bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Inorganic Fertilizer Application on Early Growth of Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn
Authors: Aderounmu A. F. , Musa F. B.
Published: September 2019

Declining soil fertility is a main reason for the slow growth in food production in Africa. However, the practices of incorporating fertilizers could potentially improve soil fertility and productivity. This experiment was carried out to determine the efficacy of inorganic fertilizer on the early growth performance of Vitellaria paradoxa under a greenhouse condition set up at the Department of Forestry Technology, Federal College of Forestry Ibadan, located within the Government Reserve Area (GRA) Jericho Ibadan. The treatments included two fertilizer types, (Urea and NPK 15:15:15) at different concentration levels which were; Urea at three (3) levels; 50 mg kg1, 100 mg kg1and 150 mg kg1: NPK (15:15:15) at three levels; 50 mg kg1, 100 mg kg1 and 150 mg kg1, combination of Urea + NPK and Control (no application). The results showed that application of inorganic fertilizer at any rate produced higher growth in plant height and collar diameter than the control experiment. Application of different rates of fertilizer on leaf production was comparable with the control experiment. Though, there was no appreciable variation in all fertilizer rates, the highest value was obtained with the combination of NPK and urea at 150/100 mg kg1 for plant height, leaf production and leaf area while the application of NPK/Urea: 150/150 mg kg1 produced the highest collar diameter. From this study, nutrient supply from NPK and Urea could help enhance the growth performance of Vitellaria paradoxa seedlings and help improve the mass propagation of target species in the nursery. Further studies are recommended to validate the optimum fertilizer requirements of the plant species.
Pasting Properties of Flour Blends from Water Yam, Yellow Maize and African Yam Bean Seeds
Authors: Kalu C. E. , Alaka I. C. , Ekwu F. C.
Published: September 2019

Pasting properties of flour blends from water yam, yellow maize and African yam bean were investigated in this study. Peak viscosity ranged from 133.50 to 166.25RVU, Trough viscosity ranged from 85.08 to 135.20RVU, break down viscosity ranged from 28.17 to 50.58RVU, final viscosity ranged from 5.05 to 5.49 min and pasting temperature ranged from 80.25 84.15oC. Addition of yellow maize and African yam bean affected (p<0.05) the peak viscosity, trough viscosity, break down viscosity, final viscosity, and setback viscosity in different trends. However, peak time and peak temperature of the flour sample were not statically (p<0.05) affected by the blend ratio in this study. Amongst the flour samples investigated in this study, flour sample DIN (60%WY:10%YM:30%AYB) showed promise for value added products such as noodles among other flour products. They flour sample adjusted to be the best sample could be used as a good replacement for wheat flour and when achieved, it will reduce the cost of importation.
Economic Assessment of Napier Grass Production Using Different Fertilizer Combinations under Smallholder Farming Conditions in the Central Highlands of Kenya
Authors: Ndwiga Bridget W. , Arunga Esther E. , Ngetich Felix K.
Published: September 2019

Aims: The objective of the study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using different fertilizer combinations to improve Napier grass production within the smallholder farms.

Study Design: The experimental design was a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates per treatment. The treatments were: Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP); rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) manure; rabbit manure plus rabbit urine; DAP plus Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN); DAP plus rabbit urine; Control; and Conventional method.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was done in Embu County, Kenya from March 2015 to January 2016.

Methodology: The economic analysis to determine the most cost-effective fertilizer was done using gross margins and cost-benefit ratios approach.

Results: Rabbit manure plus urine had the highest cost of production averages at US$.154 8.13 per year at p<0.05 while the conventional method was US$ 494.59 at p<0.05. The study revealed that the most cost-effective fertilizer in Embu County was DAP plus rabbit urine treatment under ‘‘Tumbukiza’’ pits.

Conclusion: The projections are that by the end of the second cropping year, the treatment top-dressed with either rabbit urine or CAN would be having higher gross margins since the initial cost would have been recovered. Farmers in Embu County are encouraged to integrate the use of both organic and inorganic fertilizers to achieve high production in a cost-effective way.
Olfactory Attraction of Rhizome Borer (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to Banana Genotypes Inoculated with Entomopathogenic Fungus
Authors: Salustino Angélica Da Silva , Oliveira Ivan Sérgio Da Silva , Santos Marailze Pereira dos , Nascimento Ana Paula Pereira do , Medeiros Marcos Barros de
Published: September 2019

The species: Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) stands out as one of the main pests of banana. The damage to the crop is caused by the larvae of this pest, when they feed on the plant tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the olfactory responses of C. sordidus for different varieties and the possible olfactory interference after application of Beauveria bassiana fungus on the crop. The research was conducted at the Phytosanitary Clinic in the Agriculture Sector of the Center for Humanities, Social and Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Paraíba, located in Bananeiras - PB, Brazil, from January to July 2017. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments represented by banana varieties (Apple, Silver, Nanica and Pacovan) with 11 replications each. The bioassays were distributed in two stages; the first stage was an evaluation of the attractiveness of banana genotypes and rhizome and pseudostem tissues. In the second, the attractiveness of C. sordidus to the tissues contaminated with the fungus B. bassiana was investigated. The Prata banana plantation was less attractive to C. sordidus, the highest preference was to the Nanica banana plantation. The most attractive tissue was pseudostem. Given the conditions under which the study was conducted, the banana plantation and the plant tissues analyzed present an olfactory influence under Cosmopolites sordidus. The Nanica banana plantation is the most susceptible to insect attack. The application of the fungus Beauveria bassiana on banana baits does not interfere with the odour conditions exerted the nanica banana plantation under C. sordidus.
Predicting Daily Returns of Global Stocks Indices: Neural Networks vs Support Vector Machines
Authors: Kaur Jasleen , Dharni Khushdeep
Published: September 2019

Uniqueness in economies and stock markets has given rise to an interesting domain of exploring data mining techniques across global indices. Previously, very few studies have attempted to compare the performance of data mining techniques in diverse markets. The current study adds to the understanding regarding the variations in performance of data mining techniques across the global stock indices. We compared the performance of Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines using accuracy measures Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and R­­­­oot Mean Square Error (RMSE) across seven major stock markets. For prediction purpose, technical analysis has been employed on selected indicators based on daily values of indices spanning a period of 12 years. We created 196 data sets spanning different time periods for model building such as 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 6 years and 12 years for selected seven stock indices. Based on prediction models built using Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines, the findings of the study indicate there is a significant difference, both for MAE and RMSE, across the selected global indices. Also, Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Square Error of models built using NN were greater than Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Square Error of models built using SVM.
Trends in Social Inequality in Exposure to Bullying at School 1994-2018
Authors: Due Pernille , Damsgaard Mogens Trab , Rasmussen Mette , Holstein Bjørn Evald
Published: September 2019

Aims: To examine social inequality in exposure to bullying at school among adolescents and changes in social inequality over time. We applied data from seven nationally representative school surveys in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 in Denmark, the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study.

Methodology: The study population was 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds, response rate 87.9%, N=33,460 with comparable data about exposure to bullying and socioeconomic status. The analyses included 1) absolute social inequality, i.e. percent difference in exposure to bullying between low and high socioeconomic groups and 2) relative social inequality based on logistic regression analyses with odds ratios for exposure to bullying by socioeconomic background.

Results: The prevalence of exposure to bullying decreased from 24.4% in 1994 to 4.9% in 2018. Bullying was significantly most prevalent among schoolchildren from lower socioeconomic groups. The absolute social inequality decreased from 10.7% in 1994 to 3.9% in 2018. The relative social inequality was 1.30 (1.19-1.43) in middle and 1.77 (1.59-1.96) in low socioeconomic group, compared to high. There was no significant change in relative social inequality from 1994 to 2018.

Conclusion: In the period 1994 to 2018 with substantial reduction in exposure to bullying at school there was a decrease in the absolute social inequality and an unchanged relative social inequality in exposure to bullying.
An Opinion Regarding Equivalence Testing for Evaluating Measurement Agreement
Authors: Adamakis Manolis
Published: September 2019

The novel statistical approach ‘equivalence testing’ has been proposed in order to statistically examine agreement between different physical activity measures. By using this method, researchers argued that it is possible to determine whether a method is significantly equivalent to another method. Recently, equivalence testing was supported with the use of 90% confidence interval, obtained from a mixed ANOVA, which I believe is a more robust approach. This paper further discusses the use of this method in comparison to a more well-established statistical analysis (i.e. mixed design ANOVA), as well as various limitations and arbitrary assumptions in order to perform this analysis. The paper concludes with some remarks and considerations for future use in similar approaches.
Use of FDA‐Approved Medications: Biologics for Psoriatic Arthritis in Patients at an Urban Outpatient Rheumatology Clinic
Authors: Khanna Ira , Kozicky Orysia , Fischer Harry
Published: September 2019

Objective

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis that manifests as peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, enthesitis, and spondylitis. Biologics, particularly tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) and some interleukin 17 (IL‐17) and interleukin 23 (IL‐23) inhibitors, are the only US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved treatments shown to limit joint damage in clinical trials for PsA. Conventional synthetic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs have also been adapted to PsA treatment. Current 2018 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines regard TNFis as first‐line therapy in treatment‐naïve patients. The aim of this project is to review the prescribing practices for patients with PsA at an urban rheumatology office, with a focus on biologic prescribing.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed to search for patients seen from June 1, 2017, to June 1, 2018, using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes for PsA. A log of prescribing practices listed the use of biologics versus oral small molecules (OSMs) (methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, and apremilast) across different ages, sex, and disease severity.

Results

This study included a total of 97 patients (40 women and 57 men), and 66% were on biologics (60% of women and 70% of men). There was no sex bias in biologic prescribing (P = 0.59). Use of biologics was highest in the 38 to 57 years age group and lowest in the 78 to 97 years age group, although, statistically, there was no age bias in biologic prescribing (P = 0.22). Biologics provided superior disease control (84.37%) compared with nonbiologics (66.6%) (P = 0.0016). OSMs provided slightly better control (69.5%) over apremilast monotherapy (61.5%) (P = 0.016).

Conclusion

There is no age or sex bias in prescribing practices for PsA. In accordance with the ACR, patients with controlled symptoms on OSMs are being appropriately maintained. Although apremilast is allocated as an add‐on therapy, 13.4% of patients were on apremilast monotherapy. This quality improvement project reveals that in most instances, biologics are being appropriately initiated as the primary mode of therapy for patients with PsA at our outpatient practice; however, treatment modifications can be made regarding patients who are managed with apremilast alone.
Immune‐Informed Mucin Hydrogels Evade Fibrotic Foreign Body Response In Vivo
Authors: Yan Hongji , Seignez Cédric , Hjorth Morgan , Winkeljann Benjamin , Blakeley Matthew , Lieleg Oliver , Phillipson Mia , Crouzier Thomas
Published: September 2019

The immune‐mediated foreign body response to biomaterial implants can trigger the formation of insulating fibrotic capsules that can compromise implant function. To address this challenge, the intrinsic bioactivity of the mucin biopolymer, a heavily glycosylated protein that forms the protective mucus gel covering mucosal epithelia, is leveraged. By using a bioorthogonal inverse electron demand Diels–Alder reaction, mucins are crosslinked into implantable hydrogels. It is shown that mucin hydrogels (Muc‐gels) modulate the immune response driving biomaterial‐induced fibrosis. Muc‐gels do not elicit fibrosis 21 days after implantation in the peritoneal cavity of C57Bl/6 mice, whereas medical‐grade alginate hydrogels are covered by fibrous tissues. Further, Muc‐gels dampen the recruitment of innate and adaptive immune cells to the gel and trigger a pattern of very mild activation marked by a noticeably low expression of the fibrosis‐stimulating transforming growth factor beta 1 cytokine. Macrophages recruited to Muc‐gels upregulate the gene expression of the protein inhibitor of activated STAT 1 (PIAS1) and SH2‐containing phosphatase 1 (SHP‐1) cytokine regulatory proteins, which likely contributes to their low cytokine expression profiles. With this advance in mucin materials, an essential tool is provided to better understand mucin bioactivities and to initiate the development of new mucin‐based and mucin‐inspired “immune‐informed” materials for implantable devices subject to fibrotic encapsulation.
Ultrafine Titanium Nitride Sheath Decorated Carbon Nanofiber Network Enabling Stable Lithium Metal Anodes
Authors: Lin Kui , Qin Xianying , Liu Ming , Xu Xiaofu , Liang Gemeng , Wu Junxiong , Kang Feiyu , Chen Guohua , Li Baohua
Published: September 2019

Nonuniform local electric field and few nucleation sites on the reactive interface tend to cause detrimental lithium (Li) dendrites, which incur severe safety hazards and hamper the practical application of Li metal anodes in batteries. Herein, a carbon nanofiber (CNF) mat decorated with ultrafine titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles (CNF‐TiN) as both current collector and host material is reported for Li metal anodes. Uniform Li deposition is achieved by a synergetic effect of lithiophilic TiN and 3D CNF configuration with a highly conductive network. Theoretical calculations reveal that Li prefers to be adsorbed onto the TiN sheath with a low diffusion energy barrier, leading to controllable nucleation sites and dendrite‐free Li deposits. Moreover, the pseudocapacitive behavior of TiN identified through kinetics analysis is favorable for ultrafast Li+ storage and the charge transfer process, especially under a high plating/stripping rate. The CNF‐TiN‐modified Li anodes deliver lower nucleation overpotential for Li plating and superior electrochemical performance under a large current density (200 cycles at 3 mA cm−2) and high capacity (100 cycles with 6 mAh cm−2), as well as a long‐running lifespan (>600 h). The CNF‐TiN‐based full cells using lithium iron phosphate and sulfur cathodes exhibit excellent cycling stability.
Controlling Electrostatic Interaction in PEDOT:PSS to Overcome Thermoelectric Tradeoff Relation
Authors: Ju Duckhyun , Kim Daegun , Yook Hyunwoo , Han Jeong Woo , Cho Kilwon
Published: September 2019

A high power factor must be achieved to improve the thermoelectric (TE) output of organic TE materials though the tradeoff between electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient is a serious obstacle to the further development of these materials. Here, systematic control of the electrostatic interaction between a conducting polymer and a dopant induces a positive deviation from this TE tradeoff relation so that the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient simultaneously increase. Upon reduction of the electrostatic interaction, substantial changes in the film morphology, chain conformation, and crystalline ordering are observed, all of which critically affect the TE charge transport. As a result, the electrostatic interaction control is found to be an effective strategy to enhance the power factor, overcoming the tradeoff between TE parameters. Adapting this strategy to poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene‐sulfonate results in a remarkable power factor (=700.2 µW m−1 K−2 ) and figure of merit ZT (=0.25).
A Dual‐Model Imaging Theragnostic System Based on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cancer Phototherapy
Authors: Huang Chenlu , Zhang Zhiming , Guo Qing , Zhang Li , Fan Fan , Qin Yu , Wang Hai , Zhou Sheng , Ou‐Yang Wenbin , Sun Hongfan , Leng Xigang , Pan Xiangbin , Kong Deling , Zhang Linhua , Zhu Dunwan
Published: September 2019

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) show great promise to be exploited as versatile multifunctional nanocarriers for effective cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this work, perfluorohexane (PFH)‐encapsulated MSNs with indocyanine green (ICG)–polydopamine (PDA) layer and poly(ethylene glycol)–folic acid coating (designated as MSNs‐PFH@PDA‐ICG‐PEG‐FA) are successfully fabricated to achieve tumor ultrasonic (US)/near‐infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging as well as photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT). MSNs‐PFH@PDA‐ICG‐PEG‐FA exhibits good monodispersity with high ICG loading, significantly enhances ICG photostability, and greatly improves cellular uptake. Upon single 808 nm NIR irradiation, the nanocarrier not only efficiently generates hyperthermia to realize PTT, but also produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) for effective PDT. Meanwhile, NIR irradiation can trigger PFH to undergo vaporization and provide a super‐resolution US image. Thus, the PTT/PDT combination therapy can be dually guided by PFH‐induced US imaging and ICG‐induced NIRF imaging. In vivo antitumor studies demonstrate that PTT/PDT from MSNs‐PFH@PDA‐ICG‐PEG‐FA significantly inhibits tumor growth and achieves a cure rate of 60% (three out of five mice are completely cured). Hence, the multifunctional MSNs appear to be a promising theragnostic nanoplatform for multimodal cancer imaging and therapy.
Fast Gelation of Ti3C2Tx MXene Initiated by Metal Ions
Authors: Deng Yaqian , Shang Tongxin , Wu Zhitan , Tao Ying , Luo Chong , Liang Jiachen , Han Daliang , Lyu Ruiyang , Qi Changsheng , Lv Wei , Kang Feiyu , Yang Quan‐Hong
Published: September 2019

Gelation is an effective way to realize the self‐assembly of nanomaterials into different macrostructures, and in a typical use, the gelation of graphene oxide (GO) produces various graphene‐based carbon materials with different applications. However, the gelation of MXenes, another important type of 2D materials that have different surface chemistry from GO, is difficult to achieve. Here, the first gelation of MXenes in an aqueous dispersion that is initiated by divalent metal ions is reported, where the strong interaction between these ions and OH groups on the MXene surface plays a key role. Typically, Fe2+ ions are introduced in the MXene dispersion which destroys the electrostatic repulsion force between the MXene nanosheets in the dispersion and acts as linkers to bond the nanosheets together, forming a 3D MXene network. The obtained hydrogel effectively avoids the restacking of the MXene nanosheets and greatly improves their surface utilization, resulting in a high rate performance when used as a supercapacitor electrode (≈226 F g−1 at 1 V s−1). It is believed that the gelation of MXenes indicates a new way to build various tunable MXene‐based structures and develop different applications.
Snail‐Inspired Dry Adhesive with Embedded Microstructures for Enhancement of Energy Dissipation
Authors: Kim Jiwon , Kim Da Wan , Baik Sangyul , Hwang Gui Won , Kim Tae‐il , Pang Changhyun
Published: September 2019

In various organisms in nature, the energy‐dissipation layers within their adhesive systems are known to play a significant role in enhancement of adhesion performance in pulling and peeling directions. Reported here is that the pedal‐muscle structures of snails can be exploited to form a repeatable, microstructure‐embedded adhesive, enabling enhanced adhesion in both pulling (13 N cm−2) and peeling (20 J m−2) directions with excellent repeatability (<1000 cycles). The measured adhesion strengths and energies depend on the geometrical and material parameters of the micro architecture in bio‐inspired adhesives, which are in good agreement with a simple theory based on elastic potential and dissipation energies. By employing an energy‐dissipation layer with embedded microstructures, the snail‐inspired adhesive (SIA) shows better resistance against vibrational resistance than conventional pressure‐sensitive adhesives. To improve its adaptability on rough surfaces, gecko‐like hairs are implemented on the top surface of SIA, demonstrating robust fixation against the skin.
Scaling and Reflection Behaviors of Polaritons in Low‐Dimensional Materials
Authors: Shen Peiyue , Luo Xingdong , Lyu Bosai , Deng Aolin , Hu Cheng , Chen Jiajun , Shi Zhiwen
Published: September 2019

Polaritons in low‐dimensional materials have shown their unique capabilities to concentrate light at the deep subwavelength scale. They behave quite differently from those in conventional metals. On the one hand, the strongly confined polaritons exhibit a large tunability in wavelength following different scaling behaviors in different systems. On the other hand, they show novel reflection behaviors when they encounter topographic boundaries or electronic discontinuities. Here, recent progress on the scaling and reflection behaviors of strongly confined polaritons in three representative low‐dimensional material systems is reviewed. It is shown that the polariton wavelength changes sensitively with carrier density, thickness, and the number of conducting channels for graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, and carbon nanotubes. Also, it is demonstrated how polaritons reflect in low‐dimensional materials when encountering edges, corrugations, domain walls, strain regions, etc.
Titan(III)‐katalysierte, reduktive Decyanierung geminaler Dinitrile ohne freie Radikalintermediate
Authors: Weweler Jens , Younas Sara L. , Streuff Jan
Published: September 2019

Es wird über eine titankatalysierte Monodecyanierung geminaler Dinitrile berichtet, die unter milden Bedingungen abläuft, zahlreiche funktionelle Gruppen toleriert und auch auf quartäre Malononitrile angewendet werden kann. Eine entsprechende Desulfonylierung wird ebenfalls vorgestellt. Mechanistische Untersuchungen unterstützen eine katalysatorkontrollierte Spaltung ohne freie Radikale, was im Gegensatz zu den bisherigen stöchiometrischen radikalischen Decyanierungen steht. Die Beteiligung zweier TiIII‐Spezies an der C‐C‐Bindunsspaltung wird vorgeschlagen und die Rolle der Additive ZnCl2 und Coll⋅HCl näher untersucht.
In situ Spectroscopic Insight into the Origin of the Enhanced Performance of Bimetallic Nanocatalysts towards the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR)
Authors: Wang Ya‐Hao , Le Jia‐Bo , Li Wei‐Qiong , Wei Jie , Radjenovic Petar M. , Zhang Hua , Zhou Xiao‐Shun , Cheng Jun , Tian Zhong‐Qun , Li Jian‐Feng
Published: September 2019

It is vital to understand the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mechanism at the molecular level for the rational design and synthesis of high activity fuel‐cell catalysts. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful technique capable of detecting the bond vibrations of surface species in the low wavenumber range, however, using it to probe practical nanocatalysts remains extremely challenging. Herein, shell‐isolated nanoparticle‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) was used to investigate ORR processes on the surface of bimetallic Pt3Co nanocatalyst structures. Direct spectroscopic evidence of *OOH suggests that ORR undergoes an associative mechanism on Pt3Co in both acidic and basic environments. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the weak *O adsorption arise from electronic effect on the Pt3Co surface accounts for enhanced ORR activity. This work shows SHINERS is a promising technique for the real‐time observation of catalytic processes.
Assembled synthesis of luminescent mono/double‐layered 2D and 3D Zn (II)‐based coordination polymers tuned by flexible bis (pyridyl)propane‐1,2‐diamines and diverse organic dicarboxylates
Authors: Zhu Li‐Na , Deng Zhao‐Peng , Huo Li‐Hua , Gao Shan
Published: September 2019

Six mono/double‐layered 2D and three 3D coordination polymers were synthesized by a self‐assembly reaction of Zn (II) salts, organic dicarboxylic acids and L1/L2 ligands. These polymeric formulas are named as [Zn(L1)(C4H2O4)0.5 (H2O)]n·0.5n(C4H2O4)·2nH2O (1), [Zn2(L2)(C4H2O4)2]n·2nH2O (2), [Zn(L1)(m‐BDC)]n (3), [Zn2(L2)(m‐BDC)2]n·2nH2O (4), [Zn3(L1)2(p‐BDC)3(H2O)4]n·2nH2O (5), [Zn2(OH)(L2) (p‐BDC)1.5]n (6), [Zn2(L1)(p‐BDC)2]n·5nH2O (7), [Zn2(L2)(p‐BDC)2]n·3nH2O (8) and [Zn2(L1)(C4H4O4)1.5(H2O)]n·n(ClO4)·nH2O (9) [L1 = N,N′‐bis (pyridin‐4‐ylmethyl)propane‐1,2‐diamine, L2 = N,N′‐bis (pyridin‐3‐ylmethyl)propane‐1,2‐ diamine, m‐BDC2− = m‐benzene dicarboxylate, p‐BDC2− = p‐benzene dicarboxylate]. Meanwhile, these polymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared, thermogravimetry (TG), photoluminescence, powder and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Polymers 1–6 present mono‐ and double (4,4)‐layer motifs accomplished by L1/L2 ligands with diverse conformations and organic dicarboxylates, and the layer thickness locates in the range of 5.8–15.0 Å. In three 3D polymers, the L1 and L2 molecules adopt the same cis‐conformations and join adjacent Zn (II) cations together with p‐BDC2− or succinate, giving rise to different binodal (4,4)‐c nets with (4.52.83)(4.53.72) (7), pts (8) topology and twofold interpenetrated binodal (5,5)‐c nets with (32.44.52.62)(3.43.52.64) (9). Therefore, the diverse conformations of the two bis (pyridyl)‐propane‐1,2‐diamines and the feature of different organic dicarboxylate can effectively influence the architectures of these polymers. Powder X‐ray diffraction patterns demonstrate that these bulk solid polymers are pure phase. TG analyses indicate that these polymers have certain thermal stability. Luminescent investigation reveals that the emission maximum of these polymers varies from 402 to 449 nm in the solid state at room temperature. Moreover, 1, 3 and 5–8 show average luminescence lifetimes from 8.81 to 16.30 ns.
Water‐annealing treatment for edible silk fibroin coatings from fibrous waste
Authors: Jaramillo‐Quiceno N. , Restrepo‐Osorio A.
Published: September 2019

Silk fibroin (SF) is an engineered biopolymer with properties that are desirable for the development of food preservation materials, such as edible coatings or packaging. In this study, SF from fibrous waste was assessed for the first time as an edible coating for strawberries. Relationships were established between the structural properties of SF thin films obtained from silk waste, both untreated (SFW) and water annealed (WA‐SFW) and their morphology and performance as edible strawberry coatings. According to the results obtained, the water‐annealing treatment led to a structural modification in SF films. The strawberries coated with WA‐SFW exhibited better performance during storage by reducing weight loss and preserving its visual appearance. The analysis of metal contaminants showed that SFs obtained from fibrous waste are relatively nontoxic. Therefore, using this raw material for the development of edible coatings in perishable fruits is considered promising. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48505.
Citizen science helps assessing spatio‐temporal distribution of sea turtles in foraging areas
Authors: Casale Paolo , Ciccocioppo Amedeo , Vagnoli Giulia , Rigoli Alessandro , Freggi Daniela , Tolve Livia , Luschi Paolo
Published: September 2019

Spatio‐temporal distribution is fundamental information for species of conservation concern, like sea turtles, that are threatened by anthropogenic activities at sea such as fishing. While coarse‐scale distribution information is available for several sea turtle populations, fine‐scale distribution informing on hot‐spot areas for spatial management is more difficult to obtain.

Here a citizen science approach involving tourism boats was undertaken to investigate the spatio‐temporal distribution of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Pelagie Archipelago, located in a major foraging area for this species in the Mediterranean and where high fishing‐induced mortality occurs. The study was designed to provide data of absence and total sampling effort, commonly under‐reported in citizen science studies, allowing comparison among zones and periods. This was complemented by reports from fishing vessels.

Tourism boats reported 584 loggerhead turtle sightings during 1718 daily trips and fishing vessels reported 280 loggerhead turtles captured during 1040 fishing days. The results indicate a strong heterogeneous distribution in the Archipelago, with a low turtle occurrence around the main island, Lampedusa, where the highest human presence and activity occur. This may represent rare evidence of displacement behaviour of turtles that is worth further investigation. This also suggests that the current small marine protected area around Lampedusa has a low conservation impact. Zones with higher loggerhead turtle occurrence appear to be in the south and the west parts of the Archipelago, suggesting that spatial management would be possible when relatively small hot‐spots have been identified through specific surveys.

This study shows the potential of citizen science for providing preliminary information to guide more demanding and specific investigations. Such an approach may tremendously and rapidly improve the current knowledge on fine‐scale sea turtle distribution in regions with a great extension of coastlines and intensive tourist activities, such as the Mediterranean.
Hybrides Hochhaus setzt neue Maßstäbe
Authors: Jacob‐Freitag Susanne
Published: September 2019

In Heilbronn steht das derzeit höchste Holzhochhaus Deutschlands: das zehngeschossige Holz‐Hybrid‐Gebäude namens Skaio. 34 m hoch und nach den Plänen des Berliner Architekturbüros Kaden+Lager gebaut, gehört es zur Stadtausstellung der Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) 2019. Sockelgeschoss und Treppenhauskern des von Züblin Timber nach dem Skelettbauprinzip errichteten Mischbaus bestehen aus Stahlbeton, die Stützen aus Brettschichtholz, ein Teil der Träger aus Stahlprofilen, für Wände und Decken hat man verschiedene Holzbauweisen genutzt, wie den Holzrahmenbau in Kombination mit Brettsperrholz für die Wandelemente bzw. Brettsperrholz als Holzmassivbauweise für die Deckenscheiben. Als Fassadenbekleidung kamen Leichtmetallplatten zum Einsatz. Insgesamt 5 685 m2 Bruttogeschossfläche verteilen sich auf zehn Stockwerke. Das Brandschutzkonzept ermöglichte es, die Gebäudehülle mit Holzelementen auszuführen.
Bemessung der Verankerung von Befestigungen in Beton
Authors: Fuchs Werner , Eligehausen Rolf , Hofmann Jan
Published: September 2019

Die neue EN 1992‐4 wurde auf Basis der bewährten Vornormenreihe CEN/TS 1992‐4 zum Eurocode weiterentwickelt und in einem Dokument zusammengefasst. Sie enthält Bemessungsverfahren für Kopfbolzen, mechanische und chemische Befestigungsmittel sowie Ankerschienen in tragenden Beton‐ und Stahlbetonkonstruktionen. Voraussetzung für die Bemessung nach EN 1992‐4 ist, dass die zu bemessenden Befestigungsmittel eine Europäische Technische Spezifikation wie z. B. eine Europäische Technische Beurteilung (ETA) besitzen. Die Bemessungsverfahren stellen den aktuellen Stand der Technik dar. Die EN 1992‐4 gilt für alle Anwendungen, die in den Bereich der EN 1992‐1 fallen, und ist deshalb auch ein Bestandteil von Eurocode 2 geworden. Zudem enthält EN 1992‐4 Regelungen, die eine Bemessung für seismische Beanspruchungen in Übereinstimmung mit EN 1998 erlauben. Die Bemessung des Anbauteils ist nicht abgedeckt. Die Inhalte der EN 1992‐4 und einige Hintergründe dazu werden in diesem Beitrag kurz vorgestellt.
Functional connectivity between white matter and gray matter based on fMRI for Alzheimer's disease classification
Authors: Zhao Jie , Ding Xuetong , Du Yuhang , Wang Xuehu , Men Guozun
Published: September 2019

Introduction

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that generally starts slowly and leads to deterioration over time. Finding biomarkers more effective to predict AD transition is important for clinical medicine. And current research indicated that the lesion regions occur in both gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM).

Methods

This paper extracted BOLD time series from WM and GM, combined WM and GM together for analysis, constructed functional connectivity (FC) of static (sWGFC) and dynamic (dWGFC) between WM and GM, as well as static (sGFC) and dynamic (dGFC) FC within GM in order to evaluate the methods and areas most useful as feature sets for distinguishing NC from AD. These features will be evaluated using support vector machine (SVM) classifiers.

Results

The FC constructed by WM BOLD time series based on fMRI showed widely differences between the AD group and NC group. In terms of the results of the classification, the performance of feature subsets selected from sWGFC was better than sGFC, and the performance of feature subsets selected from dWGFC was better than dGFC. Overall, the feature subsets selected from dWGFC was the best.

Conclusion

These results indicated that there is a wide range of disconnection between WM and GM in AD, and association between WM and GM based on fMRI only is an effective strategy, and the FC between WM and GM could be a potential biomarker in the process of cognitive impairment and AD.
Enzymatic preparation of food‐grade l‐α‐glycerylphosphorylcholine from soy phosphatidylcholine or fractionated soy lecithin
Authors: Kim Jeongeun , Song Yejin , Lee Soo Jeong , Lee Jung Eun , Chung Min‐Yu , Kim In‐Hwan , Kim Byung Hee
Published: September 2019

l‐α‐Glycerylphosphorylcholine (l‐α‐GPC) is a biosynthetic precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in humans, making it a useful as a cognitive enhancer for treating patients with stroke and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to prepare l‐α‐GPC via Novozym 435 (an immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B)‐catalyzed hydrolysis of soy phosphatidylcholine or a fractionated soy lecithin, from which triacylglycerols were completely removed, followed by food‐grade solvent extraction of l‐α‐GPC from the reaction products. The reaction was performed in n‐hexane–water biphasic media in a stirred‐batch reactor. Phosphatidylcholine was completely hydrolyzed to l‐α‐GPC under optimal conditions: temperature, 55°C; water content, 100 wt% of the substrate weight; enzyme loading, 10 wt% of the substrate weight; and reaction time of 6 hr (for soy phosphatidylcholine) or 8 hr (for fractionated soy lecithin). Water‐soluble fractions of the reaction products containing 98.6 area% l‐α‐GPC (from soy phosphatidylcholine) or 52.4 area% glycerophosphodiesters, including l‐α‐GPC (from fractionated soy lecithin), were obtained after phase separation of the media. The resulting products would be suitable for use as food‐grade cognitive enhancers because of the use of enzymatic reaction and food‐grade solvent extraction.
Enhanced Cycling Performance of Magnesium‐Doped Lithium Cobalt Phosphate
Authors: Kim Eun Jeong , Miller David N. , Irvine John T. S. , Armstrong A. Robert
Published: September 2019

The cycling performance of LiCoPO4 (LCP) as a high voltage positive electrode material in lithium‐ion batteries is enhanced by partial magnesium substitution for cobalt. Structural investigation of magnesium‐doped LCP using combined powder neutron and X‐ray diffraction reveals a decrease in anti‐site defects. In addition, the reduced unit cell volume variation during the charging process is observed by operando X‐ray diffraction measurements. Characterisation of the surface shows the presence of a Mg‐rich layer on the surface that might prevent detrimental reactions with the electrolyte. The combined beneficial effects of magnesium doping in LCP result in improved capacity retention.
Long‐Chain Polyphosphate Is a Potential Agent for Inducing Mucosal Healing of the Colon in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Fujiya Mikihiro , Ueno Nobuhiro , Kashima Shin , Tanaka Kazuyuki , Sakatani Aki , Ando Katsuyoshi , Moriichi Kentaro , Konishi Hiroaki , Kamiyama Naoya , Tasaki Yoshikazu , Omura Tomohiro , Matsubara Kazuo , Taruishi Masaki , Okumura Toshikatsu
Published: September 2019

The goal of ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment has recently been shown to be “mucosal healing,” as no drug directly induces mucosal healing. Probiotics possess sufficient safety, but their efficacy in the treatment of UC remains controversial because of the influence of intestinal conditions. It is believed that the identification of bioactive molecules produced by probiotics and their application will help to solve this issue. We therefore identified a probiotic‐derived long‐chain polyphosphate as a molecule enhancing the intestinal barrier function. This study demonstrated that long‐chain polyphosphate exhibited antiinflammatory effects in a human macrophage and interleukin‐10 knockout transfusion mouse model. The first‐in‐human trial showed that 7 of the 10 enrolled patients acquired clinical remission, 4 of whom achieved endoscopic remission despite a history of treatment with anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α agents. No adverse reactions were observed. Long‐chain polyphosphate might be useful for the treatment of refractory UC, even in patients with failure or intolerance to anti‐TNF‐α therapy.
Early Tacrolimus Concentrations After Lung Transplant Are Predicted by Combined Clinical and Genetic Factors and Associated With Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Miano Todd A. , Flesch Judd D. , Feng Rui , Forker Caitlin M. , Brown Melanie , Oyster Michelle , Kalman Laurel , Rushefski Melanie , Cantu Edward , Porteus Mary , Yang Wei , Localio A. Russel , Diamond Joshua M. , Christie Jason D. , Shashaty Michael G.S.
Published: September 2019

Tacrolimus exhibits unpredictable pharmacokinetics (PKs) after lung transplant, partly explained by cytochrome P450 (CYP)–enzyme polymorphisms. However, whether exposure variability during the immediate postoperative period affects outcomes is unknown, and pharmacogenetic dosing may be limited by residual PK variability. We estimated adjusted associations between early postoperative tacrolimus concentrations and acute kidney injury (AKI) and acute cellular rejection (ACR), and identified clinical and pharmacogenetic factors that explain postoperative tacrolimus concentration variability in 484 lung transplant patients. Increasing tacrolimus concentration was associated with higher AKI risk (hazard ratio (HR) 1.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–1.96 per 5‐mg/dL); and increasing AKI severity (odds ratio 1.29; 95% CI 1.04–1.60 per 5‐mg/dL), but not ACR (HR 1.02; 95% CI 0.73–1.42). A model with clinical and pharmacogenetic factors explained 42% of concentration variance compared with 19% for pharmacogenetic factors only. Early tacrolimus exposure was independently associated with AKI after lung transplantation, but not ACR. Clinical factors accounted for substantial residual tacrolimus concentration variability not explained by CYP‐enzyme polymorphisms.
Fine‐needle aspiration of the Warthin‐like variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: A report of three cases
Authors: Xavier‐Júnior José Cândido C. , Camilo‐Júnior Deolino João , D'Ávilla Solange Correa G. P. , Mattar Neivio J.
Published: September 2019

In English literature, there are only few reports of Warthin‐like papillary thyroid carcinoma. We presented three cases and provided clinical, grossing, cytological, and histological correlation. In our point of view, the diagnosis of Warthin‐like papillary thyroid carcinoma is feasible based on cytomorphological aspects. Usually those cases present moderately or highly cellular smears with many atypical Hürthle cells showing obvious papillary thyroid carcinoma nuclear features and without papillary structures, even if the inflammatory background is mild.
Five‐Coordinate Platinum(II) Compounds as Potential Anticancer Agents
Authors: Annunziata Alfonso , Cucciolito Maria Elena , Esposito Roberto , Ferraro Giarita , Monti Daria Maria , Merlino Antonello , Ruffo Francesco
Published: September 2019

Five‐coordinate platinum(II) complexes represent a minority compared to the well‐known class of square‐planar species. However, since the first appearances in the literature, their general properties have attracted much interest. In particular, their potential to act as anticancer agents has been considered, and several studies have demonstrated their effectiveness as pro‐drugs. The review traces the progress of these investigations over time and the subsequent refinements in the structures. It also reports their synthesis, general properties, cytotoxic activity and ability to interact with biological macromolecules.
Development of a novel sacrificial‐energy dissipation outrigger system for tall buildings
Authors: Lu Xinzheng , Liao Wenjie , Cui Yao , Jiang Qing , Zhu Yaning
Published: September 2019

The frame‐core tube‐outrigger structural system is widely used in tall buildings, in which outriggers coordinate the deformation between the core tube and the moment frame, leading to a larger structural lateral stiffness. Existing studies indicate that outriggers can be designed as “fuses” of tall buildings through dissipating seismic energy after yielding, to protect the main structure. To date, both conventional and buckling‐restrained brace (BRB) outriggers have been applied in practice. Subjected to the maximum considered earthquake (MCE), the hardening effect of BRB outriggers increases the damage of other structural components. Meanwhile, conventional outriggers are difficult to repair, owing to the local buckling‐induced severe deterioration and damage. To overcome these problems, this study proposes a novel sacrificial‐energy dissipation outrigger (SEDO) to improve the seismic resilience of tall buildings. The chords of SEDO are made of high‐strength steel and remain elastic. The inclined braces of the SEDO are composed of a sacrificial part and an energy‐dissipating part. Therefore, the SEDO remains elastic under design‐based earthquakes (DBEs) and dissipates inelastic energy under MCEs. Moreover, the detailing of this novel SEDO is proposed on the basis of experimental studies. The optimal strength ratio between the sacrificial part and the energy‐dissipating part is determined in the range of 6:4 to 4:6 on the basis of nonlinear time history analyses (THAs) and parametric studies. Afterwards, the SEDOs are used in an actual tall building to verify their seismic performances through nonlinear THAs. The results indicate the proposed SEDO is able to protect other structural components and effectively improve the seismic resilience of tall buildings.
Protective microbiomes can limit the evolution of host pathogen defense
Authors: Metcalf C. Jessica E. , Koskella Britt
Published: September 2019

The evolution of host immunity occurs in the context of the microbiome, but little theory exists to predict how resistance against pathogens might be influenced by the need to tolerate and regulate commensal microbiota. We present a general model to explore the optimal investment in host immunity under conditions in which the host can, versus cannot easily distinguish among commensal versus pathogenic bacteria, and when commensal microbiota can, versus cannot protect the host against the impacts of pathogen infection. We find that a loss of immune vigilance associated with innate immunity over evolutionary time can occur due to the challenge of discriminating between pathogenic and other microbe species. Further, we find the greater the protective effect of microbiome species, acting either directly or via competition with a pathogen, or the higher the costs of immunity, the more likely the loss of immune vigilance is. Conversely, this effect can be reversed when pathogens increase host mortality. Generally, the magnitude of costs of immunity required to allow evolution of decreased immune vigilance are predicted to be lowest when microbiome and pathogen species most resemble each other (in terms of host recognition), and when immune effects on the pathogen are weak. Our model framework makes explicit the core trade-offs likely to shape the evolution of immunity in the context of microbiome/pathogen discrimination. We discuss how this informs interpretation of patterns and process in natural systems, including vulnerability to pathogen emergence.
Quantum Chemical Methods for Modeling Covalent Modification of Biological Thiols
Authors: Awoonor‐Williams Ernest , Isley William C. , Dale Stephen G. , Johnson Erin R. , Yu Haibo , Becke Axel D. , Roux Benoît , Rowley Christopher N.
Published: September 2019

Targeted covalent inhibitor drugs require computational methods that go beyond simple molecular‐mechanical force fields in order to model the chemical reactions that occur when they bind to their targets. Here, several semiempirical and density‐functional theory (DFT) methods are assessed for their ability to describe the potential energy surface and reaction energies of the covalent modification of a thiol by an electrophile. Functionals such as PBE and B3LYP fail to predict a stable enolate intermediate. This is largely due to delocalization error, which spuriously stabilizes the prereaction complex, in which excess electron density is transferred from the thiolate to the electrophile. Functionals with a high‐exact exchange component, range‐separated DFT functionals, and variationally optimized exact exchange (i.e., the LC‐B05minV functional) correct this issue to various degrees. The large gradient behavior of the exchange enhancement factor is also found to significantly affect the results, leading to the improved performance of PBE0. While ωB97X‐D and M06‐2X were reasonably accurate, no method provided quantitative accuracy for all three electrophiles, making this a very strenuous test of functional performance. Additionally, one drawback of M06‐2X was that molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using this functional were only stable if a fine integration grid was used. The low‐cost semiempirical methods, PM3, AM1, and PM7, provide a qualitatively correct description of the reaction mechanism, although the energetics is not quantitatively reliable. As a proof of concept, the potential of mean force for the addition of methylthiolate to methylvinyl ketone was calculated using quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical MD in an explicit polarizable aqueous solvent. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.