bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Row and Column Designs
Authors: Freeman Geoff H. , Williams Emlyn R.
Published: May 2016

Many practical experiments are conducted on material arranged in the form of a grid, often a physical two‐dimensional structure such as a glasshouse bench or a field. These two dimensions may then be described asrowsandcolumns. In this article, the discussion of row and column designs is confined to those in which the intersection of any row and any column does not result in more than one experimental unit or plot. The same principles ofexperimental designcan also be used without the physical structure, for example, if there is an existing set of treatments and blocks to which a further set of treatments is to be added. In addition, there are situations where a set of experimental treatments is applied to a number of units, not just once but on several occasions, so that the units are “rows” and the occasions “columns.” Row and column designs with time as one classifying factor are used in, among other areas, animal experimentation, chemical engineering, and market research. An important practical consideration in all these row and column designs is that the effects of rows, columns, and treatments do not interact. If there are suchinteractions, it is still possible to conduct an experiment using rows and columns, and also to carry out a formal analysis of the results. However, the interpretation of the analysis is more difficult, and invalid conclusions may be drawn. Despite these drawbacks, row and column designs have a place in practical experimentation.
Estimating Functions
Authors: Desmond Anthony F.
Published: May 2016

The burgeoning area of estimating functions is reviewed with emphasis on developments in the past two decades or so. The emphasis is on semiparametric methods. Connections with empirical likelihood (seeEmpirical Likelihood) and the bootstrap (seeBootstrap: Theory) are noted, as well as extensions of the theory to stochastic processes. There are numerous application areas where estimating functions have become very influential relatively recently. Econometrics and finance, in particular, have, especially in the past decade or so, discovered the advantages of the estimating function approach. In the statistics arena, applications in biostatistics are particularly important, while survey sampling (seeSurvey Sampling) continues to be a source of methodological problems, which can be tackled via estimating functions.
Robust Estimation of Multivariate Location and Scatter
Authors: Maronna Ricardo A. , Yohai Víctor J.
Published: May 2016

Classical methods in multivariate analysis require the estimation of means and covariance matrices. Although the sample mean and covariance matrix are optimal estimates of multivariate location and scatter when the data are multivariate normal, a small fraction of atypical points in the data (outliers) suffices to drastically alter them. This article describes different approaches to the development of substitutes to sample means and covariances that are resistant to outliers.
Profile Analysis
Authors: von Rosen Dietrich
Published: May 2016

Classical profile analysis is reviewed. There are three basic hypothesis that are usually considered: test of parallelism, test of equality, and test of flatness. The main theme is to connect these tests within the frame of the analysis of the growth curve model. Moreover, a number of extensions are briefly mentioned including models with random effects, profile analysis within the growth curve model, profile analysis without an assumption of normality, and profile analysis with high‐dimensional data
SERVQUAL
Surveys
Authors: Ograjenšek Irena
Published: May 2016

Perceived service quality is often analyzed using rating scales to assess individual service attributes in questionnaire surveys. The most widely used and most carefully scrutinized rating scale is SERVQUAL. The scale is a result of a systematic ongoing study of service quality that began in 1983. The model defines quality as the difference between customer perceptions and expectations with regard to quality of delivered service. The respondents are asked to answer two sets of questions dealing with the same subject, one set at a general level and one for a service organization in question. Respondents choose from a modified Likert scale that measures intensity of agreement or disagreement with any given statement. Response options range from “strongly agree” and lesser levels of agreement to “neutral” (neither agree nor disagree) and lesser levels of disagreement to “strongly disagree.” Although SERVQUAL has been widely used in business‐to‐business and business‐to‐consumer settings, this does not mean that the scale has not been subjected to reexamination and criticism. There are several well researched and documented objections to SERVQUAL. As a consequence of this critique, various alternative formulations of the service quality model have been suggested. The only one that, to date, seems to outperfom SERVQUAL is SERVPERF, the performance‐only measure of perceived service quality.
Fraud in Clinical Trials
Authors: Buyse Marc , Evans Stephen J. W.
Published: May 2016

Scientific research has a long history of fraud. In recent decades, the lay press has extensively debated over some cases of fraud in clinical trials, thereby fueling suspicions that fraud is a major problem in clinical research. Furthermore, the boundary between fraud and simple carelessness is often fuzzy, although the former is characterized by a deliberate attempt to deceive. Fraud, in the limited sense of data fabrication or falsification by investigators, is, in all likelihood, a rare phenomenon in clinical trials. Fraud, however, is so much at variance with the ethics of scientific research that any amount of it is deemed utterly unacceptable. Some cases of fraud could actually be prevented by making randomized clinical trials simpler and closer to clinical routine. Even so, any potential fraud must be detected, and statistical methods are especially well suited for this task in the context of multicenter trials. The detection of fraud using statistical techniques rests on the difficulty of fabricating plausible data, particularly in high dimensions, and on the fact that clinical trials are prospective studies that use a unique protocol across a number of investigational centers. A comparison of each center with the others in terms of the distribution of some variables, either taken in isolation (univariate approach) or jointly (multivariate approach), can detect unusual patterns in the data. Central statistical monitoring makes intensive use of such comparisons for an overall assessment of the data consistency across all investigational centers, thereby supporting a risk‐based monitoring strategy of clinical trials.
Trend Analysis
Authors: Harvey Andrew
Published: May 2016

The question of defining a trend is one which has exercised the minds of statisticians for many years. In much of the statistical literature, a trend is conceived of as that part of a series that changes relatively slowly over time. Viewed in terms of prediction, the estimated trend is that part of the series that when extrapolated gives the clearest indication of the future long‐term movements in the series. Trend analysis is best carried out by means of unobserved‐component, or structural, time‐series models. The trend components in structural time‐series models are always set up in such a way that their forecast functions indicate the long‐term movements in the series, and the trend within the series can be obtained by signal extraction methods.
Pattern‐Mixture Model
Authors: Kenward Michael G.
Published: May 2016

Pattern‐mixture models constitute a class of model for incomplete data and can be represented as a factorization of the joint distribution of the data and missing value process. In such models, units are categorized according to their pattern of missing values, and a different distribution is allowed for the units in each pattern group. Such models are practicable only when the number of such patterns is relatively small, and in practice, they are mainly confined to dropout in longitudinal data with a fixed set of measurement times, for which the number of potential patterns is equal to the number of times. Pattern‐mixture models have the advantage of transparency with respect to the assumptions that are required to allow models to be estimated from incomplete data and, as such, have become widely used as components of sensitivity analyses for missing data problems. There is a variety of ways in which the identifying assumptions can be introduced into a pattern‐mixture model, and the choice is highly dependent on the substantive setting. Estimation and inference for pattern‐mixture models commonly uses multiple imputation, but maximum likelihood and fully Bayesian analyses have also been developed.
Joint Modeling of Longitudinal and Survival Data
Authors: Wu Lang , Yu Tingting
Published: May 2016

In a longitudinal study, we often observe not only longitudinal data but also certain events of interest such as dropouts or deaths or infection of a disease. Usually, the longitudinal data and the event time data (or survival data) are associated. In this case, joint models of longitudinal and survival data are more desirable than separate analyses of either one in the sense that joint models may provide less biased and more efficient statistical inference. There has been a large literature on joint models of longitudinal and survival data in the past few decades. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the basic ideas of joint models, extensions, and recent developments in this field. A simple example is provided for illustration. The objective is to give readers a general picture of joint models, methods for statistical inference, their advantages and limitations, recent developments, and applications.
Self‐Healing Properties of Protein Resin with Soy Protein Isolate‐Loaded Poly(d,l‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) Microcapsules
Authors: Kim Joo Ran , Netravali Anil N.
Published: May 2016

Self‐healing soy protein isolate (SPI)‐based “green” thermoset resin is developed using poly(d,l‐lactide‐co‐glycolide)(PLGA) microcapsules containing SPI, as crack healant. The SPI–PLGA microcapsules with an average diameter of 778 nm that contain sub‐capsules are prepared using a water‐in‐oil‐in‐water double‐emulsion solvent evaporation technique. The encapsulation efficiency is found to be high, up to 89%. Thermoset green SPI resin containing the SPI–PLGA microcapsules successfully arrests and retards the microcracks. The healing efficiency is investigated using mode I fracture toughness test for resins containing different concentrations of microcapsules from 5 to 20 wt% and glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker at 9 or 12 wt%. The SPI resin containing 12 wt% glutaraldehyde and 15 wt% microcapsules shows self‐healing efficiency of up to 48%. It is observed that the SPI released from SPI–PLGA microcapsules can react with the excess glutaraldehyde present in the resin when the two come in contact within the microcracks and bridge the two fracture surfaces. The results of this study show for the first time that SPI–PLGA microcapsules can self‐heal protein‐based green resins. The same method can be extended to self‐heal other proteins as well as protein‐based green composites resulting in higher fracture toughness and longer useful life.
In Situ Transfection by Controlled Release of Lipoplexes Using Acoustic Droplet Vaporization
Authors: Juliar Benjamin A. , Bromley Melissa M. , Moncion Alexander , Jones Denise C. , O'Neill Eric G. , Wilson Christopher G. , Franceschi Renny T. , Fabiilli Mario L.
Published: May 2016

Localized delivery of nucleic acids to target sites (e.g., diseased tissue) is critical for safe and efficacious gene therapy. An ultrasound‐based technique termed acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) has been used to spatiotemporally control the release of therapeutic small molecules and proteins contained within sonosensitive emulsions. Here, ADV is used to control the release of lipoplex—containing plasmid DNA encoding an enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter—from a sonosensitive emulsion. Focused ultrasound (3.5 MHz, mechanical index (MI) ≥ 1.5) generates robust release of fluorescein (i.e., surrogate payload) and lipoplex from the emulsion. In situ release of the lipoplex from the emulsion using ADV (MI = 1.5, 30 cycles) yields a 55% release efficiency, resulting in 43% transfection efficiency and 95% viability with C3H/10T1/2 cells. Without exposure to ultrasound, the release and transfection efficiencies are 5% and 7%, respectively, with 99% viability. Lipoplex released by ADV retains its bioactivity while the ADV process does not yield any measureable sonoporative enhancement of transfection. Co‐encapsulation of Ficoll PM 400 within the lipoplex‐loaded emulsion, and its subsequent release using ADV, yield higher transfection efficiency than the lipoplex alone. The results demonstrate that ADV can have utility in the spatiotemporal control of gene delivery.
Nanometals for Solar‐to‐Chemical Energy Conversion: From Semiconductor‐Based Photocatalysis to Plasmon‐Mediated Photocatalysis and Photo‐Thermocatalysis
Authors: Meng Xianguang , Liu Lequan , Ouyang Shuxin , Xu Hua , Wang Defa , Zhao Naiqin , Ye Jinhua
Published: May 2016

Nanometal materials play very important roles in solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion due to their unique catalytic and optical characteristics. They have found wide applications from semiconductor photocatalysis to rapidly growing surface plasmon‐mediated heterogeneous catalysis. The recent research achievements of nanometals are reviewed here, with regard to applications in semiconductor photocatalysis, plasmonic photocatalysis, and plasmonic photo‐thermocatalysis. As the first important topic discussed here, the latest progress in the design of nanometal cocatalysts and their applications in semiconductor photocatalysis are introduced. Then, plasmonic photocatalysis and plasmonic photo‐thermocatalysis are discussed. A better understanding of electron‐driven and temperature‐driven catalytic behaviors over plasmonic nanometals is helpful to bridge the present gap between the communities of photocatalysis and conventional catalysis controlled by temperature. The objective here is to provide instructive information on how to take the advantages of the unique functions of nanometals in different types of catalytic processes to improve the efficiency of solar‐energy utilization for more practical artificial photosynthesis.
Controllable Synthesis of Graphene by Plasma‐Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition and Its Related Applications
Authors: Li Menglin , Liu Donghua , Wei Dacheng , Song Xuefen , Wei Dapeng , Wee Andrew Thye Shen
Published: May 2016

Graphene and its derivatives hold a great promise for widespread applications such as field‐effect transistors, photovoltaic devices, supercapacitors, and sensors due to excellent properties as well as its atomically thin, transparent, and flexible structure. In order to realize the practical applications, graphene needs to be synthesized in a low‐cost, scalable, and controllable manner. Plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a low‐temperature, controllable, and catalyst‐free synthesis method suitable for graphene growth and has recently received more attentions. This review summarizes recent advances in the PECVD growth of graphene on different substrates, discusses the growth mechanism and its related applications. Furthermore, the challenges and future development in this field are also discussed.
Advanced High Energy Density Secondary Batteries with Multi‐Electron Reaction Materials
Authors: Chen Renjie , Luo Rui , Huang Yongxin , Wu Feng , Li Li
Published: May 2016

Secondary batteries have become important for smart grid and electric vehicle applications, and massive effort has been dedicated to optimizing the current generation and improving their energy density. Multi‐electron chemistry has paved a new path for the breaking of the barriers that exist in traditional battery research and applications, and provided new ideas for developing new battery systems that meet energy density requirements. An in‐depth understanding of multi‐electron chemistries in terms of the charge transfer mechanisms occuring during their electrochemical processes is necessary and urgent for the modification of secondary battery materials and development of secondary battery systems. In this Review, multi‐electron chemistry for high energy density electrode materials and the corresponding secondary battery systems are discussed. Specifically, four battery systems based on multi‐electron reactions are classified in this review: lithium‐ and sodium‐ion batteries based on monovalent cations; rechargeable batteries based on the insertion of polyvalent cations beyond those of alkali metals; metal–air batteries, and Li–S batteries. It is noted that challenges still exist in the development of multi‐electron chemistries that must be overcome to meet the energy density requirements of different battery systems, and much effort has more effort to be devoted to this.
Tunable Polyaniline‐Based Porous Carbon with Ultrahigh Surface Area for CO2 Capture at Elevated Pressure
Authors: He Jiajun , To John W. F. , Psarras Peter C. , Yan Hongping , Atkinson Tracey , Holmes Randall T. , Nordlund Dennis , Bao Zhenan , Wilcox Jennifer
Published: May 2016

Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel source. However, natural gas wells typically contain considerable amounts of CO2, with on‐site CO2 capture necessary. Solid sorbents are advantageous over traditional amine scrubbing due to their relatively low regeneration energies and non‐corrosive nature. However, it remains a challenge to improve the sorbent's CO2 capacity at elevated pressures relevant to natural gas purification. Here, the synthesis of porous carbons derived from a 3D hierarchical nanostructured polymer hydrogel, with simple and effective tunability over the pore size distribution is reported. The optimized surface area reaches 4196 m2 g−1, which is among the highest of carbon‐based materials, with abundant micro‐ and narrow mesopores (2.03 cm3 g−1 with d < 4 nm). This carbon exhibits a record‐high CO2 capacity among reported carbons at elevated pressure (i.e., 28.3 mmol g−1 total adsorption at 25 °C and 30 bar). This carbon also shows good CO2/CH4 selectivity and excellent cyclability. Molecular simulations suggest increased CO2 density in micro‐ and narrow mesopores at high pressures. This is consistent with the observation that these pores are mainly responsible for the material's high‐pressure CO2 capacity. This work provides insights into material design and further development for CO2 capture from natural gas.
Hole‐Transporting Materials in Inverted Planar Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Yan Weibo , Ye Senyun , Li Yunlong , Sun Weihai , Rao Haixia , Liu Zhiwei , Bian Zuqiang , Huang Chunhui
Published: May 2016

Hybrid organic–inorganic halide‐perovskite‐based solar cells have achieved notable progress. A hot topic in this field is exploring inexpensive, stable and effective hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) in order to improve the device performance and be favorable for large‐scale production in the future. The HTMs have been proven to be an important component of perovskite solar cells, which can form selective contact being favorable for reducing charge recombination and effective hole collection, thus resulting in the enhancement of the open‐circuit voltage and the fill factor. Here, an overview of the design and development of HTMs is given, mainly divided into conductive polymers, inorganic p‐type semiconductors in inverted‐structure‐based planar perovskite solar cells. The influences of their mobility, work function and film property on device performance are discussed.
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: 2016 update on diagnosis, risk stratification, and management
Authors: Patnaik Mrinal M. , Tefferi Ayalew
Published: May 2016

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by overlapping features of myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms. Diagnosis is based on the presence of persistent (>3 months) peripheral blood monocytosis (>1 × 109/L), along with bone marrow dysplasia. Clonal cytogenetic abnormalities occur in ∼20–30% of patients, while >90% have gene mutations. Mutations involving TET2 (∼60%), SRSF2 (∼50%), ASXL1 (∼40%), and RAS (∼30%) are frequent; with only ASXL1 mutations negatively impacting overall survival. Two molecularly integrated, CMML‐specific prognostic models include; the Groupe Français des Myélodysplasies (GFM) and the Molecular Mayo Model (MMM). The GFM model segregates patients into 3 groups based on: age >65 years, WBC >15 × 109/L, anemia, platelets <100 × 109/L, and ASXL1 mutation status, with respective median survivals of 56 (low), 27.4 (intermediate), and 9.2 (high) months. The MMM is based on ASXL1 mutational status, absolute monocyte count >10 × 109/L, hemoglobin <10 g/dL, platelets <100 × 109/L and circulating immature myeloid cells. This model stratifies patients into four groups; high (≥3 risk factors), intermediate‐2 (2 risk factors), intermediate‐1 (1 risk factor) and low (no risk factors), with median survivals of 16, 31, 59, and 97 months, respectively. Hypomethylating agents such as 5‐azacitidine and decitabine are commonly used, with overall response rates of ∼30–40% and complete remission rates of ∼7–17%. Allogeneic stem cell transplant is the only potentially curative option, but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Individualized therapy, including epigenetic modifiers and small molecule inhibitors, are exciting prospects. Am. J. Hematol. 91:632–642, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Workplace psychosocial and organizational factors for neck pain in workers in the United States
Authors: Yang Haiou , Hitchcock Edward , Haldeman Scott , Swanson Naomi , Lu Ming‐Lun , Choi BongKyoo , Nakata Akinori , Baker Dean
Published: May 2016

Background

Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition among workers in the United States. This study explores a set of workplace psychosocial and organization‐related factors for neck pain.

Methods

Data used for this study come from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey which provides a representative sample of the US population. To account for the complex sampling design, the Taylor linearized variance estimation method was used. Logistic regression models were constructed to measure the associations.

Results

This study demonstrated significant associations between neck pain and a set of workplace risk factors, including work‐family imbalance, exposure to a hostile work environment and job insecurity, non‐standard work arrangements, multiple jobs, and long work hours.

Conclusion

Workers with neck pain may benefit from intervention programs that address issues related to these workplace risk factors. Future studies exploring both psychosocial risk factors and physical risk factors with a longitudinal design will be important. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:549–560, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Highly Enantioselective Iridium‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Cyclic Enamides
Authors: Salomó Ernest , Orgué Sílvia , Riera Antoni , Verdaguer Xavier
Published: May 2016

The MaxPHOX–Ir catalyst system provided the highest selectivity ever reported for the reduction of cyclic enamides derived from α‐ and β‐tetralones. This result indicates that iridium catalysts are also proficient in reducing alkenes bearing metal‐coordinating groups. In the present system, selectivity was pressure‐dependent: In most cases, a decrease in the H2 pressure to 3 bar resulted in an increase in enantioselectivity. Moreover, the process can be carried out in environmentally friendly solvents, such as methanol and ethyl acetate, with no loss of selectivity.
A Disposable Planar Paper‐Based Potentiometric Ion‐Sensing Platform
Authors: Hu Jinbo , Stein Andreas , Bühlmann Philippe
Published: May 2016

Ion‐selective electrodes (ISEs) are widely used tools for fast and accurate ion sensing. Herein their design is simplified by embedding a potentiometric cell into paper, complete with an ISE, a reference electrode, and a paper‐based microfluidic sample zone that offer the full function of a conventional ISE setup. The disposable planar paper‐based ion‐sensing platform is suitable for low‐cost point‐of‐care and in‐field testing applications. The design is symmetrical and each interfacial potential within the cell is well defined and reproducible, so that the response of the device can be theoretically predicted. For a demonstration of clinical applications, paper‐based Cl− and K+ sensors are fabricated with highly reproducible and linear responses towards different concentrations of analyte ions in aqueous and biological samples. The single‐use devices can be fabricated by a scalable method, do not need any pretreatment prior to use, and only require a sample volume of 20 μL.
A morphological study on the migration and selective localization of graphene in the PLA/PMMA blends
Authors: Paydayesh Azin , Arefazar Ahmad , Jalaliarani Azam
Published: May 2016

Nano‐filled polymer blends offer the opportunity to obtain materials with fine‐tuned properties. In this work, the dispersion and localization behavior of graphene nanoplate (GNP) and graphene oxide (GO) in solution mixed blends of polylactic acid (PLA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were investigated. The blends were prepared by using different mixing sequences to investigate the effect of kinetics parameters and surface chemistry of filler as well as thermodynamics affinity on the localization of fillers. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Rheometric Mechanical Spectroscopy (RMS) were employed. In addition, graphene materials were compared by Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis characterization. Results showed that depending on the mixing sequence, the GNPs were localized in the both phases and interface through migration to reach thermodynamics equilibrium. However, GO localization was significantly affected by the mixing sequence due to better interaction with the polymer phases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43799.
Minimally adaptive BH: A tiny but uniform improvement of the procedure of Benjamini and Hochberg
Authors: Solari Aldo , Goeman Jelle J.
Published: May 2016

We define an adaptive procedure for control of the false discovery rate that is uniformly more powerful than the procedure of Benjamini and Hochberg. The power gain is tiny, however, and only appreciable for small numbers of hypotheses. We illustrate the new method with the case of two hypotheses, for which so far no procedure was known that controls false discovery rate but not also familywise error rate under positive dependence.
Investigation of acetone, butanol and carbon dioxide as new breath biomarkers for convenient and noninvasive diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Authors: Bayrakli Ismail , Öztürk Önder , Akman Hatice
Published: May 2016

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether analysis of carbon dioxide, acetone and/or butanol present in human breath can be used as a simple and noninvasive diagnosis method for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). For this purpose, overnight changes in the concentrations of these breath molecules were measured before and after sleep in 10 patients who underwent polysomnography and were diagnosed with OSAS, and were compared with the levels of these biomarkers determined after sleep in 10 healthy subjects. The concentrations of exhaled carbon dioxide were measured using external cavity laser‐based off‐axis cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy, whereas the levels of exhaled acetone and butanol were determined using thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry. We observed no significant changes in the levels of exhaled acetone and carbon dioxide in OSAS patients after sleep compared with pre‐sleep values and compared with those in healthy control subjects. However, for the first time, to our knowledge, analyses of expired air showed an increased concentration of butanol after sleep compared with that before sleep and compared with that in healthy subjects. These results suggest that butanol can be established as a potential biomarker to enable the convenient and noninvasive diagnosis of OSAS in the future.
Authentication of Gentiana straminea Maxim. and its substitutes based on chemical profiling of iridoids using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry
Authors: Wu Jinrong , Zhao Zhili , Wu Lihong , Wang Zhengtao
Published: May 2016

A liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–ion‐trap mass spectrometry (MSn) method was established and applied for authentication of Gentiana straminea from the four substitutes, G. tibetica, G. lhassica, G. waltonii and G. robusta, based on chemical profiling of the principal iridoid glucosides aided by a quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The fragmentation pathways of the three representative iridoid glucosides, loganic acid, gentiopicroside and sweroside, were investigated by MSn analysis in negative ion mode, which assisted the characterization of analogs detected in the chromatographic profiling of the tested Gentiana species. In total, 25 iridoids were identified or tentatively characterized from G. straminea and four substitutes, in which 7‐O‐(4′′‐O‐glucosyl)coumaroyl‐loganic acid and 7‐O‐coumaroyl‐loganic acid are diagnostic in G. straminea and can serve as the proposed chemical markers to discriminate it from morphologically similar substitutes.
Cortical folding of the preterm brain: a longitudinal analysis of extremely preterm born neonates using spectral matching
Authors: Orasanu Eliza , Melbourne Andrew , Cardoso Manuel Jorge , Lomabert Herve , Kendall Giles S. , Robertson Nicola J. , Marlow Neil , Ourselin Sebastien
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Infants born extremely preterm (<28 weeks of gestation) are at risk of significant neurodevelopmental sequelae. In these infants birth coincides with a period of rapid brain growth and development, when the brain is also vulnerable to a range of insults. Mapping these changes is crucial for identifying potential biomarkers to predict early impairment.

Methods

In this study we use surface‐based spectral matching techniques to find an intrasubject longitudinal surface correspondence between the white–grey matter boundary at 30 and 40 weeks equivalent gestational age in nine extremely preterm born infants.

Results

Using the resulting surface correspondence, we identified regions that undergo more cortical folding of the white–grey matter boundary during the preterm period by looking at changes in well‐known curvature measures. We performed Hotelling T2 statistics to evaluate the significance of our findings.

Discussion

The prefrontal and temporal lobes exhibit most development during the preterm period, especially in the left hemisphere. Such correspondences are a promising result as longitudinal measurements of change in cortical folding could provide insightful information about the mechanical properties of the underlying tissue and may be useful in inferring changes during growth and development in this vulnerable period.
From Nano to Macro through Hierarchical Self‐Assembly: The DNA Paradigm
Authors: Pfeifer Wolfgang , Saccà Barbara
Published: May 2016

From atoms to molecules and bio‐macromolecules, from organelles to cells, tissues, to the whole living system, nature shows us that the formation of complex systems with emergent properties originates from the hierarchical self‐assembly of single components in guided bottom‐up processes. By using DNA as a fundamental building block with well‐known self‐recognition properties, scientists have developed design rules and physical‐chemical approaches for the fully programmable construction of highly organized structures with nanosized features. This review highlights the basic principles of hierarchical self‐assembly in terms of type and number of distinguishable components and their interaction energies. Such general concepts are then applied to DNA‐based systems. After a brief overview of the strategies used until now for the construction of individual DNA units, such as DNA tile motifs and origami structures, their self‐association into assemblies of higher order is discussed. Particular emphasis is given to the forces involved in the self‐assembly process, understanding and rational combination of which might help to coordinate the single elements of hierarchical structures both in space and time, thus advancing our efforts towards the creation of devices that mimic the complexity and functionality of natural systems.
DOCK8 deficiency in six Iranian patients
Authors: Saghafi Shiva , Pourpak Zahra , Nussbaumer Franziska , Fazlollahi Mohammad Reza , Houshmand Massoud , Hamidieh Amir Ali , Bemanian Mohammad Hassan , Nabavi Mohammad , Parvaneh Nima , Grimbacher Bodo , Moin Mostafa , Glocker Cristina
Published: May 2016

Key Clinical Message

DOCK8 deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive combined immunodeficiency with high IgE level, eosinophilia, severe eczema, extensive cutaneous viral, and respiratory bacterial infections, mostly in populations with higher prevalence of consanguinity. Molecular diagnosis of this gene is a useful approach for early diagnosis and timely HSCT due to deleterious consequences.
Giant splenic artery aneurysm rupture
Authors: Robaldo Alessandro , Gramondo Fabrizio , Beccaria Fabio , Colotto Patrizio
Published: May 2016

Key Clinical Message

Little exists on treatment for SAAs rupture which may require a fast bleeding control because of the hemodynamic instability and a large perisplenic/peritoneal hematoma. This case shows the use of endovascular clamping and midline laparotomy to perform the splenectomy because of the severe hypotension and the dimension of the lesion.
Green Regio‐ and Enantioselective Aminolysis Catalyzed by Graphite and Graphene Oxide under Solvent‐Free Conditions
Authors: Acocella Maria Rosaria , D'Urso Luciana , Maggio Mario , Guerra Gaetano
Published: May 2016

The ring‐opening reactions of epoxides with amines were efficiently and regioselectively catalyzed by high‐surface‐area graphite and graphene oxide under metal‐free and solvent‐free conditions. For epoxides without aryl groups, catalytic activity was observed only for graphene oxide, and hence, the activity must have been due to its acidic groups. For styrene oxide, instead, graphite and graphene oxide exhibited rather similar catalytic activities, and hence, the activity was mainly due to activation of the electrophilic epoxide by π‐stacking interactions with the graphitic π system. The described aminolysis procedure is green and cheap because the catalyst can be recovered and recycled without loss of efficiency. Moreover, these heterogeneous catalysts exert high stereoselective control in the presence of nonracemic epoxides and provide chiral β‐amino alcohols with enantiomeric excess values up to 99 %.
ChemInform Abstract: Oscillations and Bistability in the Cu(II)‐Catalyzed Reaction Between H2O2 and KSCN.
Authors: ORBAN M.
Published: May 2016

The reaction between H2O2 and KSCN catalyzed by CuSO4 exhibits three different types of bistability dependent on the flow rate in a continuous flow stirred tank reactor at 25 °C. Two steady states and one oscillatory state, which also appears in batch configuration, are involved.
Simulation of high‐temperature steam‐only gasification of woody biomass with dry‐sorption CO2 capture
Authors: Mostafavi Ehsan , Pauls Jennifer H. , Lim C. Jim , Mahinpey Nader
Published: May 2016

Over the last few decades, research on the abatement of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas has gained momentum, due to its increasing atmospheric levels. This study investigated high‐temperature steam‐only gasification of woody biomass for the production of high‐purity hydrogen integrated with CO2 capture in a moving‐bed gasifier. Extensive process modelling and simulation were performed using the superior solid handling features of the Aspen Plus process simulator software. After validating the model with experimental data from a demonstration plant available in the open literature, a reversible carbonation‐calcination reaction of calcium oxide (CaO) with CO2 was added to the system. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the predictive accuracy of the model. The effects of steam‐to‐carbon (S/C) ratio on the resulting gas composition were thoroughly studied to delineate the complex process of gasification. Beyond the mitigation of CO2 emissions, the introduction of a CaO‐based sorbent in the process simulation significantly enhanced hydrogen production by simultaneously promoting the forward water‐gas shift reaction and reducing tars through increased tar‐cracking reactions. The results show that hydrogen of a higher purity was produced with the inclusion of dry‐sorption CO2 capture in the gasification process. Moreover, the addition of the sorbent increased the higher heating values (HHV) by 3 times and improved the cold gas efficiency by 34 %.
Total ordering for intuitionistic fuzzy numbers
Authors: Lakshmana Gomathi Nayagam V. , Jeevaraj S. , Geetha Sivaraman
Published: May 2016

Intuitionistic fuzzy set plays a vital role in decision making, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. Many decision‐making problems consist of different types of datum, where fuzzy set theoretical approaches may fail to obtain the optimal decision. Numerous approaches for intuitionistic fuzzy decision‐making problem have been introduced in the literature to overcome these short comings. But there is no single approach that can be used to solve all kinds of problems because of the partial ordering defined on the collection of intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs). Even though ranking of fuzzy numbers have been studied from early seventies in the last century, a total order on the entire class of fuzzy numbers has been introduced by Wang and Wang (Fuzzy Sets Syst 2014, 243, 131–141) only on 2014. A total order on the collection of all IFN is an open problem till today. In this article, a total order on the entire class of IFN using upper lower dense sequence in the interval [0, 1] is proposed and compared with existing techniques using illustrative examples, further an algorithm (which is problem independent) for solving any intuitionistic fuzzy multicriteria decision‐making problem (Intuitionistic fuzzy MCDM) is introduced. This new total ordering on IFNs generalizes the total ordering defined in Wang and Wang () for fuzzy numbers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 54–66, 2016
Play in juvenile mink: litter effects, stability over time, and motivational heterogeneity
Authors: Ahloy Dallaire Jamie , Mason Georgia J.
Published: May 2016

Mink are potentially ideal for investigating the functions of play: deleterious effects of early social isolation suggest a crucial developmental role for play; and huge numbers of highly playful juvenile subjects can be studied on farms. We collected descriptive data on 186 pairs from 93 litters, half provided with play‐eliciting environmental enrichment objects in their home cages, to test three hypotheses: (1) play frequency is subject to litter effects; (2) relative playfulness is stable over time; (3) play sub‐types share a single, common motivational basis. We found weak litter effects that were driven by stronger litter effects on general activity, and weakly stable individual differences in both total and rough‐and‐tumble play. Experimentally increasing object play did not inhibit rough‐and‐tumble play, showing these sub‐types are not motivational substitutes. Frequencies of these sub‐types were also uncorrelated, and changed differently with time of day and age, further supporting this conclusion.
Large‐for‐gestational‐age (LGA) neonate predicts a 2.5‐fold increased odds of neonatal hypoglycaemia in women with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Yamamoto Jennifer M. , Kallas‐Koeman Melissa M. , Butalia Sonia , Lodha Abhay K. , Donovan Lois E.
Published: May 2016

Objective

The objective of the study is to assess the impact of maternal glycaemic control and large‐for‐gestational‐age (LGA) infant size on the risk of developing neonatal hypoglycaemia in offspring of women with type 1 diabetes and to determine possible predictors of neonatal hypoglycaemia and LGA.

Research methods and design

This retrospective cohort study evaluated pregnancies in 161 women with type 1 diabetes mellitus at a large urban centre between 2006 and 2010. Mean trimester A1c values were categorized into five groups. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine predictors of neonatal hypoglycaemia and large‐for‐gestational‐age (LGA).

Results

Hypoglycaemia occurred in 36.6% of neonates. There was not a linear association between trimester specific A1c and LGA. After adjusting for maternal age, body mass index (BMI), smoking and premature delivery, neonatal hypoglycaemia was not linearly associated with A1c in the first, second or third trimesters. LGA was the only significant predictor for neonatal hypoglycaemia (OR, 95% CI 2.51 [1.10, 5.70]) in logistic regression analysis that adjusted for glycaemic control, maternal age, smoking, prematurity and BMI. An elevated third trimester A1c increased the odds of LGA (1.81 [1.03, 3.18]) after adjustment for smoking, parity and maternal BMI.

Conclusions

Large‐for‐gestational‐age imparts a 2.5‐fold increased odds of hypoglycaemia in neonates of women with type 1 diabetes and may be a better predictor of neonatal hypoglycaemia than maternal glycaemic control. Our data suggest that LGA neonates of women with type 1 diabetes should prompt increased surveillance for neonatal hypoglycaemia and that the presence of optimum maternal glycaemic control should not reduce this surveillance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intraspecific diversity buffers the inhibitory effects of soil biota
Authors: Luo Wenbo , Callaway Ragan M. , Atwater Daniel Z.
Published: May 2016

Plant community productivity can increase with increasing intraspecific genotypic diversity. Previous studies have attributed the genetic diversity–productivity pattern to differential resource use among genotypes, as many studies have found for species. But here we ask whether suppression of productivity at low intraspecific diversity by soil biota might also drive a positive diversity–productivity relationship. In a previous study, we manipulated genetic diversity by varying the number of Pseudoroegneria accessions growing together in common garden plots, and used soil from that experiment to evaluate soil feedbacks. The total biomass of P. spicata plants grown in unsterilized soil increased with accession richness, specifically when comparing soil that had contained plants from 3 accessions to soil that had contained plants from either 8 or 12 population accessions. Furthermore, soil from high‐richness (8 or 12‐accession) plots drove neutral feedbacks, whereas soil in the 3‐accession plots (3) drove negative feedbacks. However, within each level of richness, there was no relationship between relative yield and feedback. Our results suggest that soil biota might play an integral role in the emerging understanding of the relationship between intraspecific diversity and ecosystem productivity.
SEM and ECIS Investigation of Cells Cultured on Nanopillar Modified Interdigitated Impedance Electrodes for Analysis of Cell Growth and Cytotoxicity of Potential Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Messina Walter , Fitzgerald Michelle , Moore Eric
Published: May 2016

Cell‐based biosensors treat living cells as sensing elements and are able to detect the functional information of biologically active analytes. Monitoring cytotoxicity with high sensitivity, rapidity and at low cost is of great interest in the fields of clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, food safety and security. This research investigates the behaviour of different cell types on nanostructured architectures. The development of cell‐based assays using bioimpedance devices has the potential of screening anti‐cancer drugs; these have a potential impact for developing new techniques and tools for the analysis of cells in the bio‐pharma industry. Gold impedance electrodes have been successfully fabricated for impedance measurement on cells cultured on the electrode surface which was modified with gold nanopillars with a height of 60 nm and 150 nm diameter in a highly ordered layout thanks to the e‐beam lithography technique. This article investigates the effects on the sensitivity achieved with the ECIS (Electric Cell‐substrate Impedance Spectroscopy) measurements while monitoring the cytotoxicity of two different drugs (Antrodia Camphorata extract and Nicotine) on different cell lines (HeLa, A549 and BALBc 3T3) cultured on the nanostructured devices. The change of morphology of cells growing on the nanostructured electrodes was also investigated through SEM imaging.
Electrochemical Biosensor for Naphthalene Acetic Acid in Fruits and Vegetables Based on Lipid Films with Incorporated Auxin‐binding Protein Receptor Using Graphene Electrodes
Authors: Bratakou Spyridoula , Nikoleli Georgia‐Paraskevi , Siontorou Christina G. , Karapetis Stephanos , Nikolelis Dimitrios P. , Tzamtzis Nikolaos
Published: May 2016

The present work describes a miniaturized potentiometric naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) sensor on graphene nanosheets with incorporated lipid films. Auxin‐binding protein 1 receptor immobilized on the stabilized lipid films provided adequate selectivity for detection over a wide range of hormone concentrations, fast response time of ca. 5 min, and detection limit of 10 nM. The proposed sensor is easy to construct and exhibits good reproducibility, reusability, selectivity, long shelf life and high sensitivity of ca. 56 mV/decade of hormone concentration. The reliability of the biosensor was successfully evaluated using a wide range of NAA‐spiked fruits and vegetables.
A competitive luminol chemiluminescence immunosensor based on a microfluidic chip for the determination of ractopamine
Authors: Wang Sai , Chen Qilong , Wei Xiao , Wu Jian , Wang Chunyan , Liu Jiahui , Zhang Liya , Dong Yiyang
Published: May 2016

Herein, a competitive luminol chemiluminescence immunosensor based on a microfluidic chip was developed to detect ractopamine (RCT) both in phosphate buffer and swine urine samples. The immunosensor can provide a liner range of 0.5–40 ng/mL and a high sensitivity with a limit of detection of 0.97 ng/mL for RCT detection in swine urine. Good rates of recovery in negative swine urine samples were achieved over the RCT concentration ranging from 0.5 to 40 ng/mL. The proposed method offered a promising analytical scheme for the on‐site determination of RCT.