bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluorinated polyacrylates containing amino side chains for the surface modification of waterborne epoxy resin
Authors: He Sha , Liu Weiqu , Yang Maiping , Liu Chunhua , Jiang Chi , Wang Zhengfang
Published: September 2018

Fluorinated polyacrylates containing amino side chains (FACAs) were synthesized to improve the water repellency of waterborne epoxy resin. First, FACA was prepared by a two‐step process. Then, a phase‐inversion emulsion technique, taking FACA as the reactive surface additives, was employed to prepare waterborne epoxy resin. The effect of the fluorinated content and the length of the fluorine side chain on the surface, thermal, and bulk properties of the waterborne epoxy resin were investigated. It was observed that moderate increase of the fluorinated content or the length of the fluorine side chain improved the contact angle and thermal properties while the mechanical property was not deteriorated. A small amount of fluoride (0.07 wt %) in the EA‐F1/3‐1 sample can dramatically increase the water contact angle from 72.63° to 95.31° due to the strong tendency of the macromonomers to migrate toward the outmost layer, resulting in enrichment of fluorine atoms on the surface. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed that for a given weight of the two macromonomers, F atomic concentration of the copolymer modified by longer fluorinated side chains was higher than that modified by short fluorinated side chains. From the present investigation, FACA successfully improved the surface property of waterborne epoxy resin and showed a prominent potential application in large‐scale industrialization. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47091.
Effects of coupling agents on the properties of an NR/SBR matrix and its adhesion to continuous basalt fiber cords
Authors: Li Zhuo , Wan Jijun , Li Yingzhe , Li Yang , Zhao Fei , Zhao Shugao
Published: September 2018

The effects of various coupling agents on the characteristics and properties of a natural rubber (NR)/styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) matrix and its adhesion to continuous basalt fiber (CBF) cords were studied. Four types of silane‐based and two types of titanate‐based coupling agents were added separately to the rubber matrix during the mixing process. The processability of the rubber compounds and the mechanical and tension fatigue properties of the vulcanizates were evaluated. The static and dynamic adhesion between the CBF cord/rubber matrices were investigated using the H pull‐out test and an elastomer testing system, respectively. The results showed that the effects of the coupling agent were controlled by its chemical structure, and it was found that the addition of (3‐aminopropyl)triethoxysilane was the most effective for enhancing the interfacial fatigue properties, due to the combined improvements of the initial adhesion, interfacial stress states, and the fatigue property of the rubber matrix. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2019,136, 47098.
Resonance Rayleigh scattering assay for EGFR using antibody immobilized gold nanoparticles
Authors: Li Junbo , Yang Yanqiang , Zhang Xinxin , Zhang Bing , Chang Honghong , Wei Wenlong
Published: September 2018

A highly selectivity determination of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been described in the article. Antibody immobilized cysteamine (Cys) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were proposed as immunosensors, and resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) was used for detection. First, Cys stabilized AuNPs (Cys‐AuNP) were prepared by the reduction of chloroauric acid with sodium borohydride in the presence of Cys. Further, anti‐EGFR antibody (Cetuximab, C225) was covalently linked to the Cys‐AuNP by carbodiimide‐mediated amidation protocol to yield the C225‐AuNP immunoprobe. The prepared conjugations were characterized by ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐vis) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). Based on the specific binding of C225 to EGFR, an RRS method was established to determine the concentration of EGFR. Under the optimal conditions, the concentration of EGFR was related to the intensity of RRS in the range 30–130 ng ml−1 with a low detection limit of 4.0 ng ml−1. Meanwhile, the proposed immunosensor exhibited excellent selectivity and anti‐interference property. The method was applied to the determination of EGFR in human serum and cancer cell lysate samples with satisfactory results.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for motor recovery in Parkinson's disease: A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Changxia , Guo Zhiwei , Peng Haitao , Xing Guoqiang , Chen Huaping , McClure Morgan A. , He Bin , He Lin , Du Fei , Xiong Liangwen , Mu Qiwen
Published: September 2018

Introduction

Therapeutic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on motor recovery of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been reported; however, the protocols of these studies varied greatly. The aim of this meta‐analysis was to evaluate the optimal rTMS parameters for motor recovery of PD.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched for studies investigating the therapeutic effects of rTMS on motor function in patients with PD. The section III of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was extracted as the primary outcome, and the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated.

Results

Twenty‐three studies with a total of 646 participants were included. The pooled estimates of rTMS revealed significant short‐term (SMD, 0.37; p < 0.00001) and long‐term (SMD, 0.39; p = 0.005) effects on motor function improvement of PD. Subgroup analysis observed that high‐frequency rTMS (HF‐rTMS) was significant in improving motor function (SMD, 0.48; p < 0.00001), but low‐frequency rTMS (LF‐rTMS) was not. In particular, when HF‐rTMS targeted over the primary motor cortex (M1), in which the bilateral M1 revealed a larger effect size than unilateral M1. Compared to single‐session, multi‐session of HF‐rTMS over the M1 showed significant effect size. In addition, HF‐rTMS over the M1 with a total of 18,000–20,000 stimulation pulses yielded more significant effects (SMD, 0.97; p = 0.01) than other dosages.

Conclusions

In conclusion, multi‐session of HF‐rTMS over the M1 (especially bilateral M1) with a total of 18,000–20,000 pulses appears to be the optimal parameters for motor improvement of PD.
Application of Scilab/Xcos for process control applied to chemical engineering educational projects
Authors: Vieira Eros B. , Busch Wesley F. , Prata Diego M. , Santos Lizandro S.
Published: September 2018

The study of process control applied to chemical engineering problems can be significantly improved by the use of simulation packages. However, it has been noted that few works have been focusing on elucidation of the use of open source packages for academic projects on process control. In fact, there is few online discussion groups aimed to the application of Xcos® package for chemical engineering projects. Given this, this work aims to apply the Xcos® for studying the implementation of the process control theory applied to chemical engineering projects, focusing on the development of control loops block diagrams, PID control tuning, and process response analysis. The purpose of the application is developing a virtual environment for academic discussion and repository of examples. The results of two benchmark case studies are illustrated, showing that the problems can be easily modified, allowing the student to solve other similar examples for future applications. For the first case, the settling time ranged from 24.067 to 72.492 min, while for the second case the stabilization time ranged from 5.301 to 20.904 min.The results evidence that the Xcos® software can be widely applied by the academic community, due to its simplicity and robustness in demonstrating the principal aspects of control theory.
Retinal vein thrombosis and risk of occult cancer: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Hansen Anette Tarp , Veres Katalin , Prandoni Paolo , Adelborg Kasper , Sørensen Henrik Toft
Published: September 2018

Background

Retinal vein thrombosis has in case reports been reported a clinical sign of cancer, especially hematological cancer. However, it is unclear whether retinal vein thrombosis is a marker of underlying cancer, as is the case for deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. We investigated the risk of occult cancer in patients with retinal vein thrombosis.

Methods

A nationwide population‐based cohort study in Denmark on all patients diagnosed with a retinal vein thrombosis during 1994 and 2013. The main outcome measures were any cancer and site‐specific cancers <6 months, 6‐12 months, and 5 years following a retinal vein thrombosis diagnosis, as registered in the Danish Cancer Registry and the National Pathology Registry. We calculated the absolute cancer risk and computed standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer within <6 months, 6‐12 months, and 5 years following a retinal vein thrombosis diagnosis.

Results

Among 9589 patients with retinal vein thrombosis, we observed 1514 cancer cases. The risk of any cancer was 1.2% <6 months and 28.8% after 5 years. The <6 months SIR was 1.20 (95% CI 0.99‐1.44), 6‐12 months SIR was 1.15 (95% CI 0.94‐1.39), and the 5 years’ SIR was 1.08 (95% CI 1.03‐1.14). Stratification by age, gender, calendar year, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score did not change overall cancer risk estimates.

Conclusion

Retinal vein thrombosis was not an important clinical marker for occult cancer. An extensive diagnostic cancer workup does not appear warranted for retinal vein thrombosis patients.
Suppression of ABCD2 dysregulates lipid metabolism via dysregulation of miR‐141:ACSL4 in human osteoarthritis
Authors: Park Sujeong , Oh Jinjoo , Kim Yong‐Il , Choe Seong‐Kyu , Chun Churl‐Hong , Jin Eun‐Jung
Published: September 2018

Even though increasing evidence indicates the importance of peroxisomal lipid metabolism in regulating biological and pathological events, its involvement in cartilage development has not been well studied. Here, we identified the importance of peroxisomal function, particularly the functional integrity of ABCD2, in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Knockdown of ABCD2 in OA chondrocytes induced the accumulation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and apoptotic cell death. Moreover, knockdown of ABCD2 altered profiles of miRNAs that affect the expression level of ACSL4, a known direct regulator of lipid metabolism. Suppression of ACSL4 in human chondrocytes‐induced VLCFA accumulation, MMP‐13 expression, and apoptotic cell death. In vivo morph‐down of the ACSL4 homologue in zebrafish resulted in significant defects in cartilage development and in vivo knockdown of ACSL4 in cartilage tissue of an OA model mice promoted severe cartilage degradation. In summary, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report suggesting that the regulatory network among peroxisomal ABCD2:ACSL4:VLCFA serves as a novel regulator of cartilage homeostasis, and these data may provide novel insights into the role of peroxisomal fatty acid metabolism in pathogenesis of human OA.

Significance of the study

Our study indicates that peroxisomal dysfunction is closely related to OA pathogenesis. Particularly, the functional integrity of ABCD2 may play an important role in OA pathogenesis via the accumulation of VLCFAs and stimulation of apoptotic death through altering profiles of miRNAs that target ACSL4. Our findings suggest that targeting the regulatory network among the peroxisomal ABCD2:ACSL4:VLCFA axis may provide a new potential therapeutic strategy for OA pathogenesis.
Characterization of aortic root geometry in transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients
Authors: Madukauwa‐David Immanuel David , Midha Prem A. , Sharma Rahul , McLain Kylee , Mitra Ronodeep , Crawford Kaylyn , Yoon Sung‐Han , Makkar Raj R. , Yoganathan Ajit P.
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The study aimed to characterize the geometry of the aortic root pre‐ and post‐transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and investigate differences in pre‐ and post‐TAVR anatomy.

Background

A greater understanding of how aortic root geometry changes after TAVR is needed to facilitate further investigation into the hemodynamic profiles of the post‐TAVR aortic root.

Methods

Anatomical measurements were conducted on de‐identified, retrospective post‐TAVR 4DCT scans of 109 patients with aortic stenosis obtained from the RESOLVE study. The diameter of the aortic root was measured at the level of the annulus, left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), sinus of Valsalva, sinotubular junction (STJ) and ascending aorta. The heights of the STJ and coronary arteries were also measured.

Results

All aortic root dimensions were normally distributed across the cohort and changed significantly between pre‐ and post‐TAVR conditions (P < 0.01). Post‐TAVR dimensions changed significantly from peak systole to end diastole (P < 0.01). Regression models were obtained for all aortic root dimensions in terms of annulus diameter with excellent coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.95, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

There are significant differences between pre‐ and post‐TAVR as well as peak systolic and end diastolic aortic root anatomy. Appropriate anatomical dimensions should be selected for benchtop testing as the geometry varies greatly throughout the cardiac cycle.
Contemporary practice pattern of revascularization in a large tertiary care referral center in non‐ST elevation myocardial infarction: A propensity‐matched 10‐year experience
Authors: Shetabi Kambiz , Ullah Rafath , Patel Raj , Wilson Thomas , Siddiqua Tasneem , Olet Susan , Ammar Khawaja Afzal , Jahangir Arshad , Allaqaband Suhail Q. , Bajwa Tanvir , Jan M. Fuad
Published: September 2018

Objectives

We sought to compare the effects of early versus delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the outcomes at 1 year in patients presenting with non‐ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background

Prompt reperfusion in NSTEMI remains controversial. Randomized studies have shown conflicting results regarding the benefits of early intervention versus delayed intervention (defined as intervention performed within 24 hr vs. 24–72 hr of presentation, respectively). This study was conducted to determine the clinical outcomes post PCI in a large tertiary care center.

Methods

A propensity‐matched group of 1,640 NSTEMI patients [62.4% males (n = 1,023), median age 65 years] was studied for a composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and heart failure in 1 year as a primary endpoint after PCI. Patients were divided into an early intervention group (EIG) and delayed intervention group (DIG). Timing of PCI was determined by the treating interventional cardiologist.

Results

The primary outcome was significantly lower in the EIG than DIG (20.4% vs. 24.9%, P = 0.029), which was mainly derived from mortality benefit in the EIG. There was no difference in occurrence of death, MI, stroke, or heart failure between the groups at 30 days.

Conclusions

An earlier PCI in patients with NSTEMI is associated with a significant reduction in the composite outcome of death, MI, heart failure, or stroke at 1 year compared with delayed PCI. Based on this large cohort of patients from a real‐world referral center, contemporary reperfusion practices in NSTEMI may need to be re‐examined with a bias toward early intervention.
Evaluation of intracoronary hyperoxemic oxygen therapy in acute anterior myocardial infarction: The IC‐HOT study
Authors: David Shukri W. , Khan Zubair A. , Patel Nainesh C. , Metzger D. Christopher , Wood Frances O. , Wasserman Hal S. , Lotfi Amir S. , Hanson Ivan D. , Dixon Simon R. , LaLonde Thomas A. , Généreux Philippe , Ozan Melek Ozgu , Maehara Akiko , Stone Gregg W.
Published: September 2018

Background

In the randomized AMIHOT‐II trial, supersaturated oxygen [SSO2] delivered into the left anterior descending (LAD) artery via an indwelling intracoronary infusion catheter following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) significantly reduced infarct size in patients with anterior ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) but resulted in a numerically higher incidence of safety events.

Objectives

The IC‐HOT study evaluated the safety of SSO2 therapy selectively delivered to the left main coronary artery (LMCA) for 60 minutes after PCI in patients with anterior STEMI.

Methods

SSO2 therapy was administered to the LMCA after stent implantation in 100 patients with anterior STEMI and proximal or mid‐LAD occlusion presenting within 6 hours of symptom onset. The primary endpoint was the 30‐day composite rate of net adverse clinical events (NACE) (death, reinfarction, clinically driven target vessel revascularization, stent thrombosis, severe heart failure, or TIMI major/minor bleeding) compared against an objective performance goal of 10.7%. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed at 4 and 30 days to assess infarct size.

Results

SSO2 delivery was successful in 98% of patients. NACE at 30 days occurred 7.1% of patients (meeting the primary safety endpoint of the study); there were no deaths, only one stent thrombosis and one case of severe heart failure. Median [interquartile range] infarct size was 24.1% [14.4%, 31.6%] at 4 days and 19.4% [8.8%, 28.9%] at 30 days.

Conclusion

Following primary PCI in acute anterior STEMI, infusion of SSO2 via the LMCA was feasible and was associated with a favorable early safety profile.
Manipulation of Fischer‐Tropsch Synthesis for Production of Higher Alcohols Using Manganese Promoters
Authors: Paterson James , Peacock Mark , Purves Russell , Partington Roy , Sullivan Kay , Sunley Glenn , Wilson Jon
Published: September 2018

While Fischer‐Tropsch (FT) provides a commercially operated route to long‐chain alkanes for fuels, little is reported showing realistic routes to long‐chain linear alcohols and linear olefins. Linear olefins and alcohols have significant commercial value for lubricants, plasticizers, detergents and base chemicals, and in this contribution, FT has gained considerable recent attention due to the potential for bio or waste feeds for fuels and chemicals, while here we demonstrate that controlling the promotion of a cobalt catalyst with manganese can lead to major shifts in selectivity towards high value chemicals. In this contribution, we demonstrate the unusual effect of adjusting manganese from 0–10 % for making long‐chain linear alcohols and olefins using industrially relevant conditions. A full evaluation of the catalysts is provided to demonstrate catalyst changes as a result of increased promotion that gives rise to this effect. Advanced wax‐product analysis is shown to demonstrate the changes in selectivity. Temperature‐programmed reduction, transmission electron microscopy elemental mapping and in situ x‐ray diffraction show the formation of CoxMnyO4 species on titania during synthesis, with cobalt‐manganese alloys after reduction, while 2D gas chromatography (GCxGC) and 1H nmR were used to analyse the FT wax product with over 50 % alcohols at long carbon numbers.
Facile Synthesis of Mesoporous Nickel Cobalt Oxide for OER – Insight into Intrinsic Electrocatalytic Activity
Authors: Broicher Cornelia , Zeng Feng , Artz Jens , Hartmann Heinrich , Besmehn Astrid , Palkovits Stefan , Palkovits Regina
Published: September 2018

The development of novel metal oxide catalysts for electrochemical water splitting has been one of the future challenges in catalysis. We present the development of structured spinel based NiCo2O4 materials using in‐situ hydrothermal synthesis and KIT‐6 as a template. Their electron transfer kinetics in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at pH 14 are studied. Structuring of NiCo2O4 via KIT‐6 improves the intrinsic catalyst performance, e. g., a lower overpotential of ∼350 mV and a good long‐term stability could be observed compared to 385 mV and poor stability of commercially available NiCo2O4. Kinetic studies provided insights into structure‐activity relations and the nature of the electrode/electrolyte interface. Interestingly, structuring via KIT‐6 increases not only the electrochemical surface area but also the current density accompanied by superior charge transfer capacity.
Biocatalytic Cascade Reaction for the Asymmetric Synthesis of L‐ and D‐Homoalanine
Authors: Silva Marcus V. de M. , Costa Ingrid C. R. , de Souza Rodrigo O. M. A. , Bornscheuer Uwe T.
Published: September 2018

Unnatural amino acids attract growing attention for pharmaceutical applications as they are useful building blocks for the synthesis of a number of chiral drugs. Here, we describe a two‐step enzymatic method for the asymmetric synthesis of homoalanine from L‐methionine, a cheap and readily available natural amino acid. First, the enzyme L‐methionine γ‐lyase (METase), from Fusobacterium nucleatum, catalyzed the γ‐elimination of L‐methionine to 2‐oxobutyrate. Second, an amino acid aminotransferase catalyzed the asymmetric conversion of 2‐oxobutyrate to either L‐ or D‐homoalanine. The L‐branched chain amino acid aminotransferase from Escherichia coli (eBCAT), using L‐glutamate as amino donor, produced L‐homoalanine (32.5 % conv., 28 % y, 99 % ee) and the D‐amino acid aminotransferase from Bacillus sp. (DATA) used D‐alanine as amino donor to produce D‐homoalanine (87.5 % conv., 69 % y, 90 % ee). Thus, this concept allows for the first time the synthesis of both enantiomers of this important unnatural amino acid.
Pyrrolidine‐Based P,O Ligands from Carbohydrates: Easily Accessible and Modular Ligands for the Ir‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Minimally Functionalized Olefins
Authors: Elías‐Rodríguez Pilar , Borràs Carlota , Carmona Ana T. , Faiges Jorge , Robina Inmaculada , Pàmies Oscar , Diéguez Montserrat
Published: September 2018

The potential of P,O‐iminosugar based ligands in the Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of minimally functionalized olefins is presented. These new ligands were prepared from easily available carbohydrates (D‐mannose, D‐ribose and D‐arabinose). The stereochemical and polyfunctional diversity of carbohydrates allowed the modulation of the ligands, both from their electronic properties and the rigidity of their backbone. High enantioselectivities (ee’s up to 99 %) can be reached in the hydrogenation of selected tri‐ and disubstituted substrates.
Statistical Optimization of the Biodiesel Production Process Using a Magnetic Core‐Mesoporous Shell KOH/Fe3O4@γ‐Al2O3 Nanocatalyst
Authors: Ghalandari Atena , Taghizadeh Majid , Rahmani Mohsen
Published: September 2018

A magnetic core‐mesoporous shell KOH/Fe3O4@γ‐Al2O3 nanocatalyst was synthesized using the Fe3O4@γ‐Al2O3 core‐shell structure as support and KOH as active component. The prepared samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) techniques. Transesterification of canola oil to methyl esters (biodiesel) in the presence of the magnetic core‐mesoporous shell KOH/Fe3O4@γ‐Al2O3 nanocatalyst was investigated. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box‐Behnken design (BBD) was employed to optimize the influence of important operating variables on the yield of biodiesel. A biodiesel yield of 97.4 % was achieved under optimum reaction conditions. There was an excellent agreement between experimental and predicted results.
Techno‐Economic Analysis of a Coal Staged Conversion Polygeneration System for Power and Chemicals Production
Authors: Li Kaikun , Wang Qinhui , Fang Mengxiang , Shaikh Abdul Rahim , Xie Guilin , Luo Zhongyang
Published: September 2018

Steady‐state process simulation and techno‐economic analysis of a pyrolysis‐based coal staged conversion polygeneration (CSCP) plant, integrated with wastewater biochemical treatment after phenol‐ammonia recovery, are studied using Aspen Plus software. Appropriate models for the proposed system are set up in detail. Furthermore, by optimization of a methanation unit, a conventional supercritical circulating fluidized bed (SCCFB) power plant with the same capacity is chosen for comparison. Simulation results reveal that system energy and exergy efficiency of the CSCP system can reach much higher values than those of a conventional SCCFB power plant. In conclusion, a CSCP plant will have practical and economic advantages in the near future.
Metal–Organic Framework (MOF)‐Based Materials as Heterogeneous Catalysts for C−H Bond Activation
Authors: Liu Mengjia , Wu Jie , Hou Hongwei
Published: September 2018

Converting light hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, and cyclohexane into value‐added chemicals and fuel products by means of direct C−H functionalization is an attractive method in the petrochemical industry. As they emerge as a relatively new class of porous solid materials, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are appealing as single‐site heterogeneous catalysts or catalytic supports for C−H bond activation. In contrast to the traditional microporous and mesoporous materials, MOFs feature high porosity, functional tunability, and molecular‐level characterization for the study of structure–property relationships. These virtues make MOFs ideal platforms to develop catalysts for C−H activation with high catalytic activity, selectivity, and recyclability under relatively mild reaction conditions. This review highlights the research aimed at the implementation of MOFs as single‐site heterogeneous catalysts for C−H bond activation. It provides insight into the rational design and synthesis of three types of stable MOF catalysts for C−H bond activation, that is, i) metal nodes as catalytic sites, ii) the incorporation of catalytic sites into organic struts, and iii) the incorporation of catalytically active guest species into pores of MOFs. Here, the rational design and synthesis of MOF catalysts that lead to the distinct catalytic property for C−H bond activation are discussed along with the post‐synthesis of MOFs, intriguing functions with MOF catalysts, and microenvironments that lead to the distinct catalytic properties of MOF catalysts.
On Electrostatics, Covalency, and Chemical Dashes: Physical Interactions versus Chemical Bonds
Authors: Pendás Angel Martin , Casals‐Sainz Jose Luis , Francisco Evelio
Published: September 2018

The increasing availability of real‐space interaction energies between quantum atoms or fragments that provide a chemically intuitive decomposition of intrinsic bond energies into electrostatic and covalent terms [see, for instance,Chem. Eur. J.2018,24, 9101] provides evidence for differences between the physicist's concept of interaction and the chemist's concept of a bond. Herein, it is argued that, for the former, all types of interactions are treated equally, whereas, for the latter, only the covalent short‐range interactions have actually been used to build intuition about chemical graphs and chemical bonds. This has led to the bonding role of long‐range Coulombic terms in molecular chemistry being overlooked. Simultaneously, blind consideration of electrostatic terms in chemical bonding parlance may lead to confusion. The relationship between these concepts is examined herein, and some notes of caution on how to merge them are proposed.
An Integrated Strategy towards Enhanced Performance of the Lithium–Sulfur Battery and its Fading Mechanism
Authors: Huang Xia , Luo Bin , Knibbe Ruth , Hu Han , Lyu Miaoqiang , Xiao Mu , Sun Dan , Wang Songcan , Wang Lianzhou
Published: September 2018

To fulfil the potential of Li–S batteries (LSBs) with high energy density and low cost, multiple challenges need to be addressed simultaneously. Most research in LSBs has been focused on the sulfur cathode design, although the performance is also known to be sensitive to other parameters such as binder, current collector, separator, lithium anode, and electrolyte. Here, an integrated LSB system based on the understanding of the different roles of binder, current collector, and separator is developed. By using the cross‐linked carboxymethyl cellulose–citric acid (CMC‐CA) binder, Toray carbon paper current collector, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated separator, LSBs achieve a high capacity of 960 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles (2.5 mg cm−2) and 930 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles (5 mg cm−2) at 0.1 C. Moreover, the failure mechanism at a high sulfur loading with characteristics of fast capacity decay and infinite charging is discussed. This work highlights the synergistic effect of different components and the challenges towards more reliable LSBs with high sulfur loading.
From Acenaphthenes to (+)‐Delavatine A: Visible‐Light‐Induced Ring Closure of Methyl (α‐Naphthyl) Acrylates
Authors: Peez Theodor , Luy Jan‐Niclas , Harms Klaus , Tonner Ralf , Koert Ulrich
Published: September 2018

Disclosed herein is a visible light mediated cyclization of methyl (α‐naphthyl) acrylates and heteroaromatic analogues yielding substituted acenaphthenes and azaacenaphthenes. This highly functional‐group‐tolerant transformation was put to the test in an enantioselective formal synthesis of delavatine A. Mechanistic details were elucidated by DFT‐calculations revealing an unusual intramolecular H‐transfer mediated by a primary amine. The generality of this transformation enables a novel synthetic strategy of five membered ring annulation at an advanced stage, allowing reliance upon naphthalene chemistry up to the point of acenaphthene construction.
Identification, Localization, and Quantification of HIV Reservoirs Using Microscopy
Authors: Prevedel Lisa , Ruel Nancy , Castellano Paul , Smith Carla , Malik Shaily , Villeux Courtney , Bomsel Morgane , Morgello Susan , Eugenin Eliseo A.
Published: September 2018

The major barrier to eradicating human immunodeficiency virus‐1 (HIV) infection is the generation and extended survival of HIV reservoirs. In order to eradicate HIV infection, it is essential to detect, quantify, and characterize circulating and tissue‐associated viral reservoirs in infected individuals. Currently, PCR‐based technologies and Quantitative Viral Outgrowth Assays (Q‐VOA) are the gold standards to detect viral reservoirs. However, these methods are limited to detecting circulating viral reservoirs, and it has been shown that they misrepresent the size of the reservoirs, largely because they detect only one component of the HIV life cycle and are unable to detect viral reservoirs in tissues. Here, we described the use of multiple detection systems to identify integrated HIV DNA or viral mRNA and several HIV proteins in circulating and tissue reservoirs using improved staining and microscopy techniques. We believe that this imaging‐based approach for detecting HIV reservoirs will lead to breakthroughs necessary to eradicate these reservoirs. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Software defined service function chaining with failure consideration for fog computing
Authors: Tajiki M.M. , Shojafar Mohammad , Akbari Behzad , Salsano Stefano , Conti Mauro
Published: September 2018

Middleboxes have become a vital part of modern networks by providing services such as load balancing, optimization of network traffic, and content filtering. A sequence of middleboxes comprising a logical service is called a Service Function Chain (SFC). In this context, the main issues are to maintain an acceptable level of network path survivability and a fair allocation of the resource between different demands in the event of faults or failures. In this paper, we focus on the problems of traffic engineering, failure recovery, fault prevention, and SFC with reliability and energy consumption constraints in Software Defined Networks (SDN). These types of deployments use Fog computing as an emerging paradigm to manage the distributed small‐size traffic flows passing through the SDN‐enabled switches (possibly Fog Nodes). The main aim of this integration is to support service delivery in real‐time failure recovery in an SFC context. First, we present an architecture for Failure Recovery called FRFP; this is a multi‐tier structure in which the real‐time traffic flows pass through SDN‐enabled switches to jointly decrease the network side‐effects of flow rerouting and energy consumption of the Fog Nodes. We then mathematically formulate an optimization problem called the Optimal Fast Failure Recovery algorithm (OFFR) and propose a near‐optimal heuristic called Heuristic HFFR to solve the corresponding problem in polynomial time. In this way, the reliability of the selected paths are optimized, while the network congestion is minimized.
GPU‐based branch‐and‐bound method to solve large 0‐1 knapsack problems with data‐centric strategies
Authors: Shen Jingcheng , Shigeoka Kentaro , Ino Fumihiko , Hagihara Kenichi
Published: September 2018

An out‐of‐core branch‐and‐bound (B&B) method to solve large 0‐1 knapsack problems on a graphics processing unit (GPU) is proposed. Given a large problem that produces many subproblems, the proposed method dynamically swaps subproblems to CPU memory. Because such a CPU‐centric subproblem management scheme increases CPU‐GPU data transfer, we adopt three data‐centric strategies to eliminate this side effect. The first is an out‐of‐order search (O3S) strategy that reduces the data transfer overhead by adaptively transferring subproblems between the CPU and GPU. The second is an explicitly‐managed pipelining strategy that hides the data transfer overhead by overlapping data transfer with GPU‐based B&B operations. The third is a GPU‐based stream compaction strategy that reduces the sparseness of arrays to be transferred. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed out‐of‐core method stored 41 times as many subproblems as a previous in‐core method that manages subproblems in GPU memory, solving approximately twice as many problem instances on the GPU. In addition, compared to a previous breadth‐first search (BFS) strategy, the proposed O3S strategy achieved an average speedup of 7.5 times.
p‐hub median location optimization of hub‐and‐spoke air transport networks in express enterprise
Authors: Zhang Xinwei , Dong Shaohua , Liu Yanhui
Published: September 2018

Based on the single allocation p‐hub median location problem in hub‐and‐spoke networks, this paper studies the aviation hubs location optimization of express enterprise, primarily using p‐median model and greedy dropping heuristic algorithm to solve the initial candidate locations of the aviation hubs by Lingo. Then, the integer program model of the location and allocation of the aviation hubs was set up, with the upper limit of the distribution distance as the main constraint. The improved locations were calculated by immune algorithm on Matlab. The numerical example of A express enterprise was presented. After analyzing the status and the problems of aviation hub location in East China, the two best hub locations Wuxi and Hangzhou were finally determined by above model with the total cost reduced by 19.6%. The optimization results show the validation of the model.
Mouse Models of Pain in Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Sagi Varun , Song‐Naba Waogwende L. , Benson Barbara A. , Joshi Sonal S. , Gupta Kalpna
Published: September 2018

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that impacts millions of individuals worldwide. SCD is characterized by debilitating pain that can begin during infancy and may continue to increase throughout life. This pain can be both acute and chronic. A characteristic feature specific to acute pain in SCD occurs during vaso‐occlusive crisis (VOC) due to the blockade of capillaries with sickle red blood cells. The acute pain of VOC is intense, unpredictable, and requires hospitalization. Chronic pain occurs in a significant population with SCD. Treatment options for sickle pain are limited and primarily involve the use of opioids. However, long‐term opioid use is associated with numerous side effects. Thus, pain management in SCD remains a major challenge. Humanized transgenic mice expressing exclusively human sickle hemoglobin show features of pain and pathobiology similar to that in patients with SCD. Therefore, these mice offer the potential for investigating the mechanisms of pain in SCD and allow for development of novel targeted analgesic therapies. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Psychological effects of cool sensations generated by using image display, in which gas can be released through screen
Authors: Tomono Keisuke , Tomono Akira
Published: September 2018

It has been suggested that the Kansei multimedia display (KMMD) is able to emit air flows and scents in addition to conventional audio‐visual information through the display. This display is characterized as follows: the display has slits and pits to emit air flows from a position close to projected pictures due to a system where the display is equipped in the back with an air blower and an air flow direction controller. This study aimed to show the psychological effects of two content layouts for cool refreshment, which were produced based on the characteristics of this multimedia display. The possibilities for function and application of the KMMD were examined. An experiment of a virtual fan created as a three‐dimensional CG assessed the effects of cool refreshment and the feeling of presence induced by the air flows, which was connected to the swing movement of the fan and emitted from a position close to the image of the fan. Further, an experiment with seasonal images was conducted, providing aromas, which have been reported to affect an individual's sense of cold, when showing video scenes of a cold region. This experiment revealed cross modal physiological effects, such as the decline of the feeling of temperature and the temperature of the skin surface, which were induced subjectively and psychologically by the attribute of this scene.
Sex differences in surrogate decision‐maker preferences for life‐sustaining treatments of Japanese patients with heart failure
Authors: Nakamura Kensuke , Kinugasa Yoshiharu , Sugihara Shinobu , Hirai Masayuki , Yanagihara Kiyotaka , Haruki Nobuhiko , Matsubara Koichi , Kato Masahiko , Yamamoto Kazuhiro
Published: September 2018

Aims

Patients with end‐stage heart failure (HF) often require surrogate decision making for end‐of‐life care owing to a lack of decision‐making capacity. However, the clinical characteristics of surrogate decision making for life‐sustaining treatments in Japan remain to be investigated.

Methods and results

Among 934 patients admitted to our hospital for HF from January 2004 to December 2015, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of consecutive 106 patients who died in hospital (mean age 73 ± 13 years; male, 52.6%). During hospitalization, attending physicians conducted an average of 2.1 ± 1.4 end‐of‐life conversations with patients and/or their families. Only 4.7% of patients participated in the conversations and declared their preferences; surrogates made medical care decisions in 95.3% of cases. Most decisions by surrogates (98.1%) were made without the patient's advance directive. During initial end‐of‐life conversations, 49.4% of surrogates requested cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, 72.0% of CPR preferences were changed to do not attempt resuscitation (DNAR) orders in the final conversation. Female surrogates were more likely to change the preference from CPR to DNAR than were male surrogates (47.1% vs. 25.0%, P = 0.023).

Conclusions

Compared with male surrogates, female surrogates wavered more often in their decisions regarding life‐sustaining treatments of Japanese patients with end‐stage HF.
Cytokinesis Block Micronucleus Cytome (CBMN Cyt) Assay Biomarkers and Their Association With Radiation Sensitivity Phenotype in Prostate Cancer Cases and DNA Repair Gene hOGG1 (C1245G) Polymorphism
Authors: Dhillon Varinderpal S. , Yeoh Eric , Salisbury Carolyn , Butters Julie , Di Matteo Addolorata , Olver Ian , Fenech Michael
Published: September 2018

Prostate cancer (PC) is commonly diagnosed cancer in men but only a few risk factors, such as family history, ethnicity, and age have been established. Chromosomal instability is another possible risk factor but this has not been adequately explained previously. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of PC patients have (1) an abnormally high level of chromosomal instability; (2) that they are hypersensitive to ionizing radiation‐induced DNA damage; and (3) that these phenotypes are affected by hOGG1 (C1245G) polymorphism. These experiments were performed using the cytokinesis‐block micronucleus Cytome (CBMN cyt) assay in PC cases and controls. We found that spontaneous or radiation‐induced (3G) micronucleus (MN) frequency is not significantly different between both groups. However, spontaneous frequency of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and radiation‐induced nuclear buds (NBuds) were significantly higher in patients vs. controls (P < 0.0001; P = 0.0005, respectively). In addition, apoptosis and nuclear division index (NDI) was significantly higher in patients compared to controls after radiation treatment (P = 0.006; P = 0.0002, respectively). Furthermore carriage of at least one G allele of hOGG1 (C1245G) polymorphism was associated with a significantly increased odds ratio (OR) to have a base‐line MN, NPB, or NBud frequency greater than medium level compared to homozygotes for C allele (OR:1.94, 1.77, 2.36, respectively, P = 0.02; 0.04, and 0.004, respectively). Our results support the hypotheses that those who develop PC have significantly higher level of genomic instability which is further increased in those who carry G allele of the hOGG1 (C1245G) polymorphism. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:813–821, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Embryonic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan impairs foraging efficiency in zebrafish larvae
Authors: Wirt Heidi , Botka Rosalea , Perez Kathryn E. , King-Heiden Tisha
Published: September 2018

The ubiquitous and persistent contaminant triclosan is known to cause developmental and behavioral toxicity in fish, but few studies have evaluated the long-term effects of these responses. We used a phenotypically anchored approach to evaluate the behavioral responses caused by early exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan to better understand the risk triclosan poses to fish. Zebrafish were exposed to 0, 0.4, 4, or 40 μg triclosan/L (nominal concentrations) for 5 d followed by depuration for 16 d to assess effects on mortality, development, and foraging efficiency. Because foraging efficiency can be impacted by neurological and structural alterations, we assessed morphological and behavioral indicators of neurotoxicity and morphology of craniofacial features associated with gape to identify potential underlying mechanisms associated with altered foraging behaviors. To our knowledge, we are the first to show that early exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan impairs foraging efficiency in larval fish by 10%, leading to emaciation and reduced growth and survival. The cause of the impacts of triclosan on foraging efficiency remains unknown, because effects were not associated with overt indicators of neurotoxicity or grossly malformed craniofacial structures. Our results suggest that early exposure to triclosan has the potential to impact the sustainability of wild fish populations, and thus the mechanism underlying behavioral alterations following exposure to triclosan warrants further study. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:3124–3133. © 2018 SETAC
Energy‐efficient resource allocation and RRH association in multitier 5G H‐CRANs
Authors: Ali Sher , Ahmad Ayaz , Khan Aimal
Published: September 2018

The rapid growth of connected devices and multimedia applications intensify the needs of high data rate and energy‐efficient networks. Multitier heterogeneous cloud radio access networks have been presented as a capable candidate for fifth‐generation networks for much higher data rate and energy efficiency (EE) than fourth generation. Therefore, in this paper, we consider the EE maximization in the uplink of a single‐carrier frequency division multiple access–based multitier heterogeneous cloud radio access network. We formulate a joint subchannel assignment, power allocation, and remote radio head association problem for EE maximization. Single‐carrier frequency division multiple access introduces subchannel exclusivity and subchannel adjacency constraints. These constraints, respectively, ensure the allocation of a subchannel to a single user at a time and the allocation of multiple subchannels to a user only if they are adjacent. In addition, we put constraints on each user's minimum data rate and maximum transmit power. Due to the simultaneous consideration of these four constraints, the solution of the formulated problem becomes harder. Therefore, a three‐step algorithm is developed, which solves this problem in an iterative manner. Simulation results verify that our proposed algorithm significantly improve the EE of the network.
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of old‐old suicide attempters compared with young‐old and middle‐aged attempters
Authors: Kim HeungKyu , Ahn Joung‐Sook , Kim Hyun , Cha Yong Sung , Lee Jinhee , Kim Min‐Hyuk , Min Seongho
Published: September 2018

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to identify distinctive characteristics of old‐old suicide attempters (75 years and older) from young‐old (60‐74 years old) and middle‐aged suicide attempters (45‐59 years old).

Methods

We included consecutive series of 920 patients aged 45 years and older who had visited the emergency room from 2009 to 2015 because of suicide attempts. They were divided into 3 groups according to age. Information about the suicide attempt and sociodemographic status was gathered through interviews with attempters or caregivers. Chi‐square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the differences among the 3 groups.

Results

We found that old‐old suicide attempters had high intent to die and high medical lethality as a result of the attempt, and illness‐related problems exerted a strong motivational effect on this group. Psychiatric drugs, pesticides, and herbicides were frequently used to attempt suicide. These attempts were less likely to be associated with alcohol consumption compared to other age groups.

Conclusion

Old‐old suicide attempters have different characteristics, compared with young‐old and middle‐aged counterparts. It is necessary to assess suicide risk and depression when examining patients with physical illness or when prescribing psychotropic drugs. High‐risk groups should be given immediate intervention including psychiatric treatment before they act on high suicide intent.
Effects of the 2008 global financial crisis on population health
Authors: Habibov Nazim , Auchynnikava Alena , Luo Rong , Fan Lida
Published: September 2018

We compare the transmission channels through which the 2008 global financial crisis affected health. We find that postponing or skipping visits to the doctor after falling ill and stopping buying regular medication had the strongest negative effects on health, followed by a reduced consumption of staple foods, utilities being cut, being forced to move, and having to sell assets. In comparison, experiencing cuts in TV, phone, and internet services, as well as delaying payments for utilities had relatively weaker negative impacts. In contrast, having a household head or household member lose a job also had negative effects on health status, although this effect was relatively lower. Finally, a reduced flow of remittances had the weakest negative effect.