bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Political Christianity in Renaissance Drama
Authors: Al-Joulan Nayef Ali
Published: August 2017

Examining the following selected Renaissance dramas: Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta (1585), Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (1596), Massinger’s The Renegado (1624), Daborne’s A Christian Turn'd Turk (1612), and Goffe’s The Raging Turk (1656), this research investigates Renaissance dramatists' portrayal of biased Christian standpoints that govern the relation with the non-Christian to uncover whether that dramatization represents the playwrights' participation in validating those attitudes or their critique of politicizing the Christian faith, in both ways underscoring the existence of an ideological 'political faith' issue. It turns out that the period's plays may reveal that such stereotypes are only recruited to further and validate financial gain, political dominance and racial discrimination; that is, political Christianity. However, the playwrights' attitudes remain subject to their unrevealed intentions, and it is, therefore, left to the reader/audience to take sides. Tactically, the dramatists emerge ahead of the Christian and secular politicians of their time as they assume the safe side of impartiality.
New Combination Of An Endemic Species Of The Genus Chondracantkus Kützing (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) For The Gulf Of California, Mexico
Authors: Aguilar-Rosas L.E. , Aguilar-Rosas R.
Published: August 2017

Se revisaron ejemplares de Gigartina pectinata Dawson depositados en herbarios y material en solución de formol. Se observó que éstos presentan caracteres reproductivos descritos para el género Chondracunthus Kützing, por lo cual se propone una nueva combinación de Gigartina pectinata Dawson, como Chondracunthus pectinatus (Dawson) L. et R. Aguilar comb. nov.

Specimens of Gigartina pectinata Dawson deposited in herbariums and samples in formalin were reviewed. We observed that they present reproductive traits described for the genus Chondracunthus Kützing and, thereforc, we propose a new combination of Gigartina pectinata, as Chondracanthus pectinatus (Dawson) L. et R. Aguilar comb nov.
Observations On The Feeding Habits Of The Shark Heterodontus Francisci Girard 1854 (Chondrichthyes: Heterodontidae), In San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Authors: Segura-Zarzosa J.C. , Abitia-Cardenas L.A. , Galvan-Magaña F.
Published: August 2017

Se revisaron 108 estómagos del tiburón Heterodontus francisci Girard, 1854, capturados en Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, en muestreos trimestrales de enero de 1992 a febrero de 1993. Esta especie se encuentra en la laguna durante todo el año, disminuyendo su abundancia durante las estaciones de verano y otoño. De acuerdo con el índice de importancia relativa (IIR), el tiburón se alimenta de los siguientes invertebrados bentónicos: gasterópodos (Lucapinella milleri y Calyptraea spp.), crustáceos (Callinectes bellicosus, Penaeus spp. e isópodos), pelecípodos (no identificados), sipuncúlidos (Sipunculus nudus), cefalópodos (Octopus spp.), así como de peces pequeños (Syngnathus auliscus). Heterodontus francisci es un consumidor de tercer orden, ya que es una especie bentónica, predominantemente carnívora, que se caracteriza por ser un depredador selectivo de hábitos nocturnos y/o crepusculares.

A total of 108 stomach contents of horn shark (Heterodontus francisci Girard, 1854) from San Ignacio Lagoon were analyzed. The samples were taken seasonally from January 1992 to February 1993. This species occurred all year round, with low abundance in summer and fall. The index of relative importance (IRI) was used to determine the prey importance. The horn shark feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates, such as gastropods (Lucapinella milleri and Calyptraea spp.), crustaceans (Callinectes bellicosus, Penaeus spp. and isopods), pelecypods (unidentified). sipunculoids (Sipunculus nudus), cephalopods (Octopus spp.), as well as on small fishes (Syngnathus auliscus). This shark is a third-order consumer, because it is a predominantly carnivorous benthic species: it is a selective predator with nocturnal or crepuscular habits.
Conditions leading to the unprecedented low Antarctic sea ice extent during the 2016 austral spring season
Authors: Stuecker Malte F. , Bitz Cecilia M. , Armour Kyle C.
Published: August 2017

The 2016 austral spring was characterized by the lowest Southern Hemisphere (SH) sea ice extent seen in the satellite record (1979 to present) and coincided with anomalously warm surface waters surrounding most of Antarctica. We show that two distinct processes contributed to this event: First, the extreme El Niño event peaking in December–February 2015/2016 contributed to pronounced extratropical SH sea surface temperature and sea ice extent anomalies in the eastern Ross, Amundsen, and Bellingshausen Seas that persisted in part until the following 2016 austral spring. Second, internal unforced atmospheric variability of the Southern Annular Mode promoted the exceptional low sea ice extent in November–December 2016. These results suggest that a combination of tropically forced and internal SH atmospheric variability contributed to the unprecedented sea ice decline during the 2016 austral spring, on top of a background of slow changes expected from greenhouse gas and ozone forcing.
How much have California winters warmed over the last century?
Authors: Wang K. J. , Williams A. P. , Lettenmaier D. P.
Published: August 2017

Extraordinarily warm 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 winter temperatures in California accompanied by drought conditions contributed to low snow accumulations and stressed water resources, giving rise to the question: how much has California's climate warmed over the last century? We examine long‐term trends in maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) daily temperatures in winter estimated from five gridded data sets. Resulting trends show some consistent features, such as higher trends in Tmin than Tmax; however, substantial differences exist in the trend magnitudes and spatial patterns due mostly to the nature of spatial interpolation employed in the different data sets. Averaged across California over 1920–2015, Tmax trends vary from −0.30 to 1.2°C/century, while Tmin trends range from 1.2 to 1.9°C/century. The differences in temperature strongly impact modeled changes in snow water equivalent over the last century (from −5.0 to −7.6 km3/century).
Cholera Toxin Subunit B Enabled Multifunctional Glioma‐Targeted Drug Delivery
Authors: Guan Juan , Zhang Zui , Hu Xuefeng , Yang Yang , Chai Zhilan , Liu Xiaoqin , Liu Jican , Gao Bo , Lu Weiyue , Qian Jun , Zhan Changyou
Published: August 2017

Glioma is among the most formidable brain cancers due to location in the brain. Cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) is investigated to facilitate multifunctional glioma‐targeted drug delivery by targeting the glycosphingolipid GM1 expressed in the blood–brain barrier (BBB), neovasulature, and glioma cells. When modified on the surface of poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (CTB‐NPs), CTB fully retains its bioactivity after 24 h incubation in the fresh mouse plasma. The formed protein corona (PC) of CTB‐NP and plain PLGA nanoparticles (NP) after incubation in plasma is analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem massspectrometry (nano‐LC‐MS/MS). CTB modification does not alter the protein components of the formed PC, macrophage phagocytosis, or pharmacokinetic profiles. CTB‐NP can efficiently penetrate the in vitro BBB model and target glioma cells and human umbilical vascular endothelial cells. Paclitaxel is loaded in NP (NP/PTX) and CTB‐NP (CTB‐NP/PTX), and their antiglioma effects are assessed in nude mice bearing intracranial glioma. CTB‐NP/PTX can efficiently induce apoptosis of intracranial glioma cells and ablate neovasulature in vivo, resulting in significant prolongation of survival of nude mice bearing intracranial glioma (34 d) in comparison to those treated with NP/PTX (29 d), Taxol (24 d), and saline (21 d). The present study suggests a potential multifunctional glioma‐targeted drug delivery system enabled by cholera toxin subunit B.
Highly Stretchable Variable‐Transmittance Skin for Ultrasensitive and Wearable Strain Sensing
Authors: Zhai Qingbin , Yang Ya
Published: August 2017

Recently developed strain sensors based on strain‐induced change in resistance of semiconducting materials can be applied to human skin in future. However, the development of wearable strain sensors satisfying the requirements of large stretchability, broad sensing range, and electric stability remains a challenge. Here, strain‐induced transmittance change in the TiO2 nanoparticles embedded in silicone film for realizing ultrasensitive strain detection is reported. The composite film with a 0.5% concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles exhibits a 76‐fold larger transmittance variation ratio than that of the pure silicone film at 500% stretched strain. The flexible nanoparticle‐elastomer composite material can be highly stretched by applying strain along any direction, leading to a wide and linear sensing range of up to 500% and a fast response time of smaller than 1.9 s. The device can be easily mounted on human skin for achieving wearable strain sensing to realize the motion detection of fingers.
Engineering Light at the Nanoscale: Structural Color Filters and Broadband Perfect Absorbers
Authors: Ji Chengang , Lee Kyu‐Tae , Xu Ting , Zhou Jing , Park Hui Joon , Guo L. Jay
Published: August 2017

Recent advances in fabrication and processing methods have spurred many breakthroughs in the field of nanostructures that provide novel ways of manipulating light interaction on a well controllable manner, thereby enabling a wide variety of innovative applications. Structural colors have shown great promise as an alternative for existing colorant‐based filters due to their noticeable advantages, which open up diverse potential applications such as energy‐efficient displays, ultrahigh‐resolution imaging, ultrahigh‐sensitivity biosensors, and building‐integrated photovoltaics. Broadband perfect absorbers, which exploit extraordinary optical phenomena at subwavelength scale, have also received increasing attention due to their capability of improving efficiency and performance characteristics of various applications including thermoelectrics, invisibility, solar‐thermal‐energy harvesting, and imaging. This review highlights some recent progress in these two related fields. The structural colors based on optical resonances in thin‐film structures, guided‐mode resonances in slab waveguide gratings, and surface plasmon resonances in plasmonic nanoresonators are described. Representative achievements associated with the broadband perfect absorbers, which include schemes employing highly absorbing media, multi‐cavity resonances, and broadband impedance matching are investigated.
Enhancing Charge Carrier Lifetime in Metal Oxide Photoelectrodes through Mild Hydrogen Treatment
Authors: Jang Ji‐Wook , Friedrich Dennis , Müller Sönke , Lamers Marlene , Hempel Hannes , Lardhi Sheikha , Cao Zhen , Harb Moussab , Cavallo Luigi , Heller René , Eichberger Rainer , van de Krol Roel , Abdi Fatwa F.
Published: August 2017

Widespread application of solar water splitting for energy conversion is largely dependent on the progress in developing not only efficient but also cheap and scalable photoelectrodes. Metal oxides, which can be deposited with scalable techniques and are relatively cheap, are particularly interesting, but high efficiency is still hindered by the poor carrier transport properties (i.e., carrier mobility and lifetime). Here, a mild hydrogen treatment is introduced to bismuth vanadate (BiVO4), which is one of the most promising metal oxide photoelectrodes, as a method to overcome the carrier transport limitations. Time‐resolved microwave and terahertz conductivity measurements reveal more than twofold enhancement of the carrier lifetime for the hydrogen‐treated BiVO4, without significantly affecting the carrier mobility. This is in contrast to the case of tungsten‐doped BiVO4, although hydrogen is also a donor type dopant in BiVO4. The enhancement in carrier lifetime is found to be caused by significant reduction of trap‐assisted recombination, either via passivation or reduction of deep trap states related to vanadium antisite on bismuth or vanadium interstitials according to density functional theory calculations. Overall, these findings provide further insights on the interplay between defect modulation and carrier transport in metal oxides, which benefit the development of low‐cost, highly‐efficient solar energy conversion devices.
Radikalische Hydrodehalogenierung von Arylbromiden und ‐chloriden mit Natriumhydrid und 1,4‐Dioxan
Authors: Hokamp Tobias , Dewanji Abhishek , Lübbesmeyer Maximilian , Mück‐Lichtenfeld Christian , Würthwein Ernst‐Ulrich , Studer Armido
Published: August 2017

Eine praktische Methode zur radikalischen Kettenreduktion von diversen Arylbromiden und ‐chloriden wird vorgestellt. In dem thermischen Prozess werden NaH und 1,4‐Dioxan als Reagenzien sowie 1,10‐Phenanthrolin als Initiator eingesetzt. Die Hydrodehalogenierungen können mit typischen radikalischen Cyclisierungsreaktionen kombiniert werden, was ihren radikalischen Charakter belegt. DFT‐Berechnungen und experimentelle Studien stützen den vorgeschlagenen Mechanismus über Elektronenkatalyse.
A tridentate CNO‐donor palladium(II) complex as efficient catalyst for direct C―H arylation: Application in preparation of imidazole‐based push–pull chromophores
Authors: Li Hui‐Hong , Maitra Ratnava , Kuo Ya‐Ting , Chen Jie‐Hong , Hu Ching‐Han , Lee Hon Man
Published: August 2017

A series of imidazolium chlorides for the formation of tridentate CNO‐donor palladium(II) complexes featuring N‐heterocyclic carbene moieties have been developed from cheap and readily available starting materials with high yields. Their palladium complexes were prepared by reactions between the ligand precursors and PdCl2 using K2CO3 as base in pyridine with reasonable yields. These air‐stable metal complexes were characterized using 1H NMR and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. Heteronuclear multiple bond correlation experiments were performed to identify key NMR signals of these compounds. The structures of two of the complexes were also established by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. One of these complexes was successfully applied in the direct C―H functionalization reactions between heterocyclic compounds and aryl bromides, producing excellent yields of coupled products. The coupling reactions were scalable, allowing grams of coupled products to be obtained with a mere 2 mol% of Pd loading. The catalyst system developed allowed the large‐scale preparation of several push–pull chromophores straightforwardly. Photophysical properties based on UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy for these chromophores were investigated. Deep blue photoluminescence with moderate quantum efficiency and twisted intramolecular charge transfer excited state were observed for these chromophores. Density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT calculations were performed to support the experimental results.
Application of novel copper organic material for facile microextraction of sodium valproate from human plasma samples: Experimental design optimization and isotherm study
Authors: Bahrani Sonia , Ghaedi Mehrorang , Taghipour Tahere , Mansoorkhani Mohammad Javad Khoshnood , Bagheri Ahmad Reza , Ostovan Abbas
Published: August 2017

Well‐designed metal organic materials (MOMs) were synthesized and applied for pre‐concentration and determination of sodium valproate (Na‐VP) from biological samples, bound to the copper complex of 1,4‐phenylenedioxydiacetic acid under mild conditions. The channels of this sorbent provide high efficiency and also selectivity. The MOMs were structurally characterized using Fourier transform infrared and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction, and they were found to have suitable features for quantification of Na‐VP using HPLC coupled with UV detection at λ = 215 nm. Moreover, the rate of adsorption is improved by ultrasonic power and the experimental data are best fitted according to Freundlich adsorption isotherm. According to the central composite design, the best experimental conditions are 280.0 μl, 3.0 min and 17.0 mg for volume of eluent, sonication time and sorbent mass respectively. Calibration plots show linear responses towards Na‐VP concentrations (0.4–18.0 μg ml−1), satisfactory limit of detection (0.06 μg ml−1, S/N = 3) and reasonable enrichment factor (70.58). The coefficient of variation values of both inter‐ and intra‐day analyses were less than 4.0%, indicating a candidate method for the determination of Na‐VP in human plasma with reasonable recovery and efficiency.
Synthesis of pyranopyrazoles using nano‐Fe‐[phenylsalicylaldiminemethylpyranopyrazole]Cl2 as a new Schiff base complex and catalyst
Authors: Moosavi‐Zare Ahmad Reza , Goudarziafshar Hamid , Saki Khadijeh
Published: August 2017

By the condensation reaction of benzaldehyde with ethyl acetoacetate, malononitrile and hydrazine hydrate in the presence of FeCl2, a pyranopyrazole derivative was prepared which was then reacted with salicylaldehyde to afford nano‐Fe‐[phenylsalicylaldiminemethylpyranopyrazole]Cl2 (nano‐[Fe‐PSMP]Cl2). The prepared nano‐Schiff base complex was fully characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy, and was used as an efficient and catalyst for the preparation of pyranopyrazoles.
Nitro group reduction and Suzuki reaction catalysed by palladium supported on magnetic nanoparticles modified with carbon quantum dots generated from glycerol and urea
Authors: Gholinejad Mohammad , Zareh Fatemeh , Nájera Carmen
Published: August 2017

Glycerol and urea were used as green and cheap sources of carbon quantum dots (CQD) for modifying Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The obtained CQD@Fe3O4 NPs were used for the stabilization of palladium species and the prepared catalyst, Pd@CQD@Fe3O4, was characterized using various techniques. This magnetic supported palladium was applied as an efficient catalyst for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to primary amines at room temperature using very low palladium loading (0.008 mol%) and also for the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction of aryl halides as well as challenging heteroaryl bromides and aryl diazonium salts with arylboronic acids and with potassium phenyltrifluoroborate. This magnetically recyclable catalyst was recovered and reused for seven consecutive runs in the reduction of 4‐nitrotoluene to p‐toluidine and for ten consecutive runs in the reaction of 4‐iodoanisole with phenylboronic acid with small decrease of activity. The catalyst reused in the Suzuki reaction was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Using experiments such as hot filtration and poisoning tests, it has been shown that the true catalyst works under homogeneous conditions according to the release–return pathway of active palladium species.
Preparation of Fe3O4@5,10‐dihydropyrido[2,3‐b]quinoxaline‐7,8‐diol copper complex: A capable nanocatalyst for the green synthesis of 1‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles
Authors: Habibi Davood , Pakravan Narges , Arabi Ameneh , Kaboudvand Zahra
Published: August 2017

Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with 5,10‐dihydropyrido[2,3‐b]quinoxaline‐7,8‐diol were synthesized as was their complex with copper as a novel nanomagnetic iron oxide catalyst via a simple and green method, and characterized using various techniques. The capability of the catalyst was evaluated in the one‐pot three‐component synthesis of different tetrazoles, which showed very good results. Mild reaction conditions, good reusability and simple magnetic work‐up make this methodology interesting for the efficient synthesis of tetrazoles.
Surface modification of ion‐exchange membranes: Methods, characteristics, and performance
Authors: Khoiruddin  , Ariono Danu , Subagjo  , Wenten I Gede
Published: August 2017

Considerable effort has been made to improve ion‐exchange membrane (IEM) properties in order to achieve better performance of IEM‐based processes in various applications. Surface modification is one of the effective ways to improve IEM properties. Various methods have been used to modify IEM surfaces, for example, plasma treatment, polymerization, solution casting, electrodeposition, and ion implantation. These methods are able to produce a thin and fine distributed layer and also to modify the chemical structure of the surface. The new layer can be adsorbed, deposited, or chemically bonded on a membrane surface. By using these methods, IEM properties are improved, and the desired or specific characteristics such as high monovalent ion permselectivity, low fuel crossover, and anti‐organic‐fouling property can be obtained. In this paper, methods for surface modification of IEMs are reviewed. Moreover, the effects of modification on IEM properties and performance are discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45540.
Development of low‐shrinkage composites based on novel crosslinking vinylcyclopropanes
Authors: Tauscher Sven , Catel Yohann , Fässler Pascal , Fischer Urs , Moszner Norbert
Published: August 2017

Polymerization shrinkage of methacrylate‐based dental composites remains a major concern in restorative dentistry. Cyclic monomers that undergo ring‐opening polymerization are known to exhibit reduced polymerization shrinkage compared to methacrylates. In this article, the synthesis of four crosslinking 1,1‐disubstituted 2‐vinylcyclopropanes bearing rigid spacers is described. These monomers were synthesized by esterification of 1‐ethoxycarbonyl‐2‐vinylcyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid with the corresponding diols. The photopolymerization kinetics of these monomers was investigated by photo‐differential scanning calorimeter using bis(4‐methoxybenzoyl)diethylgermane as the photoinitiator. The synthesized vinylcyclopropanes (VCPs) were shown to be more reactive than the frequently used reactive diluent triethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Composites based on these VCPs showed good mechanical properties and exhibited a significantly reduced volumetric shrinkage and shrinkage stress compared to a corresponding dimethacrylate‐based restorative material. This work highlights the excellent potential of VCPs as alternatives to methacrylates in the development of low‐shrinkage dental composites. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45577.
Distributed Fixed‐Time Coordinated Tracking for Nonlinear Multi‐Agent Systems Under Directed Graphs
Authors: Ning Boda , Zuo Zongyu , Jin Jiong , Zheng Jinchuan
Published: August 2017

This paper is concerned with the fixed‐time coordinated tracking problem for a class of nonlinear multi‐agent systems under detail‐balanced directed communication graphs. Different from conventional finite‐time coordinated tracking strategies, the fixed‐time approach developed in this paper guarantees that a settling time bound is prescribed without dependence on initial states of agents. First, for the case of a single leader, a distributed protocol based on fixed‐time stability techniques is proposed for each follower to accomplish the consensus tracking in a fixed time. Second, in the presence of multiple leaders, a new distributed protocol is proposed such that states of followers converge to the dynamic convex hull spanned by those of leaders in a fixed time. In addition, for a class of linear multi‐agent systems, sufficient conditions that guarantee the fixed‐time coordinated tracking are provided. Finally, numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Adaptive Terminal Sliding Mode Control for Motion Tracking of a Micropositioning System
Authors: Wang Guangwei , Xu Qingsong
Published: August 2017

This paper presents the design of a novel adaptive terminal sliding mode controller (ATSMC) and its application to motion tracking control of a piezoelectric‐driven micropositioning system. A nonsingular terminal sliding surface is used to achieve fast and finite‐time convergence for the trajectory tracking, and also to avoid the singularity phenomenon in traditional terminal sliding mode design. An adaptive gain law is developed to update the gain of the proposed controller and to provide stable and chattering‐free control action. The stability of the control system has been demonstrated in the sense of Lyapunov. The ATSMC scheme is established based on the output feedback only, which does not require a state observer and facilitates an easy implementation. The proposed controller is implemented on a field‐programmable gate array (FPGA) platform. Comparison study with three conventional controllers has been conducted. Experimental results show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Dynamic Output Feedback Robust MPC With one Free Control Move for LPV Model With Bounded Disturbance
Authors: Ding Baocang , Wang Pengjun , Hu Jianchen
Published: August 2017

For a linear parameter‐varying (LPV) model which is a convex combination of several linear time invariant sub‐models, this paper considers the case when the combining coefficients are unknown (except being nonnegative and their sum being one). For this model with norm‐bounded unknown disturbance, an output feedback robust model predictive control (MPC) is proposed by parameterizing the infinite horizon control moves and estimated states into one free control move, one free estimated state (i.e., one control move and one estimated state as degrees of freedom for optimization) and a dynamic output feedback law. This is the first endeavour to apply the free control move and free estimated state in the output feedback MPC for this model. The algorithm is shown to be recursively feasible and the system state is guaranteed to converge to the neighborhood of the equilibrium point. A numerical example verifies the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Determining Dissipativity of Switched Nonlinear Systems Using Linearization
Authors: Wang Hanmei , Zhao Jun
Published: August 2017

Local strict QSR‐dissipativity of a switched nonlinear system is studied using the linearization technique in this paper. We obtain local strict QSR‐dissipativity of a switched system even if each subsystem is not locally strictly QSR dissipative by designing a switching law. The derived dissipative sufficient condition is characterized by a modified Lyapunov‐Metzler inequality that can be simplified as an LMI by assuming specific forms. Two special forms of local strict QSR‐dissipativity, local input state strict passivity and local L2‐gain, are considered. When the approximate errors of a switched affine system satisfy certain conditions, local strict passivity can be drawn from its linearization. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate how to apply the proposed method to achieve passivity of switched nonlinear systems.
Effects of static magnetic fields on the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Quiñones‐Peña María A. , Tavizon Gustavo , Puente José L. , Martínez‐Anaya Claudia , Hernández‐Chiñas Ulises , Eslava Carlos A.
Published: August 2017

This study reports the effects of exposing cells of the prototypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 to static magnetic fields (SMF) of varying intensities to observe their capacity to autoaggregate and the effect on cell adherence. The results showed that bacteria exposure over the course of 5 min to an intensity of 53 mT reduced autoaggregation by 28%. However, with intensities of up to 100 mT with the same exposure time, bacteria autoaggregation was reduced by approximately 50%; and after 30 min at the same intensity, it was indistinguishable from that observed in a non‐autoaggregative strain. Furthermore, it was observed that SMF treatment also modified the typical localized adherence pattern of EPEC E2348/69. The observed effects are not related to bacteria damage. The above was confirmed because, after a 107 mT SMF treatment over the course of 30 min, cell viability and membrane permeability were the same to that observed in untreated controls. The obtained results suggest that the SMF effect on the E2348/69 EPEC strain alters the expression of the bundle‐forming pilus (BFP), due to the fact that the same strain without the EPEC adherence factor plasmid that encodes the BFP operon was unable to autoaggregate. Electron microscopic analyses revealed structural differences between cells exposed to SMF with respect to untreated controls. In conclusion, the SMF treatment of 107 mT for 30 min reduced EPEC E2348/69 autoaggregation and modified its adherence pattern, with both events likely being associated with changes in BFP expression. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:570–578, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Meta‐analysis of behavioral self‐management techniques used by students with disabilities in inclusive settings
Authors: McDougall Dennis , Heine Rumi C. , Wiley Lori A. , Sheehey Michael D. , Sakanashi Keith K. , Cook Bryan G. , Cook Lysandra
Published: August 2017

This comprehensive review synthesizes findings from 29 studies in which students with disabilities utilized behavioral self‐management techniques in inclusive settings. Findings suggest that consistent with 2 earlier reviews of these types of studies, most behavioral self‐management techniques continue to be adaptable in inclusive settings with moderate to strong efficacy. This review identifies strengths as well common limitations of the studies, provides recommendations for future research and practice, and includes behavioral self‐management resources.
Bioengineering Solutions for Manufacturing Challenges in CAR T Cells
Authors: Piscopo Nicole J. , Mueller Katherine P. , Das Amritava , Hematti Peiman , Murphy William L. , Palecek Sean P. , Capitini Christian M. , Saha Krishanu
Published: August 2017

The next generation of therapeutic products to be approved for the clinic is anticipated to be cell therapies, termed “living drugs” for their capacity to dynamically and temporally respond to changes during their production ex vivo and after their administration in vivo. Genetically engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have rapidly developed into powerful tools to harness the power of immune system manipulation against cancer. Regulatory agencies are beginning to approve CAR T cell therapies due to their striking efficacy in treating some hematological malignancies. However, the engineering and manufacturing of such cells remains a challenge for widespread adoption of this technology. Bioengineering approaches including biomaterials, synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, process control and automation, and in vitro disease modeling could offer promising methods to overcome some of these challenges. Here, we describe the manufacturing process of CAR T cells, highlighting potential roles for bioengineers to partner with biologists and clinicians to advance the manufacture of these complex cellular products under rigorous regulatory and quality control.
Impact of growth mode, phase, and rate on the metabolic state of the extremely thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus
Authors: Khatibi Piyum A. , Chou Chung‐jung , Loder Andrew J. , Zurawski Jeffrey V. , Adams Michael W.W. , Kelly Robert M.
Published: August 2017

The archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus is emerging as a metabolic engineering platform for production of fuels and chemicals, such that more must be known about this organism's characteristics in bioprocessing contexts. Its ability to grow at temperatures from 70 to greater than 100°C and thereby avoid contamination, offers the opportunity for long duration, continuous bioprocesses as an alternative to batch systems. Toward that end, we analyzed the transcriptome of P. furiosus to reveal its metabolic state during different growth modes that are relevant to bioprocessing. As cells progressed from exponential to stationary phase in batch cultures, genes involved in biosynthetic pathways important to replacing diminishing supplies of key nutrients and genes responsible for the onset of stress responses were up‐regulated. In contrast, during continuous culture, the progression to higher dilution rates down‐regulated many biosynthetic processes as nutrient supplies were increased. Most interesting was the contrast between batch exponential phase and continuous culture at comparable growth rates (∼0.4 hr−1), where over 200 genes were differentially transcribed, indicating among other things, N‐limitation in the chemostat and the onset of oxidative stress. The results here suggest that cellular processes involved in carbon and electron flux in P. furiosus were significantly impacted by growth mode, phase and rate, factors that need to be taken into account when developing successful metabolic engineering strategies.
Optimization of chemical engineering problems with EMSO software
Authors: Henrique João Paulo , de Sousa Ruy , Secchi Argimiro R. , Ravagnani Mauro A. S. S. , Costa Caliane B. B.
Published: August 2017

EMSO software, a free tool for teaching and academic research, presents a favorable environment for simulation and optimization of chemical engineering problems. Although its use in research activities have been demonstrated in the literature, its application as a supporting tool for educational purposes in process systems engineering courses has not been evaluated. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that this software is suitable as a tool for educational purposes in process systems engineering courses at undergraduate (complementary elective subject) and graduate levels. To accomplish this task, different cases studies, encompassing different sort of programming formulations, are proposed and solved with different solvers in EMSO.
Chemoselective Reduction of Phosphine Oxides by 1,3‐Diphenyl‐Disiloxane
Authors: Buonomo Joseph A. , Eiden Carter G. , Aldrich Courtney C.
Published: August 2017

Reduction of phosphine oxides to the corresponding phosphines represents the most straightforward method to prepare these valuable reagents. However, existing methods to reduce phosphine oxides suffer from inadequate chemoselectivity due to the strength of the P=O bond and/or poor atom economy. Herein, we report the discovery of the most powerful chemoselective reductant for this transformation to date, 1,3‐diphenyl‐disiloxane (DPDS). Additive‐free DPDS selectively reduces both secondary and tertiary phosphine oxides with retention of configuration even in the presence of aldehyde, nitro, ester, α,β‐unsaturated carbonyls, azocarboxylates, and cyano functional groups. Arrhenius analysis indicates that the activation barrier for reduction by DPDS is significantly lower than any previously calculated silane reduction system. Inclusion of a catalytic Brønsted acid further reduced the activation barrier and led to the first silane‐mediated reduction of acyclic phosphine oxides at room temperature.
Absolute configuration of the ocimene monoterpenoids from Artemisia absinthium
Authors: Julio Luis F. , Burgueño‐Tapia Eleuterio , Díaz Carmen E. , Pérez‐Hernández Nury , González‐Coloma Azucena , Joseph‐Nathan Pedro
Published: August 2017

The absolute configuration (AC) of the naturally occurring ocimenes (−)‐(3S,5Z)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐2,3‐epoxyocta‐5,7‐diene (1) and (−)‐(3S,5Z)‐2,6‐dimethylocta‐5,7‐dien‐2,3‐diol (2), isolated from the essential oils of domesticated specimens of Artemisia absinthium, followed by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) studies of 1, as well as from the acetonide 3 and the monoacetate 4, both derived from 2, since secondary alcohols are not the best functional groups to be present during VCD studies in solution due to intermolecular associations. The AC follows from comparison of experimental and calculated VCD spectra that were obtained by Density Functional Theory computation at the B3LYP/DGDZVP level of theory. Careful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements were compared with literature values, providing for the first time systematic 1H and 13C chemical shift data. Regarding homonuclear 1H coupling constants, after performing a few irradiation experiments that showed the presence of several small long‐range interactions, the complete set of coupling constants for 3, which is representative of the four studied molecules, was determined by iterations using the PERCH software. This procedure even allowed assigning the pro‐R and pro‐S methyl group signals of the two gem‐dimethyl groups present in 3.
Patients without comorbidities at the time of diagnosis of atrial fibrillation: causes of death during long‐term follow‐up compared to matched controls
Authors: Andersson Tommy , Magnuson Anders , Bryngelsson Ing‐Liss , Frøbert Ole , Henriksson Karin M. , Edvardsson Nils , Poçi Dritan
Published: August 2017

Background

Little is known about the long‐term, cause‐specific mortality risk in patients without comorbidities at the time of diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods

From a nation‐wide registry of patients hospitalized with incident AF between 1995 and 2008 we identified 9 519 patients with a first diagnosed AF and no comorbidities at the time of AF diagnosis. They were matched with 12 468 controls. The follow‐up continued until December 2008. Causes of death were classified according to the ICD‐10 codes.

Results

During follow‐up, 11.1% of patients with AF and 8.3% of controls died.

Cardiovascular diseases were the most common causes of death and the only diagnoses which showed significantly higher relative risk in patients with AF than controls (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.8‐2.3), and the relative risk was significantly higher in women than in men. Stroke was a more common cause among patients with AF, 13.1% versus 9.7% (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.8‐4.0), while cerebral hemorrhage was more common among controls, 4.7% versus 10.2% (HR 0.9, 95% CI 0.6‐1.5). The time from AF diagnosis to death was 6.0 ± 3.1 years.

Conclusions

In patients with incident AF and no known comorbidities at the time of AF diagnosis, only cardiovascular diseases were more often causes of death as compared to controls. Women carried a significantly higher relative risk than men.
The role of surgery and adjuvant therapy in lymph node–positive cancers of the gallbladder and intrahepatic bile ducts
Authors: Tran Cao Hop S. , Zhang Qianzi , Sada Yvonne H. , Chai Christy , Curley Steven A. , Massarweh Nader N.
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND

Lymph node metastasis is a poor prognostic factor for biliary tract cancers (BTCs). The optimal management of patients who have BTC with positive regional lymph nodes, including the impact of surgery and adjuvant therapy (AT), is unclear.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who had T1‐T3N1M0 gallbladder cancer (GBC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC) in the National Cancer Database (2004‐2012). Patients were classified by treatment approach (nonoperative, surgery, surgery plus AT). Associations between the overall risk of death and treatment strategy were evaluated with multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS

Rates of surgical resection were 84.1% for patients with GBC (n = 1335) and 36.6% for those with IHC (n = 1009). The median overall survival of patients in the nonoperative, surgery, and surgery plus AT group was 11.6, 13.3, and 19.6 months, respectively, for those with GBC (log‐rank P < .001), and 12.7, 16.2, and 22.6 months, respectively, for those with IHC (log‐rank P < .001), respectively. Compared with nonoperative therapy, surgery with or without AT was associated with a lower risk of death from GBC (surgery with AT: hazard ratio [HR], 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48‐0.73; surgery without AT: HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56‐0.89) and from IHC (surgery with AT: HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.42‐0.63; surgery without AT: HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56‐0.87). AT that included radiation was associated with a lower risk of death relative to surgery alone for patients with GBC regardless of margin status (margin‐negative resection: HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.52‐0.84; margin‐positive resection: HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.39‐0.75), but adjuvant chemotherapy alone was not. For patients with IHC, no survival benefit was detected with adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation for those who underwent either margin‐positive or margin‐negative resection.

CONCLUSIONS

The best outcomes for patients who have lymph node–positive BTCs are associated with margin‐negative resection and, in those who have GBC, the inclusion of adjuvant chemotherapy with radiation regardless of margin status. Cancer 2018;124:74‐83. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Introducing ToPe‐FFT: An OpenCL‐based FFT library targeting GPUs
Authors: Jan Bilal , Khan Fiaz Gul , Montrucchio Bartolomeo , Chronopoulos Anthony Theodore , Shamshirband Shahaboddin , Khan Abdul Nasir
Published: August 2017

In this paper, we present our implementation of the fast Fourier transforms on graphic processing unit (GPU) using OpenCL. This implementation of the FFT (ToPe‐FFT) is based on the Cooley‐Tukey set of algorithms with support for 1D and higher dimensional transforms using different radices. Factorization for mix‐radices enables our code to target FFTs of near arbitrary length. In systems with multiple graphic cards (GPUs), the library automatically balances the FFT computation thus achieving maximum resource utilization and higher speedup. Based on profiling and micro‐benchmarking of ToPe‐FFT, it is observed that the average speedup of our library for different sizes is 48× faster than the single CPU‐based code using FFTW and 3× faster than NVIDIA's GPU‐based cuFFT library.
Cybersecurity compliance analysis as a service: Requirements specification and application scenarios
Authors: Furfaro Angelo , Gallo Teresa , Garro Alfredo , Saccà Domenico , Tundis Andrea
Published: August 2017

Cybersecurity compliance analysis is the process of assessing whether the behavior of an IT system or application conforms to the cybersecurity rules and regulations in force. This assessment can be offered as a service by exploiting available cloud technologies, and, indeed, it is one of the services classified by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) as part of the security information and event management (SIEM) category of the SecaaS (security as a service) domain. The definition and implementation of this typology of cloud services are challenging activities due to the complexity of both the reference business domain and the compliance analysis services to be provided themselves. The paper exploits a recently proposed requirements methodology, called GOReM (goal‐oriented requirements methodology), to support the conceptualization and subsequent implementation of cybersecurity compliance analysis services. In particular, two different application scenarios regarding compliance analysis of an existing or under development IT system/application are presented and discussed. In both the scenarios, GOReM allows to grasp and understand the many and complex issues to address for providing secure cloud services to worldwide customers, also due to the numerous, different and ever changing legal aspects, which have to be taken into account by service providers.
How Institutional Investors on Boards Impact on Stakeholder Engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting
Authors: García‐Meca Emma , Pucheta‐Martínez María Consuelo
Published: August 2017

Institutional investors are relevant dominant owners with a very high representation on the boards of European firms. Despite their prevalence, research on the role of institutional directors and their impact on firm disclosure policy is scarce. We examine the association between institutional directors and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting, distinguishing between pressure‐sensitive (e.g. banks) and pressure‐resistant directors (e.g. funds). We find that institutional directors show different incentives and conflicts of interests towards increasing CSR reporting. Specifically, we note that directors representing banks are likely to promote additional information about the firm's environmental and social commitments in order to lower the risk faced by lenders, minimise the probability of default, and maintain their prestige and professional reputation. On the other hand, directors representing fund institutions overweight short‐term earnings potential, which decreases their incentives to improve a firm's CSR reporting. Our findings confirm the importance of institutional investors on CSR reporting policy of firms. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Iron‐Catalyzed C−O Bond Activation: Opportunity for Sustainable Catalysis
Authors: Bisz Elwira , Szostak Michal
Published: August 2017

Oxygen‐based electrophiles have emerged as some of the most valuable cross‐coupling partners in organic synthesis due to several major strategic and environmental benefits, such as abundance and potential to avoid toxic halide waste. In this context, iron‐catalyzed C−O activation/cross‐coupling holds particular promise to achieve sustainable catalytic protocols due to its natural abundance, inherent low toxicity, and excellent economic and ecological profile. Recently, tremendous progress has been achieved in the development of new methods for functional‐group‐tolerant iron‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions by selective C−O cleavage. These methods establish highly attractive alternatives to traditional cross‐coupling reactions by using halides as electrophilic partners. In particular, new easily accessible oxygen‐based electrophiles have emerged as substrates in iron‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions, which significantly broaden the scope of this catalysis platform. New mechanistic manifolds involving iron catalysis have been established; thus opening up vistas for the development of a wide range of unprecedented reactions. The synthetic potential of this sustainable mode of reactivity has been highlighted by the development of new strategies in the construction of complex motifs, including in target synthesis. The most recent advances in sustainable iron‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of C−O‐based electrophiles are reviewed, with a focus on both mechanistic aspects and synthetic utility. It should be noted that this catalytic manifold provides access to motifs that are often not easily available by other methods, such as the assembly of stereodefined dienes or C(sp2)−C(sp3) cross‐couplings, thus emphasizing the synthetic importance of this mode of reactivity.
Performance analysis and calculation of critical inductance and output voltage ripple of a simple non‐isolated multi‐input bidirectional DC‐DC converter
Authors: Varesi Kazem , Hosseini Seyed Hossein , Sabahi Mehran , Babaei Ebrahim
Published: August 2017

In this paper, a simple non‐isolated multiple input (MI) bidirectional DC‐DC topology is proposed which can operate in buck, boost, or buck‐boost modes. The proposed topology utilizes a battery pack to realize the bidirectional power flow operation especially when the input sources are non‐storable ones. The excess energy of input sources can be stored in the battery and be injected to the load, when required. Simultaneous or independent power transfer of input sources is also provided. For better evaluation, the proposed topology has been compared with several recently presented novel topologies, from view point of number of inductors, capacitors, switches, and diodes. Comparison results show that the proposed topology utilizes less number of components (switches, inductors, capacitors, and current sensors) which can reduce the size, cost, and complexity of converter. Different operational modes of the proposed topology (unidirectional buck, boost, buck‐boost modes, and bidirectional mode) have been presented. Also, boost mode of the proposed topology has been investigated in detail, from design point of view, and generalized relationships have been proposed for calculation of critical inductance (CI) and output voltage ripple (OVR) of proposed n‐input boost topology. To validate proposed theoretical concepts, the proposed topology has been modeled and simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC software, and the 3‐input boost version has been experimentally implemented. Simulation and experimental results confirm appropriate performance of the proposed topology.