bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MiR‐150 alleviates neuropathic pain via inhibiting toll‐like receptor 5
Authors: Ji Li‐Juan , Shi Jing , Lu Jing‐Min , Huang Qiang‐min
Published: July 2017

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reported as vital participators in the pathophysiological course of neuropathic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms of the functional roles of miRNAs in neuropathic pain are largely unknown. This study was designed to explore the potential role of miR‐150 in regulating the process of neuropathic pain in a rat model established by chronic sciatic nerve injury (CCI). Overexpression of miR‐150 greatly alleviated neuropathic pain development and reduced inflammatory cytokine expression, including COX‐2, interleukin IL‐6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α in CCI rats. By bioinformatic analysis, 3′‐untranslated region (UTR) of Toll‐like receptor (TLR5) was predicted to be a target of miR‐150. TLR5 commonly serves as an important regulator of inflammation. Overexpression of miR‐150 significantly suppressed the expression of TLR5 in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, upregulation of TLR5 decreased the miR‐150 expression and downregulation of TLR5 increased miR‐150, respectively. Overexpression of TLR5 significantly reversed the miR‐150‐induced suppressive effects on neuropathic pain. In conclusion, our current study indicates that miR‐150 may inhibit neuropathic pain development of CCI rats through inhibiting TLR5‐mediated neuroinflammation. Our findings suggest that miR‐150 may provide a novel therapeutic target for neuropathic pain treatment.
Current Patterns of Training in Personality Assessment During Internship
Authors: Stedman James M. , McGeary Cindy A. , Essery Joshua
Published: July 2017

Objective

Training in broad‐based objective and projective personality assessments has been a mainstay of applied psychology. Stedman (2007) and Piotrowski (2015) have documented a decline in projective training during internship. This study investigated internship directors’ current expectations regarding graduate school training with objective and projective instruments, their ratings of the importance of that training, and current training patterns with objective and projective instruments during internship.

Method

Participants were 355 psychology internship programs, representing 46.1% of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers.

Results

Results indicated the following current internship training patterns: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (68% to 51%), Personality Assessment Inventory (59% to 25%), Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (51% to 34%), Rorschach (35 to 26%), story telling (41% to 19%), sentence completion (41% to 18%), and drawings (36% to 9%). Adult program directors reported higher percentages for objective tests; child program directors reported higher percentages for projective tests.

Conclusion

A decreased valuation of projective techniques is now typical of current internship training programs.
Protective Factors and Processes Contributing to the Academic Success of Students Living in Poverty: Implications for Counselors
Authors: Williams Joseph M. , Bryan Julia , Morrison Stephaney , Scott Tracey R.
Published: July 2017

This phenomenological qualitative study examined a national sample of high‐achieving, low‐income middle school students' (N = 24) perspectives of protective factors and processes that contribute to their academic success in school. Four main themes and 12 subthemes were identified. The main themes are peer social capital, teachers who care, family and community assets, and multiple streams of motivation. Implications for counselors who serve students living in poverty are discussed.

Este estudio cualitativo fenomenológico examinó las perspectivas de factores de protección y procesos que contribuyen al éxito académico escolar de una muestra nacional de alumnos de escuela media con altos logros y bajos ingresos (N = 24). Se identificaron cuatro temas principales y doce subtemas. Los temas principales son capital social entre pares, maestros que muestran interés, recursos familiares y comunitarios, y múltiples fuentes de motivación. Se discuten las implicaciones para consejeros que sirven a estudiantes que viven en la pobreza.
Counseling Strategies for Empowering People Living in Poverty: The I‐CARE Model
Authors: Foss‐Kelly Louisa L. , Generali Margaret M. , Kress Victoria E.
Published: July 2017

Poverty has an impact on mental health and the counseling process in profound ways; however, counselors may fail to recognize the importance of poverty in clients' lives. The authors propose a model to help counselors navigate the complexities of counseling clients who are living in poverty. The I‐CARE Model may help counselors develop insight about personal biases, acknowledge harsh realities of poverty, remove barriers to growth, and expand on the clients' own strengths.

La pobreza tiene un profundo impacto sobre la salud mental y el proceso de consejería; sin embargo, es posible que los consejeros no reconozcan la importancia de la pobreza en las vidas de sus clientes. Los autores proponen un modelo para ayudar a los consejeros a comprender las complejidades de los clientes que viven en la probreza. El Modelo I‐CARE puede ayudar a los consejeros a desarrollar su percepción de sesgos personales, reconocer las duras realidades de la probreza, eliminar barreras al crecimiento y ampliar las fortalezas de los clientes.
Wavelength and refractive index dependence of the geometrical enhancement in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Perera M. N. M. N. , Gibbs W. E. K. , Juodkazis S. , Stoddart P. R.
Published: July 2017

The overall enhancement in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is considered to originate from a combination of electromagnetic and chemical effects. However, various additional enhancements associated with SERS have been reported to arise from geometrical factors such as excitation direction and thin film interference. Here, we theoretically and experimentally study the wavelength and refractive index dependence of the geometrically enhanced SERS signal. Monolayers of thiophenol on thermally evaporated Ag‐island films on glass and sapphire substrates were analysed as a model system. The effective optical constants of the nanostructured metal film, as determined by Mueller matrix ellipsometry, were used in an electric‐field model that predicts the enhanced SERS signal arising at the boundary of the metal film–substrate interface. SERS experimental measurements were found to exhibit a geometrically enhanced signal in broad agreement with the theoretical model, with the additional enhancements peaking at more than three for both substrates. Designing plasmonic structures by carefully controlling their effective optical constants could lead to increased enhancement factors for SERS sensing on transparent substrates such as optical fibre probes or observation windows. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Balanced N and C input recommendations for rain‐fed maize production in northern China based on N balances and grain yields
Authors: Wang Xiaobin , Cai Dianxiong , Zhao Quansheng , Xie Xiaohong , Hoogmoed Willem B , Oenema Oene
Published: July 2017

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess longer‐term (1993–2009) effects of combined applications of fertiliser, maize stover, and cattle manure on maize yields, partial nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) balances, and water and N‐use efficiencies, to guide N and C input recommendations for rain‐fed maize production in northern China.

RESULTS

The field trial, with three factors at five levels and 12 treatments, was conducted at Shouyang Dryland‐Farming Experimental Station, Shanxi, China. Data analysis revealed higher N balances but lower C balances significantly occurred in a dry year than in a wet year. Positive N balances related to higher N inputs resulted in higher soil available N, even downward to deep layers with increasing N inputs, while positive C balances due to higher C inputs could be benefit to increase soil organic C. Based on partial N balances and grain yields, N and C inputs at ranges of 100 kg N ha−1and 1.9–2.9 Mg C ha−1could be recommended for target yields of 6.7–7.2 Mg ha−1in rain‐fed maize production.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that N balances close to neutral be given priority to improving N‐use efficiency, and more positive C balances also be important for sustaining target yields and soil fertility levels. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Investigation of poly[oligo(ethylene glycol)diacrylates] as potential stationary phases in GC
Authors: Kurganov Alexander , Kanateva Anastasiya , Shiryaeva Valeriya , Popova Tamara , Korolev Alexander
Published: July 2017

Poly[oligo(ethylene glycol)diacrylate]s were investigated as potential candidates for application as stationary phases in capillary gas chromatography. Depending on the molar mass of the monomer, up to three different phase transitions were observed in calorimetric scans of the polymers. Two transitions have been identified as the glass transition and melting of crystallites while the nature of the third effect remains unknown. The new stationary phases demonstrate a good separating ability and selectivity in the viscous‐elastic state, i.e. at temperatures above the glass transition and melting points. The new polymeric stationary phases possess selectivity similar to conventional PEG columns but provide better thermal stability than conventional PEG stationary phases.
Seasonal and latitudinal variation in seagrass mechanical traits across Europe: The influence of local nutrient status and morphometric plasticity
Authors: Soissons L. M. , van Katwijk M. M. , Peralta G. , Brun F. G. , Cardoso P. G. , Grilo T. F. , Ondiviela B. , Recio M. , Valle M. , Garmendia J. M. , Ganthy F. , Auby I. , Rigouin L. , Godet L. , Fournier J. , Desroy N. , Barillé L. , Kadel P. , Asmus R. , Herman P. M. J. , Bouma T. J.
Published: July 2017

Seagrasses are marine flowering plants distributed worldwide. They are however threatened, mostly due to the increase of human activities. Seagrasses have the capacity to adapt their morphological, physiological, and mechanical traits to their local conditions. Mechanical traits have been identified as a good tool to investigate a plant‐species capacity to withstand physical forces or disturbances but are still sparsely studied in seagrasses. With this study, we aimed to assess how the mechanical traits of a broadly spread seagrass species vary along a latitudinal gradient in relation to its morphometric plasticity and nutrient status. We found that seagrasses acclimate their mechanical traits in relation to their physiological or morphological traits, both over the growing season and across a latitudinal range: leaves were weaker and thinner in northern areas, particularly at the end of the growing season. Besides the influence of the latitudinal gradient, leaf mechanical strength and stiffness were both strongly affected by their morphometric plasticity. Moreover, we showed that leaves mechanical traits change depending on their nutrient status: leaves were stronger and stiffer in oligotrophic conditions as compared to more eutrophic conditions. Thus, our results imply that, under eutrophication, leaves become weaker and thus more vulnerable to physical forces. This vulnerability is higher in the north at the end of the growing season. The latter is consistent with the more ephemeral character of northern seagrass meadows, in contrast to the more evergreen southern meadows.
Novel Light Source Integration Approaches for Silicon Photonics
Authors: Wang Zhechao , Abbasi Amin , Dave Utsav , De Groote Andreas , Kumari Sulakshna , Kunert Bernadette , Merckling Clement , Pantouvaki Marianna , Shi Yuting , Tian Bin , Van Gasse Kasper , Verbist Jochem , Wang Ruijun , Xie Weiqiang , Zhang Jing , Zhu Yunpeng , Bauwelinck Johan , Yin Xin , Hens Zeger , Van Campenhout Joris , Kuyken Bart , Baets Roel , Morthier Geert , Van Thourhout Dries , Roelkens Gunther
Published: July 2017

Silicon does not emit light efficiently, therefore the integration of other light‐emitting materials is highly demanded for silicon photonic integrated circuits. A number of integration approaches have been extensively explored in the past decade. Here, the most recent progress in this field is reviewed, covering the integration approaches of III‐V‐to‐silicon bonding, transfer printing, epitaxial growth and the use of colloidal quantum dots. The basic approaches to create waveguide‐coupled on‐chip light sources for different application scenarios are discussed, both for silicon and silicon nitride based waveguides. A selection of recent representative device demonstrations is presented, including high speed DFB lasers, ultra‐dense comb lasers, short (850nm) and long (2.3μm) wavelength lasers, wide‐band LEDs, monolithic O‐band lasers and micro‐disk lasers operating in the visible. The challenges and opportunities of these approaches are discussed.
The emerging science of precision medicine and pharmacogenomics for Parkinson's disease
Authors: Payami Haydeh
Published: July 2017

Current therapies for Parkinson's disease are problematic because they are symptomatic and have adverse effects. New drugs have failed in clinical trials because of inadequate efficacy. At the core of the problem is trying to make one drug work for all Parkinson's disease patients, when we know this premise is wrong because (1) Parkinson's disease is not a single disease, and (2) no two individuals have the same biological makeup. Precision medicine is the goal to strive for, but we are only at the beginning stages of building the infrastructure for one of the most complex projects in the history of science, and it will be a long time before Parkinson's disease reaps the benefits. Pharmacogenomics, a cornerstone of precision medicine, has already proven successful for many conditions and could also propel drug discovery and improve treatment for Parkinson's disease. To make progress in the pharmacogenomics of Parkinson's disease, we need to change course from small inconclusive candidate gene studies to large‐scale rigorously planned genome‐wide studies that capture the nuclear genome and the microbiome. Pharmacogenomic studies must use homogenous subtypes of Parkinson's disease or apply the brute force of statistical power to overcome heterogeneity, which will require large sample sizes achievable only via internet‐based methods and electronic databases. Large‐scale pharmacogenomic studies, together with biomarker discovery efforts, will yield the knowledge necessary to design clinical trials with precision to alleviate confounding by disease heterogeneity and interindividual variability in drug response, two of the major impediments to successful drug discovery and effective treatment. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
A generalized ratiometric chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI approach for mapping renal pH using iopamidol
Authors: Wu Yin , Zhou Iris Y. , Igarashi Takahiro , Longo Dario L. , Aime Silvio , Sun Phillip Zhe
Published: July 2017

Purpose

To extend the pH detection range of iopamidol‐based ratiometric chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI at sub‐high magnetic field and establish quantitative renal pH MRI.

Methods

Chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging was performed on iopamidol phantoms with pH of 5.5 to 8.0 and in vivo on rat kidneys (n = 5) during iopamidol administration at a 4.7 T. Iopamidol CEST effects were described using a multipool Lorentzian model. A generalized ratiometric analysis was conducted by ratioing resolved iopamidol CEST effects at 4.3 and 5.5 ppm obtained under 1.0 and 2.0 µT, respectively. The pH detection range was established for both the standard ratiometric analysis and the proposed resolved approach. Renal pH was mapped in vivo with regional pH assessed by one‐way analysis of variance.

Results

Good‐fitting performance was observed in multipool Lorentzian resolving of CEST effects (R2s > 0.99). The proposed approach extends the in vitro pH detection range to 5.5 to 7.5 at 4.7 T. In vivo renal pH was measured to be 7.0 ± 0.1, 6.8 ± 0.1, and 6.5 ± 0.2 for cortex, medulla and calyx, respectively (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The proposed ratiometric approach extended the iopamidol pH detection range, enabling the renal pH mapping in vivo, which is promising for pH imaging studies at sub‐high or low fields with potential clinical applicability. Magn Reson Med 79:1553–1558, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Self‐calibrated correlation imaging with k‐space variant correlation functions
Authors: Li Yu , Edalati Masoud , Du Xingfu , Wang Hui , Cao Jie J.
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Correlation imaging is a previously developed high‐speed MRI framework that converts parallel imaging reconstruction into the estimate of correlation functions. The presented work aims to demonstrate this framework can provide a speed gain over parallel imaging by estimating k‐space variant correlation functions.

Methods

Because of Fourier encoding with gradients, outer k‐space data contain higher spatial‐frequency image components arising primarily from tissue boundaries. As a result of tissue‐boundary sparsity in the human anatomy, neighboring k‐space data correlation varies from the central to the outer k‐space. By estimating k‐space variant correlation functions with an iterative self‐calibration method, correlation imaging can benefit from neighboring k‐space data correlation associated with both coil sensitivity encoding and tissue‐boundary sparsity, thereby providing a speed gain over parallel imaging that relies only on coil sensitivity encoding. This new approach is investigated in brain imaging and free‐breathing neonatal cardiac imaging.

Results

Correlation imaging performs better than existing parallel imaging techniques in simulated brain imaging acceleration experiments. The higher speed enables real‐time data acquisition for neonatal cardiac imaging in which physiological motion is fast and non‐periodic.

Conclusion

With k‐space variant correlation functions, correlation imaging gives a higher speed than parallel imaging and offers the potential to image physiological motion in real‐time. Magn Reson Med 79:1483–1494, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Magnetic resonance thermometry of flowing blood
Authors: Heyn Chinthaka C. , Bishop Jonathan , Duffin Kyle , Lee Wayne , Dazai Jun , Spring Shoshana , Nieman Brian J. , Sled John G.
Published: July 2017

Blood temperature is a key determinant of tissue temperature and can be altered under normal physiological states, such as exercise, in diseases such as stroke or iatrogenically in therapies which modulate tissue temperature, such as therapeutic hypothermia. Currently available methods for the measurement of arterial and venous temperatures are invasive and, for small animal models, are impractical. Here, we present a methodology for the measurement of intravascular and tissue temperature by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the lanthanide agent TmDOTMA− (DOTMA, tetramethyl‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid; Tm, thulium). The approach makes use of phase‐sensitive imaging measurements, combined with spectrally selective excitation, to monitor the temperature‐dependent shift in the resonance of proton nuclei associated with water and with methyl groups of TmDOTMA−. Measurements were first made in a flow phantom modelling diastolic blood flow in the mouse aorta or inferior vena cava (IVC) and imaged using 7‐T preclinical MRI with a custom‐built surface coil. Flowing and static fluid temperatures agreed to within 0.12°C for these experiments. Proof‐of‐concept experiments were also performed on three healthy adult mice, demonstrating temperature measurements in the aorta, IVC and kidney following a bolus injection of contrast agent. A small (0.7–1°C), but statistically significant, higher kidney temperature compared with the aorta (p = 0.002–0.007) and IVC (p = 0.003–0.03) was shown in all animals. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of the technique for in vivo applications and illustrate how the technique could be used to explore the relationship between blood and tissue temperature for a wide range of applications.
Selective Recognition of Fluoride by using a Benzobisimidazolium Derivative through Aggregation‐Induced Fluorescence
Authors: Lee Dayoung , Lee Chiho , Jun Eun Jin , Lee Minji , Park Sungnam , Yoon Juyoung
Published: July 2017

A new benzobisimidazolium derivative (1) bearing four naphthalene moieties was synthesized and demonstrated as an F− ion‐selective fluorescent chemosensor. The fluorescence of 1 in acetonitrile (CH3CN) is significantly stronger with F− and acetate (CH3CO2−), but not with other anions (Cl−, Br−, I−, HSO4−, and H2PO4−). The fluorescence of 1 is enhanced selectively with F− in the presence of a small amount of water. Our DFT calculations indicate that the electrostatic interactions between the positively charged benzobisimidazolium moieties and F− play an important role in the formation of stable aggregates. The formation of stable aggregates of 1 with F− in CH3CN is a key step for the selective sensing of F−, and the fluorescence of the aggregates is further enhanced in a mixture of 95 % CH3CN and 5 % water, which can be attributed to the aggregation‐induced emission.
Microstructure characterization in direct sheet molding compound
Authors: Motaghi Atieh , Hrymak Andrew N.
Published: July 2017

The microstructure of fiber glass bundles used in the direct sheet molding compound (D‐SMC) was investigated in a flat plaque mold. Analyses of the bundle deformation, including bending and deformation of the tow shape, were done for the charge and specific sites within a square plaque part for 30% and 62% of initial charge mold area coverages. Microscopy and micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) of the samples clarify the microstructure of the bundles after flow. Samples were taken at different flow locations within the plaque corresponding to increasing flow length from the center. The bundles at the part edge and corner deform more than the bundles close to center of the mold in both initial charge cases. The bundles flattened at all positions and bundle bending was mainly observed at the corner. The tow width changes and tow deflections were higher in the samples of 30% mold area coverage. The micro‐CT images showed that the bundles keep their cohesion and stay straight within the middle of the flow path position, but bend at the edge of the mold. Mold filling simulation using Moldflow™ (Autodesk) predicted fiber tow orientation through the thickness using the reduced‐strain closure (RSC) models for fiber distribution for 30% and 62% initial mold area coverage. The measured value of orientation from micro‐CT images confirms the random orientation through the thickness, consistent with the RSC model. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E69–E77, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Comparison of microwave absorption properties between BaTiO3/Epoxy and NiFe2O4/Epoxy composites
Authors: Akinay Yuksel , Hayat Fatih , Kanbur Yasin , Gokkaya Hasan , Polat Safa
Published: July 2017

Microwave absorption properties of Epoxy/Nickel Ferrite (NiFe2O4) and Epoxy/Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) composites were investigated and compared in the 1–14 GHz. Epoxy/filler particles (NiFe2O4 and BaTiO3) composites were prepared with 85/15 mixture ratios via Ultrasonic Probe Sonicator method in solution. The complex permittivity (
‐
) and permeability (
‐
) of the composites have been measured at different microwave frequencies in 1–14 GHz via vector network analyzer (Keysight N9926A). The reflection loss (RL) of composites was calculated and evaluated from camplex permitivity and permeability. The obtained results show that both composites exhibit the large RL and broadband within the frequency range from 1 to 14 GHz for different thickness. Epoxy/BaTiO3 showed a better microwave absorption at the range of 6–7.2 GHz for 7 and 6 mm, at the range of 7.4–9.1 GHz for 5 mm. However, the Epoxy/NiFe2O4 exhibits the largest RL and the widest bandwidth than those obtained from Epoxy/BaTiO3 composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E2143–E2148, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of five‐ to eight‐membered cyclic olefins: Computational, thermodynamic, and experimental approach
Authors: Hlil Antsar R. , Balogh Janos , Moncho Salvador , Su Haw‐Lih , Tuba Robert , Brothers Edward N. , Al‐Hashimi Mohammed , Bazzi Hassan S.
Published: July 2017

Ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a series of low‐strain cyclic olefins and their hydroxyl derivatives using second generation Hoveyda–Grubbs catalyst has been investigated. Additionally, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to evaluate the ring strain energies of the cyclic olefins and their hydroxyl derivatives, coupled with kinetic studies for the ROMP reactions. It was found that among different ring size monomers, Cy8 having a relatively moderate ring strain energy in comparison with the other cyclic olefins, exhibited the highest monomer conversion. The effect of temperature (0, 10, 15, and 25 °C) and monomer concentration (1 M; 2.5 M and 5 M for Cy5; and 1 M and 5 M for Cy7) for the cyclic olefins Cy5 and Cy7 were investigated. In general, the experimental results for the kinetic ROMP studies obtained using complex HG2 correlate really well with the DFT calculations determined for the ring strain energies of the cyclic olefins. For comparison, DFT calculations predicted the following trend for the ring strain energies Cy8 > Cy5 > Cy7 > Cy6, and the polymerizations carried out experimentally followed the same trend in terms of monomer conversion, with the exception of Cy5 and Cy7 at lower concentrations, which followed this trend Cy8 > Cy7 > Cy5 > Cy6. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3137–3145
Ambipolar charge transport in a donor–acceptor–donor‐type conjugated block copolymer and its gate‐voltage‐controlled thin film transistor memory
Authors: Lee Ji Hyung , Lee Dae Hee , Kim Hyung Jong , Choi Suna , Park Gi Eun , Cho Min Ju , Choi Dong Hoon
Published: July 2017

We demonstrate a fully conjugated donor–acceptor–donor (D–A–D) triblock copolymer, PBDTT–PNDIBT–PBDTT, which contains PBDTT as the donor block and PNDIBT as the acceptor block. The polymer was synthesized by end‐capping each block with a reactive unit, followed by condensation copolymerization between the two blocks. The physical, optical, and electrochemical properties of the polymer were investigated by comparing those of donor‐ and acceptor‐homopolymers (i.e., PBDTT and PNDIBT), which are the oligomeric monomers, and their blends. On using the newly synthesized block copolymer, ambipolar charge transport behavior was observed in the corresponding thin‐film transistor, and the behavior was compared to that of blend film of donor‐ and acceptor‐homopolymers. Owing to the presence of donor and acceptor blocks in a single polymer chain, it was found that the triblock copolymer can store two‐level information; the ability to store this information is one of the most intriguing challenges in memory applications. In this study, we confirmed the potential of the triblock copolymer in achieving distinct two‐stage data storage by utilizing the ambipolar charge trapping phenomenon, which is expected in donor and acceptor containing random and block copolymers in a thin‐film transistor. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3223–3235
Synthesis and properties of novel soluble poly(amide‐imide)s with different pendant substituents
Authors: Li Wenze , Qian Xinyu , Shi Haibiao , Zhou Weiyi , Cai Yuting , Liu Yu , Shen Kunzhi
Published: July 2017

Two types of novel fluorinated diimide‐diacid monomers—[2,2′‐(4,4′‐(3′‐methylbiphenyl‐2,5‐diyl)bis(oxy)bis(3‐(trifluoromethyl)‐4,1‐phenylene))bis(1,3‐dioxoisoindoline‐5‐carboxylic acid)] (III) and [2,2′‐(4,4′‐(3′‐(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl‐2,5‐diyl)bis(oxy)bis(3‐(trifluoromethyl)‐4,1‐phenylene))bis(1,3‐dioxoisoindoline‐5‐carboxylic acid)] (IV)—were respectively designed and prepared by the condensation of diamines I and II with two molar equivalents of trimellitic anhydride. From both diimide‐diacids, two series of novel poly(amide‐imide)s (PAIs) (IIIa–IIIe and IVa–IVe) bearing different pendant groups were prepared by direct polymerization with various aromatic diamines (a–e). All the PAIs had a high glass transition temperatures (Tgs, 232–265 °C), excellent thermal stability (exhibiting only 5% weight loss at 493–542 °C under nitrogen) and good solubility in various organic solvents due to the introduction of the bulky pendant groups. The cast films of these PAIs (80–90 μm) had good optical transparency (73–81% at 450 nm, 85–88% at 550 nm and 87–89% at 800 nm) and low dielectric constants (2.65–2.98 at 1 MHz). The spin‐coated films of these PAIs presented a minimum birefringence value as low as 0.0077–0.0143 at 650 nm and low optical absorption at the near‐infrared optical communication wavelengths of 1310 and 1550 nm. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3243–3252
The structure of RbmB fromStreptomyces ribosidificus, an aminotransferase involved in the biosynthesis of ribostamycin
Authors: Zachman‐Brockmeyer Trevor R. , Thoden James B. , Holden Hazel M.
Published: July 2017

Aminoglycoside antibiotics represent a classical group of antimicrobials first discovered in the 1940s. Due to their ototoxic and nephrotoxic side effects, they are typically only used against Gram negative bacteria which have become resistant to other therapeutics. One family of aminoglycosides includes such compounds as butirosin, ribostamycin, neomycin, and kanamycin, amongst others. The common theme in these antibiotics is that they are constructed around a chemically stable aminocyclitol unit referred to as 2‐deoxystreptamine (2‐DOS). Four enzymes are required for thein vivoproduction of 2‐DOS. Here, we report the structure of RbmB fromStreptomyces ribosidificus, which is a pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate dependent enzyme that catalyzes two of the required steps in 2‐DOS formation by functioning on distinct substrates. For this analysis, the structure of the external aldimine form of RbmB with 2‐DOS was determined to 2.1 Å resolution. In addition, the structure of a similar enzyme, BtrR fromBacillus circulans, was also determined to 2.1 Å resolution in the same external aldimine form. These two structures represent the first detailed molecular descriptions of the active sites for those aminotransferases involved in 2‐DOS production. Given the fact that the 2‐DOS unit is widespread amongst aminoglycoside antibiotics, the data presented herein provide new molecular insight into the biosynthesis of these sugar‐based drugs.
Process cycle optimization in press forming of paperboard
Authors: Tanninen Panu , Leminen Ville , Matthews Sami , Kainusalmi Mika , Varis Juha
Published: July 2017

Three‐dimensional forming of paperboard is commonly done by a press forming process, which has been widely researched. However, the process cycle of the press forming of paperboard trays has not yet been completely optimized due to limited adjustability and unsophisticated mechanical structure of commonly used forming equipment. The object of this study is to optimize the force curve of stroke to improve product quality without compromising the production rate using LUT Adjustable Packaging Line prototype for practical evaluation of formability and multibody dynamics software MSC Adams for simulation. Several process parameters were investigated with different process cycles to study their effect on the quality of the formed products. With optimized male mould speed, acceleration and speed of the blank could be reduced, which led to significantly reduced rupturing tendency without compromising the production speed. It was also found that a constant blank holding force should be used to achieve acceptable tray quality, although this results in a significantly increased surface pressure applied to the formed substrate. It was also discovered that a novel male mould attachment, which included a pressing force adjustment system that utilized a spring set with an adjustable preload, made it possible to control the force distribution between different forming tools during the dwelling phase of the process cycle in an improved way. Utilization of the method used in this paper leads to a better tray quality without compromising the production efficiency. Furthermore, this can increase the number of possible package applications for sustainable materials, such as paperboard.
Diabatic investigation for the NaRb molecule
Authors: Chaieb Maha , Habli Héla , Mejrissi Leila , Al‐Ghamdi Attieh A , Oujia Brahim , Gadéa Florent Xavier
Published: July 2017

An extensive diabatic investigation of the NaRb species has been carried out for all excited states up to the ionic limit Na‐Rb+. An ab initio calculation founded on the pseudopotential, core polarization potential operators and full configuration interaction has been used with an efficient diabatization method involving a combination of variational effective hamiltonian theory and an effective overlap matrix. Diabatic potential energy curves and electric dipole moments (permanent and transition) for all the symmetries Σ+, Π, and Δ have been studied for the first time. Thanks to a unitary rotation matrix, the examination of the diabatic permanent dipole moment (PDM) has shown the ionic feature clearly seen in the diabatic 1Σ+ potential curves and confirming the high imprint of the Na‐Rb+ ionic state in the adiabatic representation. Diabatic transition dipole moments have also been computed. Real crossings have been shown for the diabatic PDM, locating the avoided crossings between the corresponding adiabatic energy curves.
Modelling, validating, and ranking of secure service compositions
Authors: Brucker Achim D. , Zhou Bo , Malmignati Francesco , Shi Qi , Merabti Madjid
Published: July 2017

In the world of large‐scale applications, software as a service (SaaS) in general and use of microservices, in particular, is bringing service‐oriented architectures to a new level: Systems in general and systems that interact with human users (eg, sociotechnical systems) in particular are built by composing microservices that are developed independently and operated by different parties. At the same time, SaaS applications are used more and more widely by enterprises as well as public services for providing critical services, including those processing security or privacy of relevant data. Therefore, providing secure and reliable service compositions is increasingly needed to ensure the success of SaaS solutions. Building such service compositions securely is still an unsolved problem.

In this paper, we present a framework for modelling, validating, and ranking secure service compositions that integrate both automated services as well as services that interact with humans. As a unique feature, our approach for ranking services integrates validated properties (eg, based on the result of formally analysing the source code of a service implementation) as well as contractual properties that are part of the service level agreement and, thus, not necessarily ensured on a technical level.
Review on Modeling and Simulation of Blast Furnace
Authors: Kuang Shibo , Li Zhaoyang , Yu Aibing
Published: July 2017

The design and control of blast furnace (BF) ironmaking must be optimized in order to be competitive and sustainable, particularly under the more and more demanding and tough economic and environmental conditions. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand the complex multiphase flow, heat and mass transfer, and global performance of a BF under different conditions. Mathematical modeling, often coupled with physical modeling, plays an important role in this area. This paper reviews the recent developments in this direction. The emphasis is given to mathematical models for different BF regions from the top charging system, body, and finally down to raceway and hearth. The needs for the further research and developments are also discussed.
Snow redistribution for the hydrological modeling of alpine catchments
Authors: Freudiger Daphné , Kohn Irene , Seibert Jan , Stahl Kerstin , Weiler Markus
Published: July 2017

Modeling snow redistribution by wind and avalanches in hydrological studies in alpine catchments is important, as the spatial variability of the snow cover has an impact on timing and magnitude of the snowmelt runoff. Disregarding snow redistribution in models can lead to the formation of ‘snow towers,’ i.e., multi‐year accumulation of snow at high elevations and an incorrect water balance. The reviewed approaches to deal with snow redistribution in hydrological models were first broadly grouped by the represented physical processes: (1) the correction of the precipitation input data to account mainly for preferential deposition, (2) the description of all wind‐driven processes based on wind field data, (3) the description of gravitational transports and/or wind‐driven processes based on topographic information, and (4) the statistical description of the variability of the snow water equivalent (SWE) to account for all types of snow redistribution. The review further assessed the implementation of these approaches in physically based and bucket‐type hydrological models. Generally, snow redistribution consideration has improved the simulation of snow patterns and SWE and consequently the prediction of discharge in mountain catchments worldwide. Snow redistribution approaches still have some limitations and a large gap exists between the knowledge and processes in highly detailed physically based snow models and the widely used bucket‐type hydrological models used for water resources and climate change studies. There is a real need to bridge this gap using the knowledge earned by snow redistribution modeling with established physically based models to develop more conceptual approaches for the application in bucket‐type models. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1232. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1232

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Hydrological Processes

Science of Water > Methods

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change
Invasive alien trees reduce bird species richness and abundance of mutualistic frugivores and nectarivores; a bird's eye view on a conflict of interest species in riparian habitats
Authors: Mangachena Joy Rumbidzai , Geerts Sjirk
Published: July 2017

Invasive alien plants have major ecological effects, in particular in riparian habitats. While effects of alien tree invasions on riparian plants are well studied, effects on animals are less well understood. Invasive alien trees can have a positive effect by adding habitat and food sources, or have a negative effect, by replacing native food plants. Here we use birds as indicators to determine the impacts of an invasive Eucalyptus tree species in riparian areas of the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. Birds are an ideal study group because they are mobile, respond quickly to habitat changes and feed at different trophic levels. Fixed‐point bird counts were done during winter and spring at near‐pristine and Eucalyptus camaldulensis invaded riparian habitats. A total of 1142 birds from 44 species were recorded. Bird assemblages in invaded sites are almost a complete subset (24 species) of those in near‐pristine areas (42 species). Invaded areas were missing 18 species and contained a total of 128 fewer individuals. This is due to declines in insectivores, frugivores, granivores, raptors and omnivores and the absence of nectarivores in invaded sites. From a bird's perspective, the prioritisation of E. camaldulensis removal from the CFR's river systems is justified, but whether bird species will return to cleared areas needs to be determined.
Coastal Community Values for Marsh-Dependent Socioecological Services Revealed through a Systematic Qualitative Approach
Authors: Wainger Lisa , McMurray Anna , Paolisso Michael , Johnson Katherine J. , Needelman Brian
Published: July 2017

A qualitative ranking method, Q methodology, was used to assess stakeholder priorities for socioecological services derived from coastal marshes and communities. The goal was to reveal strength of concerns for and tradeoffs among effects of coastal resilience strategies. Factor analysis identified three perspectives that formed a spectrum from high to low priorities on intangible services. Academic and government stakeholders were more likely than local residents to prioritize intangible services, but stakeholder views were diverse. A collaborative learning process promoted some alignment of views and academics showed the most movement – towards residents’ perspectives. Q-sort appeared effective at efficiently synthesizing broad concerns.
Paediatric orbital cellulitis and the relationship to underlying sinonasal anatomy on computed tomography
Authors: Crosbie R A , Clement W A , Kubba H
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To assess if there is an association between sinonasal anatomical variants and the risk of developing orbital cellulitis and associated complications, in children.

Methods:

A retrospective case–control series was conducted, examining computed tomography confirmed sinonasal anatomical variants of septal deviation and concha bullosa in children who presented with periorbital cellulitis who went on to develop orbital cellulitis and abscesses.

Results:

Thirty children had a Chandler score of 2 or greater on computed tomography. Mean age was seven years and there was relatively equal sex distribution. There was no association between presence of concha bullosa and side of disease (odds ratio = 1), and no statistically significant difference between septal deviation and ipsilateral orbital infection (p = 0.125).

Conclusion:

There was no statistical correlation between any sinonasal bony or cartilaginous anatomical variants on computed tomography and orbital complications of acute rhinosinusitis in our paediatric cohort. The findings do not support the theory that these anatomical variants predispose to orbital cellulitis occurring in these children, nor complications thereof.
Using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging in the pre-operative evaluation of tongue carcinoma
Authors: Moreno K F , Cornelius R S , Lucas F V , Meinzen-Derr J , Patil Y J
Published: July 2017

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the role of 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging in predicting tongue tumour thickness via direct and reconstructed measures, and their correlations with corresponding histological measures, nodal metastasis and extracapsular spread.

Methods:

A prospective study was conducted of 25 patients with histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and pre-operative 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging from 2009 to 2012.

Results:

Correlations between 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and histological measures of tongue tumour thickness were assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient:rvalues were 0.84 (p< 0.0001) and 0.81 (p< 0.0001) for direct and reconstructed measurements, respectively. For magnetic resonance imaging, direct measures of tumour thickness (mean ± standard deviation, 18.2 ± 7.3 mm) did not significantly differ from the reconstructed measures (mean ± standard deviation, 17.9 ± 7.2 mm;r= 0.879). Moreover, 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging had 83 per cent sensitivity, 82 per cent specificity, 82 per cent accuracy and a 90 per cent negative predictive value for detecting cervical lymph node metastasis.

Conclusion:

In this cohort, 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging measures of tumour thickness correlated highly with the corresponding histological measures. Further, 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging was an effective method of detecting malignant adenopathy with extracapsular spread.
Solitary fibrous tumour of the tongue: a series of four cases
Authors: Dungarwalla M M , Barrett A W , Gulati A
Published: July 2017

Background:

Solitary fibrous tumour is a soft tissue tumour of mesenchymal origin. It was first described in the pleura and has since been reported in many anatomical locations. Thirteen cases in the tongue have hitherto been reported. A positive CD34 result has traditionally been used to confirm the diagnosis, although this is often non-specific to solitary fibrous tumour. To date, nuclear STAT6 expression has not been reported in solitary fibrous tumour of the tongue.

Method:

This paper presents a further four cases of solitary fibrous tumour of the tongue, the largest series to date. Clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings are detailed, including nuclear STAT6 expression.

Results:

All four cases were positive for CD34; two cases showed nuclear expression of STAT6. The tumours were excised completely and there have been no recurrences in at least one year.

Conclusion:

Solitary fibrous tumour should be considered as a differential diagnosis for tongue swellings, with the potential to recur.
Available energy and ground states of collisionless plasmas
Authors: Helander Per
Published: July 2017

The energy budget of a collisionless plasma subject to electrostatic fluctuations is considered, and the excess of thermal energy over the minimum accessible to it under various constraints that limit the possible forms of plasma motion is calculated. This excess measures how much thermal energy is ‘available’ for conversion into plasma instabilities, and therefore constitutes a nonlinear measure of plasma stability. A distribution function with zero available energy defines a ‘ground state’ in the sense that its energy cannot decrease by any linear or nonlinear plasma motion. In a Vlasov plasma with small density and temperature fluctuations, the available energy is proportional to the mean square of these quantities, and exceeds the corresponding energy in ideal or resistive magnetohydrodynamics. If the first or second adiabatic invariant is conserved, ground states generally have inhomogeneous density and temperature. Magnetically confined plasmas are usually not in any ground state, but certain types of stellarator plasmas are so with respect to fluctuations that conserve both these adiabatic invariants, making the plasma linearly and nonlinearly stable to such fluctuations. Similar stability properties can also be enjoyed by plasmas confined by a dipole magnetic field.
The aggregate and the individual: thoughts on what non-alternating authors reveal about linguistic alternations – a response to Petré
Authors: FONTEYN LAUREN
Published: July 2017

In one way or another, historical linguists have always been aware of the limitations inherent to working with linguistic data from bygone ages. One of the most substantial limitations, as Petré points out, is that all speakers of a historical variant of a language are unavailable for psycholinguistic study, essentially leaving researchers with their written records as the sole data source. As such, historical linguists often find themselves taking the role of corpus linguists, trying to understand the workings of a language ‘by studying aggregate data that pools the productions of many speakers and writers – often across different media, genres, registers, and even across different time periods’ (Arppeet al.2010: 3). As Petré points out, the practice of studying language on this aggregate level has dominated the methodologies in historical linguistic studies, and very little attention is paid to the individual level.
Philological coda. Noise: an appreciation
Authors: FULK ROBERT D.
Published: July 2017

Plainly, the effort to apply to historical language study the insights to be derived from synchronic linguistic analysis is fraught with difficulties. The problem is usually conceptualized – as it is by several of the contributors to the present collection of studies – as a difficult marriage of disciplined methods to obstreperous data, a mismatched union somehow to be mediated by the Uniformitarian Principle. To understand the issues properly, then, it would seem a prerequisite to be able to identify what, exactly, the Uniformitarian Principle is. Yet that question itself has no simple answer, in part because the question can be interpreted in at least two ways, both of them bearing directly upon the aims of this collection.