bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enzyme Immobilization by Microencapsulation: Methods, Materials, and Technological Applications
Authors: Rother Christina , Nidetzky Bernd
Published: December 2014

Microencapsulation as a major technique of enzyme immobilization is reviewed. Fabrication of enzyme‐containing microcapsules is broadly categorized according to whether a semipermeable membrane coating or a porous polymeric network structure is primarily responsible for enclosure of enzymes within the internal microcapsule phase. Microcapsules are mostly spherical with diameters usually in the micro‐ to millimeter range and exhibit core‐shell structures of variable complexity. Liposomes and vesicles formed from amphiphilic (co)‐polymers (polymersomes) are widely used to prepare membrane‐coated microcapsules. Hydrogels, sol–gels and other organic–inorganic hybrid materials, or layer‐by‐layer structures made through controlled assembly of polyelectrolytes are used to prepare microcapsules composed of internal polymeric networks. Method combination where polymeric network microcapsules are coated with a suitable membrane to generate tailored core‐shell structures is also used for enzyme encapsulation. Advances in the material sciences contribute to the development of microcapsules with improved properties such as enhanced morphological stability, reduced enzyme leakage, and designed physicochemical permeability and enzyme biocompatibility. Soluble enzymes, but also enzyme aggregates and other insoluble enzyme preparations, are encapsulated. Multienzyme microcapsules are interesting small‐scale bioreactors for confined and even compartmentalized cascade biotransformation. Techniques of microcapsule preparation are described, and applications of microencapsulated enzymes in biotechnology and biomedicine are discussed.
Solid‐State Fermentation, Microbial Growth Kinetics
Authors: Mitchell David A. , Stuart Deidre M. , Uludag‐Demirer Sibel , Tanner Robert D.
Published: December 2014

In solid‐state fermentation, microorganisms grow on moist solid substrates in the absence of free water. The absence of free water makes the system quite different from submerged liquid fermentations and makes solid‐state fermentation superior for the production of some products.

Understanding and modeling microbial growth kinetics and transport phenomena are essential to the development of large‐scale solid‐state fermentation technology. However, compared with submerged liquid fermentation, relatively little is known about the best ways to design and operate solid‐state fermentation bioreactors for large‐scale processes. This article summarizes the current state of development of modeling of solid‐state fermentation processes.
Shake Flask Technology
Authors: Winkler Katja , Socher Maria Lisa
Published: December 2014

For more than 150 years, shake flasks are used in research and development as reaction chambers for chemical and microbiological reactions. An uncountable number of experiments has been performed in shake flasks—a suitable tool for laboratory scale—and, therefore, a lot of data and knowledge was achieved. Owing to its simple but advantageous design, the shake—also called Erlenmeyer—flask represents an appropriate tool for cultivation of biomass in biotechnological laboratories. Recently, more engineering efforts have been performed to describe conditions in shake flasks such as gas transfer or power consumption. Further innovative approaches were developed to either enable larger shaking systems for production or monitor growth‐related parameters online, and at line. Moreover, disadvantages of this technology such as less regulation and controlling possibilities or limitations in gassing/degassing have to be taken into account.

The focus of this article is to give fundamental information about the most important issues in shake flask technology for biotechnological applications. Starting with a short historical introduction, the authors highlight the most commonly used types of different flask and closure types, volumes, etc. Subsequently, functions and the introduction of important shaking‐related parameters such as shaking diameter and shaking frequency are given. Before ending up with the innovative potential of modern investigations concerning this significant technology, advantages and disadvantages of shake flask applications are discussed.
Facility Control of Microorganisms: Containment and Contamination
Authors: Crane Jonathan
Published: December 2014

This article provides information related to the design of bioprocess facilities to control microorganisms. This includes both unwanted microorganisms (such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, including molds) that might contaminate the product and purposely generated organisms (such as virus or bacteria required for the production of a vaccine or therapeutic protein) that are part of the process of creating a new product. For the former, exclusion of the organism from the product is a key component in providing product quality. For the latter, containment of any pathogenic (disease‐causing) organism is critical for safety. In both cases, similar principles are utilized to create layered physical, engineering, and operational barriers to limit the movement of microorganisms within the facility and across the boundaries denoting the production or the containment zone. For facilities requiring containment, balancing the objective of contamination control for product quality and containment for safety can be a challenging aspect of the facility design and operations. This article will also address containment issues related to hazardous byproducts of microorganisms, such as toxins, that may be a component of the production process and may be regulated or have guidance for safety.
Tabu Search
Authors: Cole Smith Jonathan , Cochran James J. , Gendreau Michel , Potvin Jean‐Yves
Published: December 2014

This article provides an introductory treatment to tabu search, which is one of the most popular metaheuristic methods for solving difficult combinatorial optimization problems. Tabu search is based on local search, but attempts to avoid early termination at local optima, as these might have objective function values that are far inferior to the globally optimal one. Tabu search employs a limited memory of attributes of recent moves to avoid move reversals and looping and to guide the search procedure into unexplored areas of the solution space, thus improving the likelihood of finding a near‐optimal solution. We present the basic tabu search approach, discuss common enhancements with respect to implementing this method, and provide a brief review of sample applications to which tabu search has been effectively applied.
Damage Arresting Composites
Authors: Jegley Dawn C. , Velicki Alexander
Published: December 2014

NASA has created the Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project to explore and document the feasibility, benefits, and technical risk of advanced vehicle configurations and enable technologies that will reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. A critical aspect of this pursuit is the development of a lighter, more robust airframe that will enable the introduction of unconventional aircraft configurations that have higher lift‐to‐drag ratios, reduced drag, and lower community noise. Although such novel configurations such as the hybrid wing body (HWB) have the potential to offer better aerodynamic performance compared with traditional tube‐and‐wing aircraft, their blended wing shapes also pose significant new design challenges for their noncircular pressure cabins. Developing an improved structural concept that is capable of meeting the structural weight fraction allocated for these pressurized cabin designs is the primary obstacle in implementing large lifting body designs such as the HWB. To address this challenge, researchers at NASA and the Boeing Company are working together to advance new structural concepts that could some day be implemented in transport‐size airplanes. One such concept under investigation is the pultruded rod stitched efficient unitized structure (PRSEUS), which is an integrally stiffened panel design that is stitched together and designed to maintain residual load‐carrying capabilities under a variety of damage scenarios, making it uniquely capable to meet the structural fractions established for the HWB cabin design.
Set theoretic performance verification of low‐frequency learning adaptive controllers
Authors: Fravolini Mario L. , Yucelen Tansel , Campa Giampiero
Published: December 2014

Although adaptive control has been used in numerous applications, the ability to obtain a predictable transient and steady‐state closed‐loop performance is still a challenging problem from the verification and validation standpoint. To that end, we considered a recently developed robust adaptive control methodology called low‐frequency learning adaptive control and utilized a set of theoretic analysis to show that the transitory performance of this approach can be expressed, analyzed, and optimized via a convex optimization problem based on linear matrix inequalities. This key feature of this design and analysis framework allows one to tune the adaptive control parameters rigorously so that the tracking error components of the closed‐loop nonlinear system evolve in a priori specified region of the state space whose size can be minimized by selecting a suitable cost function. Simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed verification and validation architecture showing the possibility of performing parametric studies to analyze the interplay between the size of the tracking error residual set and important design parameters such as the adaptation rate and the low‐pass filters time constant of the weights adaptation algorithm. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fault‐tolerant saturated control for switching discrete‐time systems with delays
Authors: Benzaouia Abdellah , Ouladsine Mustapha , Ananou Bouchra
Published: December 2014

In this paper, fault‐tolerant control problem for discrete‐time switching systems with delay and saturated input is studied. Sufficient conditions of building an observer are obtained by using multiple Lyapunov function. These conditions are worked out using cone complementarity technique, to obtain LMIs with slack variables and multiple weighted residual matrices. The obtained results are applied on a numerical example showing fault detection, localization of fault, and reconfiguration of the control to maintain asymptotic stability even in the presence of a permanent sensor fault and saturation on the control. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metal‐Insulator Transition in ALD VO2 Ultrathin Films and Nanoparticles: Morphological Control
Authors: Peter Antony P. , Martens Koen , Rampelberg Geert , Toeller Michael , Ablett James M. , Meersschaut Johan , Cuypers Daniel , Franquet Alexis , Detavernier Christophe , Rueff Jean‐Pascal , Schaekers Marc , Van Elshocht Sven , Jurczak Malgorzata , Adelmann Christoph , Radu Iuliana P.
Published: December 2014

Nanoscale morphology of vanadium dioxide (VO2) films can be controlled to realize smooth ultrathin (<10 nm) crystalline films or nanoparticles with atomic layer deposition, opening doors to practical VO2 metal‐insulator transition (MIT) nanoelectronics. The precursor combination, the valence of V, and the density for as‐deposited VO2 films, as well as the postdeposition crystallization annealing conditions determine whether a continuous thin film or nanoparticle morphology is obtained. It is demonstrated that the films and particles possess both a structural and an electronic transition. The resistivity of ultrathin films changes by more than two orders of magnitude across the MIT, demonstrating their high quality.
Monolayer MoS2 Growth on Au Foils and On‐Site Domain Boundary Imaging
Authors: Shi Jianping , Yang Yang , Zhang Yu , Ma Donglin , Wei Wei , Ji Qingqing , Zhang Yanshuo , Song Xiuju , Gao Teng , Li Cong , Bao Xinhe , Liu Zhongfan , Fu Qiang , Zhang Yanfeng
Published: December 2014

Controllable synthesis of large domain, high‐quality monolayer MoS2 is the basic premise both for exploring some fundamental physical issues, and for engineering its applications in nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, etc. Herein, by introducing H2 as carrier gas, the successful synthesis of large domain monolayer MoS2 triangular flakes on Au foils, with the edge length approaching to 80 mm is reported. The growth process is proposed to be mediated by two competitive effects with H2 acting as both a reduction promoter for efficient sulfurization of MoO3 and an etching reagent of resulting MoS2 flakes. By using low‐energy electron microscopy/diffraction, the crystal orientations and domain boundaries of MoS2 flakes directly on Au foils for the first time are further identified. These on‐site and transfer‐free characterizations should shed light on the initial growth and the aggregation of MoS2 on arbitrary substrates, further guiding the growth toward large domain flakes or monolayer films.
External Trapping of Halomethyllithium Enabled by Flow Microreactors
Authors: Degennaro Leonardo , Fanelli Flavio , Giovine Arianna , Luisi Renzo
Published: December 2014

This work demonstrates that the accurate control of the reaction parameters realized within microreactor systems allowed for a taming of the reactivity of thermally unstable intermediates such as haloalkyllithiums. The first example of effective external trapping of a reactive carbenoid such as the chloromethyllithium is described. By using microreactor systems, a continuous flow synthesis of chloro alcohols and chloro amines could be achieved with high yields. By controlling the residence time the highly reactive chloromethyllithium could be generated and reacted with electrophiles at temperatures much higher than in batch‐mode and without internal quenching. The developed continuous‐flow process matches the requirements for sustainability.

magnified image
Effects of flow history on oil entrapment in porous media: An experimental study
Authors: Khosravian Homa , Joekar‐Niasar Vahid , Shokri Nima
Published: December 2014

The effect of flow history on fluid phase entrapment during immiscible two‐phase flow in Hele‐Shaw cells packed with spherical and crushed glass beads is investigated. The wetting fluid is injected into an initially oil saturated cell at a well‐defined capillary number. It is observed that the size and shape of the trapped clusters strongly depend on the history of flooding such that less oil was trapped in the medium when the injecting capillary number gradually increased to the final maximum capillary number compared to the case when the injection was started and maintained constant at the maximum capillary number. In addition, a comprehensive series of experiments were conducted to delineate the effects of the capillary number on the phase entrapment. Contrary to previously published data, our experimental data reveal that the residual oil saturation depends on capillary number nonmonotonically. A physically based relationship to scale the capillary desaturation curve is proposed. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 1385–1390, 2015
Synthesis of C‐H‐O Symbiosis Networks
Authors: Noureldin Mohamed M. B. , El‐Halwagi Mahmoud M.
Published: December 2014

The concept of synthesizing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (C‐H‐O) SYmbiosis Networks (CHOSYNs) for the design of eco‐industrial parks is introduced. Within a CHOSYN, compounds containing C‐H‐O are exchanged, converted, separated, mixed, and allocated. The use of C‐H‐O as the basis for integration creates numerous opportunities for synergism because C, H, and O are the primary building blocks for many industrial compounds that can be exchanged and integrated. A particularly attractive feature of the CHOSYN framework is its ability to use atomic‐based targets to establish benchmarks for the design of macroscopic systems involving multiple processes. Several structural representations, benchmarking, and optimization formulations are developed to embed potential CHOSYN configurations of interest and to synthesize cost‐effective networks. A case study with several scenarios is solved to demonstrate the new concept and tools. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 1242–1262, 2015
Longitudinal improvement and stability of the SNOT‐22 survey in the evaluation of surgical management for chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: DeConde Adam S. , Mace Jess C. , Alt Jeremiah A. , Rudmik Luke , Soler Zachary M. , Smith Timothy L.
Published: December 2014

Background

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) have significant quality‐of‐life (QOL) improvements following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). These improvements remain stable and persist between 6 months and 20 months as measured by the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and the Chronic Sinusitis Survey. There has yet to be an evaluation of the longitudinal stability of the 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) after ESS in patients with CRS.

Methods

Adults with medically recalcitrant CRS who were considered surgical candidates were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study from February 2011 to February 2013. Baseline evaluation of subjects included assessment of clinical characteristics, measures of CRS‐specific disease severity, and QOL evaluation using the SNOT‐22. Subjects were then re‐evaluated at approximately 6‐month, 12‐month, and 18‐month intervals postoperatively. Data was analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni corrections for matched pairwise comparisons.

Results

A total of 110 patients completed baseline evaluations and follow‐up for all 3 postoperative time points. Significant improvement in SNOT‐22 scores was seen between baseline and 6 months across both SNOT‐22 total and subdomain scores (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the 6‐month, 12‐month, and 18‐month time points in the total SNOT‐22 score or its domains (p ≥ 0.125) for both the entire cohort or subgroups (p ≥ 0.077).

Conclusion

Postoperative improvement in CRS‐specific QOL and symptom severity, as measured by the SNOT‐22, suggest stability and durability between 6 months and 18 months. Further study on the longitudinal stability of the SNOT‐22 past the 18‐month time frame will help further refine clinical study of CRS and provide further understanding of temporal improvements following ESS.
Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Cyclative Capture Approach to Diverse 1‐Aminoindoline Derivatives at Room Temperature
Authors: Zhao Dongbing , Vásquez‐Céspedes Suhelen , Glorius Frank
Published: December 2014

A RhIII‐catalyzed C–H activation/cyclative capture approach, involving a nucleophilic addition of C(sp3)–Rh species to polarized double bonds is reported. This constitutes the first intermolecular catalytic method to directly access 1‐aminoindolines with a broad substituent scope under mild conditions.
Improved antifouling properties of TiO2/PVDF nanocomposite membranes in UV‐coupled ultrafiltration
Authors: Moghadam Maryam Tavakol , Lesage Geoffroy , Mohammadi Toraj , Mericq Jean‐Pierre , Mendret Julie , Heran Marc , Faur Catherine , Brosillon Stephan , Hemmati Mahmud , Naeimpoor Freshteh
Published: December 2014

A polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was modified by dispersing titanium oxide (TiO2) particles in a PVDF solution. PVDF flat‐sheet membranes were prepared by a phase inversion method. This study investigates the potential low‐fouling properties of these composite membranes during filtration, in darkness or under UV irradiation, of pure water and foulants representative of those found in membrane bioreactor processes: commercial bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein and real soluble extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The experimental results indicate that nanocomposite membrane has a structure with longer and larger macrovoid than neat PVDF membranes resulting in higher water flux performances. These higher flux performances were also due to an increase in surface hydrophilicity because of the presence of TiO2 particles. Moreover, such membranes are less prone to adsorption by BSA and present self‐cleaning ability under static irradiation. During filtration of BSA and EPS without UV irradiation, nanocomposite membranes presented a little flux decline and reached stabilization more rapidly in comparison with PVDF membranes. Moreover, simultaneous UV irradiation during ultrafiltration has a benefit effect only on nanocomposite membranes for which initial flux was increased. Hydrophilic properties of nanocomposite membranes lead to better retention performances of BSA and EPS, which are still improved under UV irradiation. Finally, nanocomposite membranes under UV irradiation presented the best flux recovery ratio confirming their antifouling property. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41731.
Evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Detected Tenosynovitis in the Hand and Wrist in Early Arthritis
Authors: Nieuwenhuis Wouter P. , Krabben Annemarie , Stomp Wouter , Huizinga Tom W. J. , van der Heijde Désirée , Bloem Johan L. , van der Helm‐van Mil Annette H. M. , Reijnierse Monique
Published: December 2014

Objective

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sensitive method to detect inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), visualizing synovitis, bone marrow edema, and tenosynovitis. The prevalence of MRI‐detected tenosynovitis and its diagnostic value in early arthritis are unclear. This study was undertaken to identify the frequency of MRI‐detectable tenosynovitis at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and wrist joints in early arthritis and the association of these with RA and the severity of RA.

Methods

A total of 178 patients with early arthritis underwent unilateral 1.5T extremity MRI at baseline. The MCP and wrist joints were scored using the Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scoring system and Haavardsholm's tenosynovitis score. Sixty‐nine patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 classification criteria for RA during the first year and were compared with the non‐RA patients. Among the RA patients, comparisons were made with regard to anti–citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) positivity and radiographic progression during year 1.

Results

Of all patients, 65% had MRI‐detected tenosynovitis. RA patients had tenosynovitis more often than non‐RA patients (75% versus 59%; P = 0.023). The flexor tendons at MCP5 and the extensor tendons at MCP2 and MCP4 and in extensor compartment I of the wrist were more frequently affected in RA patients than in other patients (odds ratios 2.8 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.2–7.0], 9.1 [95% CI 1.9–42.8], 14.2 [95% CI 1.7–115.9], and 4.0 [95% CI 1.4–11.1], respectively). These associations were independent of local MRI synovitis. Specificities were all ≥82%. Within the group of RA patients, tenosynovitis scores were not associated with ACPA positivity or radiographic progression.

Conclusion

MRI‐detected tenosynovitis is commonly seen in early arthritis. The flexor tendons at MCP5, the extensor tendons at MCP2 and MCP4, and the first extensor compartment of the wrist are more often affected in RA, independent of local synovitis.
Assessing changes over time in healthcare provider performance: Addressing regression to the mean over multiple time points
Authors: Kasza Jessica , Moran John L. , Solomon Patricia J.
Published: December 2014

In recent years, the evaluation of healthcare provider performance has become standard for governments, insurance companies, and other stakeholders. Often, performance is compared across providers using indicators in one time period, for example a year. However it is often important to assess changes in the performance of individual providers over time. Such analyses can be used to determine if any providers have significant improvements, deteriorations, unusual patterns or systematic changes in performance. Studies which monitor healthcare provider performance in this way have to date typically been limited to comparing performance in the most recent period with performance in a previous period. It is also important to consider a longer‐term view of performance and assess changes over more than two periods. In this paper, we develop test statistics that account for variable numbers of prior performance indicators, and show that these are particularly useful for assessing consecutive improvements or deteriorations in performance. We apply the tests to coronary artery bypass graft mortality rates in New York State hospitals, and mortality data from Australian and New Zealand intensive care units. Although our applications are to medical data, the new tests have broad application in other areas.
Learn how to better manage risks, liabilities
Authors: Thornton James
Published: December 2014

Nontraditional seasons and increased strength and conditioning sessions at today's colleges and universities have increased the exposure to injuries and overuse syndromes.
Learn how to prepare to serve in the interim AD chair
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: December 2014

Imagine that your athletics director leaves her post and the president asks you to step up and manage those responsibilities on an interim basis. Would you be ready to take on that challenge?
Take time now to focus on re‐evaluating your academic services
Authors: O'Brien Timothy
Published: December 2014

Many colleges and universities have increased their investment in academic services for student‐athletes in recent years. New and upgraded facilities, better equipment and programs, and increased staffing levels reflect the importance of these services to the overall success of individual teams and the athletics department as a whole.
Did seat fee violate university's agreement with donor?
Authors: Tee Virgina
Published: December 2014

The University of South Carolina's Gamecock Club gave longtime member George M. Lee the opportunity to elevate his Full Scholarship level to “Lifetime Full Scholarship” in exchange for maintaining a life insurance policy for eight years in the amount of $100,000 and naming the university as the sole, irrevocable beneficiary. The Lifetime Full Scholarship allowed Lee the lifetime “opportunity to purchase tickets.”
Develop a plan for hiring, firing coaches
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: December 2014

ERIC SCHOH, ATHLETICS DIRECTOR, WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
The developmental significance of chores: Then and now
Authors: Rende Richard
Published: December 2014

Do chores have developmental significance? In writing a White Paper to help understand what current published research says about chore participation and its benefits (Rende, 2015), it became clear that while chores have been influential in childhood and adolescence, the type of impact on daily family life has changed over the decades. Here I will sketch out three discernible trends I identified, and offer a viewpoint for the next staging in our professional thinking.
Keep your eye on…
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: December 2014

the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in ADHD

social interventions for autism in toddlers parents can use
Living in disadvantaged counties linked to behavior problems among children with cognitive delays
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: December 2014

Behavior problems occur at higher rates among children with cognitive delays than among typically developing children, and these problems start at very young ages, researchers have found. The behavioral problems persist into adulthood. But there has been little research looking at which children with cognitive delays develop behavior problems, especially in early childhood.
Transcaval access for TAVR across a polyester aortic graft
Authors: Lederman Robert J. , O'Neill William W. , Greenbaum Adam B.
Published: December 2014

Transcaval access to the aorta allows transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients without other good access options. The resulting aorto‐caval fistula is closed with a nitinol cardiac occluder device. There is no experience traversing a synthetic aortic graft to perform transcaval access and closure. We describe a patient who underwent successful traversal of a polyester aortic graft using radiofrequency energy applied from the tip of a guidewire, to allow retrograde transcatheter aortic valve replacement from a femoral vein, along with details of our technique. The patient did well and was discharged home after 3 days. There was residual aorto‐caval fistulous flow immediately after implantation of a polyester‐seeded nitinol muscular ventricular septal defect occluder device, but this fistula spontaneously occluded within one month. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of Oxygen Transport in Cathode Catalyst Layer of Low‐Pt‐Loaded Fuel Cells
Authors: Choo Min‐Ju , Oh Keun‐Hwan , Park Jung‐Ki , Kim Hee‐Tak
Published: December 2014

Oxygen transport resistance, one of the causes of large polarization in the cathode catalyst layer (CL), is intensified in low‐Pt‐loaded polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In order to explore operation strategies and cathode design to mitigate the large oxygen transport resistance of low‐Pt‐loaded fuel cells, the influence of operating conditions and ionomer structure on oxygen transport in the CL is investigated. Remarkably, the oxygen transport resistance data for different operation conditions and ionomer structures lie on a single curve when they are plotted as a function of the water partial pressure of the feed. At a high water partial pressure of 80 kPa, the oxygen transport resistance of the low‐Pt‐loaded CL (0.14±0.03 mg−Pt cm−2) becomes comparable to that of the high‐Pt‐loaded CL (0.40±0.04 mg−Pt cm−2) as a result of the opposing influences of Pt loading on Knudsen and ionomer film diffusion. This emphasizes the importance of the water uptake in the ionomer film for reducing oxygen transport in the CL. From a fuel cell design perspective, the operation strategy and CL design to maintain high water partial pressure in the cathode CL are extremely important for realizing low‐Pt‐loaded fuel cells.
A Versatile Cyclic 2,2′‐Azobenzenophane with a Functional Handle and Its Polymers: Efficient Synthesis and Effect of Topological Structure on Chiroptical Properties
Authors: Lu Jinjie , Xia Aiyou , Zhou Nianchen , Zhang Wei , Zhang Zhengbiao , Pan Xiangqiang , Yang Yonggang , Wang Yong , Zhu Xiulin
Published: December 2014

Two novel cyclic azobenzenophanes (SC, RC) with functional handles have been synthesized efficiently by a Glaser coupling reaction. Through a Suzuki coupling reaction, alternating ring/linear polymers with rigid (conjugated)/flexible (unconjugated) bridges were obtained from the resultant cyclic azobenzenophanes. The optical activities of linear, cyclic, and macromolecular binaphethyl–azobenzene derivatives were investigated by UV/Vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectra and the time‐dependent (TD)‐DFT method. Experimental results and theoretical analyses indicated that the cyclic configurations exhibited better chiroptical features than the others, and the reverse conformation and difference of dextro‐/levo‐rotation of azobenzenophanes were detected by comparing linear and cyclic structures, which provides an opportunity for the optical‐rotation‐controlled “smart” materials systems in future.
Racial Disparities in the Use of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter
Authors: Tamariz Leonardo , Rodriguez Alexis , Palacio Ana , Li Hua , Myerburg Robert
Published: December 2014

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia seen in clinical practice. Catheter ablation is an expensive but potentially curable treatment of AF. We explored differences in the use of catheter ablation for AF in the state of Florida and compared the findings to ablation for atrial flutter.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of all ambulatory and hospital discharge procedures between 2006 and 2009 in Florida. We identified all subjects with AF and atrial flutter, using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision codes along with the race/ethnicity of each individual. We used logistic regression to determine the odds ratio (OR) of having a catheter ablation per disease by race and ethnicity adjusted for Charlson score, insurance status, year of the procedure, and facility location.

Results

We identified 923 590 subjects with AF and 28 714 with atrial flutter. Catheter ablations were more commonly used in atrial flutter than in AF. The adjusted OR of having catheter ablation for AF for blacks was 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60‐0.75, P < 0.01), and for Hispanics it was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75‐0.91, P < 0.01) when compared to whites. The adjusted OR of having an ablation for atrial flutter for blacks was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.96‐1.21, P = 0.16), and for Hispanics it was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.78‐1.08, P = 0.20) when compared to whites.

Conclusions

In the state of Florida, black and Hispanic subjects with AF received less catheter ablations, whereas the same minority subjects with atrial flutter received a similar number of ablations compared to white subjects, with the same insurance and comorbidity burden.
Investigating the Anti‐leishmanial Effects of Linear Peptoids
Authors: Eggimann Gabriela A. , Bolt Hannah L. , Denny Paul W. , Cobb Steven L.
Published: December 2014

Peptoids, a class of peptide mimetics, have emerged as promising anti‐infective agents against a range of bacterial infections. Herein we present the first study of the antiparasitic and specifically the anti‐leishmanial properties of linear peptoids. Peptoids were identified as having promising activity against Leishmania mexicana axenic amastigotes, a causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
High Accuracy of Karplus Equations for Relating Three‐Bond J Couplings to Protein Backbone Torsion Angles
Authors: Li Fang , Lee Jung Ho , Grishaev Alexander , Ying Jinfa , Bax Ad
Published: December 2014

3JC′C′ and 3JHNHα couplings are related to the intervening backbone torsion angle ${\varphi }$ by standard Karplus equations. Although these couplings are known to be affected by parameters other than ${\varphi }$, including H‐bonding, valence angles and residue type, experimental results and quantum calculations indicate that the impact of these latter parameters is typically very small. The solution NMR structure of protein GB3, newly refined by using extensive sets of residual dipolar couplings, yields 50–60 % better Karplus equation agreement between ${\varphi }$ angles and experimental 3JC′C′ and 3JHNHα values than does the high‐resolution X‐ray structure. In intrinsically disordered proteins, 3JC′C′ and 3JHNHα couplings can be measured at even higher accuracy, and the impact of factors other than the intervening torsion angle on 3J will be smaller than in folded proteins, making these couplings exceptionally valuable reporters on the ensemble of ${\varphi }$ angles sampled by each residue.
An Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Battery Based on Copper Hexacyanoferrate
Authors: Trócoli Rafael , La Mantia Fabio
Published: December 2014

A new zinc‐ion battery based on copper hexacyanoferrate and zinc foil in a 20 mM solution of zinc sulfate, which is a nontoxic and noncorrosive electrolyte, at pH 6 is reported. The voltage of this novel battery system is as high as 1.73 V. The system shows cyclability, rate capability, and specific energy values near to those of lithium‐ion organic batteries based on Li4Ti5O12 and LiFePO4 at 10 C. The effects of Zn2+ intercalation and H2 evolution on the performance of the battery are discussed in detail. In particular, it has been observed that hydrogen evolution can cause a shift in pH near the surface of the zinc electrode, and favor the stabilization of zinc oxide, which decreases the performance of the battery. This mechanism is hindered when the surface of zinc becomes rougher.
Cochrane in context: Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: effects on growth and dose–response effects on growth
Authors: Zhang Linjie , Pruteanu Aniela I. , Prietsch Sílvio O. M. , Chauhan Bhupendrasinh F. , Ducharme Francine M.
Published: December 2014

Cochrane Review: Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: effects on growth Zhang L, Prietsch SOM, Ducharme FM. Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: effects on growth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD009471. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009471.pub2

Cochrane Review: Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: dose‐response effects on growth Pruteanu AI, Chauhan BF, Zhang L, Prietsch SOM, Ducharme FM. Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: dose–response effects on growth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD009878. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009878.pub2

This companion piece to the reviews, “Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: effects on growth” and “Inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma: dose–response effects on growth,” contains the following pieces:

The abstract of each review

A commentary from one or more of the review authors, explaining why the review team felt both reviews were important to produce

A review of clinical practice guidelines

Some other recently published references on this topic
Ecohydrology and stewardship of Alberta springs ecosystems
Authors: Springer Abraham E. , Stevens Lawrence E. , Ledbetter Jeri D. , Schaller Elizabeth M. , Gill Karen M. , Rood Stewart B.
Published: December 2014

We studied the role of ecological and anthropogenic impact gradients on ecosystem structure and composition of 56 freshwater springs among mountain, foothills, and prairie ecoregions in southern Alberta, Canada. A random stratified site selection from 2008 to 2012 was based on representation of characteristic springs types across elevation, ecoregions, and land use histories. Springs emergence varied over geomorphic contexts and was dominated by hillslope (28), helocrene (marsh, 13), and rheocrene (stream channel, seven) types, with fewer limnocrene (pool, four), cave (two), gushet (one), and hanging garden (one) springs. Among these springs, specific conductance of non‐geothermal springs water was negatively related to elevation and groundwater temperature (R2 = 0.343 and 0.336 respectively). Plant species richness was positively related to habitat area (R2 = 0.328) and weakly to geomorphic diversity (R2 = 0.135) and total alkalinity and specific conductance (R2 < 0.181). We detected at least 444 higher native plant taxa on only 3.82 ha of springs habitat, equalling 25% of Alberta's flora on <0.001% of the provincial land area. Non‐native plant species density was positively related to that of native plants (R2 = 0.36). Human impacts on springs included livestock production and domestic water supplies, while beaver and other wildlife commonly influenced ecosystem function on protected lands. We conclude that the springs of Alberta are ecologically important but are understudied and inadequately protected, especially with increasing demand for groundwater as a result of extensive allocation and use of surface water in southern Alberta. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental Study of Power Output Suppression Control of Photovoltaic Power Generation During Electricity Surplus in Electric Power System
Authors: Makita Taiga , Kato Takeyoshi , Suzuoki Yasuo
Published: December 2014

In a future electric power system with a high penetration of photovoltaic power generation systems (PVSs), surplus power may occur during the daytime in the spring or fall when electricity demand is low. Suppressing the PVS power output as well as absorbing the surplus power by using electric storage facilities is a possible countermeasure. By considering fairness among a number of PVSs dispersed in a large area with different insolation levels, this study proposes a method of keeping the PVS power output at the utility's requested ratio to available power. The utility of the proposed method is demonstrated by a simplified experimental PVS setup. In the proposed method, the operation point on the I–V curve is kept at a lower value than the maximum power point () so that the mean PV power during a certain period satisfies the requested value. is detected without any additional sensor devices by changing the operation point within a set interval. An experimental test using a test inverter unit demonstrated that the proposed suppression control was effective for maintaining the requested suppression level when insolation was stable. Two types of control modes, the proposed suppression mode and the upper bounded MPPT mode, were applied, and the proposed suppression control worked well for various insolation patterns, as revealed by using a simulation model of the inverter test unit and the insolation data for a year.
A Soft‐Switching Bidirectional AC/DC Converter with MERS Turn‐Off Snubber Circuit and Discontinuous Current Mode
Authors: Isobe Takanori , Kato Kyohei , Kojima Naoto , Shimada Ryuichi
Published: December 2014

With an increase in renewable energy source installations in the domestic field, bidirectional ac/dc converters are attracting attention. Efficiency, power density improvement, and EMI reduction are necessary for converters in this field. Using high‐frequency switching can reduce the size of passive components and help to achieve a high‐power‐density converter; however, the switching losses and EMI can increase. In this study, we propose a new bidirectional ac/dc converter circuit topology that can reduce the switching losses and EMI with soft‐switching operation. The soft‐switching operation is based on discontinuous current mode (DCM) operation and a magnetic energy recovery switch (MERS)‐type turn‐off snubber. This paper focuses on a modulation technique applied to this converter. Experiments with a fabricated 1‐kW converter were conducted and the principles of operation were confirmed. Loss analysis indicates that inductor design is the key design issue for the proposed converter.
A TLM‐Based Surge Analysis of Grounding Electrodes
Authors: Yuda Shinsuke , Baba Yoshihiro , Nagaoka Naoto , Ametani Akihiro
Published: December 2014

In this paper, representations of a perfectly conducting thin wire and an imperfectly conducting medium in the transmission line modeling (TLM) calculation are briefly explained. Then, the method is applied to analyzing surge responses of a vertical parallelepiped grounding electrode and a square‐loop grounding electrode. Surge responses calculated using the TLM method agree reasonably well with the corresponding responses measured and calculated using the finite‐difference time‐domain method. It is probably the first time that surge responses of grounding electrodes have been analyzed reasonably accurately using the TLM method.
Mechanism and Scope of the Base‐Induced Dehalogenation of (E)‐Diiodoalkenes
Authors: Resch Daniel , Lee Chang Heon , Tan Siew Yoong , Luo Liang , Goroff Nancy S.
Published: December 2014

A wide range of nucleophiles have induced the elimination of iodine from (E)‐diiodoalkenes to form alkynes under surprisingly mild conditions. The iodide anion is particularly efficient, and can drive the reaction to completion in less than 1 hour at room temperature in a polar aprotic solvent. Detailed investigations have suggested the reaction has a bimolecular polar mechanism. The deiodination reaction can be driven to completion with 1 equiv. of nucleophile and is partially catalytic with substoichiometric amounts of deiodinating reagent. Kinetic analysis of the stoichiometric iodide‐induced reaction indicated an overall pseudo‐first‐order behavior. The reaction exhibited strong solvent effects, with much slower reactions observed in protic solvents than in polar aprotic solvents. The substrate dimethyl (2E)‐2,3‐diiodobutene‐2‐dioate demonstrated orthogonal reactivity for either elimination or hydrolysis, depending on the solvent and nucleophile used. This reaction is a major pathway for all the diiodoalkenes examined, and represents a challenge and an opportunity for using these substrates in organic synthesis.
LAOF: location‐aware opportunistic forwarding scheme in mobile Ad hoc networks
Authors: Tao Jun , Xu Yifan , Chang Le , Tan Chengwei , Wang Xiaoxiao
Published: December 2014

Due to the high mobility of the nodes, the mobile ad hoc networks are expected to provide many opportunities for message forwarding in delay tolerant networks. Considering the typical mobility models, for example, the random waypoint (RWP) model and Manhattan model, we explore the probabilistic characteristics of the node contact provided by the mobile nodes. Following a progressive approach, we propose a location‐aware opportunistic forwarding scheme, which exploits the location information of the messages and the node mobility to conduct message forwarding. In order to provide a stable delivery ratio and avoid the extra network overhead, the message is forwarded to its destination regions or neighbor regions, which offer a better chance to reach the destination node. We construct a simulation environment, integrated with the RWP mobility trace and the Shanghai city taxis traces. Through extensive simulations, our scheme is demonstrated to outperform the best known opportunistic forwarding algorithms in terms of both delivery ratio/latency and transmission overhead. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality and safety attributes of afghan raisins before and after processing
Authors: McCoy Stacy , Chang Jun Won , McNamara Kevin T. , Oliver Haley F. , Deering Amanda J.
Published: December 2014

Raisins are an important export commodity for Afghanistan; however, Afghan packers are unable to export to markets seeking high‐quality products due to limited knowledge regarding their quality and safety. To evaluate this, Afghan raisin samples from pre‐, semi‐, and postprocessed raisins were obtained from a raisin packer in Kabul, Afghanistan. The raisins were analyzed and compared to U.S. standards for processed raisins. The samples tested did not meet U.S. industry standards for embedded sand and pieces of stem, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity. The Afghan raisins did meet or exceed U.S. Grade A standard for the number of cap‐stems, percent damaged, crystallization levels, moisture content, and color. Following processing, the number of total aerobic bacteria, yeasts, molds, and total coliforms were within the acceptable limits. Although quality issues are present in the Afghan raisins, the process used to clean the raisins is suitable to maintain food safety standards.
A User‐Centric Evaluation Procedure for the Design of Child‐Resistant Medicine Bottles
Authors: Lin Ming‐Chyuan , Chen Ming‐Shi , Lin Yi‐Hsien , Hung Yu‐Ching
Published: December 2014

Recently, people have begun to realize the importance of child‐resistant (CR) medicine packaging. However, most manufacturers and designers have not been able to effectively provide prevention strategies or design criteria to protect consumers. This research proposes a systematic approach to analyze CR packaging design problems and experiments to evaluate the identified design parameters and to generate the most suitable CR medicine packaging design. The design of a CR packaging bottle is used as an example to help explain the development procedure. During the development procedure, user trials, questionnaires, and children's anthropometric data on bottle opening and hand operations are analyzed. Five design parameters, specifically the cap diameter, cap height, bottle height, bottle diameter, and torsion, are identified and used to perform a Taguchi orthogonal array experimental analysis. A computer‐aided design system is also built to help generate the most suitable design alternatives. The results should assist designers in determining the most important CR design parameters and their most suitable combinations for bottle and related CR medicine packaging design.