , Park Hyejin , Yadav Pravesh , Parajuli Sajjan , Lee Seunggun , Shrestha Sagar , Koirala Gyan Raj , Kim Yushin , Marotrao Kale Amol , Maskey Bijendra Bishow , Olaoluwa Ojo Charles , Park Jinhwa , Jang Hyewon , Lim Namsoo , Jung Younsu , Cho Gyoujin
Published: December 2019

Printed electronics are challenged for showing the working concept of the roll‐to‐roll (R2R) printed 13.56 MHz passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for the application in wireless identification (ID) and authentication to prevent counterfeits with the cost of a penny. However, the concept of the penny RFID tag is not successful yet because of the major limit in integrating a number logic gates by a high throughput R2R printing method. Herein, a new way of printed electronics is developed by integrating an electrophoretic quick response (QR) code as write once read many type of memory circuitry to integrate with a R2R printed wireless 1‐bit code generator. Through the electrophoretic QR code integration with the wireless 1‐bit code generator, only six logic gates (12 thin film transistors) are enough to wirelessly provide 2953 bytes of authentic information by utilizing two functions of smartphone, near field communication, and camera.
Hollow MXene Sphere/Reduced Graphene Aerogel Composites for Piezoresistive Sensor with Ultra‐High Sensitivity
Authors: Zhu Meng , Yue Yang , Cheng Yongfa , Zhang Yanan , Su Jun , Long Fei , Jiang Xueliang , Ma Yanan , Gao Yihua
Published: December 2019

Pressure sensing is key to smart wearable electronics and human–machine interaction interfaces. To achieve a high‐performance pressure sensor that has broad linear range and is capable of detecting subtle changes of pressure, the good choice of sensing materials and rational design of structures are both needed. A novel piezoresistive sensor based on hollow MXene spheres/reduced graphene composite aerogel and flexible interdigital electrodes is presented. Benefiting from the unique microstructure of the composite aerogel, the prepared pressure sensor exhibits high sensitivity (609 kPa−1 in the range of 6.4–10 kPa), broad linear range (0–10 kPa), low detection limit (6 Pa), short response time (232 ms), and good durability (6000 cycles). Moreover, the device is able to monitor various human activities in real time, as well as distinguish tiny differences of grain. The potential application of mapping the location and intensity of the pressures is also explored.
Air‐Stable and Dendrite‐Free Lithium Metal Anodes Enabled by a Hybrid Interphase of C60 and Mg
Authors: Xu Qingshuai , Lin Jiajin , Ye Changchun , Jin Xiaojing , Ye Daiqi , Lu Yingying , Zhou Guangmin , Qiu Yongcai , Li Weishan
Published: December 2019

Li metal is an ideal anode material for rechargeable high energy density batteries, but its sensitivity to humid air and uncontrolled dendrite growth limit its practical applications. A novel hybrid interphase is fabricated to address these issues. This interphase consists of dense fullerene (C60) and magnesium metal bilayers, which are deposited successively on lithium foil by vacuum evaporation deposition and contribute to moisture resistance and lithium dendrite suppression. Thanks to this dual‐functional feature, the assembled cells with the modified anodes and commercial LiFePO4 cathodes exhibit long cycle life (>200 cycles) with high capacity retention (>98.5%). Moreover, even the modified anodes that are exposed to humid air (30% relative humidity) for over 12 h; the cells still deliver excellent performance, comparable to those without exposure. Such a unique hybrid interphase provides a new promising method for fabricating air‐stable and dendrite‐free lithium metal batteries.
Mapping Enzyme Activity on Tissue by Functional Mass Spectrometry Imaging
Authors: Hamilton Brett R. , Marshall David L. , Casewell Nicholas R. , Harrison Robert A. , Blanksby Stephen J. , Undheim Eivind A. B.
Published: December 2019

Enzymes are central components of most physiological processes, and are consequently implicated in various pathologies. High‐resolution maps of enzyme activity within tissues therefore represent powerful tools for elucidating enzymatic functions in health and disease. Here, we present a novel mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) method for assaying the spatial distribution of enzymatic activity directly from tissue. MSI analysis of tissue sections exposed to phospholipid substrates produced high‐resolution maps of phospholipase activity and specificity, which could subsequently be compared to histological images of the same section. Functional MSI thus represents a new and generalisable method for imaging biological activity in situ.
The Importance of 1,5‐Oxygen⋅⋅⋅Chalcogen Interactions in Enantioselective Isochalcogenourea Catalysis
Authors: Young Claire M. , Elmi Alex , Pascoe Dominic J. , Morris Rylie K. , McLaughlin Calum , Woods Andrew M. , Frost Aileen B. , de la Houpliere Alix , Ling Kenneth B. , Smith Terry K. , Slawin Alexandra M. Z. , Willoughby Patrick H. , Cockroft Scott L. , Smith Andrew D.
Published: December 2019

The importance of 1,5‐O⋅⋅⋅chalcogen (Ch) interactions in isochalcogenourea catalysis (Ch=O, S, Se) is investigated. Conformational analyses of N‐acyl isochalcogenouronium species and comparison with kinetic data demonstrate the significance of 1,5‐O⋅⋅⋅Ch interactions in enantioselective catalysis. Importantly, the selenium analogue demonstrates enhanced rate and selectivity profiles across a range of reaction processes including nitronate conjugate addition and formal [4+2] cycloadditions. A gram‐scale synthesis of the most active selenium analogue was developed using a previously unreported seleno‐Hugerschoff reaction, allowing the challenging kinetic resolutions of tertiary alcohols to be performed at 500 ppm catalyst loading. Density functional theory (DFT) and natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations support the role of orbital delocalization (occurring by intramolecular chalcogen bonding) in determining the conformation, equilibrium population, and reactivity of N‐acylated intermediates.
An Activity‐Based Sensing Approach for the Detection of Cyclooxygenase‐2 in Live Cells
Authors: Yadav Anuj K. , Reinhardt Christopher J. , Arango Andres S. , Huff Hannah C. , Dong Liang , Malkowski Michael G. , Das Aditi , Tajkhorshid Emad , Chan Jefferson
Published: December 2019

Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) overexpression is prominent in inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Directly monitoring COX‐2 activity within its native environment poses an exciting approach to account for and illuminate the effect of the local environments on protein activity. Herein, we report the development of CoxFluor, the first activity‐based sensing approach for monitoring COX‐2 within live cells with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. CoxFluor strategically links a natural substrate with a dye precursor to engage both the cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities of COX‐2. This catalyzes the release of resorufin and the natural product, as supported by molecular dynamics and ensemble docking. CoxFluor enabled the detection of oxygen‐dependent changes in COX‐2 activity that are independent of protein expression within live macrophage cells.
Mechanism on The Disproportionating Synthesis of Dichlorodimethyl‐ silane by ZSM‐5(5 T)@γ‐Al2O3 Series Core‐Shell Catalysts
Authors: Xu Wenyuan , Yan Fei , Yang Shaoming , Guo Zanru , Hu Lin , He Zhongyi , Hong Sanguo
Published: December 2019

In view of the wide application of organosilicon bifunctional structure in industry, the most effective disproportionation solution is used by the new catalyst to prepare the largest and the most versatile organic silicon monomer dimethyldichlorosilane. However, there are still remaining doubts on the disproportionation mechanism of the catalyst. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) was used to theoretically calculate the disproportionation mechanism of 5 T clusters ZSM‐5@γ‐Al2O3 series catalysts at the B3LYP/6–311++G(3df, 2pd) level. The properties were verified and the catalytic effects of different active sites pre‐ and post‐ modified by AlCl3 were calculated and compared. The active center of HZSM‐5@γ‐Al2O3 was proton, and that of AlCl3/ZSM‐5@γ‐Al2O3 changed to lewis acidic center. The presence of the lewis acid center enhances the total activity of the catalyst to some extent. The catalytic activity of the 5 T cluster ZSM‐5@γ‐Al2O3 catalyst modified by AlCl3 was higher, which was the same as the experimental results.
Thermal treatment of pyrolytic lignin and polyethylene terephthalate toward carbon fiber production
Authors: Qu Wangda , Bai Xianglan
Published: December 2019

In this work, pyrolytic lignin (PL) was thermally co‐treated with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to produce carbon fiber precursor. The produced PL‐PET precursors were thoroughly characterized and analyzed, and then being processed into carbon fiber. It was found that a novel precursor, rather than their physical blending, was formed by the thermal co‐treatment, indicating there were strong interactions between PL and PET. The novel PL‐PET precursors had enhanced thermal properties and rheological characteristics, therefore are more suitable for processing into better carbon fibers based on melt‐spinning method. In this study, the precursor fibers derived from the co‐treatment of PL and 5% PET were also stretched under tension during stabilization step to reduce the fiber diameter and improve molecular orientation. The resulting carbon fibers with an average diameter of 12.6 μm had the tensile strength of up to 1220 MPa. This work demonstrated that PET could be used to improve the processability and quality of lignin‐based carbon fiber when it is chemically bonded with lignin‐based precursor. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48843.
Influence of the addition of PEG into PCL‐based waterborne polyurethane‐urea dispersions and films properties
Authors: Vadillo Julen , Larraza Izaskun , Arbelaiz Aitor , Corcuera Maria Angeles , Save Maud , Derail Christophe , Eceiza Arantxa
Published: December 2019

In this work, segmented waterborne polyurethane‐urea (WBPUU) dispersions containing hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in different molar ratios are synthesized and used for the subsequent preparation of films by casting. The molar ratio of PEG is gradually increased up to 0.20 in order to analyze the effect of low hydrophilic PEG content (from 1.7 to 7.1 wt %) on the properties of resulting dispersions and films. Regarding the dispersions, the addition of PEG results in an increase of the particle size, from 86 ± 1 in the case of pure PCL‐based system to 112 ± 15 for systems containing 7.1 wt % of PEG, as well as in the formation of a core–shell structure in the particles. Films show different behaviors depending on their PEG content. WBPUUs containing just PCL or very low content of PEG in the soft segment present higher stiffness. However, the addition of PEG in a content of 3.4 wt % or higher hinder the ability of the short‐range ordering of the hard segment, increasing the elongation at break from 842 ± 102 MPa for PCL‐based WBPUU to 1312 ± 84 MPa for the system with the highest PEG content. Systems with higher PEG content form nanoparticles with more segregated core–shell structures inducing to the film a higher hydrophilicity. Hence, the addition of PEG to a PCL‐based WBPUU allows to tune the properties of the resulting film increasing the range of application of these materials. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48847.
Effect of modified Mg2B2O5w on mechanical and friction properties of oil‐containing monomer casting nylon
Authors: Feng Qi , Wang Fan , Wang Yuxin , Zhang Qian , Wang Yuexin
Published: December 2019

The Mg2B2O5w modified by toluene‐2, 4‐diisocyanate (TDI) and fatty amine (n‐dodecylamine(D) or n‐octadecylamine (O)) was used in oil‐containing monomer casting (OMC) nylon, and the effect of modified Mg2B2O5w on mechanical and friction properties of OMC nylon composites was investigated. The significant improvement of the mechanical and friction properties of composites was observed. The addition of 0.15 wt% TDI‐D‐Mg2B2O5w or TDI‐O‐Mg2B2O5w resulted in 21 and 20% growth in the tensile strength, 53 and 52% increase in the flexural strength, respectively. Additionally, nearly 60 and 58% reduction in the friction coefficient, about 84 and 80% decrease in the abrasion quantity. Furthermore, the worn surface of composites exhibited smooth, which confirmed the antiwear effect of Mg2B2O5w. The improvement was attributed to the interfacial adhesion between whiskers and matrix by hydrogen bonds. This work provided a facile approach to the design of wear‐resistant polymer composites that hold significant potential in construction machinery industry. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48856.
Osteoarthritis from evolutionary and mechanistic perspectives
Authors: Tangredi Basil P. , Lawler Dennis F.
Published: December 2019

Developmental osteogenesis and the pathologies associated with tissues that normally are mineralized are active areas of research. All of the basic cell types of skeletal tissue evolved in early aquatic vertebrates. Their characteristics, transcription factors, and signaling pathways have been conserved, even as they adapted to the challenge imposed by gravity in the transition to terrestrial existence. The response to excess mechanical stress (among other factors) can be expressed in the pathologic phenotype described as osteoarthritis (OA). OA is mediated by epigenetic modification of the same conserved developmental gene networks, rather than by gene mutations or new chemical signaling pathways. Thus, these responses have their evolutionary roots in morphogenesis. Epigenetic channeling and heterochrony, orchestrated primarily by microRNAs, maintain the sequence of these responses, while allowing variation in their timing that depends at least partly on the life history of the individual.
A delay‐dependent asymptotic stability criteria for uncertain BAM neural networks with leakage and discrete time‐varying delays: A novel summation inequality
Authors: Sowmiya Chandran , Raja Ramachandran , Cao Jinde , Rajchakit Grienggrai , Alsaedi Ahmed
Published: December 2019

This proposed research work aims to investigate the problem of uncertain BAM neural networks with leakage and discrete time‐varying delays in the sense of asymptotic stable by applying convex combination approach, discrete‐time Wirtinger inequality. It is pointed out that a novel summation inequality is entrenched based on discrete type Wirtinger based inequality. By the aid of novel inequality, reciprocally convex combination technique, time‐varying delays are examined to certify the stability of neural networks. Here, the uncertainties are considered as a randomly occurring parameter uncertainties and it conforms certain mutually uncorrelated Bernoulli‐distributed white noise sequences. The important feature of the results reported here is that the probability of occurrence of the parameter uncertainties are known a priori. To demonstrate the theoretical results of this research paper, numerical examples are given to expo the validity and efficiency of our results with the help of LMI Control toolbox in matlab.
Determining the priorities in utilization of forest residues as biomass: an A'wot analysis
Authors: Kurt Rifat
Published: December 2019

The gap between global energy production and consumption is increasing at a fast pace along with population growth, industrialization, and technological developments, resulting in a rapid increase in the need for energy. This has led countries to use their own resources more effectively. Consequently, in addition to existing energy sources, alternative solutions are now being sought for this problem via renewable resources such as biomass energy production. As forest resources are abundantly available in Turkey, forest residues constitute a significant biomass potential. This study aimed to identify key strategic factors in the evaluation of forest residues as biomass using A'WOT analysis. Measurement of the factors in SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, and their ranking, was enabled by quantification via A'WOT analysis, which is a combination of SWOT analysis and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). A survey was conducted among relevant experts in Turkey to determine SWOT factors and AHP weights. As a result, eight sub‐factors for strengths and threats, seven sub‐factors for opportunities, and four sub‐factors for weaknesses were determined for analysis. Each SWOT parameter was then quantified by considering the viewpoints of the surveyed experts, and the resulting matrix was used to determine the vector weights and priorities of the groups and factors. The results indicated that if forest residues could be utilized as an alternative energy source, this would more than fill the gap between the production and consumption of energy in the country. In the evaluation of forest residues in Turkey, transportation costs emerged as the weakest factor, while the removal of natural sources of nutrition and fertilizer from the forest cover was seen as the greatest threat. The most important opportunity was perceived to be the improvement of forest management along with energy and climate‐change policies and activities. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perturbing Circadian Oscillations in an In Vitro Suprachiasmatic Nucleus With Magnetic Stimulation
Authors: Kassahun Binyam T. , Bier Martin , Ding Jian
Published: December 2019

Many neurological disorders are associated with abnormal oscillatory dynamics. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is responsible for the timing and synchronization of physiological processes. We performed experiments on PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE transgenic “knock‐in” mice. In these mice, a gene that is expressed in a circadian pattern is fused to an inserted gene that codes for luciferase, which is a bioluminescent enzyme. A one‐time 3 min magnetic stimulation (MS) was applied to excised slices of the SCN. The MS consisted of a 50‐mT field that was turned on and off 4,500 times. The rise time and fall time of the field were 75 μs. A photon count that extended over the full 5 days that the slice remained viable, subsequently revealed how the MS affected the circadian cycle. The MS was applied at points in the circadian cycle that correspond to either maximal or minimal bioluminescence. It was found that both the amplitude and period of the endogenous circadian oscillation are affected by MS and that the effects strongly depend on where in the circadian cycle the stimulation was applied. Our MS dose is in the same range as clinically applied doses, and our findings imply that transcranial MS may be instrumental in remedying disorders that originate in circadian rhythm abnormalities. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:63–72 © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Wireless Wearables and Implants: A Dosimetry Review
Authors: Guido Katrina , Kiourti Asimina
Published: December 2019

Wireless wearable and implantable devices are continuing to grow in popularity, and as this growth occurs, so too does the need to consider the safety of such devices. Wearable and implantable devices require the transmitting and receiving of electromagnetic waves near and through the body, which at high enough exposure levels may damage proximate tissues. The specific absorption rate (SAR) is the quantity commonly used to enumerate exposure levels, and various national and international organizations have defined regulations limiting exposure to ensure safe operation. In this paper, we comprehensively review dosimetric studies reported in the literature up to the year 2019 for wearables and implants. We discuss antenna designs for wearables and implants as they relate to SAR values and field and thermal distributions in tissue, present designs that have made steps to reduce SAR, and then review SAR considerations as they relate to applied devices. As compared with previous review papers, this paper is the first review to focus on dosimetry aspects relative to wearable and implantable devices. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:3–20 © 2019 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantitative determination of bilobetin in rat plasma by HPLC–MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Son Heebin , Kang Wonku
Published: December 2019

Although bilobetin, a biflavone isolated from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba, represents a variety of pharmacological activities, to date there have been no validated determination methods for bilobetin in biological samples. Thus, we developed a liquid chromatographic method using a tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of bilobetin in rat plasma. After protein precipitation with acetonitrile including diclofenac (internal standard), the analytes were chromatographed on a reversed‐phased column with a mobile phase of purified water and acetonitrile (3:7, v/v, including 0.1% formic acid). The ion transitions of the precursor to the product ion were principally deprotonated ions [M − H]− at m/z 551.2 → 519.2 for bilobetin and 296.1 → 251.7 for the IS. The accuracy and precision of the assay were in accordance with US Food and Drug Administration regulations for the validation of bioanalytical methods. This analytical method was successfully applied to monitor plasma concentrations of bilobetin over time following intravenous administration in rats.
Application of the microsoft excel solver tool in the optimization of distillation sequences problems
Authors: Briones Laura , Morales Victoria , Iglesias José , Morales Gabriel , Escola Jose M.
Published: December 2019

Distillation is a very important operation for purification and separation in Chemical Engineering field. The determination of the optimal distillation sequence is key to minimize the total investment and operating cost and it can be posed as a mixed integer‐linear programming (MILP) problem. To solve them and due to the high number of variables and equations, it is required the use of specific software, for example, General Algebraic Modeling System or A Mathematical Programming Language. However, these software involve long training for the student to adequately harness them. The use of non‐specialized, widespread and easy to access software programs is a good opportunity to tackle the teaching of some typical optimization problems. One of them is the Microsoft Excel Solver Tool, accessible by any engineering student who usually learn its use in the first years of their degree, so that MS‐Excel is already known when students deal with optimization problems. Additionally, it is scarcely known that Microsoft Excel Solver may tackle both real and binary variables, so it is possible to leverage it for solving MILP problems. This paper presents an example of distillation sequences problem aimed to separate a mixture comprising four different compounds with a minimal operational cost (which constitutes a MILP optimization problem indeed) solved using Excel Solver tool. This methodology was taught successfully to the students of the Master of Chemical Engineering of Rey Juan Carlos University and Autónoma University of Madrid.
An exploratory investigation of shopper behaviour in an immersive virtual reality store
Authors: Schnack Alexander , Wright Malcolm J. , Holdershaw Judith L.
Published: December 2019

Shopper research has long been undertaken with physical simulated stores and desktop‐operated virtual stores. However, recent developments in motion‐tracked virtual reality offer a range of new possibilities for research using immersive walk‐around virtual simulated stores. To date, there is little knowledge published on the authenticity of shopper behaviour in such immersive virtual environments. The present study therefore reports exploratory results from 153 multicategory shopping trips conducted in an immersive virtual convenience store. Observed shopper metrics and theoretical effects are compared with equivalent data obtained from published sources and found to be consistent across all measures. Specifically, shoppers purchase a plausible share of private label brands, more private label brands in lower consumption pleasure product categories, more products from higher compared with lower shelf positions, make a plausible proportion of impulsive purchases, and spend less time inspecting familiar versus unfamiliar brands. Further, time in‐store, total spending, and product handling time are higher for women than for men. These exploratory findings show that participants continue to exhibit realistic shopper behaviours in an immersive virtual simulated store. Such stores are therefore a cost‐effective alternative to other methods for measuring consumer behaviour. They offer significant potential for innovative experimental designs in consumer research, as well as potential for future use as a digital shopping channel.
Torque device suture technique to achieve hemostasis in large‐bore venous access
Authors: Karahalios Brian , Rojas Stephanie F. , Singh Rahul , Cavazos Miguel C. , Chinnadurai Ponraj , Huie Lin C.
Published: December 2019

Objectives

To describe and compare a novel technique using a torque device to manage figure‐of‐eight suture tension for venous access hemostasis in patients who have undergone atrial septal defect (ASD) or patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure.

Background

Large bore venous access has become increasingly important in transcatheter procedures, but management of hemostasis can be time‐consuming and/or resource intensive. As such, various techniques have sought to provide cost effective and safe alternatives to manual compression. We describe a modification of the figure‐of‐eight suture technique wherein we apply a torque device to manage variable suture tension instead of tying a knot and compare it to the standard figure‐of‐eight suture technique.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of 40 consecutive patients who underwent ASD or PFO closure, 20 of whom underwent standard figure‐of‐eight technique and 20 of whom underwent figure‐of‐eight with torque device modification. Bleeding Academic Research Consortium definitions were used to categorize bleeding events.

Results

The groups were similar in age, gender, weight, aspirin use, platelet count, procedure time, hemoglobin, and international normalized ratio. Standard figure‐of‐eight suture had seven patients with bleeding, with six classified as BARC II and one as BARC I. Figure‐of‐eight plus torque device had three patients with bleeding, with two classified BARC II and one as BARC I. There were no incidences of hematoma in either group.

Conclusion

The torque device suture technique is a unique modification of the figure‐of‐eight suture technique to achieve venous hemostasis. In addition, the modification allows secure and variable suture tension as well as easy removal by nursing staff.
Monitoring and Process Control of Anaerobic Digestion Plants
Authors: Liebetrau Jan , Kleinsteuber Sabine , Jacobi Fabian , Pfeiffer Diana
Published: December 2019

No abstract.
Stereochemistry of the Reaction Intermediates of Prolinol Ether Catalyzed Reactions Characterized by Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy
Authors: Golub Tino P. , Merten Christian
Published: December 2019

Spectroscopic characterizations of key reaction intermediates are often considered the final confirmation of a reaction mechanism. This proof‐of‐principle study showcases the application of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy for the characterization of in situ generated reaction intermediates using the key intermediates of enamine catalysis of Jørgensen–Hayashi‐type prolinol ether catalysts as model system. By comparison of experimental and computed spectra, the enamines are shown to preferentially adopt an anti‐conformation with E‐configured C=C bond. For the parent prolinol catalyst, the structure and stereochemistry of the oxazolidine side product is determined as well. This study thus demonstrates that VCD spectra can provide insights into structural preferences of organocatalysts that utilize a covalent activation mechanism. Thereby it outlines new fields of applications for VCD spectroscopy and finally adds the technique to the toolbox of physical organic chemistry for in‐depth mechanistic studies.
Influence of Surface Roughness on Pressure Drop in Two‐Phase Flow of Saturated Hydrocarbons
Authors: Fries Simon , Deeb Mohammad , Luke Andrea
Published: December 2019

Pressure drop of propane and propylene in gas‐liquid saturation state are investigated for copper and mild steel test tubes. The surface structure of both tubes is determined with the focus variation method, yielding a six times higher roughness for the steel tube, although both tubes are manufactured in the same manner. In both tubes single phase pressure drop validation measurements are carried out and compared to known correlations. For two‐phase investigations both fluids are investigated at the reduced saturation pressure for three different mass fluxes. The vapor quality is varied.
Retrospective cohort analysis of heart rate variability in patients with high altitude pulmonary hypertension in Tibet
Authors: Qian Zhang , Fan Aili , Dawa  , Dawaciren  , Pan Binbin
Published: December 2019

Background

Studies from both humans and animals experiments have offered abundant evidence supporting that mountain sickness is associated with changes in autonomic nervous function (ANF), which can be measured by heart rate variability (HRV).

Hypothesis

We aimed to assess changes of ANF in chronic mountain disease by measuring HRV in patients with high altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH).

Methods

From November 2018 to March 2019, 120 patients in the cardiac care unit of the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region were selected as the observation group, and 50 patients without organic heart disease served as the control group. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was evaluated by echocardiography in patients with HAPH, divided into three groups: mild (30‐49 mm Hg), moderate (50‐69 mm Hg) and severity (≥70 mm Hg) groups. A 24‐hour dynamic electrocardiogram (DCG) was obtained for each patient. HRV (SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, PNN50, and HRVTI for time domain; TP, VLF, LF, HF, and LF/HF for frequency domain) indexes were measured and compared.

Results

Compared with the control group, time domain parameters including SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, PNN50, and HRVTI were reduced, as well as frequency domain indexes such as TP, VLF, LF, and HF. LF/HF was highest in mild HAPH group and lowest in the moderate HAPH group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant.

Conclusions

The HRV of patients with chronic HAPH in high altitude areas in Tibet is significantly reduced relative to healthy controls, and significantly negatively correlated with the severity of pulmonary artery hypertension.
Performance analysis of ACO‐based improved virtual machine allocation in cloud for IoT‐enabled healthcare
Authors: Kavitha Kadarla , Sharma S.C.
Published: December 2019

The Internet of Things (IoT)–enabled healthcare environment irregularly requires the resources from the Cloud to handle massive amounts of data, which impacts the response times of the Cloud. A typical healthcare application scenario could be to monitor the heart‐patients who require the highest response times, immediate attention of all the stakeholders, and very quick decisions. This paper replaces the default First‐Come‐First‐Serve (FCFS) Virtual Machine (VM) allocation scheme of the Cloud computing in CloudSim with the implementation of Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) by the efficient tuning of parameters. An IoT‐enabled healthcare environment is designed, which irregularly requires the resources from the Cloud to handle massive amounts of data to assess the impact of the response times of the Cloud. Several experiments have been carried out to assess the optimal VM allocation using ACO by varying different parameters like the variation of the number of ants, the strength of pheromone, the number of VMs, the number of hosts, the strength of computing power of processing elements, the number of users, and the size of the workloads. Experimental results indicate that the ACO optimally utilizes the resources in a Cloud when compared to the default FCFS strategy. The results indicate that on an average, the ACO gives 25% to 30% improved response times than FCFS in the given healthcare and Cloud scenarios.
Social impact bonds: The evolution of research and a review of the academic literature
Authors: Broccardo Eleonora , Mazzuca Maria , Frigotto Maria Laura
Published: December 2019

This study reviews all the academic contributions to research on social impact bonds (SIBs). It responds to the need for clarification across and within the various perspectives used in the literature. The goal was to assess the approaches used in extant studies and to offer directions for future studies. A bibliometric analysis was performed, and a framework was developed in which the contributions were positioned according to two criteria: (a) a distinction on the basis of research approaches and perspectives on SIBs and (b) an analysis of content according to a protocol that includes key questions corresponding with the most pressing issues in this area.
Prediabetes and structural brain abnormalities: Evidence from observational studies
Authors: Zhou Jian‐Bo , Tang Xing‐Yao , Han Yi‐Peng , Luo Fu‐qiang , Cardoso Marly Augusto , Qi Lu
Published: December 2019

Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been linked to structural brain abnormalities, but evidence of the association among prediabetes and structural brain abnormalities has not been systematically evaluated. Comprehensive searching strategies and relevant studies were systematically retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Medline and web of science. Twelve articles were included overall. Stratified analyses and regression analyses were performed. A total of 104 468 individuals were included. The risk of infarct was associated with continuous glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05‐1.34)], or prediabetes [adjusted OR 1.13 (95% CI: 1.00‐1.27)]. The corresponding ORs associated with white matter hyperintensities were 1.08 (95%CI: 1.04‐1.13) for prediabetes, and 1.10 (95%CI: 1.08‐1.12) for HbA1c. The association was significant between the decreased risk of brain volume with continuous HbA1c (the combined OR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87‐0.98). Grey matter volume and white matter volume were inversely associated with prediabetes [weighted mean deviation (WMD), −9.65 (95%CI: −15.25 to −4.04) vs WMD, −9.25 (95%CI: −15.03 to −3.47)]. There were no significant association among cerebral microbleeds, hippocampal volume, continuous total brain volume, and prediabetes. Our findings demonstrated that (a) both prediabetes and continuous HbA1c were significantly associated with increasing risk of infarct or white matter hyperintensities; (b) continuous HbA1c was associated with a decreased risk of brain volume; (c) prediabetes was inversely associated with grey matter volume and white matter volume. To confirm these findings, further studies on early diabetes onset and structural brain abnormalities are needed.
Adding more “spice” to the pot: A review of the chemistry and pharmacology of newly emerging heterocyclic synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists
Authors: Alam Ryan M. , Keating John J.
Published: December 2019

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) first appeared on the international recreational drug market in the early 2000s in the form of SCRA‐containing herbal blends. Due to the cannabimimetic effects associated with the consumption of SCRAs, they have acquired an ill‐informed reputation for being cheap, safe, and legal alternatives to illicit cannabis. Possessing high potency and affinity for the human cannabinoid receptor subtype‐1 (CB1) and ‐2 (CB2), it is now understood that the recreational use of SCRAs can have severe adverse health consequences. The major public health problem arising from SCRA use has pressed legislators around the world to employ various control strategies to curb their recreational use. To circumvent legislative control measures, SCRA manufacturers have created a wide range of SCRA analogs that contain, more recently, previously unencountered azaindole, γ‐carbolinone, or carbazole heterocyclic scaffolds. At present, little information is available regarding the chemical syntheses of these newly emerging classes of SCRA, from a clandestine perspective. When compared with previous generations of indole‐ and indazole‐type SCRAs, current research suggests that many of these heterocyclic SCRA analogs maintain high affinity and efficacy at both CB1 and CB2 but largely evade legislative control. This review highlights the importance of continued research in the field of SCRA chemistry and pharmacology, as recreational SCRA use remains a global public health issue and represents a serious control challenge for law enforcement agencies.
Dilated cardiomyopathy and aldosteronoma: a causal link?
Authors: Zhang Jiyu , Yang Jin , Li Yueliang
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study is to reveal the causal relationship between dilated cardiomyopathy and aldosteronoma. A 44‐year‐old male dilated cardiomyopathy patient with aldosteronoma, who demonstrated a worse cardiac function after 1 year therapy with optimized dosage of sacubirtil/valsartan, furosemide, metoprolol, and spironolactone. The patient shows a promising prognosis after aldosteronoma removal procedure. Aldosteronoma may cause dilated cardiomyopathy. We assume that the optimal treatment for aldosteronoma‐induced dilated cardiomyopathy is surgical removal combined with drugs.
The effect of the finite size of ions and Debye layer overspill on the screened Coulomb interactions between charged flat plates
Authors: Paul Arghyadeep , Mukherjee Siddhartha , Dhar Jayabrata , Ghosal Sandip , Chakraborty Suman
Published: December 2019

Screened repulsion between uniformly charged plates with an intervening electrolyte is analyzed for strongly overlapped electrical double layers (EDL), accounting for the steric effect of ions and their expulsion from EDL edges into the surrounding solution. As a generalization of a study by Philipse et al. which does not account for these effects, an analytical expression is derived for the repulsion pressure in the limit of infinitely long plates with a zero‐field assumption, which agrees closely with the corresponding numerical solution at low inter‐plate separations. Our results show an augmented repulsive pressure for finite‐sized ions at strong EDL overlaps. For plates with a finite lateral size, we demonstrate a further extended domain of low inter‐plate gaps where the repulsion pressure increases with ion size due to a strong interplay between the steric interaction of ions and the EDL overspill phenomenon, considered earlier in a study by Ghosal & Sherwood limited to the linear Debye‐Hückel regime (which cannot account for the steric effect of ions). This investigation on a simple model should enhance our understanding of the interaction between charged particles in electrophoresis, nanoscale self‐assembly, active particles, and various other electrokinetic systems.
Consider potential impact on enrollment of U.S.‐Chinese trade war
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: December 2019

In August 2018, the president of the United States instructed trade negotiators to impose 25% tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese exports. One month later, additional tariffs were announced, making the total number of Chinese goods affected by tariffs $250 billion. China's retaliation, also announced in August 2018, imposed tariffs of $60 billion on American imports. Tariffs now cover approximately two‐thirds of the countries’ bilateral trade in goods.