bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High‐Efficiency Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells Based on a ZnO Nanorod/ Nanosheet Hierarchical Structure
Authors: Cheng Houyan , Wang Yanxiang , Guo Pingchun , Yang Zhisheng
Published: October 2017

An aqueous solution of Zn(NO3)2⋅6 H2O‐C6H2N4‐PEI and Zn(NO3)2⋅6 H2O‐CO(NH2)2 is used as the raw materials to fabricate hierarchically structured films of ZnO nanorods/nanosheets (ZnO NRs/NSs) via a two‐step hydrothermal synthesis. The films of ZnO NRs/NSs are then applied as photoanodes for application in dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The current density–voltage curves and the incident monochromatic photon‐to‐electron conversion efficiency of DSSCs are measured. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, intensity modulated photovoltage spectroscopy, and intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, the conditions of the internal electron transport and transfer of ZnO‐based DSSCs are tested and analyzed. The results indicate that the ZnO NRs/NSs photoanodes have properties of rapid electron transport and high electron collection efficiency and show a relatively large amount of dye absorption. Therefore, for DSSCs based on ZnO NRs/NSs with liquid electrolyte, the short‐circuit current density (Jsc), open‐circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) are 11.82 mA cm−2, 0.66 V, 0.58, and 4.59 %, respectively. The PCE of the DSSCs is improved by 178.18 % compared to that of pure ZnO NRs cells (1.65 %) and is improved by 21.42 % with respect to pure ZnO NSs cells (3.78 %).
Erythrocyte membrane fatty acids and breast cancer risk: a prospective analysis in the nurses' health study II
Authors: Hirko Kelly A. , Chai Boyang , Spiegelman Donna , Campos Hannia , Farvid Maryam S. , Hankinson Susan E. , Willett Walter C. , Eliassen A. Heather
Published: October 2017

The roles of specific fatty acids in breast cancer etiology are unclear, particularly among premenopausal women. We examined 34 individual fatty acids, measured in blood erythrocytes collected between 1996 and 1999, and breast cancer risk in a nested case‐control study of primarily premenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study II. Breast cancer cases diagnosed after blood collection and before June 2010 (n = 794) were matched to controls and conditional logistic regression was used to estimate OR's (95% CI's) for associations of fatty acids with breast cancer; unconditional logistic regression was used for stratified analyses. Fatty acids were not significantly associated with breast cancer risk overall; however, heterogeneity by body mass index (BMI) was observed. Among overweight/obese women (BMI ≥ 25), several odd‐chain saturated (SFA, e.g. 17:0, ORQ4vsQ1(95% CI) =1.85 (1.18–2.88), ptrend=0.006 pint<0.001), trans (TFA, e.g. 18:1, ORQ4vsQ1(95% CI) =2.33 (1.45–3.77), ptrend<0.001, pint=0.007) and dairy‐derived fatty acids (SFA 15:0 + 17:0 + TFA 16:1n‐7t; ORQ4vsQ1(95% CI) =1.83(1.16–2.89), ptrend=0.005, pint<0.001) were positively associated, and n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFA, e.g. alpha‐linolenic acid; ORQ4vsQ1(95% CI) =0.57 (0.36–0.89), ptrend=0.017, pint=0.03) were inversely associated with breast cancer. Total SFA were inversely associated with breast cancer among women with BMI < 25 (ORQ4vsQ1(95% CI) =0.68 (0.46–0.98), ptrend=0.05, pint=0.01). Thus, while specific fatty acids were not associated with breast cancer overall, our findings suggest positive associations of several SFA, TFA and dairy‐derived fatty acids and inverse associations of n‐3 PUFA with breast cancer among overweight/obese women. Given these fatty acids are influenced by diet, and therefore are potentially modifiable, further investigation of these associations among overweight/obese women is warranted.
Abnormally invasive placentation in a woman with congenital myotonic dystrophy
Authors: Dorcier Lise‐Marie , Coatleven Frédéric , Madar Hugo , Sentilhes Loïc
Published: October 2017

A case of abnormally invasive placentation in a primigravida with myotonic dystrophy suggests a possible link between these disorders.
Weighted localization in mobile wireless networks
Authors: Mahjri Imen , Medjiah Samir , Dhraief Amine , Drira Khalil , Belghith Abdelfettah
Published: October 2017

Localization of wireless devices is a crucial requirement for many emerging applications such as environmental monitoring, intelligent transportation, home automation, health‐care monitoring, and social networking. In this letter, we propose AWL a new aggregate weighted localization algorithm for mobile wireless networks. The proposed algorithm is distributed and requires low computational and communication overheads enabling its use in resource‐limited devices.
The management of anticoagulation in patients undergoing therapeutic plasma exchange: A concise review
Authors: Shunkwiler Sara M. , Pham Huy P. , Wool Geoffrey , Ipe Tina S. , Fang Deanna C. , Biller Elizabeth , Treml Angela , Weiss John , Baron Beverly W. , Berg Mary ,   On behalf of the Therapeutic Apheresis Subsection of the AABB
Published: October 2017

We surveyed multiple apheresis centers represented by the authors for their clinical approach to the management of anticoagulation issues during therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). We present the results of their practices and a review of the pertinent literature. As plasma is removed during TPE, replacement with all or partial non‐plasma‐containing fluids (eg, 5% albumin) may lead to significant changes in hemostasis. These changes are amplified in patients who are receiving anticoagulation. We discuss various anticoagulants as well as the monitoring and adjustment of anticoagulation before, during, and after TPE. No single guideline can be applied, but rather, patients must be monitored individually, taking into account their often complex clinical conditions and medication profiles.
A Convenient Synthetic Method and Spectral Characterization of New Tetrahydro[1,3]oxazinothieno[2,3‐c]isoquinoline and Its Pyrimidine Derivatives
Authors: Zaki Remon M. , Radwan Shaban M. , Kamal El‐Dean Adel M.
Published: October 2017

Acetylation of 1‐amino‐5‐morpholin‐4‐yl‐6,7,8,9‐tetrahydrothieno[2,3‐c]isoquinoline‐2‐phenyl carboxamide 3 afforded the corresponding tetrahydro[1,3]oxazinothieno[2,3‐c]isoquinolinone compound 4. The oxazinone compound 4 underwent nucleophilic substitution reactions with various primary aliphatic and aromatic amines including some sulfa drugs such as sulfanilamide, sulfaguanidine, and sulfathiazole to afford the substituted pyrimidinone compounds 6–10. Chlorination of the pyrimidinone 10 with phosphorus oxychloride yielded the chloropyrimidine derivative 11. The latter compound was used as a versatile precursor for the synthesis of other heterocyclic rings containing the tetrahydropyrimidothienoisoquinoline moiety 12–23 through reaction with a variety of organic reagents. The newly synthesized compounds were fully characterized by elemental and spectral analyses, including melting point, TLC, and FT IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, as well as 13C NMR and mass spectroscopy for most of them. These molecules should allow to us in the future to investigate their pharmacological activities.
Performance evaluation of Cepheid Xpert Norovirus kit with a user‐modified protocol
Authors: Wong Rachel Shi‐Lei , Yeo Fion , Chia Wai Theng , Lee Chun Kiat , Leong Mun Han , Ng Christopher Wai‐Siong , Poon Kok Siong , Yan Gabriel Zherong , Chiu Lily‐Lily , Yan Benedict Junrong , Jureen Roland , Koay Evelyn Siew‐Chuan , Lee Hong Kai
Published: October 2017

The Cepheid Xpert® Norovirus kit automates sample processing, nucleic acid extraction, and real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT‐PCRs) to detect norovirus genogroups I (GI) and II (GII). Eighty‐five stool samples collected between February 2015 and May 2017 were used to compare the performance of a user‐modified Xpert assay against a clinically validated laboratory‐developed test (LDT). Of the 85 samples, 54 were previously archived in −80°C freezer. The remaining 31 were fresh samples tested concurrently with the LDT. The results of all samples tested using the Xpert kit and LDT were found to be concordant, including 12 GI‐ and 42 GII‐positive samples, 1 GI and GII coinfection, and 30 negative samples. Comparison of the assays showed perfect concordance with a kappa coefficient score of 1.00 (95%CI from 1.00 to 1.00). Of the 30 negative stool samples tested, three samples were positive for rotavirus detected using an immunochromatographic assay, with no cross‐reactivity shown in both LDT and Xpert assays. In‐run sample processing control of the Xpert assay for all negative samples tested showed no/minor inhibition. Compared to the LDT, the Xpert assay produced similar or better Ct values for detection. It also showed better mitigation of PCR inhibition in stool sample testing.
The midsummer drought in Mexico: perspectives on duration and intensity from the CHIRPS precipitation database
Authors: Perdigón‐Morales Juliet , Romero‐Centeno Rosario , Pérez Paulina Ordóñez , Barrett Bradford S.
Published: October 2017

In many regions of Mexico, precipitation occurs in a very well defined annual cycle, with peaks in May–June and September–October and a relative minimum in the middle. This minimum in the middle of the rainy season is known as the midsummer drought (MSD) and impacts agriculture and industry. However, in Mexico there are large areas with either sparse meteorological station coverage or where time series of historical observations have many missing data, which make it difficult to study and analyse the precipitation variability at different scales of space and time. Therefore, the most important objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of the recently available Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) product in estimating the duration and intensity of the MSD in Mexico, taking advantage of its very fine spatial resolution (0.05°) and continuous coverage to improve on current understanding of the MSD. In order to achieve this, MSD duration and intensity are calculated from the CHIRPS data and then compared to gauge data for the 1981–2010 period. In addition, two new indices for estimating the intensity of the MSD are defined, and these new indices provide complementary information to that obtained with more traditional methods. Results show that CHIRPS overestimates (underestimates) precipitation in Mexico during summer and autumn (winter and spring) seasons by up to 30%. Most importantly, by using CHIRPS and the two new indices proposed, the most detailed spatial representation ever of the MSD in Mexico has been obtained through the elimination of spatial and temporal coverage gaps.
Metabolomics toward personalized medicine
Authors: Jacob Minnie , Lopata Andreas L. , Dasouki Majed , Abdel Rahman Anas M.
Published: October 2017

Metabolomics, which is the metabolites profiling in biological matrices, is a key tool for biomarker discovery and personalized medicine and has great potential to elucidate the ultimate product of the genomic processes. Over the last decade, metabolomics studies have identified several relevant biomarkers involved in complex clinical phenotypes using diverse biological systems. Most diseases result in signature metabolic profiles that reflect the sums of external and internal cellular activities. Metabolomics has a major role in clinical practice as it represents >95% of the workload in clinical laboratories worldwide. Many of these metabolites require different analytical platforms, such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Mass Spectrometry (MS), and Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC), while many clinically relevant metabolites are still not routinely amenable to detection using currently available assays. Combining metabolomics with genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics studies will result in a significantly improved understanding of the disease mechanisms and the pathophysiology of the target clinical phenotype. This comprehensive approach will represent a major step forward toward providing precision medical care, in which individual is accounted for variability in genes, environment, and personal lifestyle. In this review, we compare and evaluate the metabolomics strategies and studies that focus on the discovery of biomarkers that have “personalized” diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value, validated for monitoring disease progression and responses to various management regimens.
Inhibition of autophagy initiation potentiates chemosensitivity in mesothelioma
Authors: Follo Carlo , Cheng Yao , Richards William G. , Bueno Raphael , Broaddus Virginia Courtney
Published: October 2017

The benefits of inhibiting autophagy in cancer are still controversial, with differences in outcome based on the type of tumor, the context and the particular stage of inhibition. Here, we investigated the impact of inhibiting autophagy at different stages on chemosensitivity using 3‐dimensional (3D) models of mesothelioma, including ex vivo human tumor fragment spheroids. As shown by LC3B accumulation, we successfully inhibited autophagy using either an early stage ULK1/2 inhibitor (MRT 68921) or a late stage inhibitor (hydroxychloroquine). We found that inhibition of autophagy at the early stage, but not at late stage, potentiated chemosensitivity. This effect was seen only in those spheroids with high autophagy and active initiation at steady state. Inhibition of autophagy alone, at either early or late stage, did not cause cell death, showing that the inhibitors were non‐toxic and that mesothelioma did not depend on autophagy at baseline, at least over 24 h. Using ATG13 puncta analysis, we found that autophagy initiation identified tumors that are more chemosensitive at baseline and after autophagy inhibition. Our results highlight a potential role of autophagy initiation in supporting mesothelioma cells during chemotherapy. Our work also highlights the importance of testing the inhibition of different stages in order to uncover the role of autophagy and the potential of its modulation in the treatment of cancer.
Eugenol potentiates cisplatin anti‐cancer activity through inhibition of ALDH‐positive breast cancer stem cells and the NF‐κB signaling pathway
Authors: Islam Syed S. , Al‐Sharif Ibtehaj , Sultan Ahlam , Al‐Mazrou Amer , Remmal Adnane , Aboussekhra Abdelilah
Published: October 2017

Triple‐negative breast tumors are very aggressive and contain relatively high proportion of cancer stem cells, and are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs including cisplatin. To overcome these limitations, we combined eugenol, a natural polyphenolic molecule, with cisplatin to normalize cisplatin mediated toxicity and potential drug resistance. Interestingly, the combination treatment provided significantly greater cytotoxic and pro‐apoptotic effects as compared to treatment with eugenol or cisplatin alone on several triple‐negative breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, adding eugenol to cisplatin potentiated the inhibition of breast cancer stem cells by inhibiting ALDH enzyme activity and ALDH‐positive tumor initiating cells. We provide also clear evidence that eugenol potentiates cisplatin inhibition of the NF‐κB signaling pathway. Indeed, the binding of NF‐κB to its cognate binding sites present in the promoters of IL‐6 and IL‐8 was dramatically reduced, which led to potent down‐regulation of the IL‐6 and IL‐8 cytokines upon combination treatment relative to the single agents. Similar effects were observed on proliferation, inhibition of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and stemness markers in tumor xenografts. These results provide strong preclinical justification for combining cisplatin with eugenol as therapeutic approach for triple‐negative breast cancers through targeting the resistant ALDH‐positive cells and inhibiting the NF‐κB pathway.
Existence and zero‐electron‐mass limit of strong solutions to the stationary compressible Navier‐Stokes‐Poisson equation with large external force
Authors: Li Yeping , Liao Jie
Published: October 2017

In this study, we consider a viscous compressible model of plasma and semiconductors, which is expressed as a compressible Navier‐Stokes‐Poisson equation. We prove that there exists a strong solution to the boundary value problem of the steady compressible Navier‐Stokes‐Poisson equation with large external forces in bounded domain, provided that the ratio of the electron/ions mass is appropriately small. Moreover, the zero‐electron‐mass limit of the strong solutions is rigorously verified. The main idea in the proof is to split the original equation into 4 parts, a system of stationary incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations with large forces, a system of stationary compressible Navier‐Stokes equations with small forces, coupled with 2 Poisson equations. Based on the known results about linear incompressible Navier‐Stokes equation, linear compressible Navier‐Stokes, linear transport, and Poisson equations, we try to establish uniform in the ratio of the electron/ions mass a priori estimates. Further, using Schauder fixed point theorem, we can show the existence of a strong solution to the boundary value problem of the steady compressible Navier‐Stokes‐Poisson equation with large external forces. At the same time, from the uniform a priori estimates, we present the zero‐electron‐mass limit of the strong solutions, which converge to the solutions of the corresponding incompressible Navier‐Stokes‐Poisson equations.
Proportional Feedback Control of Energy Intake During Obesity Pharmacotherapy
Authors: Hall Kevin D. , Sanghvi Arjun , Göbel Britta
Published: October 2017

Objective

Obesity pharmacotherapies result in an exponential time course for energy intake whereby large early decreases dissipate over time. This pattern of declining drug efficacy to decrease energy intake results in a weight loss plateau within approximately 1 year. This study aimed to elucidate the physiology underlying the exponential decay of drug effects on energy intake.

Methods

Placebo‐subtracted energy intake time courses were examined during long‐term obesity pharmacotherapy trials for 14 different drugs or drug combinations within the theoretical framework of a proportional feedback control system regulating human body weight.

Results

Assuming each obesity drug had a relatively constant effect on average energy intake and did not affect other model parameters, our model correctly predicted that long‐term placebo‐subtracted energy intake was linearly related to early reductions in energy intake according to a prespecified equation with no free parameters. The simple model explained about 70% of the variance between drug studies with respect to the long‐term effects on energy intake, although a significant proportional bias was evident.

Conclusions

The exponential decay over time of obesity pharmacotherapies to suppress energy intake can be interpreted as a relatively constant effect of each drug superimposed on a physiological feedback control system regulating body weight.
Influence of processing on the flow properties of long‐chain branched polypropylene
Authors: Duscher Bernadette , Schausberger Alois
Published: October 2017

Long‐chain branched polymers have high melt strength and show strain hardening in the elongational flow. These characteristics are important quantities for certain processing procedures, but are strongly affected by thermomechanical treatment. In this study, different rheological methods and material functions in shear and elongation are applied to determine the flow behavior that is affected by certain processing procedures. For this purpose, a series of blends of linear polypropylene (L‐PP) and long‐chain branched polypropylene (LCB‐PP) is prepared using different processing methods (mixing chamber with kneading elements, twin‐screw extruder, foaming) and varying processing parameters. The decrease of dynamic moduli and of flow activation energy depends on the number of processing stresses. Equilibrium states are created by solution treatment, and in this way process‐modification can be separated into reversible and irreversible parts. It is concluded that the irreversible process‐modification does not reduce the density of entanglements, but tears chains. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1596–1603, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
UV‐laser marking of a TiO2‐containing ABS material
Authors: Clemente M.J. , Lavieja C. , Peña J.I. , Oriol L.
Published: October 2017

Marking of titanium dioxide‐containing ABS polymeric samples was accomplished using a UV laser that induces a white to grey color change with only a minor alteration of the plastic material. The characterization of this marking process has been conducted by different techniques to determine the quality of the UV‐laser marking and to gain an insight into how the plastic material is affected by laser irradiation. Surface characterization was performed and tests were conducted to evaluate the potential applications of this UV‐marking process. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1604–1609, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis of modified Natural Rubber with grafted poly(acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐methyl methacrylate) and performance of derived adhesives with GTA crosslinker
Authors: Thongnuanchan Bencha , Ninjan Rattanawadee , Kaesaman Azizon , Nakason Charoen
Published: October 2017

The main objective of this study is to develop wood adhesives that can be cured at room temperature, based on modified natural rubber (NR) latex. Two types of modified NR, namely poly(acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate)‐grafted NR, NR‐g‐PAAEM, and poly(acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐methyl methacrylate)‐grafted NR, NR‐g‐P(AAEM‐co‐MMA), were synthesized. Emulsion polymerization technique was exploited to synthesize the graft copolymers. The hydrophilicity of NR after grafting modifications was examined by means of contact angle. These results reveal that the NR become more hydrophilic after being modified with poly(acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate), PAAEM, and/or poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA. Adhesion properties in terms of lap shear strength were studied for wood adhesives derived from both types of NR graft copolymers, with glutaraldehyde (GTA) as the crosslinking agent. The results show that adhesives based on the NR graft copolymers gave higher lap shear strength than the NR latex adhesive. For the graft copolymers, the NR‐g‐P(AAEM‐co‐MMA) adhesive exhibited much higher lap shear strength than the NR‐g‐PAAEM adhesive. This indicates that the incorporation of PMMA chains into the NR‐g‐PAAEM molecules significantly increased the cohesive strength of the resulting adhesive, which is probably due to increased modulus and hardness of the adhesive film. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1610–1618, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Highly Thermal Stable TATB‐based Aluminized Explosives Realizing Optimized Balance between Thermal Stability and Detonation Performance
Authors: Gong Feiyan , Guo Hu , Zhang Jianhu , Shen Chunying , Lin Congmei , Zeng Chengcheng , Liu Shijun
Published: October 2017

In this work, a series of TATB‐based aluminized explosives were formulated from 1, 3, 5‐triamino‐2, 4, 6‐trinitrobenzene (TATB), aluminum powders and polymeric binders. The thermal stability, heat of detonation, detonation velocity and pressure of the TATB based aluminized (TATB/Al) explosives were systematically investigated by cook‐off, constant temperature calorimeter, electrometric method and manganin piezo resistance gauge, respectively. The selected PBX‐3 (70 wt% TATB/25 wt% Al/5 wt% fluorine resin) achieved optimized balance between thermal stability and detonation performance, with the thermal runaway temperature around 583 K. The thermal ignition of TATB‐based aluminized explosive occurred at the edge of the cylinder according to the experimental and numerical simulations. Moreover, the critical thermal runaway temperature for PBX‐3 was calculated based on the Semenov's thermal explosion theory and the thermal decomposition kinetic parameters of the explosive, which was consistent with the experimental value.
Serotonin neuron development: shaping molecular and structural identities
Authors: Deneris Evan , Gaspar Patricia
Published: October 2017

The continuing fascination with serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐HT) as a nervous system chemical messenger began with its discovery in the brains of mammals in 1953. Among the many reasons for this decades‐long interest is that the small numbers of neurons that make 5‐HT influence the excitability of neural circuits in nearly every region of the brain and spinal cord. A further reason is that 5‐HT dysfunction has been linked to a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders many of which have a neurodevelopmental component. This has led to intense interest in understanding 5‐HT neuron development with the aim of determining whether early alterations in their generation lead to brain disease susceptibility. Here, we present an overview of the neuroanatomical organization of vertebrate 5‐HT neurons, their neurogenesis, and prodigious axonal architectures, which enables the expansive reach of 5‐HT neuromodulation in the central nervous system. We review recent findings that have revealed the molecular basis for the tremendous diversity of 5‐HT neuron subtypes, the impact of environmental factors on 5‐HT neuron development, and how 5‐HT axons are topographically organized through disparate signaling pathways. We summarize studies of the gene regulatory networks that control the differentiation, maturation, and maintenance of 5‐HT neurons. These studies show that the regulatory factors controlling acquisition of 5‐HT‐type transmitter identity continue to play critical roles in the functional maturation and the maintenance of 5‐HT neurons. New insights are presented into how continuously expressed 5‐HT regulatory factors control 5‐HT neurons at different stages of life and how the regulatory networks themselves are maintained. WIREs Dev Biol 2018, 7:e301. doi: 10.1002/wdev.301

This article is categorized under:

Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles

Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics

Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Cellular Differentiation

Nervous System Development > Secondary: Vertebrates: Regional Development
Opportunities and challenges of demand response in active distribution networks
Authors: Ponnaganti Pavani , Pillai Jayakrishnan R , Bak‐Jensen Birgitte
Published: October 2017

In power systems, the installed generation capacity must exceed the annual peak demand, even though some capacity is kept idle most of the time. However, if it is uneconomical or not feasible to augment a sufficient capacity, the demand might exceed the available capacity. This mandates the system operator to shed the load in order to maintain security of the system. With the advent of advanced smart metering infrastructure, communication between system operator and end‐use customers makes it possible to adjust/curtail/shift the demand with respect to the state of the system. The response of the demand commonly termed as demand response (DR) can be attained either by incentive‐based or price‐based. With the help of DR, the renewable energy generation capacity can be increased by tuning the demand to match the variable and unpredictable power from renewable generation. It can also bring other benefits such as peak shaving, hosting capacity enhancement, and generation cost reduction. Furthermore, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and electric water heater can also be used as distributed storage resources to contribute to ancillary services, such as frequency/voltage regulation, peak‐shaving power or help to integrate fluctuating renewable resources. All these DR modes of operation need conventional regulatory frameworks and market design for capitalizing the available resources. Therefore, the objective of the study is to discuss the DR classification and their control strategies, DR role in microgrids and integration of renewable energy resources. Also, highlighted the opportunities and challenges along with the insights for the research scope associated with DR. WIREs Energy Environ 2018, 7:e271. doi: 10.1002/wene.271

This article is categorized under:

Energy Infrastructure > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Systems Economics > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Policy and Planning > Systems and Infrastructure
The protein corona on nanoparticles as viewed from a nanoparticle‐sizing perspective
Authors: Wang Haixia , Lin Youhui , Nienhaus Karin , Nienhaus G. Ulrich
Published: October 2017

Most surfaces of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are reactive toward biomolecules. Therefore, whenever NPs become immersed in biological fluids, proteins and other biomolecules bind to the NP surface, forming an adsorption layer (biomolecular corona) that modifies the NPs’ physicochemical properties and subsequent interactions with living systems. Its exploration is a formidable endeavor owing to the enormous diversity of engineered NPs in terms of their physicochemical properties and the vast number of biomolecules available in biofluids that may bind to NPs with widely different strengths. Significant progress has been made in our understanding of the biomolecular corona, but even very basic issues are still controversially debated. In fact, there are divergent views of its microscopic structure and dynamics, even on physical properties, such as its thickness. As an example, there is no agreement on whether proteins form monolayers or multilayers upon adsorption. In our quantitative studies of NP–protein interactions by in situ fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) with highly defined model NPs and important serum proteins, we have universally observed protein monolayer formation around NPs under saturation or even oversaturation conditions. Here, we critically discuss biomolecular corona characterization using FCS and dynamic light scattering and identify challenges and future opportunities. Further careful, quantitative experiments are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of biomolecular corona formation and to characterize its structure.

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
RESOURCE NATIONALISM IN INDONESIA: OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES AND SECTORAL VARIATION IN MINING AND PALM OIL
Authors: Warburton Eve
Published: October 2017

During the global commodities boom Indonesia, like many resource-rich countries, introduced an increasing number of nationalist policy interventions. However, the state has intervened assertively in some sectors and only passively in others. In Indonesia's mining sector, interventions that compel foreign divestment received widespread support from politicians and domestic industry; yet similar proposals to limit foreign investment in the strategic agribusiness sector have largely failed. This article brings the literature on resource nationalism into conversation with studies of business–state relations, in order to understand why nationalist mobilization met with more success in Indonesia's mining sector than in agribusiness. It argues that ownership structures constitute the source of this variation. Uniquely integrated patterns of domestic and foreign ownership in the strategic palm oil sub-sector constrained lawmakers’ nationalist agenda. Such constraints were less formidable in Indonesia's mining sector, where foreign capital is more easily differentiated, and concentrated in a sub-sector that contributes less overall to the Indonesian economy.
Micro-plumes for nano-velocimetry
Authors: Squires Todd M.
Published: October 2017

Fluid flows through nano-scale channels depend sensitively on the physical and chemical properties of the walls that surround them. The sub-micron dimensions of such channels, however, are impossible to resolve optically, which rules out most methods for flow visualization. Classic calculations by Squire (Q. J. Mech. Appl. Maths, vol. IV, 1951, pp. 321–329) and Landau & Lifshitz (Fluid Mechanics, vol. 6, 1959, Pergamon) showed that the laminar flow driven outside a capillary, by fluid emerging from the end of the capillary, is identical to the flow driven by a point force proportional to the average velocity in the capillary. Secchi et al. (J. Fluid Mech. 826, R3) analyze the dispersion of a solute that is injected along with the fluid, whose concentration decays slowly with distance but with a strong angular dependence that encodes the intra-capillary velocity. Fluorescence micrographs of the concentration profile emerging from the nanocapillary can be related directly to the average fluid velocity within the nanocapillary. Beyond their remarkable capacity for nano-velocimetry, Landau–Squire plumes will likely appear throughout micro- and nano-fluidic systems.
Mineralogical and geochemical evidence of weathering in a middle to late Pleistocene paleosol sequence in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin
Authors: Jacobs Peter M. , Davis Anthony T.
Published: October 2017

Paleosols occur in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin because this area escaped direct Pleistocene glaciation, allowing long-term loess and colluvium accumulation in selected settings. The most complete known depositional sequence at Oil City, Wisconsin, contains eight lithologic units with five paleosols, all with normal remanent magnetism (i.e., <780 ka). Previous work characterized the stratigraphy, pedology, micromorphology, and clay mineralogy of the section. We investigate chemical weathering of the 8–63 µm silt fraction using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and elemental geochemistry by portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Elemental ratios TiO2/CaO, Zr/Sr, and Rb/Sr generally align with the pedological evidence of weathering. Mineral ratios plagioclase/quartz and K-feldspar/quartz display greater scatter and less certainty in interpretation. The paleosols with Bt horizons have ratios indicating greater weathering than the modern soil. The most weathered paleosol is formed in the unnamed fourth loess unit stratigraphically below the Loveland Member. The stratigraphic position and higher degree of weathering support correlation of the fourth loess with the Yarmouth Geosol and Crowley’s Ridge Silt of the Middle Mississippi valley. Geochemical indices by pXRF are more consistent with established lithologic breaks than mineralogy by XRD. Our results support the use of pXRF for stratigraphic and weathering studies of Quaternary sediments.
Evidence of a late glacial warming event and early Holocene cooling in the southern Brazilian coastal highlands
Authors: Behling Hermann , Oliveira Marcelo Accioly Teixeira de
Published: October 2017

A high-resolution pollen record of the Atlantic rain forest (ARF) biome from the coastal Serra do Tabuleiro mountains of southern Brazil documents an 11,960 yr history of vegetation and climate change. A marked expansion of Weinmannia into the grassland vegetation marks the latter part of the Younger Dryas, reflecting warm and relatively wet conditions. Between 11,490 and 9110 cal yr BP, grasslands became dominant again, indicating a long cold and dry phase, probably in response to the stronger influence of cold South Atlantic seawater and to Antarctic cold fronts. Between 9110 and 2640 cal yr BP, four distinct phases with strong or moderate expansions of different ARF biome taxa were recorded, reflecting warmer and relatively dry conditions with changes in rainfall and length of the annual dry season. After 2640 cal yr BP, the modern ARF biome became established with high amounts of ferns, reflecting somewhat cooler and wetter conditions with a reduced annual dry season. In particular, after 1000 cal yr BP tree ferns increased, reflecting wetter conditions with no dry season.
A darker shade of white: expat self-making in a Congolese rainforest enclave
Authors: Hendriks Thomas
Published: October 2017

This article offers a new perspective on contemporary ‘whiteness’ in Africa by looking at the ambiguous ways in which it affects everyday life in and around the labour compounds of a multinational timber firm in the Congolese rainforest. As a foreign investment enclave, the logging concession is home to a small isolated community of European expatriate men whose ‘white’ faces evoke a set of ambivalent memories of colonial exploitation in the area. Through a carefully contextualized understanding of how these contemporary expats are perceived in the labour compounds and how they construct their own racialized male selves, this article pushes the discussion on whiteness in Africa beyond the conventional analysis of (post-)settler identities and whites of African nationalities. It argues that, as a permanent fixture in the present neoliberal moment but also as an uncanny repetition of a colonial past, the European loggers construct and embody very specific ‘expat’ masculinities whose internalized dynamics of self-exoticization make them ‘African’ in their own right. Mobilizing the problematic trope of ‘darkness’, both in expat self-making practices and in popular narratives about their presence, this article illustrates how whiteness in Africa comes in many shades.
A comparative analysis of the Su-pung-er and Bayne testimonies related to the Franklin expedition
Authors: Gross Tom , Taichman Russell S.
Published: October 2017

During Charles Francis Hall's second Arctic expedition (1864–1869) to find survivors and/or documents of Sir John Franklin's 1845 Northwest Passage expedition, two separate Inuit testimonies were recorded of a potential burial vault of a high-ranking officer. The first testimony was provided by a Boothia Inuk named Su-pung-er. The second testimony was documented by Captain Peter Bayne who, at the time, was employed by Hall. To date the vault has not been found. Recently, both the HMSErebusand HMSTerrorhave been located. The discovery of these vessels was made possible, in part, by Inuit testimony of encounters with and observations of the Franklin expedition. The findings of theErebusandTerrorhave significantly bolstered the view that the Inuit accurately reported their observations and interactions with the Franklin crew. The purpose of this paper is to publish in their entirety Hall's notes from conversations with Su-pung-er focused on the vaults and to compare these observations to those reported in the Bayne testimony. It is our hope that in so doing the final major archaeological site of the Franklin expedition may be located.
Health and welfare profile of Australian baby boomers who live in rented accommodation – implications for the future
Authors: TAYLOR ANNE W. , PILKINGTON RHIANNON , DAL GRANDE ELEONORA , KOURBELIS CONSTANCE , BARRY HELEN
Published: October 2017

Baby boomers who rent are often overlooked as an important sub-group. We aimed to assess the chronic conditions, risk factors, socio-economic factors and other health-related factors associated with renting in private or public housing. Data from telephone interviews conducted each month in South Australia between 2010 and 2015 were combined. Prevalence estimates were assessed for each risk factor and chronic condition by housing status. The association between housing status and variables of interest were analysed using logistic regression models adjusting for multiple covariates (age, gender, income, smoking, physical activity, area and year of data collection). Overall, 17.4 per cent of the 16,687 baby boomers interviewed were renting, either privately or using government-subsided housing. The health profile of renters (both private and public) was poorer overall, with renters more likely to have all of the chronic conditions and ten risk factors assessed. For public renters the relationships were maintained even after controlling for socio-economic and risk factor variables for all chronic diseases except osteoporosis. This research has provided empirical evidence of the considerable differences in health, socio-economic indicators and risk factors between baby boomers who rent and those who own, or are buying, their own homes.
Emission properties of suprathermal electrons produced by laser–plasma interactions
Authors: Liu Huiya , Kang Ning , Zhou Shenlei , An Honghai , Fang Zhiheng , Xiong Jun , Li Kun , Lei Anle , Lin Zunqi
Published: October 2017

Suprathermal electrons produced by laser–plasma interactions at 0.53-μm laser wavelength have been investigated using 19 electron spectrometers. The targets were 2- and 10-μm-thick Al foils, while the laser average intensities were 2 × 1013 and 7 × 1014 W/cm2. A double temperature distribution was observed in the electron energy spectrum: the lower electron temperature was below 25 keV, whereas the higher was ~50 keV. The angular distribution of the total suprathermal electron energy approximately obeyed the Gaussian distribution, peaking along the k vector of the incident laser beam for perpendicular incidence. Furthermore, the conversion rate of laser energy into escaped suprathermal electron energy over the π sr solid angle was ~10−4 at $\sim \!\!10^{14} \; {\rm W}/{\rm c}{\rm m}^{\rm 2}$, increasing almost linearly with the laser intensity.
X-ray diffraction study of distorted perovskites R(Co3/4Ti1/4)O3 (R = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho)
Authors: AlHamdan K. , Wong-Ng W. , Anike J. , Kaduk J. A.
Published: October 2017

The crystal structure and powder patterns were prepared for the distorted perovskite series R(Co3/4Ti1/4)O3 (R = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho). The R(Co3/4Ti1/4)O3 members are isostructural with each other and are crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pnma, Z = 4. From R = La to Ho, the lattice parameters a range from 5.4614(3) to 5.5368(2) Å, b range from 7.7442(4) to 7.4859(2) Å, and c range from 5.5046(3) to 5.2170(2) Å. The unit-cell volumes, V which range from 232.81(2) to 216.237(11) Å3 follow the trend of “lanthanide contraction”. The structure distortion of these compounds is evidenced in the tilt angles θ, ϕ, and ω, which represent rotations of an octahedron about the pseudo-cubic perovskite [110]p, [001]p and [111]p axes. All three tilt angles increase across the lanthanide series (for R = La to R = Ho: θ increases from 8.34° to 17.00°, ϕ from 6.24° to 8.53°, and ω from 10.41° to 18.96°), indicating a greater octahedral distortion as the ionic radius of R3+ [r(R3+)] decreases. The bond valence sum values for the (Co/Ti) site and the R site of R(Co3/4Ti1/4)O3 reveal no significant bond strain in these compounds. X-ray diffraction patterns of the R(Co3/4Ti1/4)O3 samples were submitted to the Powder Diffraction File.
AFFINE GEOMETRY OF STRATA OF DIFFERENTIALS
Authors: Chen Dawei
Published: October 2017

Affine varieties among all algebraic varieties have simple structures. For example, an affine variety does not contain any complete algebraic curve. In this paper, we study affine-related properties of strata of
$k$
-differentials on smooth curves which parameterize sections of the
$k$
th power of the canonical line bundle with prescribed orders of zeros and poles. We show that if there is a prescribed pole of order at least
$k$
, then the corresponding stratum does not contain any complete curve. Moreover, we explore the amusing question whether affine invariant manifolds arising from Teichmüller dynamics are affine varieties, and confirm the answer for Teichmüller curves, Hurwitz spaces of torus coverings, hyperelliptic strata as well as some low genus strata.
THE NEW LIBERAL VISION OF C. F. G. MASTERMAN: RELIGION, POLITICS AND LITERATURE IN EARLY TWENTIETH-CENTURY BRITAIN
Authors: STAPLETON JULIA
Published: October 2017

This article explores the political thought of C. F. G. Masterman (1873–1927), a leading figure in the movement of New Liberalism in Britain at the beginning of the twentieth century. The article emphasizes the distinctive color his Christian beliefs and Anglican loyalties lent to his progressive Liberal ideals; this adds a new dimension to the existing historiography of the New Liberalism, which, until recently, has neglected the religious influences on its development. The article further underlines Masterman's concern to harness the cause of religious freedom and the disestablishment of the Church of England to social reform; he did so through reviving the older Gladstonian alliance between Liberalism and Nonconformity. It argues that his religiosity—focused on the Church of England—was central to his thought, and was frequently expressed in the language of prophecy he imbibed from Thomas Carlyle and other nineteenth-century seers.
ANP promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells by NPRA/PGRMC1/EGFR complex and improves ovary functions of PCOS rats
Authors: Zheng Qin , Li Yulin , Zhang Dandan , Cui Xinyuan , Dai Kuixing , Yang Yu , Liu Shuai , Tan Jichun , Yan Qiu
Published: October 2017

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complicated reproductive endocrine disease characterized by polycystic ovaries, hyperandrogenism and anovulation. It is one of the main causes of infertility. RU486 is an antagonist of progesterone receptor, and most commonly used as a contraceptive. However, whether RU486 is correlated with PCOS remains unclear. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a small peptide with natriuretic and diuretic functions, and its availability to be used in PCOS treatment is unknown. Here, we showed that the serum ANP level was lower in PCOS patients than that in healthy women, and it was also decreased in the serum and ovarian tissues of RU486-induced PCOS rats compared with the control rats. We also found that RU486 inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of human KGN ovarian granulosa cells by downregulating progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1). Meantime, ANP promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of KGN cells through upregulating ANP receptor A (NPRA). The promotive effects of ANP on ovarian functions were mediated through the formation of an NPRA/PGRMC1/EGFR complex, which further activated MAPK/ERK signaling and transcription factor AP1. Moreover, ANP treatment reversed the PCOS symptoms, and improved the fertility of RU486-induced PCOS rats. Collectively, these findings highlight that RU486 is associated with the pathogenesis of PCOS, and ANP treatment may be a promising therapeutic option for PCOS.
iASPP facilitates tumor growth by promoting mTOR-dependent autophagy in human non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Xue Yijun , Han Haibo , Wu Lina , Pan Bo , Dong Bin , Yin C Cameron , Tian Zhihua , Liu Xijuan , Yang Yue , Zhang Hong , Chen Yingyu , Chen Jinfeng
Published: October 2017

Autophagy serves a critical function in the pathogenesis, response to therapy and clinical outcome in cancers. Although a recent report showed a role of iASPP in suppressing autophagy, its potential activity as a regulator of autophagy has not been investigated in lung cancer. Here we investigated the potential function and molecular mechanism of iASPP in mediating autophagy in human non-small-cell lung cancer. Our data suggested that forced expression of iASPP triggered autophagic flux, while inhibition of iASPP suppressed autophagy at the autophagsome formation stage in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo overexpression of iASPP in SCID/NOD mice promoted tumorigenesis and autophagy, with an increase in the conversion from LC3-I to LC3-II. The effects of iASPP were mediated through activation of mTOR pathway. Finally, cytoplasmic iASPP expression was upregulated in lung cancer patients, and was identified as an independent poor prognostic factor for lung cancer-specific death in patient samples. Taken together, our data showed that iASPP could promote tumor growth by increasing autophagic flux, and iASPP could serve as a poor prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target in lung cancer.