bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Regulation of Active Sites on Nanodiamonds: Establishing a Highly Efficient Catalytic System for Oxidation of Organic Contaminants
Authors: Shao Penghui , Tian Jiayu , Yang Feng , Duan Xiaoguang , Gao Shanshan , Shi Wenxin , Luo Xubiao , Cui Fuyi , Luo Shenglian , Wang Shaobin
Published: January 2018

Nanodiamonds exhibit great potential as green catalysts for remediation of organic contaminants. However, the specific active site and corresponding oxidative mechanism are unclear, which retard further developments of high‐performance catalysts. Here, an annealing strategy is developed to accurately regulate the content of ketonic carbonyl groups on nanodiamonds; meanwhile other structural characteristics of nanodiamonds remain almost unchanged. The well‐defined nanodiamonds with well‐controlled ketonic carbonyl groups exhibit excellent catalytic activity in activation of peroxymonosulfate for oxidation of organic pollutants. Based on the semi‐quantitative and quantitative correlations of ketonic carbonyl groups and the reaction rate constants, it is conclusively determined that ketonic carbonyl groups are the catalytically active sites. Different from conventional oxidative systems, reactive oxygen species in nanodiamonds@peroxymonosulfate system are revealed to be singlet oxygen with high selectivity, which can effectively oxidize and mineralize the target contaminants. Impressively, the singlet‐oxygen‐mediated oxidation system significantly outperforms the classical radicals‐based oxidation system in remediation of actual wastewater. This work not only provides a valuable insight for the design of new nanocarbon catalysts with abundant active sites but also establishes a very promising catalytic oxidation system for the green remediation of actual contaminated water.
Humidity‐Induced Degradation via Grain Boundaries of HC(NH2)2PbI3 Planar Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Yun Jae Sung , Kim Jincheol , Young Trevor , Patterson Robert J. , Kim Dohyung , Seidel Jan , Lim Sean , Green Martin A. , Huang Shujuan , Ho‐Baillie Anita
Published: January 2018

The sensitivity of organic–inorganic perovskites to environmental factors remains a major barrier for these materials to become commercially viable for photovoltaic applications. In this work, the degradation of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskite in a moist environment is systematically investigated. It is shown that the level of relative humidity (RH) is important for the onset of degradation processes. Below 30% RH, the black phase of the FAPbI3 perovskite shows excellent phase stability over 90 d. Once the RH reaches 50%, degradation of the FAPbI3 perovskite occurs rapidly. Results from a Kelvin probe force microscopy study reveal that the formation of nonperovskite phases initiates at the grain boundaries and the phase transition proceeds toward the grain interiors. Also, ion migration along the grain boundaries is greatly enhanced upon degradation. A post‐thermal treatment (PTT) that removes chemical residues at the grain boundaries which effectively slows the degradation process is developed. Finally, it is demonstrated that the PTT process improves the performance and stability of the final device.
Achieving of Flexible, Free‐Standing, Ultracompact Delaminated Titanium Carbide Films for High Volumetric Performance and Heat‐Resistant Symmetric Supercapacitors
Authors: Yang Chenhui , Tang Yi , Tian Yapeng , Luo Yangyang , He Yucheng , Yin Xingtian , Que Wenxiu
Published: January 2018

The volumetric performance of supercapacitors (SCs), besides the gravimetric performance, is attracting an increasing attention due to the fast development of electric vehicles and smart devices. Here, a unique design of symmetric supercapacitor material is reported with a tight face‐to‐face architecture by applying a high pressure to the delaminated Ti3C2 (d‐Ti3C2) films. The high pressure makes the d‐Ti3C2 films achieve an increased density, high electron conductivity, good wettability, and abundant interconnected mesopore channels to promote ion transport efficiently, that is, more cations can intercalate/deintercalate in the charging–discharging process. As a result, with the increase of the applying pressure, the d‐Ti3C2 film pressured at 40 MPa in 1 m Li2SO4 exhibits an ultrahigh capacitance of over 633 F cm−3, outstanding energy density, and cyclic stability. Especially, the corresponding SC in 1 m 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate/acetonitrile organic electrolyte shows a high volumetric energy density of 41 Wh L−1, which is the highest value reported for the SCs based on MXene materials in organic electrolytes. The outstanding volumetric electrochemical performance and thermal stability of the SCs based on the ultracompact d‐Ti3C2 film demonstrate their promising potential as forceful power sources for small electronic devices.
Octadecylamine‐Functionalized Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Facilitating the Formation of a Monolithic Perovskite Layer and Stable Solar Cells
Authors: Tiong Vincent Tiing , Pham Ngoc Duy , Wang Teng , Zhu Tianxiang , Zhao Xinluo , Zhang Yaohong , Shen Qing , Bell John , Hu Linhua , Dai Songyuan , Wang Hongxia
Published: January 2018

Organic–inorganic lead halide perovskites have shown great future for application in solar cells owing to their exceptional optical and electronic properties. To achieve high‐performance perovskite solar cells, a perovskite light absorbing layer with large grains is desirable in order to minimize grain boundaries and recombination during the operation of the device. Herein, a simple yet efficient approach is developed to synthesize perovskite films consisting of monolithic‐like grains with micrometer size through in situ deposition of octadecylamine functionalized single‐walled carbon nanotubes (ODA‐SWCNTs) onto the surface of the perovskite layer. The ODA‐SWCNTs form a capping layer that controls the evaporation rate of organic solvents in the perovskite film during the postthermal treatment. This favorable morphology in turn dramatically enhances the short‐circuit current density of the perovskite solar cells and almost completely eliminates the hysteresis. A maximum power conversion efficiency of 16.1% is achieved with an ODA‐SWCNT incorporated planar solar cell using (FA0.83MA0.17)0.95Cs0.05Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3 as light absorber. Furthermore, the perovskite solar cells with ODA‐SWCNT demonstrate extraordinary stability with performance retention of 80% after 45 d stability testing under high humidity (60–90%) environment. This work opens up a new avenue for morphology manipulation of perovskite films and enhances the device stability using carbon material.
Rational Design of Perylenediimide‐Substituted Triphenylethylene to Electron Transporting Aggregation‐Induced Emission Luminogens (AIEgens) with High Mobility and Near‐Infrared Emission
Authors: Zhao Zheng , Gao Simin , Zheng Xiaoyan , Zhang Pengfei , Wu Wenting , Kwok Ryan T. K. , Xiong Yu , Leung Nelson L. C. , Chen Yuncong , Gao Xike , Lam Jacky W. Y. , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: January 2018

Organic materials with both high electron mobility and strong solid‐state emission are rare although for their importance to advanced organic optoelectronics. In this paper, triphenylethylenes with varying number of perylenediimide (PDI) unit (TriPE‐nPDIs, n = 1−3) are synthesized and their optical and charge‐transporting properties are systematically investigated. All the molecules exhibit strong solid‐stated near infrared (NIR) emission and some of them exhibit aggregation‐enhanced emission characteristics. Organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) using TriPE‐nPDIs are fabricated. TriPE‐3PDI shows the best performance with maximum quantum yield of ≈30% and optimized electron mobility of over 0.01 cm2 V−1 s−1, which are the highest values among aggregation‐induced emission luminogens with NIR emissions reported so far. Photophysical property investigation and theoretical calculation indicate that the molecular conformation plays an important role on the optical properties of TriPE‐nPDI, while the result from film microstructure study reveals that the film crystallinity influences greatly their OFET device performance.
Flash Infrared Annealing for Antisolvent‐Free Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Sanchez Sandy , Hua Xiao , Phung Nga , Steiner Ullrich , Abate Antonio
Published: January 2018

Organic–inorganic perovskites have demonstrated an impressive potential for the design of the next generation of solar cells. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are currently considered for scaling up and commercialization. Many of the lab‐scale preparation methods are however difficult to scale up or are environmentally unfriendly. The highest efficient PSCs are currently prepared using the antisolvent method, which utilizes a significant amount of an organic solvent to induce perovskite crystallization in a thin film. An antisolvent‐free method is developed in this work using flash infrared annealing (FIRA) to prepare methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) PSCs with a record stabilized power conversion efficiency of 18.3%. With an irradiation time of fewer than 2 s, FIRA enables the coating of glass and plastic substrates with pinhole‐free perovskite films that exhibit micrometer‐size crystalline domains. This work discusses the FIRA‐induced crystallization mechanism and unveils the main parameters controlling the film morphology. The replacement of the antisolvent method and the larger crystalline domains resulting from flash annealing make FIRA a highly promising method for the scale‐up of PSC manufacture.
Continuous‐time formulations for the optimal planning of multiple refracture treatments in a shale gas well
Authors: Cafaro Diego C. , Drouven Markus G. , Grossmann Ignacio E.
Published: January 2018

Significance

This work presents a continuous‐time optimization model for planning multiple refracture treatments over the lifespan of a shale gas well. We demonstrate that continuous‐time models can handle multiple restimulations very efficiently, increasing the net present value of the well development and refracturing plan. Well productivity is represented by a piecewise hyperbolic function, which accounts for when and how often the well has been refractured. We illustrate the application and effectiveness of the proposed approach for both the maximization of the total gas recovered and the maximization of the net present value. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 1511–1516, 2018
Optical Structural Analysis of Individual α‐Synuclein Oligomers
Authors: Varela Juan A. , Rodrigues Margarida , De Suman , Flagmeier Patrick , Gandhi Sonia , Dobson Christopher M. , Klenerman David , Lee Steven F.
Published: January 2018

Small aggregates of misfolded proteins play a key role in neurodegenerative disorders. Such species have proved difficult to study due to the lack of suitable methods capable of resolving these heterogeneous aggregates, which are smaller than the optical diffraction limit. We demonstrate here an all‐optical fluorescence microscopy method to characterise the structure of individual protein aggregates based on the fluorescence anisotropy of dyes such as thioflavin‐T, and show that this technology is capable of studying oligomers in human biofluids such as cerebrospinal fluid. We first investigated in vitro the structural changes in individual oligomers formed during the aggregation of recombinant α‐synuclein. By studying the diffraction‐limited aggregates we directly evaluated their structural conversion and correlated this with the potential of aggregates to disrupt lipid bilayers. We finally characterised the structural features of aggregates present in cerebrospinal fluid of Parkinson's disease patients and age‐matched healthy controls.
A new method for retrieving batik shape patterns
Authors: Yuan Qingni , Xu Songhua , Jian Lv
Published: January 2018

Batik as a traditional art is well regarded due to its high aesthetic quality and cultural heritage values. It is not uncommon to reuse versatile decorative shape patterns across batiks. General‐purpose image retrieval methods often fail to pay sufficient attention to such a frequent reuse of shape patterns in the graphical compositions of batiks, leading to suboptimal retrieval results, in particular for identifying batiks that use copyrighted shape patterns without proper authorization for law‐enforcement purposes. To address the lack of an optimized image retrieval method suited for batiks, this study proposes a new method for retrieving salient shape patterns in batiks using a rich combination of global and local features. The global features deployed were extracted according to the Zernike moments (ZMs); the local features adopted were extracted through curvelet transformations that characterize shape contours embedded in batiks. The method subsequently incorporated both types of features via matching a weighted bipartite graph to measure the visual similarity between any pair of batik shape patterns through supervised distance metric learning. The derived similarity metric can then be used to detect and retrieve similar shape patterns appearing across batiks, which in turn can be employed as a reliable similarity metric for retrieving batiks. To explore the usefulness of the proposed method, the performance of the new retrieval method is compared against that of three peer methods as well as two variants of the proposed method. The experimental results consistently and convincingly demonstrate that the new method indeed outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art methods in retrieving salient shape patterns in batiks.
Defining behavioral components of social functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder as targets for treatment
Authors: Pallathra Ashley A. , Calkins Monica E. , Parish‐Morris Julia , Maddox Brenna B. , Perez Leat S. , Miller Judith , Gur Ruben C. , Mandell David S. , Schultz Robert T. , Brodkin Edward S.
Published: January 2018

There is increasing recognition that adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) would benefit from treatment to improve social functioning, a key factor in adults' overall quality of life. However, the various behavioral components of social functioning (i.e., categories of behaviors underlying social functioning), including social motivation, social anxiety, social cognition, and social skills, have not all been assessed together in any sample of adults with ASD, making it difficult to know the relative levels of impairment in these various categories, the relationships among these categories, or promising targets for treatments. We hypothesized there would be significant correlations among measures within the same category, but fewer correlations of measures between categories, indicating the heterogeneity of impairments in adults with ASD. Twenty‐nine adults with ASD without co‐occurring intellectual disability completed multiple assessments measuring social motivation, social anxiety, social cognition, and social skills, as well as measures of overall ASD symptom levels and community functioning. Results revealed significant positive correlations among measures within most categories; positive correlations between measures of social motivation and all other categories, except for social cognition; as well as positive cross‐domain correlations between measures of anxiety and ASD phenotype; measures of social skills and community functioning; and measures of social skills and ASD phenotype. Further studies are warranted to determine causal relationships among these behavioral categories, across developmental stages. However, the lack of correlations between many categories suggests the potential importance of multidimensional treatments that target the particular components of social functioning most in need of improvement in individuals.Autism Res2018, 11: 488–502. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay Summary

The goal of this study was to measure behaviors that contribute to social functioning difficulties in adults with ASD, with the ultimate goal of guiding treatment development. We found that motivation to interact with others was significantly related to social anxiety and social skill. Our results suggest that motivation may be important to target in treatment, and that treatments should be tailored to the areas most in need of improvement in each individual.
Amniotic fluid stem cell exosomes: Therapeutic perspective
Authors: Beretti Francesca , Zavatti Manuela , Casciaro Francesca , Comitini Giuseppina , Franchi Fabrizia , Barbieri Veronica , La Sala Giovanni B. , Maraldi Tullia
Published: January 2018

It is widely accepted that the therapeutic potential of stem cells can be largely mediated by paracrine factors, also included into exosomes. Thus, stem cell‐derived exosomes represent a major therapeutic option in regenerative medicine avoiding, if compared to stem cells graft, abnormal differentiation and tumor formation. Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) induce damaged tissue repair, and can also exert immunomodulatory effects on the differentiation, activation and function of different lymphocytes. Therefore, MSC exosomes can be considered as a potential treatment for inflammatory diseases and also an ideal candidate for allogeneic therapy due to their low immunogenicity. Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) are broadly multipotent, can be expanded in culture, and can be easily cryopreserved in cellular banks. In this study, morphology, phenotype, and protein content of exosomes released into amniotic fluid in vivo and from AFSC during in vitro culture (conditioned medium) were examined. We found that AFSC‐derived exosomes present different molecules than amniotic fluid ones, some of them involved in immunomodulation, such transforming growth factor beta and hepatic growth factors. The immunomodulatory effect of AFSC's exosomes on peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phytohemagglutinin was compared to that of the supernatant produced by such conditioned media deprived of exosomes. We present evidence that the principal effect of AFSC conditioned media (without exosomes) is the induction of apoptosis in lymphocytes, whereas exposure to AFSC‐derived exosomes decreases the lymphocyte's proliferation, supporting the hypothesis that the entire secretome of stem cells differently affects immune‐response. © 2017 BioFactors, 44(2):158–167, 2018
Modeling the Downstream Processing of Monoclonal Antibodies Reveals Cost Advantages for Continuous Methods for a Broad Range of Manufacturing Scales
Authors: Hummel Jonathan , Pagkaliwangan Mark , Gjoka Xhorxhi , Davidovits Terence , Stock Rick , Ransohoff Thomas , Gantier Rene , Schofield Mark
Published: January 2018

The biopharmaceutical industry is evolving in response to changing market conditions, including increasing competition and growing pressures to reduce costs. Single‐use (SU) technologies and continuous bioprocessing have attracted attention as potential facilitators of cost‐optimized manufacturing for monoclonal antibodies. While disposable bioprocessing has been adopted at many scales of manufacturing, continuous bioprocessing has yet to reach the same level of implementation. In this study, the cost of goods of Pall Life Science's integrated, continuous bioprocessing (ICB) platform is modeled, along with that of purification processes in stainless‐steel and SU batch formats. All three models include costs associated with downstream processing only. Evaluation of the models across a broad range of clinical and commercial scenarios reveal that the cost savings gained by switching from stainless‐steel to SU batch processing are often amplified by continuous operation. The continuous platform exhibits the lowest cost of goods across 78% of all scenarios modeled here, with the SU batch process having the lowest costs in the rest of the cases. The relative savings demonstrated by the continuous process are greatest at the highest feed titers and volumes. These findings indicate that existing and imminent continuous technologies and equipment can become key enablers for more cost effective manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals.
Modalities for image- and molecular-guided cancer surgery
Authors: Stammes M A , Bugby S L , Porta T , Pierzchalski K , Devling T , Otto C , Dijkstra J , Vahrmeijer A L , de Geus-Oei L-F , Mieog J S D
Published: January 2018

Background

Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment for many solid tumours. A wide variety of imaging modalities are available before surgery for staging, although surgeons still rely primarily on visual and haptic cues in the operating environment. Image and molecular guidance might improve the adequacy of resection through enhanced tumour definition and detection of aberrant deposits. Intraoperative modalities available for image- and molecular-guided cancer surgery are reviewed here.

Methods

Intraoperative cancer detection techniques were identified through a systematic literature search, with selection of peer-reviewed publications from January 2012 to January 2017. Modalities were reviewed, described and compared according to 25 predefined characteristics. To summarize the data in a comparable way, a three-point rating scale was applied to quantitative characteristics.

Results

The search identified ten image- and molecular-guided surgery techniques, which can be divided into four groups: conventional, optical, nuclear and endogenous reflectance modalities. Conventional techniques are the most well known imaging modalities, but unfortunately have the drawback of a defined resolution and long acquisition time. Optical imaging is a real-time modality; however, the penetration depth is limited. Nuclear modalities have excellent penetration depth, but their intraoperative use is limited by the use of radioactivity. Endogenous reflectance modalities provide high resolution, although with a narrow field of view.

Conclusion

Each modality has its strengths and weaknesses; no single technique will be suitable for all surgical procedures. Strict selection of modalities per cancer type and surgical requirements is required as well as combining techniques to find the optimal balance.
Nuclear division cycle 80 promotes malignant progression and predicts clinical outcome in colorectal cancer
Authors: Yan Xuebing , Huang Linsheng , Liu Liguo , Qin Huanlong , Song Zhenshun
Published: January 2018

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common human malignancy worldwide and increasing studies have attributed its malignant progression to abnormal molecular changes in cancer cells. Nuclear division cycle 80 (NDC80) is a newly discovered oncoprotein that regulates cell proliferation and cycle in numerous malignancies. However, its clinical significance and biological role in CRC remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we firstly analyze its expression in a retrospective cohort enrolling 224 CRC patients and find its overexpression is significantly correlated with advanced tumor stage and poor prognosis in CRC patients. In addition, our result reveals it is an independent adverse prognostic factor affecting CRC‐specific and disease‐free survival. The subgroup analysis indicates NDC80 expression can stratify the clinical outcome in stage II and III patients, but fails in stage I and IV patients. In cellular assays, we find knockdown of NDC80 dramatically inhibits the proliferative ability, apoptosis resistance, cell cycle progression, and clone formation of CRC cells in vitro. Using xenograft model, we further prove knockdown of NDC80 also inhibits the tumorigenic ability of CRC cells in vivo. Finally, the microarray analysis is utilized to preliminarily clarify the oncogenic molecular mechanisms regulated by NDC80 and the results suggest it may promote CRC progression partly by downregulating tumor suppressors such as dual specificity phosphatase 5 and Forkhead box O1. Taken together, our study provides novel evidences to support that NDC80 is not only a promising clinical biomarker but also a potential therapeutical target for CRC precise medicine.
Prenatal diagnosis of diaphanospondylodysostosis (DSD): a case report
Authors: Hofstaetter Cornelia , Courage Carolina , Bartholdi Deborah , Biskup Saskia , Raio Luigi
Published: January 2018

Key Clinical Message

We present a case of diaphanospondylodysostosis (DSD) which showed increased nuchal translucency at 1st trimester and missing ossification of the lower spine, short ribs with posterior gaps, and absent nasal bone in midtrimester. Autopsy revealed additionally bilateral nephroblastomatosis. Molecular genetic analysis showed a new mutation in the BMPER gene.
Performance evaluation of fixed‐bed, millistructured, and metallic foam reactor channels for CO2 methanation
Authors: Bengaouer Alain , Ducamp Julien , Champon Isabelle , Try Rasmey
Published: January 2018

Power‐to‐gas technologies, combining hydrogen produced by water electrolysis with carbon dioxide to produce substitute natural gas (SNG), can support the increased penetration of renewable electricity sources. However, the technical and economic feasibility of these technologies requires the conversion efficiency of the whole process, including the methanation step. This paper provides an experimental performance comparison of three catalytic methanation reactor concepts, a fixed‐bed reactor, a millistructured reactor, and a metallic foam reactor with the same nickel‐alumina catalyst. The response of each reactor was analyzed in light of five performance criteria, representing the methane yield, the reactor compactness, and the maximum temperature elevation. The millistructured reactor channel showed a higher methane space‐time yield and volumetric productivity than the other reactors, but a significant catalyst temperature elevation. The metallic foam reactor showed a much lower space‐time yield and volumetric productivity, but very good thermal management.
Electrosynthesis of ferrate in a batch reactor at neutral conditions for drinking water applications
Authors: Cataldo‐Hernández Macarena A. , Govindarajan Rubenthran , Bonakdarpour Arman , Mohseni Madjid , Wilkinson David P.
Published: January 2018

We report on the electrochemical generation of ferrate species in a batch reactor at neutral conditions (pH ∼7) using boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrodes and Fe (III) salts for applications in drinking water treatment. The impact of several relevant variables, including current density (5–55 mA cm−2), pH (5–8), and type and concentration of the dissolved iron salts on the production of ferrates were examined. In addition, linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) studies were conducted using buffered electrolytes with and without the presence of iron (III) to decouple the parasitic oxygen evolution reaction. The LSV measurements in the presence of iron (III) and with a neutral electrolyte exhibit oxidation peaks centered ∼2.0 V (versus SHE), indicating the production of ferrates at this pH. The rate of ferrate generation is not strongly affected by the pH condition (≤ 20 %); however, current density and the source of iron were found to have a higher impact on the production rate of ferrates. The efficacy of the process was higher using FeCl3 instead of other sources of iron such as Fe2O3 and FeO(OH). The batch reactor results were successfully interpreted by a simple model that considered the kinetics of the ferrate generation and degradation reactions.
Study on pyrolysis of oil sludge with microalgae residue additive
Authors: Gong Zhiqiang , Wang Zhentong , Wang Zhenbo , Du Aixun , Fang Peiwen , Sun Zhiqian , Li Xiaoyu
Published: January 2018

The pyrolysis of oil sludge (OS) with microalgae residue (MR) additive was conducted with a TGA and a tube furnace. The pyrolysis process of OS with the MR additive can be divided into three stages: 1) water evaporation, 2) the release of light groups of hydrocarbon compounds, the cracking of heavy groups, and carbon decomposition, and 3) minerals decomposition. With the MR addition ratio increasing, the yield of oil and gas increased, and oil to gas ratio increased during OS pyrolysis. The MR addition improved the quality of pyrolysis oil and gas from OS pyrolysis. The proportion of light oil increased from 38 % with a 5 % MR addition ratio to 45 % with a 30 % addition ratio. Major components of pyrolysis gas included H2, CO, CO2, and CxHy. With the increase of the MR blending ratio, CO and CO2 contents increased, while H2 and CxHy contents decreased. Adding MR favoured the transformation of heavy hydrocarbons (C6+), resulting in a high content of light hydrocarbons. This work can help promote massive synergistic treatment of OS and microalgae biomass.
Cytological features of mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater: A case report with immunocytochemical analyses
Authors: Yoshioka Saya , Ebisu Yusuke , Ishida Mitsuaki , Uemura Yoshiko , Yanagimoto Hiroaki , Satoi Sohei , Tsuta Koji
Published: January 2018

Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) is defined as a tumor that has morphologically recognizable both adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma components comprising at least 30% of either components. MANEC occurring in the ampulla of Vater is extremely rare, and only 16 cases have been reported in the English language literature. In the present report, we describe the first case of MANEC of the ampulla of Vater with immunocytochemical analyses. An 82‐year‐old Japanese male was incidentally found to have a tumorous lesion in the ampulla of Vater. Endoscopic ultrasound‐fine needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA) of the tumor was performed. The Papanicolaou smear demonstrated the presence of different three components. The most dominant component was cohesive clusters of small round cells with round to oval nuclei with powdery chromatin and scant cytoplasm, which corresponded to small cell carcinoma. The second component was an adenocarcinoma, which was composed of irregularly overlapping clusters of tall columnar cells with large round to oval nuclei containing conspicuous nucleoli. The third component was an adenoma, which was comprised of flat cohesive clusters of columnar cells without atypia. Immunocytochemical analyses demonstrated that synaptophysin was expressed in the small round cells, and cdx‐2 was expressed in all three components. Accordingly, a cytodiagnosis of MANEC with adenoma component was made. Preoperative diagnosis of ampullary MANEC is difficult. However, this report clearly demonstrates three different components in the EUS‐FNA cytological specimen. Therefore, we suggest that cytological examination is a useful method for diagnosis of MANEC of the ampulla of Vater.
Synthetic phonics and decodable instructional reading texts: How far do these support poor readers?
Authors: Price‐Mohr Ruth Maria , Price Colin Bernard
Published: January 2018

This paper presents data from a quasi‐experimental trial with paired randomisation that emerged during the development of a reading scheme for children in England. This trial was conducted with a group of 12 children, aged 5–6, and considered to be falling behind their peers in reading ability and a matched control group. There were two intervention conditions (A: using mixed teaching methods and a high percentage of non‐phonically decodable vocabulary; P: using mixed teaching methods and low percentage of non‐decodable vocabulary); allocation to these was randomised. Children were assessed at pre‐ and post‐test on standardised measures of receptive vocabulary, phoneme awareness, word reading, and comprehension. Two class teachers in the same school each selected 6 children, who they considered to be poor readers, to participate (n = 12). A control group (using synthetic phonics only and phonically decodable vocabulary) was selected from the same 2 classes based on pre‐test scores for word reading (n = 16). Results from the study show positive benefits for poor readers from using both additional teaching methods (such as analytic phonics, sight word vocabulary, and oral vocabulary extension) in addition to synthetic phonics, and also non‐decodable vocabulary in instructional reading text.
Disentangling population strategies of two cladocerans adapted to different ultraviolet regimes
Authors: Fernández Carla E. , Campero Melina , Uvo Cintia , Hansson Lars‐Anders
Published: January 2018

Zooplankton have evolved several mechanisms to deal with environmental threats, such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and in order to identify strategies inherent to organisms exposed to different UVR environments, we here examine life‐history traits of two lineages of Daphnia pulex. The lineages differed in the UVR dose they had received at their place of origin from extremely high UVR stress at high‐altitude Bolivian lakes to low UVR stress near the sea level in temperate Sweden. Nine life‐history variables of each lineage were analyzed in laboratory experiments in the presence and the absence of sub‐lethal doses of UVR (UV‐A band), and we identified trade‐offs among variables through structural equation modeling (SEM). The UVR treatment was detrimental to almost all life‐history variables of both lineages; however, the Daphnia historically exposed to higher doses of UVR (HighUV) showed a higher overall fecundity than those historically exposed to lower doses of UVR (LowUV). The total offspring and ephippia production, as well as the number of clutches and number of offspring at first reproduction, was directly affected by UVR in both lineages. Main differences between lineages involved indirect effects that affected offspring production as the age at first reproduction. We here show that organisms within the same species have developed different strategies as responses to UVR, although no increased physiological tolerance or plasticity was shown by the HighUV lineage. In addition to known tolerance strategies to UVR, including avoidance, prevention, or repairing of damages, we here propose a population strategy that includes early reproduction and high fertility, which we show compensated for the fitness loss imposed by UVR stress.
Aberrant clones: Birth order generates life history diversity in Greater Duckweed, Spirodela polyrhiza
Authors: Mejbel Hebah S. , Simons Andrew M.
Published: January 2018

Environmental unpredictability is known to result in the evolution of bet‐hedging traits. Variable dormancy enhances survival through harsh conditions, and is widely cited as a diversification bet‐hedging trait. The floating aquatic plant, Spirodela polyrhiza (Greater Duckweed), provides an opportunity to study diversification because although partially reliable seasonal cues exist, its growing season is subject to an unpredictable and literally “hard” termination when the surface water freezes, and overwinter survival depends on a switch from production of normal daughter fronds to production of dense, sinking “turions” prior to freeze‐over. The problem for S. polyrhiza is that diversified dormancy behavior must be generated among clonally produced, genetically identical offspring. Variation in phenology has been observed in the field, but its sources are unknown. Here, we investigate sources of phenological variation in turion production, and test the hypothesis that diversification in turion phenology is generated within genetic lineages through effects of parental birth order. As expected, phenotypic plasticity to temperature is expressed along a thermal gradient; more interestingly, parental birth order was found to have a significant and strong effect on turion phenology: Turions are produced earlier by late birth‐order parents. These results hold regardless of whether turion phenology is measured as first turion birth order, time to first turion, or turion frequency. This study addresses a question of current interest on potential mechanisms generating diversification, and suggests that consistent phenotypic differences across birth orders generate life history variation.
How to tackle chemical communication? Relative proportions versus semiquantitative determination of compounds in lizard chemical secretions
Authors: García‐Roa Roberto , Sáiz Jorge , Gómara Belén , López Pilar , Martín José
Published: January 2018

Knowledge about chemical communication in some vertebrates is still relatively limited. Squamates are a glaring example of this, even when recent evidences indicate that scents are involved in social and sexual interactions. In lizards, where our understanding of chemical communication has considerably progressed in the last few years, many questions about chemical interactions remain unanswered. A potential reason for this is the inherent complexity and technical limitations that some methodologies embody when analyzing the compounds used to convey information. We provide here a straightforward procedure to analyze lizard chemical secretions based on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry that uses an internal standard for the semiquantification of compounds. We compare the results of this method with those obtained by the traditional procedure of calculating relative proportions of compounds. For such purpose, we designed two experiments to investigate if these procedures allowed revealing changes in chemical secretions 1) when lizards received previously a vitamin dietary supplementation or 2) when the chemical secretions were exposed to high temperatures. Our results show that the procedure based on relative proportions is useful to describe the overall chemical profile, or changes in it, at population or species levels. On the other hand, the use of the procedure based on semiquantitative determination can be applied when the target of study is the variation in one or more particular compounds of the sample, as it has proved more accurate detecting quantitative variations in the secretions. This method would reveal new aspects produced by, for example, the effects of different physiological and climatic factors that the traditional method does not show.
Redox Isomerism in Main‐Group Chemistry: Tin Complex with o‐Iminoquinone Ligands
Authors: Chegerev Maxim G. , Piskunov Alexandr V. , Starikova Alyona A. , Kubrin Stanislav P. , Fukin Georgy K. , Cherkasov Vladimir K. , Abakumov Gleb A.
Published: January 2018

The bis‐chelate tin complex 1, based on the 4,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(tert‐butyl)‐ortho‐aminophenol ligand and representing the first example of a redox‐isomeric compound in main‐group chemistry, is synthesized and characterized by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Complex 1 exists in two electromeric forms in nonpolar solvents: a diamagnetic pseudotetrahedral (AP)2SnIV (1a) and a paramagnetic tetragonal‐pyramidal structure of low‐valence tin (imSQ)2SnII (1b) (where AP and imSQ are the dianionic and radical‐anionic forms of the ligand, respectively). The reversible redox‐isomeric rearrangement between 1a and 1b is investigated in solution by means of magnetochemistry, EPR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. This interconversion can be quenched by an addition of a strong donor ligand, such as pyridine (Py), resulting in an octahedral complex (AP)2SnIV(Py)2 (2) that does not undergo redox isomerism.
Spherical Li4Ti5O12/S Composite Material as Positive Active Material for High Electrochemical Performance Lithium‐Ion Battery
Authors: Lang Xiaoshi , Liu Ying , Cai Kedi , Li Lan , Zhang Qingguo , Wu Hao
Published: January 2018

In this paper, a type of spherical Li4Ti5O12/S composite material is prepared by melt method and its physical property and electrochemical performance as positive active material for lithium‐ion battery are analyzed. Through SEM observation the pores of spherical Li4Ti5O12 particles containing 50 % S can be completely filled up and the particles connect to each other. The cyclic voltammetry and charge and discharge test results show that with the increase of the sulfur compound quantity in Li4Ti5O12, the electrochemical reaction of sulfur in the electrode become more and more evident. By comparison it can be found that the specific capacity of the spherical Li4Ti5O12 compounded with 50 % S at 100 mA.g−1 current density can achieve 510.406 mAh.g−1 and after 300 cycles the specific capacity at 500 mA.g−1 current density is still over 300 mAh.g−1.
Tannery solid waste valorization through composite fabrication: A waste‐to‐wealth approach
Authors: Hashem Md. Abul , Nur‐A‐Tomal Md. Shahruk
Published: January 2018

The micro‐fined collagenous buffing dust is one of the most airborne pollutants, which contains chromium, tanning agents, synthetic oil, and dyestuffs. Discarding without proper management could cause environmental pollution and ultimately affect human health. In this study, an approach was made to fabricate composite sheet from the buffing dust incorporating various chemicals. The fabrication process was optimized investigating various parameters. The fabricated composite sheet was finished and inspected for physical properties. Composite finished surface was smooth, light in weight, flexible, and elastic in nature. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the finished composite were 6.03 MPa and 23.3%, respectively. The scanning electron microscope analysis shows that buffing dust was uniformly dispersed in the binding material matrix without structural deterioration. The results indicate that the fabricated composite sheet could be used in the footwear and leather products making. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 1722–1726, 2018
Subsurface erosion, scarp retreat, and sedimentation at Mountain Lake, Virginia, USA: groundwater geomorphology in a flow‐through lake with subsurface drainage
Authors: Cawley Jon C. , Irwin Rossman P.
Published: January 2018

The complete natural drainage in 2008, 2011, and 2012 of Mountain Lake in Giles County, Virginia, allowed detailed observations of the only natural lake basin in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Here we use these observations to support geomorphic analysis and develop a model of basin evolution, which may advance the understanding of rare flow‐through lakes with subsurface drainage elsewhere. Key features included (a) an angle‐of‐repose slope with a smoothly concave planform across the entire 260 m width of the north end of the basin, (b) an arc of steep‐sided depressions along the deep northern margin of the basin floor, and (c) an abrupt transition between colluvial and finer‐grained sedimentary deposits on the floor. Our geomorphic analysis suggests that subsurface erosion has enabled long‐term northward scarp retreat in the basin by removing water and sediment. Mountain Lake formed on the northern limb of a breached anticline along the Eastern Continental Divide, where strong‐over‐weak stratigraphy and a small watershed have enabled the basin to evolve generally as follows. (1) Pond Drain, a first‐order tributary of the New River, incised north‐dipping sandstones and underlying shales on the northern limb of the anticline. The valley floor subsequently accumulated meters to tens of meters of mostly late Pleistocene colluvial fill. (2) Subsurface drainage developed likely along the contact between the sandstones and shales, facilitated by pre‐existing fractures. (3) Ongoing subsurface erosion has progressively undermined the sandstone, causing scarp retreat along the northern margin of the basin while a surface stream intermittently incised the shallow southern end. Sedimentary deposits indicate that only the deeper northern portion of the basin is usually flooded under Holocene conditions. Our basin evolution model suggests slow development of the basin over hundreds of thousands of years rather than sudden damming by a catastrophic landslide. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Geochemistry of source rocks and oil–source rock correlation in the Hetaoyuan Formation of the Nanyang Sag, Nanxiang Basin, eastern China
Authors: Wang Zhongnan , Liu Guangdi , Gao Ping , Chen Wan , Yang Yuran , Lei Yuhong , Zhang Likuan , Zhang Chaoqian , Yang Daoqing
Published: January 2018

The Nanyang Sag in the Nanxiang Basin, eastern China, has a large petroleum resource, although the genetic potential of source rocks and oil–rock correlation in the Paleogene Hetaoyuan Formation is unclear. Organic geochemistry and molecular geochemistry analyses of mudstone and oil samples were performed to evaluate source rock potential, classify oil groups, and establish accurate oil–source rock correlation. The results suggest that the second member (Eh2) and the third member (Eh3) of the Hetaoyuan Formation are good source rocks, contain abundant organic matter and oil‐prone kerogen, and are thermally mature. Oil samples from Eh2 and Eh3 were separated into 3 groups derived from different source rocks. Group I oils are mainly distributed in the Eh2 and Eh3 members around the Dongzhuang (Dongz) structure belt and are characterized by a low saturated hydrocarbon content (SAT, 39.07–49.54%), high total resin (RE) and asphaltene (ASP) content (17.22–22.80%), low gammacerane index (gammacerane/C3017α(H)‐hopane < 0.60), and low Pr/Ph (<0.7). The organic matter is in an early mature stage and is mainly sourced from algae and land plants. The oils of this group are derived from the Eh2 and Eh3 source rocks around the Dongz secondary sag. Group II oils occur in the Eh2 around the Weigang–Beimazhuang (Weig–Beimz) structure belt and north of the Zhangdian–Heilongmiao (Zhangd–Heilm) structure belt and have intermediate SAT, RE, and ASP contents, a low gammacerane index (<0.47), and high Pr/Ph (0.72–1.25). The organic matter includes mainly algae and land plants. The source rocks should be the Eh2 and Eh3 in the Dongz and Niusanmen (Niusm) secondary sags. Group III oils are located in the Eh3 just north of the Weig–Beimz and Zhangd–Heilm structure belts, with a high SAT (55.62–78.42%), low RE and ASP proportion (3.60–6.16%), high gammacerane index (>0.88), and low Pr/Ph (<0.72). This organic matter is composed of mostly land plants. The oils in this group are mainly derived from the Eh3 near Baiqiu (Baiq).
Neotectonic movement in the southern margin of the Ordos Block inferred from the Qianhe River terraces near the north of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Chen Shu‐E , Fan Shuang‐Hu , Wang Xiao‐Zhao , Wang Ren‐Peng , Liu Yi‐Liang , Yang Liu‐Chen , Ning Xiao‐Hong , Li Rongxi
Published: January 2018

The Qianhe River flows between the Liupanshan Orogen and the Ordos Block, with the river valley controlled by the southern margin fault of the Ordos Block. Five asymmetrical terraces exist on the banks of the Qianhe River, which correspond to the five terraces of the Wei River. Each terrace is composed of alluvial deposits at the bottom beneath loess deposits, which are characterized by alternating loess (L) and paleosol (S) layers, with the basal layers of the loess deposits being S0, S1, S53, S8, and L15from T1 to T5. The heights of the five terraces T5, T4, T3, T2, and T1 are 220 to 260 m, 130 to 160 m, 60 to 80 m, 20 to 30 m, and 8 to 10 m, respectively, above the present valley, and their ages are 1.2, 0.8, 0.5, 0.13, and 0.01 Ma, respectively. These ages are generally consistent with the several uplift periods of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in the medium and late stages. Therefore, neotectonic movement is the controlling factor of river terrace formation in the periphery of the Ordos Block. According to the south‐west movement of the river channel in the lower reaches of the Qianhe River, it can be estimated that the Ordos Block rotated about 20° counterclockwise in the Pleistocene.