bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Y2O3 Coated CaO Ceramic Cores with Anti-Hydration Performance and High-Interface Stability Against Interface Reaction of Ti–6Al–4V Alloys
Authors: Zhou Pengpeng , Wu Guoqing , Butt Faheem K , Tao Ye , Zhao Jiaqi , Nan Hai
Published: February 2019

In this study, we describe a novel method for preparing Y2O3@CaO ceramic cores with anti-hydration performance and high-interface stability against interface reaction of Ti–6Al–4V alloys. The effect of Y2O3 coating on microstructure,
mechanical, anti-hydration properties of ceramic cores and interface reaction with Ti–6Al–4V alloys was studied. The results show that the surface charge of Y2O3 and CaO are opposite at the pH value of 13, which might result in an electrostatic force and become
the main driving force of Y2O3 particles absorb on the surface of CaO particles. The Y2O3 coating improved the anti-hydration properties of the CaO-based ceramic cores after sintering at 1450 °C. Meanwhile, the flexural strength improved from
11.2 to 18.8 MPa. At last, the interaction between the ceramic cores and Ti–6Al–4V metal were studied by centrifugal investment casting. Y2O3 coating can effectively reduce the interface reaction and the thickness of the interaction layer in the casting was
less than 10 μm. The results suggest that the Y2O3@CaO ceramic with anti-hydration performance provide excellent mechanical and high-interface stability against interface reaction of Ti–6Al–4V alloys.
High Performance Microfiltration Composite Membranes Based on Phenolphthalein Poly(ether sulfone) Nanofibrous Substrate with Hydrophilic Coating
Authors: Song Guocheng , Li Jing , Yu Junrong , Wang Yan , Zhu Jing , Hu Zuming
Published: February 2019

In the present paper, Phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone) (PES-C) nanofibrous membranes were prepared via solution-blowing technology and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) which would be converted to stable gels by reaction with potassium persulfate (K2S2O8)
was immobilized on the surface of nanofibers. The influence factors such as PVP concentration and depositing time were optimized to obtain the composite nanofibrous membranes. The membranes were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Wide-angle
X-ray diffraction (WAXD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Water contact angles (WCA), etc. The hydrophilicity of the composite membrane was significantly enhanced by immobilizing Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) on the surface of nanofibers. Furthermore the filtration experiment
of starch suspension and oil-water separation test were executed and the anti-fouling properties of the modified membranes were evaluated with the flux recovery ratio (FRR%). The results showed that membranes with PVPP-modified had a more excellent and stability antifouling performances compared
with the original membranes. Generally, this work provides a simple and useful method to improve anti-fouling properties of PES-C nanofibrous membranes which had great potential application in microfiltration.
Morphological and Optical Characterization of Gold Nanoparticles Decorated Porous Silicon
Authors: Severiano F , Gayou V. L , García G , Luna-López J. A , Gutiérrez H. Martínez , Adame J. A. Andraca , Rojas-López M
Published: February 2019

In this article, physical characteristics of porous silicon (PS) obtained by electro chemical etching using HAuCl4 in the electrolyte are described. The morphological and optical features of PS decorated with gold-nanoparticles (AuNPs) were analyzed in function of the chemical etching
time. The insertion of AuNPs inside the PS were performed simultaneously with the formation of the porous silicon layer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed the formation and incorporation of AuNPs with an average size of 20 nm in the PS structure, which has a pore size of 1.5
μm. Also, it was possible to observe the loss of Si in function of the etching time. Photoluminescence spectroscopy analysis shows a decreasing of the PL intensity, which can be related to the presence of oxygen in the samples. Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate the size of the Si
nanocrystals in the PS structure, which suffers a reduction in size due to the presence of HAuCl4 in the electrolyte.
Porous CoC2O4/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite for Advanced Potassium-Ion Storage
Authors: Wang Lifeng , Wei Kaiyuan , Zhang Pengjun , Wang Hong , Qi Xiujun , Wu Xuan , Zhao Wei , Ju Zhicheng
Published: February 2019

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), as one of the alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), have attracted considerable attention on account of the affluence and low-cost of potassium. Moreover, CoC2O4 and graphene oxide (GO) have been used very well in lithium-ion
batteries. Hence, the hybrid CoC2O4/GO was investigated as a new anode material for PIBs. The hybrid CoC2O4/GO was synthesized by a facile and cheap method combined with supersonic dispersion. Electrochemical measurements reveal that the hybrid CoC2O4/GO
delivered an excellent cycling stability of 166 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 and a superior rate capability even at 1 A g−1. These results demonstrate although the cycle ability was insufficient for practical applications, transition-metal oxalates
composites can still bring new hope to the development of PIBs.
Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity of Fe and/or Ni Doped Ilmenite Derived-Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Li Ge , Wang Bao-Dong , Sun Qi , Xu Wayne-Qiang , Han Yi-Fan
Published: February 2019

Pure TiO2 nanoparticles and ones doped with Fe and/or Ni were successfully prepared by a co-precipitation method from ilmenite. The samples were structurally characterized by XRD, XPS, FT-IR, UV-vis, SEM, EDX, AAS and BET measurement. The XRD results showed that all samples
were anatase TiO2, and no characteristic peaks of dopants were observed. The crystallite sizes of all doped TiO2 nanoparticles were less than 20 nm and doping TiO2 with metal ions can suppress the crystal growth of the particles. The XRD and XPS results indicated
that TiO2 was uniformly doped and its crystalline phase was not changed by doping. The specific surface area of Fe–Ni/TiO2 is bigger than that of the un-doped TiO2. The pore size and pore volume of Fe–Ni/TiO2 is smaller than that of the
un-doped. UV-vis spectra of the samples showed that the absorption edge red shifted with increasing doped metal content. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated in oxidative degradation of methylene blue (MB) with H2O2 under visible light irradiation. When doped with
a single type of transition metal, the photocatalytic performance of Ni-doped samples was lower than that of Fe-doped ones. For the co-doped catalysts, the catalytic efficiency of 0.5%Fe4%Ni/TiO2 was the highest, reaching 93.34% after 250 min. Metal doping enhanced the
photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue compared with that of pure TiO2 by up to 1.5 times. The synergistic effects of the two metal ions improved the photocatalytic performance. The particles exhibited pronounced activity in degradation of MB as well as efficient recyclability.
The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of methylene blue was analyzed.
Sound Absorption and Insulation Properties of a Polyurethane Foam Mixed with Electrospun Nylon-6 and Polyurethane Nanofibre Mats
Authors: Park Mira , Park Hyeon Ku , Shin Hye Kyoung , Kang Dawon , Pant Bishweshwar , Kim Hang , Song Jin-Kyu , Kim Hak Yong
Published: February 2019

In recent years, noise has become a serious hazard and can have permanent biological and psychological effects on humans and other organisms in nature. Textile materials are commonly used as absorbent acoustic materials for noise reduction. This work examines the use of electrospun
nylon-6 and polyurethane nanofibres (PU NFs) to improve the sound absorption and sound insulation properties of polyurethane foam. In this work, nylon-6 and polyurethane nanofibres were prepared by an electrospinning technique and were glued to a polyurethane foam. The sound absorption coefficient
of the materials was measured by the impedance tube method. An impedance tube was used to measure the sound absorption and airborne sound insulation. The results showed decreased sound absorption properties, whereas the sound insulation was highly enhanced when polyurethane/nanofibre hybrids
were used, as compared to the pristine polyurethane foam. Furthermore, the sound insulation properties of polyurethane foam were highly enhanced when the foam was combined with nylon-6 NFs, compared with the polyurethane foam with PU NFs. Therefore, by investigating the acoustic characteristics
of electrospun nylon-6 and PU nanofibres, we believe that this study can broaden the application of electrospun nanofibres for sound pollution control.
Effects of Al2O3 Nanoparticles on the Crystallization of Calcium Carbonate in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Wang Feng , Ge Hong-Hua , Wu Kai , Wang Le-Tian , Wan Chuan , Sha Jun-Yi , Zhao Yu-Zeng
Published: February 2019

The effects of Al2O3 nanoparticles on the precipitation behavior of CaCO3 and on the anti-scale performance of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTCA) in CaCO3 growth solution were studied by means of solution analysis, gravimetric
methods, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results illustrate that Al2O3 nanoparticles had little effect on the concentration of calcium ions in the test solution without PBTCA, but significantly changed the
form and morphology of calcium carbonate crystals, which were transformed from calcite to aragonite. As a commonly used and effective scale inhibitor, PBTCA showed good Ca2+ retention ability in the test solution, distorting the calcite crystal lattice and promoting the formation
of vaterite. When Al2O3 nanoparticles co-existed with PBTCA in the test solution, calcium carbonate was more likely to precipitate, and the Ca2+ retention ability of PBTCA reduced. A newly designed gravimetric method was used to evaluate the scale inhibition
performance of Al2O3 nanoparticles on the heat exchange surface. When the concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles reached 1 g/L, the surface scale inhibition efficiency of Al2O3 nanoparticles exceeded 80%.
Sol–Gel Assisted Isotropic Morphological Progression in Nanostructured MoO3 and Allied Investigations on Photocatalytic Dye-Degradation
Authors: Qureshi Nilam , Shinde Manish , Arbuj Sudhir , Rane Sunit , Bhalerao Anand , Kim Hyeong-U , Kim Taesung , Amalnerkar Dinesh
Published: February 2019

We report tunable-morphology oriented facile yet scalable route to synthesize 1D (nanorod) and 2D (nanobelt) MoO3 nanostructures at gram scale using conventional as well as sonochemistry assisted sol–gel technique. The structural, morphological and optical properties
of the samples can be befittingly altered by varying the synthesis protocol. The resultant orthorhombic MoO3 nanomorphs demonstrated efficient and expeditious photocatalytic degradation of the pollutant dye, Methylene Blue (MB). We have observed that appreciable photocatalytic MB
dye-degradation can be accomplished within 30 minutes with high rate constants of 0.0786 min−1 and 0.233 min−1 for rod and belt-like MoO3-nanostructures, respectively. The pilot results indicate that the resultant MoO3 nanomorphs can
be potentially used as solar light driven industrial photocatalyst material with their intrinsic photostability.
Simple Combustion Synthesis, Structural, Morphological, Optical and Catalytic Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles
Authors: Christy S. Rosy , Priya L. Srimathi , Durka M , Dinesh A , Babitha N , Arunadevi S
Published: February 2019

In this present study, semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by microwave irradiation (ZnO-MIM) and conventional combustion (ZnO-CCM) method, respectively using Aloe vera plant extract as reducing agent. Crystal structure, purity and surface
morphology of the samples were examined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. UV-Visible diffuse reflectance (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectral studies was used to analysis the optical property and band gap
energy of the samples. The antibacterial activities of ZnO nanostructures (ZnO-MIM and ZnO-CCM) were tested against both gram positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative bacteria (Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella typhi) by modified disc diffusion
method and observed enhanced activity against P. mirabilis and S. typhi. ZnO nanostructures (ZnO-MIM and ZnO-CCM) were used as the photo-catalysts for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and observed enhanced efficiency of degradation of MB than that of their same bulk materials.
Moreover, the synthesis method is easy with low cost and time consumable and also high yield purity products.
Molecular Electronics Including Temperature Effects Based on Dyes Pigments
Authors: Amador Adriana T , Neto Abel F. G , Cruz Jorddy N , Magno Fatima N. B , Marques Francisco C , Da Silva Carlos A. B , Nero Jordan Del , Neto Antonio M. J. C
Published: February 2019

In this work we used the Density Functional Theory to study the thermodynamic properties from Brazilein (BZE) and Brazilin (BZI) molecules, main pigments responsible for the red color from Brazil wood. We did a comparison between the two dyes to then know which dye has better resistance
to temperature (T ) and external electric field (E) values, aiming their potential to possible applications in solar cells, as excitons trainers. We have found that the BZE molecule becomes less stable after a temperature known as degradation temperature, and therefore enters oxidation state.
However, BZE is more stable and more resistant to high temperatures. With respect to the applied external electric field, we find that BZE is more reactive to almost all the applied electric fields, thus more easily converted into energy in the form of electrical work.
Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 into Oxygenate Fuels/Chemicals Using Efficient, Eco-Friendly, Titania/Hematite-Based Nanostructured Solar-Energy Materials
Authors: Lashgari Mohsen , Soodi Sanaz
Published: February 2019

Photocatalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (CO2), using water feedstock (H source), sunlight and appropriate semiconducting low-cost/eco-friendly/solar-energy materials, is a promising route for sequestration of this greenhouse gas and its conversion into value-added
oxygenate fuels (compounds). Herein, by employing three hematite-based nanostructured photocatalyst/solar-energy materials, the CO2 photoreduction (hydrogenation) process was carried out inside a water photosplitting reactor, and various oxygenate (C/H/O) products [including ethanol,
methanol and formaldehyde as well as oxalic, acetic and formic acids] were synthesized in the reaction medium. Concerning the complexity of system and the diversity of products—being photocatalytically synthesized during the photoconversion process, two straightforward problem-solving
strategies were proposed [one, focusing on a single/particular product and pursuing its quantity (concentration) at different illumination periods, and the other, simultaneous investigation of various products being produced at a fixed reaction period, in the aqueous or gas-phase medium].
Finally, the matter of CO2 photoconversion into oxygenate fuels/chemicals was explained in detail from photoelectrochemical [semiconductor band structure and redox potential] as well as mechanistic perspectives.
Preparation, Characterization and Surface Free Energy of Nickel-Doped Silica Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Membrane for H2/CO2 Separation
Authors: Yang Jing , Tian Li
Published: February 2019

Nickel-doped silica organic–inorganic hybrid (Ni/SiO2) membranes based on tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) were prepared via a sol–gel process for H2/CO2 separation. The influence of calcination temperature
and Ni-doping amount on the microstructure and surface free energy of Ni/SiO2 materials was investigated. The permeance of H2 and CO2 and vapor stability of the membranes were tested. For the Ni/SiO2 membrane, the optimal calcination temperature
should be 350 °C and Ni/TEOS molar ratio is 0.1. After calcination at 350 °C, nickel element exists in form of Ni–O–Si structure and crystalline NiO with small grain size. At this temperature, the water contact angle of Ni/SiO2 film achieved a maximum of (96.1±0.4)°
and the surface free energy reached the minimum. The H2 and CO2 permeance of freshly-prepared the Ni/SiO2 membrane was 7.86×10−6 and 1.50×10−6 mol m−2 Pa−1 s−1,
respectively, at 25 °C and a pressure difference of 0.4 MPa. Compared with the pure SiO2 membrane, the H2 permeance and H2/CO2 selectivity of Ni/SiO2 membrane increased by 20.9% and 15.9%, respectively. After aging in the moist condition
for 7 d, the H2 permeance of Ni/SiO2 membrane was reduced by 6.9% and the H2/CO2 selectivity increased by 4.7%. The Ni/SiO2 membrane showed higher H2 permeance, H2/CO2 selectivity and vapor stability than
pure SiO2 membrane.
Research Progress of Catalysis for Low-Carbon Olefins Synthesis Through Hydrogenation of CO2
Authors: Wang Qiang , Chen Yao , Li Zhenhua
Published: February 2019

Fossil fuel consumption, global warming, climate change, and price fluctuation of fuels push scientists to search for alternative ways to produce fuel. From the viewpoint of CO2 capture and utilization, using CO2 as raw material to produce value-added products
is attractive because it can not only alleviate global warming but also offers a solution to replace dwindling fossil fuels. Especially the technique of CO2 hydrogenation to low-carbon olefins including ethylene, propylene and butylene is highly attractive. However, due to the extreme
inertness of CO2 and a high C–C coupling barrier, the conversion of CO2 and selectivity of C2–4 are not high. In addition, methane, as one main product in CO2 hydrogenation, inhibits the production of other long-chain hydrocarbons. So
it is decisive to design effective catalyst system to increase C2–4 selectivity while decrease CH4 selectivity. This review focuses on two routes for low-carbon olefins synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation. The first route is direct synthesis of low-carbon
olefins through CO2 hydrogenation process. The catalyst supports, promoters and bimetallic active components are inextricably related with hydrogenation of CO2 to lower olefins, which was reviewed in detail. The other route is indirect route for low-carbon olefins synthesis
through hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol and subsequently methanol to lower olefins, which is briefly discussed.
Preparation of Highly Dispersion CuO/MCM-41 Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation
Authors: Li Lin , Zhang Chen , Chen Xinqing , Gao Peng , Sun Jian , Wang Hui , Sun Yuhan
Published: February 2019

CuO/MCM-41 catalyst was synthesized by a simple method with the modification of ethylene glycol (EG) and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen sorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (SEM). Its catalytic performance in the
hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol was also investigated. The results indicated that the as-synthesized CuO/MCM-41-EG catalyst took the properties of high dispersion, small particle size and high surface area, and then showed catalytic performance for the CO2 hydrogenation
to methanol. At the optimum reaction temperature of 240 °C, the CuO/MCM-41-EG catalyst gave 15% CO2 conversion and 35% methanol selectivity.
Mechanistic Insights into the CO2 Methanation Catalyzed by Supported Metals: A Review
Authors: Solis-Garcia Alfredo , Fierro-Gonzalez Juan C
Published: February 2019

The production of methane from the reaction between CO2 and H2 (CO2 methanation) has gained increasing attention in recent years. The rational design of novel catalytic materials for this reaction will depend on the fundamental description of the active
sites and the identification of surface reaction intermediates. Currently, there is a debate regarding the mechanism for the CO2 methanation on supported metals, with apparently contradictory proposals suggesting that various surface species could be either reaction intermediates
or spectators. Similarly, there is a discussion regarding the nature of the surface sites on the catalysts that activate the CO2 molecule during the reaction. Specifically, it has been suggested that different reaction routes could occur on different metalsupport combinations and
on various surface structures. In this manuscript, we critically review the literature on CO2 methanation and discuss the physical evidence that has been presented to propose reaction mechanisms on various supported metals. The relevance of the presence of nanosized metal particles
in the catalysts is also discussed.
The Evaluation of Reactive Sorption Enhanced Biogas Steam Reforming Process for Hydrogen Production Using Nano-Sized CaO Adsorbents
Authors: Liu Hao , Yang Zhaowei , Wu Sufang
Published: February 2019

The simulation of a biogas steam reforming process for hydrogen production with nano-sized CaO reactive sorption enhancement has been done to evaluate the performance of this new technology. First, the conversion of CH4 in reforming reaction (XCH4)
and CO conversion in water shift reaction (XCO) were obtained from experimental results under different conditions of reaction temperature (T), steam to methane molar ratios (S/C) and calcium to total carbon molar ratios (Ca/CT). Then the technical
performance indicators including yield of hydrogen and efficiency of biogas energy conversion were calculated based on the XCH4 and XCO results. The evaluation results showed that the maximum values of yield of hydrogen (2.47 Nm3 H2/Nm3
Biogas) and efficiency of energy conversion (88.25%) could be got when T was 600 °C, S/C was 4, Ca/CT was 2.75 and the reaction pressure was 1 atm. Compared with the conventional biogas steam reforming process without enhancement and the sorption enhanced biogas
steam reforming process using micro-sized CaO adsorbents, this new technology using nano-sized CaO adsorbents owned higher purity and yield of hydrogen at lower reaction temperature, which revealed the stronger technical advantages.
Nanostructured Ni/CeO2–ZrO2 Catalysts for CO2 Conversion into Synthetic Natural Gas
Authors: Atzori Luciano , Rombi Elisabetta , Meloni Daniela , Monaci Roberto , Sini Maria Franca , Cutrufello Maria Giorgia
Published: February 2019

NiO–CeO2–ZrO2 mixed oxides, with Ni/(Ce + Zr) = 1 mol/mol and different Ce/Zr molar ratios, were prepared by the soft-template method. The chemical composition, texture, structure, and redox features of the synthesized systems were investigated by different
techniques. All samples were nanocrystalline (NiO nanocrystal average size 4 nm) and had high surface area and quite an ordered mesoporous system. The catalytic performances in the CO2 conversion into methane were studied at atmospheric pressure, 300 °C, and stoichiometric H2/CO2
molar ratio. Prior to reaction the catalysts were submitted to a mild reduction pretreatment (H2 at 400 °C for 1 h). XRD analysis of the samples after pretreatment showed the presence of small Ni crystals (4–7 nm) on all the samples as well as of some unreduced NiO nanocrystals
on the systems with high Zr content, in accordance with H2-TPR experiments, which indicated that NiO reduction is promoted by CeO2 but hindered by ZrO2. The catalytic tests were performed at two different space velocities (72000 and 900000 cm3 h−1
g−1cat) on a series of Ni-based catalysts supported on CeO2–ZrO2 systems with different Ce/Zr ratios, including the two pure oxides. CO2 conversion and selectivity to CH4 (which was always close to 100 mol%) were
constant throughout the 6-hour runs. CO2 conversion resulted to increase with CeO2 content in the catalyst, thus indicating the role of the CeO2 component of the support in activating CO2, whereas H2 is activated on the Ni nanoparticles.
The Grammatical Status of However
Authors: Hutton Lizzie , Curzan Anne
Published: February 2019

Popular grammar books have long admonished their readers for using conjunctive adverbs as coordinators, and nowhere more than in the case of however. The very force of this prescription suggests that the rule is far from intuitive for many users of standard edited English: examples of however taking on a syntactically coordinating function (equivalent to but) are not difficult to find, nor are they limited to unedited sources. This paper addresses the question of whether prescriptivism is clouding our view of a linguistic change in the grammatical status of however. Drawing on data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and the Corpus of Historical American English (COHA), we argue that the apparent “confusion” about whether however can serve as a clausal coordinator may be closely related to its increasing preference, over the past century-and-a-half, for clause-initial placement. Descriptive grammars of the last twenty years have labeled select conjunctive adverbs other than however “marginal coordinators.” This paper presents the hypothesis that however is following a historical trajectory similar to the “marginal coordinators” so and yet, whose mixed function is now accepted as standard; and it explores the extent to which shifting patterns in sentence placement preferences—as a result, perhaps, of colloquialization—may be a factor in the changing grammatical function of however.
Thermal and mechanical properties of highly flexible poly(L-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lactide) bioplastics: Effects of poly(ethylene glycol) block length and chain extender
Authors: Baimark Yodthong , Srisuwan Yaowalak
Published: February 2019

The brittleness of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) bioplastic is the main disadvantage for practical applications. Herein, we report the synthesis of high-molecular-weight PLLA- b-poly(ethylene glycol)- b-PLLA (PLLA-PEG-PLLA) block copolymers by ring-opening polymerization of LLA. The highly flexible PLLA-PEG-PLLAs were prepared by reactive melt blending with an epoxy-based chain extender formed as long-chain branched structures. The effects of PEG block length and content of chain extender were investigated. The results showed that the chain extension reaction reduced crystallinities of the PLLA-PEG-PLLAs. All the chain-extended PLLA-PEG-PLLA films had no phase separation. The lower crystallinities of PLLA-PEG-PLLA films obtained with higher contents of chain extender enhanced the film drawability. The longer PEG block length resulted in higher strain at break and lower stress at the break of PLLA-PEG-PLLA films. These chain-extended PLLA-PEG-PLLAs have potential for use as highly flexible bioplastics.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) Among Elder Iranians With Heart Failure
Authors: Lin Chung-Ying , Broström Anders , Griffiths Mark D. , Pakpour Amir H.
Published: February 2019

The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) using classical test theory and modern test theory among elderly Iranian individuals with heart failure (HF). Individuals with objectively verified HF ( n = 388, 234 males, mean age = 68.9 ± 3.4) completed the (i) eHEALS, (ii) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, (iii) Short Form 12, (iv) 9-item European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale, and (v) 5-item Medication Adherence Report Scale. Two types of analyses were carried out to evaluate the factorial structure of the eHEALS: (i) confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in classical test theory and (ii) Rasch analysis in modern test theory. A regression model was constructed to examine the associations between eHEALS and other instruments. CFA supported the one-factor structure of the eHEALS with significant factor loadings for all items. Rasch analysis also supported the unidimensionality of the eHEALS with item fit statistics ranging between 0.5 and 1.5. The eHEALS was significantly associated with all the external criteria. The eHEALS is suitable for health-care providers to assess eHealth literacy for individuals with HF.
Taking on a New Grading System: The Interconnected Effects of Standards-Based Grading on Teaching, Learning, Assessment, and Student Behavior
Authors: Knight Megan , Cooper Robyn
Published: February 2019

This study explored high school teachers’ perceptions of the effects of standards-based grading (SBG) on planning, instruction, assessment, classroom management, and student behaviors. Findings indicated that despite some infidelity and an initial implementation dip, systemic (SBG) changes made teaching clearer, more purposeful, and more conducive to student needs while enhancing student growth mind-set and ownership. The researchers concluded SBG is a viable reform because it makes teaching and learning more focused, effective, and enjoyable. Findings also led to several recommendations for administrators and teachers.
A Systematic Review of Patient‐Reported Outcome Measures Assessing Body Image Disturbance in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Ellis Mark A. , Sterba Katherine R. , Brennan Emily A. , Maurer Stacey , Hill Elizabeth G. , Day Terry A. , Graboyes Evan M.
Published: February 2019

Objective

To synthesize published literature describing the severity of body image disturbance (BID) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) over time, its psychosocial and functional associations, and treatment strategies as assessed by patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Data Source

PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

Review Methods

A systematic review of the English‐language literature was performed to identify studies of BID in patients with HNC using psychometrically validated PROMs to assess (1) severity of BID over time, (2) psychosocial and functional associations, and (3) management strategies.

Results

A total of 17 studies met inclusion criteria. BID was assessed via 10 different PROMs, none of which were HNC‐specific measures of BID. Two of 2 longitudinal studies (100%) reported that BID improved from pretreatment to posttreatment, and 2 of 3 longitudinal studies (67%) showed that the severity of BID decreased over time as survivors got further out from treatment. Seven of 17 studies (41%) described negative functional and psychosocial associations with BID, although study methodology limited conclusions about cause and effect. None of the studies assessing interventions to manage BID (0/2, 0%) demonstrated an improvement in BID relative to control.

Conclusion

BID in patients with HNC has negative functional and psychosocial associations and lacks evidence‐based treatment. Research is limited by the lack of an HNC‐specific BID PROM. Further research should address knowledge gaps related to the lack of an HNC‐specific BID PROM, longitudinal course of BID in patients with HNC, confusion with regards to risk factors and outcomes, and lack of prevention and treatment strategies.
Loss of CD169+ Subcapsular Macrophages during Metastatic Spread of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Topf Michael C. , Harshyne Larry , Tuluc Madalina , Mardekian Stacey , Vimawala Swar , Cognetti David M. , Curry Joseph M. , Rodeck Ulrich , Luginbuhl Adam
Published: February 2019

Objective

The purpose of this study is to assess CD169 expression in metastatic and nearby tumor‐free lymph nodes of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Study Design

Retrospective analysis based on immunohistochemistry.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Subjects and Methods

The abundance of CD169+ cells in the subcapsular sinuses (SCSs) of lymph nodes was assessed immunohistochemically in paraffin‐embedded tissue samples derived from 22 patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal SCC.

Results

SCSs of lymph nodes harboring metastatic SCC contained significantly fewer CD169+ macrophages (106.5 ± 113.6 cells/mm2) compared to nearby tumor‐free lymph nodes (321.3 ± 173.4 cells/mm2, P <. 001). This observation extended to 21 of the 22 cases investigated. In addition, 6 patients who later developed recurrent disease contained lower numbers of CD169+ cells (268.6 ± 169.5 cells/mm2) in nearby tumor‐free lymph nodes compared to 341.0 ± 176.1 cells/mm2 in those who remained disease free (P =. 399). Human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive patients (n = 4) had a 6‐fold lower number of CD169+ cells in metastatic nodes (61.2 ± 85.5 cells/mm2) compared to nearby tumor‐free lymph nodes (369.5 ± 175.5 cells/mm2, P =. 028). In comparison, HPV‐negative patients had only a 3‐fold reduction (116.6 ± 118.5 cells/mm2 vs 310.6 ± 176.2 cells/mm2, P <. 001).

Conclusion

Metastatic spread of SCC to regional lymph nodes is associated with lower abundance of CD169+ macrophages in the SCSs of draining lymph nodes. These results set the stage for an in‐depth investigation into the mechanism(s) by which metastatic SCC controls CD169+ macrophage abundance and its significance as it relates to prognosis and treatment response.
Matrix completion as a post-processing technique for probabilistic roadmaps
Authors: Esposito Joel M. , Wright John N.
Published: February 2019

Inspired by the recent literature on matrix completion, this paper describes a novel post-processing algorithm for probabilistic roadmaps (PRMs). We argue that the adjacency matrix associated with real roadmaps can be decomposed into the sum of low-rank and sparse matrices. Given a PRM with n vertices and only [Formula: see text] collision-checked candidate edges, our algorithm numerically computes a relaxation of this decomposition, which estimates the status of all [Formula: see text] possible edges in the full roadmap with high accuracy, without performing any additional collision checks. Typical results from our experiments on problems from the Open Motion Planning Library indicate that after checking [Formula: see text] of the possible edges, the algorithm estimates the full visibility graph with [Formula: see text] accuracy. The practical utility of the algorithm is that the average path length across the resulting denser edge set is significantly shorter (at the cost of somewhat increased spatial complexity and query times). An ancillary benefit is that the resulting low-rank plus sparse decomposition readily reveals information that would be otherwise difficult to compute, such as the number of convex cells in free configuration space and the number of vertices in each. We believe that this novel connection between motion planning and matrix completion provides a new perspective on sampling-based planning and may guide future algorithm development.
Integrating mental health peer support in clinical settings: Lessons from Canada and Norway
Authors: Mulvale Gillian , Wilson Fiona , Jones Shaleen , Green Jenn , Johansen Karl-Johan , Arnold Ian , Kates Nick
Published: February 2019

Mental health peer support is an evidence-based approach called for by Canada’s mental health strategy that presents health leaders with an opportunity to transform mental health service experiences, improve health outcomes, and lower overall system costs. Originally offered in community settings, peer support has been expanding to clinical settings, but challenges to integration exist. This qualitative case study of peer support in clinical settings in Canada and Norway examines the perceived value of peer support and change management strategies that health leaders, managers, staff, and peer support providers can use to support integration of peer support in existing healthcare teams in clinical settings. Recommended strategies for health leaders include adopting a gradual approach to integration, building champions, demonstrating value, focusing on resistant groups, adopting a continuous improvement approach, setting peer support as an organizational priority, and linking peer support to patient-centred care.
Roflumilast, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, attenuates cadmium-induced renal toxicity via modulation of NF-κB activation and induction of NQO1 in rats
Authors: Ansari MN , Aloliet RI , Ganaie MA , Khan TH , Najeeb-ur-Rehman  , Imam F , Hamad AM
Published: February 2019

Objective:

In the present study, the protective effect of Roflumilast (ROF, a selective phosphodiesterase (PDE-4) inhibitor) was investigated against cadmium (Cd)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Methods:

A total of 24 rats were selected and randomly divided into four groups ( n = 6). Group 1 served as the control; groups 2–4 administered with CdCl2 (3 mg/kg, i.p.) for 7 days; groups 3 and 4 were co-administered with ROF in doses of 0.5 and 1.5 mg/kg, orally for 7 consecutive days. Nephrotoxicity was evaluated by measuring urine volume, urea and creatinine levels in urine and serum. Oxidative stress was confirmed by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels in kidney tissue followed by histopathological studies.

Results:

CdCl2 administration results in a significant ( p < 0.01) decrease in urine volume, urea, and creatinine levels in urine, as well as GSH, SOD, and CAT levels in renal tissue. In addition, Cd also produced significantly increased ( p < 0.01) urea and creatinine levels in serum and TBARS levels in renal tissues. Rats treated with ROF significantly ( p < 0.01) restore the altered levels of kidney injury markers, nonenzymatic antioxidant, as well as depleted enzymes in dose-dependent manner. An increased expression of NF-κB p65 and decreased expression of GST and NQO1 in the Cd only treated group were significantly reversed by high dose of ROF (1.5 mg/kg). Histopathological changes were also ameliorated by ROF administration in Cd-treated groups.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, ROF treatment showed protective effect against renal damage and increased oxidative stress induced by Cd administration.
Characterization of urinary biomarkers and their relevant mechanisms of zoledronate-induced nephrotoxicity using rats and HK-2 cells
Authors: Lan Z , Chai K , Jiang Y , Liu X
Published: February 2019

The aim of this study was to identify biomarkers of zoledronate-induced nephrotoxicity and to further characterize the mechanisms underlying this process by analyzing urinary metabolites. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into four groups containing four (two control groups) or eight rats (two zoledronate groups) per group. The rats were injected intravenously with saline or zoledronate (3 mg/kg) singly (single, 3 weeks) or repeatedly eight times (3 weeks/time, 24 weeks). Serum blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, and kidney injury observed by hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining were changed only in the repeated zoledronate group (3 mg/kg, 3 weeks/time, 24 weeks). Urinary levels of S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, l-cystathionine, l-γ-glutamylcysteine, and glutathione related to glutathione metabolism and fumaric acid and succinic acid related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the zoledronate-treated group (3 mg/kg, 3 weeks/time, 24 weeks) were significantly lower than those in the control group, suggesting that zoledronate may cause cellular oxidative stress. Besides, urinary levels of uracil and uridine related to pyrimidine metabolism also decreased after zoledronate treatment (3 mg/kg, 3 weeks/time, 24 weeks), while the levels of hypoxanthine related to purine metabolism, histamine related to histamine metabolism, and several amino acids were significantly increased. Moreover, zoledronate-induced enhanced oxidative stress and histamine overproduction were confirmed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and histamine measurement in a human proximal tubular cell line. Taken together, zoledronate-induced nephrotoxicity may be attributed to it inducing perturbations in glutathione biosynthesis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, further causing ROS overproduction, oxidative stress, and cellular inflammation, thereby leading to nephrotoxicity.
Multi-objective-optimization-based control parameters auto-tuning for aerial manipulators
Authors: Zhou Xu , Zhang Xiaoli
Published: February 2019

The aerial manipulator has recently attracted much research attention due to its wide applications such as aerial cleaning, aerial transportation, and aerial manipulation. It is important to design a reliable controller for the aerial manipulator to robustly perform aerial tasks with different settings. However, current controllers still employ manual parameters tuning methods, which is mostly limited to a specific setting like a fixed aerial manipulator configuration or an unchanged environment. In fact, there could be diverse configurations of aerial manipulators and uncertain environments in practice, which requires the manual tuning process to be frequently repeated. This repetition is easy to be unavailable due to its significant cost of time and expensive involvements of control-tuning experts. To solve these problems, a novel multi-objective-optimization-based control parameters auto-tuning method is proposed for the aerial manipulator. Based on a conventional proportional–integral–derivative control structure, an evolutionary-algorithm-based optimization is used to automatically find optimal proportional–integral–derivative control parameters to satisfy conflicting objectives such as minimizing the integrated time square error and the control rate. Simulation results prove that the proposed method can achieve better control performances like smaller overshoots and faster stabilization time than manual tuning methods.
A parametric interpolation method based on prediction and iterative compensation
Authors: Ni Hepeng , Zhang Chengrui , Chen Chao , Hu Tianliang , Liu Yanan
Published: February 2019

Parametric interpolation for spline plays an increasingly important role in modern manufacturing. It is critical to develop a fast parametric interpolator with high accuracy. To improve the computational efficiency while guaranteeing low and controllable feedrate fluctuation, a novel parametric interpolation method based on prediction and iterative compensation is proposed in this article. First, the feedrate fluctuation and Taylor’s expansion are analyzed that there are two main reasons to reduce the calculation accuracy including the truncation errors caused by neglecting the high-order terms and discrepancy errors between the original curve and the actual tool path. Then, to reduce these errors, a novel parametric interpolation method is proposed with two main stages, namely, prediction and iterative compensation. In the first stage, a quintic polynomial prediction algorithm is designed based on the historical interpolation knowledge to estimate the target length used in the second-order Taylor’s expansion, which can improve the calculation accuracy and the convergence rate of iterative process. In the second stage, an iterative compensation algorithm based on the second-order Taylor’s expansion and feedrate fluctuation is designed to approach the target point. Therefore, the calculation accuracy is controllable and can satisfy the specified value through several iterations. When finishing the interpolation of current period, the historical knowledge is updated to prepare for the following interpolation. Finally, a series of simulations are conducted to evaluate the good performance in accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.
Goal-dependent flexibility in preferences formation from rapid payoff sequences
Authors: Brusovansky Michael , Liberman Nira , Usher Marius
Published: February 2019

The formation of attitudes or preferences for alternatives that consist of rapid numerical sequences has been suggested to reflect either a summation or an averaging principle. Previous studies indicate the presence of two mechanisms, accumulators (that mediate summation) and population-coding (that mediate averaging), which operate in preference formation tasks of rapid numerical sequences, and are subject to task-demands and individual differences. Here, we test whether participants can flexibly control the preference mechanism they deploy as a function of the reward contingency. Towards this aim, participants in two studies ( N1 = 21, N2 = 23) made choices between the same sequence alternatives in two task-framing sessions, which made the reward dependent on the sequence-sum or sequence-average, respectively. The results demonstrate that although participants show an overall bias in favour of averaging, they are also remarkably flexible in deploying an averaging or a summation type mechanism that matches the reward contingency
Affective and concreteness norms for 3,022 Croatian words
Authors: Ćoso Bojana , Guasch Marc , Ferré Pilar , Hinojosa José Antonio
Published: February 2019

This study presents subjective ratings for 3,022 Croatian words, which were evaluated on two affective dimensions (valence and arousal) and one lexico-semantic variable (concreteness). A sample of 933 Croatian native speakers rated the words online. Ratings showed high reliabilities for all three variables, as well as significant correlations with ratings from databases available in Spanish and English. A quadratic relation between valence and arousal was observed, with a tendency for arousal to increase for negative and positive words, and neutral words having the lowest arousal ratings. In addition, significant correlations were found between affective dimensions and word concreteness, suggesting that abstract words have a tendency to be more arousing and emotional than concrete words. The present database will allow experimental research in Croatian, a language with a considerable lack of psycholinguistic norms, by providing researchers with a useful tool in the investigation of the relationship between language and emotion for the South-Slavic group of languages.
Lexically-mediated syntactic priming effects in comprehension: Sources of facilitation
Authors: Tooley Kristen M , Pickering Martin J , Traxler Matthew J
Published: February 2019

The nature of the facilitation occurring when sentences share a verb and syntactic structure (i.e., lexically-mediated syntactic priming) has not been adequately addressed in comprehension. In four eye-tracking experiments, we investigated the degree to which lexical, syntactic, thematic, and verb form repetition contribute to facilitated target sentence processing. Lexically-mediated syntactic priming was observed when primes and targets shared a verb and abstract syntactic structure, regardless of the ambiguity of the prime. In addition, repeated thematic role assignment resulted in syntactic priming (to a lesser degree), and verb form repetition facilitated lexical rather than structural processing. We conclude that priming in comprehension involves lexically associated abstract syntactic representations, and facilitation of verb and thematic role processes. The results also indicate that syntactic computation errors during prime processing are not necessary for lexically-mediated priming to occur during target processing. This result is inconsistent with an error-driven learning account of lexically-mediated syntactic priming effects.
Mediating Melodrama, Staging Sergeant Cuff
Authors: Stowell-Kaplan Isabel
Published: February 2019

When Sergeant Cuff stepped off the page and onto the stage of the Olympic Theatre in Wilkie Collins’s 1877 adaptation of his own wildly successful novel, The Moonstone, he both joined the earliest ranks of the British stage detective and entered the world of melodrama. Though we might expect the rational figure of a detective such as Sergeant Cuff to be incompatible with the emotional excess of melodrama, in this article I show that such an assumption oversimplifies his relationship to melodramatic emotion and overlooks the surprising compatibility of the detective with melodrama’s epistemological and moral investments. I argue that in distinct contrast to the ambiguity and multiplicity instilled by the novel, Cuff allows for the clear resolution expected on the melodramatic stage, proving himself an agent of and for melodramatic style and substance.