bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling Skeletal Fragility in Patients Diagnosed With MGUS: No Longer a Condition of Undetermined Significance?
Authors: Drake Matthew T
Published: October 2014

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a common finding in clinical practice, affecting greater than 3% of adults aged 50 years and older. As originally described, the term MGUS reflected the inherent clinical uncertainty of distinguishing patients with a benign stable monoclonal plasma cell disorder from subjects destined to progress to malignancy. There is now clear epidemiologic evidence, however, that patients with MGUS suffer from a significantly increased fracture risk and that the prevalence of MGUS is increased in patients with osteoporosis. Despite this relationship, no clinical care guidelines exist for the routine evaluation or treatment of the skeletal health of patients with MGUS. Recent work has demonstrated that circulating levels of at least two cytokines (CCL3/MIP-1α and DKK1) with well-recognized roles in bone disease in the related monoclonal gammopathy multiple myeloma are also increased in patients with MGUS. Further, recent imaging studies using high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT have documented that patients with MGUS have substantial skeletal microarchitectural deterioration and deficits in biomechanical bone strength that likely underlie the increased skeletal fragility in these patients. Accordingly, this Perspective provides evidence that the “undetermined significance” portion of the MGUS acronym may be best replaced in favor of the term “monoclonal gammopathy of skeletal significance” (MGSS) in order to more accurately reflect the enhanced skeletal risks inherent in this condition. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Variations in the trunnion surface topography between different commercially available hip replacement stems
Authors: Munir Selin , Walter William L. , Walsh William Robert
Published: October 2014

Modular hip implants allows for the adjustment of leg length, offset, and the ability to remove the head for acetabular exposure during primary and revision surgery. The design of the Morse taper facilitates the intimate contact of the conical trunnion of the femoral stem (male component), with the conical bore of the femoral head (female component). Orthopaedic trunnion tapers are not standardized and vary in length, taper angle, and base dimension. Variations in the design and surface characteristics of the trunnion, will directly reflect on the interface at the taper junction and can influence the likelihood of subsequent wear, corrosion and longevity of the implant. The effect of surface topography of trunnions on commercially available hip stems has not yet been considered as a possible contributing factor in the corrosion observed at taper junctions. In this study we analyzed the surface topography and surface roughness of randomly selected commercially available femoral hip stem trunnions to obtain a greater insight into their surface characteristics. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:98–105, 2015.
Towards a protocol for the trace element analysis of glass from rhyolitic shards in tephra deposits by laser ablation ICP‐MS
Authors: PEARCE NICHOLAS J. G.
Published: October 2014

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) is used widely to analyse single volcanic glass shards from Quaternary tephra deposits for stratigraphic correlation. As yet, no generally accepted protocol for these analyses exists and published methods report significant differences in crater size and calibration strategies. Using Ca as the ‘internal standard’ (CaI.S.), and not SiI.S., for the analysis of rhyolitic glass can cause significant problems, because of ablation of (i) Ca‐rich phenocrysts, notably ‘ubiquitous’ plagioclase, but also calcic‐amphibole, apatite and allanite or (ii) mounting epoxy resin which can contribute to the Ca internal standard signal. Using CaI.S. can cause underreporting of many elements which concentrate in Ca‐rich phenocrysts, making their ablation difficult to recognize, but when using SiI.S., no such underreporting occurs. Additionally, larger ablation craters (50 µm diameter) potentially incorporate even small volumes of phenocryst material, whereas smaller craters (<20 µm diameter) more frequently miss phenocrysts. Thus, for the LA‐ICP‐MS analysis of rhyolitic glass shards, smaller ablation craters should be employed and calibrated using SiI.S., allowing recognition and removal of analyses incorporating Ca‐rich phenocrysts and avoiding issues related to the ablation of the mounting resin.
Provenance of sediment in the Labrador Current: a record of hinterland glaciation over the past 125 ka
Authors: MAO LONGJIANG , PIPER DAVID J. W. , SAINT‐ANGE FRANCKY , ANDREWS JOHN T. , KIENAST MARKUS
Published: October 2014

The Labrador Current flows southward along the continental margin off eastern Canada and is the principal source of sediment to the outer continental margin areas where ice sheets did not cross the continental shelf. We present multi‐proxy mineralogical and geochemical records based principally on X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray fluorescence for core 2011031‐059 from northern Flemish Cap to determine changes in supply and hence to reconstruct provenance evolution during the last glacial cycle. The calcite to dolomite ratios in Heinrich layers ranged from 2 to 4, suggesting carbonate layers derived from Hudson Strait as early as Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5a–d. Mineral abundance shows three time‐dependent predominant sediment sources other than in Heinrich layers: (i) Baffin Bay shelves and adjacent land in MIS 5 and 1, with high Ca, Sr, kaolinite and feldspars and low clay minerals and calcite/dolomite ratios; (ii) Labrador in MIS 3, with low clays and grey color; and (iii) north‐east Newfoundland Shelf in MIS 2 and 4, with higher concentrations of clay minerals, red sandstones and transition elements. These results allow a reconstruction of principal ice streams supplying the north‐west Atlantic over the last full glacial cycle.
The detailed tephrostratigraphy of a core from the south‐east Black Sea spanning the last ∼60 ka
Authors: CULLEN VICTORIA L. , SMITH VICTORIA C. , ARZ HELGE W.
Published: October 2014

One visible volcanic ash layer and 21 non‐visible, cryptotephra horizons have been identified in the M72/5‐25‐GC1 core from the south‐east Black Sea that spans the last ∼60 ka. Glass chemistry suggests that the tephras derive from Italian, Hellenic and Turkish sources. The visible tephra layer is trachytic in composition and has been correlated to the ∼39 ka Campanian Ignimbrite super‐eruption from Campi Flegrei caldera, Italy. Two cryptotephra layers are associated with eruptions from Acigöl volcano (Turkey) around the Last Glacial Maximum, another is linked to activity at Erciyes Dagi in the Early Holocene (Perikartini or Karagüllü), and a cryptotephra layer near the top of the core correlates to the ∼3.6k cal a BP Minoan (marine Z2) tephra from Santorini (Thera), Greece. This extends the known dispersal area for all these volcanic ash units. Many other calc‐alkaline rhyolite layers preserved in the core are likely to be from central Anatolian sources but the lack of detailed proximal data for many of the volcanoes in the region prohibits further correlations. The tephrostratigraphy and glass compositional data presented here allow the tephra layers to be used to correlate sedimentary archives across the region, and help to extend the Mediterranean tephrochronology framework towards the east.
Evaluation of volatile aldehydes as discriminating parameters in quality vinegars with protected European geographical indication
Authors: Durán‐Guerrero Enrique , Chinnici Fabio , Natali Nadia , Riponi Claudio
Published: October 2014

BACKGROUND

Thirty‐six high‐quality vinegars with geographical indication belonging to Sherry and Modena areas (vinegars of Jerez, balsamic vinegars of Modena and traditional balsamic vinegars of Modena) with all possible aging periods were analyzed to determine the content of volatile aldehydes. A solid‐phase extraction method with in‐cartridge derivatization usingO‐(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was employed.

RESULTS

Twenty‐two volatile aldehydes were identified and determined in the samples. Analysis of variance provided significant differences among the samples as a function of the type of vinegar, aging time and raw material. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis demonstrated the possibility of discriminating the samples in terms of aging time and raw material. Linear aldehydes and compounds such as furfural, methional, nonenal, hexenal, 2‐methylbutanal andi‐butyraldehyde were the most significant variables able to discriminate the samples.

CONCLUSION

Aldehyde content of premium quality vinegars is a function of both ageing time and raw material. Their evaluation could be a useful tool with a view to ascertaining vinegar origin and genuineness. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Chemical composition analysis and authentication of whisky
Authors: Wiśniewska Paulina , Dymerski Tomasz , Wardencki Waldemar , Namieśnik Jacek
Published: October 2014

Whisky (whiskey) is one of the most popular spirit‐based drinks made from malted or saccharified grains, which should mature for at least 3 years in wooden barrels. High popularity of products usually causes a potential risk of adulteration. Thus authenticity assessment is one of the key elements of food product marketing. Authentication of whisky is based on comparing the composition of this alcohol with other spirit drinks. The present review summarizes all information about the comparison of whisky and other alcoholic beverages, the identification of type of whisky or the assessment of its quality and finally the authentication of whisky. The article also presents the various techniques used for analyzing whisky, such as gas and liquid chromatography with different types of detectors (FID, AED, UV–Vis), electronic nose, atomic absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. In some cases the application of chemometric methods is also described, namely PCA, DFA, LDA, ANOVA, SIMCA, PNN, k‐NN and CA, as well as preparation techniques such SPME or SPE. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Simultaneous quantitative analysis of nine triterpenoid saponins for the quality control of Stauntonia obovatifoliola Hayata subsp. intermedia stems
Authors: Lu Xuran , Qiu Feng , Pan Xueqiang , Li Jing , Wang Manyuan , Gong Muxin
Published: October 2014

Stauntonia obovatifoliola Hayata subsp. intermedia is used in China to treat rheumatic arthralgia, hernia pain, and traumatic pain. An accurate and reliable method based on high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of nine triterpenoid saponins in this herb. By using a Kromasil 100–5 C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm), nine analytes were separated by gradient elution over a running time of 45.0 min. All standard calibration curves demonstrated satisfactory linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9995) within a relatively wide range. The precision was evaluated by intra‐ and interday tests, which revealed relative standard deviation values within the ranges of 0.20–2.83 and 0.51–2.79%, respectively. The recoveries for the nine target compounds were between 84.6 and 103% with relative standard deviation values less than 2.67%. The samples were also analyzed on a linear trap quadrupole Orbitrap Velos Pro mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source in negative mode to confirm the quantification results. In conclusion, the present high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection method could serve as an accurate and reliable method for the quality evaluation of Stauntonia obovatifoliola Hayata subsp. intermedia stems.
Glycosylated Star Polypeptides from NCA Polymerization: Selective Binding as a Function of Degree of Branching and Glycosylation
Authors: Byrne Mark , Mildner Robert , Menzel Henning , Heise Andreas
Published: October 2014

Star‐shaped polypeptides were synthesized via N‐carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerization initiated from various generations of PPI dendrimers. Molecular weight, arm length, and arm density were readily controlled to afford a series of star‐shaped poly(glutamic acid) derivatives. Glycosylation of star‐shaped poly(glutamic acid) resulted in the formation of a diverse range of glycopolypeptide architectures with tuneable degree of sugar conjugation. The secondary structure of the branched glycopolypeptides was studied as a function of the degree glycosylation. The bioactivity of the described glycopoly‐peptides toward the lectin ConA was investigated and was shown to be architecture dependent.
Polydopamine – A Versatile Coating for Surface‐Initiated Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Lactide to Polylactide
Authors: Mrówczyński Radosław , Nan Alexandrina , Turcu Rodica , Leistner Joachim , Liebscher Jürgen
Published: October 2014

An efficient way for covering various surfaces with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is discussed. In a first step, the material is coated with polydopamine (PDA) by air oxidation of dopamine. The resulting PDA layer acts as an initiator for ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide resulting in an outer PLA shell. Since PDA sticks to almost every solid material, the methodology has a wide scope. The strategy is demonstrated with magnetic nanoparticles and non‐magnetic powders.

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Molar‐Mass Analysis of Dendrigraft Poly(l‐lysine) (DGL) Polyelectrolytes by SEC‐MALLS: The “Cornerstone” Refractive Index Increment
Authors: Maret Barbara , Crépet Agnès , Faye Clément , Garrelly Laurent , Ladavière Catherine
Published: October 2014

Dendrigraft poly(l‐lysine) (DGL) polyelectrolytes, obtained by iterative polycondensation of N‐trifluoroacetyl‐l‐lysine‐N‐carboxyanhydride, constitute very promising candidates in many biomedical applications. In order to get a better understanding of their structure–property relationships in these applications, their absolute average molecular weights have to be accurately measured. Size‐exclusion chromatography coupled to a multi‐angle laser‐light‐scattering detector (SEC‐MALLS) is known to be the most appropriate analytical tool. These measurements require the determination of the refractive index increment, dn/dc, of these highly branched polycationic macromolecules in aqueous solution. This optical property has to be measured in the same aqueous conditions as SEC‐MALLS eluents. Consequently, data are determined and discussed as a function of different aqueous SEC‐MALLS eluents, as well as different counter‐ions of the many ammonium groups of DGL (generation 3, DGL‐3, used as a model herein). The resulting number‐average molecular weights, , are found to be very dissimilar when the measured dn/dc values are directly considered. In contrast, very close values are obtained (average = 18 700, standard error of 1110 g mol−1) with a low coefficient of variation for such data (ca. 6% for six analyses), when the dn/dc are corrected by the exact lysine amount (measured by the total Kjeldahl nitrogen method).

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Design of novel analogues of short antimicrobial peptide anoplin with improved antimicrobial activity
Authors: Wang Yang , Chen Jianbo , Zheng Xin , Yang Xiaoli , Ma Panpan , Cai Ying , Zhang Bangzhi , Chen Yuan
Published: October 2014

Currently, novel antibiotics are urgently required to combat the emergence of drug‐resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial peptides with membrane‐lytic mechanism of action have attracted considerable interest. Anoplin, a natural α‐helical amphiphilic antimicrobial peptide, is an ideal research template because of its short sequence. In this study, we designed and synthesized a group of analogues of anoplin. Among these analogues, anoplin‐4 composed of d‐amino acids displayed the highest antimicrobial activity due to increased charge, hydrophobicity and amphiphilicity. Gratifyingly, anoplin‐4 showed low toxicity to host cells, indicating high bacterial selectivity. Furthermore, the mortality rate of mice infected with Escherichia coli was significantly reduced by anoplin‐4 treatment relative to anoplin. In conclusion, anoplin‐4 is a novel anoplin analogue with high antimicrobial activity and enzymatic stability, which may represent a potent agent for the treatment of infection. Copyright © 2014 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ensemble learning of inverse probability weights for marginal structural modeling in large observational datasets
Authors: Gruber Susan , Logan Roger W. , Jarrín Inmaculada , Monge Susana , Hernán Miguel A.
Published: October 2014

Inverse probability weights used to fit marginal structural models are typically estimated using logistic regression. However, a data‐adaptive procedure may be able to better exploit information available in measured covariates. By combining predictions from multiple algorithms, ensemble learning offers an alternative to logistic regression modeling to further reduce bias in estimated marginal structural model parameters. We describe the application of two ensemble learning approaches to estimating stabilized weights: super learning (SL), an ensemble machine learning approach that relies on V‐fold cross validation, and an ensemble learner (EL) that creates a single partition of the data into training and validation sets. Longitudinal data from two multicenter cohort studies in Spain (CoRIS and CoRIS‐MD) were analyzed to estimate the mortality hazard ratio for initiation versus no initiation of combined antiretroviral therapy among HIV positive subjects. Both ensemble approaches produced hazard ratio estimates further away from the null, and with tighter confidence intervals, than logistic regression modeling. Computation time for EL was less than half that of SL. We conclude that ensemble learning using a library of diverse candidate algorithms offers an alternative to parametric modeling of inverse probability weights when fitting marginal structural models. With large datasets, EL provides a rich search over the solution space in less time than SL with comparable results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tough thermoplastic starch modified with polyurethane microparticles by reactive extrusion
Authors: Zhang Yu , Huang Lei , Zhou Hongbin , Zhang Pingping , Zhu Mei , Fan Bingbing , Wu Qiangxian
Published: October 2014

In this work, a starch–water mixture was blended with polyurethane prepolymer (PUP) at 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt% and extruded in a twin screw extruder. The ensuing results showed that the reaction ratio of PUP used for modified starch was 98.6 ± 0.3%. This was attributed to the polyurethane particles being formed under shear stress during extrusion processing. Each polyurethane particle contained many NCO groups with high reaction activity, which therefore increased the reaction probability of PUP micro‐particles with starch. The elastic and hydrophobic PUP played an important role in improving the properties of modified starch. SEM showed that the starch and polyurethane had good compatibility; the toughness, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability of modified starch thus sharply improved. This work provided a method for the preparation of high reaction efficiency modified starch.
Untraditional source of starches – rhizome of Dioscorea nipponica Makino. from different geographical origins
Authors: Jiang Qianqian , Gao Wenyuan , Shi Yanpeng , Li Xia , Xia Yuzhuo , Xiao Peigen
Published: October 2014

Different sources of Dioscorea nipponica Makino. were collected from different regions, Funiu, Qingyuan, and Yichun. Starches isolated from the three sources were studied regarding their morphological, physicochemical, and thermal properties. Funiu and Qingyuan starches have larger granules than Yichun starch. The swelling power (85–95°C), solubility (85–95°C), amylose leaching, moisture content, protein content, and starch content were found to be higher compared to the Yichun starch. However, the Yichun starch displayed much higher gelatinization temperatures and enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔHgel) (1.69 J/g), meanwhile Funiu starch presented the lowest values (0.55 J/g). To, Tp, and Tc values varied from 68.41 to 71.96°C, 73.83 to 77.76°C, and 78.92 to 82.52°C, respectively. Funiu starch with higher digestibility was more susceptible to in vitro starch digestibility than Qingyuan and Yichun starches after 40–180 min, which provided more information about the starch nutritional component.
Effect of emulsifiers on complexation, pasting, and gelling properties of native and chemically modified white sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) starch
Authors: Ali Tahira Mohsin , Hasnain Abid
Published: October 2014

The present study investigated the effect of emulsifiers on complexation, pasting, and gelling properties of native and chemically modified white sorghum starches. Chemically modified starches demonstrated better capability to complex with glyceryl monostearate (GMS) compared to diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono‐ and diglycerides (DATEM) and sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) due to its non‐ionic and hydrophobic nature. The results revealed that addition of emulsifiers to native and modified starches altered both the textural properties and ageing characteristics of starch gels during cold storage. Firmness rate enhanced on addition of emulsifiers to native white sorghum starch (NWSS) whereas it reduced when added to acetylated white sorghum starch (AWSS) and dual modified acetylated‐oxidized white sorghum starch (AOWSS). Cold paste viscosities of NWSS, AWSS, and AOWSS were also found to be higher in the presence of emulsifiers. The decline in paste clarity on refrigerated storage was significantly curtailed on incorporation of emulsifiers to NWSS, AWSS, and acid‐thinned white sorghum starch (ATWSS) which implies reduction in the rate of retrogradation.
Effect of shearing on functional properties of starches isolated from Indian kidney beans
Authors: Kaur Seeratpreet , Kaur Amritpal , Singh Narpinder , Sodhi Navdeep Singh
Published: October 2014

Starches suspensions from four kidney bean lines (varying in amylose content) were sheared for different intervals (0–8 min) at 15 000 rpm at 25°C. Starches were then evaluated for granule size distribution, thermal, rheological, and structural properties. Shearing caused an increase in amylose content, paste viscosities, and small size granules containing granular fragments. Transition gelatinization temperatures: Onset temperature (To), peak temperature (Tp), conclusion temperature (Tc), crystallinity, and short‐order range decreased upon shearing. Native starches from different lines showed unimodal and trimodal granules distribution. A change in size distribution from trimodal to unimodal was observed in starch upon shearing, starch with higher amylose content showed greater effects. Shearing of starches caused disintegration and fragmentations of granules that made them to gelatinize at lower temperature.
Thermal and photoresponsive studies on starch modified with 4‐[(E)‐2‐(3‐hydroxynaphthalen‐2‐yl)diazen‐1‐yl]benzoic acid
Authors: Chandran Ambily , Kuriakose Sunny , Mathew Tessymol
Published: October 2014

The chemical modification of starch is of interest because the modification would not change the fundamental skeleton of starch, would keep the original physicochemical and biochemical properties and finally would bring new or improved properties. A chromophoric system 4‐[(E)‐2‐(3‐hydroxynaphthalen‐2‐yl)diazen‐1‐yl]benzoic acid was synthesized and incorporated into the biopolymeric core of starch by DCC coupling. The products were characterized by UV–visible, fluorescence, FT‐IR, and NMR spectroscopic methods and subjected to thermal and photoresponsive studies. The results show that modification enhances the light absorption and light fastening properties of the chromophoric system. Thermal stability of the polymeric system greatly enhances on attaching to chromophoric system. In this research article an attempt has been done to explore present and future industrial prospects of functionally modified starches.
Effects of grain milling on starch structures and flour/starch properties
Authors: Li Enpeng , Dhital Sushil , Hasjim Jovin
Published: October 2014

Milling or grinding of cereal grains to produce flour is frequently accompanied by damage to starch granules, disruption of starch crystalline structure, and degradation of starch molecules. Amylopectin (AP) molecules are more susceptible to degradation than amylose (AM) molecules as AM molecules, present in amorphous conformation in native starch granules, are more flexible than the rigid double helical crystallites made of AP branches. The changes of starch structures caused by milling alter starch properties, including gelatinization, pasting, swelling, solubility, and digestibility, and thus affect flour quality. The changes in starch structures and properties, however, are different between the grinding of cereal grains and that of isolated starch granules as the latter ignores the influences from non‐starch components in grains. Hence, the grinding of isolated starch granules, commonly used to understand the effects of milling, does not represent the grinding of cereal grains. This review allows a better understanding in the changes of starch structures and properties by milling, which is important in the production of flour with desirable properties.
The effect of granule surface area on hydrolysis of native starches by pullulanase
Authors: Jung Kyung‐Hee , Kim Min‐Jeong , Park So‐Hae , Hwang Hye‐Sun , Lee Suyong , Shim Jae‐Hoon , Kim Myo‐Jeong , Kim Jae‐Cherl , Lee Heeseob
Published: October 2014

Various native starch granules were reacted as substrates for a debranching enzyme, pullulanase, from Bacillus acidopullulyticus, and the kinetic mechanism was investigated in initial rate studies. The apparent Km values of the native starch hydrolysis reactions decreased in the order of rice, corn, and potato, whereas Vmax remained constant for all starches. Assuming that starch granules were spherical, the double reciprocal of the initial rates of the hydrolysis reactions along with the surface area of the three native starch granules could be described in a linear function. Therefore, enzymatic hydrolysis of native starches during the initial stage is mainly affected by particle size of starch granules. Further, the surface area as well as particle size of granules have important effects on the initial rate at which native starch is digested by debranching enzyme. We believe that this is the first systematic study reporting kinetic data on the effect of granule surface area on hydrolysis of native starches by α‐1,6‐glucan hydrolase.
Preparation and characterization of starch/EVA composite foams with surface modified kaolin
Authors: Zheng Yuying , Zhang Youfang , Zhang Lihong , Liu Yi , Zhou Qian
Published: October 2014

Starch/EVA (ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer)/modified kaolin nanocomposite foaming materials were prepared. The modified kaolin was obtained by γ‐methylacryloyl oxypropyl trimethoxysilane (silane coupling agent KH‐570) as the nucleating agent. The effects of the modified kaolin were analyzed by activation index, and the structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and SEM. The effects of modified kaolin on the mechanical properties and the cellular structure of the composite foams were also studied. According to the results, when 1.8 phr (parts per hundert parts of resin) silane coupling agent KH‐570 modified kaolin, the activation index was 100%. It was found that the modified kaolin played an important role in the formation of the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the composites foams. Modified kaolin could increase the amount of the cells and reduce cell size significantly. The optimum tearing strength of the composite foams was 12.78 kg/cm with 20 phr modified kaolin added. The results were attributed to the nucleation effect of the modified kaolin particles, the high melt viscosity and the complex interface interactions between EVA chains and kaolin particles.
Green synthesis method of silver nanoparticles using starch as capping agent applied the methodology of surface response
Authors: Ortega‐Arroyo Lesli , Martin‐Martinez Eduardo San , Aguilar‐Mendez Miguel A. , Cruz‐Orea Alfredo , Hernandez‐Pérez Isaias , Glorieux Christ
Published: October 2014

The aim of this work was to synthesize silver nanoparticles (NPs) through a green synthesis method using starch as a capping agent. The influence of the glucose content, temperature, and pH on the size of the NPs was evaluated by means of a response surface methodology. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM, and the crystalline structure of the silver was determined by XRD. The optimum synthesis time was after 3 h of reaction time the colloidal solution, did not show any further significant variation in the optical absorption peak (λmax). Response surface results indicate that the reducing agent (glucose) concentration was the most important factor influencing the NPs size, which ranged from 2 to 24 nm. TEM images show that NPs had predominantly spherical shapes, but also polyhedral shapes were present in smaller quantities. Analysis of Raman spectra infers that the glucose initially reduces silver ions to elemental silver. Then the starch undergoes hydrolysis providing primary hydroxyl that contributes to the reduction of silver. The carboxyl and hydroxyl groups of glucose and hydrolyzed starch stabilize the silver NPs by passivating their surface, so that they do not aggregate and remain uniformly distributed.
Sweet potato/potato starch and Abelmoschus esculentus‐gum blends: Thermal and textural properties
Authors: Alamri Mohammed S.
Published: October 2014

The effect of Abelmoschus esculentus gum, known as okra, on potato and sweet potato starches pasting, rheological, and textural properties were studied using rapid visco analyzer, Brookfield rheometer, and texture analyzer, respectively. Blends of 5, 10, and 15% okra gum (OE) based on starch were prepared by dry mixing or at 60% moisture content prior testing, where 0% is the control. Significant drop in the peak viscosity of potato starch in a nonlinear form was observed. The effect of wet mixing appeared to be more pronounced for potato starch. Sweet potato starch exhibited greater setback due to higher amylose content. The shear stress/shear rate was fitted into power law, where the flow behavior index (n) was n < 1 signifying pseudoplasticity, where the consistency coefficient (K) decreased in the presence of (OE) indicating lower viscosity. The data was also fitted into Arrhenius equation to determine the effect of temperature on the activation energy (Ea), where higher Ea was recorded for potato starch blends and lower for sweet potato starch. Higher gel hardness was noted for both control starches compared to the blends as well as springiness, gumminess, and chewiness, except for the adhesiveness and cohesiveness of potato starch.
Morphological and physicochemical properties of two starch mutants induced from a high amylose indica rice by gamma irradiation
Authors: Kong Xiangli , Sun Xiao , Xu Feifei , Umemoto Takayuki , Chen Hao , Bao Jinsong
Published: October 2014

Morphological and physicochemical properties of two starch mutants isolated from a high amylose indica rice, Guangluai 4 (GLA4), were characterized. One is waxy mutant (GM077) with opaque endosperm, which had low amylose content (2.6%) and had a characteristic RVA pasting viscosity curve with a rapid increase and rapid breakdown in viscosity from onset to peak viscosity and during temperature holding step, respectively. The other is white‐core mutant (GM645) with a chalky endosperm in the center of the grain. The starch granules in the chalky part are round and a little smaller than those in the other part, which had polygonal shape. GM645 had an amylose content of 22.8%. RVA pasting viscosity of GM645 flour was smaller than that of its parent GLA4, while that of its starch was higher than GLA4. The gel hardness of GM645 flour and starch was less than that of GLA4. GM077 had higher peak temperature (Tp, 79°C) than GLA4 (77°C), and the GM645 had the lowest gelatinization temperature. GLA4 had the largest retrogradation percentage (34.7% for flour and 29.7% for starch), whereas GM077 had the smallest retrogradation percentage among the three rice starches (9.6% for flour and 12.8% for starch). GM077 had more chains with DP 6–10, DP 18–33, and DP ≥44 than GLA4, and GM645 had more chains with DP 6–9, DP 22–35, and DP ≥44 than GLA4. Application of the starch mutants in food processing, and identification of defect genes for functional genomics study with these two mutants were also discussed.
Effect of salts on textural, color, and rheological properties of potato starch gels
Authors: Chen Yifang , Wang Chenjie , Chang Tong , Shi Liu , Yang Hong , Cui Min
Published: October 2014

The objective of this study was to determine effects of salts on textural, color, and rheological properties of potato starch gels. Sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and calcium lactate had no significant effect on textural properties of starch gels. However, gel strength was significantly increased by addition of copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate dodecahydrate, ferric sulfate, and ferric chloride, and decreased greatly by addition of ferric citrate. Effects of salts on the hardness of potato starch gels were similar to that on gel strength. The L* values of starch gels were reduced by adding sodium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, and ferric citrate. Potato starch suspensions with salts exhibited higher storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″), except with 1% sodium chloride. Results showed that salts had significant effects on the textural, color, and rheological properties of potato starch gels.
Encapsulated amylosucrase‐treated starch with enhanced thermal stability: Preparation and susceptibility to digestion
Authors: Park Inmyoung , Kim You‐Kyoung , Kim Bo Hyun , Moon Tae Wha
Published: October 2014

Understanding in vitro digestibility and release experiments with starch‐entrapped calcium alginate microspheres provide the possibility of controlling starch digestibility in the human gastrointestinal tract. Native and amylosucrase (AS)‐treated waxy corn starches (5000 U, 20 000 U, and control) were encapsulated with three different ratios of sodium alginate: 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0%. The slowly digestible and RS fractions of the encapsulated starch were 57.5 and 97.7%, respectively. After cooking, the proportions of these fractions still ranged from 55.7 to 96.1%, depending on the type of starch and concentration of sodium alginate, whereas the un‐encapsulated starch contained between 2.9 and 48.3% slowly digestible and RS after cooking. In vitro release was studied in both uncooked and cooked encapsulated samples. When incubated in simulated gastric fluid, the beads swelled and started to float but did not erode, even after thermal treatment. Incubation in simulated intestinal and colonic fluids caused the beads to release starch in both uncooked and cooked starch‐encapsulated samples. Encapsulated AS control and native waxy corn starch samples released much more starch than AS‐modified starches. The total amount of starch released did not exceed 20% for uncooked samples and 25% for cooked samples.
Recent trend in the physical and chemical modification of starches from different botanical sources: A review
Authors: Ashogbon Adeleke Omodunbi , Akintayo Emmanuel Temitope
Published: October 2014

Starch is, after cellulose, the most abundant organic compound in nature. Modification of starch is carried out to enhance the positive attributes and to eliminate the shortcomings of the native starches. Various methods have been developed to produce a range of modified starches with a variety of characteristics and applications. Physically modified starches are simple and inexpensive because they can be produced without chemicals or even biological agents. In contrast, chemical modification is possible due to ubiquitous hydroxyl groups in starches that have been exploited for over a century, principally in the preparation of starch esters and ethers, but also in more subtle alterations, e.g., in order to tune the structure of starches for specific applications. All these techniques tend to alter the highly flexible starch polymer with changed physicochemical properties and modified structural attributes of high technological value for the food and non‐food industries. Modification of starch is an ever evolving industry with numerous possibilities to generate novel starches which includes new functional and value added properties as demanded by the industry. This review aims to summarize the latest developments and recent knowledge regarding physically and chemically modified starches. This paper covers physical modification methods (pre‐gelatinization, hydrothermal, and non‐thermal processes), some chemical modifications and a combination of both.
Resistant starch in food industry: A changing outlook for consumer and producer
Authors: Homayouni Aziz , Amini Amir , Keshtiban Ata Khodavirdivand , Mortazavian Amir Mohammad , Esazadeh Karim , Pourmoradian Samira
Published: October 2014

Due to the undeniable role of starch in nutrition, 60–70% of total energy consumed by most people around the world is provided by starch‐based foods. Because of the low price and the availability of starch‐based products, people accept these kinds of products more than ever. On the other hand, the selection of appropriate dietary fiber is vital due to the sensory characteristics' importance in functional foods, which play a key role in specifying consumers' acceptance. Resistant starch (RS) is a small fraction of starch which is resistant to digestion and may be fermented in the large intestine by microbiota. The unique characteristics of RS, such as its natural sources, gentle bland flavor, white color, low water holding capacity, etc. have made it a valuable supplement in the formulation of wide range of functional foods, even in microencapsulation of probiotics. While the aim of this study is to investigate the application of RS in food technology, it briefly reviews manufacturing, determining the amount of RS in the final product and prebiotic dosage needed to exert health benefits on the human gut as well.
How environmental stress affects starch composition and functionality in cereal endosperm
Authors: Beckles Diane M. , Thitisaksakul Maysaya
Published: October 2014

Stressful environments can alter starch biosynthesis in cereal endosperm. The aim of this review is to carefully examine how starch functional properties are altered when plants encounter environmental parameters outside of the normal range. This is important because while growers and processors require grain yield stability and product uniformity this will be challenging in an era of variable weather patterns. Being able to predict the general physico‐chemical nature of the starch as a result of growth status is a step towards the “precise” agriculture required for the 21st century. Variations in soil moisture and nutrient availability, ambient temperature, and atmospheric composition were all shown to affect starch functionality. Elevated temperature led to the most significant changes in both tropical and temperate cereals and amylose content was the most sensitive parameter under various environmental conditions. Genotypic variation appears to be a primary contributor for the response of cereal starches to environmental stress. Nonetheless, while a large amount of data from single controlled environmental stress experiment is currently available, comparably little is known about whether similar results would be achieved in multifactorial and large‐scale settings. The challenges in terms of the need for more detailed experimental descriptions to lessen the study‐to‐study discrepancies of data and to enhance their interpretability were also discussed.
Simple Contextualism about Epistemic Modals Is Incorrect
Authors: Lennertz Benjamin ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: October 2014

I argue against a simple contextualist account of epistemic modals. My argument, like the argument on which it is based (von Fintel and Gillies 2011 and MacFarlane 2011), charges that simple contextualism cannot explain all of the conversational data about uses of epistemic modals. My argument improves on its predecessor by insulating itself from recent contextualist attempts by Janice Dowell (2011) and Igor Yanovich (2014) to get around that argument. In particular, I use linguistic data to show that an utterance of an epistemic modal sentence can be warranted, while an utterance of its suggested simple contextualist paraphrase is not.
Cell‐free fetal DNA screening in the USA: a cost analysis of screening strategies
Authors: Evans M. I. , Sonek J. D. , Hallahan T. W. , Krantz D. A.
Published: October 2014

Objectives

To determine whether implementation of primary cell‐free fetal DNA (cffDNA) screening would be cost‐effective in the USA and to evaluate potential lower‐cost alternatives.

Methods

Three strategies to screen for trisomy 21 were evaluated using decision tree analysis: 1) a primary strategy in which cffDNA screening was offered to all patients, 2) a contingent strategy in which cffDNA screening was offered only to patients who were high risk on traditional first‐trimester screening and 3) a hybrid strategy in which cffDNA screening was offered to all patients ≥ 35 years of age and only to patients < 35 years who were high risk after first‐trimester screening. Four traditional screening protocols were evaluated, each assessing nuchal translucency (NT) and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) along with either free or total beta‐human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG), with or without nasal bone (NB) assessment.

Results

Utilizing a primary cffDNA screening strategy, the cost per patient was 1017 US$. With a traditional screening protocol using free β‐hCG, PAPP‐A and NT assessment as part of a hybrid screening strategy, a contingent strategy with a 1/300 cut‐off and a contingent strategy with a 1/1000 cut‐off, the cost per patient was 474, 430 and 409 US$, respectively. Findings were similar using the other traditional screening protocols. Marginal cost per viable case detected for the primary screening strategy as compared to the other strategies was 3–16 times greater than the cost of care for a missed case.

Conclusions

Primary cffDNA screening is not currently a cost‐effective strategy. The contingent strategy was the lowest‐cost alternative, especially with a risk cut‐off of 1/1000. The hybrid strategy, although less costly than primary cffDNA screening, was more costly than the contingent strategy. © 2014 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
A unified approach to risk assessment for fetal aneuploidies
Authors: Wright D. , Wright A. , Nicolaides K. H.
Published: October 2014

ABSTRACT

Objective

To examine the potential impact of combining measures from cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) testing with maternal age and first‐trimester biomarkers in screening for fetal trisomies.

Methods

This was a theoretical study using Bayes' theorem to combine the a priori risk for fetal trisomy 21 derived from maternal age with likelihoods from nuchal translucency thickness, serum pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A, serum free β‐human chorionic gonadotropin and plasma cfDNA. We adopted a binomial counting model for the cfDNA likelihoods and developed a model to account for errors in estimating fetal fraction.

Results

When Bayes' theorem was used to combine the a priori risk for trisomy 21 derived from the first‐trimester combined test with likelihoods from the cfDNA test, and when the true fetal fraction was known, the detection rate increased from 62% at a fetal fraction of 4% to 100% at a fetal fraction of ≥ 9%; the positive likelihood ratio (trisomic/euploid) increased from 620 to 1000 and the negative likelihood ratio (euploid/trisomic) increased from 3 to > 10 000. When the fetal fraction is < 4%, the cfDNA test has traditionally been considered to be a failure, but the cfDNA results can be used to improve the performance of screening by the combined test.

Conclusions

In contingent policies that use the first‐trimester combined test for first‐line screening to select the subgroup for cfDNA testing, the data from the latter should be used to update the risk from the former. Individual patient results from cfDNA testing depend crucially on the fetal fraction and the precision of its measurement. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Bilirubin adsorption property of mesoporous silica and amine-grafted mesoporous silica
Authors: Zhang L. X. , Zhu M. , Guo L. M. , Li L. , Shi J. L.
Published: October 2014

Nephritic, hepatic and immune failures would lead to the overload of endogenous toxic molecules (e.g. bilirubin, cholic acid, uric acid, creatinine etc.) in human bodies. It is fatal in most cases and extracorporeal blood purification (ECBP) is powerful first-aid therapy. Adsorbents are key parts of ECBP apparatus. Mesoporous silicas should be promising candidates for these medical adsorbents, but there is no report about this. Herein, pure and amine-grafted mesoporous silicas have been applied to adsorb bilirubin, cholic acid, uric acid, creatinine and phenobarbital for the first time. These mesoporous materials show high adsorption capacities for bilirubin and uric acid in phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Effects of pore sizes, amine-modification, temperature and ionic strength on their bilirubin adsorption capacities have been studied in detail.
Graded doped structure fabricated by vacuum spray method to improve the luminance of polymer light-emitting diodes
Authors: Mo X. , Mizokuro T. , Heck C. , Tanigaki N. , Hiraga T.
Published: October 2014

An increase in luminance of a polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) was obtained by fabricating a graded doping structure using a vacuum spray method. The small electron transport molecule, Tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum(III)(Alq3), was graded dispersed along the film in the direction of growth in the hole transport polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT, regiorandom) layer of the PLED, despite being dissolved in the same organic solvent as the polymer. The PLED reported here, which is composed of a graded structure, emitted brighter light than PLEDs composed of pure polymer or of a blend of active layers prepared by spin coating and/or vacuum spray methods.
Synthesis of Ni nanowires via a hydrazine reduction route in aqueous ethanol solutions assisted by external magnetic fields
Authors: Zhang L. Y. , Wang J. , Wei L. M. , Liu P. , Wei H. , Zhang Y. F.
Published: October 2014

One-dimensional Ni nanostructures were synthesized via a hydrazine reduction route under external magnetic fields. The mixture of de-ionized water and ethanol was used as the reaction solvent and hydrazine hydrate as reducing agents. The morphology and properties of Ni nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). It was found that the magnetic field strength, concentration of Ni ions, reaction time and temperature as well as pH values played key roles on formation, microstructures and magnetic properties of Ni nanowires. The optimal wires have diameter of ∼200 nm and length up to ∼200 μm. And their coercivity is ∼260 Oe, which is much larger than the commercial Ni powders of 31 Oe. This work presents a simple, low-cost, environment-friendly and large-scale production approach to fabricate one-dimensional magnetic materials. The resulting materials may have potential applications in conductive filters, magnetic sensors and catalytic agents.