bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Glimpse into Green Chemistry Practices in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Sharma Sudripet , Das Jagattaran , Braje Wilfried M. , Dash Ashutosh K. , Handa Sachin
Published: March 2020

In this Minireview, the importance and implementation of green chemistry practices in the pharmaceutical industry are illustrated. With notable examples, some of the most important industrial organic transformations are discussed along with their applications in the synthesis of drug molecules. A brief comparison between traditional unsustainable methods and modern green methods is made to shed light on the economic and environmental benefits of greener methods. Finally, green chemistry practices in the pharmaceutical industries of India and China are also discussed.
Spatial and temporal variability in ringed seal (Pusa hispida) stable isotopes in the Beaufort Sea
Authors: Boucher Nicole P. , Derocher Andrew E. , Richardson Evan S.
Published: March 2020

Arctic ecosystem dynamics are shifting in response to warming temperatures and sea ice loss. Such ecosystems may be monitored by examining the diet of upper trophic level species, which varies with prey availability. To assess interannual variation in the Beaufort Sea ecosystem, we examined spatial and temporal trends in ringed seal (Pusa hispida) δ13C and δ15N in claw growth layers grown from 1964 to 2011. Stable isotopes were correlated with climate indices, environmental conditions, seal population productivity, and geographic location. Sex and age did not influence stable isotopes. Enriched13C was linked to cyclonic circulation regimes, seal productivity, and westward sampling locations. Higher δ15N was linked to lower sea surface temperatures, a higher percentage of pups in the subsistence harvest, and sample locations that were eastward and further from shore. From the 1960s to 2000s, ringed seal niche width expanded, suggesting a diversification of diet due to expansion of prey and/or seal space use. Overall, trends in ringed seal stable isotopes indicate changes within the Beaufort Sea ecosystem affected by water temperatures and circulation regimes. We suggest that continued monitoring of upper trophic level species will yield insights into changing ecosystem structure with climate change.
Hyperglycaemia, ejection fraction and the risk of heart failure or cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes and a recent acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Shin Sung‐Hee , Claggett Brian , Pfeffer Marc A. , Skali Hicham , Liu Jiankang , Aguilar David , Diaz Rafael , Dickstein Kenneth , Gerstein Hertzel C. , Køber Lars V. , Lawson Francesca C. , Lewis Eldrin F. , Maggioni Aldo P. , McMurray John J.V. , Probstfield Jeffrey L. , Riddle Matthew C. , Tardif Jean‐Claude , Solomon Scott D. ,   for the ELIXA Investigators
Published: March 2020

Aims

Chronic hyperglycaemia, assessed by elevated glycated haemoglobin (A1C), is a known risk factor for heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular (CV) death among subjects with diabetes. Whether this risk varies with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is unknown. This study evaluated whether A1C influences a composite outcome of either HF hospitalization or CV death differently along the spectrum of
LVEF.

Methods and results

We assessed the relationships of baseline A1C and LVEF with a composite outcome of either CV death or HF hospitalization in the 4091 patients with type 2 diabetes and a recent acute coronary syndrome enrolled in the ELIXA trial who had available LVEF. We assessed for interaction between A1C and LVEF as continuous variables with respect to this outcome. During a median follow‐up of 25.7 months, 343 patients (8.4%) had HF hospitalization or died of CV causes. In a multivariable model, A1C and LVEF were each associated with an increased risk of HF hospitalization or CV death [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.21 per 1% higher A1C, and adjusted HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.27–1.51 per 10% lower in LVEF]. Both A1C and LVEF were independently and incrementally associated with risk without evidence of interaction (P for interaction = 0.31). Patients with A1C ≥ 8% and LVEF <40% were at threefold higher risk than those with A1C < 7% and LVEF ≥50% (adjusted HR 3.18, 95% CI 2.03–4.98, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In a contemporary cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome, baseline chronic hyperglycaemia was associated with an increased risk of HF hospitalization or CV death independently of
LVEF.
Oxidative Ring‐Opening of 1H‐Pyrazol‐5‐amines and Its Application in Constructing Pyrazolo–Pyrrolo–Pyrazine Scaffolds by Domino Cyclization
Authors: Pan Lei , Jin Feng , Fu Rui , Gao Ke , Zhou Shaofang , Bao Xiaoguang
Published: March 2020

Herein, an oxidative ring‐opening of 1H‐pyrazol‐5‐amines to form 3‐diazenylacrylonitrile derivatives under mild and transition‐metal‐free conditions is described. In addition, the nucleophilic addition of deprotonated 1H‐pyrrole‐2‐carbaldehydes to the vinyl moiety of the yielded 3‐diazenylacrylonitriles could trigger domino cyclization to afford the 3H‐pyrazolo[3,4‐e]pyrrolo[1,2‐a]pyrazine derivatives. Computational studies suggest that the oxidation of 1H‐pyrazol‐5‐amines in the presence of PhIO is through the formation of a hydroxylamine intermediate followed by elimination of H2O to result in the ring‐opening product. The detailed domino cyclization pathway leading to the pyrazolo–pyrrolo–pyrazine scaffolds is revealed.
A High‐Efficiency, Portable, Solar‐Powered Cooling System Based on a Foldable‐Flower Mechanism and Wireless Power Transfer Technology for Vehicle Cabins
Authors: Zhang Tingsheng , Feng Yan , Wu Xiaoping , Pan Yajia , Zhang Zutao , Yuan Yanping
Published: March 2020

In summer, the high temperature inside vehicles is a problem, because cooling a vehicle parked under the scorching sun is both time and energy consuming. Herein, a portable solar‐powered cooling system (SPCS) is proposed based on a foldable‐flower mechanism and wireless power transfer (WPT) technology. The proposed system consists of three main parts: a solar foldable‐flower module (SFFM), an energy transfer module, and a temperature control module. The SFFM is a novel foldable mechanism that achieves a high space utilization through a rotating process and a folding process, like a flower opening its petals. The SFFM, equipped with photovoltaic (PV) cells, collects solar energy and converts it into electricity. The energy transfer module stores electricity from the SFFM in a supercapacitor via a WPT unit. The temperature control module achieves automatic temperature regulation using a cooling device. Experimental results show that output power reaches up to 7.571 W with a load resistor of 5 Ω, whereas the efficiency of the WPT reaches up to 73.6% with a load resistor of 15 Ω. Moreover, thermal simulation results illustrate that the proposed system achieves an average temperature reduction of 27.45 °C, making it feasible and effective to cool a hot vehicle cabin.
Dynamically functioning and highly stretchable epidermal supercapacitor based on vertically aligned gold nanowire skins
Authors: An Tiance , Gong Shu , Ling Yunzhi , Dong Dashen , Zhao Yunmeng , Cheng Wenlong
Published: March 2020

An ideal epidermal supercapacitor should be ultrathin, highly stretchable, and skin‐attachable yet able to function under dynamic deformation states. Past several years have witnessed encouraging progress in stretchable supercapacitors but it remains challenging to achieve an epidermal supercapacitor that can meet all the aforementioned criteria. Here, we report an entire solution‐based strategy to fabricate such kind of epidermal supercapacitor based on enokitake‐like vertically aligned gold nanowires (v‐AuNWs) in conjunction with pseudocapacitive polyaniline and pre‐strain technology. Despite of ultrathin thickness of only around 50 μm, our epidermal supercapacitor exhibited an areal capacitance of 2.3 mF/cm2 with negligible performance deterioration under both static and dynamic stretching of 100% strain. Such performance could also be well‐maintained for the on‐skin applications where wrist being constantly under various motions. Our finding indicates the potential application of the solution‐grown v‐AuNWs in future wearable electronics.

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Squeezing failure behavior of roof‐coal masses in a gob‐side entry driven under unstable overlying strata
Authors: Zhang Guangchao , Chen Lianjun , Wen Zhijie , Chen Miao , Tao Guangzhe , Li You , Zuo Hao
Published: March 2020

This paper endeavors to reveal the squeezing failure mechanism of roof‐coal masses and its correlation with the movement of the roof strata. An integrated method incorporating field instruments and numerical modeling was conducted. The borehole camera detection revealed that the development degree and scope of cracks in the roof strata on the coal pillar side are significantly larger than that on the panel rib side, and the fracture line of the main roof occurred above the coal pillar. A rigorous modeling procedure verified the borehole camera detection results and also found that the vertical and horizontal displacement of the roof‐coal mass exhibited asynchronous development characteristics at various heights. Subsequently, a comprehensive control strategy was proposed to prevent the squeezing failure behavior of roof‐coal masses in DUOS gob‐side entry. This study provides a basis for understanding the squeezing failure behavior of roof‐coal masses, and the proposed control strategy can potentially be applied in other similar mining projects.
The industrial asymmetry of the stock price prediction with investor sentiment: Based on the comparison of predictive effects with SVR
Authors: Jin Zhenni , Guo Kun , Sun Yi , Lai Lin , Liao Zhewen
Published: March 2020

As a representative emerging financial market, the Chinese stock market is more prone to volatility because of investor sentiment. It is reasonable to use efficient predictive methods to analyze the influence of investor sentiment on stock price forecasting. This paper conducts a comparative study about the predictive performance of artificial neural network, support vector regression (SVR) and autoregressive integrated moving average and selects SVR to study the asymmetry effect of investor sentiment on different industry index predictions. After studying the relevant financial indicators, the results divide the Shenwan first‐class industries into two types and show that the industries affected by investor sentiment are composed of young companies with high growth and high operative pressure and there are a great number of investment bubbles in those companies.
Pasting, thermo, and Mixolab thermomechanical properties of potato starch–wheat gluten composite systems
Authors: Xu Fen , Liu Wei , Liu Qiannan , Zhang Chunjiang , Hu Honghai , Zhang Hong
Published: March 2020

This research investigated the viscosity, thermal, thermomechanical, and microstructural properties of potato starch–wheat gluten composite systems with different starch/gluten ratios under mechanical shear and heating conditions. Results showed that the peak, trough, and final viscosities increased with the increase in potato starch fraction. The breakdown and setback values of samples decreased with increasing gluten content, and the endothermic enthalpy showed a similar variation trend. The gelatinization temperature of the samples increased significantly as the gluten proportion increased. Morphological observation showed that the gluten protein was wrapped around potato starch granules and the starch granules have a diluting effect on gluten network. Moreover, gluten formed a water diffusion barrier out of the starch granules, this barrier effect and the competitive hydration between starch and gluten could primarily explain the delayed gelatinization temperatures.
Alleviating effects of reduced graphene oxide against lead‐induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in human alveolar epithelial (A549) cells
Authors: Ahamed Maqusood , Akhtar Mohd Javed , Khan M.A. Majeed , Alhadlaq Hisham A.
Published: March 2020

Broad application of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and ubiquitous lead (Pb) pollution may increase the possibility of combined exposure of humans. Information on the combined effects of rGO and Pb in human cells is scarce. This work was designed to explore the potential effects of rGO on Pb‐induced toxicity in human alveolar epithelial (A549) cells. Prepared rGO was polycrystalline in nature. The formation of a few layers of visible creases and silky morphology due to high aspect ratio was confirmed. Low level (25 μg/mL) of rGO was not toxic to A549 cells. However, Pb exposure (25 μg/mL) induced cell viability reduction, lactate dehydrogenase enzyme leakage with rounded morphology in A549 cells. Remarkably, Pb‐induced cytotoxicity was significantly mitigated by rGO co‐exposure. Pb‐induced mitochondrial membrane potential loss, cell cycle arrest and higher activity of caspase‐3 and ‐9 enzymes were also alleviated by rGO co‐exposure. Moreover, we observed that Pb exposure causes generation of pro‐oxidants (e.g., reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation) and antioxidant depletion (e.g., glutathione and antioxidant enzymes). In addition, the effects of Pb on pro‐oxidant and antioxidant markers were significantly reverted by GO co‐exposure. Inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry suggested that due to the adsorption of Pb on rGO sheets, accessibility of Pb ions for A549 cells was limited. Hence, rGO reduced the toxicity of Pb in A549 cells. This research warrants further study to work on detailed underlying mechanisms of the mitigating effects of rGO against Pb‐induced toxicity on a molecular level.
Analytical calculation of the solvent‐accessible surface area and its nuclear gradients by stereographic projection: A general approach for molecules, polymers, nanotubes, helices, and surfaces
Authors: Vassetti Dario , Civalleri Bartolomeo , Labat Frédéric
Published: March 2020

In this article, we explore an alternative to the analytical Gauss–Bonnet approach for computing the solvent‐accessible surface area (SASA) and its nuclear gradients. These two key quantities are required to evaluate the nonelectrostatic contribution to the solvation energy and its nuclear gradients in implicit solvation models. We extend a previously proposed analytical approach for finite systems based on the stereographic projection technique to infinite periodic systems such as polymers, nanotubes, helices, or surfaces and detail its implementation in the Crystal code. We provide the full derivation of the SASA nuclear gradients, and introduce an iterative perturbation scheme of the atomic coordinates to stabilize the gradients calculation for certain difficult symmetric systems. An excellent agreement of computed SASA with reference analytical values is found for finite systems, while the SASA size‐extensivity is verified for infinite periodic systems. In addition, correctness of the analytical gradients is confirmed by the excellent agreement obtained with numerical gradients and by the translational invariance achieved, both for finite and infinite periodic systems. Overall therefore, the stereographic projection approach appears as a general, simple, and efficient technique to compute the key quantities required for the calculation of the nonelectrostatic contribution to the solvation energy and its nuclear gradients in implicit solvation models applicable to both finite and infinite periodic systems.
Evaluation of an integrated 3D‐printed phantom for coronary CT angiography using iterative reconstruction algorithm
Authors: Abdullah Kamarul A. , McEntee Mark F. , Reed Warren , Kench Peter L.
Published: March 2020

Introduction

3D‐printed imaging phantoms are now increasingly available and used for computed tomography (CT) dose optimisation study and image quality analysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the integrated 3D‐printed cardiac insert phantom when evaluating iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithm in coronary CT angiography (CCTA) protocols.

Methods

The 3D‐printed cardiac insert phantom was positioned into a chest phantom and scanned with a 16‐slice CT scanner. Acquisitions were performed with CCTA protocols using 120 kVp at four different tube currents, 300, 200, 100 and 50 mA (protocols A, B, C and D, respectively). The image data sets were reconstructed with a filtered back projection (FBP) and three different IR algorithm strengths. The image quality metrics of image noise, signal–noise ratio (SNR) and contrast–noise ratio (CNR) were calculated for each protocol.

Results

Decrease in dose levels has significantly increased the image noise, compared to FBP of protocol A (P < 0.001). As a result, the SNR and CNR were significantly decreased (P < 0.001). For FBP, the highest noise with poor SNR and CNR was protocol D with 19.0 ± 1.6 HU, 18.9 ± 2.5 and 25.1 ± 3.6, respectively. For IR algorithm, the highest strength (AIDR3Dstrong) yielded the lowest noise with excellent SNR and CNR.

Conclusions

The use of IR algorithm and increasing its strengths have reduced noise significantly and thus increased the SNR and CNR when compared to FBP. Therefore, this integrated 3D‐printed phantom approach could be used for dose optimisation study and image quality analysis in CCTA protocols.
Topoclimatic zones and characteristics of the upper Ganga basin, Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Yadav Bankim C. , Thayyen Renoj J. , Jain Kamal
Published: March 2020

The upper Ganga basin (UGB) constituting Bhagirathi and Alakananda basins has been considered as a single hydrological unit so far with comparable climate forcing. Here, we show three distinct “topoclimatic zones” of this basin having characteristically different temperature, precipitation, and orographic processes. The orographic discontinuity forced by a mountain ridge with an average elevation of 5,200 m a.s.l. is instrumental in the development of these topoclimatic zones. The northern region of the basin is identified as high elevation and high temperature zone (HE‐HT) with monsoon moisture deficit. This monsoon deficit region is characterized by higher land surface temperature lapse rate (LSTLR) during July and August (JA) derived from MODIS‐LST (11.00°C/km) as compared to much lower LSTLR of monsoon topoclimatic zone (5.78°C/km). The nival‐glacier regimes of the monsoon dominant and monsoon deficit regions constituted the third topoclimatic zone characterized by high elevation‐low temperature zone (HE‐LT). This zone has comparatively lower temperature lapse rate (5.26°C/km) than the immediately lower elevations. The coldest points identified in the basin are mostly placed in monsoon deficit regions with higher LSTLR. The 10–12°C isotherm in the monsoon deficit zone runs at 5,300 m a.s.l. as compared to 3,200 m a.s.l. in monsoon dominant zone. It is proposed that 80% of glacier area in the UGB is in the monsoon deficit zone that is regulated by the northern region orographic processes rather than southern slopes. Glacier change in the southern and northern zones show significant difference during the period of 1994–2016/2017, with significantly higher glacier area loss in the HE‐HT zone. The study highlights the importance of these topoclimatic considerations while evaluating the climate and hydrology of UGB.
Wind variability over the Caspian Sea, its impact on Caspian seawater level and link with ENSO
Authors: Arpe Klaus , Molavi‐Arabshahi Mahboubeh , Leroy Suzanne Alice Ghislaine
Published: March 2020

Newly available time series of 10‐m winds over last 60 years in the South Caspian Sea (CS) region show a remarkable shift in wind speed in 1995, that is also the year of maximum elevation of the Caspian Sea level (CSL). Our aim is to find the mechanisms linking these two features. This change is not only seen in the wind observations along the Southern CS coast, but also in the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis covering the Southern CS, leading there to an increase of evaporation after 1995. Due to wind increase, evaporation increases but does not lead to enhanced precipitation over the CS catchment area, the water seems to be lost to the east of the drainage basin for the water budget of the CS after 1995. This stopped the CSL rise and caused its post‐1995 fall. The connection between the wind speed and the trend of the CSL can also be seen for the 1977 low stand. Before 1977, the CSL was slightly dropping with relatively strong wind, then the wind speed fell and the CSL started to rise. The change of the wind seems to be induced by a teleconnection from El Niño‐Southern oscillation (ENSO). It is shown that ENSO impact is much stronger than that of North Atlantic oscillation (NAO), not only for the change of the CSL, but also for several key components of the CS water budget, like the Volga river discharge and wind speed. The wind speed is induced by ENSO, which is demonstrated by a shift of the jet stream over the CS area. This could be an explanative link between ENSO and CSL variability, but still needs further understanding. The NAO has a similar impact but to a lesser degree. When NAO and ENSO are working in the same direction, the CSL change is enhanced like from 1990 to 1995.
Psychological empowerment, work engagement, and organizational citizenship behavior among Indian service‐sector employees
Authors: Thakre Nilesh , Mathew Pauline
Published: March 2020

To ensure the success of their operations and maintain a competitive edge, the leaders of service firms increasingly expect employees to demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)—that is, to show initiative, be dedicated to their work, adhere to high‐quality performance standards, and take responsibility for their own professional development. A study of 120 service‐sector employees in India explored the degree to which psychological empowerment and work engagement affect OCB. Its findings suggest the importance of clearly articulating job expectations, providing adequate resources, and setting strategies to foster a sense of meaningfulness, competence, impact on organizational outcomes, and decision‐making authority among those charged with delivering customer service.
Relative pollen productivities of the major plant taxa of subtropical evergreen–deciduous mixed woodland in China
Authors: Jiang Fangyuan , Xu Qinghai , Zhang Shengrui , Li Furong , Zhang Kun , Wang Meng , Shen Wei , Sun Yuanhao , Zhou Zhongze
Published: March 2020

Quantifying the relationship between pollen and vegetation is an essential step in the pollen‐based quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation cover. In this study, we use the Extended R‐Value (ERV) model and a modern dataset of pollen (collected from moss polsters) and related vegetation from 50 sites in the Daba Mountains (subtropical China) to (i) estimate the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) of the moss samples and the relative pollen productivities (RPPs) of nine major plant taxa‐characteristic of the region, and (ii) evaluate the obtained RPPs. The RSAP estimates of moss polsters vary between 225 and 610 m depending on the ERV submodels and models of pollen dispersal and deposition used. The RPP estimates are different from values published in previous studies from temperate and subtropical China. This may be explained by differences in methodology, climate and vegetation (species composition and spatial distribution), of which vegetation is probably the most important factor. The ranking of the RPP estimates for the nine taxa is Pinus > Juglandaceae > D − Quercus (deciduous Quercus) > Poaceae > Rosaceae > Cyperaceae > Anacardiaceae > Castanea > Fabaceae. We use a ‘leave‐one‐out’ cross‐validation strategy and the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) for pollen‐based reconstruction of regional and local plant cover to evaluate the ERV model‐based RPP estimates. Both the REVEALS (Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites)‐based and the LOVE (LOcal Vegetation Estimates)‐based plant cover using the RPP estimates are closer to the modern vegetation composition than pollen percentages, thus confirming the applicability of the ERV model and the LRA approach in subtropical China.
Synergistic Population Density and Environmental Effects on Deer Body Condition
Authors: Ayotte Pascale , Le Corre Mael , Côté Steeve D.
Published: March 2020

The ability to predict energy and protein allocation to different body condition parameters according to environmental constraints is a key component in understanding the processes underlying population dynamics. We investigated the influence of a proxy of population density and environmental factors on individual body condition parameters of female white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) based on long‐term monitoring (2002–2013) of autumn harvest on Anticosti Island, Québec, Canada. We used dressed body mass, peroneus muscle mass, and rump fat thickness to evaluate the nutritional status of 3,123 adult females. Density index and winter precipitation negatively affected fat reserves in autumn. We detected the negative effect of winter precipitation on fat reserves only at low density likely because individuals at high density were already in bad condition. High normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in spring (May–Jun) reduced body mass, and this influence was more pronounced under high population density, probably because individuals at high densities were less likely to be buffered against environmental fluctuations when resources were scarcer than resources at low population density. Using different body condition parameters, our results provide additional insights on how northern ungulates influenced by food limitation may respond to future environmental changes. We recommend managers to collect long‐term data on multiple physiological indicators of body condition. These data could be used as an index of ecological changes and provide a quantitative basis to help setting harvest objectives or supporting adaptive management. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Enhanced High‐Temperature Dielectric Properties of Poly(aryl ether sulfone)/BaTiO3 Nanocomposites via Constructing Chemical Crosslinked Networks
Authors: Liu Jie , Li Xuefeng , Ma Shengqi , Zhang Junhu , Jiang Zhenhua , Zhang Yunhe
Published: March 2020

Heat‐resistant and crosslinked polymers/ceramic composites have been prepared and investigated for enhancing high‐temperature dielectric properties to adapt the development of advanced electric and electronic systems. Here, a series of crosslinkable heat‐resistant poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (DPAES) with large dipole units of −SO2− are designed and synthesized as matrix, which are blended with BaTiO3 (BT) nanoparticles to fabricate crosslinked polymer composites for boosting high‐temperature dielectric properties. The results show that BT/c‐DPAES possess great dielectric stability at measured frequency and temperature. Meanwhile, the discharged energy density and efficiency of BT/c‐DPAES composites are higher than that of BT/DPAES at high temperatures, e.g., 10 vol% BT/c‐DPAES has a discharged energy density of 1.7 J cm−3 and efficiency of 73%, increasing by 42% and 128% in contrast to BT/DPAES, respectively. The enhanced high‐temperature energy storage properties can be attributed to the construction of a crosslinked polymer network, reducing leakage current density of composites.
The multifarious roles of the chemokine CXCL14 in cancer progression and immune responses
Authors: Westrich Joseph A. , Vermeer Daniel W. , Colbert Paul L. , Spanos William C. , Pyeon Dohun
Published: March 2020

The chemokine CXCL14 is a highly conserved, homeostatic chemokine that is constitutively expressed in skin epithelia. Responsible for immune cell recruitment and maturation, as well as impacting epithelial cell motility, CXCL14 contributes to the establishment of immune surveillance within normal epithelial layers. Furthermore, CXCL14 is critical to upregulating major histocompatibility complex class I expression on tumor cells. Given these important roles, CXCL14 is often dysregulated in several types of carcinomas including cervical, colorectal, endometrial, and head and neck cancers. Its disruption has been shown to limit critical antitumor immune regulation and is correlated to poor patient prognosis. However, other studies have found that in certain cancers, namely pancreatic and some breast cancers, overexpression of stromal CXCL14 correlates with poor patient survival due to increased invasiveness. Contributing to the ambiguity CXCL14 plays in cancer is that the native CXCL14 receptor remains uncharacterized, although several candidate receptors have been proposed. Despite the complexity of CXCL14 functions, it remains clear that this chemokine is a key regulatory factor in cancer and represents a potential target for future cancer immunotherapies.
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Statin Use
Authors: Bayram Ece , Marras Connie , Standaert David G. , Kluger Benzi M. , Bordelon Yvette M. , Shprecher David R. , Litvan Irene ,   and the ENGENE‐PSP Consortium
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Statins were proposed to be neuroprotective; however, the effects are unknown in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a pure tauopathy.

Methods

Data of 284 PSP cases and 284 age‐matched, sex‐matched, and race‐matched controls were obtained from the environmental and genetic PSP (ENGENE‐PSP) study. Cases were evaluated with the PSP Rating Scale, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, and Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Statin associations with PSP risk, onset age, and disease features were analyzed.

Results

Univariate models showed lower PSP risk for type 1 statin users (simvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin). After adjusting for confounding variables, statin use and lower PSP risk association remained only at a trend level. For PSP cases, type 1 statins were associated with 1‐year older onset age; type 2 statins (atorvastatin, rosuvastatin) were associated with the lower PSP Rating Scale and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Conclusion

Statins may have inverse associations with PSP risk and motor impairment. Randomized prospective studies are required to confirm this effect. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
On the limitations of echo planar 4D flow MRI
Authors: Dillinger Hannes , Walheim Jonas , Kozerke Sebastian
Published: March 2020

Purpose

To compare EPI and GRE readout in high‐flow velocity regimes and evaluate their impact on measurement accuracy in silico and in vitro.

Theory and Methods

Phase‐contrast sequences for EPI and GRE were simulated using CFD velocity data to assess displacement artifacts as well as effective spatial resolution. In silico findings were validated experimentally using a steady flow phantom.

Results

For EPI factor 5 and simulated stenotic flow with peak velocity of 2.2 m, displacement artifacts resulted in misregistration of 7.3 mm at echo time and the effective resolution was locally reduced by factors 5 and 8 compared to GRE for flow along phase and frequency encoding directions, respectively. In vitro, a maximum velocity difference between EPI factor 5 and GRE of 0.97 m was found.

Conclusions

Four‐dimensional flow MRI using EPI readout results not only in considerable velocity misregistration but also in spatially varying degradation of resolution. The proposed work indicates that EPI is inferior to standard GRE for 4D flow MRI.
Active learning polynomial chaos expansion for reliability analysis by maximizing expected indicator function prediction error
Authors: Cheng Kai , Lu Zhenzhou
Published: March 2020

Assessing the failure probability of complex aeronautical structure is a difficult task in presence of uncertainties. In this paper, active learning polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) is developed for reliability analysis. The proposed method firstly assigns a Gaussian Process (GP) prior to the model response, and the covariance function of this GP is defined by the inner product of PCE basis function. Then, we show that a PCE model can be derived by the posterior mean of the GP, and the posterior variance is obtained to measure the local prediction error as Kriging model. Also, the expectation of the prediction variance is derived to measure the overall accuracy of the obtained PCE model. Then, a learning function, named expected indicator function prediction error (EIFPE), is proposed to update the design of experiment of PCE model for reliability analysis. This learning function is developed under the framework of the variance‐bias decomposition. It selects new points sequentially by maximizing the EIFPE that considers both the variance and bias information, and it provides a dynamic balance between global exploration and local exploitation. Finally, several test functions and engineering applications are investigated, and the results are compared with the widely used Kriging model combined with U and expected feasibility function learning function. Results show that the proposed method is efficient and accurate for complex engineering applications.
Saddle‐point optimality criteria in modified variational control problems with partial differential equation constraints
Authors: Treanţă Savin
Published: March 2020

In this article, based on a multidimensional control problem, in short (MCP), we introduce a modified multidimensional variational control problem involving first‐order partial differential equations and inequality‐type constraints. As well, we formulate and prove optimality conditions for this new variational control problem. Furthermore, we establish (under some generalized convexity assumptions) an equivalence between an optimal solution of (MCP) and a saddle‐point associated with the Lagrange functional (Lagrangian) corresponding to the modified multidimensional control problem. Also, in order to illustrate our main characterization results and their effectiveness, we present several applications.
Preparation and Properties of Coating for Improving Heat and Salt Wet Resistance of Combustible Cartridges
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Zeng Xi , Xiao Jinxiu , Pu Chengkai , Shi Haiyue , Xiao Zhenggang
Published: March 2020

A combustible cartridge is made of nitrocellulose, wood fibers and resin. It is easy to absorb moisture in a high‐humidity environment and the NC‐based materials may self‐ignite after storage at higher temperature for a long time. A large number of studies have been carried out to improve the surface protection performance of combustible cartridges usually using a general nitrocellulose varnish. But the heat‐resistance of the nitrocellulose varnish coating is poor. In this article, we develop a composite coating that improves the heat‐resistance and salt wet resistance of combustible cartridges. The new composite coating was prepared by adding BN/silane composite particles and non‐ionic surface active reagent Tween 80 into the nitrocellulose varnish by an optimized composition. The high temperature resistant performance and salt tolerance properties effect of the new composite coating for combustible cartridge were investigated by thermogravimetric experiment, muffle furnace experiment and salt wet resistance test. Compared with the control sample, the coated sample by the new composite coating was able to stand for 138 s at a high temperature of 220 °C, increasing the high temperature resistance time by a maximum percentage of 50 %. In a high‐salt environment, the final water absorption percentage was only 0.2944 % when the coated sample is immersed in a high salt content water at 26 °C for three days, increasing the salt wet resistance by a maximum percentage of 70 %. Results show that the new coating using BN/silane composite particle can improve the high temperature resistant performance and salt tolerance properties of combustible cartridges effectively.
Connecting Dualities and Machine Learning
Authors: Betzler Philip , Krippendorf Sven
Published: March 2020

Dualities are widely used in quantum field theories and string theory to obtain correlation functions at high accuracy. Here we present examples where dual data representations are useful in supervised classification, linking machine learning and typical tasks in theoretical physics. We then discuss how such beneficial representations can be enforced in the latent dimension of neural networks. We find that additional contributions to the loss based on feature separation, feature matching with respect to desired representations, and a good performance on a ‘simple’ correlation function can lead to known and unknown dual representations. This is the first proof of concept that computers can find dualities. We discuss how our examples, based on discrete Fourier transformation and Ising models, connect to other dualities in theoretical physics, for instance Seiberg duality.
Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells Based on CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots Electron Transporting Layer with Superior UV Stability
Authors: Tavakoli Mohammad Mahdi , Prochowicz Daniel , Yadav Pankaj , Tavakoli Rouhollah
Published: March 2020

Stability is the main challenge in the field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Finding new strategies is required to protect the PSCs from deteriorating agents such as humidity, heating, and illumination. Herein, a new electron transporting layer (ETL), i.e., CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs), is proposed for the fabrication of efficient and stable PSCs. CdSe/ZnS QDs layer not only works as an ETL but also has downshifting property, which can improve both efficiency and stability of the PSCs. Using CdSe/ZnS QDs ETL with green emission, a PSC with maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18% is achieved. More importantly, the device shows great UV stability, much better than the device with TiO2 ETL, where it retains 90% of its initial PCE value after 75 h under continuous UV illumination.
On singularities of flat affine systems with n states and n−1 controls
Authors: Kaminski Yirmeyahu J. , Lévine Jean , Ollivier François
Published: March 2020

We study the set of intrinsic singularities of flat affine systems with n−1 controls and n states using the notion of Lie‐Bäcklund atlas, previously introduced by the authors. For this purpose, we prove two easily computable sufficient conditions to construct flat outputs as a set of independent first integrals of distributions of vector fields: the first one in a generic case, namely, in a neighborhood of a point where the n−1 control vector fields are independent and the second one at a degenerate point where p−1 control vector fields are dependent of the n−p others, with p>1. After introducing the Γ‐accessibility rank condition, we show that the set of intrinsic singularities includes the set of points where the system does not satisfy this rank condition and is included in the set where a distribution of vector fields introduced in the generic case is singular. We conclude this analysis by three examples of apparent singularities of flat systems in generic and nongeneric degenerate cases.
Heterogeneous freezing on pyroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐trifluoroethylene) thin films
Authors: Apelt Sabine , Höhne Susanne , Uhlmann Petra , Bergmann Ute
Published: March 2020

Active deicing of technical surfaces, such as for wind turbines and heat exchangers, currently requires the usage of heat or chemicals. Passive coating strategies that postpone the freezing of covering water would be beneficial in order to save costs and energy. One hypothesis is that pyroelectric active materials can achieve this because of the surface charges generated on these materials when they are subject to a temperature change. High‐quality poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF‐TrFE)) thin films with a high crystallinity, prefererd edge‐on orientation, low surface roughness, and comprised of the β‐analogous ferroelectric phase were deposited by spin‐coating. Freezing experiments with a cooling rate of 1 K min−1 were made on P(VDF‐TrFE) coatings in order to separate the effect of different parameters such as the poling direction, film thickness, used solvent, deposition process, underlying substrate, and annealing temperature on the achievable supercooling. The topography and the underlying substrate significantly changed the distribution of freezing temperatures of water droplets in contact with these thin films. In contrast, no significant effect of the thickness, morphology, or pyroelectric effect of the as‐prepared domain‐state on the freezing temperatures was found.
Green Synthesis of Poly‐Substituted Pyrano[4,3‐b]quinoline‐1,9‐(5H)‐dione Derivatives Using Solid Acid as Catalyst in Water
Authors: Yang Ning , Zhang Danmin , Zhou Jianguo , Qi Chenze , Li Chunmei , Zhang Furen
Published: March 2020

A series of new pyrano[4,3‐b]quinoline‐1,9(5H)‐dione derivatives were synthesized via one‐pot three‐component reaction using 6‐methyl‐4‐(arylamino)‐2H‐pyran‐2‐ones, aldehydes, and 1,3‐cyclohexanediones as substrates. The application of 4‐methylbenzenesulfonyl chloride activated the hydroxyl group of pyranone and avoided the forming of ring opening product. The reaction proceeds smoothly and gives biological and pharmacological active substituted pyrano[4,3‐b]quinoline‐1,9(5H)‐dione derivatives with good to excellent yields under green conditions. A plausible mechanism for the domino process is proposed.
Polysulfone Membranes Incorporated with Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Olefin/Paraffin Separation
Authors: Najafi Mohadeseh , Sadeghi Morteza , Shamsabadi Ahmad A. , Dinari Mohammad , Soroush Masoud
Published: March 2020

The membrane technology has received considerable attention for olefin/paraffin separation in recent years, owing to its attractive energy efficiency. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is prepared via hydrothermal treatment of graphene oxide. The prepared rGO is characterized and then incorporated into polysulfone (PSF) to fabricate mixed‐matrix membranes (MMMs). The fabricated membranes are characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray powder diffraction. The gas transport properties of the MMMs are evaluated for ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane gas pairs at 2 bar and 30
. Permeation tests indicate that the PSF membrane embedded with 1.0 wt% of the rGO nanosheets has 143% and 193% higher C2H4 and C3H6 permeabilities, respectively, its C3H6/C3H8 selectivity is 18% higher, but its C2H4/C2H6 selectivity is 23% lower, compared to those of the pristine PSF membrane. The gas permeability enhancement is attributed to improved gas diffusion and solubility coefficients. These results indicate the potential of rGO nanosheets for the enhancement of olefin permeabilities without significant drops in olefin/paraffin selectivities.
Insecure Resources, Bilateral Trade, and Endogenous Predation: A Game‐Theoretic Analysis of Conflict and Trade
Authors: Chang Yang‐Ming , Wu Shih‐Jye
Published: March 2020

This article analyzes how interstate conflict over resources affects the incentives to trade and how greater trade openness affects the endogenous decisions of arming by enemy countries. We identify conditions under which there is trade between two adversary countries and show that each adversary's arming affects domestic welfare in three different ways. The first is an export‐revenue effect, which increases welfare because arming causes export revenue to go up (i.e., there is an arming‐induced terms‐of‐trade improvement). The second is a resource‐predation effect, which increases welfare because arming increases the appropriation of a rival country's resource input to produce a consumption good. The third is an output‐distortion effect, which reduces welfare because arming lowers the domestic production of civilian goods. Based on these effects, we show circumstances in which greater trade openness reduces the intensity of arming. We also discuss the implications of resource security asymmetry for conflict and trade.
Analysis of a cloud migration framework for offline risk assessment of cloud service providers
Authors: Sen Amartya , Madria Sanjay
Published: March 2020

Generic notions of security on cloud platforms make clients apprehensive about fully migrating their applications on these platforms. The challenge lies in the capability of personalizing the security assessments of different cloud service providers from the perspective of the security requirements of the client applications to be hosted on them. This challenge was addressed by the previously proposed offline risk assessment framework for cloud service providers. This article presents a comprehensive analysis of a cloud migration framework that has been designed by adapting the novel security assessment principles of the offline risk assessment framework. The migration strategy has been modeled as a multiobjective optimization problem to further study the performance of numerous evolutionary algorithms in designing various cloud migration scenarios. The overall effectiveness of the proposed framework has been examined using a use‐case application scenario and semisynthetic cloud service providers.
Multi‐coefficients correlation methods
Authors: Zhang Wenna , Kong Xirui , Liu Sheng , Zhao Yan
Published: March 2020

A composite quantum chemical method is an approximated computational protocol designed to obtain highly accurate energies for different types of interactions. In this review, we summarize the recent advance in the evolution, assessments, and applications of the multi‐coefficients correlation methods (MCCMs) and doubly hybrid MCCMs, especially the recent Wuhan‐Minnesota‐Scaling method, for accurate calculations of Born–Oppenheimer energies of molecular systems. The review gives an overview of the methods along with their performance on the W4‐17 database.

This article is categorized under:

Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods

Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory

Software > Quantum Chemistry
Preparation and Characterization of Protonated Fumaric Acid
Authors: Bayer Marie C. , Jessen Christoph , Kornath Andreas J.
Published: March 2020

Fumaric acid was reacted with the binary superacidic systems HF/SbF5 and HF/AsF5. The O,O'‐diprotonated [C4H6O4]2+([MF6]–)2 (M = As, Sb) and the O‐monoprotonated [C4H5O4]+[MF6]– (M = As, Sb) species are formed depending on the stoichiometric ratio of the Lewis acid to fumaric acid. The colorless salts were characterized by low‐temperature vibrational spectroscopy. In case of the hexafluoridoantimonates single‐crystal X‐ray structure analyses were carried out. The [C4H6O4]2+([SbF6]–)2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with four formula units per unit cell and [C4H5O4]+[SbF6]– crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with one formula unit per unit cell. The protonation of fumaric acid does not cause a notable change of the C=C bond length. The experimental data are discussed together with quantum chemical calculations of the cations [C4H6O4 · 4 HF]2+ and [C4H6O4 · 2 H2CO · 2 HF]2+.
A low-scale flavon model with a ℤN symmetry
Authors: Higaki Tetsutaro , Kawamura Junichiro
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We propose a model that explains the fermion mass hierarchy by the Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism with a discrete $$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{Z}}}_N^F $$

ℤ
N
F

symmetry. As a concrete model, we study a super-symmetric model with a single flavon coupled to the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model. Flavon develops a TeV scale vacuum expectation value for realizing flavor hierarchy, an appropriate μ-term and the electroweak scale, hence the model has a low cutoff scale. We demonstrate how the flavon is successfully stabilized together with the Higgs bosons in the model. The discrete flavor symmetry $$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{Z}}}_N^F $$

ℤ
N
F

controls not only the Standard Model fermion masses, but also the Higgs potential and a mass of the Higgsino which is a good candidate for dark matter. The hierarchy in the Higgs-flavon sector is determined in order to make the model anomaly-free and realize a stable electroweak vacuum. We show that this model can explain the fermion mass hierarchy, realistic Higgs-flavon potential and thermally produced dark matter at the same time. We discuss flavor violating processes induced by the light flavon which would be detected in future experiments.