bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Baustellenverfahren für Verstärkungen mit Textilbeton
Authors: Walther Tobias , Weiland Silvio
Published: January 2015

Zur Realisierung der Instandsetzungs‐ und Verstärkungsmaßnahmen mit Textilbeton stehen verschiedene Verfahren zur Verfügung: Das Laminierverfahren per Hand oder das Sprühverfahren mit der Spritzdüse. Der Einsatz des Verfahrens richtet sich vor allem nach den äußeren Bedingungen. Die Arbeitsabläufe bleiben jedoch gleich und werden im folgenden Artikel beschrieben. Weiterhin werden die verschiedenen Maßnahmen der Untergrundvorbereitung kurz genannt und die Kriterien der erfolgreichen Untergrundvorbehandlung näher beleuchtet. Denn diese sind Voraussetzung für einen guten Verbund zwischen der neuen Verstärkungsschicht und dem Altbeton und somit auch für eine erfolgreiche Sanierung. Damit die Arbeiten von gleichmäßig guter Qualität sind, müssen auch auf der Baustelle entsprechende Kontrollen erfolgen. Die wichtigsten Kontrollen, zu denen die Überprüfung der Betonqualität auf der Baustelle und des Verbunds zwischen Garn und Beton gehören, werden abschließend kurz erläutert.

Construction site techniques for strengthening with textile reinforced concrete (TRC)

There are different kind of procedures to complete rehabilitation and strengthening projects with textile reinforced concrete. The lamination process by hand and the spraying technique with a spraying nozzle are among those. Selection of the best procedure depends on site conditions. The Work process is in general the same, and is briefly described in the article. Furthermore, the different methods for surface preparation are mentioned and the criteria for a successful surface pre‐treatment are shown. These procedures are required for a good bond between the new strengthening layer and the existing old concrete. In order to guarantee a constant high‐level quality of the work, controls need to be implemented. The most important ones–monitoring the concrete quality at the job site and the bonding between concrete and yarn–are shortly exemplified.
Was ist Textilbeton?
Authors: Scheerer Silke
Published: January 2015

Der Verbundwerkstoff Textilbeton ist seit mittlerweile zwanzig Jahren Gegenstand der Grundlagenforschung. Seit 1999 wurde er maßgeblich an den Universitäten in Dresden und Aachen in zwei DFG‐Sonderforschungsbereichen erforscht und entwickelt. Bis heute ist Deutschland weltweit führend auf diesem Gebiet. Die mittlerweile zahlreichen realisierten praktischen Anwendungen belegen die Vielseitigkeit und Leistungsfähigkeit des Werkstoffs. Dennoch gestaltet sich die Realisierung von Textilbetonprojekten oft noch schwierig, da bisher keine allgemeinen bauaufsichtlichen Zulassungen existierten und folglich Zulassungen im Einzelfall benötigt wurden. Ein großer Schritt, diese Hürde zu überwinden, wurde mit der Erlangung einer ersten bauaufsichtlichen Zulassung getan. Vor diesem Hintergrund gibt der vorliegende Beitrag dieses Sonderhefts eine kurze Einführung in die Thematik Textilbeton.

What is textile reinforced concrete? – a short introduction

Since 1999, the composite material textile reinforced concrete (TRC) has been largely studied and developed at the universities of Dresden and Aachen in two DFG‐Collaborative Research Centres. Until today, Germany is the world leader in this field. Numerous realized practical applications demonstrate the versatility and performance of the material. Nevertheless, the realization of TRC‐projects is often difficult. Approvals in individual cases were necessary, since there were no national technical approvals until today. Getting a first building approval was a major step to overcome this obstacle. In the context of this approval, the present paper gives a brief introduction to the topic textile reinforced concrete.
Innovative Werkstoffe am Bau – Weiterbildung Textilbeton
Authors: Reese Uwe
Published: January 2015

TUDALIT®‐Textilbeton bietet als leichter und belastbarer Hightech‐Werkstoff der Bauwirtschaft vielfältige und neue Möglichkeiten, sowohl im Neubau als auch bei der Sanierung. Die Anwendung von Textilbeton erfordert präzise Kenntnisse der Verwendungsvorschriften, der baustofflichen Grundlagen und eine praktische Befähigung zum Einsatz der besonderen Materialien. Aufgrund der hohen Qualitätsanforderungen für die Anwendung des neuen Baustoffs ist gemäß bauaufsichtlicher Zulassung eine adäquate Weiterbildung der Mitarbeiter der bauausführenden Betriebe erforderlich. Darüber hinaus werden sich Bauingenieure und Architekten zukünftig für den Einsatz von Textilbeton aus der Sicht des Planers weiterbilden, um die konstruktiven und kostenseitigen Vorteile von Textilbeton nutzen zu können. In diesem Beitrag werden Weiterbildungen und Qualifizierungen für die Anwendung von TUDALIT®‐Textilbeton vorgestellt.

Innovative materials in construction – qualification for textile reinforced concrete (TRC)

TUDALIT® Carbon Concrete as lightweight and mechanical resistant construction material offers versatile chances in construction as well as in rehabilitation of buildings. Due to the high quality requirements on the use of the new building material, appropriate advanced training for the construction crew is needed according to the general technical approval. Additionally, civil engineers and architects will claim trainings to be qualified to take advantage of textile reinforced concrete as a new construction material. Advanced trainings and qualifications for the use of TUDALIT® textile reinforced concrete are presented in this paper.
Sicherheitskonzept für Textilbeton
Authors: Just Martin
Published: January 2015

Der vorliegende Beitrag zeigt auf, wie für den neuen Baustoff Textilbeton im Rahmen der allgemeinen bauaufsichtlichen Zulassung das Sicherheitskonzept der DIN EN 1990‐1 auf das Carbontextil, welches die Zugbewehrung im Verbundbaustoff darstellt, übertragen wird. Es wird der für die semiprobabilistische Bemessung erforderliche Teilsicherheitsbeiwert ermittelt. Dazu werden zu Beginn die maßgebenden statistischen und charakteristischen Größen bestimmt. Im Anschluss wird der Teilsicherheitsbeiwert kalibriert, wobei Bezug auf die etablierte Bauweise des Stahlbetons genommen wird. Die Zuverlässigkeit von Textilbeton wird direkt mit der des Stahlbetons verglichen und somit anschaulich verdeutlicht, dass mit dem neuen Baustoff die gleiche Sicherheit tragender Konstruktionen erreicht werden kann. Zum Abschluss wird die Bestimmung der Bemessungsfestigkeit unter Berücksichtigung verschiedener Effekte, beispielsweise der Dauerstandfestigkeit, durchgeführt.

Reliability of the Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) Design – Determination of the reduction factor for the tensile strength

This paper shows for the new material textile reinforced concrete (TRC) how, as part of the general technical approval, the reliability concept methodology of DIN EN 1990‐1 is applied to the carbon textile fabric, which represents the tensile reinforcement in the composite building material. The reduction factor is determined, which is required for the semi‐probabilistic design. For this purpose, the relevant statistical and characteristic variables are determined at the beginning. Following the partial safety factor is calibrated with reference to the established material “(steel‐) reinforced concrete”. The reliability of textile‐reinforced concrete is directly compared with that of reinforced concrete and thus clearly illustrates that the same security level can be achieved with the new material for supporting structures. Finally, the determination of the design strength is performed, considering various effects, such as durability.
Facile Synthesis of Ultrathin Bimetallic PtSn Wavy Nanowires by Nanoparticle Attachment as Enhanced Hydrogenation Catalysts
Authors: Ding Jiabao , Bu Lingzheng , Zhang Nan , Yao Jianlin , Huang Yu , Huang Xiaoqing
Published: January 2015

Ultrathin wavy nanowires represent an emerging class of nanostructures that exhibit unique catalytic, magnetic, and electronic properties, but the controlled production of bimetallic wavy nanowires remains a significant challenge. Ultrathin bimetallic PtSn nanowires have been prepared with high yield and featuring a highly wavy structure. Owing to the ultrathin nature and unique electronic properties of these PtSn wavy nanowires, they exhibit improved catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene, as well as for the hydrogenation of styrene. These results suggest a new strategy to prepare highly active catalysts through defect engineering and can significantly impact broad practical applications.
NMO⋅TPB: A Selectivity Variation on the Ley–Griffith TPAP Oxidation
Authors: Moore Peter W. , Mirzayans Paul M. , Williams Craig M.
Published: January 2015

A non‐hygroscopic tetraphenylborate salt of N‐methylmorpholine‐N‐oxide (NMO) is reported (NMO⋅TPB), which modulates the standard Ley–Griffith oxidation such that benzylic and allylic alcohols are oxidised selectively. An attractive feature of this new protocol is that anhydrous conditions are not required for this selective tetra‐n‐propylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) oxidation, superseding the requirement of molecular sieves.
Cytologic features of ovarian granulosa cell tumors in pleural and ascitic fluids
Authors: Omori Makiko , Kondo Tetsuo , Yuminamochi Tsutomu , Nakazawa Kumiko , Ishii Yoshio , Fukasawa Hiroko , Hashi Akihiko , Hirata Shuji
Published: January 2015

Adult granulosa cell tumor (AGCT) is an uncommon neoplasm of the ovary with potential for aggressive behavior and late recurrence. The most important prognostic factor for AGCT is tumor stage. Thus, cytological assessment of pleural or ascitic fluids is crucial for initial staging and subsequent patient management. We report herein two cases of ovarian AGCT presenting with exfoliated tumor cells in pleural and ascitic fluid. The first case involved a 61‐year‐old woman who presented with stage Ic (a) AGCT. Seven years after initial diagnosis, pleural effusion and pleural dissemination were identified. The second case involved a 50‐year‐old woman who presented with stage IV AGCT with massive ascites and right pleural effusion. Fluid cytology from both cases showed cohesive or loose clusters of small uniform neoplastic cells with round‐to‐oval nuclei, coffee‐bean‐shaped nuclear grooves, small nucleoli, and scant cytoplasm. Call‐Exner bodies were also observed in these cytologic specimens. In the differential diagnosis of small monomorphic tumor cells in pleural effusion or ascites, coffee‐bean‐shaped nuclear grooves and cell clusters forming Call‐Exner bodies are diagnostic clues of AGCT. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2015;43:581–584. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ontogeny of septohippocampal modulation of delay eyeblink conditioning
Authors: Harmon Thomas C. , Freeman John H.
Published: January 2015

The current study investigated the effects of disrupting the septohippocampal theta system on the developmental emergence of delay eyeblink conditioning. Theta oscillations are defined as electroencephalographic (EEG) waveforms with a frequency between 3–8 Hz. Hippocampal theta oscillations are generated by inputs from the entorhinal cortex and the medial septum. Theta activity has been shown to facilitate learning in a variety of paradigms, including delay eyeblink conditioning. Lesions of the medial septum disrupt theta activity and slow the rate at which delay eyeblink conditioning is learned (Berry & Thompson, [1979] Science 200:1298–1300). The role of the septohippocampal theta system in the ontogeny of eyeblink conditioning has not been examined. In the current study, infant rats received an electrolytic lesion of the medial septum on postnatal day (P) 12. Rats were later given eyeblink conditioning for 6 sessions with an auditory conditioned stimulus on P17–19, P21–23, or P24–26. Lesions impaired eyeblink conditioning on P21–23 and P24–26 but not on P17–19. The results suggest that the septohippocampal system comes online to facilitate acquisition of eyeblink conditioning between P19 and P21. Developmental changes in septohippocampal modulation of the cerebellum may play a significant role in the ontogeny of eyeblink conditioning. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 57: 168–176, 2015.
Development and expression of maternal behavior in naïve female C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Alsina‐Llanes Marcela , De Brun Victoria , Olazábal Daniel E.
Published: January 2015

Naïve female mice are usually described as spontaneously maternal. We investigated how many exposures to pups (15 min vs. 1 hr) were needed to induce full maternal behavior (FMB) in 20–22, 30–35, 60–65‐days‐old naïve female mice (C57BL/6), and how cohabitation with the parturient mother and newborn siblings facilitated juvenile maternal behavior (MB). Only 20% of the adults displayed FMB immediately after the first exposure to pups. Incomplete MB was present in 11%, 20%, and 30% of juveniles, adolescents and adults, respectively. Three‐sixty minute exposures to pups induced FMB in all adult subjects. All naïve juveniles that were not exposed to their siblings and maternal fluids failed to show maternal behavior. In contrast, more than half of the juveniles present at their homecage during delivery of a second litter showed incomplete MB (34.5%) or FMB (21.5%) when tested individually housed in a novel cage. This study suggests that most adult female mice are not spontaneously maternal but gradually sensitized. Besides, naïve juveniles could be inhibited or not motivated to show MB, but display adult‐like behavior toward pups if previously exposed to newborn siblings and maternal fluids. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 57: 189–200, 2015.
Association of breast cancer risk loci with breast cancer survival
Authors: Barrdahl Myrto , Canzian Federico , Lindström Sara , Shui Irene , Black Amanda , Hoover Robert N. , Ziegler Regina G. , Buring Julie E. , Chanock Stephen J. , Diver W. Ryan , Gapstur Susan M. , Gaudet Mia M. , Giles Graham G. , Haiman Christopher , Henderson Brian E. , Hankinson Susan , Hunter David J. , Joshi Amit D. , Kraft Peter , Lee I‐Min , Le Marchand Loic , Milne Roger L. , Southey Melissa C. , Willett Walter , Gunter Marc , Panico Salvatore , Sund Malin , Weiderpass Elisabete , Sánchez María‐José , Overvad Kim , Dossus Laure , Peeters Petra H , Khaw Kay‐Tee , Trichopoulos Dimitrios , Kaaks Rudolf , Campa Daniele
Published: January 2015

The survival of breast cancer patients is largely influenced by tumor characteristics, such as TNM stage, tumor grade and hormone receptor status. However, there is growing evidence that inherited genetic variation might affect the disease prognosis and response to treatment. Several lines of evidence suggest that alleles influencing breast cancer risk might also be associated with breast cancer survival. We examined the associations between 35 breast cancer susceptibility loci and the disease over‐all survival (OS) in 10,255 breast cancer patients from the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium (BPC3) of which 1,379 died, including 754 of breast cancer. We also conducted a meta‐analysis of almost 35,000 patients and 5,000 deaths, combining results from BPC3 and the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and performed in silico analyses of SNPs with significant associations. In BPC3, the C allele of LSP1‐rs3817198 was significantly associated with improved OS (HRper‐allele=0.70; 95% CI: 0.58–0.85; ptrend = 2.84 × 10−4; HRheterozygotes = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.55–0.92; HRhomozygotes = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.31–0.76; p2DF = 1.45 × 10−3). In silico, the C allele of LSP1‐rs3817198 was predicted to increase expression of the tumor suppressor cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 1C (CDKN1C). In the meta‐analysis, TNRC9‐rs3803662 was significantly associated with increased death hazard (HRMETA =1.09; 95% CI: 1.04–1.15; ptrend = 6.6 × 10−4; HRheterozygotes = 0.96 95% CI: 0.90–1.03; HRhomozygotes = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.09–1.35; p2DF=1.25 × 10−4). In conclusion, we show that there is little overlap between the breast cancer risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified so far and the SNPs associated with breast cancer prognosis, with the possible exceptions of LSP1‐rs3817198 and TNRC9‐rs3803662.
Hyaluronan dermal fillers via crosslinking with 1,4‐butandiol diglycidyl ether: Exploitation of heterogeneous reaction conditions
Authors: La Gatta Annalisa , Papa Agata , Schiraldi Chiara , De Rosa Mario
Published: January 2015

Most of hyaluronan (HA)‐based dermal fillers currently available on the market are produced through biopolymer crosslinking with 1,4‐butandiol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE). Chemical modification is usually performed on the biopolymer dissolved in a highly alkaline aqueous medium (homogeneous conditions). Heterogeneous conditions for HA reaction with BDDGE were exploited here to obtain competitive HA fillers and to assess potential improvements in production process. Optimal parameters for effective reaction accomplishment were evaluated (e.g., medium composition, temperature and time of reaction). HA was modified with increasing BDDGE/HA equivalents (7–14%) achieving 66–74% (w/w) biopolymer insolubility. Hydrogels exhibited high swelling extent and outstanding resistance to enzymatic degradation decreasing and improving according to crosslinking degree, respectively. Once suspended in physiological solution (20 mg/mL), these products directly formed easy‐to‐extrude gels through 27–29 G needles. Gel particle dimensions were in the range 10–1000 µm. Rheological analyses revealed decreasing viscosity with the shear rate and G′ values in the range 1200–1700 Pa. Overall, results of the in vitro characterization demonstrated the attainment of crosslinked HA particles suitable for application as dermal fillers. These new gels proved superior to similar commercialized products in terms of stability to enzymatic hydrolysis. Further, the protocol assessed allowed interesting improvements over conventional manufacturing procedures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 9–18, 2016.
In vivo biocompatibility of boron doped and nitrogen included conductive‐diamond for use in medical implants
Authors: Garrett David J. , Saunders Alexia L. , McGowan Ceara , Specks Joscha , Ganesan Kumaravelu , Meffin Hamish , Williams Richard A. , Nayagam David A.X.
Published: January 2015

Recently, there has been interest in investigating diamond as a material for use in biomedical implants. Diamond can be rendered electrically conducting by doping with boron or nitrogen. This has led to inclusion of boron doped and nitrogen included diamond elements as electrodes and/or feedthroughs for medical implants. As these conductive device elements are not encapsulated, there is a need to establish their clinical safety for use in implants. This article compares the biocompatibility of electrically conducting boron doped diamond (BDD) and nitrogen included diamond films and electrically insulating poly crystalline diamond films against a silicone negative control and a BDD sample treated with stannous octoate as a positive control. Samples were surgically implanted into the back muscle of a guinea pig for a period of 4–15 weeks, excised and the implant site sectioned and submitted for histological analysis. All forms of diamond exhibited a similar or lower thickness of fibrotic tissue encapsulating compared to the silicone negative control samples. All forms of diamond exhibited similar or lower levels of acute, chronic inflammatory, and foreign body responses compared to the silicone negative control indicating that the materials are well tolerated in vivo. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 19–26, 2016.
Effect of co‐inoculation with yeast and bacteria on chemical and sensory characteristics of commercial Cabernet Franc red wine from Switzerland
Authors: Versari Andrea , Patrizi Chiara , Parpinello Giuseppina Paola , Mattioli Alessia Umberta , Pasini Luca , Meglioli Matteo , Longhini Giuseppe
Published: January 2015

BACKGROUND

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a critical step in modern winemaking and the co‐inoculation of lactic acid bacteria with yeasts represents an emerging approach to improve the quality of wine. This study aims to evaluate the effect of inoculation timing on the chemical and sensory characteristics of two commercial Cabernet Franc wines: (i) a control wine in which MLF was inoculated after the completion of alcoholic fermentation (AF); and (ii) a co‐inoculated wine where simultaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occurred.

RESULTS

Besides the expected full conversion of malic acid into lactic acid, the MLF with co‐inoculum of yeast/bacteria at initial AF allowed for reduced fermentation times, i.e. faster winemaking process. Although important changes in the chemical parameters of wines were found, especially color intensity and volatile compounds, there was a trend on the sensory evaluation of wines with a greater perception of red and ripe fruits in the case of co‐inoculation wine, while the control wine was dominated by notes of spice and herbs. The results of GC/MS analysis showed the largest differences for the 3‐hydroxy‐2‐butanone (acetoin, the reduced form of diacetyl) and isoamyl alcohol concentrations, the former was 3.2 times higher under co‐inoculum conditions, whereas the latter showed the opposite behavior.

CONCLUSION

The co‐inoculation protocol proposed is a valuable choice for innovative winemaking of Cabernet Franc wines, and results from a large‐scale winemaking process are provided for the first time. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
On the molecular basis of the high affinity binding of basic amino acids to LAOBP, a periplasmic binding protein from Salmonella typhimurium
Authors: Pulido Nancy O. , Silva Daniel‐Adriano , Tellez Luis A. , Pérez‐Hernández Gerardo , García‐Hernández Enrique , Sosa‐Peinado Alejandro , Fernández‐Velasco D. Alejandro
Published: January 2015

The rational designing of binding abilities in proteins requires an understanding of the relationship between structure and thermodynamics. However, our knowledge of the molecular origin of high‐affinity binding of ligands to proteins is still limited; such is the case for l‐lysine–l‐arginine–l‐ornithine periplasmic binding protein (LAOBP), a periplasmic binding protein from Salmonella typhimurium that binds to l‐arginine, l‐lysine, and l‐ornithine with nanomolar affinity and to l‐histidine with micromolar affinity. Structural studies indicate that ligand binding induces a large conformational change in LAOBP. In this work, we studied the thermodynamics of l‐histidine and l‐arginine binding to LAOBP by isothermal titration calorimetry. For both ligands, the affinity is enthalpically driven, with a binding ΔCp of ~−300 cal mol−1 K−1, most of which arises from the burial of protein nonpolar surfaces that accompanies the conformational change. Osmotic stress measurements revealed that several water molecules become sequestered upon complex formation. In addition, LAOBP prefers positively charged ligands in their side chain. An energetic analysis shows that the protein acquires a thermodynamically equivalent state with both ligands. The 1000‐fold higher affinity of LAOBP for l‐arginine as compared with l‐histidine is mainly of enthalpic origin and can be ascribed to the formation of an extra pair of hydrogen bonds. Periplasmic binding proteins have evolved diverse energetic strategies for ligand recognition. STM4351, another arginine binding protein from Salmonella, shows an entropy‐driven micromolar affinity toward l‐arginine. In contrast, our data show that LAOBP achieves nanomolar affinity for the same ligand through enthalpy optimization. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition of abasic site cleavage in bubble DNA by multifunctional protein YB‐1
Authors: Fomina Elizaveta E. , Pestryakov Pavel E. , Kretov Dmitry A. , Zharkov Dmitry O. , Ovchinnikov Lev P. , Curmi Patrick A. , Lavrik Olga I.
Published: January 2015

Y‐box binding protein 1 (YB‐1) is widely known to participate in a multiple DNA and RNA processing events in the living cell. YB‐1 is also regarded as a putative component of DNA repair. This possibility is supported by relocalization of YB‐1 into the nucleus following genotoxic stress. Increased affinity of YB‐1 for damaged DNA, especially in its single‐stranded form, and its functional interaction with proteins responsible for the initiation of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site repair, namely, AP endonuclease 1 and DNA glycosylase NEIL1, suggest that YB‐1 could be involved in the repair of AP sites as a regulatory protein. Here we show that YB‐1 has a significant inhibitory effect on the cleavage of AP sites located in single‐stranded DNA and in DNA bubble structures. Such interference may be considered as a possible mechanism to prevent single‐stranded intermediates of DNA replication, transcription and repair from being converted into highly genotoxic DNA strand breaks, thus allowing the cell to coordinate different DNA processing mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Echo time dependence of observed T1 in the human lung
Authors: Triphan Simon M.F. , Jobst Bertram J. , Breuer Felix A. , Wielpütz Mark O. , Kauczor Hans‐Ulrich , Biederer Jürgen , Jakob Peter M.
Published: January 2015

Background

This work is intended to demonstrate that T1 measured in the lungs depends on the echo time (TE) used. Measuring lung T1 can be used to gain quantitative morphological and functional information. It is also shown that this dependence is particularly visible when using an ultra‐short TE (UTE) sequence with TE well below 1 ms for T1 quantification in lung tissue, rather than techniques with TE on the order of 1–2 ms.

Methods

The lungs of 12 healthy volunteers (aged 22 to 33 years) were examined at 1.5 Tesla. A segmented inversion recovery Look‐Locker multi‐echo sequence based on two‐dimensional UTE was used for independent T1 quantification at five TEs between TE1 = 70 μs and TE5 = 2.3 ms.

Results

The measured T1 was found to increase gradually with TE from 1060 ± 40 ms at TE1 to 1389 ± 53 ms at TE5 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Measuring T1 at ultra‐short echo times reveals a significant dependence of observed T1 on the echo time. Thus, any comparison of T1 values should also consider the TEs used. However, this dependence on TE could also be exploited to gain additional diagnostic information on the tissue compartments in the lung. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:610–616.
Randomized trial of peginterferon alpha‐2b plus low and escalating dose of ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C with high viral load genotype 1
Authors: Iwasaki Yoshiaki , Araki Yasuyuki , Taniguchi Hideaki , Okamoto Ryo‐ichi , Kobashi Haruhiko , Ikeda Fusao , Miyake Yasuhiro , Takaki Akinobu , Yamamoto Kazuhide
Published: January 2015

It has been reported that elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C infection cannot tolerate standard combination therapy. In this randomized, controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alpha‐2b plus a low and escalating dose of ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients with high viral load genotype 1 were investigated. Sixty‐two patients were randomized into combination therapy with standard ribavirin dosing (group 1) or low and escalating ribavirin dosing (group 2). Patients were evaluated for safety and efficacy of treatment. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of virological response between the groups throughout the treatment as well as 24 weeks after treatment. However, the response in patients ≥60 years of age was higher in group 1 than in group 2 at early treatment phase (P = 0.015). The prevalence of completion of therapy in patients ≥60 years of age tended to be higher in group 2 than in group 1 (50% vs. 0%, P = 0.055). There was no significant difference in dose modification of peginterferon alpha‐2b between the groups. However, dose modification of ribavirin was significantly more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (60% vs. 24%, P = 0.005). These data suggest that combination therapy with low and escalating dosing of ribavirin may be safer in elderly patients than that with standard dosing of ribavirin without impairing the treatment response. J. Med. Virol. 87:625–633, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantitative analysis of human parvovirus B19 DNA in maternal and fetal serum, and amniotic fluid during an early stage of pregnancy
Authors: Ishikawa Aki , Yoto Yuko , Asakura Hirofumi , Tsutsumi Hiroyuki
Published: January 2015

Simple and accurate diagnosis of vertical transmission of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection remains an important issue in pregnancy. There are few reports on quantitative analysis of B19V in amniotic fluids. Quantitative estimation of B19V DNA in amniotic fluids was comparerd with those in maternal or fetal serum obtained at an early stage of pregnancy with possible mother‐to‐fetus transmission. All pregnant women contracted B19V infection between 13 to 14 weeks gestation. The B19V DNA amount in 3 maternal serum and amniotic fluid sample pairs collected between 16 to 27 weeks gestation was quantified by a real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay. Serum from 2 fetuses was included. The B19V DNA concentrations in maternal sera and amniotic fluids ranged from 104 to 105 copies/ml and from 107 to 108 copies/ml, respectively. The B19V DNA in the amniotic fluids concentration coincided with those of each fetal serum. The concentrations in amniotic fluids are 100 to 5,000 times higher than in those of maternal sera, and corresponded to the matching fetal serum. Amniotic fluids may substitute for the fetal sera in terms of quantitative estimation of fetal B19V infection at an early stage of pregnancy. J. Med. Virol. 87:683–685, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of the basal core promoter and precore mutation on replication of hepatitis B virus and antiviral susceptibility of different genotypes
Authors: Cui Xiu‐Ji , Cho Yoo‐Kyung , Song Byung‐Cheol
Published: January 2015

Mutations in the basal core promoter (BCP) and precore (PC) regions of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) are more common in genotypes B and C than in genotype A, suggesting that these mutations might affect replication competency depending on genotype. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of these mutations on the capacity of HBV for replication and antiviral drug susceptibility according to genotype. Genotypes A, B, and C of HBV strains with a BCP mutation, PC mutation, or BCP + PC mutation were made by site‐directed mutagenesis. Replication competency of each construct and susceptibility to nucleos(t) ide analogues were tested in an Huh7 cell line. In genotype A, the BCP and BCP + PC mutations increased the viral replication around 6.5 times compared with the wild type, and the PC mutation alone similarly increased the viral replication around three times. In genotypes B and C, all three mutant types increased viral replication to a similar extent, regardless of mutation pattern. Interestingly, the BCP mutation appeared to have a greater effect on viral replication in genotype A than in genotypes B and C. This finding was unexpected because the BCP mutation is more common in HBV genotypes B and C. Moreover, the BCP, PC, and BCP + PC mutations decreased the sensitivity of HBV to antiviral agents to various degrees (2‐ to 10‐fold) regardless of genotype. In conclusion, BCP and PC mutations increased viral replication regardless of HBV genotype and decreased in vitro antiviral susceptibility to the nucleos(t) ide analogues. J. Med. Virol. 87:601–608, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ebola virus: Melatonin as a readily available treatment option
Authors: Anderson George , Maes Michael , Markus Regina P. , Rodriguez Moses
Published: January 2015

There is currently an urgent need for a viable, cheap, and readily available treatment for the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. Here, it is proposed that melatonin may have significant utility in helping the management of this outbreak. Optimizing natural killer (NK) cell responses seems crucial to surviving Ebola virus infection. Melatonin increases NK cell cytotoxicity significantly, suggesting efficacy in managing the Ebola virus. Under conditions of challenge, melatonin increases heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1), which inhibits Ebola virus replication. Melatonin also has protective effects in cases of septic shock, which, although bacterial, has similar end‐point presentations involving blood vessel leakage. Melatonin's effects on haemorrhage are mediated primarily by a decrease in pro‐inflammatory cytokines. By optimizing the appropriate immune response, melatonin is likely to afford protection to those at high risk of Ebola viral infection, as well as having direct impacts on the course of infection per se. Although no direct data pertain to the utility of melatonin in the management of the Ebola virus, convergent bodies of data suggest its utility, which is reviewed in this article. J. Med. Virol. 87:537–543, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human herpesvirus infections of the central nervous system: Laboratory diagnosis based on DNA detection by nested PCR in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid samples
Authors: Rimério Carla Aparecida Tavares , De Oliveira Renato Souza , de Almeida Bonatelli Murilo Queiroz , Nucci Anamarli , Costa Sandra Cecília Botelho , Bonon Sandra Helena Alves
Published: January 2015

Infections of the central nervous systems (CNS) present a diagnostic problem for which an accurate laboratory diagnosis is essential. Invasive practices, such as cerebral biopsy, have been replaced by obtaining a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis using cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) as a reference method. Tests on DNA extracted from plasma are noninvasive, thus avoiding all of the collateral effects and patient risks associated with CSF collection. This study aimed to determine whether plasma can replace CSF in nested PCR analysis for the detection of CNS human herpesvirus (HHV) diseases by analysing the proportion of patients whose CSF nested PCR results were positive for CNS HHV who also had the same organism identified by plasma nested PCR. In this study, CSF DNA was used as the “gold standard,” and nested PCR was performed on both types of samples. Fifty‐two patients with symptoms of nervous system infection were submitted to CSF and blood collection. For the eight HHV, one positive DNA result—in plasma and/or CSF nested PCR—was considered an active HHV infection, whereas the occurrence of two or more HHVs in the same sample was considered a coinfection. HHV infections were positively detected in 27/52 (51.9%) of the CSF and in 32/52 (61.5%) of the plasma, difference not significant, thus nested PCR can be performed on plasma instead of CSF. In conclusion, this findings suggest that plasma as a useful material for the diagnosis of cases where there is any difficulty to perform a CSF puncture. J. Med. Virol. 87:648–655, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Strategic Challenges of a Social Innovation: The Case of Rang De in Crowdfunding
Authors: Ashta Arvind , Assadi Djamchid , Marakkath Nadiya
Published: January 2015

A crowdfunding site in a developing country like India faces strategic challenges due to both supply‐side and demand barriers in the social lending market.
Behavioral Microfinance: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Cairo
Authors: Alia Hayyan , Mateu Guillermo , Sutan Angela
Published: January 2015

Experimental incentive‐compatible techniques bring unbiased evidence from the field about what is unique in the behavior of microfinance clients.
Crop Microinsurance for Maize Farmers in Burkina Faso: Access and Agriculture Performance in the Dandé Village
Authors: Koloma Yaya
Published: January 2015

Crop insurance in the Sahel improves the access of insured farmers to resources.
Polymer Brushes Interfacing Blood as a Route Toward High Performance Blood Contacting Devices
Authors: Surman František , Riedel Tomáš , Bruns Michael , Kostina Nina Yu. , Sedláková Zdeňka , Rodriguez‐Emmenegger Cesar
Published: January 2015

In the current study, well‐defined polymer brushes are shown as an effective surface modification to resist the adhesion of whole blood and its components. Poly[oligo(ethylene glycol)methylether methacrylate] (poly(MeOEGMA)), poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)), poly[N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide] (poly(HPMA)), and poly(carboxybetaine acrylamide) (poly(CBAA)) brushes were grown by surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP) and subsequently characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), dynamic contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. All brushes decreased the fouling from blood plasma over 95% and prevented the adhesion of platelets, erythrocytes, and leukocytes as evidenced by SPR and SEM measurements.
Fluorescent Glycopolymer Nanoparticles Based on Aggregation‐Induced Emission Dyes: Preparation and Bioimaging Applications
Authors: Wang Ke , Zhang Xiaoyong , Zhang Xiqi , Yang Bin , Li Zhen , Zhang Qingsong , Huang Zengfang , Wei Yen
Published: January 2015

Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) dye‐based fluorescent glycopolymers nanoparticles (FGNs) are synthesized with abundant carbohydrate groups on the surface for the first time. This is carried out firstly by free radical polymerization between AIE monomer (PhE) and a renewable biobased monomer itaconic anhydride (ITA), then by the ring‐opening reaction between ITA and glucosamine hydrochloride, to obtain glycopolymers with plenty of glycosyl groups on them. The resulted amphiphilic glycopolymer is prone to self‐assemble into nanoparticles with high water dispersibility due to the surplus carboxyl groups and glycosyl groups covered on the surface, which can also be further functionalized. The obtained nanoparticles demonstrate strong fluorescence emission, owning to the AIE dyes in the core of nanoparticles. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of the nanoparticles are further investigated to explore their potential biomedical applications; the demonstrated excellent biocompatibility makes them promising for cell imaging.

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Facile Fabrication of Macroporous PLGA Microspheres via Double‐Pickering Emulsion Templates
Authors: Hu Yang , Zou Shengwen , Yang Yu , Tong Zhen , Wang Chaoyang
Published: January 2015

Porous poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres with a well‐defined pore structure are easily and effectively fabricated, from water‐in‐oil‐in‐water (W/O/W) double‐Pickering emulsions formed by one‐step emulsification. The water phase containing hydrophilic silica (SiO2) nanoparticles is emulsified with dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) solution of PLGA to directly obtain W/O/W double‐Pickering emulsions. The influences of the PLGA concentration, composition and molecular weight, SiO2 nanoparticle concentration, and volume ratio of oil to water on the morphology structure of the double emulsions are systematically investigated. The porous PLGA microspheres are facilely produced by evaporating the CH2Cl2 and water in the double emulsions. The pore structure of the porous PLGA microspheres can be modulated simply by varying the PLGA concentration. Finally, potential mechanisms for the one‐step fabrication of double‐Pickering emulsions and porous PLGA microspheres are proposed. This work opens up a new and simple route to fabricate porous PLGA microspheres, which are suitable for biomedical applications.

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Investigation of Chaotic Mixing for MWCNT/Polymer Composites
Authors: TabkhPaz Majid , Mahmoodi Mehdi , Arjmand Mohammad , Sundararaj Uttandaraman , Chu Jingsong , Park Simon S.
Published: January 2015

A chaotic mixer is developed and optimized in order to overcome challenges associated with mixing polymers with high aspect ratio nano‐particulates. The chaotic mixing system utilizes two cylindrical rotors to uniformly mix multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with a thermoplastic. Results of the electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of the chaotic mixed nanocomposites were higher than ones mixed via a commercial HAAKE mixer. MWCNTs’ length was investigated and it was observed that the MWCNTs in chaotic mixed nanocomposites are longer compared to HAAKE mixer. To investigate the effects of MWCNTs’ length on the electrical properties, a 3D electrical model based on random walk method was developed and examined. Obtained results suggest that the chaotic mixer has a higher potential for mixing nano particulates into thermoplastics without breaking the nanotubes and improved electrical properties, compared to other types of melt mixing techniques.
Cysteine‐Functional Polymers via Thiol‐ene Conjugation
Authors: Kuhlmann Matthias , Reimann Oliver , Hackenberger Christian P. R. , Groll Jürgen
Published: January 2015

A thiofunctional thiazolidine is introduced as a new low‐molar‐mass building block for the introduction of cysteine residues via a thiol‐ene reaction. Allyl‐functional polyglycidol (PG) is used as a model polymer to demonstrate polymer‐analogue functionalization through reaction with the unsaturated side‐chains. A modified trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBSA) assay is used for the redox‐insensitive quantification and a precise final cysteine content can be predetermined at the polymerization stage. Native chemical ligation at cysteine‐functional PG is performed as a model reaction for a chemoselective peptide modification of this polymer. The three‐step synthesis of the thiofunctional thiazolidine reactant, together with the standard thiol‐ene coupling and the robust quantification assay, broadens the toolbox for thiol‐ene chemistry and offers a generic and straightforward approach to cysteine‐functional materials.

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Characterisation of Antimicrobial Extracts from Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale) Using LC‐SPE‐NMR
Authors: Kenny O. , Brunton N. P. , Walsh D. , Hewage C. M. , McLoughlin P. , Smyth T. J.
Published: January 2015

Plant extracts have traditionally been used as sources of natural antimicrobial compounds, although in many cases, the compounds responsible for their antimicrobial efficacy have not been identified. In this study, crude and dialysed extracts from dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) were evaluated for their antimicrobial properties against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains. The methanol hydrophobic crude extract (DRE3) demonstrated the strongest inhibition of microbial growth against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin‐resistant S. aureus and Bacillus cereus strains. Normal phase (NP) fractionation of DRE3 resulted in two fractions (NPF4 and NPF5) with enhanced antimicrobial activity. Further NP fractionation of NPF4 resulted in two fractions (NPF403 and NPF406) with increased antimicrobial activity. Further isolation and characterisation of compounds in NPF406 using liquid chromatography solid phase extraction nuclear magnetic resonance LC‐SPE‐NMR resulted in the identification of 9‐hydroxyoctadecatrienoic acid and 9‐hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid, while the phenolic compounds vanillin, coniferaldehyde and p‐methoxyphenylglyoxylic acid were also identified respectively. The molecular mass of these compounds was confirmed by LC mass spectroscopy (MS)/MS. In summary, the antimicrobial efficacy of dandelion root extracts demonstrated in this study support the use of dandelion root as a source of natural antimicrobial compounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A General Strategy toward Carbon Cloth‐Based Hierarchical Films Constructed by Porous Nanosheets for Superior Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Li Linlin , Peng Shengjie , Wang Na , Srinivasan Madhavi , Mhaisalkar Subodh G. , Yan Qingyu , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: January 2015

Herein, the controlled synthesis of 3D hierarchical films on carbon cloth (CC) in a high yield through a hydrothermal process and their high photocatalytic properties are reported. As representative examples, the obtained ZnIn2S4/CdIn2S4 composites are composed of porous nanosheets. During the hydrothermal process, l‐cysteine plays an important dual role as a coordinating agent and sulfur source, which is in favor of adjusting stoichiometry of the final product and forming the nanoporous structure. This facile method can be extended to synthesize other sulfides and oxides on CC substrates, such as CoIn2S4, MnIn2S4, FeIn2S4, SnS2, and Bi2WO6. When evaluated the photocatalytic activity, the optimized ZnIn2S4/CdIn2S4(20%)‐CC with an easily recycling feature shows higher photocatalytic degradation activity for methylene blue (MB) than ZnIn2S4‐CC, CdIn2S4‐CC, and ZnIn2S4/CdIn2S4(20%) powder. More importantly, ZnIn2S4/CdIn2S4(20%)‐CC also exhibits superior H2 production activity. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the unique porous sheet‐like structure and the formation of heterojunction. Our results could provide a promising way to develop high‐performance photocatalytic films, which makes it possible to be used in real devices.
The mutation profile of JAK2, MPL and CALR in Mexican patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Labastida-Mercado Nancy , Galindo-Becerra Samantha , Garcés-Eisele Javier , Colunga-Pedraza Perla , Guzman-Olvera Valeria , Reyes-Nuñez Virginia , Ruiz-Delgado Guillermo J , Ruiz-Argüelles Guillermo J
Published: January 2015

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:

By using molecular markers, it is possible to gain information on both the classification and etiopathogenesis of chronic myeloproliferative neoplasias (MPN).

METHODS:

In a group of 27 Mexican mestizo patients with MPNs, we studied seven molecular markers: the BCR/ABL1 fusion gene, the JAK2 V617F mutation, the JAK2 exon 12 mutations, the MPL W515L mutation, the MPL W515K mutation, and the calreticulin (CALR) exon 9 deletion or insertion. Patients with the BCR/ ABL1 fusion gene were excluded. We studied 14 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), eight with polycythemia vera (PV), four with primary myelofibrosis (MF), and one with undifferentiated MPN.

RESULTS:

We found twelve individuals with the JAK2 V617F mutation; five of them had been clinically classified as PV, five as ET, and one as MF. One patient with the MPL W515L was identified with a clinical picture of ET. Five patients with the CALR mutation were identified, four ET and one MF. No individuals with either the MPL W515K mutation or the JAK2 exon 12 mutations were identified. The most consistent relationship was that between PV and the JAK2 V617F mutation (p = .01).

CONCLUSIONS:

Despite its small size, the study shows much less prevalence of JAK2 mutation in PV, ET and MF, which does not match international data.
On long-term boundedness of Galerkin models
Authors: Schlegel Michael , Noack Bernd R.
Published: January 2015

We investigate linear–quadratic dynamical systems with energy-preserving quadratic terms. These systems arise for instance as Galerkin systems of incompressible flows. A criterion is presented to ensure long-term boundedness of the system dynamics. If the criterion is violated, a globally stable attractor cannot exist for an effective nonlinearity. Thus, the criterion can be considered a minimum requirement for control-oriented Galerkin models of viscous fluid flows. The criterion is exemplified, for example, for Galerkin systems of two-dimensional cylinder wake flow models in the transient and the post-transient regime, for the Lorenz system and for wall-bounded shear flows. There are numerous potential applications of the criterion, for instance, system reduction and control of strongly nonlinear dynamical systems.