bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Posters in Teacher Education Programs
Authors: Osa Justina O. , Musser Linda R.
Published: September 2017

Posters abound in education libraries as decorative objects yet few libraries realize the educational potential of the poster. Posters are colorful, attractive learning media which can enhance the learning environment. This paper describes the value of posters in the educational setting, offers suggestions on selecting posters for learning, and includes examples of various types oflearning posters.
Why IM Me? I’m Right Here!
Authors: Marcus Sara
Published: September 2017

Although the relationship between styles of learning and reference service has been taken for granted within the profession, there has been little empirical research that directly links individual learning styles to optimal reference behaviors. This paper is a call for such research, and illustrates the importance of understanding the relationship between individual learning styles and reference service by discussing five of Gardner’s styles of learning that are especially important within the reference service context – kinesthetic, visual, auditory, intrapersonal, and interpersonal.
Editorial: Librarians in Disneyland
Authors: Snider Jacqueline , Bogenschutz Debbie
Published: September 2017

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Is “E” really for everybody? Picture books for older readers in public libraries
Authors: Smith Mikki
Published: September 2017

Picture books for older readers present challenges for libraries in terms of how best to provide access to them. These books often have an “E” on the spine to indicate that they are “easy” or for “everybody,” and share lower shelves with a far greater number of picture books geared for the preschool and primary grade audience. However, this classification by format might encourage older readers to pass over these materials. At the same time, questions remain about the effectiveness of housing these picture books with juvenile fiction, or of creating separate collections. This article looks at how the picture book as a format and picture book collections are defined, as well as the variety of ways in which a small sample of picture books for older readers are currently being managed in public libraries.
The Influence of Extrinsic Motivation on Innovative Work Behaviour with Moderating Role of Quality Culture
Authors: Abdullatif Tahir Noaman , Johari Husna bt , Adnan Zurina bt
Published: September 2017

Objective: This study explored the influence of extrinsic motivation on innovative work behaviour in higher education institutions in Iraq as moderated by quality culture. Although the employees' innovative work behaviour is the key sources of organizational innovation, it does not develop automatically. Leadership should give employees suitable work incentives and more motivation to increase their innovative behaviour.

Methodology:This study discusses the theoretical concepts based on Social Exchange Theory and previous studies to explore the logical relationships between research variables.

The results: The research study concludes that the feeling of extrinsic motivation is enormously important to realize the continuous flow of innovative work behavior, especially through the influence of quality culture on this relationship. Likewise, in line with the Social Exchange Theory, extrinsic motivation may positively influence innovative work behaviour. In addition, the quality culture, as one of the contextual factors, is very important for the higher education institutions as it affects the innovative work behaviour of employees.

Implication: The results are expected to have both theoretical and practical contributions to enable Iraqi higher education institutions to improve the level of innovation. The results of this study can be used as a strategy by the administration for the purpose of improving innovative work behaviour. This study involves several limitations, including the lack of empirical examination. The future empirical studies may use this theoretical framework to cover this aspect.
Mentoring and Organizational Performance: A Review of Effects of Mentoring on Small and Medium Enterprises
Authors: Hussain Shah Muzaffar , Bin Othman Abdul Rahim , Bin Mansor Mohd Najib
Published: September 2017

Mentoring has gained substantial attention in small and medium enterprises in recent years due to its high impact on business performance. Several studies have delineated the impact of mentoring on small and medium enterprises and found mentoring is helpful for improving organizational performance and transferring information from experienced entrepreneurs to inexperienced or les experienced entrepreneurs which leads to higher productivity of organization, better job satisfaction, and retention of workers. This study reviews the literature of mentoring and the components of mentoring. Findings of the study depict that mentoring has a positive impact on business performance. Moreover, the results also implicate significant decision-making suggestions for SMEs that improved business performance can be achieved by enabling efficient mentoring programs. These programs would benefits employee as well as the organization. Mentoring programs not only increase the value of employees but also the effectiveness of the business.
PENGAMBILAN KEPUTUSAN PRO LIFE PADA REMAJA DENGAN KEHAMILAN TIDAK DIINGINKAN (KTD) DI SEMARANG
Authors: Mulyanti Lia
Published: September 2017

Latar Belakang: Masa remaja adalah masa transisi antara masa kanak-kanak dengan dewasa dan relatif belum mencapai tahap kematangan mental dan sosial. Remaja bisa saja mengatakan bahwa seks bebas atau seks pranikah itu aman untuk dilakukan. Namun, bila remaja melihat dan memahami akibat dari perilaku itu,ternyata lebih banyak membawa kerugian. Salah satu resikonya adalah kehamilan di luar nikah. Data yang didapat dari PILAR PKBI pada tahun 2011 dari 79 klien yang datang berkonsultasi dengan KTD terdapat 14 klien remaja yang memutuskan untuk melanjutkan kehamilan. Sedangkan pada tahun 2012 dari 63 klien yang berkonsultasi terdapat 6 klien remaja yang melanjutkan kehamilannya sampai melahirkan. Tujuan: Untuk mengetahui bagaimana pengambilan keputusan pro life pada remaja dengan KTD. Metode Penelitian: penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain studi kasus untuk mengumpulkan informasi secara mendalam tentang bagaimana pengalaman pengambilan keputusan pro life pada remaja dengan KTD. Hasil: Pengambilan keputusan untuk melanjutkan kehamilan yang dialami merupakan keputusan yang dibuat oleh orang tua dengan cara menikahkan anak remajanya. Alasan informan mengikuti keputusan yang dibuat oleh orang tua untuk melanjutkan kehamilan yaitu mereka patuh dengan apa yang dikatakan orang tua, takut tambah mengecewakan orang tua. Sebagian besar proses pengambilan keputusan untuk melanjutkan kehamilan dengan kasus KTD tidak melalui konseling dengan tenaga kesehatan atau konselor tetapi orang tua mengambil dari pengalaman riil disekitar yaitu jika ada anak remaja perempuan hamil diluar nikah maka harus segera dinikahkan. Kesimpulan: Pengambilan keputusan pro life pada remaja dengan KTD didasarkan karena mengikuti keputusan yang dibuat oleh orang tua remaja tersebut. Konsekuensi yang ditimbulkan dalam mengambil keputusan untuk melanjutkan kehamilannya antara lain konsekuensi pada pendidikan, psikologis, dan sosial.Kata kunci: Remaja, KTD, Pengambilan Keputusan Pro Life
IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXT TRANSFORMATION IN PHYSICS EDUCATION TO REDUCE STUDENTS’ MISCONCEPTION
Authors: Soeharto Soeharto
Published: September 2017

This research aimed to know the effect of  text transformation in educational physics especially Impuls and momentum to reduce students’ misconception. This study was held at state senior high school (SMAN) 2 in Pontianak, West Borneo.  The instrument in this study has made with diagnostic test using  certainly of responden index method. The research design in this study using one group pretest-posttest design. Population in this research is all students of science major in state senior high school 2 in Pontianak. This study have found that implementation of text transformation giving effect significantly to reduce students’ misconception according Wilcoxon test (Z = -3,418, p = 0.01). However, this research is not finding corelation which is significantly between skill to make a note using text transformation and reduction of students’ misconception ( = 0.119, p = 0.490). The value of effect size in this research is 1.65.
Сlinical case: From appendicitis to suicide
Authors: Romaniv Olexandr , Pohoriliak Katherine , Ustyugova Margaret
Published: September 2017

For retrospective WHO estimates more and more groups of diseases related to psychosomatic diseases. The clinical case shows the development of psychosomatic diseases and circulation accent patient experiences between somatic and mental suffering, which seriously affects the quality of life and prognosis of health.
How does the brain affect cardiovascular health?
Authors: Bezsheiko Vitaliy
Published: September 2017

In the article the mechanisms of stress response regulation by the brain are reviewed, as well as the data from a new study in this area, which was focused on a detailed analysis of brain activity changes in people with excessive cardiovascular stress response.
Ion transport and phase transformation in thin film intercalation electrodes
Authors: Wunde Fabian , Nowak Susann , Mürter Juliane , Hadjixenophontos Efi , Berkemeier Frank , Schmitz Guido
Published: September 2017

Thin film battery electrodes of the olivine structure LiFePO4and the spinel phase LiMn2O4are deposited through ion-beam sputtering. The intercalation kinetics is studied by cyclo-voltammetry using variation of the cycling rate over 4 to 5 orders of magnitude. The well-defined layer geometry allows a detailed quantitative analysis. It is shown that LiFePO4clearly undergoes phase separation during intercalation, although the material is nano-confined and very high charging rates are applied. We present a modified Randles–Sevcik evaluation adapted to phase-separating systems. Both the charging current and the overpotential depend on the film thickness in a systematic way. The analysis yields evidence that the grain boundaries are important short circuit paths for fast transport. They increase the electrochemical active area with increasing layer thickness. Evidence is obtained that the grain boundaries in LiFePO4have the character of an ion-conductor of vanishing electronic conductivity.
Enthalpies of formation of layered LiNixMnxCo1–2xO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) compounds as lithium ion battery cathode materials
Authors: Masoumi Maryam , Cupid Damian M. , Reichmann Thomas L. , Chang Keke , Music Denis , Schneider Jochen M. , Seifert Hans J.
Published: September 2017

Layer-structured mixed transition metal oxides with the formula LiNixMnxCo1–2xO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) are considered as important cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. In an effort to evaluate the relative thermodynamic stabilities of individual compositions in this series, the enthalpies of formation of selected stoichiometries are determined by high temperature oxide melt drop solution calorimetry and verified by ab-initio calculations. The measured and calculated data are in good agreement with each other, and the results show that LiCoO2–LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 solid solution approaches ideal behavior. By increasing x, i. e. by equimolar substitution of Mn4+ and Ni2+ for Co3+, the enthalpy of formation of LiNixMnxCo1–2xO2 from the elements becomes more exothermic, implying increased energetic stability. This conclusion is in agreement with the literature results showing improved structural stability and cycling performance of Ni/Mn-rich LiNixMnxCo1–2xO2 compounds cycled to higher cut-off voltages.
Modification of microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Zn–Mg/3 wt.% Al2O3 composite through semi-solid thermomechanical processing using variable loads
Authors: Hajizamani Mohsen , Alizadeh Mostafa
Published: September 2017

The microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Zn–Mg/3 wt.% Al2O3 composite were modified through a thermomechanical processing technique. The powders were cold pressed and solid state sintered for 90 min under argon atmosphere. Thermomechanical processing was then applied to the solid state sintered samples, which consisted of cold pressing followed by partial remelting for 30 min under argon atmosphere. Four different loads in the thermomechanical processing were used to investigate the effects of compressive loads on the microstructures and the mechanical properties. The results revealed modifications in the microstructure of the thermomechanically processed samples with the optimum combination of properties in the sample modified by applying the load of 250 MPa. Increasing the thermomechanical processing load decreased the amounts of porosity by about 7 %, decreased the average grain size to about 4 μm, enhanced the compressive yield strength to about 295 MPa, and increased the microhardness values from 250 HV to 600 HV. In addition, the energy absorption capacity increased by about three times.
Investigations on Additive Manufacturing of WCCo Hard Metals by Laser Beam Melting
Authors: Schubert T. , Breninek A. , Bernthaler T. , Sellmer D. , Schneider M. , Schneider G.
Published: September 2017

Tungsten carbide-cobalt hard metal produced by additive manufacturing offers opportunities to meet the increasingly complex requirements of high-performance machining. Besides a high level of design freedom and the easy integration of functional properties, the additive manufacturing of hard metals also offers potential for cost savings and conservation of resources. A window of favorable process parameters for laser beam melting was established using commercially available carbide powder with 17 % Co content, which serves to build carbide samples by laser-based additive manufacturing. Compared to conventionally manufactured carbides, deviations can still be noticed with regard to microstructural and mechanical properties. However, bending strengths of > 1 000 MPa and fracture toughness in the range of 10–12 Mpa √m are promising for the future additive manufacturing of WCCo hard metals.
Long-Range Dependence of Traffic Flow and Speed of a Motorway: Dynamics and Correlation with Historical Incidents
Authors: Chand Sai , Aouad Gregory , Dixit Vinayak V.
Published: September 2017

Speed and flow of vehicles tend to have several effects on the dynamics of a transport system. Fluctuations of these variables can implicate congestion, can lower predictability, and may even catalyze crashes. A concept of fractal theory called the Hurst exponent—a measure of the long-range dependence (LRD) of a time series—was used to understand the fluctuations in flow and speed of a motorway in Sydney, Australia. The spatial and temporal variation of the LRD for flow ( Hflow) and speed ( Hspeed) at several monitor sites is discussed. Furthermore, the effects of number of lanes on flow and speed predictability are explored. It was observed that the flow predictability of two-lane sections was significantly lower when compared with three-lane and four-lane sections. Conversely, the speed predictability of four-lane sections was considerably higher than that of two-lane and three-lane sections. Finally, traffic congestion was defined with regard to the LRD of speed, and its correlation with historical incident rates was measured. It was ascertained that monitor sites with a historically high proportion of large Hspeed were correlated with unsafe locations. This study could lead to many applications of fractal analysis on highways and urban traffic.
Effects of Rain on Freeway Traffic in Southern California
Authors: Dhaliwal Sawanpreet Singh , Wu Xinkai , Thai John , Jia Xudong
Published: September 2017

A number of studies in the past quantified the effect of rain on traffic parameters but were limited to wet areas. This research expands the literature by studying the effect of rain in a dry area such as Southern California and considering regional differences in the impact. Traffic data (loop detectors) and precipitation data (rain gauges) from the Los Angeles, California, metropolitan area were analyzed to access the effect of rain on traffic stream parameters such as free-flow speed, speed at capacity, and capacity. Rainfall events were categorized as light, medium, and heavy as discussed in the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. Density plots and fundamental diagrams for rain types proved that free-flow speed, speed at capacity, and capacity were reduced by 5.7%, 6.91%, and 8.65%, respectively, for light rain; 11.71%, 12.34%, and 17.4%, respectively, for medium rain; and 10.22%, 11.85%, and 15.34%, respectively, for heavy rain. The reductions for free-flow speed were lower, whereas for speed at capacity and for capacity, they were higher than those reported in the 2010 manual. Moreover, headway increased during rain; this finding shows cautious driving behavior. Multiplicative weather adjustment factors were computed to compensate for the loss of speed and capacity. Also demonstrated was the spatial and temporal effect of rain on traffic. Downstream traffic was not much affected by a rainfall event, whereas the upstream traffic was negatively affected. This study is expected to support weather-responsive traffic management strategies for dry areas.
An overview of the NFAIS 2014 Annual Conference – Giving Voice to Content: Re-Envisioning the Business of Information
Authors: Lawlor Bonnie
Published: September 2017

This paper provides an overview of the highlights of the 2014 NFAIS Annual Conference, Giving Voice to Content: Re-Envisioning the Business of Information, that was held in Philadelphia, PA, on February 23–25, 2014. The goal of the conference was to take a look at the opportunities offered by current Big Data technologies (metrics, analytics, data mining, visualization, linking, etc.) and challenge content providers and librarians to attempt to free themselves from the constraints and biases of the past and re-envision what their products, services, and business models would look like if these technologies were fully utilized. Audience response devices were used throughout the meeting to gauge the opinions and perceptions of the attendees and these are also discussed where relevant.
Persistent identifiers can improve provenance and attribution and encourage sharing of research results
Authors: Haak Laurel L.
Published: September 2017

ORCID is an organization that provides a registry of unique and persistent identifiers for researchers. In the publishing community, ORCID identifiers are used for authors and reviewers and enable persistent and trusted digital connections between researchers and their work. This article provides an overview of the uptake of ORCID identifiers and how they are being used to clarify author attribution and improve provenance.
Mendeley: Enabling and understanding scientific collaboration
Authors: Gunn William
Published: September 2017

This short paper provides an update on Mendeley's approach to scientific collaboration. Mendeley is Desktop software for organizing and collaborating. It provides a website for discovery of research and expertise, and it is a programmatic interface that provides data and functionality for many other services. Based on its collection of data on readings by its members it provides a way to understand scientific impact that compliments citation analysis and impact factors.
Comparing digital apples to digital apples: Background on NISO's effort to build an infrastructure for new forms of scholarly assessment
Authors: Carpenter Todd A.
Published: September 2017

Citation metrics and the journal impact factor have been the traditional forms for decades of assessing scholarly impact. These metrics are being challenged in today's digital content environment as no longer being the best methods for research assessment due to issues such as currency and granularity. New alternative metrics – altmetrics – have sprung up, but they are not without their own issues, in particular lack of standardization. The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) launched a project in 2013 to explore, identify, and advance standards and best practices for alternative metrics. A draft white paper summarizing recommendations of the first phase has been issued and will be followed by the second phase of developing one or more of the proposed standards and recommended practices.
Developing the Greek Reference Index for the Social Sciences and Humanities
Authors: Tsoukala Victoria , Panagopoulou Alexia , Stavrou Giorgos , Angelidi Eleni , Sachini Evi , Nafpliotis Alexandros
Published: September 2017

The Greek Reference Index for the Social Sciences and Humanities (GRISSH) is a service that collects, documents, stores and, where possible, provides access to peer-reviewed publications in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (SSH) by Greek publishers. It also provides long-term preservation for the digital and print files of the publications. The GRISSH was conceived by the National Documentation Centre (EKT) and the documentation and access platform is developed by the organization itself (OpenABEKT). The GRISSH is, in essence, a collaborative project that advances with the assistance and active participation of the publishing and scholarly community in Greece. It is intended as an essential reference service for the research and publishing community in Greece and abroad. The present contribution presents the goals, objectives and key benefits of the project; the evaluation criteria for the selection of content; the specifications for the development of the index; the methodology of documentation; the emerging collaborations with stakeholders. It also, present how the GRISSH project is aligned with the national and international agendas in view of a coordinated development and e-infrastructure that will support the sectors of academia, research and academic publishing.
An end-user view of progress in the information industry
Authors: Basch Reva
Published: September 2017

The evolution of a meaningful user/information provider dialogue is suggested in the context of an active user group's (Southern California OnlineUser Group-SCOUG) experience. The goal of achieving user defined quality assurance is put forward as an end with the means of such an achievement left to the assumption of responsibilities and quality obligations.
Developments in scientific communication: Considerations on the value chain
Authors: Roosendaal Hans E. , Geurts Peter A.Th.M. , van der Vet Paul E.
Published: September 2017

This article analyses the transformation of the value chain of scientific information in response to concomitant changes in scientific research and education.

The scientific communication market is described in terms of main driving forces and their interplay. These forces are the actor (author/reader), accessibility, content, and applicability pairs. Scientific communication is described in this article in terms of its four functions: registration, archive, awareness, and certification.

The introduction of these forces and functions allows a structural analysis of the scientific communication market and allows us to discuss aspects of structural continuity in, e.g., describing the transformation from a paper-based system to communication in a digital environment. The developments are seen to emphasise the already existing autonomous development towards a “unified archive”, lead us to review certification policies to include elements external to research and lead us to consider new structures for scientific communication, and publications.

The new structures can be seen to result from the interactions in the market as modelled by the forces and the functions. The distinction between formal and informal communication is seen to become less useful. The need to review the structure and organisation of the market becomes evident, in particular if we consider communication during research and education as well.

This leads us to speculate whether elements of the virtual organisation are of relevance.
Aminated Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes as Carrier for Covalent Immobilization of Phenylalanine Ammonia-lyase
Authors: Bartha-Vári Judith Hajnal , Bencze László Csaba , Bell Evelin , Poppe László , Katona Gabriel , Irimie Florin-Dan , Paizs Csaba , Toșa Monica Ioana
Published: September 2017

A new and efficient immobilized form of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) was obtained by covalent linkage onto amino functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SwCNTNH2) as carrier. The catalytic properties of the resulted nanostructured biocatalyst (SwCNTNH2-PAL) were tested in the kinetic resolution of racemic 2-amino-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propanoic acid 1 by ammonia elimination and in the enantiotope selective addition of ammonia onto (E)-3-(thiophen-2-yl)acrylic acid 2. SwCNTNH2-PAL was a durable biocatalyst in batch mode for ammonia elimination from 1 (>85% of original activity after 7 cycles) and in ammonia addition to 2 (>70% of original activity after 3 cycles in 6 M NH3 , pH 10.0). The ammonia addition onto 2 was also studied in a continuous-flow microreactor packed with SwCNTNH2-PAL (2 M NH3, pH 10.0, 15 bar) in the 30-80 °C temperature range. No significant loss of PAL activity was observed over 72 h in the microreactor up to 60 °C. Productivity of SwCNTNH2-PAL at 30 °C was significantly higher in the enantiotope selective ammonia addition performed in a packed-bed reactor operated in continuous-flow mode (rflow =2.41 mmol min-1 g-1) than in the reaction performed in batch system (rbatch = 1.38 mmol min-1 g-1).
Neutral Voltage Comparison of Different Grounding Configurations and Calculation Methods in Multi-Grounded Low Voltage Network
Authors: Csatár János , Dán András
Published: September 2017

The steady growth in distributed generation brings more and more attention to low voltage (LV) distribution networks. Therefore, a good model is important to study these trends, especially with local regulation. Grounding the neutral line at multiple points along the network is a common practice in many European countries influencing neutral currents and voltages. Modelling grounding current had been of little interest at network planning and operation before, with only passive consumers. However, with the growing number of smart equipment, it becomes an overlooked, yet important issue. This equipment usually rely on local measurements and regulates accordingly. Given that most of the LV equipment uses single-phase connection, the neutral voltage is an important issue. Yet few papers study the neutral line behaviour and often overlook the effect of grounding. This article studies the effect of different grounding configurations on neutral voltages, and compares it with one of the most commonly used calculation method in literature that incorporates groundings. The differences are large enough to adversely affect local regulation.
Hand-Schuller-Christian disease
Authors: Khan Akhlaque Hossain , Amin Md. Rezaul , Karim Bazlul , Shalike Narendra
Published: September 2017

Hand-Schuller-Christian disease (HSC) is a rare disease of unknown cause. We report a case of Hand-Schuller-Christian disease with a solitary swelling over left parieto-occipital region of scalp, and increased thirst with polyuria. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of the disease will improve the life expectancy.
Sharing her Bewilderment: Not I, Experimentation and the Perception of Speech
Authors: Powell Josh
Published: September 2017

Samuel Beckett is often thought of as an experimental writer but little critical attention has been paid to the question of what the term ‘experimental’ means when applied to Beckett's work (and arguably literature in general). One might suggest that to call Beckett an experimental writer is to identify him as a member of the avant-garde, placing his writing in opposition to more commercially-orientated, ‘mainstream’ works of literature. Alternatively, the term might be taken to highlight Beckett's formal innovations – his capacity to change conceptions of what literature is and does. This article, though, specifies another way in which we might understand Beckett's writing to be experimental. Drawing on Beckett's engagement with the discipline of psychology, the article puts forward the case that Beckett's works can be seen as experiments in a more scientific sense. Beckett's writing, I suggest, can be defined as experimental insofar as it works to change our understandings of particular psychophysiological concepts and phenomena. Through a consideration of the 1972 play Not I, this article argues that one concept Beckett's work investigates is speech perception. Reading Beckett's play alongside various psychological experiments on auditory and visual speech perception, the article concludes that Beckett's play can be seen as scientifically-informed aesthetic experimentation, though not scientific research.
Effect of Thermodenuding on the Structure of Nascent Flame Soot Aggregates
Authors: Bhandari Janarjan , China Swarup , Onasch Timothy , Wolff Lindsay , Lambe Andrew , Davidovits Paul , Cross Eben , Ahern Adam , Olfert Jason , Dubey Manvendra , Mazzoleni Claudio
Published: September 2017

The optical properties (absorption and scattering) of soot particles depend on soot size and index of refraction, but also on the soot complex morphology and the internal mixing with materials that can condense on a freshly emitted (nascent) soot particle and coat it. This coating can affect the soot optical properties by refracting light, or by changing the soot aggregate structure. A common approach to studying the effect of coating on soot optical properties is to measure the absorption and scattering coefficients in ambient air, and then measure them again after removing the coating using a thermodenuder. In this approach, it is assumed that: (1) most of the coating material is removed; (2) charred organic coating does not add to the refractory carbon; (3) oxidation of soot is negligible; and, (4) the structure of the pre-existing soot core is left unaltered, despite the potential oxidation of the core at elevated temperatures. In this study, we investigated the validity of the last assumption, by studying the effect of thermodenuding on the morphology of nascent soot. To this end, we analyzed the morphological properties of laboratory generated nascent soot, before and after thermodenuding. Our investigation shows that there is only minor restructuring of nascent soot by thermodenuding.
Time-Frequency Analysis of Mu Rhythm Activity during Picture and Video Action Naming Tasks
Authors: Cuellar Megan , Del Toro Christina
Published: September 2017

This study used whole-head 64 channel electroencephalography to measure changes in sensorimotor activity—as indexed by the mu rhythm—in neurologically-healthy adults, during subvocal confrontation naming tasks. Independent component analyses revealed sensorimotor mu component clusters in the right and left hemispheres. Event related spectral perturbation analyses indicated significantly stronger patterns of mu rhythm activity (pFDR < 0.05) during the video condition as compared to the picture condition, specifically in the left hemisphere. Mu activity is hypothesized to reflect typical patterns of sensorimotor activation during action verb naming tasks. These results support further investigation into sensorimotor cortical activity during action verb naming in clinical populations.
Heat Transfer in a Drilling Fluid with Geothermal Applications
Authors: Wu Wei-Tao , Aubry Nadine , Antaki James , McKoy Mark , Massoudi Mehrdad
Published: September 2017

The effects of various conditions on the fluid flow, particle migration and heat transfer in non-linear fluids encountered in drilling and geothermal applications are studied. We assume that the drilling fluid is a suspension composed of various substances, behaving as a non-linear complex fluid, where the effects of particle volume fraction, shear rate, and temperature on the viscosity and thermal diffusivity are considered. The motion of the particles is described using a concentration flux equation. Two problems are studied: flow in a vertical pipe and flow between two (eccentric) cylinders where the inner cylinder is rotating. We consider effects of earth temperature, the rotational speed of the inner cylinder, and the bulk volume fraction on the flow and heat transfer.
High-Throughput Study of the Effects of Celastrol on Activated Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Fang Zhengyu , He Dongyi , Yu Bo , Liu Feng , Zuo Jianping , Li Yuxia , Lin Qi , Zhou Xiaodong , Wang Qingwen
Published: September 2017

Celastrol, a natural triterpene, exhibits potential anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of inflammatory diseases. The present study aimed to investigate its biological effect on activated fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The primary FLSs of the synovial tissues were obtained from synovial biopsies of patients with RA. The normal human FLS line (HFLS) was used as a control. After the RA–FLSs and HFLSs were treated with or without celastrol, various approaches, including the WST-1 assay, transwell assay, real-time PCR and ELISA analysis, were performed to estimate proliferation, invasion and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines of the RA–FLSs. Microarray analysis was performed to screen for differentially expressed genes in RA–FLSs before and after celastrol treatment. The results showed that treatment of celastrol attenuated both the proliferation and invasion of the RA–FLSs. The expression of several chemokine genes, including CCL2, CXCL10, CXCL12, CCR2 and CXCR4, was significantly changed after celastrol treatment. The genes involved in the NF-κB signaling pathway appeared to be regulated by celastrol.
Intestinal and Circulating MicroRNAs in Coeliac Disease
Authors: Felli Cristina , Baldassarre Antonella , Masotti Andrea
Published: September 2017

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and gastrointestinal diseases. Previous studies have revealed that miRNAs are dysregulated in intestinal biopsies of patients affected by coeliac disease (CD). Combined bioinformatics analyses of miRNA expression profiles and mRNA target genes as classified by Gene Ontology, are powerful tools to investigate the functional role of miRNAs in coeliac disease. However, little is still known about the function of circulating miRNAs, their expression level compared to tissue miRNAs, and whether the mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation are the same of tissue miRNAs. In any case, if we assume that a cell-cell communication process has to occur, and that circulating miRNAs are delivered to recipient cells, we can derive useful information by performing target predictions. Interestingly, all of the mRNA targets of dysregulated miRNAs reported in the literature (i.e., miR-31-5p, miR-192, miR-194, miR-449a and miR-638) belong to several important biological processes, such as Wnt signaling, cell proliferation and differentiation, and adherens junction pathways. Although we think that these predictions have to be necessarily confirmed by “wet-lab” data, the miRNAs dysregulated during the development of CD could be potentially involved in the pathogenesis of coeliac disease and their correlation with circulating miRNAs offers new possibilities to use them as disease biomarkers.
Determination of Highly Sensitive Biological Cell Model Systems to Screen BPA-Related Health Hazards Using Pathway Studio
Authors: Ryu Do-Yeal , Rahman Md , Pang Myung-Geol
Published: September 2017

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemical. Recently, many issues have arisen surrounding the disease pathogenesis of BPA. Therefore, several studies have been conducted to investigate the proteomic biomarkers of BPA that are associated with disease processes. However, studies on identifying highly sensitive biological cell model systems in determining BPA health risk are lacking. Here, we determined suitable cell model systems and potential biomarkers for predicting BPA-mediated disease using the bioinformatics tool Pathway Studio. We compiled known BPA-mediated diseases in humans, which were categorized into five major types. Subsequently, we investigated the differentially expressed proteins following BPA exposure in several cell types, and analyzed the efficacy of altered proteins to investigate their associations with BPA-mediated diseases. Our results demonstrated that colon cancer cells (SW480), mammary gland, and Sertoli cells were highly sensitive biological model systems, because of the efficacy of predicting the majority of BPA-mediated diseases. We selected glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 1 (UQCRC1), and voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 2 (VDAC2) as highly sensitive biomarkers to predict BPA-mediated diseases. Furthermore, we summarized proteomic studies in spermatozoa following BPA exposure, which have recently been considered as another suitable cell type for predicting BPA-mediated diseases.
Mitochondrial Liver Toxicity of Valproic Acid and Its Acid Derivatives Is Related to Inhibition of α-Lipoamide Dehydrogenase
Authors: Kudin Alexei , Mawasi Hafiz , Eisenkraft Arik , Elger Christian , Bialer Meir , Kunz Wolfram
Published: September 2017

The liver toxicity of valproic acid (VPA) is an established side effect of this widely used antiepileptic drug, which is extremely problematic for patients with metabolic epilepsy and particularly epilepsy due to mitochondrial dysfunction. In the present report, we investigated the reason for liver mitochondrial toxicity of VPA and several acid and amide VPA analogues. While the pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate oxidation rates of rat brain mitochondria were nearly unaffected by VPA, rat liver mitochondrial pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate oxidation was severely impaired by VPA concentrations above 100 µM. Among the reactions involved in pyruvate oxidation, pyruvate transport and dehydrogenation steps were not affected by VPA, while α-lipoamide dehydrogenase was strongly inhibited. Strong inhibition of α-lipoamide dehydrogenase was also noted for the VPA one-carbon homolog sec-butylpropylacetic acid (SPA) and to a lesser extent for the VPA constitutional isomer valnoctic acid (VCA), while the corresponding amides of the above three acids valpromide (VPD), sec-butylpropylacetamide (SPD) and valnoctamide (VCD) showed only small effects. We conclude that the active inhibitors of pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate oxidation are the CoA conjugates of VPA and its acid analogues affecting selectively α-lipoamide dehydrogenase in liver. Amide analogues of VPA, like VCD, show low inhibitory effects on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in the liver, which might be relevant for treatment of patients with mitochondrial epilepsy.
Melatonin and Hippo Pathway: Is There Existing Cross-Talk?
Authors: Sardo Federica Lo , Muti Paola , Blandino Giovanni , Strano Sabrina
Published: September 2017

Melatonin is an indolic hormone that regulates a plethora of functions ranging from the regulation of circadian rhythms and antioxidant properties to the induction and maintenance of tumor suppressor pathways. It binds to specific receptors as well as to some cytosolic proteins, leading to several cellular signaling cascades. Recently, the involvement of melatonin in cancer insurgence and progression has clearly been demonstrated. In this review, we will first describe the structure and functions of melatonin and its receptors, and then discuss both molecular and epidemiological evidence on melatonin anticancer effects. Finally, we will shed light on potential cross-talk between melatonin signaling and the Hippo signaling pathway, along with the possible implications for cancer therapy.
Metasurfaces Based on Phase-Change Material as a Reconfigurable Platform for Multifunctional Devices
Authors: Raeis-Hosseini Niloufar , Rho Junsuk
Published: September 2017

Integration of phase-change materials (PCMs) into electrical/optical circuits has initiated extensive innovation for applications of metamaterials (MMs) including rewritable optical data storage, metasurfaces, and optoelectronic devices. PCMs have been studied deeply due to their reversible phase transition, high endurance, switching speed, and data retention. Germanium-antimony-tellurium (GST) is a PCM that has amorphous and crystalline phases with distinct properties, is bistable and nonvolatile, and undergoes a reliable and reproducible phase transition in response to an optical or electrical stimulus; GST may therefore have applications in tunable photonic devices and optoelectronic circuits. In this progress article, we outline recent studies of GST and discuss its advantages and possible applications in reconfigurable metadevices. We also discuss outlooks for integration of GST in active nanophotonic metadevices.
Study of 13Cr-4Ni-(Mo) (F6NM) Steel Grade Heat Treatment for Maximum Hardness Control in Industrial Heats
Authors: De Sanctis Massimo , Lovicu Gianfranco , Buccioni Massimiliano , Donato Angelo , Richetta Maria , Varone Alessandra
Published: September 2017

The standard NACE MR0175 (ISO 15156) requires a maximum hardness value of 23 HRC for 13Cr-4Ni-(Mo) steel grade for sour service, requiring a double tempering heat treatment at temperature in the range 648–691 °C for the first tempering and 593–621 °C for the second tempering. Difficulties in limiting alloy hardness after the tempering of forged mechanical components (F6NM) are often faced. Variables affecting the thermal behavior of 13Cr-4Ni-(Mo) during single and double tempering treatments have been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, X-ray diffraction measurements, dilatometry, and thermo-mechanical simulations. It has been found that relatively low Ac1 temperatures in this alloy induce the formation of austenite phase above 600 °C during tempering, and that the formed, reverted austenite tends to be unstable upon cooling, thus contributing to the increase of final hardness via transformation to virgin martensite. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the Ac1 temperature as much as possible to allow the tempering of martensite at the temperature range required by NACE without the detrimental formation of virgin martensite upon final cooling. Attempts to do so have been carried out by reducing both carbon (<0.02% C) and nitrogen (<100 ppm) levels. Results obtained herein show final hardness below NACE limits without an unacceptable loss of mechanical strength.
Comments to Article by Willetts A. et al., Microorganisms 2016, 4, 38
Authors: Littlechild Jennifer , Isupov Mikail
Published: September 2017

We would like to comment on recent work published in your journal in October 2016 by Willetts A. et al. [1].[...]
Reply to the Comment by Littlechild and Isupov
Authors: Willetts Andrew , Kelly David
Published: September 2017

I thank Drs. Littlechild and Isupov for their recent comments, which are considered below. Before addressing these specifically, their correspondence raises two more general issues which require initial clarification.[...]
Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Natural Antioxidants from the Exotic Gordonia axillaris Fruit: Optimization and Identification of Phenolic Compounds
Authors: Li Ya , Li Sha , Lin Sheng-Jun , Zhang Jiao-Jiao , Zhao Cai-Ning , Li Hua-Bin
Published: September 2017

Our previous study reported that the fruit of Gordonia axillaris, an edible wild fruit, possessed strong antioxidant activity. In this study, a microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method was established to extract antioxidants from the fruit of Gordonia axillaris. The influence of five parameters, including ethanol concentration, solvent/material ratio, extraction time, extraction temperature and microwave power, was investigated by single-factor experiments. Three factors, namely ethanol concentration, solvent/material ratio, extraction time, were found to exert a major influence on extraction efficacy, and were further studied by response surface methodology to investigate their interactions. Ethanol concentration of 36.89%, solvent/material ratio of 29.56 mL/g, extraction time of 71.04 min, temperature of 40 °C, and microwave power of 400 W were found to be the optimal condition. The TEAC value was 198.16 ± 5.47 µmol Trolox/g DW under the optimal conditions, which was in conformity to the predicted value (200.28 µmol Trolox/g DW). In addition, the MAE method was compared with two conventional methods (Soxhlet extraction and maceration extraction). Results showed that the antioxidant capacity of the extract obtained by MAE method was stronger than that obtained by maceration (168.67 ± 3.88 µmol Trolox/g DW) or Soxhlet extraction (114.09 ± 2.01 µmol Trolox/g DW). Finally, several phenolic compounds in the extract were identified and quantified by UPLC-MS/MS, which were rutin, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, 2-hydrocinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid.
Functional Aromatic Polyamides
Authors: Reglero Ruiz José , Trigo-López Miriam , García Félix , García José
Published: September 2017

We describe herein the state of the art following the last 8 years of research into aromatic polyamides, wholly aromatic polyamides or aramids. These polymers belong to the family of high performance materials because of their exceptional thermal and mechanical behavior. Commercially, they have been transformed into fibers mainly for production of advanced composites, paper, and cut and fire protective garments. Huge research efforts have been carried out to take advantage of the mentioned characteristics in advanced fields related to transport applications, optically active materials, electroactive materials, smart materials, or materials with even better mechanical and thermal behavior.
TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose with High Degree of Oxidation
Authors: Tang Zuwu , Li Wenyan , Lin Xinxing , Xiao He , Miao Qingxian , Huang Liulian , Chen Lihui , Wu Hui
Published: September 2017

In this paper, water-soluble 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose with a high degree of oxidation was prepared by a two-step process using bamboo dissolving pulp. The first step was to destroy the cellulose crystal I by NaOH/urea solution to obtain cellulose powder with decreased crystallinity. The second step was to oxidize the cellulose powder by TEMPO oxidation. The TEMPO-oxidized cellulose was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), conductimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), fiber analyzer, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). FTIR showed that the hydroxymethyl groups in cellulose chains were converted into carboxyl groups. The degree of oxidation measured by conductimetry titration was as high as 91.0%. The TEMPO-oxidized cellulose was soluble in water for valuable polyelectrolytes and intermediates.
Optimal Insurance Policies in the Presence of Costs
Authors: Aase Knut
Published: September 2017

We reconsider costs in insurance, and suggest a new type of cost function, which we argue is a natural choice when there are relatively small, but frequent, claims. If a fixed cost is incurred each time a claim is made, we obtain a Pareto optimal deductible even if the cost function does not vary with the indemnity. The classical result says that deductibles appear if and only if costs are variable. This implies that when the claims are relatively small, it is not optimal for the insured to be compensated, since the costs outweigh the benefits and a deductible will naturally occur. When we constrain the contract to contain a cap, a non-trivial deductible is Pareto optimal regardless of the assumptions about the cost structure, which is what is known as an XL-contract.