bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid Diagnosis of Highly Pathogenic Clinical Strains of Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis Using PCR and Preservation of 70Kbp Virulence Plasmid
Authors: Zaky Mahmoud Mohamed Mohamed
Published: October 2012

Clinical strains of Yersinia.pseudotuberculosis were screened for 70 Kbp virulence plasmids it was found only 20 % carrying 70Kbp plasmid, when subjected to different concentrations of Naledixin for development of mutant strains ,  plasmids were lost from one strain Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IP3295, which leaded to the modification of L.B medium into human blood (H.B) L.B medium as culture medium for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis .Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IP3295 showed 70Kbp virulence plasmid with additional small plasmids which proves the incorporation of plasmids with chromosomal DNA and similarity with Yersinia pestis. All strains of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis harboring virulence plasmids were detected for FyuA and Irp2 genes of the High pathogenicity island using PCR. And it was found that all plasmid harboring strains contains high Pathogenicity Island.
The -1364A/C Aquaporin 5 Gene Promoter Polymorphism Is Not Associated with Menière’s Disease
Authors: Arweiler-Harbeck Diana , Saidi Freschta , Lang Stephan , Peters Jürgen , Siffert Winfried , Adamzik Michael
Published: October 2012

Objective. Aquaporin 5 plays an important role in maintaining inner ear water and fluid homeostasis. Since the aquaporin (AQP) 5 promoter-1364A/C polymorphism is associated with altered AQP5 expression and this could impact upon key mechanisms of Menière’s disease, we tested the hypothesis that genotypes of the AQP5 promoter-1364A/C polymorphism are associated with the incidences of Menière’s disease (MD), familial Menière’s disease (FMD), or endolymphatic hydrops (EH).Methods. With approval of the local ethics committee, DNA of 102 patients (39 with MD, 54 with FMD, and 9 with EH) and of 292-matched Caucasian controls was isolated from blood samples and genotyped for theAQP 5promoter-1364A/C polymorphism. Theχ2-test was applied to compare genotype distributions and allele frequencies between patients and controls.Results. Overall, genotype frequencies were not different between controls (AA 69%, AC 30%, CC 1%) and patients with MD AA: 65.7% (23 MD, 37 FMD, and 8 EH); AC: 23.5% (12 MD, 11 FMD, and 1 EH); CC: 3.9% (1 MD, 3 FMD, and 0 EH). However, subgroup analysis revealed the CC genotype to be more frequent in patients with FMD (5.9%) than in healthy controls (1%) (P=0.042).Conclusions. Overall, genotypes of the -1364A/CAQP5gene polymorphism are not associated with a significant increased risk for Menière’s disease.
Results of Second-Look Laparotomy in Advanced Ovarian Cancer: One Single Center Experience
Authors: Damak Tarak , Chargui Riadh , Ben Hassouna Jamel , Hechiche Monia , Rahal Khaled
Published: October 2012

Objective. The goal of the study was to analyse the results of 85 cases of second-look laparotomy (SLL) and explore the influence of this procedure on survival.
Patients and Methods. We reviewed retrospectively 85 cases of SLL collected and treated in our institute between 1994 and 2003. Results. Complete pathologic response (CPR) was 25.8%, microscopic disease (Rmicro) was 38.8%, and macroscopic disease (Rmacro) was 35.4%. In patients with negative SLL results, disease recurrence was diagnosed in 41%. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates for the entire population were 91% and 87%, respectively.
The 3- and 5-year disease-free survivals were, respectively, 76.3% and 58.5% in negative SLL versus 55.7% and 16% in positive SLL. The difference between the group of patients with complete response (76%) and the patients with residual microscopic disease (72%) was not significant. The tumoral residuum after initial surgery was the only prognostic factor influencing significantly the disease-free survival. On Cox regression model analysis, only initial tumoral residuum () and tumoral residuum after SLL () were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions. The most important advantage of SLL is the early detection of recurrence and thus the early administration of consolidation treatment resulting in a better prognosis.
A Novel Analytical Implementation of Nonlinear Volterra Integral Equations
Authors: Khan Majid , Gondal Muhammad Asif , Batool Syeda Iram
Published: October 2012

This article aims at preferring a new and viable algorithm, specifically a two-step homotopy perturbation transform algorithm (TSHPTA). This novel technique is a feasible way in finding exact solutions with a small amount of calculations. As a simple but typical example, it demonstrates the strength and the great potential of the two-step homotopy perturbation transform method to solve nonlinear Volterra-type integral equations efficiently. The results reveal that the proposed scheme is suitable for the nonlinear Volterra equations.
Adaptive Hierarchical Control for the Muscle Strength Training of Stroke Survivors in Robot-Aided Upper-Limb Rehabilitation
Authors: Xu Guozheng , Song Aiguo , Pan Lizheng , Li Huijun , Liang Zhiwei , Zhu Songhao , Xu Baoguo , Li Jinfei
Published: October 2012

Muscle strength training for stroke patients is of vital importance for helping survivors to progressively restore muscle strength and improve the performance of their activities in daily living (ADL). An adaptive hierarchical therapy control framework which integrates the patient's real biomechanical state estimation with task-performance quantitative evaluation is proposed. Firstly, a high-level progressive resistive supervisory controller is designed to determine the resistive force base for each training session based on the patient's online task-performance evaluation. Then, a low-level adaptive resistive force triggered controller is presented to further regulate the interactive resistive force corresponding to the patient's real-time biomechanical state – characterized by the patient's bio-damping and bio-stiffness in the course of one training session, so that the patient is challenged in a moderate but engaging and motivating way. Finally, a therapeutic robot system using a Barrett WAM™ compliant manipulator is set up. We recruited eighteen inpatient and outpatient stroke participants who were randomly allocated in experimental (robot-aided) and control (conventional physical therapy) groups and enrolled for sixteen weeks of progressive resistance training. The preliminary results show that the proposed therapy control strategies can enhance the recovery of strength and motor control ability.
Object Tracking in Frame-Skipping Video Acquired Using Wireless Consumer Cameras
Authors: Ming Anlong , Ma Huadong , Ling Charles X.
Published: October 2012

Object tracking is an important and fundamental task in computer vision and its high-level applications, e.g., intelligent surveillance, motion-based recognition, video indexing, traffic monitoring and vehicle navigation. However, the recent widespread use of wireless consumer cameras often produces low quality videos with frame-skipping and this makes object tracking difficult. Previous tracking methods, for example, generally depend heavily on object appearance or motion continuity and cannot be directly applied to frame-skipping videos. In this paper, we propose an improved particle filter for object tracking to overcome the frame-skipping difficulties. The novelty of our particle filter lies in using the detection result of erratic motion to ameliorate the transition model for a better trial distribution. Experimental results show that the proposed approach improves the tracking accuracy in comparison with the state-of-the-art methods, even when both the object and the consumer are in motion.
Design and Evaluation of Cell Phone Pointing Interface for Robot Control
Authors: Koceski Saso , Koceska Natasa , Kocev Ivica
Published: October 2012

In this work a pointing interface based on human gestures using a mobile phone accelerometer for interaction with robots is proposed. Through this interface the user can sketch stroke gestures on a computer screen using the cell phone accelerometer to make a selection and instruct a robot to perform a task. Selection, cancelation and movement, as well as some additional commands such as stop, pause and resume are supported. All the projected gestures are processed using known image analysis algorithms providing instantaneous position and path information. The proposed interface is experimentally evaluated and the results show that it is efficient, natural, robust and easy to use. It also provides asynchronous robot control with minimum operator effort and engagement.
Local Relation Map: A Novel Illumination Invariant Face Recognition Approach
Authors: Zhichao Lian , Joo Er Meng
Published: October 2012

In this paper, a novel illumination invariant face recognition approach is proposed. Different from most existing methods, an additive term as noise is considered in the face model under varying illuminations in addition to a multiplicative illumination term. High frequency coefficients of Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) are discarded to eliminate the effect caused by noise. Based on the local characteristics of the human face, a simple but effective illumination invariant feature local relation map is proposed. Experimental results on the Yale B, Extended Yale B and CMU PIE demonstrate the outperformance and lower computational burden of the proposed method compared to other existing methods. The results also demonstrate the validity of the proposed face model and the assumption on noise.
Pretending to be a Pundit
Authors: Roberson J. Alan
Published: October 2012

In case you haven't noticed, it's election time again. I am writing this column during the conventions, and it should be published just before Election Day. So I am going to go out on a limb a bit and pretend to be a pundit and make some predictions.
The EU TRUST Project: Coming Together to Seek Common Solutions for Water Utilities
Authors: Venkatesh Govindarajan
Published: October 2012

TRUST is an acronym for Transition to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow. Just into its second year, this four‐year European Union project consists of a consortium that is split into eight work areas (which in turn are segmented into many work packages), focusing on different aspects of the project. These eight work areas are not islands of expertise working in isolation in different countries in Europe, but cooperating and collaborating team members actively exchanging and sharing information among themselves to ensure that progress toward the end goals is ensured and expedited.
What Represents in a Representation? A Question Concerning Michel Foucault's "Age Classique"
Authors: Creech James
Published: October 2012

Même pendant la période classique la représentation n’est pas de la transparence sans problèmes que Foucault lui attribue. Représantation implique re-présentation, donc différence; la représentation ne vaut jamais l’original. Cette inévitable différence produit des paradoxes épistémologiques qu’on examinera chez Platon et Locke et dans les écrits de D’Alembert sur l’Encyclopédie. On portera une attention particulière à « Ce que tout le monde sait sur l’expression, et quelque chose que tout le monde ne sait pas » par Diderot.
Pour un théâtre de la présence : Diderot du théâtre au roman
Authors: Scott Anne
Published: October 2012

Given the intensely dramatic reality of works like Le Neveu de Rameau and Le Paradoxe sur le comédien, why should Diderot's plays be so wooden and static? The most important reason is that Diderot's drama is constituted primarily by interaction between writer and reader, and disappears with the eighteenth-century theatre's requirement of "objective" action.
Clarissa and the Concept of Tragedy: The Death of Lovelace
Authors: Rinehart Hollis
Published: October 2012

Clarissa de Richardson fait apparaître deux théories de la tragédie qui sont partiellement opposées : la théorie didactique qui véhicule un enseignement moral moyennant l’attrait d’une histoire qui plaît, et la théorie affective, d’origine aristotélienne, selon laquelle le public doit être amené à éprouver pitié et crainte. La fin de la vie de Clarissa et sa mort édifiante illustrent la théorie didactique, tandis que la mort de Lovelace excite la crainte du spectateur, si elle ne réussit pas à susciter sa pitié, et correspond donc davantage à l’idée moderne du tragique.
Ignatius Fessler's Attila: An Eighteenth-Century Historical Novelist's Reply to Schiller's Question ''Was heisst und zu welchem Ende studiert man Universalgeschichte?''
Authors: DeLong Linwood
Published: October 2012

Qu’est-ce que l’histoire universelle et dans quel but peut-on l’étudier? Tant pour Fessier que pour Schiller, elle comporte la possibilité d’expliquer le progrès de l’espèce humaine à partir de ses débuts primitifs et permet aussi d’accélérer les progrès futurs. Le roman Attila de Fessier examine la compréhension que peut acquérir un grand individu des mouvements de l’histoire générale ainsi que sa capacité d’exercer une influence sur l’histoire.
The Effectiveness of Psychological First Aid as a Disaster Intervention Tool: Research Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Literature From 1990-2010
Authors: Fox Jeffrey H. , Burkle Frederick M. , Bass Judith , Pia Francesco A. , Epstein Jonathan L. , Markenson David
Published: October 2012

Objective: The Advisory Council of the American Red Cross Disaster Services requested that an independent study determine whether first-aid providers without professional mental health training, when confronted with people who have experienced a traumatic event, offer a “safe, effective and feasible intervention.”

Methods: Standard databases were searched by an expert panel from 1990 to September 2010 using the keyword phrase “psychological first aid.” Documents were included if the process was referred to as care provided to victims, first responders, or volunteers and excluded if it was not associated with a disaster or mass casualty event, or was used after individual nondisaster traumas such as rape and murder. This search yielded 58 citations.

Results: It was determined that adequate scientific evidence for psychological first aid is lacking but widely supported by expert opinion and rational conjecture. No controlled studies were found. There is insufficient evidence supporting a treatment standard or a treatment guideline.

Conclusion: Sufficient evidence for psychological first aid is widely supported by available objective observations and expert opinion and best fits the category of “evidence informed” but without proof of effectiveness. An intervention provided by volunteers without professional mental health training for people who have experienced a traumatic event offers an acceptable option. Further outcome research is recommended.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:247–252)
Individual and Community Influences on Adherence to Directives in the Event of a Plague Attack: Survey Results
Authors: Wray Ricardo J. , Harris Jenine K. , Jupka Keri , Vijaykumar Santosh , Mitchell Elizabeth W. , Pollard William , Zielinski-Gutierrez Emily , Reissman Dori , Lubell Keri
Published: October 2012

Objectives:During a public health emergency, public health officials issue directives with actions people need to take to protect themselves. Past research has shown that adherence to these directives depends on individual beliefs and circumstances. This report presents new research about the effects of community factors on adherence.

Methods:A random digit-dial survey of 936 residents in the St Louis, Missouri, area was conducted in 2008 to assess barriers to and facilitators of adherence to directives issued in response to a hypothetical scenario involving the intentional release of the bacterium that causes plague. Community factors were assessed using characteristics of census tracts for individual respondents. Multilevel modeling was used to understand how individual and community factors contributed to the likelihood of adherence.

Results:The majority of participants indicated that they would adhere to 3 distinct directives. Community poverty and ethnic homogeneity as well as individual-level barriers were negatively associated with adherence to a 6-day quarantine. Having children younger than 18 years and being away from home when the directive was called were negatively associated with adherence to a 10-hour quarantine. Logistical concerns were negatively associated with visiting a point of dispensing for prophylactic antibiotics.

Conclusions:Our findings establish an empirical basis for the influence of community factors on adherence to public health directives. The influence of community and individual factors on adherence varies across directives. Consequently, communication strategies to disseminate directives and organizational strategies to support them must vary according to the nature of the directives.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:253–262)
Thin Film Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 by Rapid Thermal Processing of Magnetron‐Sputtered TiCSi Multilayer Systems
Authors: Hopfeld Marcus , Grieseler Rolf , Kups Thomas , Wilke Marcus , Schaaf Peter
Published: October 2012

MAX phase coating could have interesting technical applications in many fields. This paper describes the synthesis of the Mn+1AXn phase Ti3SiC2 by a rapid thermal annealing process of physical vapor deposited TiCSi multilayer thin films on Si (100) and SiO2 substrates. Annealing temperatures of 800–1000 °C affected the solid state reaction of titanium, carbon and silicon creating titanium‐carbides, ‐silicides, and Ti3SiC2. The film structures and chemical compositions were observed by grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. Analysis after the rapid thermal processing revealed the formation of the polycrystalline Mn+1AXn phase Ti3SiC2 in coexistence with TiSi2, TiC and Ti5Si3, even within a 0 s annealing process. This synthesis method has a high potential for the formation of MAX phases as a high temperature electrical contact material.
Highly Efficient Electron‐Transporting/Injecting and Thermally Stable Naphthyridines for Organic Electrophosphorescent Devices
Authors: Xiao Lixin , Xing Xing , Chen Zhijian , Qu Bo , Lan Hsinglin , Gong Qihuang , Kido Junji
Published: October 2012

A series of 1,8‐naphthyridine derivatives is synthesized and their electron‐transporting/injecting (ET/EI) properties are investigated via a multilayered electrophosphorescent organic light‐emitting device (OLED) using fac‐tris(2‐phenylpyridine)iridium [Ir(ppy)3] as a green phosphorescent emitter doped into a 4,4′‐N,N′‐dicarbazolebiphenyl (CBP) host with 4,4′‐bis[N‐(1‐naphthyl)‐N‐phenylamino]biphenyl (a‐NPD) as the hole‐transporting layer, and poly(arylene ether sulfone) containing tetraphenylbenzidine (TPDPES) doped with tris(4‐bromophenyl)ammonium hexachloroantimonate (TBPAH) as the hole‐injecting layer. The turn‐on voltage of the device is 2.5 V using 2,7‐bis[3‐(2‐phenyl)‐1,8‐naphthyridinyl]‐9,9‐dimethylfluorene (DNPF), lower than that of 3.0 V for the device using a conventional ET material. The maximum current efficiency (CE) and power efficiency (PE) of the DNPF device are much higher than those of a conventional device. With the aid of a hole‐blocking (HB) and exciton‐blocking layer of bathocuproine (BCP), 13.2–13.7% of the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) and a maximum PE of 50.2–54.5 lm W−1 are obtained using the naphthyridine derivatives; these values are comparable with or even higher than the 13.6% for conventional ET material. The naphthyridine derivatives show high thermal stabilities, glass‐transition temperatures much higher than that of aluminum(III) bis(2‐methyl‐8‐quinolinato)‐4‐phenylphenolate (BAlq), and decomposition temperatures of 510–518 °C, comparable to or even higher than those of Alq3.
High Performance Thermoelectricity in Earth‐Abundant Compounds Based on Natural Mineral Tetrahedrites
Authors: Lu Xu , Morelli Donald T. , Xia Yi , Zhou Fei , Ozolins Vidvuds , Chi Hang , Zhou Xiaoyuan , Uher Ctirad
Published: October 2012

Thermoelectric materials can convert waste heat into electricity, potentially improving the efficiency of energy usage in both industry and everyday life. Unfortunately, known good thermoelectric materials often are comprised of elements that are in low abundance and require careful doping and complex synthesis procedures. Here, we report dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit near unity in compounds of the form Cu12‐xMxSb4S13, where M is a transition metal such as Zn or Fe, for wide ranges of x. The compounds investigated here span the range of compositions of the natural mineral family of tetrahedrites, the most widespread sulfosalts on Earth, and we further show that the natural mineral itself can be used directly as an inexpensive source thermoelectric material. Thermoelectrics comprised of earth‐abundant elements will pave the way to many new, low cost thermoelectric energy generation opportunities.
Nongeminate Recombination in Planar and Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Foertig Alexander , Wagenpfahl Alexander , Gerbich Thiemo , Cheyns David , Dyakonov Vladimir , Deibel Carsten
Published: October 2012

Nongeminate recombination in organic solar cells based on copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and C60 is investigated. Two device architectures, the planar heterojunction (PHJ) and the bulk heterojunction (BHJ), are directly compared in view of differences in charge carrier decay dynamics. A combination of transient photovoltage (TPV) experiments, yielding the small perturbation charge carrier lifetime, and charge extraction measurements, providing the charge carrier density is applied. In organic solar cells, charge photogeneration and recombination primarily occur at the donor–acceptor heterointerface. Whereas the BHJ can often be approximated by an effective medium due to rather small scale phase separation, the PHJ has a well defined two‐dimensional heterointerface. In order to study nongeminate recombination dynamics in PHJ devices the charge accumulation at this interface is most relavent. As only the spatially averaged carrier concentration can be determined from extraction techniques, the charge carrier density at the interface nint is derived from the open circuit voltage. Comparing the experimental results with macroscopic device simulation, the differences of recombination and charge carrier densities in CuPc:C60 PHJ and BHJ devices are discussed with respect to the device performance. The open circuit voltage of BHJ is larger than for PHJ at low light intensities, but at 0.3 sun the situation is reversed: here, the PHJ can finally take advantage of its generally longer charge carrier lifetimes, as the active recombination region is smaller.
Composite porous membrane for protecting high‐performance fibers from ultraviolet–visible radiation
Authors: Hassanin Ahmed H. , Said Magdi A. , Seyam Abdel‐Fattah M.
Published: October 2012

High‐strength fibers are used to produce high‐strength‐to‐weight‐ratio materials for applications such as composites, soft and hard body armor, bulletproof vests, and tendons for scientific balloons. Unfortunately, these fibers degrade when they are exposed to ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) radiation. The objective of this research was to develop systems to improve the UV resistance of such fibers. Composite porous membranes from a polyurethane (PU) matrix loaded with rutile titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were developed to protect a braid made of polybenzobisoxazole (PBO) yarns. The PU membranes loaded with TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by a phase‐inversion technique. The effects of the amount of TiO2 nanoparticles on the composite membrane morphological structure and UV–vis light transmission were evaluated. The results show that when the concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles was increased, the porosity of the membrane and its UV–vis blocking effectiveness increased. The UV–vis protection was evaluated by the wrapping of the PBO braid with the composite membranes and exposed to UV–vis radiation. The strength loss of the PBO fiber due to exposure was decreased from 75% for the unprotected sample to 7.8% for the protected sample in the PU loaded with 4% TiO2 nanoparticles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Nitrofurazone‐loaded PVA–PEG semi‐IPN for application as hydrogel dressing for normal and burn wounds
Authors: Gupta Asheesh , Upadhyay Nitin K. , Parthasarathy Surekha , Rajagopal Chitra , Roy Prasun K.
Published: October 2012

Hydrogels have been used in a wide variety of biomedical devises, particularly in the field of drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound healing. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–polyethylene glycol (PEG) semi‐interpenetrating hydrogel network (IPN)‐based wound dressing system containing nitrofurazone (NFZ) was synthesized by chemical crosslinking technique. The introduction of PEG to PVA matrix led to reduction in the water vapor transmission rate, which in‐turn resulted in improved healing activity. Drug‐loaded IPNs were prepared by mixing aqueous solution of NFZ with the optimized PVA–PEG formulation subsequent to the crosslinking step. The in vitro diffusion studies of NFZ indicated a relatively slow release of drug resulting from its microencapsulation in the polymeric matrix. Subsequently, in vivo wound healing efficacy toward acute and burn wound healing in experimental rats was investigated. Semi‐IPN hydrogel loaded with NFZ dressing improved the overall healing rate in both acute and burn wounds, as evidenced by significant increase in total protein, hydroxyproline and hexosamine contents. Histological examinations also correlated well with the biochemical findings. A faster wound contraction was also observed in hydrogel treated acute and burn wounds. The results indicated that PVA–PEG semi‐IPN hydrogel based dressing systems containing NFZ could be used as an effective wound dressing material. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Influence of inorganic fillers on the structural and transport properties of mixed matrix membranes
Authors: Chong Lua Aik , Shen Yi
Published: October 2012

In this study, three types of inorganic fillers—fumed nano‐SiO2, synthesized mesoporous MCM‐41, and zeolite 4A—were incorporated into P84 matrix to prepare mixed matrix membranes. The structural characteristics and transport properties of the resulting composite membranes were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to observe the dispersion of the filler particles in the composite membranes. TEM micrographs verified that there were no nonselective pores at the particle–polymer interfaces of the composite membranes. Differential scanning calorimetry tests were conducted to investigate the structure of the composite membranes. The glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the P84/MCM‐41 and P84/4A composite membranes were 11 and 30°C, respectively, above that of pure P84 membrane. But, the Tg value for the P84/SiO2 composite membrane decreased by 22°C when compared with that of the P84 membrane. The density of the composite membrane was also measured to calculate its fractional free volume. Gas permeation tests showed that, among the three synthesized composite membranes, the P84/SiO2 membrane had the best performance in terms of gas separation. P84/SiO2 membrane exhibited 20, 63, 59, and 45% increases in the permeabilities of He, O2, N2, and CO2, respectively, above those for the P84 membrane whilst maintaining comparable good selectivities. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole‐au coated SiO2@poly(4‐vinylpyridine) composites
Authors: Lu Linchao , Wang Wenqin , Cai Wujin , Chen Zhong‐Ren
Published: October 2012

Microspheres with silica as core and poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (P4VP) as shell were synthesized. AuCl ions were bound by P4VP chains to form the complex, which acted both as an oxidant of pyrrole monomers and as a source of Au atoms. By vapor phase polymerization, the PPy and Au nanoparticles were simultaneously formed on the surfaces of SiO2@P4VP microspheres. The core‐shell structure was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The surface morphologies of the composites were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The molecular structures of composites were characterized in detail by Raman spectra, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Thermomechanical properties of alkali treated jute‐polyester/nanoclay biocomposites fabricated by VARTM process
Authors: Dewan Mohammad Washim , Hossain Mohammad Kamal , Hosur Mahesh , Jeelani Shaik
Published: October 2012

A systematic study was carried out to investigate the effect of alkali treatment and nanoclay on thermomechanical properties of jute fabric reinforced polyester composites (JPC) fabricated by the vacuum‐assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Using mechanical mixing and sonication process, 1% and 2% by weight montmorillonite K10 nanoclay were dispersed into B‐440 premium polyester resin to fabricate jute fabric reinforced polyester nanocomposites. The average fiber volume was determined to be around 40% and void fraction was reduced due to the surface treatment as well as nanoclay infusion in these biocomposites. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed enhancement of dynamic elastic/plastic responses and glass transition temperature (Tg) in treated jute polyester composites (TJPC) and nanoclay infused TJPC compared with those of untreated jute polyester composites (UTJPC). Alkali treatment and nanoclay infusion also resulted in enhancement of mechanical properties of JPC. The maximum flexural, compression, and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) properties were found in the 1 wt % nanoclay infused TJPC. Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) revealed strong interaction between the organoclay and polyester that resulted in enhanced thermomechanical properties in the composites. Lower water absorption was also observed due to surface treatment and nanoclay infusion in the TJPC. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Mapping academic institutions according to their journal publication profile: Spanish universities as a case study
Authors: García J.A. , Rodríguez‐Sánchez Rosa , Fdez‐Valdivia J. , Robinson‐García N. , Torres‐Salinas D.
Published: October 2012

We introduce a novel methodology for mapping academic institutions based on their journal publication profiles. We believe that journals in which researchers from academic institutions publish their works can be considered as useful identifiers for representing the relationships between these institutions and establishing comparisons. However, when academic journals are used for research output representation, distinctions must be introduced between them, based on their value as institution descriptors. This leads us to the use of journal weights attached to the institution identifiers. Since a journal in which researchers from a large proportion of institutions published their papers may be a bad indicator of similarity between two academic institutions, it seems reasonable to weight it in accordance with how frequently researchers from different institutions published their papers in this journal. Cluster analysis can then be applied to group the academic institutions, and dendrograms can be provided to illustrate groups of institutions following agglomerative hierarchical clustering. In order to test this methodology, we use a sample of Spanish universities as a case study. We first map the study sample according to an institution's overall research output, then we use it for two scientific fields (Information and Communication Technologies, as well as Medicine and Pharmacology) as a means to demonstrate how our methodology can be applied, not only for analyzing institutions as a whole, but also in different disciplinary contexts.
Intramolecular 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition‐Mediated Stereoselective Synthesis of Disubstituted Cyclopentane: A Simple Model for the Cyclopentane Ring System of Polycyclic Oroidine Alkaloids
Authors: Fukahori Yusuke , Takayama Yohei , Imaoka Takuya , Iwamoto Osamu , Nagasawa Kazuo
Published: October 2012

We present a diastereoselective synthesis of disubstituted cyclopentane 8 having a nitrogen‐containing quaternary carbon center, which is found in axinellamine A (5) and related compounds. During this work, we found that the 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition product 24 immediately underwent intramolecular redox reaction at the newly formed morpholin‐2‐one moiety, thus affording disubstituted cyclopentane containing a tertiary amine (9) stereoselectively in good yield. The amine 9 was successfully converted into guanidine 31, which corresponds to 8, through iminium cation–enamine isomerization.
Fractional Order Adaptive Feed‐Forward Cancellation for Periodic Disturbances
Authors: Luo Ying , Chen YangQuan , Pi YouGuo
Published: October 2012

In this paper, a fractional order adaptive feed‐forward cancellation (FO‐AFC) scheme is proposed to cancel periodic disturbances. This FO‐AFC offers one more tuning knob, the fractional order, for the performance improvement of the periodic disturbance cancellation, according to the interests of the users. The equivalence of the fractional order internal model principle (FO‐IMP) scheme is derived for FO‐AFC. So, the FO‐IMP equivalence can be used to analyze the performance of the cancellation for the target periodic disturbance and the suppression for the harmonics and noise. Two FO‐AFC cases, fractional order α ∈ (0, 1) and α ∈ (1, 2), are discussed for the performance analysis. FO‐AFC with additional tuning knob α ∈ (0, 2) has many advantages, and it is much more flexible than the integer order adaptive feed‐forward cancellation (IO‐AFC) with only α = 1. Experimental results are presented to validate the performance analysis of FO‐AFC compared with IO‐AFC.
Flavonoids in Subtribe Centaureinae (Cass.)Dumort.(Tribe Cardueae, Asteraceae): Distribution and13C‐NMR Spectral Data
Authors: Formisano Carmen , Rigano Daniela , Senatore Felice , Bancheva Svetlana , Maggio Antonella , Rosselli Sergio , Bruno Maurizio
Published: October 2012

This review reports the occurrence of flavonoids in subtribe Centaureinae of Asteraceae family. It extensively covers the literature up to 2010 and collects all available13C‐NMR data.
Cytotoxic Activity of Fungal Strains Isolated from the Ascidian Eudistoma vannamei
Authors: Montenegro Tasso G. C. , Rodrigues Felipe A. R. , Jimenez Paula C. , Angelim Alysson L. , Melo Vânia M. M. , Rodrigues Filho Edson , de Oliveira Maria da Conceição F. , Costa‐Lotufo Letícia V.
Published: October 2012

The cytotoxic activity at 50 μg/ml of extracts obtained from eleven fungal strains associated to Eudistoma vannamei, an endemic ascidian from Northeast Brazil, against two cell lines, i.e., the HCT‐8 (colon cancer) and the MDA‐MB‐435 (melanoma) cell lines, was investigated. The most promising extract (EV10) was obtained from a fungus identified as Aspergillus sp. by molecular analysis and was selected for bioassay‐guided isolation of its active principals. Large‐scale fermentation of EV10 in potato‐dextrose broth followed by chromatographic purification of the active extract from the liquid medium allowed the isolation of the isocoumarins mellein, cis‐4‐hydroxymellein, and trans‐4‐hydroxymellein, besides penicillic acid. All isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against the tumor cell lines MDA‐MB‐435 and HCT‐8 and revealed penicillic acid as the only cytotoxic compound (cell growth inhibitions >95%).
Bioactive Sesquiterpenoids and Diterpenoids from the Liverwort Bazzania albifolia
Authors: Liu Na , Guo Dong‐Xiao , Wang Shu‐Qi , Wang Yan‐Yan , Zhang Li , Li Gang , Lou Hong‐Xiang
Published: October 2012

One undescribed 6,7‐secofusicoccane‐type diterpene, albifolione (1), and one new aromadendrane‐type sesquiterpenoid ketone, methyl 2‐oxoaromadendra‐1(10),3‐dien‐12‐oate (2), along with four known compounds, δ‐cuparenol (3), fusicoauritone (4), chiloscyphenols A and B (5 and 6, resp.), were isolated from the liverwort Bazzania albifolia Horik. The structures and relative configurations of 1 and 2 were established unequivocally on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. Preliminary bioassay revealed that compound 5 showed quite strong cytotoxicity against the human tumor cell line MCF‐7, with an IC50 value of 5.6 μM.
2‐Hydroxynaphthalene‐1‐carbaldehyde‐ and 2‐(Aminomethyl)pyridine‐Based Schiff Base CuII Complexes for DNA Binding and Cleavage
Authors: Reddy Pulimamidi Rabindra , Shilpa Addla
Published: October 2012

Three mononuclear CuII complexes, [CuCl(naph‐pa)] (1), [Cu(bipy)(naph‐pa)]Cl (2), and [Cu(naph‐pa)(phen)]Cl (3) ((naph‐pa)=Schiff base derived from the condensation of 2‐hydroxynaphthalene‐1‐carbaldehyde and 2‐picolylamine (=2‐(aminomethyl)pyridine), bipy=2,2′‐bypiridine, and phen=1,10‐phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized. Complex 1 exhibits square‐planar geometry, and 2 and 3 exhibit square pyramidal geometry, where Schiff base and bipy/phen act as NNO and as NN donor ligands, respectively. CT (Calf thymus)‐DNA‐binding studies revealed that the complexes bind through intercalative mode and show good binding propensity (intrinsic binding constant Kb: 0.98×105, 2.22×105, and 2.67×105 M−1 for 1–3, resp.). The oxidative and hydrolytic DNA‐cleavage activity of these complexes has been studied by gel electrophoresis: all the complexes displayed chemical nuclease activity in the presence and absence of H2O2. From the kinetic experiments, hydrolytic DNA cleavage rate constants were determined as 2.48, 3.32, and 4.10 h−1 for 1–3, respectively. It amounts to (0.68–1.14)×108‐fold rate enhancement compared to non‐catalyzed DNA cleavage, which is impressive. The complexes display binding and cleavage propensity to DNA in the order of 3>2>1.
Small Organic Solutes in Sticky Droplets from Orb Webs of the SpiderZygiella atrica(Araneae; Araneidae):β‐Alaninamide Is a Novel and Abundant Component
Authors: Townley Mark A. , Pu Qinglin , Zercher Charles K. , Neefus Christopher D. , Tillinghast Edward K.
Published: October 2012

In northeastern North America,Zygiella atricaoften build their orb webs near the ocean. We analyzed individual field‐builtZ. atricawebs to determine if organic low‐molecular‐mass solutes (LMM) in their sticky droplets showed any unusual features not previously seen in orb webs of other species living in less salty environments. While two of the three most abundant organic LMM (putrescine (butane‐1,4‐diamine) and GABamide (4‐aminobutanamide)) are already well‐known from webs of inland spiders, the third major LMM,β‐alaninamide (3‐aminopropanamide), a homolog of GABamide, has not been detected in sticky droplets from any other araneoid spiders (27 species). It remains to be established, however, whether or not use ofβ‐alaninamide is related to proximity to saltwater. We observed variability in organic LMM composition inZ. atricawebs that appeared to be influenced more by an undetermined factor associated with different collecting locations and/or collection dates than by different genders or instars. Shifts in composition when adult females were transferred from the field to the laboratory were also observed. Structural similarities and inverse correlations amongβ‐alaninamide, GABamide, andN‐acetylputrescine suggest that they may form a series of LMM fulfilling essentially the same, as yet unknown, role in the webs of those species in which they occur.
High Diversity of Indigenous Populations of Dalmatian Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) in Essential‐Oil Composition
Authors: Jug‐Dujaković Marija , Ristić Mihailo , Pljevljakušić Dejan , Dajić‐Stevanović Zora , Liber Zlatko , Hančević Katarina , Radić Tomislav , Šatović Zlatko
Published: October 2012

Essential oils of 25 indigenous populations of Dalmatian sage (Salvia officinalis L.) that represent nearly half of native distribution area of the species were analyzed. Plantlets collected from wild populations were grown in the same field under the same environmental conditions and then sampled for essential‐oil analysis. The yield of essential oil ranged from 1.93 to 3.70% with average of 2.83%. Among the 62 compounds detected, eight (cis‐thujone, camphor, trans‐thujone, 1,8‐cineole, β‐pinene, camphene, borneol, and bornyl acetate) formed 78.13–87.33% of essential oils of individual populations. Strong positive correlations were observed between camphor and β‐pinene, β‐pinene and borneol, as well as between borneol and bornyl acetate. The strongest negative correlation was detected between camphor and trans‐thujone. Principal component analysis (PCA) on the basis of eight main compounds showed that first main component separated populations with high thujone content, from those rich in camphor, while the second component separated populations rich in cis‐thujone from those rich in trans‐thujone. Cluster analysis (CA) led to the identification of three chemotypes of S. officinalis populations: cis‐thujone; trans‐tujone, and camphor/β‐pinene/borneol/bornyl acetate. We propose that differences in essential oils of 25 populations are mostly genetically controlled, since potential environmental factors were controlled in this study.
Chemical Composition of Hypericum rumeliacumBoiss. Essential Oil. A New Chemotype of This Pharmacologically Valuable Species?
Authors: Radulović Niko S. , Blagojević Polina D.
Published: October 2012

Analysis by GC and GC/MS of the essential‐oil samples obtained from dry above‐ground parts of Hypericum rumeliacum Boiss. (collected in the flowering and fruit‐forming vegetative stages) allowed the identification of 212 components in total, comprising ≥97.8% of the total oil composition. In the flowering phase, the major identified volatile compounds were undecane (6.6%), dodecanal (10.8%), and germacrene D (14.1%), whereas α‐pinene (7.3%), β‐pinene (26.1%), (Z)‐β‐ocimene (8.5%), (E)‐β‐ocimene (10.2%), bicyclogermacrene (7.7%), and germacrene D (15.1%) were dominant in the fruit‐forming phase. Some of the minor constituents found in the studied oil samples (e.g., a homologous series of four 6‐alkyl‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐2‐ones, i.e., massoia dodeca‐, trideca‐, tetradeca‐, and hexadecalactones) have a restricted occurrence in the Plant Kingdom, and their presence in Hypericum L. spp. has not been previously reported. The chemical compositions of the herein studied additional 34 oils obtained from selected Hypericum taxa were compared using multivariate statistical analysis (agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis). The results of these statistical analyses could not be used to either confirm or discard the existence of different H. rumeliacum chemotypes. However, they have implied that the volatile profile of this plant species is determined by the stage of its phenological development.
Water‐Soluble Cationic Derivatives of Indirubin, the Active Anticancer Component from Indigo naturalis
Authors: Ginzinger Werner , Egger Alexander , Mühlgassner Gerhard , Arion Vladimir B. , Jakupec Michael A. , Galanski Mathea Sophia , Berger Walter , Keppler Bernhard K.
Published: October 2012

To overcome the problem of poor aqueous solubility and bioavailability of indirubin‐3‐oximes, the compounds were modified by attaching a quaternary ammonium group at the oxime moiety. Exploring the prodrug concept, an oxime ester with acetyl‐l‐carnitine was prepared, and the rate of its hydrolysis was investigated to assess its suitability for clinical administration. In addition, the cytotoxic potency of new stable oxime ethers with a choline moiety and their influence on the cell cycle were tested in human cancer cell lines.
Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells Based on a Donor–Acceptor System with a Pyridine Cation as an Electron‐Withdrawing Anchoring Group
Authors: Cheng Ming , Yang Xichuan , Li Jiajia , Chen Cheng , Zhao Jianghua , Wang Yu , Sun Licheng
Published: October 2012

New hemicyanine dyes (CM101, CM102, CM103, and CM104) in which tetrahydroquinoline derivatives are used as electron donors and N‐(carboxymethyl)‐pyridinium is used as an electron acceptor and anchoring group were designed and synthesized for dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Compared with corresponding dyes that have cyanoacetic acid as the acceptor, N‐(carboxymethyl)‐pyridinium has a stronger electron‐withdrawing ability, which causes the absorption maximum of dyes to be redshifted. The photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs based on dyes CM101–CM104 markedly depends on the molecular structures of the dyes in terms of the n‐hexyl chains and methoxyl. The device sensitized by dye CM104 achieved the best conversion efficiency of 7.0 % (Jsc=13.4 mA cm−2, Voc=704 mV, FF=74.8 %) under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm−2). In contrast, the device sensitized by reference dye CMR104 with the same donor but the cyanoacetic acid as the acceptor gave an efficiency of 3.4 % (Jsc=6.2 mA cm−2, Voc=730 mV, FF=74.8 %). Under the same conditions, the cell fabricated with N719 sensitized porous TiO2 exhibited an efficiency of 7.9 % (Jsc=15.4 mA cm−2, Voc=723 mV, FF=72.3 %). The dyes CM101–CM104 show a broader spectral response compared with the reference dyes CMR101–CMR104 and have high IPCE exceeding 90 % from 450 to 580 nm. Considering the reflection of sunlight, the photoelectric conversion efficiency could be almost 100 % during this region.
Encapsulation of Luminescent Homoleptic [Ru(dpp)3]2+‐Type Chromophores within an Amphiphilic Dendritic Environment
Authors: Hahn Uwe , Luelf Henning , Winkler Henrik D. F. , Schalley Christoph A. , Vögtle Fritz , De Cola Luisa
Published: October 2012

A new series of homoleptic metallodendrimers has been synthesized through ruthenium‐metal complexation by dendritically modified bathophenanthroline ligands. The presence of hydrophilic oligo(ethylene glycol) groups on the surface of the monodisperse metal complexes enabled the solubilization of all of the fractal species in a wide range of solvents, including water. The specific properties of all of these compounds have been systematically investigated by using photophysical techniques as a function of the generation number. Accordingly, the encapsulation of the highly luminescent [Ru(dpp)3]2+‐type (dpp=4,7‐diphenyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline) core unit within a dendritic microenvironment creates a powerful means to shield the center from dioxygen quenching. This shielding effect, as exerted on the phosphorescent ruthenium‐derived center, is reflected by enhanced emission intensities and extended excited‐state lifetimes that are close to the highest values reported so far, even in an air‐equilibrated aqueous medium. Interestingly, when inspecting the largest dendritic assembly, that is, the third‐generation assembly, significant drops in emission quantum yields and lifetimes are observed. This anomalous behavior has been attributed to the folding of the branches towards the luminescent core.
Electroactive Tetrathiafulvalenyl‐1,2,3‐triazoles by Click Chemistry: Cu‐ versus Ru‐Catalyzed Azide–Alkyne Cycloaddition Isomers
Authors: Biet Thomas , Cauchy Thomas , Avarvari Narcis
Published: October 2012

Two series of 4‐ and 5‐tetrathiafulvalenyl‐1,2,3‐triazoles, as multifunctional ligands and precursors for molecular materials, have been synthesized by copper‐ or ruthenium‐based “click” chemistry. The solid‐state structures of three ligands and two CuII complexes were determined. Large differences in the electron‐donating properties between the 1,4‐ and 1,5‐isomers were evidenced by cyclic voltammetry. Theoretical calculations support this observation and allow the assignment of the electronic transitions observed in UV/Vis spectra of the ligands.