bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemocompatible and Bioactive Heparin‐Loaded PCL‐α‐TCP Fibrous Membranes for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Alehosseini Morteza , Golafshan Nasim , Kharaziha Mahshid , Fathi Mohammadhossein , Edris Hossein
Published: April 2018

The combination of bioactive components such as calcium phosphates and fibrous structures are encouraging niche‐mimetic keys for restoring bone defects. However, the importance of hemocompatibility of the membranes is widely ignored. Heparin‐loaded nanocomposite poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)‐α‐tricalcium phosphate (α‐TCP) fibrous membranes are developed to provide bioactive and hemocompatible constructs for bone tissue engineering. Nanocomposite membranes are optimized based on bioactivity, mechanical properties, and cell interaction. Consequently, various concentrations of heparin molecules are loaded within nanocomposite fibrous membranes. In vitro heparin release profiles reveal a sustained release of heparin over the period of 14 days without an initial burst. Moreover, heparin encapsulation enhances mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) attachment and proliferation, depending on the heparin content. It is concluded that the incorporation of heparin within TCP–PCL fibrous membranes provides the most effective cellular interactions through synergistic physical and chemical cues.
The influences of various mixed dielectric fluids on the performance electrical discharge machining of AISI D2 hardened steel
Authors: Lajis M.A. , Hosni N.A.J.
Published: April 2018

This research mainly explores the influence of various mixed dielectric fluids on the performance of electrical discharge machining of AISI D2 hardened steels. In this investigation, four types of dielectric fluids such as pure kerosene, kerosene and chromium powder mixed, kerosene and Span‐20 surfactant and the combination of kerosene with chromium powder and Span‐20 surfactant were studied. The obtained results illustrated that the addition of chromium powder and Span‐20 surfactant in the dielectric fluid obtained high material removal rate, low electrode wear rate and good surface finish. The presence of chromium powder will stabilize the gap distance between electrodes which promotes the occurrence of multiple discharges in one input pulse and particle agglomeration is reduced after Span‐20 surfactant molecules cover the surface of debris and carbon dregs in kerosene solution. Combination of kerosene with chromium and Span‐20 surfactant were found significant to improve the effects of carbon accumulation and drag discharge, and reduce unstable concentrated discharge.
The role of nanomaterials in the enhancement of non‐concentrating solar collectors technology
Authors: Shamshirgaran S.R. , Assadi M.K. , Al‐Kayiem H.H. , Sharma K.V.
Published: April 2018

The comparison of various nanomaterials’ effects on the performance of solar flat‐plate collectors has not been drawn thoroughly in the reported literature. In this paper, modeling of a solar flat‐plate collectors working with the mixture of water and different non‐metallic and metallic nanomaterials has been carried out by means of MATLAB coding. A more appropriate exergy factor of solar radiation has been applied for exergy analysis; the pressure loss in collectors manifolds has been considered as well. Results show that uncommonly used cerium oxide, hybrid magnesium oxide/silver, and titanium carbide nanomaterials in flat‐plate collector and commonly used ones such as copper oxide, nickel, iron, and copper have the potential to increase the heat transfer coefficient of the collector understudy. The value has been reported by the present study to be 90 % for cerium oxide case. Accordingly, an improvement in energy efficiency up to 73 % has been achieved at 4 vol.%. As another outcome, the application of these nanoparticles enhances the exergy destruction within the collector. Therefore, it would be advantageous for the environment by paying attention to the environmental impacts of exergy loss. Thus, employing nanomaterial science would help to advance the solar flat‐plate collector engineering technology through higher energy productivity and lower environmental destructive impacts.
The influence of CO2 accelerated carbonation on alkali‐activated fly ash cement under elevated temperature and pressure
Authors: Ridha S. , Setiawan R.A. , Hamid A.I. Abd , Shahari A.R.
Published: April 2018

An alternative of wellbore cement system, formed through alkali‐activation of fly ashes also knows as fly ash geopolymers, provides attractive properties due to its high compressive strength and durability against acidic conditions. However, changes in microstructure and mineralogical during accelerated carbonation affected by CO2 alteration under elevated temperature and pressure have not been fully understood. This paper investigates and characterizes the alkali‐activated binders fly ash based in the acidic environment under elevated temperature and pressure. The results found that scales such a layer was formed in the gel phase at the spherical surface of fly ash after carbonation process. The effect is that the surface of the gel phase became rough and porous. Carbonate and/or bicarbonate salts were identified as major phase in the sample after immersion test. In the activated fly ash cement, both calcium aluminate silicate hydrate (C–A–S–H) and sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (N–A–S–H) gels were formed; C–A–S–H gel was decalcified, forming calcium carbonate phase in the form of calcite, aragonite or vaterite. These findings were confirmed by the analysis and identification of Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy tests on the changes in the cement system.
A mathematical model for elasticity using calculus on discrete manifolds
Authors: Dassios Ioannis , O'Keeffe Gary , Jivkov Andrey P.
Published: April 2018

We propose a mathematical model to represent solid materials with discrete lattices and to analyse their behaviour by calculus on discrete manifolds. Focus is given on the mathematical derivation of the lattice elements by taking into account the stored energy associated with them. We provide a matrix formulation of the nonlinear system describing elasticity with exact kinematics, known as finite strain elasticity in continuum mechanics. This formulation is ready for software implementation and may also be used in atomic scale models as an alternative to existing empirical approach with pair and cohesive potentials. An illustrative example, analysing a local region of a node, is given to demonstrate the model performance.
Conservative parabolic problems: Nondegenerated theory and degenerated examples from population dynamics
Authors: Danilkina Olga , Souza Max O. , Chalub Fabio A. C. C.
Published: April 2018

We consider partial differential equations of drift‐diffusion type in the unit interval, supplemented by either 2 conservation laws or by a conservation law and a further boundary condition. We treat 2 different cases: (1) uniform parabolic problems and (ii) degenerated problems at the boundaries. The former can be treated in a very general and complete way, much as the traditional boundary value problems. The latter, however, brings new issues, and we restrict our study to a class of forward Kolmogorov equations that arise naturally when the corresponding stochastic process has either 1 or 2 absorbing boundaries. These equations are treated by means of a uniform parabolic regularisation, which then yields a measure solution in the vanishing regularisation limit. Two prototypical problems from population dynamics are treated in detail. For these problems, we show that the structure of measure‐valued solutions is such that they are absolutely continuous in the interior. However, they will also include Dirac masses at the degenerated boundaries, which appear, irrespective of the regularity of the initial data, at timet=0+. The time evolution of these singular masses is also explicitly described and, as a by‐product, uniqueness of this measure solution is obtained.
Fitted modifications of classical Runge‐Kutta pairs of orders 5(4)
Authors: Simos T. E. , Tsitouras Ch.
Published: April 2018

Runge‐Kutta pairs sharing orders 5 and 4 are among the most celebrated methods for solving initial value problems. Here, after considering the phase lag as a function of frequency v, we derive a modification of a particular pair. Namely, we present a zero dissipative pair with vanished phase error and its first derivative. After extended numerical tests in various oscillatory problems, it seems that this modified pair outperforms existing methods in the literature.
Stability and Hopf bifurcation analysis of a 4‐dimensional hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis model with distributed delays
Authors: Kaslik Eva , Neamţu Mihaela
Published: April 2018

A 4‐dimensional mathematical model of the hypothalamus‐pituitary‐adrenal axis is investigated, incorporating the influence of the glucocorticoid receptors concentration and general feedback functions. The inclusion of distributed time delays provides a more realistic modeling approach, since the whole past history of the variables is taken into account. The positivity of the solutions and the existence of a positively invariant bounded region are proved. It is shown that the considered 4‐dimensional system has at least 1 equilibrium state, and a detailed local stability and Hopf bifurcation analysis is given. Numerical results reveal the fact that an appropriate choice of the system's parameters leads to the coexistence of 2 asymptotically stable equilibria in the nondelayed case. When the total average time delay of the system is large enough, the coexistence of 2 stable limit cycles is revealed, which successfully model the ultradian rhythm of the hypothalamus‐pituitary‐adrenal axis both in a normal disease‐free situation and in a diseased hypocortisolism state, respectively. Numerical simulations reflect the importance of the theoretical results.
Krylov methods for low‐rank commuting generalized Sylvester equations
Authors: Jarlebring Elias , Mele Giampaolo , Palitta Davide , Ringh Emil
Published: April 2018

We consider generalizations of the Sylvester matrix equation, consisting of the sum of a Sylvester operator and a linear operator Π with a particular structure. More precisely, the commutators of the matrix coefficients of the operator Π and the Sylvester operator coefficients are assumed to be matrices with low rank. We show (under certain additional conditions) low‐rank approximability of this problem, that is, the solution to this matrix equation can be approximated with a low‐rank matrix. Projection methods have successfully been used to solve other matrix equations with low‐rank approximability. We propose a new projection method for this class of matrix equations. The choice of the subspace is a crucial ingredient for any projection method for matrix equations. Our method is based on an adaption and extension of the extended Krylov subspace method for Sylvester equations. A constructive choice of the starting vector/block is derived from the low‐rank commutators. We illustrate the effectiveness of our method by solving large‐scale matrix equations arising from applications in control theory and the discretization of PDEs. The advantages of our approach in comparison to other methods are also illustrated.
Observer‐based tracking controller design for quasi‐one‐sided Lipschitz nonlinear systems
Authors: Yadegar Meysam , Davoodi Mohammadreza
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the observer‐based controller design problem for tracking a constant reference input for quasi‐one‐sided Lipschitz nonlinear systems is considered. For this purpose, at first, a state feedback controller is proposed and sufficient conditions for solvability of the problem are obtained in terms of linear matrix inequality feasibility conditions. Then, an observer for estimating the states of the system is designed. Subsequently, it is shown that the separation principle for the proposed feedback controller holds, and consequently, the designing of the state feedback controller and the observer can be done separately. Simulation results are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Biodegradable poly(trimethylene carbonate‐b‐(L‐lactide‐ran‐glycolide)) terpolymers with tailored molecular structure and advanced performance
Authors: Chen Xiaoyu , Wu Xiaomeng , Fan Zhongyong , Zhao Qinghua , Liu Qing
Published: April 2018

The macroinitiator of poly(1,3‐trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) with number‐average molecular weight (
) of 9.6 × 103 g mol−1 was synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization at 120°C. Then, the novel terpolymer P(TMC‐b‐(LLA‐ran‐GA)) consisting of PTMC homopolymer segment attached with various monomer molar ratios of L‐lactide (LLA) and glycolide (GA) random copolymerization block was prepared with
about 5.0 × 104 g mol−1 by ring‐opening polymerization in bulk at 140°C. The tailored molecular structures of P(TMC‐b‐(LLA‐ran‐GA)) were characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, 13C NMR, FTIR, and gel permeation chromatography, and chain microstructure analysis was performed in detail with 13C NMR spectroscopy. The effect of GA units on the thermal and crystallization behaviors, mechanical properties, as well as biodegradability of terpolymers was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, stress‐strain measurements, and in vitro tests in comparison with corresponding poly(trimethylene carbonate‐block‐L‐lactide) copolymer P(TMC‐b‐LLA). The results show that amorphous PTMC segments have a significant effect on condensed state behavior of the terpolymers, and the incorporation of GA units strongly decreases the crystallinity and crystallization ability of LLA segment within terpolymers because of more random LLA‐GA sequence and shorter average LLA block length. Meanwhile, the toughness of materials is greatly improved, and in vitro degradation is also accelerated. Peripheral vascular stents were 3D printed for the first time and met the requirements for application. The results show totally biodegradable terpolymers with unique molecular structure, and modifiable properties are promising new biomaterials with advanced performance for biomedical application.
Renewable epoxidized cardanol‐based acrylate as a reactive diluent for UV‐curable resins
Authors: Hu Yun , Shang Qianqian , Wang Cuina , Feng Guodong , Liu Chengguo , Xu Feng , Zhou Yonghong
Published: April 2018

A novel kind of biobased monomer, epoxidized cardanol‐based acrylate (ECA), was successfully synthesized from cardanol via acrylation and epoxidization. The chemical structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Then, the ECA was employed to produce UV‐curable films and coatings copolymerized with castor oil‐based polyurethane acrylate. Compared to coatings from petroleum‐based diluent hydroxyethyl acrylate‐based castor oil‐based polyurethane acrylate resins, ECA‐based biomaterials exhibited a little inferior dilution ability but overcome the drawback of high volumetric shrinkage with a special lower value. Moreover, ultimate properties of the UV‐cured biomaterials such as thermal, mechanical, coating, swelling, and hydrophobic properties were investigated. The UV‐curing behavior was investigated using real‐time IR, and the overall double bond conversion was more than 90%. This biobased UV‐curable cardanol‐based diluent shows a promise in “green + green” materials technologies.
BOIN‐ET: Bayesian optimal interval design for dose finding based on both efficacy and toxicity outcomes
Authors: Takeda Kentaro , Taguri Masataka , Morita Satoshi
Published: April 2018

One of the main purposes of a phase I dose‐finding trial in oncology is to identify an optimal dose (OD) that is both tolerable and has an indication of therapeutic benefit for subjects in subsequent phase II and III trials. Many phase I dose‐finding methods based solely on toxicity considerations have been proposed under the assumption that both toxicity and efficacy monotonically increase with the dose level. Such an assumption may not be necessarily the case, however, when evaluating the OD for molecular targeted, cytostatic, and biological agents, as well as immune‐oncology therapy. To address this issue, we extend the Bayesian optimal interval (BOIN) design, which is nonparametric and thus does not require the assumption used in model‐based designs, in order to identify an OD based on both efficacy and toxicity outcomes. The new design is named “BOIN‐ET.” A simulation study is presented that includes a comparison of this proposed method to the model‐based approaches in terms of both efficacy and toxicity responses. The simulation shows that BOIN‐ET has advantages in both the percentages of correct ODs selected and the average number of patients allocated to the ODs across a variety of realistic settings.
Evaluation of a high‐resolution numerical weather prediction model's simulated clouds using observations from CloudSat, GOES‐13 and in situ aircraft
Authors: Qu Zhipeng , Barker Howard W. , Korolev Alexei V. , Milbrandt Jason A. , Heckman Ivan , Bélair Stéphane , Leroyer Sylvie , Vaillancourt Paul A. , Wolde Mengistu , Schwarzenböck Alfons , Leroy Delphine , Strapp J. Walter , Cole Jason N. S. , Nguyen Louis , Heidinger Andrew
Published: April 2018

This study aimed to assess tropical cloud properties predicted by Environment and Climate Change Canada's Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model when run with the Milbrandt–Yau double‐moment cloud microphysical scheme and one‐way nesting that culminated at a (∼300 km)2 inner domain with 0.25 km horizontal grid spacing. The assessment utilized satellite and in situ data collected during the High Ice Water Content (HIWC) and High Altitude Ice Crystals (HAIC) projects for a mesoscale convective system on 16 May 2015 over French Guiana. Data from CloudSat's cloud‐profiling radar and GOES‐13's imager were compared to data either simulated directly by GEM or produced by operating on GEM's cloud data with both the CFMIP (Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project) Observation Simulator Package (COSP) instrument simulator and a three‐dimensional Monte Carlo solar radiative transfer model. In situ observations were made from research aircraft – Canada's National Research Council Convair‐580 and the French SAFIRE Falcon‐20 – whose flight paths were aligned with CloudSat's ground‐track. Spatial and temporal shifts of clouds simulated by GEM compared well to GOES‐13 imagery. There are, however, differences between simulated and observed amounts of high and low cloud. While GEM did well at predicting ranges of ice‐water content (IWC) near 11 km altitude (Falcon‐20), it produces too much graupel and snow near 7 km (Convair‐580). This produced large differences between CloudSat's and COSP‐generated radar reflectivities and two‐way attenuations. On the other hand, CloudSat's inferred values of IWC agree well with in situ samples at both altitudes. Generally, GEM's visible reflectances exceeded GOES‐13's on account of having produced too much low‐level liquid cloud. It is expected that GEM's disproportioning of cloud hydrometeors will improve once it includes a better representation of secondary ice production.
DFT study into the reaction mechanism of CO methanation over pure MoS2
Authors: Li Zhenhua , Zhang Kan , Wang Weihan , Wang Baowei , Ma Xinbin
Published: April 2018

Mo‐based catalysts are commonly used in the direct methanation of CO; however, no integrated mechanism has been proposed due to limits in characterizing the nano‐sized active structures of MoS2. Thus, we report our investigation into the mechanism of CO methanation over pure MoS2 through density functional theory simulations, considering that only MoS2 edge sites exhibit catalytic activity. Simulations revealed the presence of (010) and (110) surfaces on the MoS2 edges. Both surfaces are reconstructed by the redistribution of surface sulfur atoms upon exposure to H2/H2S, and after sulfur coverage redistribution, S vacancies are generated for CO hydrogenation. The reaction mechanisms on both surfaces are discussed, with the S‐edge being better suited to CO methanation than Mo‐edge on the (010) surface. The rate‐controlling step differs between surfaces, and corresponds to the initial activation reaction, which was achieved more easily on the (110) surface.
Context and Implications Document for: Filling in the gaps: A theoretical grounding for an education programme for adolescent socioemotional and vocational development in Ireland
Authors: Clerkin Aidan
Published: April 2018

This guide accompanies the following article: Clerkin, A. Filling in the gaps: A theoretical grounding for an education programme for adolescent socioemotional and vocational development in Ireland. Review of Education, https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3112
Dynamic modeling and vibration control for a nonlinear 3‐dimensional flexible manipulator
Authors: Liu Zhijie , Liu Jinkun , He Wei
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the control design and stability analysis are presented for a 3‐dimensional flexible manipulator system with input disturbances. To provide an accurate and concise representation of the manipulator's dynamic behavior, the flexible manipulator is described by a distributed parameter system with a set of partial differential equations and ordinary differential equations. Boundary control laws with disturbance observers are proposed to regulate orientation and suppress elastic vibrations simultaneously. The closed‐loop stability is achieved through rigorous analysis without any simplification of the dynamics based on the Lyapunov direct method. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
State and fault estimation of sandwich systems with hysteresis
Authors: Zhou Zupeng , Liu Xufeng
Published: April 2018

In this paper, a switched proportional integral observer (PIO) is designed for estimating the states and fault of sandwich systems with hysteresis. In the system, the actuator fault and sensor noise have been included simultaneously. The switched PIO contains a changeable transition matrix and a switched item, which can switch according to different working points of the hysteresis. The estimation errors of the states and fault are analyzed, and a theorem is given to illustrate the estimation errors of the states and fault, which are both bounded. The problem of selecting an appropriate feedback matrix of the switched PIO has been translated into an optimization problem with feedback matrix tuning. The effectiveness of the switched PIO has been testified in the simulation with a real application case. Moreover, to show the good performance of the switched PIO, a conventional PIO is proposed and compared in the simulation. The results show that the switched PIO is superior to the conventional one.
Interfacial Engineering for Fabricating High‐Performance Field‐Effect Transistors Based on 2D Materials
Authors: Gao Feng , Yang Huihui , Hu PingAn
Published: April 2018

Traditional scaled complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effects transistors (FETs) are currently approaching physical limitations and are confronted with bottlenecks in their development. The increasing demands of FETs with high electronic performance and integration density have strongly motivated the exploration of novel channel materials, among which 2D materials are emerging as ideal candidates. In particular, 2D materials possess unique immunity to the short channel effects and also facilitate the realization of flexible microelectronic devices. Interface engineering is pivotal for optimizing the performance of traditional electronics, as well as 2D layered semiconductor electronics. So far, enormous efforts have been made to develop high‐performance FETs based on 2D materials. Here, a summary of the recent progress in 2D FET devices is presented, with a focus on the technologies and methodologies of interface engineering in 2D semiconductor FETs. Corresponding strategies are presented, including tuning the Schottky barrier height, optimizing the interface morphology, and so on. In the last part, the possible developing trends for 2D FET devices in the future are discussed.
Straw–Brick‐Like Carbon Fiber Cloth/Lithium Composite Electrode as an Advanced Lithium Metal Anode
Authors: Liu Sufu , Xia Xinhui , Yao Zhujun , Wu Jianbo , Zhang Liyuan , Deng Shengjue , Zhou Chengao , Shen Shenghui , Wang Xiuli , Tu Jiangping
Published: April 2018

Because of its highest capacity and lowest anode potential, lithium (Li) metal anode is extremely attractive to the next‐generation rechargeable batteries. However, low Coulombic efficiency, uncontrolled dendritic growth, and poor solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during the Li stripping/plating process hinder its practical application. Here, a novel straw–brick‐like carbon fiber cloth/lithium (CFC/Li) composite electrode is designed by embedding lithium into 3D carbon cloth matrix via a facile ZnO‐induced molten method. The ZnO layer on the CFC provides bonding interactions for encapsulation of molten Li metal to form straw–brick‐like CFC/Li composite electrode. Compared with bare Li metal electrode, the as‐obtained CFC/Li electrode presents much less fluctuant stripping/plating profiles with lower voltage hysteresis (120 mV at 3 mA cm−2) and more stable SEI structure. When coupled with a LiFePO4 cathode, the CFC/Li anode demonstrates a good suitability in full cells. This reinforcement is due to the unique straw–brick‐like structure with good conductive framework leading to greatly decreased current density, and effective suppression of volume change and dendrite. This modification strategy on the Li metal provides an easy straightforward option for construction of advanced anodes for Li‐metal batteries.
A Simple Escape from Moral Twin Earth
Authors: Väyrynen Pekka ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2018

This paper offers a simple response to the Moral Twin Earth (MTE) objection to naturalist moral realism (NMR). NMR typically relies on an externalist metasemantics such as a causal theory of reference. The MTE objection is that such a theory predicts that terms like ‘good’ and ‘right’ have a different reference in certain twin communities where it’s intuitively clear that the twins are talking about the same thing when using ‘good’. I argue that Boyd’s causal regulation theory, the original target of the MTE objection, was never vulnerable to this objection. The theory contains an epistemic constraint on reference which implies that either the property that causally regulates uses of ‘good’ isn’t different for the twin communities or, in scenarios where the reference is different, the communities diverge in ways where it’s not intuitively clear that ‘good’ has the same reference for them.
Sustainability and education for sustainability: An analysis of publications from the last decade
Authors: Veiga Ávila Lucas , Rossato Facco Ana Luiza , Bento Marcia Helena dos Santos , Arigony Marcelo Mendes , Obregon Sandra Leonara , Trevisan Marcelo
Published: April 2018

This study analyzes the characteristics of publications on sustainability topics and education for sustainability in the Web of Science (WOS) database during the period ranging from 2005 to 2014. We identified the topics that are being studied within those subjects and other relevant topics. We also analyzed a special edition of the Journal of Cleaner Production on “Higher Education for Sustainable Development: Emerging areas,” published in January, 2014. Our approach was both qualitative and quantitative and aimed at qualifying and quantifying certain variables related to the scientific literature on the broad subject of sustainability. The number of published pieces in the WOS focusing on sustainability issues during the period from 2005 to 2014 was 5,924. In our analysis of the special edition of the Journal of Cleaner Production, we found and analyzed 17 abstracts and full papers. The main results of our survey highlight the education, educational research, environmental sciences, ecology, and engineering areas as including the greatest number of publications. Articles, as opposed to conference proceedings or reviews, accounted for 63% of the published documents, and the year 2013 showed the largest number of publications. Huisingh, Suciu, Katane, and Barth are the most published authors on these topics. Furthermore, management, environmental studies, ecology, and environmental sciences are the “hot topics” with the best search results, meaning articles of impact and high quality. Finally, it should be emphasized that publications on the subject of sustainability appear most often in the sciences.
Cost‐effectiveness of first‐trimester screening with early preventative use of aspirin in women at high risk of early‐onset pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Ortved D. , Hawkins T. L.‐A. , Johnson J.‐A. , Hyett J. , Metcalfe A.
Published: April 2018

Objective

Pre‐eclampsia (PE) remains a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. A first‐trimester screening algorithm predicting the risk of early‐onset PE has been developed and validated. Early prediction coupled with initiation of aspirin at 11–13 weeks in women identified as high risk is effective at reducing the prevalence of early‐onset PE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of this first‐trimester screening program coupled with early use of low‐dose aspirin in women at high risk of developing early‐onset PE, in comparison to current practice in Canada.

Methods

A decision analysis was performed based on a theoretical population of 387 516 live births in Canada in 1 year. The clinical and financial impact of early preventative screening using the Fetal Medicine Foundation algorithm for prediction of early‐onset PE coupled with early (< 16 weeks) use of low‐dose aspirin in those at high risk was simulated and compared with current practice using decision‐tree analysis. The probabilities at each decision point and associated costs of utilized resources were calculated based on published literature and public databases.

Results

Of the theoretical 387 516 births per year, the estimated prevalence of early PE based on first‐trimester screening and aspirin use was 705 vs 1801 cases based on the current practice. This was associated with an estimated total cost of C$9.52 million with the first‐trimester screening program compared with C$23.91 million with current practice for the diagnosis and management of women with early‐onset PE. This equals an annual cost saving to the Canadian healthcare system of approximately C$14.39 million.

Conclusions

The implementation of a first‐trimester screening program for PE and early intervention with aspirin in women identified as high risk for early PE has the potential to prevent a significant number of early‐onset PE cases with a substantial associated cost saving to the healthcare system in Canada. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The Adaptive Camber Concept—A passive approach for gust load alleviation on wind turbines
Authors: Cordes U. , Lambie B. , Hufnagel K. , Spiegelberg H. , Kampers G. , Tropea C.
Published: April 2018

A new passive sectional approach to alleviate gust loads on wind turbines—the Adaptive Camber Concept— is introduced. The concept entails fluid‐structure interaction, where flow conditions at the leading edge affect the airfoil shape and vice versa. A two‐dimensional airfoil equipped with the Adaptive Camber Concept is experimentally investigated under steady and unsteady conditions in a wind tunnel. Under steady conditions, the adaptive camber airfoil de‐cambers gradually with increasing angle of attack, yielding a lift curve with declined slope. Unsteady angle of attack fluctuations of various reduced frequencies are generated by means of an active grid. Under unsteady conditions, the adaptive camber airfoil is found to alleviate up to 60% of the fluctuating loads, while generating higher mean lift compared to a rigid reference airfoil.
Promise of chemokine network‐targeted nanoparticles in combination nucleic acid therapies of metastatic cancer
Authors: Xie Ying , Wang Yazhe , Li Jing , Hang Yu , Oupický David
Published: April 2018

Chemokines and chemokine receptors play key roles in cancer progression and metastasis. Although multiple chemokines and chemokine receptors have been investigated, inhibition of CXCR4 emerged as one of the most promising approaches in combination cancer therapy, especially when focused on the metastatic disease. Small RNA molecules, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA), represent new class of therapeutics for cancer treatment through RNA interference‐mediated gene silencing. However, the clinical applicability of siRNA and miRNA is severely limited by the lack of effective delivery systems. There is a significant therapeutic potential for CXCR4‐targeted nanomedicines in combination with the delivery of siRNA and miRNA in cancer. Recently developed CXCR4‐targeted polymeric drugs and nanomedicines, including cyclam‐ and chloroquine‐based polymeric CXCR4 antagonists are introduced here and their ability to deliver functional siRNA and miRNA is discussed.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Phase Segregation of Polymorphic Solid Ion Conducting Cu7PSe6 during Thermoelectric Experiments
Authors: Baumer Franziska , Nilges Tom
Published: April 2018

Solid ion conductors are moved into the focus of energy‐related science as thermoelectric materials due to their high ion mobility and their ability to scatter phonons. A second interesting phenomenon of some solid ion (and electron) conductors is the possibility to perform a pnp switch of their semiconductor mechanism during a structural phase transition. During our search for new pnp switching systems we examined trimorphic, argyrodite‐type Cu7PSe6 as a potential candidate. Recently, this phase was reported to be a reasonable thermoelectric material, which combines to the statements given above. The ion mobility in a solid can be a beauty or a beast concerning the stability of the compound during thermoelectric operation. In this article we report on the electric conductivity and thermopower evolution of Cu7PSe6, a trimorphic, mixed ion and electron conductor. Slightly above room temperature this compound undergoes an order‐disorder phase transition where Cu tends to become almost liquid in the framework of the anions. Intending to verify the possibility of a pnp switch during this order‐disorder transition we started a systematic evaluation of the (thermo)electrochemical behavior of this phase. Unfortunately, this material does not perform a pnp switch but it also shows a well‐defined decomposition behavior upon thermoelectric cycling. In this contribution we report on the change and evolution of properties during the characterization process, which manifests in a continuous variation of the total electric conductivity and thermopower upon thermoelectric cycling. This study reflects the importance and need of stability studies of solid ion conductors in the entire range of thermoelectric application especially if order‐disorder phase transitions and high ion mobilities are present which can cause significant mass transport and phase separation within the sample.
Type IIB 7-branes in warped AdS6: partition functions, brane webs and probe limit
Authors: Gutperle Michael , Trivella Andrea , Uhlemann Christoph F.
Published: April 2018

Abstract

We study Type IIB supergravity solutions with spacetime of the form AdS
6×S
2 warped over a Riemann surface Σ, where Σ includes punctures around which the super-gravity fields have non-trivial SL(2, R) monodromy. Solutions without monodromy have a compelling interpretation as near-horizon limits of (p, q) 5-brane webs, and the punctures have been interpreted as additional 7-branes in the web. In this work we provide further support for this interpretation and clarify several aspects of the identification of the supergravity solutions with brane webs. To further support the identification of the punctures with 7-branes, we show that punctures with infinitesimal monodromy match a probe 7-brane analysis using κ-symmetry. We then construct families of solutions with fixed 5-brane charges and punctures with finite monodromy, corresponding to fully back-reacted 7-branes. We compute the sphere partition functions of the dual 5d SCFTs and use the results to discuss concrete brane web interpretations of the supergravity solutions.
Isokinetic Strength Testing Following Intramedullary Nailing of Tibial Shaft Fractures Predicts Time to Recovery and Return of Muscle Strength in the Injured Extremity: A Prospective Case Series
Authors: Goodwin Alexandra I. , Haws Brittany E. , Knio Ziyad O. , Moerk Per Kristian , Miller Anna N.
Published: April 2018

Background

The speed and degree of functional recovery over time after surgery for tibial shaft fracture has been previously described using subjective methods.

Questions/Purpose

This study aimed to quantitatively measure recovery of isokinetic strength in the injured leg after surgical repair of isolated closed tibial shaft fracture.

Methods

In this prospective case series, patients were recruited after intramedullary nailing for isolated closed tibial shaft fracture at an academic medical center from January 2012 to December 2015. Recovery of isokinetic strength was quantified using an isokinetic dynamometer. Eight measures of isokinetic strength at 3, 6, and 12 months’ follow-up were used to compare strength in the injured leg to the healthy leg.

Results

In 36 patients recruited, there was a significant difference in strength between the healthy and injured legs at 3 months for seven of the eight metrics used, at 6 months for five of the eight metrics, and at 12 months for none of the eight metrics. Observing recovery of strength longitudinally, we saw significant improvement between 3 and 6 months for four of eight metrics and overall between 3 and 12 months for five of the eight metrics. All four metrics that showed a significant improvement between 3 and 6 months involved plantar flexion. No metrics showed significant improvement between 6 and 12 months.

Conclusions

Patients exhibited equal strength between their healthy and injured legs at 12 months after surgery. Improvement in strength occurred to a greater extent between 3 and 6 months after surgery than between 6 and 12 months. Plantar flexion appeared to improve more rapidly than dorsal extension.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) Mapping and In-situ Observation of Carbonization of Culms of Bambusa Multiplex
Authors: Yordsri Visittapong , Thanachayanont Chanchana , Asahina Shunsuke , Yamaguchi Yuuki , Kawasaki Masahiro , Oikawa Tetsuo , Nobuchi Tadashi , Shiojiri Makoto
Published: April 2018

Green culms of bamboo and charcoal of Bambusa multiplex were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. A dynamic observation of the initial stage of carbonization was also performed in-situ by heating a radial longitudinal section of the bamboo culm at a rate of 20°C/min up to 500°C. EDS mapping of the green bamboo culms detected Si signals in the harder cells such as the epidermis (Ep), cortex (Cor) and vascular bundle sheath (Bs) and between these cells as silicon oxide particles. Appreciable morphological change of the cells occurred in a temperature range of about 300–400°C due to the decomposition of cellulose that is the main component of the bamboo cells. The charcoal of the bamboo culm has a skin layer which originates from the Ep and Cor and the main central cylinder with many openings that originate from the expanded xylem and phloem holes. During carbonization, the Si atoms in the Ep and Cor were segregated as thin silicon oxide layers onto both the sides of the skin layer and the Si included in the Bs fibers and parenchyma cells accumulated near the walls of the openings.
Nano-Cathodoluminescence Measurement of Asymmetric Carrier Trapping and Radiative Recombination in GaN and InGaN Quantum Disks
Authors: Deitz Julia I. , Sarwar A. T. M. Golam , Carnevale Santino D. , Grassman Tyler J. , Myers Roberto C. , McComb David W.
Published: April 2018

The ability to characterize recombination and carrier trapping processes in group-III nitride-based nanowires is vital to further improvements in their overall efficiencies. While advances in scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM)-based cathodoluminescence (CL) have offered some insight into nanowire behavior, inconsistencies in nanowire emission along with CL detector limitations have resulted in the incomplete understanding in nanowire emission processes. Here, two nanowire heterostructures were explored with STEM-CL: a polarization-graded AlGaN nanowire light-emitting diode (LED) with a GaN quantum disk and a polarization-graded AlGaN nanowire with three different InGaN quantum disks. Most nanowires explored in this study did not emit. For the wires that did emit in both structures, they exhibited asymmetrical emission consistent with the polarization-induced electric fields in the barrier regions of the nano-LEDs. In the AlGaN/InGaN sample, two of the quantum disks exhibited no emission potentially due to the three-dimensional landscape of the sample or due to limitations in the CL detection.
DEFINING THE PUBLIC GOOD IN THE U.S. GILDED AGE, 1883–1898: “FREEDOM OF CONTRACT” VERSUS “INTERNAL POLICE” IN THE TORTURED HISTORY OF EMPLOYMENT LAW AND REGULATION
Authors: Furner Mary O.
Published: April 2018

Long recognized as a case that left tenement cigar workers in New York City unprotected from hazards to their health, the New York State high court'sIn re Jacobsruling in 1885 also raised anew disagreements regarding the extent of legislative powers known as “police” that were reserved to the states by the federal constitution. Upholding unfettered freedom of contract, theJacobsruling prevailed as a governing precedent through a string of related cases until its reversal inHolden v. Hardy, 1898, a working hours law for Utah miners and smelter workers. BetweenJacobsandHolden, new thinking emerged on the meaning of class, the role of government, and the drivers of the wealth of nations. InHolden, drawing fromMunn v. Illinois, the U.S. Supreme Court located a public interest in sustaining the health and strength of such workers on the grounds that the entire public depended on their productive capacity to ensure the public good of a strong and growing state economy. This precedent did not hold for New York State bakers inLochner v. New York, but it became controlling again inWest Coast Hotel v. Parish, which elevated the broadened conception of “police” fromHoldento the national level. As labor union membership along with other vital structures of the New Deal order have declined during the New Gilded Age, employment regulation has tended to relapse toward the individualist, contractarian regime of the Old Gilded Age announced inIn re Jacobs.
“A GRIM MEMORIAL OF ITS THOROUGH WORK OF DEVASTATION AND DESOLATION”: RACE AND MEMORY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 1893 SEA ISLAND STORM
Authors: Bland Robert D.
Published: April 2018

“‘A Grim Memorial of Its Thorough Work of Devastation and Desolation’: Race and Memory in the Aftermath of the 1893 Sea Island Storm” explores the political struggle that ensued in the aftermath of the August 1893 hurricane. The storm, which decimated the predominantly African American South Carolina Sea Islands, required a nine-month relief effort to assist the region's citizens in their time of need. Led by the American Red Cross, the relief effort became a new proxy for a long-standing debate over the legacy of Reconstruction and the meaning of black citizenship. This battle, waged by leaders in South Carolina's Democratic Party, Red Cross officials, writers in the national press, former abolitionists, and African Americans living in the South Carolina Sea Islands, exposed growing fissures in how Americans understood notions of charity and self-help. More than a battleground for still-nascent ideas of disaster relief, the political turmoil that followed the 1893 Sea Island Storm played a critical role in redefining the racial boundaries of the United States on the eve of the Jim Crow era.
Former NASA Administrator Weighs in on New Space Agency Head
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: April 2018

Charles Bolden, who led NASA during the Obama administration, tells Eos that the new director can do a good job if he focuses on the agency’s mission, listens to the staff, and remains apolitical.
Necroptosis promotes cell-autonomous activation of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression
Authors: Zhu Kezhou , Liang Wei , Ma Zaijun , Xu Daichao , Cao Shuangyi , Lu Xiaojuan , Liu Nan , Shan Bing , Qian Lihui , Yuan Junying
Published: April 2018

Necroptosis, a form of regulated necrotic cell death, is mediated by receptor interacting protein 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL). However, the mechanism by which necroptosis promotes inflammation is still unclear. Here we report that the expression of cytokines is robustly upregulated in a cell-autonomous manner during necroptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). We demonstrate that TNFα-induced necroptosis leads to two waves of cytokine production. The first wave, more transient and weaker than the second, is in response to TNFα alone; whereas the second wave depends upon the necroptotic signaling. We show that necroptosis promotes the transcription of TNFα-target genes in a cell-intrinsic manner. The activation of both NF-κB and p38 by the necroptotic machinery, RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL, is involved in mediating the robust induction of cytokine expression in the second wave. In contrast, necroptosis induced by direct oligomerization of MLKL promotes cytokine production at much lower levels than that of necroptosis induced with TNFα. Thus, we conclude that TNFα-induced necroptosis signaling events mediated by RIPK1 and RIPK3 activation, in addition to the MLKL oligomerization, promotes the expression of cytokines involving multiple intracellular signaling mechanisms including NF-κB pathway and p38. These findings reveal that the necroptotic cell death machinery mounts an immune response by promoting cell-autonomous production of cytokines. Our study provides insights into the mechanism by which necroptosis promotes inflammation in human diseases.
Artemether attenuates LPS-induced inflammatory bone loss by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption via suppression of MAPK signaling pathway
Authors: Wu Haobo , Hu Bin , Zhou Xiaopeng , Zhou Chenhe , Meng Jiahong , Yang Yute , Zhao Xiang , Shi Zhongli , Yan Shigui
Published: April 2018

Osteolysis is an osteolytic lesion featured by enhanced osteoclast formation and potent bone erosion. Lacking of effective regimen for treatment of the pathological process highlights the importance of identifying agents that can suppress the differentiation and function of osteoclast. Artemether is a natural compound derived from Artemisia annua L. and it is popularized for the treatment of malaria. In present study, we demonstrated that artemether could suppress RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis and expression of osteoclast marker genes such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, cathepsin K, matrix metalloproteinase 9, nuclear factor of activated T-cell cytoplasmic 1, and dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein. It inhibited the osteoclastic bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Furthermore, artemether attenuated RANKL-induced MAPKs (ERK, JNK, p-38) activity. In addition, we have showed that artemether was able to mitigate bone erosion in a murine model of LPS-induced inflammatory bone loss. Taken together, these findings suggest that artemether reduces inflammatory bone loss via inhibition of MAPKs activation during osteoclast differentiation, and it might be a potential candidate for the treatment of osteoclast-related disorders.