bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of equal‐channel, multiple‐angular extrusion on the physical and mechanical properties of glassy polymers
Authors: Beloshenko Victor A. , Voznyak Andrei V. , Voznyak Yuri V.
Published: April 2015

Through the examples of polycarbonate and poly(methyl acrylate), the evolution of the structure and properties of glassy polymers processed by equal‐channel multiple‐angular extrusion (ECMAE) were studied. It was demonstrated that ECMAE allowed the substantial improvement of the set of strain–strength characteristics of these materials, regardless of the direction of loading applied. With the use of the data from scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and dilatometry, we found that the simultaneous growth in the strength, plasticity, and impact resistance was related to the formation of a net of biaxially oriented polymeric chains, the decrease in the free volume, and the reinforcement of intermolecular interaction. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2015,132, 42180.
Evolution of the crystalline structure and cyclization with changing tension during the stabilization of polyacrylonitrile fibers
Authors: Liu Chang , Hu Leiyang , Lu Yonggen , Zhao Weizhe
Published: April 2015

The effects of tension on the crystalline structure and cyclization of polyacrylonitrile fibers during stabilization were investigated. The degree of cyclization was measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The crystalline structure was characterized by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. When the fibers were heat‐treated at temperatures between 175 and 218°C, the tension mainly affected the cyclization in the amorphous regions through changes in the spatial distance of the chain segments; this led to a relatively higher cyclization degree under moderate tension. When the temperatures ranged from 226 to 232°C, the reactions extended to the crystalline regions. The chemical bonds became greater in the cross section of the fibers, and this was caused by cyclization structures formed in the former stage. Therefore, the optimum tension was higher than in the prior temperature range. At higher temperatures ranging from 238 to 270°C, a crosslinked structure formed, so the optimum tension increased continually. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42182.
Comparative studies on the effects of casting solvent on physico‐chemical and gas transport properties of dense polysulfone membrane used for CO2/CH4 separation
Authors: Adewole Jimoh K. , Ahmad Abdul Latif , Ismail Suzylawati , Leo Choe Peng , Sultan Abdullah S.
Published: April 2015

The effects of casting solvents on the physico–chemical and transport properties of polysulfone membranes were investigated. Comparative analysis of the properties of membranes prepared from a new solvent (diethylene glycol dimethyether, DEG) and other commonly used solvents (1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide and N,N‐dimethylformamide) were performed using gas permeation, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The degree of polymer–solvent interaction was evaluated using the solvent molar volume, and Hansen and Flory–Huggins parameters. Membrane prepared from DEG displayed a relatively higher permeability of 29.08 barrer and CO2/CH4 selectivity of 23.12 compared to membranes prepared from other solvents. This improved performance was attributed to the better interaction between the DEG solvent and polysulfone than other solvents that were considered. DEG has the highest molar volume of 142.280 cm3/mol and the lowest Flory–Huggins parameter of 0.129. Thus a thorough evaluation of polymer–solvent interaction is very crucial in preparing membranes with optimum performance. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42205.
Structure and oxygen‐barrier properties of (linear low‐density polyethylene/ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer)/linear low‐density polyethylene composite films prepared by microlayer coextrusion
Authors: Su Huijun , Xue Juan , Cai Peiling , Li Jiang , Guo Shaoyun
Published: April 2015

Ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) and linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) blends with 5% LLDPE grafted with 1% maleic anhydride (MAH; EVOH/LLDPE/LLDPE‐g‐MAH), created to increase the interfacial compatibility, were coextruded with pure LLDPE through the microlayer coextrusion technology. The phase morphology and gas‐barrier properties of the alternating‐layered (EVOH/LLDPE/LLDPE‐g‐MAH)/LLDPE composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy observation and oxygen permeation coefficient measurement. The experimental results show that the EVOH/LLDPE/LLDPE‐g‐MAH and LLDPE layers were parallel to each other, and the continuity of each layer was clearly evident. This structure greatly decreased the oxygen permeability coefficient compared to the pure LLDPE and the barrier percolation threshold because of the existence of the LLDPE/EVOH/LLDPE‐g‐MAH blend layers, and the LLDPE layers diluted the concentration of EVOH in the whole composites. In addition, the effects of the layer thickness ratio of the EVOH/LLDPE/LLDPE‐g‐MAH and LLDPE layers and the layer number on the barrier properties of the layered composites were investigated. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42211.
Synthesis and characterization of star‐shaped PLLA with sorbitol as core and its microspheres application in controlled drug release
Authors: Teng Lijing , Nie Wangyan , Zhou Yifeng , Song Linyong , Chen Pengpeng
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability of a six‐arm star‐shaped poly(l‐lactide)s (s‐PLLA) as controlled drug carriers for hydrophobic drug molecules. First, s‐PLLA was synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of l‐lactide using sorbitol as initiator and stannous octoate as catalyst. The structure and molecular weight (Mw) of s‐PLLA was characterized with 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and GPC. Second, rifampicin (RIF) used as a model drug was encapsulated within the microspheres of s‐PLLA via oil‐in‐water emulsion/solvent evaporation technique. The morphology, drug encapsulation efficiency (EE), and in vitro release behavior of the prepared microspheres were studied in details. Results indicated that the average diameters of s‐PLLA microspheres can be controlled between 8 and 20 µm by varying the copolymer's concentration or Mw. The EE of RIF was mainly determined by the concentration of s‐PLLA. The in vitro study showed that the burst release behavior can be depressed by increasing the Mw of the s‐PLLA. Present work suggests that the synthesized s‐PLLA could be used as a new material for drug delivery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42213.
Antimicrobial polyethylene wax emulsion and its application on active paper‐based packaging material
Authors: Xu Xiang , Zheng Anna , Zhou Xiaodong , Guan Yong , Pan Yuanfeng , Xiao Huining
Published: April 2015

Antimicrobial polyethylene wax (PEW) emulsions, prepared by emulsifying polyethylene wax grafted with polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PEW‐g‐PHGH), were used as wet‐end additives or coating materials for fabricating hydrophobic and anti‐mold hand‐sheets or paper. To obtain PEW‐g‐PHGH, maleic anhydride (MAH) was adopted as a bridging agent. The melt or solution grafting of MAH to PEW was performed to achieve the appropriate grafting degree and grafting efficiency. The resulting PEW‐g‐PHGH was emulsified using a homogenizer by means of surfactants, and the resulted emulsions were characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential, charge density, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), and adsorption capacity. After that the hydrophobicity of emulsion treated hand‐sheets was determined by measuring water contact angle (WCA). The morphology of the hand‐sheets treated by the emulsion was revealed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atom force microscope (AFM). Finally, the antimicrobial properties of the emulsion treated hand‐sheets were investigated by anti‐mold tests against Aspergillus niger and Chaetomium globosum. Results indicated that the PEW‐g‐PHGH emulsions exhibited good stability, high fiber adsorption capacity, and antimicrobial activity. The WCAs of the treated hand‐sheets reached 82°–140° with 80%∼99.9% growth inhibition against fungi. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42214.
Effect of electron beam irradiation on the properties of polylactic acid/montmorillonite nanocomposites for food packaging applications
Authors: Salvatore Marcella , Marra Antonella , Duraccio Donatella , Shayanfar Shima , Pillai Suresh D. , Cimmino Sossio , Silvestre Clara
Published: April 2015

This study was aimed at (1) developing new films based on polylactic acid/montmorillonite (PLA/MMT) with improved properties for applications in the food packaging industry and (2) analyzing the effect of electron‐beam (eBeam) radiation on the structural, morphological, mechanical, and barrier properties of these nanomaterials. Nanocomposites based on PLA with 1, 3, and 5 wt % of MMT were prepared in a twin‐screw extruder and then filmed by a calender. The nanocomposites were exposed to eBeam doses; one set at 1 kGy dose and the other at 10 kGy dose. The effect of MMT addition and of eBeam radiation on the properties of PLA were assessed. For all composites, a homogeneous distribution and dispersion of MMT in the PLA matrix was obtained. All nanocomposites showed an increase of the mechanical and oxygen‐barrier properties compared to neat PLA. The eBeam irradiation caused an increase of the crystallinity, formation of crosslink, increase of the glass‐transition temperatures, and enhancement of the yield values in the stress–strain curves for all nanocomposites. This study demonstrated that PLA/MMT films are suitable materials for eBeam processing of prepacked food at the realistic doses that were employed in this study. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 42219.
Effect of glass transition temperature and saturation temperature on the solid‐state microcellular foaming of cyclic olefin copolymer
Authors: Guo Huimin , Kumar Vipin
Published: April 2015

Effect of glass transition temperature and saturation temperature on the solid‐state microcellular foaming of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC)—including CO2 solubility, diffusivity, cell nucleation, and foam morphology—were investigated in this article. COCs of low Tg (78°C) and high Tg (158°C) were studied. Solubilities are 20–50% higher in high Tg COC than in the low Tg COC across the saturation temperature range. Diffusivities are about 15% higher on average in high Tg COC for temperatures up to 50°C. A much faster increase of diffusivity beyond 50°C is observed in low Tg COC due to it being in the rubbery state. Under similar gas concentration, high Tg COC starts foaming at a higher temperature. And the foam density decreases faster in low Tg COC with foaming temperature. Also, high Tg COC foams show about two orders of magnitude higher cell nucleation density than the low Tg COC foams. The effect of saturation temperature on microcellular foaming can be viewed as the effect of CO2 concentration. Nucleation density increases and cell size decreases exponentially with increasing CO2 concentration. Uniform ultramicrocellular structure with an average cell size of 380 nm was created in high‐Tg COC. A novel hierarchical structure composed of microcells (2.5 μm) and nanocells (cell size 80 nm) on the cell wall was discovered in the very low‐density high‐Tg COC foams. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42226.
Comparison of catalytic hydrolysis of bagasse cellulose under heterogeneous and homogeneous systems
Authors: Wang Yan , Yao Shun , Yang Chang , Zhang Feng , Xue Yang , Song Hang
Published: April 2015

The conversion of cellulose into valuable chemicals has attracted a great deal of interest. In this study, heterogeneous and homogeneous systems in the conversion of bagasse cellulose into the total reducing sugars were investigated. In the heterogeneous system, the effects of several critical factors including types and concentrations of ionic liquid, temperature, and time were all investigated for cellulosic conversion. Parameters considered included temperature, dosage of catalyst, and water in the homogeneous system. It was found that the hydrolysis capacity for cellulose in homogeneous system was better than that in heterogeneous system. In addition, the structure and physicochemical properties of the treated cellulose were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy, and then compared with the native fibers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42228.
Degradation of aviation sealing materials in rapeseed biodiesel
Authors: Dubovský Michal , Božek Marián , Olšovský Milan
Published: April 2015

Nowadays, the airline industry and worldwide companies in the aerospace industry have been forced to find new ecological alternatives to traditional fuels to substitute as aviation fuels and kerosene. In aero turbo engines, rubber seals based on nitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR) with different contents of acrylonitrile are the most commonly used for the production of seals. This NBR is characterized by excellent physical and mechanical properties. In this article, we present the effects of critical operating conditions and the addition of the methyl ester of rapeseed oil to aviation fuel in relation to seals for aircraft engines. In this study, we evaluated changes in the physical and mechanical properties of rubber blends that were produced from NBR rubber. The exact composition and material properties were obtained from the producer. Static immersion tests in B10 (10% biodiesel in diesel), B50 (50% biodiesel in diesel), B75 (75% biodiesel in diesel), and B100 (100% biodiesel) were carried out at a higher temperature (100°C) for 500 h and at laboratory temperature (23 ± 2°C) for 3000 h. At the end of the immersion test, the degradation behavior was investigated by the measurement of the relative changes in the weight, hardness, tensile strength, and elongation. The change in the rubber surface morphology was studied by optimal microscopy and with a digital camera. The results show that the extent of rubber blend degradation was observed for samples that were exposed to a higher concentration of biodiesel and to a higher temperature. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42254.
The value and complexity of collection arrangement for evidentiary work
Authors: Trace Ciaran B. , Francisco‐Revilla Luis
Published: April 2015

Archives are invaluable resources for those interested in understanding past activities and events. What makes archival collections valuable as evidence is that they are organized in a way that connects the materials to their creator(s), their associated activities, and recordkeeping systems. In order to create this organization archivists engage in a complex process that involves arranging materials physically and intellectually. This arrangement focuses on documenting the original order of the materials and making them evident to secondary users. The time‐consuming nature of this process has resulted in a massive backlog of unprocessed (and thus unavailable) collections, which represents an impediment to the investigative activities of scholars and researchers. To help alleviate such a situation, this article presents a novel approach to archival arrangement, using tabletop computers and digitized images. The article explains the project design and implementation and discusses the evaluation results. This work provides several major contributions to the field, including: a new system that allows archival collections to be arranged digitally, new methods and metrics for evaluating archival arrangements, a detailed analysis of the steps involved in archival arrangement and how they correlate with the final outcomes of the process, and a method for analyzing arrangements based on the topologies created by processing archivists.
A highly sensitive square wave voltammetry based biosensor for kinase activity measurements
Authors: Snir Elza , Amit Einav , Friedler Assaf , Yitzchaik Shlomo
Published: April 2015

An electrochemical biosensor has been developed for ultrasensitive, label‐free determination of protein kinase activity. The sensor is composed of a unique peptide monolayer on a gold electrode. It identifies the order change in the monolayer upon phosphorylation, via square wave voltametry (SWV) measurements. Disorder caused by the introduction of the phosphate groups onto the middle of the peptide sequence results in pinhole formation and therefore an increase in the electrochemical signal. The measured sensitivity was 100 nM of kinase and the dynamic range was 100 nM up to 11 μM. Sensitivity was an order of magnitude higher, and the dynamic range wider by two orders of magnitude, as compared to our previously reported impedimetric method, in which the sensitivity was 1 μM, and the dynamic range was 1–20 μM. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 104: 515–520, 2015.
Engineered microstructure granules for tailored drug release rate
Authors: Hong Min‐Ho , Choi Heon‐Jin , Ko Yeong‐Mu , Lee Yong‐Keun
Published: April 2015

Biomaterials developed for controlled drug delivery have demonstrated excellent results in the present study. A biomaterial prepared using hydroxyapatite (HAp) was shown to have a hollow structure with the presence of interconnected pores to house drug carriers. The poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) particles were used as drug carriers loaded with dexamethasone, a corticosteroid that is known to promote osteoinduction. The surface of the drug carriers was modified using polyethyleneimine, and then conjugated to the surface of HAp granules. The hollow HAp granules had drug carriers on both their inner and outer surfaces and showed a controlled drug release rate that was comparable to that of granules containing drug carriers on their outer surface alone. The pores were designed for insertion of drug carriers and preosteoblasts. Consequently, the biomaterials influenced cellular behavior by first promoting cell proliferation and then inducing early stage osteogenic differentiation. The effects of controlled release rate were evidenced for up to two weeks after cell seeding, resulting in an increase of osteogenic differentiation. In summary, drug carriers loaded onto hollow HAp granules were shown to be suitable for patients who require replacement of missing bone for repair of bone fractures that are extremely complex, pose a significant health risk to the patient, or fail to heal properly. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1936–1947. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel polymeric drug delivery system for localized and sustained release of tacrolimus (FK506)
Authors: Tajdaran Kasra , Shoichet Molly S. , Gordon Tessa , Borschel Gregory H.
Published: April 2015

Despite substantial improvement in microsurgical techniques for nerve repair, recovery after peripheral nerve injury is usually incomplete. FK506, an FDA approved immunosuppressant, improves functional recovery and reinnervation following peripheral nerve injury in animal models. However, systemically delivered FK506 causes undesirable global immunosuppression. We have, therefore, engineered a biodegradable local delivery system for FK506 using fibrin gel as a drug reservoir that could be placed at a site of nerve injury. FK506 was incorporated into fibrin gel in solubilized, particulated, and poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres‐encapsulated forms. A tunable release of FK506 in the fibrin gel from days to weeks was observed with the rate of release being most rapid for the solubilized form and then the particulate form. The most prolonged period of release was seen with the PLGA microsphere‐encapsulated form. As analyzed by in vitro dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurite extension assay, PLGA microsphere encapsulation of FK506 did not alter the drug's properties and the released FK506 maintained its bioactivity over the entire period of release. This study suggests that local delivery of FK506 with fibrin hydrogel could be used to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1948–1953. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Online monitoring of fermentation processes via non‐invasive low‐field NMR
Authors: Kreyenschulte Dirk , Paciok Eva , Regestein Lars , Blümich Bernhard , Büchs Jochen
Published: April 2015

For the development of biotechnological processes in academia as well as in industry new techniques are required which enable online monitoring for process characterization and control. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a promising analytical tool, which has already found broad applications in offline process analysis. The use of online monitoring, however, is oftentimes constrained by high complexity of custom‐made NMR bioreactors and considerable costs for high‐field NMR instruments (>US$200,000). Therefore, low‐field 1H NMR was investigated in this study in a bypass system for real‐time observation of fermentation processes. The new technique was validated with two microbial systems. For the yeast Hansenula polymorpha glycerol consumption could accurately be assessed in spite of the presence of high amounts of complex constituents in the medium. During cultivation of the fungal strain Ustilago maydis, which is accompanied by the formation of several by‐products, the concentrations of glucose, itaconic acid, and the relative amount of glycolipids could be quantified. While low‐field spectra are characterized by reduced spectral resolution compared to high‐field NMR, the compact design combined with the high temporal resolution (15 s–8 min) of spectra acquisition allowed online monitoring of the respective processes. Both applications clearly demonstrate that the investigated technique is well suited for reaction monitoring in opaque media while at the same time it is highly robust and chemically specific. It can thus be concluded that low‐field NMR spectroscopy has a great potential for non‐invasive online monitoring of biotechnological processes at the research and practical industrial scales. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1810–1821. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Isolation and purification of monosialotetrahexosylgangliosides from pig brain by extraction and liquid chromatography
Authors: Bian Liujiao , Yang Jianting , Sun Yu
Published: April 2015

Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1), one of glycosphingolipids containing sialic acid, plays particularly important role in fighting against paralysis, dementia and other diseases caused by brain and nerve damage. In this work, a simple and highly efficient method with high yield was developed for isolation and purification of GM1 from pig brain. The method consisted of an extraction by chloroform–methanol–water and a two‐step chromatographic separation by DEAE–Sepharose Fast Flow anion‐exchange medium and Sephacryl S‐100 HR size‐exclusion medium. The purified GM1 was proved to be homogeneous and had a purity of >98.0% by high‐performance anion‐exchange and size‐exclusion chromatography. The molecular weight was 30.0 kDa by high‐performance size‐exclusion chromatography and 1546.9 Da by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The chromogenic reaction by resorcinol–hydrochloric acid solution indicated that the purified GM1 showed a specific chromogenic reaction of sialic acid. Through this isolation and purification program, ~1.0 mg of pure GM1 could be captured from 500 g wet pig brain tissue and the yield of GM1 was around 0.022%, which was higher than the yields by other methods. The method may provide an alternative for isolation and purification of GM1 in other biological tissues. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Meat intake, cooking methods, dietary carcinogens, and colorectal cancer risk: findings from the Colorectal Cancer Family Registry
Authors: Joshi Amit D. , Kim Andre , Lewinger Juan Pablo , Ulrich Cornelia M. , Potter John D. , Cotterchio Michelle , Le Marchand Loic , Stern Mariana C.
Published: April 2015

Diets high in red meat and processed meats are established colorectal cancer (CRC) risk factors. However, it is still not well understood what explains this association. We conducted comprehensive analyses of CRC risk and red meat and poultry intakes, taking into account cooking methods, level of doneness, estimated intakes of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that accumulate during meat cooking, tumor location, and tumor mismatch repair proficiency (MMR) status. We analyzed food frequency and portion size data including a meat cooking module for 3364 CRC cases, 1806 unaffected siblings, 136 unaffected spouses, and 1620 unaffected population‐based controls, recruited into the CRC Family Registry. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for nutrient density variables were estimated using generalized estimating equations. We found no evidence of an association between total nonprocessed red meat or total processed meat and CRC risk. Our main finding was a positive association with CRC for pan‐fried beefsteak (Ptrend < 0.001), which was stronger among MMR deficient cases (heterogeneity P = 0.059). Other worth noting associations, of borderline statistical significance after multiple testing correction, were a positive association between diets high in oven‐broiled short ribs or spareribs and CRC risk (Ptrend = 0.002), which was also stronger among MMR‐deficient cases, and an inverse association with grilled hamburgers (Ptrend = 0.002). Our results support the role of specific meat types and cooking practices as possible sources of human carcinogens relevant for CRC risk.
2015 SCAI/ACC/HFSA/STS clinical expert consensus statement on the use of percutaneous mechanical circulatory support devices in cardiovascular care (Endorsed by the American heart assocation, the cardiological society of India, and sociedad latino Americana de cardiologia intervencion; Affirmation of value by the canadian association of interventional cardiology–association canadienne de cardiologie d'intervention)
Authors: Rihal Charanjit S. , Naidu Srihari S. , Givertz Michael M. , Szeto Wilson Y. , Burke James A. , Kapur Navin K. , Kern Morton , Garratt Kirk N. , Goldstein James A. , Dimas Vivian , Tu Thomas ,   From the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), Society for Thoracic Surgeons (STS), American Heart Association (AHA), and American College of Cardiology (ACC)
Published: April 2015

Although historically the intra‐aortic balloon pump has been the only mechanical circulatory support device available to clinicians, a number of new devices have become commercially available and have entered clinical practice. These include axial flow pumps, such as Impella®; left atrial to femoral artery bypass pumps, specifically the TandemHeart; and new devices for institution of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. These devices differ significantly in their hemodynamic effects, insertion, monitoring, and clinical applicability. This document reviews the physiologic impact on the circulation of these devices and their use in specific clinical situations. These situations include patients undergoing high‐risk percutaneous coronary intervention, those presenting with cardiogenic shock, and acute decompensated heart failure. Specialized uses for right‐sided support and in pediatric populations are discussed and the clinical utility of mechanical circulatory support devices is reviewed, as are the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical practice guidelines. © 2015 by The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, The American College of Cardiology Foundation, The Heart Failure Society of America, and The Society for Thoracic Surgery.
Peritoneal pregnancy with massive hemoperitoneum in early gestation: two case reports
Authors: Miyauchi Azumi , Yamada Mitsutoshi , Furuya Masataka , Matsumura Satoko , Murayama Shinji , Yoshimura Yasunori , Tanaka Mamoru
Published: April 2015

Key Clinical Message

Peritoneal pregnancy may cause severe abdominal bleeding without genital bleeding as early as the fifth week of gestation. Awareness that pregnancy can exist in unusual locations is imperative.
Surface Chirality of Gly‐Pro Dipeptide Adsorbed on a Cu(110) Surface
Authors: Cruguel Hervé , Méthivier Christophe , Pradier Claire‐Marie , Humblot Vincent
Published: April 2015

The adsorption of chiral Gly‐Pro dipeptide on Cu(110) has been characterized by combining in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM‐RAIRS) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The chemical state of the dipeptide, and its anchoring points and adsorption geometry, were determined at various coverage values. Gly‐Pro molecules are present on Cu(110) in their anionic form (NH2/COO−) and adsorb under a 3‐point binding via both oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group and via the nitrogen atom of the amine group. Low‐energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have shown the presence of an extended 2D chiral array, sustained via intermolecular H‐bonds interactions. Furthermore, due to the particular shape of the molecule, only one homochiral domain is formed, creating thus a truly chiral surface. Chirality 27:411–416, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dendrodendritic synapses in the mouse olfactory bulb external plexiform layer
Authors: Bartel Dianna L. , Rela Lorena , Hsieh Lawrence , Greer Charles A.
Published: April 2015

Odor information relayed by olfactory bulb projection neurons, mitral and tufted cells (M/T), is modulated by pairs of reciprocal dendrodendritic synaptic circuits in the external plexiform layer (EPL). Interneurons, which are accounted for largely by granule cells, receive depolarizing input from M/T dendrites and in turn inhibit current spread in M/T dendrites via hyperpolarizing reciprocal dendrodendritic synapses. Because the location of dendrodendritic synapses may significantly affect the cascade of odor information, we assessed synaptic properties and density within sublaminae of the EPL and along the length of M/T secondary dendrites. In electron micrographs the M/T to granule cell synapse appeared to predominate and was equivalent in both the outer and inner EPL. However, the dendrodendritic synapses from granule cell spines onto M/T dendrites were more prevalent in the outer EPL. In contrast, individual gephyrin‐immunoreactive (IR) puncta, a postsynaptic scaffolding protein at inhibitory synapses used here as a proxy for the granule to M/T dendritic synapse was equally distributed throughout the EPL. Of significance to the organization of intrabulbar circuits, gephyrin‐IR synapses are not uniformly distributed along M/T secondary dendrites. Synaptic density, expressed as a function of surface area, increases distal to the cell body. Furthermore, the distributions of gephyrin‐IR puncta are heterogeneous and appear as clusters along the length of the M/T dendrites. Consistent with computational models, our data suggest that temporal coding in M/T cells is achieved by precisely located inhibitory input and that distance from the soma is compensated for by an increase in synaptic density. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:1145–1161, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spinal cord neuron inputs to the cuneate nucleus that partially survive dorsal column lesions: A pathway that could contribute to recovery after spinal cord injury
Authors: Liao Chia‐Chi , DiCarlo Gabriella E. , Gharbawie Omar A. , Qi Hui‐Xin , Kaas Jon H.
Published: April 2015

Dorsal column lesions at a high cervical level deprive the cuneate nucleus and much of the somatosensory system of its major cutaneous inputs. Over weeks of recovery, much of the hand representations in the contralateral cortex are reactivated. One possibility for such cortical reactivation by hand afferents is that preserved second‐order spinal cord neurons reach the cuneate nucleus through pathways that circumvent the dorsal column lesions, contributing to cortical reactivation in an increasingly effective manner over time. To evaluate this possibility, we first injected anatomical tracers into the cuneate nucleus and plotted the distributions of labeled spinal cord neurons and fibers in control monkeys. Large numbers of neurons in the dorsal horn of the cervical spinal cord were labeled, especially ipsilaterally in lamina IV. Labeled fibers were distributed in the cuneate fasciculus and lateral funiculus. In three other squirrel monkeys, unilateral dorsal column lesions were placed at the cervical segment 4 level and tracers were injected into the ipsilateral cuneate nucleus. Two weeks later, a largely unresponsive hand representation in contralateral somatosensory cortex confirmed the effectiveness of the dorsal column lesion. However, tracer injections in the cuneate nucleus labeled only about 5% of the normal number of dorsal horn neurons, mainly in lamina IV, below the level of lesions. Our results revealed a small second‐order pathway to the cuneate nucleus that survives high cervical dorsal column lesions by traveling in the lateral funiculus. This could be important for cortical reactivation by hand afferents, and recovery of hand use. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:2138–2160, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cortico‐cortical connectivity within ferret auditory cortex
Authors: Bizley Jennifer K. , Bajo Victoria M. , Nodal Fernando R. , King Andrew J.
Published: April 2015

Despite numerous studies of auditory cortical processing in the ferret (Mustela putorius), very little is known about the connections between the different regions of the auditory cortex that have been characterized cytoarchitectonically and physiologically. We examined the distribution of retrograde and anterograde labeling after injecting tracers into one or more regions of ferret auditory cortex. Injections of different tracers at frequency‐matched locations in the core areas, the primary auditory cortex (A1) and anterior auditory field (AAF), of the same animal revealed the presence of reciprocal connections with overlapping projections to and from discrete regions within the posterior pseudosylvian and suprasylvian fields (PPF and PSF), suggesting that these connections are frequency specific. In contrast, projections from the primary areas to the anterior dorsal field (ADF) on the anterior ectosylvian gyrus were scattered and non‐overlapping, consistent with the non‐tonotopic organization of this field. The relative strength of the projections originating in each of the primary fields differed, with A1 predominantly targeting the posterior bank fields PPF and PSF, which in turn project to the ventral posterior field, whereas AAF projects more heavily to the ADF, which then projects to the anteroventral field and the pseudosylvian sulcal cortex. These findings suggest that parallel anterior and posterior processing networks may exist, although the connections between different areas often overlap and interactions were present at all levels. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:2187–2210, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neuronal organization of the brain in the adult amphioxus (Branchiostoma lanceolatum): A study with acetylated tubulin immunohistochemistry
Authors: Castro Antonio , Becerra Manuela , Manso María Jesús , Anadón Ramón
Published: April 2015

Amphioxus (Cephalochordata) belongs to the most basal extant chordates, and knowledge of their brain organization appears to be key to deciphering the early stages of evolution of vertebrate brains. Most comprehensive studies of the organization of the central nervous system of adult amphioxus have investigated the spinal cord. Some brain populations have been characterized via neurochemistry and electron microscopy, and the overall cytoarchitecture of the brain was studied by Ekhart et al. (2003; J. Comp. Neurol. 466:319–330) with general staining methods and retrograde transport from the spinal cord. Here, the cytoarchitecture of the brain of adult amphioxus Branchiostoma lanceolatum was reinvestigated by using acetylated tubulin immunohistochemistry, which specifically stains neurons and fibers, in combination with some ancillary methods. This method allowed reproducible staining and mapping of types of neuron, mostly in brain regions caudal to the entrance level of nerve 2, and its comparison with spinal cord populations. The brain populations studied and discussed in detail were the Retzius bipolar cells, lamellate cells, Joseph cells, various types of translumenal cells, somatic motoneurons, Rohde nucleus cells, small ventral multipolar neurons, and Edinger cells. These observations expand our knowledge of the distribution of cell types and provide additional data on the number of cells and the axonal tracts and commissural regions of the adult amphioxus brain. The results of this comprehensive study provide a framework for comparison of complex adult populations with the early brain neuronal populations revealed in developmental studies of the amphioxus. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:2211–2232, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparing Methods to Denote Treatment Outcome in Clinical Research and Benchmarking Mental Health Care
Authors: de Beurs Edwin , Barendregt Marko , de Heer Arco , van Duijn Erik , Goeree Bob , Kloos Margot , Kooiman Kees , Lionarons Helen , Merks Andre
Published: April 2015

Approaches based on continuous indicators (the size of the pre‐to‐post‐test change; effect size or ΔT) and on categorical indicators (Percentage Improvement and the Jacobson–Truax approach to Clinical Significance) are evaluated to determine which has the best methodological and statistical characteristics, and optimal performance, in comparing outcomes of treatment providers. Performance is compared in two datasets from providers using the Brief Symptom Inventory or the Outcome Questionnaire. Concordance of methods and their suitability to rank providers is assessed. Outcome indicators tend to converge and lead to a similar ranking of institutes within each dataset. Statistically and conceptually, continuous outcome indicators are superior to categorical outcomes as change scores have more statistical power and allow for a ranking of providers at first glance. However, the Jacobson–Truax approach can complement the change score approach as it presents outcome information in a clinically meaningful manner. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key Practitioners Messages

When comparing various indicators or treatment outcome, statistical considerations designate continuous outcomes, such as the effect size of the pre–post change (effect size or ΔT) as the optimal choice.

Expressing outcome in proportions of recovered, changed, unchanged or deteriorated patients has supplementary value, as it is more easily interpreted and appreciated by clinicians, managerial staff and, last but not the least, by patients.

If categorical outcomes are used with small datasets, true differences in institutional performance may get obscured due to diminished power to detect differences.

With sufficient data, outcome according to continuous and categorical indicators converge and lead to similar rankings of institutes' performance.
Intervarietal and intravarietal genetic structure in Douglas‐fir: nuclear SSRs bring novel insights into past population demographic processes, phylogeography, and intervarietal hybridization
Authors: van Loo Marcela , Hintsteiner Wolfgang , Pötzelsberger Elisabeth , Schüler Silvio , Hasenauer Hubert
Published: April 2015

Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is one of numerous wide‐range forest tree species represented by subspecies/varieties, which hybridize in contact zones. This study examined the genetic structure of this North American conifer and its two hybridizing varieties, coastal and Rocky Mountain, at intervarietal and intravarietal level. The genetic structure was subsequently associated with the Pleistocene refugial history, postglacial migration and intervarietal hybridization/introgression. Thirty‐eight populations from the USA and Canada were genotyped for 13 nuclear SSRs and analyzed with simulations and traditional population genetic structuring methods. Eight genetic clusters were identified. The coastal clusters embodied five refugial populations originating from five distinct refugia. Four coastal refugial populations, three from California and one from western Canada, diverged during the Pleistocene (56.9–40.1 ka). The three Rocky Mountain clusters reflected distinct refugial populations of three glacial refugia. For Canada, ice covered during the Last Glacial Maximum, we present the following three findings. (1) One refugial population of each variety was revealed in the north of the distribution range. Additional research including paleodata is required to support and determine whether both northern populations originated from cryptic refugia situated south or north of the ice‐covered area. (2) An interplay between intravarietal gene flow of different refugial populations and intervarietal gene flow by hybridization and introgression was identified. (3) The Canadian hybrid zone displayed predominantly introgressants of the Rocky Mountain into the coastal variety. This study provides new insights into the complex Quaternary dynamics of this conifer essential for understanding its evolution (outside and inside the native range), adaptation to future climates and for forest management.
Bias correction in estimation of public health risk attributable to short‐term air pollution exposure
Authors: Burr Wesley S. , Takahara Glen , Shin Hwashin H.
Published: April 2015

Numerous epidemiologic studies have reported associations between short‐term air pollution exposure and mortality. Such short‐term risk models include smooth functions of time to control for unmeasured confounding variables. We demonstrate bias in these short‐term Generalized Additive Model estimates because of lack of accounting for long timescale variations and propose a family of improved time smoothers to reduce and control the bias. The strengths of the proposed smoother are twofold: a clear separating of short‐term and long‐term effects and an obvious choice of smoothing parameters from pre‐determined timescales of interest. We demonstrate improvements through simulations and analysis of examples of air pollution and mortality data from Chicago, Il. from the National Morbidity, Mortality and Air Pollution Study database, showing reduced bias in the risk estimates. © 2015 The Authors. Environmetrics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Incompressible fluid flow simulations with flow rate as the sole information at synthetic inflow and outflow boundaries
Authors: Xue S. ‐C. , Barton G. W.
Published: April 2015

In numerically simulating heat and mass transport processes in an unconfined domain involving synthetic open (inflow and/or outflow) boundaries, how to properly specify flow conditions at these boundaries can become a challenging issue. In this work, within the context of a pressure‐based finite volume method under an unstructured grid, a solution procedure without the need for explicit specification of flow profiles at any of these boundaries when simulating incompressible fluid flow is proposed and numerically examined. Within this methodology, the flow at any open boundary is not necessarily assumed to be unidirectional or fully developed; indeed, the sole information required is the mass flow rate crossing the boundary. As a result, one can select the specific region of interest to perform simulations, rather than having to artificially increase the flow domain so as to invoke fully developed flow at all open boundaries. This not only greatly reduces computational costs (both in terms of memory requirements and simulation run‐time) but provides the means to engage with flow problems, which otherwise cannot be solved with currently available methods for handling the flow conditions at open boundaries. The proposed methodology is demonstrated by simulating laminar flow of an incompressible fluid in a two‐dimensional planar channel with a 90° T‐branch, a known inflow rate, and flow splits for the two outflow channels. The results obtained by placing the entrance and the two exits at different locations show that the flow behavior predicted is completely unaffected by using a highly truncated domain. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fast solvers for unsteady thermal fluid structure interaction
Authors: Birken P. , Gleim T. , Kuhl D. , Meister A.
Published: April 2015

We consider time‐dependent thermal fluid structure interaction. The respective models are the compressible Navier–Stokes equations and the nonlinear heat equation. A partitioned coupling approach via a Dirichlet–Neumann method and a fixed point iteration is employed. As a reference solver, a previously developed efficient time‐adaptive higher‐order time integration scheme is used.

To improve on this, we work on reducing the number of fixed point coupling iterations. Using the idea of extrapolation based on data given from the time integration by deriving such methods for SDIRK2, it is possible to reduce the number of fixed point iterations further by up to a factor of two with linear extrapolation performing better than quadratic. This leads to schemes that can use less than two iterations per time step.

Furthermore, widely used vector extrapolation methods for convergence acceleration of the fixed point iteration are tested, namely Aitken relaxation, minimal polynomial extrapolation and reduced rank extrapolation. These have no beneficial effects. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sandstone grain size characteristics of the Upper Jurassic Emuerhe Formation in the western region, Mohe Basin (NE China)
Authors: Zhang Ming Ming , Liu Zhao Jun , Fang Shi
Published: April 2015

The Upper Jurassic Emuerhe Formation was developed with abundant sedimentary facies types in the western section of the Mohe Basin. Based on the systematic sampling and detailed observation on the Emuerhe Formation of this section, the research on the sandstone grain size characteristics of the Emuerhe Formation was carried out with the grain size parameters features (Mz, SK1, KG and σ1), the sensitive components parameters features (SCPGS, SCGSR and SCPV) and the grain size analytical graphs features (grain size frequency curves, grain size cumulative curves, probability cumulative curves and C–M plots). The comprehensive analytical results illustrate that the hydrodynamic energy of the Emuerhe Formation (three times fan delta facies, two times sandy shallow lake microfacies and five times turbidite deposit) in the western section gradually reduced from bottom to top. In addition, the hydrodynamic energy of each fan delta facies gradually enhanced from bottom to top. Based on the analysis of the hydrodynamic conditions of the Emuerhe Formation in the western section, the hydrodynamic conditions evolution history of this section can be divided into five sedimentary phases, namely respectively for the fan delta sedimentary phase, the first‐time sandy shallow lake microfacies sedimentary phase, the short‐term deep lake subfacies sedimentary phase, the second‐time sandy shallow lake microfacies sedimentary phase and the relatively stable deep lake subfacies sedimentary phase from bottom to top. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.