bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Replacement of Soyabean Meal with Toasted Lima Beans, (Phaseolus lunatus) on Growth and Nutrient Utilization of Clariid Catfish (Heterobranchus bidorsalis) Fingerlings
Authors: Aliu B. S. , Odeh J.
Published: August 2019

An experiment was designed and carried out to assess the survival, growth performance and feed utilization (weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, feed intake and survival) of Heterobranchus bidorsalis fingerlings fed graded levels of toasted Lima beans seed (Phaseolus lunatus) meal based diets with the aim of establishing the best inclusion level of Lima beans seed meal. One hundred (100) fingerlings with an initial mean weight of 2.5± 0.5g were allotted at random to five treatments in triplicate groups with each treatment tank having five fingerlings and were fed with the compounded diets. The toasted Lima beans seed meal was used to replace soybean meal in the diets in the following proportions: Diet I (0%), diet II (25%), diet III (50%), diet IV (75%) and diet V (100%). At the end of the feeding trials that lasted for 70 days, At the end of the experiment, the Specific growth rate showed no significant difference (P >0.05) among all treatments. Treatment III (3.250) had the highest specific growth rate and Treatment II (2.083) had the lowest value. Relative weight gain was highest in treatment V (20.53) with 100% lima beans and lowest in treatment II (16.95) with 25% lima beans diet inclusion level. Treatment I and IV had no significant difference (P >0.05) but these treatments had a significant difference (P<0.05) with treatments II, III and V also treatment II, III, and V are significantly different (P<0.05) from each other. There was no significant different (p>0.05) in the feed conversion ratio of treatment II, III, IV. There was also no significant difference (p> 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio of treatment I and V. Treatment II, III and IV showed a significant difference (P< 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio with treatment I and V. FCR was highest in treatment II (1.383) and lowest in treatment IV (1.162). Treatment V had the highest feed intake with value 3.775. Treatment I, II, III, IV and V had no significant difference (P> 0.05). Treatment I had the lowest feed intake with value (3.246). Protein efficiency ratio showed no significant differences among all treatment. PER was highest in treatment V (6.346) and lowest in treatment III (5.346). The survival rate was slightly different but not as a result of the feed consumed. Based on the findings in this study, it is therefore recommended that 75% inclusion level of Lima beans meal should be adopted in the formulation of feed for Heterobranchus bidorsalis.
Rice Production and Poverty Reduction in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria
Authors: Moses Ogah, Odey , Ongbele Eyah, Jennifer , Rhoda Iorlamen, Torkwase
Published: August 2019

The study was carried out to analyzed rice production and poverty reduction in Agatu local government area of Benue state, Nigeria. To this end, a multi-stage sampling technique was used. The first stage involved the purposive selection of five wards noted for high production of rice. Secondly, a simple random sampling was used to select twenty five respondents each from the five wards to sum up to one hundred and twenty five respondents used for the study. The analytical tools employed included simple descriptive statistics like mean, frequency distribution, percentages and tables and inferential statistics like logit regression model. The data used were from primary source and this was collected by administering of structured questionnaires to illicit information from the farmers. The results of the analysis revealed farmers to be in their active age, mostly married, males’ dominance, highly experienced and educated with large families. Annual income from rice production was significant in reducing poverty in the study area pseudo R2 value of 0.886. The overall Chi-Square value was significant at 1% level of probability, also log likelihood value of 135.27. The study recommends the need for credit to be extended to poor farmers to help stimulate their investment in order to increase their income.  Farmers are also encouraged to engage in non-farm activities to raise their level of income.
Effect of Soil Management Investment on Cassava Production in Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Oyewo Isaac. O.
Published: August 2019

This study examines the effect of soil management investment on cassava production in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State (Nigeria) using cross-sectional data. Data were collected with the use of a structured questionnaire from eighty eight (88) respondents; four villages were randomly selected for the study. The data collected were analysed using descriptive, mean and multiple regression analyses. The results showed that 84.1% of the farmers were male while 15.9% were female, 45.4% were between the ages of 21 and 30 years, 60.2% of the farmers had 1-10 years of farming experience while 33.0% had tertiary education. Fertilizer and manure applications were the major soil management practices used by the respondents; 44.3% of the farmers invested between N11,000 and N20,000 on soil management during the farming season. The regression analyses revealed that farm size and cassava output were positively significant at 10% and 1% respectively while labour used was negatively signed and significant at 10% to the level of soil management investment. It was however, recommended that farmers should be more educated on the appropriate coping strategies for soil management. Hence, farmers should be encouraged by the Government by providing formal credit facilities with no or little interest rate to improve their soil management system in order to enhance productivity in the study area.
The Medicinal Role of Centella asiatica and Its Applications in the Dahi: A Research Review
Authors: Kant Rajni , Srivastav Prem Prakash , Datta Ashis Kumar
Published: August 2019

Thankuni, scientifically known as Centella asiatica is a ground creeper and whole plant is used for medicinal purpose. The leaf juice is used as a good health tonic and also gives relief from hypertension, CNS and gastrointestinal diseases. Thankuni extract is incorporated with dahi to improve the medicinal value. These properties have been ascribing to the active principles viz., Asiatic acid, Asiaticoside, madecassic acid, and madecassocide. These are pentacyclic triterpenes, found to display venous insufficiency, various vein and wound healing properties.
Comparison of Phaco-chop and Divide and Conquer Methods in Grade 3-4 Cataract Patients
Authors: Yiğit Kenan
Published: August 2019

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of Grade3-4 cataract surgery performed with 2 phacoemulsification techniques (phaco-chop and divide-and-conquer).

Setting: Ministry of Health Tuzla State Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Design: Prospective randomized clinical trial.

Methods: This is prospective and randomized(double blind) study cataract surgery using two different techniques of nuclear fragmentation performed at the Tuzla State Hospital.100 patients eye with nuclear density from grade 3 to 4 were randomly subdivided into 2 groups (phaco-chop and divide-and-conquer). Intraoperative measurements included Phaco time (PT), effective phaco time(EPT), mean phaco power(MPP). Clinical measurements included preoperative and  postoperative 1.day , 7. day, 30. day, and 60.day corrected distance visual acuity(BCVA), time to achieve BCVA, corneal edema rate and time to disappear corneal edema.

Results: Intraoperative measurements showed significantly less PT, EPT, and corneal edema with the phaco-chop technique than divide-and-conquer techniques in the grade 3-4 cataract density group (P<0.05).

Conclusions: 2 techniques may be effective for cataract surgery in mild and moderate cataracts. However, in eyes with hard cataract the phaco-chop technique can be more effective for lens removal, with less Phaco time and corneal edema, then the divide-and-conquer technique.

Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material, method or device mentioned.
Structural insights into the design of indole derivatives as tubulin polymerization inhibitors
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Yang Jiazhen , Niu Lu , Hu Daojun , Li Huijuan , Chen Lijuan , Yu Yamei , Chen Qiang
Published: August 2019

Microtubules are composed of αβ‐tubulin heterodimers, and drugs that interfere with microtubule dynamics are used widely in cancer chemotherapy. Small synthetic molecules with an indole nucleus as a core structure have been identified as microtubule inhibitors and recognized as anticancer agents. However, structural information for the interactions between indole derivatives and tubulin is sparse. Here, we present the 2.55 Å crystal structure of tubulin in complex with the indole derivative D64131. We compare the binding modes of D64131, colchicine, and five other indole derivatives to tubulin. These results reveal the interactions between the indole derivatives and tubulin, explain previous results of structure‐activity‐relationship (SAR) studies and, thus, provide insights into the development of new indole derivatives targeting the colchicine binding site.
Reaction Conditions for the Regiodivergent Direct Arylations at C2‐ or C5‐Positions of Oxazoles using Phosphine‐Free Palladium Catalysts
Authors: Shi Xinzhe , Soulé Jean‐François , Doucet Henri
Published: August 2019

Two sets of reaction conditions for the regiodivergent C2‐ or C5‐ direct arylations of oxazole are reported. In both cases, phosphine‐free catalysts and inexpensive bases were employed allowing the access to the arylated oxazoles in moderate to high yields. Using Pd(OAc)2/KOAc as catalyst and base, regioselective C5‐arylations were observed; whereas, using Pd(acac)2/Cs2CO3 system, the arylation occurred at the C2‐position of oxazole. The higher reactivity of C5‐H bond of oxazole as compared to the C2‐H bond in the presence of Pd(OAc)2/KOAc system is consistent with a concerted metalation deprotonation mechanism; whereas the C2‐arylation likely occurs via a simple base deprotonation of the oxazole C2‐position. Then, from these C2‐ or C5‐arylated oxazoles, a second palladium‐catalyzed direct C−H bond arylation affords 2,5‐diaryloxazoles with two different aryl groups. We also applied these sequential arylations to the straightforward synthesis of 2‐arylphenanthro[9,10‐d]oxazoles via three C−H bond functionalization steps. The Ru‐catalyzed C−H arylation of the aryl unit of 2‐aryloxazoles is also described.

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Exploring contraction–expansion inertial microfluidic‐based particle separation devices integrated with curved channels
Authors: Shamloo Amir , Abdorahimzadeh Seyedamirhosein , Nasiri Rohollah
Published: August 2019

Separation of particles or cells has various applications in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical industry. Inertial cell separation, in particular, has been gaining a great attention in the recent years since it has exhibited a label‐free, high‐throughput and efficient performance. In this work, first, an inertial contraction–expansion array microchannel device, capable of passively separating two particles with diameters of 4 and 10 μm, was numerically studied. Then, the validated model was combined with curved geometries in order to investigate the effect of curve features on the separation process. The overall purpose was to investigate the interaction between the two different separation methods (separation with curved channels and with contraction–expansion arrays) to find an ideal model that can enjoy the merits of both contraction–expansion and curved channel based methods. Moreover, the relation between separation strength and the aspect ratio in the contraction and expansion zones of the simulated model as well as its height were examined. Then, a new model that combines the curved and the contraction–expansion geometries was tested for its efficiency. This new geometry showed that separation could be achieved with shorter lengths compared with straight contraction–expansion geometries.
Parental gonadal but not somatic mosaicism leading to de novo NFIX variants shared by two brothers with Malan syndrome
Authors: Hancarova Miroslava , Havlovicova Marketa , Putzova Martina , Vseticka Jan , Prchalova Darina , Stranecky Viktor , Sedlacek Zdenek
Published: August 2019

The importance of gonadal mosaicism in families with apparently de novo mutations is being increasingly recognized. We report on two affected brothers initially suggestive of X‐linked or autosomal recessive inheritance. Malan syndrome due to shared NFIX variants was diagnosed in the brothers using exome sequencing. The boys shared the same paternal but not maternal haplotype around NFIX, and deep amplicon sequencing showed ~7% of the variant in paternal sperm but not in paternal blood and saliva. We performed review of previous cases of gonadal mosaicism, which suggests that the phenomenon is not uncommon. Gonadal mosaicism is often not accompanied by somatic mosaicism in tissues routinely used for testing, and if both types of mosaicism are present, the frequency of the variant in sperm is often higher than in somatic cells. In families with shared apparently de novo variants without evidence of parental somatic mosaicism, the transmitting parent may be determined through haplotyping of exome variants. Gonadal mosaicism has important consequences for recurrence risks and should be considered in genetic counseling in families with de novo variants.
Optimal extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation inclusion criteria for favorable neurological outcomes: a single‐center retrospective analysis
Authors: Otani Takayuki , Sawano Hirotaka , Hayashi Yasuyuki
Published: August 2019

Aim

Although age ≤75 years, witnessed arrest, shockable initial cardiac rhythm, and short cardiac arrest duration are commonly cited inclusion criteria for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), these criteria are not well‐established, and ECPR outcomes remain poor. We aimed to evaluate whether the aforementioned inclusion criteria are appropriate for ECPR, and estimate the improvements in prognoses associated with their fulfillment.

Methods

Between October 2009 and December 2017, we retrospectively examined consecutive out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest patients who were admitted to our hospital and received ECPR. We established four ECPR inclusion criteria: age ≤75 years, witnessed arrest, shockable initial cardiac rhythm, and call‐to‐hospital arrival time ≤45 min, and also evaluated the relationship between these criteria and patient outcomes.

Results

During the study period, 1,677 out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest patients were admitted to our hospital, and 156 (9%) with ECPR were examined. The proportion of favorable neurological outcomes was 15% (24/156). However, when the study population was limited to individuals who fulfilled all four criteria, 27% (15/55) had favorable neurological outcomes; only one patient had favorable outcomes when two or more criteria were fulfilled. There was a significant positive linear correlation between the proportion of cases with favorable neurological outcomes and fulfillment of the four criteria (P = 0.005, r = 0.975).

Conclusion

Fulfillment of at least three of the aforementioned criteria could yield improved ECPR outcomes.
A Graphene‐Supported Single‐Atom FeN5 Catalytic Site for Efficient Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Authors: Zhang Huinian , Li Jing , Xi Shibo , Du Yonghua , Hai Xiao , Wang Junying , Xu Haomin , Wu Gang , Zhang Jia , Lu Jiong , Wang Junzhong
Published: August 2019

Electrochemical conversion of CO2 into valued products is one of the most important issues but remains a great challenge in chemistry. Herein, we report a novel synthetic approach involving prolonged thermal pyrolysis of hemin and melamine molecules on graphene for the fabrication of a robust and efficient single‐iron‐atom electrocatalyst for electrochemical CO2 reduction. The single‐atom catalyst exhibits high Faradaic efficiency (ca. 97.0 %) for CO production at a low overpotential of 0.35 V, outperforming all Fe‐N‐C‐based catalysts. The remarkable performance for CO2‐to‐CO conversion can be attributed to the presence of highly efficient singly dispersed FeN5 active sites supported on N‐doped graphene with an additional axial ligand coordinated to FeN4. DFT calculations revealed that the axial pyrrolic nitrogen ligand of the FeN5 site further depletes the electron density of Fe 3d orbitals and thus reduces the Fe–CO π back‐donation, thus enabling the rapid desorption of CO and high selectivity for CO production.
Direct Observation of Oxygen Vacancy Self‐Healing on TiO2 Photocatalysts for Solar Water Splitting
Authors: Zhang Yajun , Xu Zhongfei , Li Guiyu , Huang Xiaojuan , Hao Weichang , Bi Yingpu
Published: August 2019

Oxygen vacancy (Vo) on transition metal oxides plays a crucial role in determining their chemical/physical properties. Conversely, the capability to directly detect the changing process of oxygen vacancies (Vos) will be important to realize their full potentials in the related fields. Herein, with a novel synchronous illumination X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SI‐XPS) technique, we found that the surface Vos (surf‐Vos) exhibit a strong selectivity for binding with the water molecules, and sequentially capture an oxygen atom to achieve the anisotropic self‐healing of surface lattice oxygen. After this self‐healing process, the survived subsurface Vos (sub‐Vos) promote the charge excitation from Ti to O atoms due to the enriched electron located on low‐coordinated Ti sites. However, the excessive sub‐Vos would block the charge separation and transfer to TiO2 surfaces resulted from the destroyed atomic structures. These findings open a new pathway to explore the dynamic changes of Vos and their roles on catalytic properties, not only in metal oxides, but in crystalline materials more generally.
Synthesis, density functional theory studies, and sorption properties toward some divalent heavy metal ions of a new polystyrene‐supported 4‐(5‐mercapto‐1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐ylimino) pentan‐2‐one polymer
Authors: Madani Salim , Charef Noureddine , Hellal Abdelkader , Garcia Daniel L. , Garcia Marta F. , Arrar Lekhmici , Mubarak Mohammad S.
Published: August 2019

This work pertains to the synthesis, characterization, DFT, and sorption studies of a novel polystyrene‐supported 4‐(5‐mercapto‐1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐ylimino) pentan‐2‐one Schiff bases from 5‐amino‐1,3,4‐thiadiazole‐2‐thiol (PSAc5A) and acetylacetone chloromethylated polystyrene (PSAc). This material was characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The chelating properties of the newly synthesized polymer toward the divalent metal Cu(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), and Ni(II) ions in aqueous solutions was studied by means of batch equilibration technique as a function of contact time, pH, mass of resin, and concentration of metal ions using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Results obtained from this investigation revealed that this polymer can be used to remove heavy metal ions from the aquatic environment. In addition, the molecular structural geometry, the theoretical description of charge distribution, chemical reactivity descriptors, frontier molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and electronic and bonding nature of the monomer structure have been investigated by using the density functional theory (DFT) in order to gain insights into the nature of this compound. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48289.
Spatial behavioural response of coastal bottlenose dolphins to habitat disturbance in southern Brazil
Authors: Agrelo Macarena , Daura‐Jorge Fábio G. , Bezamat Carolina , Silveira Thiago C.L. , Volkmer de Castilho Pedro , Rodrigues Pires José Salatiel , Simões‐Lopes Paulo C.
Published: August 2019

A small population of coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gephyreus) inhabits the inland waters of Laguna, southern Brazil. A subset of this population interacts with artisanal fishermen. This specialized foraging tactic structures dolphin society into ‘cooperatives' (participants of the interaction) and ‘non‐cooperatives' (non‐participants).

Between 2012 and 2015, a bridge was constructed in Laguna over an important core area for dolphins. Photo‐identification and georeferenced data collected on boat surveys, conducted both before and during bridge construction, were used to evaluate changes in both ‘cooperative' and ‘non‐cooperative' dolphin distribution.

Changes in dolphin distribution were analysed with kernel densities and hurdle models. A grid of 120 cells of area 1 km2 was used to model dolphin distribution, and the minimum distance from the grid cell centre to the bridge and to the area of gillnet use were defined as explanatory variables of human activities. Habitat descriptors (depth and distance) from the lagoon margin were also considered in the model procedure.

Dolphin distribution patterns shifted between periods. A core area used by ‘non‐cooperative' dolphins near the bridge construction works disappeared. The effects of habitat descriptor and anthropogenic activity on dolphin distribution also differed between periods. Before bridge construction, the abundance of ‘non‐cooperative' dolphin was higher close to the bridge area (p < 0.05). During bridge construction, the presence of ‘cooperative' and ‘non‐cooperative' dolphins decreased significantly with the distance from gillnet fishing activity (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001 respectively).

This study highlights the importance of accounting for individual variations in response when assessing the effects of a habitat disturbance, or when implementing conservation plans.
Comparison of three different eye‐tracking tasks for distinguishing autistic from typically developing children and autistic symptom severity
Authors: Kou Juan , Le Jiao , Fu Meina , Lan Chunmei , Chen Zhuo , Li Qin , Zhao Weihua , Xu Lei , Becker Benjamin , Kendrick Keith M.
Published: August 2019

Altered patterns of visual social attention preference detected using eye‐tracking and a variety of different paradigms are increasingly proposed as sensitive biomarkers for autism spectrum disorder. However, few eye‐tracking studies have compared the relative efficacy of different paradigms to discriminate between autistic compared with typically developing children and their sensitivity to specific symptoms. To target this issue, the current study used three common eye‐tracking protocols contrasting social versus nonsocial stimuli in young (2–7 years old) Chinese autistic (n = 35) and typically developing (n = 34) children matched for age and gender. Protocols included dancing people versus dynamic geometrical images, biological motion (dynamic light point walking human or cat) versus nonbiological motion (scrambled controls), and child playing with toy versus toy alone. Although all three paradigms differentiated autistic and typically developing children, the dancing people versus dynamic geometry pattern paradigm was the most effective, with autistic children showing marked reductions in visual preference for dancing people and correspondingly increased one for geometric patterns. Furthermore, this altered visual preference in autistic children was correlated with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule social affect score and had the highest discrimination accuracy. Our results therefore indicate that decreased visual preference for dynamic social stimuli may be the most effective visual attention‐based paradigm for use as a biomarker for autism in Chinese children. Clinical trial ID: NCT03286621 (clinicaltrials.gov); Clinical trial name: Development of Eye‐tracking Based Markers for Autism in Young Children. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1529–1540. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay Summary

Eye‐tracking measures may be useful in aiding diagnosis and treatment of autism, although it is unclear which specific tasks are optimal. Here we compare the ability of three different social eye‐gaze tasks to discriminate between autistic and typically developing young Chinese children and their sensitivity to specific autistic symptoms. Our results show that a dynamic task comparing visual preference for social (individuals dancing) versus geometric patterns is the most effective both for diagnosing autism and sensitivity to its social affect symptoms.
The Three Rs of Risk Management
Authors: Irias Xavier
Published: August 2019

Key Takeaways

Reliability, robustness, and resilience are concepts that can raise the level of discourse and improve risk communications and risk management.

Risk affects water utilities in various contexts, such as selection of long‐term strategies for capital investments or climate adaptation.

The water industry needs risk management solutions that strive for reliability and robustness and are informed by the concept of resilience.
Thermoluminescence emission on lead oxychloroborate glasses under UV exposure
Authors: Menezes D.L.A. , Bannwart E.S. , De Souza J.E. , Rojas S.S.
Published: August 2019

Glassy materials were prepared using two different systems: 50B2O3 – (50 − x)PbO − xPbCl2, with x = 0, 2 and 5 in mol % (System BPCl‐I) and 50BO1.5 – (50 − x)PbO − xPbCl2 with x = 0, 2, 5 and 7 in cationic % (System BPCl‐II). Structural and optical characterization showed that PbCl when substituted for PbO changed the structure of the glass network by replacing nonbridging oxygens for chlorine ions. This substitution also caused a change in the number of defects responsible for thermoluminescence (TL) emission (electrons and hole trap centres). Thermoluminescence emissions were observed for the first time in lead oxychloroborate glasses after exposure to UV radiation. Sample BPCl‐I‐2 (x = 2 from System I) demonstrated better TL emission compared with other glass samples. One intense peak in the glow curve, centred at ~122°C followed by a shoulder at ~180°C, was highly sensitive to UV radiation. There were also good linear responses at dose range ~0.4 to ~2 J/cm2 for the first peak (low temperature) and ~0.4 to ~4 J/cm2 for the second peak (high temperature).
Carers’ experiences of dementia support groups: A qualitative exploration
Authors: West Melanie , Hogan Kevin Francis
Published: August 2019

Dementia rates are growing (WHO, 2017) and as dementia is associated with a loss of independence, carers are required. Caring for a dementia patient places great demands on the carer’s resources (WHO, 2017). Previous research has indicated that whilst carers are at increased risk of poor mental and physical health (Diener & Chan, 2011; Mahoney, Regan, Katona, & Livingston, 2005; Mausbach, Patterson, Rabinowitz, Grant, & Schulz, 2007), there are some effective protective measures against these increased risks (Cooper et al., 2012; Elvish, Lever, Johnstone, Cawley, & Keady, 2013; Kaufman, Kosberg, Leeper, & Tang, 2010).

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate a dementia support group, in relation to protective measures including social and emotional support, in a real‐life rural setting from a carers’ perspective.

Method

Fourteen informal carers of dementia patients were interviewed about their experiences of attending dementia support groups. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and subject to thematic analysis.

Findings

The analysis showed that attendance to the support group was associated with subjective well‐being and that social support provided by the group was both stimulating and supportive for the carers. Participants valued the opportunity to share their experiences of being a carer with fellow group members and finding out about resources. Frequently, participants reported that the time period surrounding their loved one receiving a diagnosis of dementia was traumatic and they needed time to adjust to their new circumstances before attending a support group.

Conclusions

Implications for wider employment of support groups as a format of support for carers are discussed.
Bidentate Ru(II)‐NC Complexes as Catalysts for α‐Alkylation of Unactivated Amides and Esters
Authors: Gong Dawei , Hu Bowen , Yang Weiwei , Chen Dafa
Published: August 2019

Five Ru(II)‐NC complexes were tested as catalysts for α‐alkylation of unactivated amides using alcohols as alkylating agents, and complex {(C5H4N)‐(C6H4)}RuCl(CO)(PPh3)2 (1) showed the highest activity. With 0.5 mol% catalyst loading, a series of α‐alkylated amides were isolated at 80 °C within 6 hours. Furthermore, under similar conditions, complex 1 was also active for α‐alkylation of unactivated esters with alcohols, and the reaction time was shortened to 1.5 hours. The catalytic performance of 1 is comparable to the best reported catalyst.
Incorporating brand variability into classification of edible oils by Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Kwofie Francis , Lavine Barry K. , Ottaway Joshua , Booksh Karl
Published: August 2019

Two‐hundred and fifteen Raman spectra of 15 edible oils or blends of edible oils from 53 samples spanning multiple brands purchased over 3 years were investigated using a genetic algorithm for spectral pattern recognition. Using a hierarchical approach to classification, the 15 edible oils could be divided into two groups based on their degree of unsaturation. While edible oils from any particular batch within a class are well clustered and can be differentiated from other varieties of edible oils that are also from a single source, incorporating uncontrolled variability from sources (by purchasing edible oils under different brand names) and seasons (by purchasing edible oils over a 3‐year period) presented a far more challenging classification problem for edible oils within the same group. The between‐source and yearly variability within one class of edible oils is often comparable to differences between the average spectra of the different varieties of edible oils, thereby preventing either a reliable classification of the edible oils or the detection of adulterants in an edible oil if a single model, spanning all sources and years of oils, is to be constructed. The novelty of this study arises from the incorporation of edible oils gathered systematically over the span of 3 years, introducing a heretofore unseen variance to the chemical compositions of the edible oils that are being classified. This is the first time that many different edible oils and commercially available brands thereof have been classified simultaneously.
Reduction of Graphene Oxide by Alcohol Thermal Treatment and Its Energy Storage Performance
Authors: Chen Bing , Jiang Li , Wu Jun , Hu Ailin , Lu Xiaoying , Jiang Qi
Published: August 2019

Graphene oxide (GO) is thermally reduced by closed alcohol thermal treatment without adding any reducing agent. The obtained sample is named as ethanol reduced GO (GE), which is characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption desorption testing. The results show that the operation not only removes most of the oxygen‐containing groups, but also repairs some defects to form a perfect graphene layered structure. GE has a shell‐like layer structure without obvious agglomeration. When it is assembled into electrochemical supercapacitor, GE shows a capacitance of 195 F/g with a current density of 1 A/g (organic electrolyte), which is better than that of hydrothermal‐reduced GO (140.5 F/g) at the same conditions, showing a potential application prospect in the energy storage field.
EASE: Energy‐efficient task scheduling for edge computing under uncertain runtime and unstable communication conditions
Authors: Yan Hui , Li Ya , Zhu Xiaomin , Zhang Dayu , Wang Ji , Chen Huangke , Bao Weidong
Published: August 2019

Continuously growing network traffic has become a major technical bottleneck of the cloud service to develop the Internet of Things (IoTs) and mobile applications. Edge computing as a promising computing pattern deployed close to service users is expected to improve the quality of service (QoS). To fully utilize the capabilities of edge devices, a Device‐to‐Device (D2D)–based computing resource sharing and aggregation framework is proposed. Under this framework, this paper exploits the Beta distributions to characterize the uncertain communication rate and processing capability of the edge environment. The reliability and energy consumption of local computing and shared computing under uncertain conditions are, respectively, studied. We model the task scheduling as an Integer Programming problem, whose objective is to minimize the energy consumption while ensuring the reliability. Based on that, a heuristic task scheduling algorithm named EASE is proposed. Through a lot of simulation experiments, the performance of EASE is effectively evaluated under the static and dynamic environments. Compared with three comparison algorithms, EASE shows many advantages in terms of reliability, adaptability, and energy saving.
CD163+ macrophages infiltration correlates with the immunosuppressive cytokine interleukin 10 expression in tongue leukoplakia
Authors: Shigeoka Manabu , Koma Yu‐ichiro , Nishio Mari , Komori Takahide , Yokozaki Hiroshi
Published: August 2019

Objective

Accumulating evidence suggests that macrophages are involved in the immunoediting of oral squamous cell carcinoma but the role of macrophages in oral carcinogenesis is unclear. We aimed to clarify the role of macrophages in oral leukoplakia, which is the most common oral potentially malignant disorder from immunotolerance viewpoint.

Materials and methods

The study included 24 patients who underwent surgical resection for tongue leukoplakia. The relationships between macrophage markers and clinicopathological factors were assessed. Conditioned medium was harvested from the CD163+ human monocytic leukaemia cell line, THP‐1. The phenotypic alteration of human oral keratinocytes by the conditioned medium treatment was assessed using quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, the clinical samples were evaluated using immunohistochemistry.

Results

Tongue leukoplakia tissues with high CD163+ macrophage infiltration were associated with significantly higher degrees of epithelial dysplasia, abnormal Ki‐67 expression and cytokeratin13 loss when compared with the tissues with low CD163+ macrophage infiltration. In vitro, CD163+ THP‐1 conditioned medium induced immunosuppressive molecules, especially interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) in human oral keratinocytes. The IL‐10 expression levels showed significant positive correlations with not only the numbers of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells but also that of CD163+ macrophages.

Conclusions

In tongue leukoplakia, CD163+ macrophages infiltration correlates with immunosuppressive cytokine IL‐10 expression.
Commercial supercapacitor parameter estimation from step voltage excitation
Authors: Fouda Mohammed E. , Elwakil Ahmed S. , Allagui Anis
Published: August 2019

Supercapacitors are crucial elements in advanced industrial electronic systems particularly when supplied from renewable energy sources. Here, we derive expressions for the current, power, and stored energy in a supercapacitor excited with a step voltage signal. Although, it is not common practice to charge supercapacitors using a step voltage, these devices are sometimes used in switching‐type applications where they are subject to this type of signal. We validate the derived mathematical expression of the current via experiments on four different commercial devices. By fitting the measured current data to the derived expression, the parameters of these devices, which are modeled as a series connection of an internal resistance and a constant phase element (CPE), are also estimated. Power and energy are then evaluated followed by the estimation of the effective capacitance for each device. Our analysis makes use of fractional order calculus as opposed to classical integer‐order models.
Diagnostic cytological features and differential diagnosis of subacute granulomatous (De Quervain's) thyroiditis
Authors: Sahin Davut , Akpolat İlkser
Published: August 2019

Background

The aims of the study are to identify the diagnostic cytological features of subacute granulomatous thyroiditis (SGT), to compare our results with previous literature studies, and to investigate the cytological changes in SGT that mimic other thyroid lesions.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted with 69 cases. The cytology slides were re‐evaluated. The diagnostic cytomorphological features of the disease were identified. The results were compared with the literature. Differential diagnosis of the disease is discussed with the results obtained.

Results

The diagnostic cytological features consisted of lymphocytes, multinucleated giant cells, loose epithelioid histiocyte groups, granulomas, isolated epithelioid histiocytes, colloid, and neutrophil leukocytes. The highest degree of concordance between our results and the published literature was the presence of giant cells while the lowest was for microfollicles. Some reactive cytological features of SGT were similar to other benign or malignant diseases of the thyroid.

Conclusion

SGT is a rare and self‐limiting disease. Cytological features are not specific. The diagnosis should be confirmed by clinical and laboratory results. Reactive atypia in the early phase of the disease and microfollicles in the late phase may lead to a false cytological diagnosis, thus resulting in unnecessary resection. To prevent such misdiagnoses, cytopathologists should be aware of the reactive cytological changes in this disorder.
Genetic variation in tree leaf chemistry predicts the abundance and activity of autotrophic soil microorganisms
Authors: Selmants Paul C. , Schweitzer Jennifer A. , Adair Karen L. , Holeski Liza M. , Lindroth Richard L. , Hart Stephen C. , Whitham Thomas G.
Published: August 2019

Genetic variation in the chemistry of plant leaves can have ecosystem‐level consequences. Here, we address the hypothesis that genetic variation in foliar condensed tannins along a Populus hybridization gradient influences soil ammonia oxidizers, a group of autotrophic microorganisms that perform the first step of nitrification and are not dependent on carbon derived from plant photosynthesis. Evidence that genetically based plant traits influence the abundance and activity of autotrophic soil microbes would greatly expand the concept of extended plant phenotypes. We found that increasing foliar condensed tannin concentration reduced rates of soil nitrification potential by ~75%, reduced the abundance of ammonia‐oxidizing archaea by ~66%, but had no effect on ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria. Other indices that often drive nitrification rates, including soil total nitrogen, foliar nitrogen, and soil pH, were not significant predictors of either the activity or the abundance of ammonia oxidizers, suggesting genetic variation in foliar condensed tannins may be the dominant regulating factor. These results demonstrate the condensed tannin phenotypes of two different tree species and their naturally occurring hybrids have extended effects on a key ecosystem process and provide evidence for indirect genetic linkages among autotrophs across at least two domains of life.
Long‐term propagule pressure overwhelms initial community determination of invader success
Authors: Carr Amanda N. , Hooper David U. , Dukes Jeffrey S.
Published: August 2019

The role of plant diversity in reducing invasions has generated decades of debate. Diverse communities might be more resistant to invasion because the communities contain resident species that are functionally similar to the invader (limiting similarity), or multiple species use the range of available resources more effectively (complementarity) than single species. However, the correlation of native and exotic diversity often reverses, becoming positive, with increasing spatial and temporal scale, in a phenomenon called the invasion paradox. We addressed two groups of hypotheses related to this paradox, broadly that (1) functional diversity and identity resist invasion initially, via complementarity or limiting similarity; and (2) disturbance and propagule pressure weaken the effects of functional diversity and identity on invader success through time. Using long‐term data from experimental serpentine grassland assemblages in California, we examined how the abundance of a high impact invader, yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), related to functional diversity, functional dissimilarity, pocket gopher disturbance, and propagule pressure. We also conducted a single‐season experiment in which we seeded disturbed and undisturbed areas and quantified invader success the following year. Neither diversity, nor dissimilarity, nor disturbance significantly impacted the success of C. solstitialis during the years of this study. Instead, propagule pressure was the single most important predictor of C. solstitialis abundance. We consolidated these findings into a novel conceptual model of invader success to illustrate how propagule input may outweigh community resistance through time, and what implications these dynamics have for the invasion paradox.
Habitat specialists as conservation umbrellas: Do areas managed for greater sage‐grouse also protect pygmy rabbits?
Authors: Smith Ian Thomas , Rachlow Janet L. , Svancara Leona K. , McMahon Laura A. , Knetter Sonya J.
Published: August 2019

Sagebrush ecosystems are affected by a variety of factors, and loss and degradation of sagebrush habitat threatens many wildlife species. Federal land management and wildlife agencies have invoked the umbrella species concept to protect this ecosystem, designating >580,000 km2as Habitat Management Areas (HMAs) for greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter “sage‐grouse”) putatively benefiting multiple wildlife species. The pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) also is a species of conservation concern due to its obligate relationship with the sagebrush ecosystem, and our goal was to evaluate the degree to which grouse‐focusedHMAs might serve as a conservation umbrella for pygmy rabbit habitat. We acquired 18,598 records of pygmy rabbit occurrence from all eight range states (excluding Washington because that population is undergoing reintroduction); after screening for reliability, we retained 10,420 records, which we used to estimate minimum occupied area (MOA) and to create an inductive species distribution model (SDM) for pygmy rabbits across their full geographic range. We used the program Maxent to build models of varying complexity, incorporating topographic, vegetation, fire, climate, and soil information. The pygmy rabbitMOAis estimated at 28,367 km2, and ~92% of this area is included within sage‐grouseHMAs. We identified 224,820 km2of suitable habitat for pygmy rabbits (maximum test sensitivity plus specificity threshold of 0.3167) and 145,725 km2of primary habitat (equal test sensitivity and specificity threshold 0.4661), with concentrations in four distinct core areas. Overlap with sage‐grouseHMAs was high (87% of suitable habitat and 91% of primary habitat), suggesting that the sage‐grouse umbrella has the potential to conserve habitat for pygmy rabbits. Two of the largestHMAs are Priority Habitat Management Areas (PHMAs; which have the most habitat protection) and General Habitat Management Areas (GHMAs; which have less protection). Our results suggest thatPHMAs encompass 59% andGHMAs encompass of 34% of primary habitat for pygmy rabbits. TheSDMof habitat for pygmy rabbits can be used by land managers and biologists to prioritize survey locations for pygmy rabbits and to identify areas for habitat management, conservation, or restoration.
FeS2 Grown Pencil Graphite as an In‐expensive and Non‐enzymatic Sensor for Sensitive Detection of Uric Acid in Non‐invasive Samples
Authors: Sha Rinky , Vishnu Nandimalla , Badhulika Sushmee
Published: August 2019

While most electrochemical uric acid (UA) sensors are developed on the conventional electrodes and involve either multiple steps based synthesis routes and/or complicated fabrication processes, this paper is the first demonstration of direct growth of pyrite FeS2 on pencil‐graphite electrode (PGE) for non‐enzymatic UA sensing. FESEM images of the pyrite FeS2‐PGE reveal mesoporous microspherical structure of pyrite FeS2 along with graphite flakes of PGE and EDX, Raman spectroscopic data validate growing of pyrite FeS2 on PGE. The pyrite FeS2‐PGE sensor exhibited detection limit of 6.7 μM, excellent linearity, reproducibility, selectivity over glucose, urea, ascorbic acid with the sensitivity of 370 μA mM−1 cm−2 in the range of 10–725 μM of UA. These improved analytical performances can be attributed to high conductivity of the pyrite FeS2, larger electro‐active surface area of the mesoporous microspherical pyrite FeS2 grown on PGE (than only PGE) and abundance in defect sites originating from both the pyrite FeS2 as well as functional groups of pencil graphite. Furthermore, the sensor was validated against UA in urine sample and the result supports well with the UA concentration achieved from colorimetric technique. Development of this low cost, non‐enzymatic, sensitive and highly selective pyrite FeS2‐PGE bases UA sensor is a significant step in the development of practically viable sensors for point‐of‐care applications in clinical and pharmaceutical analyses.
Test and analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) precast shear wall assembled using steel shear key (SSK)
Authors: Shen Shao‐Dong , Pan Peng , Miao Qi‐Song , Li Wen‐Feng , Gong Run‐Hua
Published: August 2019

Reinforced concrete (RC) precast shear walls are extensively applied in practical engineering, owing to their fast construction speed. However, because of the transport conditions, RC precast shear walls have to be separated into small wall segments during the factory prefabrication procedure before being assembled on site. Typically, wet‐type jointing methods are adopted to link the segments, which is time‐consuming and results in unreliable post‐pouring area strength. To overcome this problem, the novel scheme of the steel shear key (SSK) featuring steel shear panels and combined fillet and plug welding is proposed. Three RC precast shear wall specimens with different linking strength, termed as weakened SSK wall, standard SSK wall, and strengthened SSK wall, respectively, and an integrated shear wall specimen were designed. Quasi‐static cyclic loading was applied to investigate the specimens' dynamic properties. The test results suggest the prefabricated wall segments equipped with SSKs showed reliable stiffness and bearing capacity and were improved in energy dissipation ability, compared with conventional shear walls. As the shear stiffness and number of equipped SSKs increased, the specimens exhibited higher strength, but their ductility and energy dissipation were slightly decreased. Most importantly, the standard SSK wall specimen could achieve satisfactory bearing capacity and deformability and is thus recommended for precast building structures. Finite element method (FEM) models were established to validate the test results, and parametric study analysis was conducted based on the coupling ratio of the SSK walls. Finally, an appropriate coupling ratio range is recommended for practical engineering applications.
In‐situ‐Versuche mit Flat Dilatometer und seismischem Dilatometer
Authors: Marchetti Diego , Fabris Carla , Schweiger Helmut F.
Published: August 2019

In the last decades there has been a massive migration from laboratory testing to in situ testing, to the point that, today, in situ testing is often the major part of a geotechnical investigation. In particular direct‐push in situ tests, such as Cone Penetration Test (CPT) and the Flat Dilatometer Test (DMT), are fast and convenient in situ tests for routine site investigation. The scope of this paper is to describe the DMT and its recent updates, in particular the Seismic Dilatometer Test (SDMT) for measuring shear and compression wave velocities and the automated dilatometer probe (Medusa DMT). An Example of SDMT test results and its application to derive soil stiffness parameters are shown, as well as the result of a class‐A prediction of an anchor pull‐out test, which was calibrated with the SDMT profile.