bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erratum to: Biosurfactantes y su papel en la biorremediación de suelos contaminados con plaguicidas
Authors: De la Rosa Cruz Nuvia L. , Sánchez-Salinas Enrique , Ortiz-Hernández y Ma. Laura
Published: March 2015

Los biosurfactantes (BS) son un grupo de moléculas de origen microbiano que se caracterizan por ser anfipáticas, es decir que sus moléculas presentan dos partes diferentes, una hidrofóbica y otra hidrofílica. Son un grupo estructuralmente diverso de moléculas tensoactivas, que presentan en general menor toxicidad y mayor biodegradabilidad que los surfactantes sintéticos. Entre las aplicaciones más estudiadas de los BS están aquellas relacionadas con la industria del petróleo y la bioremediación de sitios o residuos contaminados con hidrocarburos. No obstante, los biosurfactantes pueden ser utilizados para otro tipo de compuestos xenobióticos, como es el caso de los plaguicidas. Estos compuestos permiten controlar la proliferación de plagas y enfermedades de los cultivos y del ganado, así como reducir o evitar las pérdidas en la producción de alimentos y contribuir al control de los vectores de diversas enfermedades. No obstante la importancia económica de los plaguicidas, es necesario destacar que su aplicación indiscriminada y sin control ha generado diversos problemas como intoxicación a seres humanos, efectos carcinogénicos, teratogénicos y mutagénicos, además de numerosos problemas ambientales como contaminación de mantos freáticos, aguas continentales y costeras; contaminación del suelo y bioacumulación en las cadenas alimentarias. Generalmente los plaguicidas son de naturaleza hidrofóbica, por lo que el uso de los BS puede ser prometedor en la remediación de sitios contaminados o en el tratamiento biotecnológico de residuos de plaguicidas.
Magnetic Levitation
Authors: Hull John R.
Published: March 2015

The article covers the principles and methods of magnetic levitation, including the use of superconductors. Selected applications that are discussed include maglev ground transport, clean‐room applications, air and space launch, magnetic bearings, and levitation melting.
Comparison of spaceborne measurements of sea surface salinity and colored detrital matter in the Amazon plume
Authors: Fournier S. , Chapron B. , Salisbury J. , Vandemark D. , Reul N.
Published: March 2015

Large rivers are key hydrologic components in oceanography, particularly regarding air‐sea and land‐sea exchanges and biogeochemistry. We enter now in a new era of Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) observing system from Space with the recent launches of the ESA Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and the NASA Aquarius/Sac‐D missions. With these new sensors, we are now in an excellent position to revisit SSS and ocean color investigations in the tropical northwest Atlantic using multiyear remote sensing time series and concurrent in situ observations. The Amazon is the world's largest river in terms of discharge. In its plume, SSS and upper water column optical properties such as the absorption coefficient of colored detrital matter (acdm) are strongly negatively correlated (<−0.7). Local quasi‐linear relationships between SSS and acdm are derived for these plume waters over the period of 2010–2013 using new spaceborne SSS and ocean color measurements. Results allow unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution of this coupling. These relationships are then used to estimate SSS in the Amazon plume based on ocean color satellite data. This new product is validated against SMOS and in situ data and compared with previously developed SSS retrieval models. We demonstrate the potential to estimate tropical Atlantic SSS for the extended period from 1998 to 2010, prior to spaceborne SSS data collection.
Effects of spherical inclusions on scattering properties of small ice cloud particles
Authors: Hong Gang , Minnis Patrick
Published: March 2015

The single‐scattering properties of small ice crystals containing four types of spherical inclusions, ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4, ammonium nitrate NH3NO3, air bubbles, and soot, are investigated at 0.65 and 2.13 µm. Small, randomly oriented hexagonal ice columns with spherical inclusions that are randomly distributed with standard gamma size distributions in the columns are considered in the present study. Ice crystals with inclusions of (NH4)2SO4 and NH3NO3 essentially have the same features due to their similar refractive indices. Nonzero scattering matrix elements are sensitive to inclusion type and amount, and show differences between 0.65 and 2.13 µm. The extinction efficiency Qe of small ice crystals at 0.65 µm is near 2.0 and essentially unaffected by variations in inclusion volume, in contrast to strong influences of inclusion amount on Qe at 2.13 µm. The single‐scattering albedo ϖ0 of ice crystals, nearly equal to 1.0, is not affected by inclusions of (NH4)2SO4, NH3NO3, and air bubbles. Soot inclusions strongly affect ϖ0, which decreases to about 0.5 with increasing soot amounts. The asymmetry factor g is substantially affected by (NH4)2SO4, NH3NO3, and soot and the variations in their amounts. Full Stokes parameters of cirrus clouds consisting of uniform hexagonal ice columns with inclusions are computed using a polarized radiative transfer model. Sensitivities of light intensity and polarization of cirrus clouds to types and amounts of inclusions and cirrus cloud optical thicknesses are found to depend on wavelength. The present results suggest that different types of inclusions for small ice crystals should be considered when developing realistic ice crystal optical properties, and that light intensity and polarization of cirrus clouds and their angular distribution features, in the absence of other effects such as cavities and surface roughness, imply the potential for identifying pure ice crystals from those with aerosol inclusions.
Resolution‐dependent behavior of subgrid‐scale vertical transport in theZhang‐McFarlane convection parameterization
Authors: Xiao Heng , Gustafson William I. , Hagos Samson M. , Wu Chien‐Ming , Wan Hui
Published: March 2015

To better understand the behavior of quasi‐equilibrium‐based convection parameterizations at higher resolution, we use a diagnostic framework to examine the resolution‐dependence of subgrid‐scale vertical transport of moist static energy as parameterized by the Zhang‐McFarlane convection parameterization (ZM). Grid‐scale input to ZM is supplied by coarsening output from cloud‐resolving model (CRM) simulations onto subdomains ranging in size from 8 × 8 to 256 × 256 km2. Then the ZM‐based parameterization of vertical transport of moist static energy for scales smaller than the subdomain size () are compared to those directly calculated from the CRM simulations () for different subdomain sizes. The ensemble meandecreases by more than half as the subdomain size decreases from 128 to 8 km across whiledecreases with subdomain size only for strong convection cases and increases for weaker cases. The resolution dependence ofis determined by the positive‐definite grid‐scale tendency of convective available potential energy (CAPE) in the convective quasi‐equilibrium (QE) closure. Further analysis shows the actual grid‐scale tendency of CAPE (before taking the positive definite value) andbehave very similarly as the subdomain size changes because they are both tied to grid‐scale advective tendencies. We can improve the resolution dependence ofsignificantly by averaging the grid‐scale tendency of CAPE over an appropriately large area surrounding each subdomain before taking its positive definite value. Even though the ensemble meandecreases with increasing resolution, its variability increases dramatically.cannot capture such increase in the variability, suggesting the need for stochastic treatment of convection at relatively high spatial resolution (8 or 16 km).
Impact of viscous fingering and permeability heterogeneity on fluid mixing in porous media
Authors: Nicolaides Christos , Jha Birendra , Cueto‐Felgueroso Luis , Juanes Ruben
Published: March 2015

Fluid mixing plays a fundamental role in many natural and engineered processes, including groundwater flows in porous media, enhanced oil recovery, and microfluidic lab‐on‐a‐chip systems. Recent developments have explored the effect of viscosity contrast on mixing, suggesting that the unstable displacement of fluids with different viscosities, or viscous fingering, provides a powerful mechanism to increase fluid‐fluid interfacial area and enhance mixing. However, existing studies have not incorporated the effect of medium heterogeneity on the mixing rate. Here, we characterize the evolution of mixing between two fluids of different viscosity in heterogeneous porous media. We focus on a practical scenario of divergent‐convergent flow in a quarter five spot geometry prototypical of well‐driven groundwater flows. We study by means of numerical simulations the impact of permeability heterogeneity and viscosity contrast on the breakthrough curves and mixing efficiency, and we rationalize the nontrivial mixing behavior that emerges from the competition between the creation of fluid‐fluid interfacial area and channeling.
A hydrometeorological approach for probabilistic simulation of monthly soil moisture under bare and crop land conditions
Authors: Das Sarit Kumar , Maity Rajib
Published: March 2015

This study focuses on the probabilistic estimation of monthly soil moisture variation by considering (a) the influence of hydrometeorological forcing to model the temporal variation and (b) the information of Hydrological Soil Groups (HSGs) and Agro‐Climatic Zones (ACZs) to capture the spatial variation. The innovative contributions of this study are: (i) development of a Combined Hydro‐Meteorological (CHM) index to extract the information of different influencing hydrometeorological variables, (ii) consideration of soil‐hydrologic characteristics (through HSGs) and climate regime‐based zoning for agriculture (through ACZs), and (iii) quantification of uncertainty range of the estimated soil moisture. Usage of Supervised Principal Component Analysis (SPCA) in the development of the CHM index helps to eliminate the “curse of dimensionality,” typically arises in the multivariate analysis. The usage of SPCA also ensures the maximum possible association between the developed CHM index and soil moisture variation. The association between these variables is modeled through their joint distribution which is obtained by using the theory of copula. The proposed approach is also spatially transferable, since the information on HSGs and ACZs is considered. The “leave‐one‐out” cross‐validation (LOO‐CV) approach is adopted for stations belong to a particular HSG to examine the spatial transferability. The simulated soil moisture values are also compared with a few existing soil moisture data sets, derived from different Land Surface Models (LSMs) or retrieved from different satellite‐based missions. The potential of the proposed approach is found to be promising and even applicable to crop land also, though with a lesser degree of efficiency as compared to bare land conditions.
Ionospheric storms—A challenge for empirical forecast of the total electron content
Authors: Borries C. , Berdermann J. , Jakowski N. , Wilken V.
Published: March 2015

Since the last decades, the functioning of society depends more and more on well‐functioning communication and navigation systems. As the availability and reliability of most of these satellite‐based systems can be severely impacted by ionospheric storms, the accurate forecast of these events becomes a required task for mitigating social and economic risks. Here we aim to make initial steps toward an empirical model for ionospheric perturbations related to space weather events that are observable in the total electron content (TEC). The perturbation TEC forecast model will be a fast and robust approach, improving TEC forecasts based on climatological models during storm conditions. The derivation of such a model is a challenging task, because although a general dependence of the storm features (enhancement or depletion of electron density) on the storm onset time, local time, season and geomagnetic latitude is well known, there is a large deviation from the mean behavior. For a better understanding of storm conditions, this paper presents analyses of ionospheric storms observed in the TEC, broken down into diverse classes of storms. It provides a detailed characterization of the typical ionospheric storm behavior over Europe from high to midlatitudes, beyond case studies. Generally, the typical clear strong TEC enhancement starting in high latitudes and propagating equatorward is found to be strongest for storms starting in the morning hours independent of the season. In midlatitudes, it is strongest during noon. In addition, a clear difference between summer and winter storms is reported. While only winter storms develop high‐latitude TEC enhancements, only summer storms typically exhibit TEC depletions during the storm recovery phase. During winter storms TEC enhancements can also occur the day following the storm onset, in contrast to summer storms. Strong correlation of TEC perturbation amplitudes to the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field and to a proxy of the polar cap potential are shown especially for summer midlatitude TEC enhancements during storms with and onset in the morning hours (6 to 12 UT over Europe) and for winter high‐latitude TEC enhancements (around 60∘N). The results indicate the potential to derive improved predictions of maximum TEC deviations during space weather events, based on solar wind measurements.
Upwelling induced by the frictional stress curl and vertical squeezing of the vortex tube over a submerged valley in the East China Sea
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Gan Jianping
Published: March 2015

We conducted a process‐oriented modeling study to investigate the characteristics and dynamics of the prominent upwelling over a vast submerged valley in the East China Sea (ECS). The valley is inversely funnel‐shaped with the west bank and the east bank oriented in the north‐south direction. A cross‐bank upward transport occurred along the west bank. It intensified northward and peaked around the head of the valley. An along‐bank southward pressure gradient force (
) formed the cross‐bank geostrophic transport for the upwelling over the valley. The PGF reached its maxima at the head of the valley. Our momentum and vorticity dynamic analyses revealed that a bottom stress curl mainly contributed the PGF along the west bank. At the same time, both the bottom stress curl and the nonlinear vorticity advection contributed to the PGF around the head. The bottom stress curl was due to the bottom shear vorticity of the coastal current and the curvature vorticity around the head. The nonlinear vorticity advection formed because of the vertical squeezing of vortex tube as the current flowed over the valley. The nonlinearity mainly affected the PGF around the head, whereas the bottom stress curl contributed to the PGF over the entire valley. The ratio of the nonlinear to frictional contributions to the PGF increased as the coastal current intensified. Our study demonstrates that the PGF that drives the upwelling over the valley is the combined result of the nonlinearity due to vertical squeezing of vortex tube and bottom frictional effects.
Spreadsheet Modeling for Operations Research Practice
Authors: Grossman Thomas
Published: March 2015

This article presents the essential information for operations research practitioners to use spreadsheets to enhance their practice. We provide examples of high impact operations research models implemented in a spreadsheet. We discuss the characteristics of the spreadsheet as a programming language, provide an overview of spreadsheet engineering principles, and a summary of the research on spreadsheet errors, emphasizing that practitioners with the sophistication to code in traditional languages can code complex models in a spreadsheet, provided they approach the task with equivalent diligence. We present four approaches to using spreadsheets in operations research practice. There is a rich set of add‐ins that implement operations research techniques in a spreadsheet, such as Monte Carlo simulation, optimization (including very large and challenging models), statistics and other data‐driven techniques, business function‐specific analysis, as well as productivity tools for spreadsheet developers.
Analytic Modeling of Insurgencies
Authors: Kress Moshe
Published: March 2015

Legacy force‐on‐force models are symmetrical; they reflect the fact that the dynamics of both sides in the conflict is governed by similar rules. These models have also traditionally focused on the physical aspects of armed conflicts—fire, attrition, detection, movement, logistics, and so on. Insurgency models are different in two key aspects: (i) they are asymmetrical and (ii) they contain, in addition to the physical aspects, significant cognitive, social, cultural, political, and economic factors. The reason for the asymmetry is the way insurgents evolve and operate, and the emergence of nonphysical factors is due to the major role of civilians in such conflicts. This article focuses on analytic modeling of insurgencies and counterinsurgency operations, describing both the physical and nonphysical components of such armed conflicts.
Association of Physical Activity Measured by Accelerometer, Knee Joint Abnormalities, and Cartilage T2 Measurements Obtained From 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative
Authors: Kretzschmar M. , Lin W. , Nardo L. , Joseph G. B. , Dunlop D. D. , Heilmeier U. , Nevitt M. C. , Alizai H. , McCulloch C. E. , Lynch J. A. , Link T. M.
Published: March 2015

Objective

To study the cross‐sectional association between physical activity measured with an accelerometer, structural knee abnormalities, and cartilage T2 values assessed with 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

We included 274 subjects from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort without definite radiographic osteoarthritis (Kellgren/Lawrence grades 0 and 1) and with at most mild pain, stiffness, and functional limitation in the study knee (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scale 0–1), which had not limited their activity due to knee pain. Physical activity was measured over 7 days with an ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer. Subjects were categorized by quartile of physical activity based on the average daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (mv‐PA). MRI images of the right knee (at 48‐month visit) were assessed for structural abnormalities using a modified Whole‐Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS) and for T2 relaxation times derived from segmented cartilage of 4 femorotibial regions and the patella. WORMS grades and T2 measurements were compared between activity quartiles using a linear regression model. Covariates included age, sex, body mass index, knee injury, family history of knee replacement, knee symptoms, hip and ankle pain, and daily wear time of the accelerometer.

Results

Higher mv‐PA was associated with increased severity (P = 0.0087) and number of lesions of the medial meniscus (P = 0.0089) and with severity of bone marrow edema lesions (P = 0.0053). No association between cartilage lesions and mv‐PA was found. T2 values of cartilage (loss, damage, and abnormalities) tended to be greater in the higher quartiles of mv‐PA, but the differences were nonsignificant.

Conclusion

In knees without radiographic osteoarthritis in subjects with no or mild knee pain, higher physical activity levels were associated with increases in meniscal and bone marrow edema pattern lesions.
Association of Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Metabolic Syndrome Among US Adults With Osteoarthritis
Authors: Liu Shao‐Hsien , Waring Molly E. , Eaton Charles B. , Lapane Kate L.
Published: March 2015

Objective

To investigate the association between objectively measured physical activity and metabolic syndrome among adults with osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

Using cross‐sectional data from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we identified 566 adults with OA with available accelerometer data assessed using Actigraph AM‐7164 and measurements necessary to determine metabolic syndrome by the Adult Treatment Panel III. Analysis of variance was conducted to examine the association between continuous variables in each activity level and metabolic syndrome components. Logistic models estimated the relationship of quartile of daily minutes of different physical activity levels to odds of metabolic syndrome adjusted for socioeconomic and health factors.

Results

Among persons with OA, most were women average age of 62.1 years and average disease duration of 12.9 years. Half of adults with OA had metabolic syndrome (51.0%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 44.2%–57.8%), and only 9.6% engaged in the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate/vigorous physical activity. Total sedentary time was associated with higher rates of metabolic syndrome and its components, while light and objectively measured moderate/vigorous physical activity was inversely associated with metabolic syndrome and its components. Higher levels of light activity were associated with lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome (quartile 4 versus quartile 1: adjusted odds ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.24–0.84, P for linear trend < 0.005).

Conclusion

Most US adults with OA are sedentary. Increased daily minutes in physical activity, especially in light intensity, is more likely to be associated with decreasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome among persons with OA.
Electrical Transport and Oxygen Exchange in the Superoxides of Potassium, Rubidium, and Cesium
Authors: Gerbig Oliver , Merkle Rotraut , Maier Joachim
Published: March 2015

Conductivity, ionic transference number, and chemical diffusion coefficients are determined for KO2, RbO2, and CsO2. Based on such results, a defect‐chemical model is constructed. These superoxides are found to exhibit a total conductivity in the range of 3 × 10–7 to 5 × 10–5 S cm–1 at 200 °C with contributions from ionic and electronic carriers. The ionic conductivity is caused by alkali interstitials and superoxide vacancies as mobile defects, and is found to exceed the n‐type electronic conductivity. 18O isotope exchange on powder samples (monitoring the gas phase composition) shows that essentially all oxygen can be exchanged. At high pO2 this largely occurs without breaking of the O–O bond—indicating a sufficient mobility of molecular superoxide species in the solid—and with an effective rate constant that is much higher than for other large‐bandgap mixed conducting materials such as SrTiO3.
Porous Gold with a Nested‐Network Architecture and Ultrafine Structure
Authors: Qi Zhen , Vainio Ulla , Kornowski Andreas , Ritter Martin , Weller Horst , Jin Haijun , Weissmüller Jörg
Published: March 2015

A preparation strategy is developed for monolithic samples of nanoporous gold with a hierarchical structure comprising two nested networks of solid “ligaments” on distinctly different structural length scales. The electrochemical dealloying protocol achieves a large retention of less noble element in a first corrosion step, thereby allowing an extra corrosion step which forms a separate structural hierarchy level. The beneficial impact of adding Pt to the Ag–Au master alloys that are more conventionally used in dealloying approaches to nanoporous gold is demonstrated. At ≈6 nm, the lower hierarchy level ligament size emerges extremely small. Furthermore, Pt favors the retention of Ag during the first dealloying step even when the master alloy has a high Au content. The high Au content reduces the corrosion‐induced shrinkage, mitigating crack formation during preparation and favoring the formation of high‐quality macroscopic (mm‐sized) samples. The corrosion effectively carves out the nanoscale hierarchical ligament structure from the parent crystals tens of micrometers in size. This is revealed by X‐ray as well as electron backscatter diffraction, which shows that the porous crystallites inherit the highly ordered, macroscopic crystal lattice structure of the master alloy.
Printing Nanostructures with a Propelled Anti‐Pinning Ink Droplet
Authors: Konvalina Gady , Leshansky Alexander , Haick Hossam
Published: March 2015

Striving for cheap and robust manufacturing processes has prompted efforts to adapt and extend methods for printed electronics and biotechnology. A new “direct‐write” printing method for patterning nanometeric species in addressable locations has been developed, by means of evaporative deposition from a propelled anti‐pinning ink droplet (PAPID) in a manner analogous to a snail‐trail. Three velocity‐controlled deposition regimes have been identified; each spontaneously produces distinct and well‐defined self‐assembled deposition patterns. Unlike other technologies that rely on overlapping droplets, PAPIDs produce continuous patterns that can be formed on rigid or flexible substrates, even within 3D concave closed shapes, and have the ability to control the thickness gradient along the pattern. This versatile low cost printing method can produce a wide range of unusual electronic systems not attainable by other methods.
pn‐Heterojunction Diodes with n‐Type In2O3
Authors: von Wenckstern Holger , Splith Daniel , Lanzinger Stefan , Schmidt Florian , Müller Stefan , Schlupp Peter , Karsthof Robert , Grundmann Marius
Published: March 2015

pn‐Heterodiodes comprising the wide bandgap semiconducting oxide In2O3 and amorphous p‐conducting NiO or ZnCo2O4 are realized. In2O3 is grown at 600 °C and the amorphous p‐type oxides at room temperature by pulsed‐laser deposition. Highest rectification of about four orders of magnitude is observed for structures with Mg‐doped In2O3 layers having lower carrier density than undoped layers. The p‐ZnCo2O4/n‐In2O3 diodes do not show degradation at elevated temperatures of 150 °C, whereas the p‐NiO/n‐In2O3 diodes degrade irreversibly for T > 100 °C. Thermal admittance spectroscopy revealed shallow defect levels in the In2O3 layer with activation energy of about 12 and 250 meV, respectively.
Long‐term effects of castration on the skeleton of male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Kessler Matthew J. , Wang Qian , Cerroni Antonietta M. , Grynpas Marc D. , Gonzalez Velez Olga D. , Rawlins Richard G. , Ethun Kelly F. , Wimsatt Jeffrey H. , Kensler Terry B. , Pritzker Kenneth P.H.
Published: March 2015

While osteopenia (OPE) and osteoporosis (OPO) have been studied in various species of aging nonhuman primates and extensively in ovariectomized rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, there is virtually no information on the effects of castration on the skeleton of male nonhuman primates. Most information on castrated male primates comes from a few studies on the skeletons of eunuchs. This report used a subset of the Caribbean Primate Research Center's (CPRC) Cayo Santiago (CS) rhesus macaque skeletal collection to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the bone mineral density (BMD) of castrated and age‐matched intact males and, thereby, determine the long‐term effects of castration (orchidectomy) on bone. Lumbar vertebrae, femora, and crania were evaluated using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA) and digital radiography augmented, when fresh tissues were available, with autoradiography and histology. Results confirmed physical examinations of long bones that castration causes changes in the skeleton of male rhesus macaques similar to those found in eunuchs, including OPE and OPO of the vertebrae and femora, thinning of the skull, and vertebral fractures and kyphosis of the spine more severe than that caused by normal aging alone. Also like eunuchs, some castrated CS male rhesus monkeys had a longer life span than intact males or females. Based on these results and the effects of castration on other tissues and organs of eunuchs, on behavior, hormone profiles and possibly on cognition and visual perception of human and nonhuman primates, and other mammals, castrated male rhesus macaques should be used with caution for laboratory studies and should be considered a separate category from intact males. Despite these caveats, the castrated male rhesus macaque should make an excellent animal model in which to test hormone replacement therapies for boys and men orchidectomized for testicular and prostate cancer. Am. J. Primatol. 78:152–166, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of N2 pretreatment on the basicity, structural change, and isomerization activity of MgO and MgO/Mg(OH)2 catalysts
Authors: Suttibut Prinyanee , Suriye Kongkiat , Kunjara Na Ayudhya Sirachaya , Praserthdam Piyasan , Panpranot Joongjai
Published: March 2015

As revealed by the X‐ray diffraction, basicity titration, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results, changes in the structural properties, basicity, and isomerization activities were observed on the MgO catalysts upon N2 pretreatment at 325 °C followed by isomerization reaction at 125 °C. These changes became less pronounced when the starting catalysts contained Mg(OH)2 phase or when the catalysts were pretreated under N2 at high temperature alone (without reaction). Because of the limited amount of O2 during 1‐butene isomerization, the single‐phase MgO could transform into the mixed MgO/Mg(OH)2 catalysts, and the basicity and the isomerization activity were enhanced. Higher temperature pretreatment (i.e. 527 °C), however, led to the changes of Mg(OH)2 back to the single MgO phase and/or sintering of MgO. © 2015 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adjustable amine–epoxy composition in a stratified thin film with a spin‐coating process: A useful tool for establishing relationships between the local glass‐transition temperature at the interface and the network structure
Authors: Carriere Pascal , Onard Sandra , Martin Isabelle , Chailan Jean‐François
Published: March 2015

An easy method for preparing supported homogeneous epoxy–amine thin films on a silica surface consisting of two distinct layers was developed via spin coating from epoxy–amine solutions. Because of these two layers had the controlled properties of the upper layer, we showed that it was possible to precisely control the epoxy–amine stoichiometry in the sublayer through the initial epoxy–amine ratio, the spin‐cast process, and the overall film thickness. First, in the thin films, the primary amine–epoxy conversion was constant, whatever the thickness and initial epoxy–amine stoichiometry for a given curing schedule. As the primary amine conversion can be independently tuned in thin films, it thus provided a rather unique and easy method for better understanding the relationship between the network structure curing at the interface and the resulting properties, such as the glass‐transition temperature (Tg) and elastic modulus. Here, we also showed that we could access the local Tg; this implied a potential application of these experimental data in predictive composite material properties. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42078.
Morphology, rheology, and mechanical properties of a new nanobiocomposite
Authors: La Mantia Francesco P. , Mistretta Maria Chiara , Palermo Salvatore , Ceraulo Manuela
Published: March 2015

Nanobiocomposites are a new class of biodegradable polymer materials with an ultrafine phase dispersion of the order of a few nanometers in a biodegradable polymer matrix that shows very interesting properties often very different from those of conventional filled polymers. In this work the morphology and the rheological and mechanical properties of a new nanobiocomposite made of a biodegradable copolyester based blend with an organomodified montmorillonite have been investigated to evaluate its possible use in several applications. SAXS diffractograms and TEM micrographs show that the in both the adopted processing conditions an hybrid intercalated/exfoliated morphology is observed. Rheological behavior is significantly influenced by the presence of the filler and more important, depends on the type of the applied type of flow. As for the mechanical properties, the elastic modulus strongly increases, while the elongation at break remarkably decreases. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42128.
Effect of the ionic liquid [bmim]PF6 on the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics behavior of poly(ether‐b‐amide)
Authors: Bai Yunxiang , Wu Guoliang , Zhang Qian , Zhang Chunfang , Gu Jin , Sun Yuping
Published: March 2015

Blending ionic liquid with crystalline polymer permits the design of new high‐performance composite materials. The final properties of these materials are critically depended on the degree of crystallinity and the nature of crystalline morphology. In this work, nonisothermal crystallization behavior of poly(ether‐b‐amide) (Pebax®1657)/room temperature ionic liquid (1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, [bmim]PF6) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The presence of [bmim]PF6 can retard the nucleation of Pebax®1657 and lead to the crystallization depression of the PA block and the crystalline disappearance of the PEO block. However, the dilution effect of the IL results in a higher growth rate of crystallization of PA block. The influence of [bmim]PF6 content and cooling rate on crystallization mechanism and spherulitc structures was determined by the Avrami equation modified by Jeziorny and Mo's methods, whereas the Ozawa's approach fails to describe the nonisothermal crystallization behavior of Pebax®1657/[bmim]PF6 blends. In the modified Avrami analysis, the Avrami exponent of PA blocks, n > 3, for pure Pebax®1657, while 3 > n > 2 for Pebax®1657/[bmim]PF6 blends testifies the transformation of crystallization growth pattern induced by [bmim]PF6 from three‐dimensional growth of spherulites to a combination of two‐ and three‐dimensional spherulitic growth. Further, lower activation energy for the nonisothermal crystallization of PA blocks of Pebax®1657 can be observed with the increase of [bmim]PF6 content. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42137.
INSECTICIDAL AND OXIDATIVE EFFECTS OF AZADIRACHTIN ON THE MODEL ORGANISM Galleria mellonella L. (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)
Authors: Dere Beyza , Altuntaş Hülya , Nurullahoğlu Z. Ulya
Published: March 2015

The insecticidal effects, specifically, changes in hemolymph total protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and antioxidant enzyme activities of azadirachtin (AZA) given to the wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae via force feeding were investigated. Bioassays showed that the LD50 and LD99 (lethal dose) values of AZA were 2.1 and 4.6 μg/larva, respectively. Experimental analyses were performed with five doses of AZA (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 μg/larva). Total protein level in larval hemolymph increased at all AZA doses at 24 h whereas a considerable decrease was observed at 2 and 3 μg/larva doses, and only an increase displayed at 1.5 μg/larva at 72 h. The level of MDA increased at 2 and 3 μg/larva doses at 24 h compared with controls. This trend was also observed at 1.5, 2, and 3 μg/larva doses at 72 h and MDA levels were lower when compared with those of 24 h at all doses except for 1.5 μg/larva dose. Catalase activity decreased at 1, 1.5, and 2 μg/larva doses at 24 h whereas increased at all doses except for 0.5 μg/larva at 72 h compared with controls. AZA led to a decline in superoxide dismutase activity at all experimental doses at 24 and 72 h except for 3 μg/larva doses at 72 h. An increase in glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST) activity was evident at all AZA doses at 24 h. AZA displayed 68% decline in GST activity at 72 h post treatments when compared to 24 h. Consequently, We infer that the toxicity of AZA extends beyond its known actions in molting processes to redox homeostasis.
Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Trial of the Effect of Vitamin D3 on the Interferon Signature in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Aranow Cynthia , Kamen Diane L. , Dall'Era Maria , Massarotti Elena M. , Mackay Meggan C. , Koumpouras Fotios , Coca Andreea , Chatham W. Winn , Clowse Megan E. B. , Criscione‐Schreiber Lisa G. , Callahan Sherri , Goldmuntz Ellen A. , Keyes‐Elstein Lynette , Oswald Michaela , Gregersen Peter K. , Diamond Betty
Published: March 2015

Objective

Vitamin D modulates the immune response and blocks induction of an interferon (IFN) signature by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the IFN signature in patients with SLE.

Methods

SLE patients (n = 57) with stable, inactive disease, a serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level ≤20 ng/ml, an elevated anti–double‐stranded DNA antibody level, and an IFN signature (as determined by measuring the expression levels of 3 IFN response genes) were randomized into a 12‐week double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of vitamin D3 at doses of 2,000 IU or 4,000 IU. An IFN signature response was defined as a 50% reduction in the expression of 1 of the 3 genes or a 25% reduction in the expression of 2 of the 3 genes. Disease activity, adverse events, and endocrine effects were assessed.

Results

Baseline characteristics of the patients in the 3 treatment groups (placebo, low‐dose vitamin D3, or high‐dose vitamin D3) were similar. Repletion of 25(OH)D (i.e., levels ≥30 ng/ml) was not observed in any of the patients who were receiving placebo, while repletion was observed in 16 of 33 patients receiving vitamin D3. The percentage of patients with an IFN signature response did not differ among the treatment groups. Moreover, there was no difference in the percentage of patients with an IFN signature response between those who remained vitamin D deficient and those who demonstrated repletion of vitamin D. Modular microarray analysis of a subset of patients (n = 40) did not reveal changes from baseline in any modules (including the IFN‐inducible module) in any of the treatment groups, and no differences in expression were found between patients who demonstrated vitamin D repletion and patients who were persistently vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D3 was well tolerated, and there were no safety concerns.

Conclusion

Vitamin D3 supplementation up to 4,000 IU daily was safe and well‐tolerated but failed to diminish the IFN signature in vitamin D–deficient SLE patients. Higher 25(OH)D levels sustained for a longer duration may be required to affect immunologic outcomes.
A Comprehensive Assessment of the Value of Laboratory Indices in Diagnosing Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Ye Qing , Shao Wen‐xia , Shang Shi‐qiang , Zhang Ting , Hu Jian , Zhang Chun‐chun
Published: March 2015

Objective

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the primary cause of heart disease among children, but because its clinical symptoms are nonspecific, it is difficult to diagnose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate laboratory indices for possible use in the early diagnosis of KD and to determine which indices are predictive of a response to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and can be used to monitor the effects of treatment.

Methods

Three hundred thirty KD patients, 330 age‐matched children with KD‐like febrile disease, and 330 age‐matched healthy children (controls) were enrolled in this prospective study. Levels of N‐terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and cytokines were determined in all study subjects.

Results

In the derivation cohort, 181 patients in the KD group were compared with 181 patients in the KD‐like febrile group. The following indices were found to be useful in the diagnosis of KD: NT‐proBNP (area under the curve [AUC] 0.923), ESR (AUC 0.909), CRP (AUC 0.834), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6; AUC 0.678). The diagnostic efficiency of each index demonstrated in the derivation cohort was repeated in the 149 KD patients in the validation cohort. There were significant differences in NT‐proBNP levels between IVIG‐responsive KD patients (n = 270) and IVIG‐nonresponsive KD patients (n = 60), with higher NT‐proBNP levels in IVIG‐nonresponsive KD patients. The NT‐proBNP level can effectively distinguish IVIG‐responsive KD patients from IVIG‐nonresponsive patients, and its AUC was 0.73. There were also significant differences in the NT‐proBNP levels before and after treatment, with a significant decline after treatment.

Conclusion

Serum levels of NT‐proBNP can be used in the diagnosis of KD, the prediction of a patient's sensitivity to IVIG treatment, and the monitoring of the effects of IVIG treatment, but more attention must be paid to the scope of its application.
Association of Anti–Porphyromonas gingivalis Antibody Titers With Nonsmoking Status in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results From the Prospective French Cohort of Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Seror Raphaèle , Le Gall‐David Sandrine , Bonnaure‐Mallet Martine , Schaeverbeke Thierry , Cantagrel Alain , Minet Jacques , Gottenberg Jacques‐Eric , Chanson Philippe , Ravaud Philippe , Mariette Xavier
Published: March 2015

Objective

To investigate the possible link between Porphyromonas gingivalis infection and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to antibody profile, genetic and environmental factors, and RA severity.

Methods

For assessing P gingivalis infection, serum levels of antibodies directed against P gingivalis lipopolysaccharide were measured in 694 patients with early RA who were not exposed to steroids or disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs. Anti–P gingivalis antibody titers were compared between patients with early RA and various control groups, and according to various patient characteristics.

Results

Anti–P gingivalis antibody titers did not significantly differ between patients with RA and controls and did not significantly differ with anti–citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA), rheumatoid factor (RF), or HLA shared epitope status. Anti–P gingivalis antibody titers were significantly higher among patients who had never smoked compared to patients who had ever smoked (P = 0.0049). Among nonsmokers, high anti–P gingivalis antibody levels were associated with a higher prevalence of erosive change (47.5% versus 33.3% with modified Sharp/van der Heijde score erosion subscale ≥1; P = 0.0135).

Conclusion

In this large early RA cohort, we did not detect any association of anti–P gingivalis antibodies with RA or with ACPA status. These results suggest that the association of periodontitis and RA could be linked to bacterial species other than P gingivalis or to a mechanism other than citrullination. Nevertheless, we found higher anti–P gingivalis antibody titers in nonsmokers. In addition, in this population of nonsmokers, high anti–P gingivalis antibody titers were associated with more severe disease. We hypothesize that the role of tobacco in RA pathogenesis is so high that the effect of P gingivalis could be revealed only in a population not exposed to tobacco.
The ratios of 2nd to 4th digit may be a predictor of schizophrenia in male patients
Authors: Bolu Abdullah , Oznur Taner , Develi Sedat , Gulsun Murat , Aydemir Emre , Alper Mustafa , Toygar Mehmet
Published: March 2015

The production of androgens (mostly testosterone) during the early fetal stage is essential for the differentiation of the male brain. Some authors have suggested a relationship between androgen exposure during the prenatal period and schizophrenia. These two separate relationships suggest that digit length ratios are associated with schizophrenia in males. The study was performed in a university hospital between October 2012 and May 2013. One hundred and three male patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM‐IV using SCID‐I, and 100 matched healthy males, were admitted to the study. Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were used to assess schizophrenia symptoms. The second digit (2D) and fourth digit (4D) asymmetry index (AI), and the right‐ and left‐hand 2D:4D ratios were calculated. All parametric data in the groups were compared using an independent t‐test. The predictive power of the AI was estimated by receiver operating characteristics analysis. The 2D:4D AI was statistically significantly lower in the patient group than the healthy control comparison group. There were significant differences between the schizophrenia and the control groups in respect of left 2D:4D and right 2D:4D. There was no correlation between AI, left, or right 2D:4D, BPRS, or SAPS in the schizophrenia group. However, there was a negative correlation between left 2nd digit (L2D):4D and the SANS score. Our findings support the view that the 2D:4D AI can be used as a moderate indicator of schizophrenia. Even more simply, the right or left 2D:4D can be used as an indicator. L2D:4D could indicate the severity of negative symptoms. Clin. Anat. 28:551–556, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Results From the IQ‐CSRC Prospective Study Support Replacement of the Thorough QT Study by QT Assessment in the Early Clinical Phase
Authors: Darpo B , Benson C , Dota C , Ferber G , Garnett C , Green CL , Jarugula V , Johannesen L , Keirns J , Krudys K , Liu J , Ortemann‐Renon C , Riley S , Sarapa N , Smith B , Stoltz RR , Zhou M , Stockbridge N
Published: March 2015

The QT effects of five “QT‐positive” and one negative drug were tested to evaluate whether exposure–response analysis can detect QT effects in a small study with healthy subjects. Each drug was given to nine subjects (six for placebo) in two dose levels; positive drugs were chosen to cause 10 to 12 ms and 15 to 20 ms QTcF prolongation. The slope of the concentration/ΔQTc effect was significantly positive for ondansetron, quinine, dolasetron, moxifloxacin, and dofetilide. For the lower dose, an effect above 10 ms could not be excluded, i.e., the upper bound of the confidence interval for the predicted mean ΔΔQTcF effect was above 10 ms. For the negative drug, levocetirizine, a ΔΔQTcF effect above 10 ms was excluded at 6‐fold the therapeutic dose. The study provides evidence that robust QT assessment in early‐phase clinical studies can replace the thorough QT study.
Estimating the contribution of everolimus to immunosuppressive efficacy when combined with tacrolimus in liver transplantation: A model‐based approach
Authors: Dumortier T , Looby M , Luttringer O , Heimann G , Klupp J , Junge G , Witte S , VanValen R , Stanski D
Published: March 2015

Determining the efficacy contribution of an investigational drug as part of a novel combination regimen that also includes a previously untested dose of a standard treatment is challenging, particularly when “placebo control” data (combination regimen minus the investigational drug) is not available for comparison. This situation was encountered in a phase III trial that tested the combination of the investigational drug everolimus with a dose of tacrolimus lower than used in standard liver transplantation therapy. The challenge was addressed by predicting the efficacy of the placebo control from the study data using a pharmacometric‐based exposure–response analysis, selected to account for features specific to the transplant setting: systematic change in drug exposure over time and sparse pharmacokinetic sampling. The efficacy contribution of everolimus was then demonstrated by comparing this prediction to the efficacy of the combination regimen. This pharmacometrics‐based approach may contribute to characterization of therapeutic agents in real‐world settings.