bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Energy and Climate Policies of the European Union
Authors: Genoese Fabio , Egenhofer Christian , Wieczorkiewicz Julian
Published: July 2015

TheEuropean Union(EU) faces the challenge of gradually decarbonizing its power sector and economy while in parallel securing its energy supply. In this article, theEUpolicy objectives as well as the main policy instruments are presented and discussed, for example, theEU Emission Trading Scheme, the Third Energy Package, and the Renewable Energy Directive. Although designed to tackle specific issues, these instruments also had undesired side‐effects, especially on the completion of the internal energy market. Special attention is given to the impending fragmentation of the internal electricity market that is ultimately caused by differences in national policies. On the gas side, the issue of import dependency is discussed in detail.
Flywheel Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Daoud Mohammed , Abdel‐Khalik Ayman , Elserogi Ahmed , Ahmed Shehab , Massoud Ahmed
Published: July 2015

Flywheels are one of the oldest and most popular energy storage media owing to the simplicity of storing kinetic energy in a rotating mass. Flywheel energy storage systems (FESSs) can be used in different applications, for example, electric utilities and transportation. With the development of new technologies in the field of composite materials and magnetic bearings, higher energy densities are allowed in the design of flywheels. The amount of stored energy inFESSdepends on the mass and the speed of the rotor, whereas the maximum power that can be generated depends on the rating of the electric machine and the power electronics‐based converters.

The construction (electric machine, power electronics converters, bearings, and casing), features (efficiency, lifetime, cost, and safety), and applications (utility, transportation, and renewable energy sources) represent the important aspects in understandingFESSs.
Biomass for Polygeneration and District Heating
Authors: Baratieri Marco , Prando Dario
Published: July 2015

This article deals with biomass‐based technologies for polygeneration and district heating (DH). The relevant technologies for the generation of heat, power, and biofuels are presented in Section 1 taking into account thermochemical, chemical, and biological pathways. In particular, the opportunity of integrating them for polygeneration—also according to the biorefinery concept—is analyzed here. Biomass combined heat and power (CHP) systems forDHapplication have been compared considering size, efficiency, flexibility of operation, and field experience. In Section 2, heat distribution systems have been described taking advantage of the previous analysis on generation technologies and pointing out the existing relation between distribution, generation efficiencies, andDHnetwork temperature. The current trend toward low temperatureDHsystems has been then extensively analyzed. The effects of the possible variation in the heat demand—both in the short term (i.e., daily to seasonal utilization profiles) and in the medium term (e.g., building refurbishment)—on theDHsystem operation and efficiency, are presented here. The biomassCHPsystems are also discussed in the vision to extend the smart grid concept to thermal networks. As a whole, pilot or real‐plant data and validated theoretical models are used to support the analysis.
Low Carbon Economy in
J
apan
Authors: Xue Jinjun , Watanabe Satoshi
Published: July 2015

Japan adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which is named after a local city, Kyoto, and bears the nickname, the
low carbon society
. At the United Nations General Conference in 2009, the Japanese government promised an ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by 25% from the 1990 level by 2020. However, the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident on 11 March 2011 interrupted its progress toward a low carbon economy and forced Japan to readjust its climate change and energy policies, as well as its carbon reduction target. With these events as context, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a new climate policy at the 19th Conference of Parties (
COP19
) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (
UNFCCC
) in December 2013 with a

CO
2

emissions reduction target of 3.8% below the 2005 level by 2020. This is a sharp reduction compared to its ambitious original target of 25%. Accordingly, in April 2014, after a 2‐year debate, the Japanese cabinet made a difficult energy policy decision, in which nuclear power is still designated as base‐load power but its share will be reduced by an unspecified proportion. Consequently, Japan is now at a crossroads in its pursuit of a low carbon economy.
Thermal Energy Storage forCSPProcesses
Authors: Py Xavier , Olives Regis
Published: July 2015

Thermal energy storage (TES) is commonly acknowledged as a key component for concentrating solar power plants in terms of process optimization, increased capacity factor, grid integration, and reduction in green house gas emissions. The aim of this article is to present and compare the available mature or alternativeTEStechnologies in order to highlight major critical limitations and innovation opportunities. The mature two‐tank molten‐salt storage technology will not fulfill all constraints of the expected energy transition, and alternative storage materials and systems are highly needed. Innovative approaches such as sensible heat‐basedTESusing concrete or recycled ceramics seem to offer the best potential in the future.
Energetic and Environmental Evaluation of Waste Recycling
Authors: Pikoń Krzysztof
Published: July 2015

Recycling is one of the most favored waste management options in the world. Comparison of production of the same good from virgin raw materials and from recycled ones shows benefits of using the latter option. Recycling processes could have significant impact on power energy system and finally on environment. Recycling saves energy primarily because it reduces the need to extract and refine natural resources. Each type of recycling is different and could be the source of different environmental impact. The amount of energy use by recycling processes as well as saved energy could be therefore different. Owing to different forms of energy generation in different countries, the cumulative environmental impact associated with recycling processes and their energy consumption could be substantially different. Comparison of different countries in that case could be very interesting and show the importance of proper waste management and its impact on clean energy production paradigm.
Use of Thermal Mass in Building Energy Storage
Authors: Yin Rongxin
Published: July 2015

Thermal mass in buildings can be used to protect the building against temperature fluctuations. As batteries store energy chemically, buildings store heat (or retain coolness) in their thermal mass. Use of thermal mass allows buildings to act as energy storage devices. In addition, the use of thermal mass has enormous potential to increase the effectiveness of building systems for load shifting and peak energy demand reduction. This article introduces the basic concept of thermal mass in buildings and presents several techniques for measuring and modeling thermal mass. The use of thermal mass in buildings is characterized into two groups based on its passive and active uses. With a focus on the modeling of precooling using thermal mass, this article discusses two modeling methods for simulating the precooling control in buildings: data‐driven (inverse) modeling and forward (physical) modeling, in terms of each approach's methodology and challenges. Finally, a case study of precooling a building in a warm climate is presented for demonstrating the effect of various precooling control strategies on the energy and demand savings and those impacts on thermal comfort.
Efficiency Improvement for Medical Waste Management
Authors: Kerdsuwan Somrat , Laohalidanond Krongkaew
Published: July 2015

Medical waste is composed of all of the solid waste generated from healthcare facilities, which includes both noninfectious and infectious wastes. The composition of medical waste and its generation differs from country to country, and most of the developed countries generate more medical waste than the developing countries. The medical waste management in developed countries has received more attention than in developing countries, where there is no government support, for example, directives, policies, guidelines, and financial support, available. Most developing countries dispose of their medical waste via open dumps, open burning, or burning in low efficiency incinerators. This results in the negative effects on humans and on the environment. The small‐scale incineration facility in this study was designed and recommended as a suitable technology for on‐site medical waste disposal in developing countries. The incineration facility consists of a two‐chamber, controlled‐air incinerator with an automatic feeding system, and quencher and a pack‐bed wet scrubber as the air pollution control unit. During the commissioning phase, the operating parameters, for example, medical waste destruction rate, temperature in the primary and secondary combustion chamber, and emission in terms ofCO,NOx,SO2, opacity, and particulate matter, were investigated. According to the performance testing, the incineration facility could be efficiently operated. The medical waste destruction rate achieved the designed value of 50 kg/h and the temperature in both the primary and secondary combustion chambers ranged from 650 to 780°C and 900 to 1080 °C, respectively. In addition, the pollutants in flue gas from the stack were able to meet the requirements of theUS EPAfor small‐scale medical waste incineration.
Coordinated Operation ofPVand Battery Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Kabir Md Nayim , Mishra Yateendra , Bansal Ramesh C.
Published: July 2015

With increasing penetration of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in the low voltage distribution systems, over voltage problem has become ubiquitous. Abnormal voltage profile not only deteriorates the life of various equipments connected to the network but also increases the chances of fire leading to financial losses and life threatening hazards. Therefore, it is important to keep the voltage profile within acceptable limits. Recently, the reducing cost of battery energy systems (BESs) has made it possible to deploy them for voltage control purposes. The excess energy produced byPVsduring the day can be stored inBESand used in the night. Using the coordinated control ofPVandBES, that is, the reactive capability of thePVinverter and the charging/discharging ofBES, both overvoltage and voltage dip problems can be alleviated. However, the high resistive characteristic of the distribution feeder limits the effectiveness of reactive power for voltage control purposes. Moreover, there is a need of effective coordination of differentPVandBESin the system to achieve this goal. Hence, a coordinated communication system is proposed which requires communication network protocol for all thePVsystem andBESin the network. This article discusses the feasibility of utilizing the existing power line communication (PLC) for improving the voltage profile of the distribution network.
Thermal Performance Prediction and Optimization of “Heat Exchangers” by Artificial Intelligence Techniques
Authors: Du Xueping , Zeng Min , Xie Gongnan , Wang Qiuwang
Published: July 2015

With the rapid development of the artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used in thermal systems in recent decades, more and moreAIalgorithms are used in the optimal design of heat exchangers. Thermal performance prediction, optimal design, and cost minimization of heat exchangers are important targets for both designers and users. In this article, four commonAImethods (artificial neural network,ANN; genetic algorithm,GA; particle swarm optimization,PSO; and Taguchi method) are applied to predict and optimize the thermal performances of three common types of heat exchangers (shell‐and‐tube heat exchangers,STHXs; finned tube heat exchangers,FTHXs;and primary surface recuperators). It can be concluded thatANNscan be applied to predict thermal performances of the heat exchangers, especially for engineers to model the complicated heat exchangers in engineering applications. The optimized results acquired by theGAand the improvedPSOmethods for the comprehensive performance of heat exchangers may be used in engineering application and comprehensive study, as long as the optimization objective functions, optimization variables, and restrictive conditions can be chosen appropriately. The Taguchi method can be applied and conducted quickly and inexpensively to study the effect of the design parameters on the comprehensive performances of heat exchangers based on theCFDor experiment methods.
Barriers to the Development of Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Díaz‐González Francisco , Cruz‐Zambrano Miguel
Published: July 2015

Energy storage systems are in general young technologies that require intense efforts for technological development. In general terms, apart from well‐known lead‐acid batteries and pumped hydroelectric storage installations, most mechanical, chemical, electrochemical, electromagnetic, and even thermal storage technologies are still experiencing intense development for cost reduction and performance improvement. This improvement is very timely as storage technologies are intended as key actors for the decarbonization of the future electrical power systems and also the drivers of other fields such as the electromobility.

Technological development is in fact very important for the future of the storage systems but there are several other barriers (and of a diverse nature) to overcome toward extensive usage of storage. These barriers refer, for instance, to the lack of a dedicated regulatory framework viewing storage systems as a new actor in the power system that can provide numerous services that should be valued. Another kind of barrier refers to the location and availability of strategic metals for the manufacture of storage technologies, so it deals with geopolitics. Moreover, environmental aspects, such as the need of improving recycling efficiencies, and also the obligation of considering the unavoidable and principal social aspects, further challenge technology development. All of these potential barriers are presented so as to provide an idea of the state‐of‐the‐art in these regards.
Rechargeable Battery Energy Storage System Design
Authors: Howey David A. , Alavi S. M.Mahdi
Published: July 2015

Rechargeable batteries are an important enabling technology for clean energy systems. Low cost, high performance, and long‐life batteries are essential for electric and hybrid vehicles; off‐grid and micro‐grid renewable energy systems; and for enabling increased amounts of renewable energy such as wind and solar onto the power grid.

Substantial battery science and engineering research is being undertaken to improve both the materials chemistry and the systems aspects such as diagnostics and control. In this article, we concentrate on the engineering aspects of battery pack design, giving an overview of key rechargeable battery chemistries, and discussing issues associated with design, dynamic modeling, and battery management systems. Lithium‐ion chemistries are a key focus owing to their high relative energy density and durability.
Recycling of Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Hanisch Christian , Diekmann Jan , Stieger Alexander , Haselrieder Wolfgang , Kwade Arno
Published: July 2015

The use of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) has grown since the market entry of portable power tools and consumer electronic devices. Soon, the need forLIBwill rise, when they are used in hybrid and full electric vehicles as well as in energy storage systems to enable the use of renewable energies. To prevent a future shortage of cobalt, nickel, and lithium and to enable a sustainable life cycle of these technologies, new recycling processes forLIBsare needed. These new processes have to regain not only cobalt, nickel, copper, and aluminum from spent battery cells but also a significant share of lithium. Therefore, this article approaches unit operations and their combination to set up for efficientLIBrecycling processes, especially considering the task to recover high rates of valuable materials with regard to involved safety issues. Further discussed unit operations are

Deactivation/discharging of the battery

Disassembly of battery systems (specifically forEV‐battery systems)

Mechanical processes (including inert crushing, sorting, and sieving processes and a special case: thermomechanical separation)

Hydrometallurgical processes

Pyrometallurgical processes

Specific dangers are associated withLIBrecycling processes: electrical dangers, chemical dangers, burning reactions, and potential interactions of the single dangers. Furthermore, industrial process chains, already in use, as well as research approaches are summarized. The processes of the companiesRetriev Technologies,Recupyl,Batrec,Inmetco,Xstrata,Umicore,Accurec,AEA Technology,OnTo Technology, andLion Engineeringare discussed and illustrated briefly. A closer look is given to some results of the research projectLithoRec.
Real‐time fault‐voltage estimation for nonlinear dynamic power systems
Authors: Thabet A. , Boutayeb M. , Abdelkrim M. N.
Published: July 2015

This paper investigates a relevant observer based on fault estimation of nonlinear systems described by a class of differential‐algebraic equation models using the extended Kalman filter. The method involves the use of a transformation from a differential‐algebraic equation to ordinary differential equation. Two nonlinear observers are used for fault estimation for comparison purposes: one of them is being an extended Kalman filter used as an estimator, and the other is a relevant state observer with moving horizon with a study of convergence based on the choice of the matrix of covariance of the noises of system and measurements. High performances are illustrated through a real‐time application on 5‐bus test system with Digital Signal Processing device (Dspace DS 1104). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Aminopyridinato Titanium Catalyst for the Intramolecular Hydroaminoalkylation of Secondary Aminoalkenes
Authors: Dörfler Jaika , Bytyqi Besnik , Hüller Sascha , Mann Nicola M. , Brahms Christian , Schmidtmann Marc , Doye Sven
Published: July 2015

The easily accessible 2‐(methylamino)pyridinato titanium complex initially synthesized by Kempe is used as catalyst for efficient intramolecular hydroaminoalkylation reactions of secondary aminoalkenes. The corresponding reactions of N‐aryl‐substituted 1‐aminohept‐6‐enes and 1‐aminohex‐5‐enes directly give access to 2‐methylcyclohexyl‐ or 2‐methylcyclopentylamines in good yields. In addition, intramolecular hydroaminoalkylations of an N‐alkyl‐substituted secondary aminoalkene and a geminally β‐disubstituted substrate are described for the first time. While all products are formed as mixtures of two diastereoisomers, better trans/cis ratios are observed during the formation of 2‐methylcylopentylamines.

magnified image
Au@CdS Core–Shell Nanoparticles‐Modified ZnO Nanowires Photoanode for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Guo Chun Xian , Xie Jiale , Yang Hongbin , Li Chang Ming
Published: July 2015

Hydrogen production from water splitting using solar energy based on photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells has attracted increasing attention because it leaves less of a carbon footprint and has economic superiority of solar and hydrogen energy. Oxide semiconductors such as ZnO possessing high stability against photocorrosion in hole scavenger systems have been widely used to build photoanodes of PEC cells but under visible light their conversion efficiencies with respect to incident‐photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency (IPCE) measured without external bias are still not satisfied. An innovative way is presented here to significantly improve the conversion efficiency of PEC cells by constructing a core–shell structure‐based photoanode comprising Au@CdS core–shell nanoparticles on ZnO nanowires (Au@CdS‐ZnO). The Au core offers strong electronic interactions with both CdS and ZnO resulting in a unique nanojunction to facilitate charge transfer. The Au@CdS‐ZnO PEC cell under 400 nm light irradiation without any applied bias provides an IPCE of 14.8%. Under AM1.5 light illumination with a bias of 0.4 V, the Au@CdS‐ZnO PEC cell produces H2 at a constant rate of 11.5 μmol h−1 as long as 10 h. This work provides a fundamental insight to improve the conversion efficiency for visible light in water splitting.
Flash Converted Graphene for Ultra‐High Power Supercapacitors
Authors: Wang Lisa J. , El‐Kady Maher F. , Dubin Sergey , Hwang Jee Youn , Shao Yuanlong , Marsh Kristofer , McVerry Brian , Kowal Matthew D. , Mousavi Mir F. , Kaner Richard B.
Published: July 2015

Supercapacitors are known for their rapid energy charge–discharge properties, often ten to a hundred times faster than batteries. However, there is still a demand for supercapacitors with even faster charge–discharge characteristics to fulfill the requirements of emerging technologies. The power and rate capabilities of supercapacitors are highly dependent on the morphology of their electrode materials. An electrically conductive 3D porous structure possessing a high surface area for ions to access is ideal. Using a flash of light, a method to produce highly interconnected 3D graphene architectures with high surface area and good conductivity is developed. The flash converted graphene is synthesized by reducing freeze‐dried graphene oxide using an ordinary camera flash as a photothermal source. The flash converted graphene is used in coin cell supercapacitors to investigate its electrode materials properties. The electrodes are fabricated using either a precoating flash conversion or a postcoating flash conversion of graphene oxide. Both techniques produce supercapacitors possessing ultra‐high power (5–7 × 105 W kg−1). Furthermore, optimized supercapacitors retain >50% of their capacitance when operated at an ultrahigh current density up to 220 A g−1.
Real‐time preventive sensor maintenance using robust moving horizon estimation and economic model predictive control
Authors: Lao Liangfeng , Ellis Matthew , Durand Helen , Christofides Panagiotis D.
Published: July 2015

Conducting preventive maintenance of measurement sensors in real‐time during process operation under feedback control while ensuring the reliability and improving the economic performance of a process is a central problem of the research area focusing on closed‐loop preventive maintenance of sensors and actuators. To address this problem, a robust moving horizon estimation (RMHE) scheme and an economic model predictive control system are combined to simultaneously achieve preventive sensor maintenance and optimal process economic performance with closed‐loop stability. Specifically, given a preventive sensor maintenance schedule, a RMHE scheme is developed that accommodates varying numbers of sensors to continuously supply accurate state estimates to a Lyapunov‐based economic model predictive control (LEMPC) system. Closed‐loop stability for this control approach can be proven under fairly general observability and stabilizability assumptions to be made precise in the manuscript. Subsequently, a chemical process example incorporating this RMHE‐based LEMPC scheme demonstrates its ability to maintain process stability and achieve optimal process economic performance as scheduled preventive maintenance is performed on the sensors. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 3374–3389, 2015
Behavioral characteristics associated with 19p13.2 microdeletions
Authors: Welham Alice , Singla Gursharan , Moss Joanna , Penhallow Jessica , Sheth Krupa , Wilde Lucy , Wynn Sarah , Oliver Chris
Published: July 2015

A small number of recent papers have described individuals with intellectual disabilities and microdeletions in chromosome band 19p13.2. However, little is known about the behavioral characteristics of individuals with microdeletions in this area. The current study examines behavioral characteristics of a series of 10 participants ranging in age from 2 to 20 years with 19p13.2 microdeletions. Parents/caregivers completed a series of established behavioral measures which have aided the elucidation of the behavioral phenotypes of a number of genetic neurodevelopmental syndromes. All but the youngest two participants (aged 2 and 3 years) were verbal, ambulant, and classified as “partly able” or “able” with regard to self‐help skills. Six of eight participants for whom a screening measure for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) could be deployed met criteria for an ASD. Six of the 10 participants had displayed self‐injurious behavior in the month prior to assessment, eight had displayed destruction/disruption of property, and eight had shown physically aggressive behaviors. Repetitive behaviors were prevalent in the sample (with all participants displaying at least one repetitive behavior to a clinically relevant level), as were problems with sleep. Low mood was not prevalent in this group, and nor were overactivity or impulsivity. Full determination of a behavioral phenotype for this group would require a larger sample size, distinguishing between genetic subtypes. However, the current data suggest that ASD characteristics, repetitive, and challenging behaviors (such as aggression and self‐injury) might be associated with 19p13.2 microdeletions, providing a basis for future investigation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A multivariate approach to assess variation in tooth mineralization using free‐lived and captive‐raised chimpanzees (P. troglodytes)
Authors: Boughner Julia C. , Der Jasmine , Kuykendall Kevin L.
Published: July 2015

Objectives

Understanding variation in dental development among primates is important to accurately characterize species‐specific sequences and times of tooth formation. Conventional approaches that summarize dental development data (i.e., dental maturity score, DMS) inherently omit information about the full range of variation in raw scores; thus, classic bivariate analyses are limited for exploring patterns of variation in detail. Here we report a new multivariate approach to simultaneously assess all raw dental scores, for all teeth, among all individuals for all groups, thus retaining much greater detail about population‐specific patterns of variation.

Methods

We scored (0–12) permanent tooth mineralization using radiographs of mandibles of captive‐raised known‐age chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes; n = 114) and free‐lived age‐unknown conspecifics (n = 54). As a test of our method we also scored free‐lived baboons (Papio anubis, n = 50) because of well‐described contrasting patterns of permanent molar initiation between Papio and Pan. Using principal component analysis (PCA), we investigated how crypt, crown and root formation scores covaried with each other in all three genera, and with chronological age in captive chimpanzees.

Results

PCA successfully captured additional detail about variation among raw scores. Also, compared to DMS, PC1 scores correlated equivalently well with known ages but had lower prediction error.

Conclusions

We found different patterns of variation in scores between younger juvenile free and captive chimpanzees but saw no wholesale differences between groups. Pan and Papio showed different patterns of variation, further validating this multivariate approach to visualize, quantify and compare raw dental score datasets among primate species. Am J Phys Anthropol 158:452–462, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synergistic effect of lactic acid oligomers and laminar graphene sheets on the barrier properties of polylactide nanocomposites obtained by thein situpolymerization pre‐incorporation method
Authors: Ambrosio‐Martín Jesús , López‐Rubio Amparo , José Fabra María , Angel López‐Manchado Miguel , Sorrentino Andrea , Gorrasi Giuliana , Lagarón Jose M.
Published: July 2015

Nanocomposites of polylactide (PLA) and functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) were obtained via melt compounding. Pre‐incorporation of the FGS fillers into lactic acid oligomers (OLLA) byin situmelt polycondensation was performed with the aim of improving the FGS dispersion and distribution into the polymeric matrix. To evaluate the effect of the pre‐incorporation step, a comparison with direct addition of the filler to the melt mixing process was carried out. Addition of OLLA and FGS led to enhanced better barrier properties. Specifically, reductions of up to 45% and 41% in oxygen and water vapor permeability were achieved, respectively. Mechanical and electrical properties of the PLA and its nanocomposites were also studied and correlated with both the addition of oligomers and the incorporation method. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2016,133, 42661.
Take steps to limit liability at camps affiliated with your institution
Authors: Wilson Mark
Published: July 2015

Children's physical safety ranks as one of the top concerns among parents who send their children to sports camps run by colleges and universities. In a perfect world, every sports camp director could guarantee that no child would be injured during camp.
Antitumor Activity of Ionic Liquids Based on Ampicillin
Authors: Ferraz Ricardo , Costa‐Rodrigues João , Fernandes Maria H. , Santos Miguel M. , Marrucho Isabel M. , Rebelo Luís Paulo N. , Prudêncio Cristina , Noronha João Paulo , Petrovski Željko , Branco Luís C.
Published: July 2015

Significant antiproliferative effects against various tumor cell lines were observed with novel ampicillin salts as ionic liquids. The combination of anionic ampicillin with appropriate ammonium, imidazolium, phosphonium, and pyridinium cations yielded active pharmaceutical ingredient ionic liquids (API‐ILs) that show potent antiproliferative activities against five different human cancer cell lines: T47D (breast), PC3 (prostate), HepG2 (liver), MG63 (osteosarcoma), and RKO (colon). Some API‐ILs showed IC50 values between 5 and 42 nM, activities that stand in dramatic contrast to the negligible cytotoxic activity level shown by the ampicillin sodium salt. Moreover, very low cytotoxicity against two primary cell lines—skin (SF) and gingival fibroblasts (GF)—indicates that the majority of these API‐ILs are nontoxic to normal human cell lines. The most promising combination of antitumor activity and low toxicity toward healthy cells was observed for the 1‐hydroxyethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium–ampicillin pair ([C2OHMIM][Amp]), making this the most suitable lead API‐IL for future studies.
Nonfragile H∞ filtering for wireless‐networked systems with energy constraint
Authors: Ling Rongyao , Zhang Dan
Published: July 2015

This article is concerned with the nonfragile
filtering for wireless‐networked systems with energy constraint. To achieve the energy‐efficient goal, the local measurement is first sampled by nonuniform sampling, then we only choose one measurement to transmit it to the remote filter. In the filter design, the random occurring filter gain variation problem is taken into account. A new stochastic switched system model is presented to capture the nonuniform sampling, the measurement size reduction, and the random filter gain phenomena. Based on the switched system approach, stochastic system analysis, and Lyapunov stability theory, a sufficient condition is presented such that the filtering error system is exponentially stable in the mean‐square sense and a prescribed
performance level is also guaranteed. The effectiveness of the proposed new method is illustrated by a simulation example. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 79–89, 2016
Single‐crystalline gold microplates grown on substrates by solution‐phase synthesis
Authors: Wu Xiaofei , Kullock René , Krauss Enno , Hecht Bert
Published: July 2015

Chemically synthesized single‐crystalline gold microplates have been attracting increasing interest because of their potential as high‐quality gold films for nanotechnology. We present the growth of tens of nanometers thick and tens of micrometers large single‐crystalline gold plates directly on solid substrates by solution‐phase synthesis. Compared to microplates deposited on substrates from dispersion phase, substrate‐grown plates exhibit significantly higher quality by avoiding severe small‐particle contamination and aggregation. Substrate‐grown gold plates also open new perspectives to study the growth mechanism via step‐growth and observation cycles of a large number of individual plates. Growth models are proposed to interpret the evolution of thickness, area and shape of the plates. It is found that the plate surface remains smooth after regrowth, implying the applicability of regrowth for producing giant plates as well as unique single‐crystalline nano‐structures.
Implementing Mass Cytometry at the Bedside to Study the Immunological Basis of Human Diseases: Distinctive Immune Features in Patients with a History of Term or Preterm Birth
Authors: Gaudillière Brice , Ganio Edward A. , Tingle Martha , Lancero Hope L. , Fragiadakis Gabriela K. , Baca Quentin J. , Aghaeepour Nima , Wong Ronald J. , Quaintance Cele , El‐Sayed Yasser Y. , Shaw Gary M. , Lewis David B. , Stevenson David K. , Nolan Garry P. , Angst Martin S.
Published: July 2015

Single‐cell technologies have immense potential to shed light on molecular and biological processes that drive human diseases. Mass cytometry (or Cytometry by Time Of Flight mass spectrometry, CyTOF) has already been employed in clinical studies to comprehensively survey patients’ circulating immune system. As interest in the “bedside” application of mass cytometry is growing, the delineation of relevant methodological issues is called for. This report uses a newly generated dataset to discuss important methodological considerations when mass cytometry is implemented in a clinical study. Specifically, the use of whole blood samples versus peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), design of mass‐tagged antibody panels, technical and analytical implications of sample barcoding, and application of traditional and unsupervised approaches to analyze high‐dimensional mass cytometry datasets are discussed. A mass cytometry assay was implemented in a cross‐sectional study of 19 women with a history of term or preterm birth to determine whether immune traits in peripheral blood differentiate the two groups in the absence of pregnancy. Twenty‐seven phenotypic and 11 intracellular markers were simultaneously analyzed in whole blood samples stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS at 0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng mL−1) to examine dose‐dependent signaling responses within the toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway. Complementary analyses, grounded in traditional or unsupervised gating strategies of immune cell subsets, indicated that the prpS6 and pMAPKAPK2 responses in classical monocytes are accentuated in women with a history of preterm birth (FDR<1%). The results suggest that women predisposed to preterm birth may be prone to mount an exacerbated TLR4 response during the course of pregnancy. This important hypothesis‐generating finding points to the power of single‐cell mass cytometry to detect biologically important differences in a relatively small patient cohort. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in pleural effusion
Authors: Sayah Maryam , VandenBussche Christopher , Maleki Zahra
Published: July 2015

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare mesenchymal tumor of vascular origin with variable morphological features and unpredictable biological behavior. EHE occasionally involves the pleural fluid. However, the cytomorphology of EHE found in pleural fluid has not been well characterized in the literature. Herein we describe a case of EHE, initially presenting as multiple liver lesions plus several small nodular densities at the bases of the lungs followed by bilateral pleural effusions. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2015;43:751–755. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Organic Semiconductor g‐C3N4 Modified TiO2 Nanotube Arrays for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Liu Lingjuan , Zhang Guan , Irvine John T. S. , Wu Yucheng
Published: July 2015

g‐C3N4 sensitized TiO2 nanotube arrays (g‐C3N4/TNTs) were fabricated by using a simple solid sublimation and transition (SST) method using urea as precursor. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances were evaluated in this work. It is proposed that the g‐C3N4 layer can play dual roles: surface sensitization and passivation of TNTs surface trap states to inhibit charge recombination. The g‐C3N4/TNTs exhibited significantly improved PEC performance compared with TNTs under blue light (460 nm) irradiation. The g‐C3N4/TNTs prepared from 3 g urea showed the highest photocurrent density of approximately 65 μA cm−2, which is almost 10 times as high as that of TNTs. Furthermore, g‐C3N4/TNTs showed enhanced photoelectrocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) under the blue light irradiation. The stable performance of degradation of MB in multicycle tests suggests that the hybrid g‐C3N4/TNT electrode could be used as a low‐cost photoelectrode material for wastewater treatment processes.
Paying for Primary Care: The Factors Associated with Physician Self‐selection into Payment Models
Authors: Rudoler David , Deber Raisa , Barnsley Janet , Glazier Richard H. , Dass Adrian Rohit , Laporte Audrey
Published: July 2015

To determine the factors associated with primary care physician self‐selection into different payment models, we used a panel of eight waves of administrative data for all primary care physicians who practiced in Ontario between 2003/2004 and 2010/2011. We used a mixed effects logistic regression model to estimate physicians' choice of three alternative payment models: fee for service, enhanced fee for service, and blended capitation. We found that primary care physicians self‐selected into payment models based on existing practice characteristics. Physicians with more complex patient populations were less likely to switch into capitation‐based payment models where higher levels of effort were not financially rewarded. These findings suggested that investigations aimed at assessing the impact of different primary care reimbursement models on outcomes, including costs and access, should first account for potential selection effects. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
RAP‐011 augments callus formation in closed fractures in rats
Authors: Morse Alyson , Cheng Tegan L. , Peacock Lauren , Mikulec Kathy , Little David G. , Schindeler Aaron
Published: July 2015

ACE‐011 is a bone anabolic agent generated by fusing the extracellular domain of the Activin Type 2A receptor (ActRIIA) to an IgG‐Fc. The orthopedic utility of ACE‐011 was investigated using a murine analogue, RAP‐011. Initially, a rat closed fracture model was tested using bi‐weekly (biw) 10 mg/kg RAP‐011. RAP‐011 significantly increased callus length and callus bone volume (BV, +43% at 6w, p < 0.01). The polar moment of inertia was calculated to be substantively increased (+80%, p < 0.01), however mechanical bending tests showed a more modest increase in maximum load to failure (+24%, p < 0.05). Histology indicated enhanced appositional bone growth, but it was hypothesized that reduced remodeling, evidenced by decreased serum CTX (−16% at 6w, p < 0.01), could be compromising bone quality in the callus. A second closed fracture study was performed to examine lower “pulse” [RAP‐011(p)] and “sustained” [RAP‐011(s)] regimens of biw 0.6mg/kg × 2, 0.35mg/kg × 3 and 0.18mg/kg × 2, 0.1mg/kg × 7 respectively, compared with PTH(1–34) (25 μg/kg/d) and vehicle controls. RAP‐011 treatments gave modest increases in callus length and callus BV at 6w (p < 0.01), but did not achieve an increase in maximum load over vehicle. In summary, RAP‐011 is effective in promoting bone formation during repair, but optimizing callus bone quality will require further investigation. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:320–330, 2016.
Tanning beds: A call to action for further educational and legislative efforts
Authors: Farley Clara , Alimi Yewande , Espinosa Lauren R. , Perez Sebastian , Knechtle William , Hestley Andrea , Carlson Grant W. , Russell Maria C. , Delman Keith A. , Rizzo Monica
Published: July 2015

Backgorund and objectives

Melanoma is steadily increasing over the past decade. Recent studies confirmed a link between tanning bed use and melanoma. We sought to determine the prevalence and frequency of tanning bed among young patients with melanoma.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed tanning bed use among young melanoma patients compared to controls selected from the hospital medical records. A telephone survey investigated family history of melanoma or skin cancer, hair color, eye color, skin type, tanning bed use, and patient awareness of dangers of tanning bed use.

Results

A total of 601 melanoma cases were identified; 265 (44%) completed the telephone survey as did 195 (31%) controls. Of these 460 subjects, 260 were female. Females were 3.0 times more likely to have used a tanning bed. Melanoma patients had natural light color hair, blue–green eyes, and 2.0 times more likely to use a tanning bed than controls. Among the tanning bed users, 90% were aware of danger of tanning bed.

Conclusions

Our study found that tanning beds were more likely to be used by young women, the majority of whom are aware of the associated risks. Eliminating the use of tanning beds should be considered to decrease the incidence of melanoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:183–187. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mammary ductoscopy and follow‐up avoid unnecessary duct excision in patients with pathologic nipple discharge
Authors: Liu Miao , Guo Giagia , Xie Fei , Wang Siyuan , Yang Houpu , Wang Shu
Published: July 2015

Background and Objectives

The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ductoscopy and follow‐up for the diagnoses of intraductal lesions and the concomitant advantages of avoiding surgery for patients with pathologic nipple discharge (PND).

Methods

Two hundred and sixty‐six ductoscopies were performed for 238 women. Patients with positive ductoscopies underwent surgery. If no positive lesions were present upon ductoscopy, the women were followed.

Results

Of 266 ductoscopic examinations, 168 (63.2%, 168/266) breasts from 165 patients were found to have positive images. The final histopathological results revealed that 93 patients with intraductal papilloma, 42 with intraductal papillomatosis, 15 with ADH lesions, DCIS in 9 patients, 1 case with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), 6 cases with duct ectasia, and 2 cases with inflammation. Seventy‐three patients with negative results upon ductoscopy were followed with a median time of 48 months. Twelve patients had PND recurrence and were diagnosed as papilloma or papillomatosis based on pathology after surgery. PND disappeared for 51 patients after ductoscopy, and no recurrence or disease evolvement was founded for them.

Conclusion

Ductoscopy and follow‐up were advantageous for selecting patients to undergo surgery or surveillance. The recurrence of PND after ductoscopy might be a strong predictor for having intraductal disease. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:139–143. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enzymatically activated near infrared nanoprobes based on amphiphilic block copolymers for optical detection of cancer
Authors: Özel Tuğba , White Sean , Nguyen Elaine , Moy Austin , Brenes Nicholas , Choi Bernard , Betancourt Tania
Published: July 2015

Background and Objective

Nanotechnology offers the possibility of creating multi‐functional structures that can provide solutions for biomedical problems. The nanoprobes herein described are an example of such structures, where nano‐scaled particles have been designed to provide high specificity and contrast potential for optical detection of cancer. Specifically, enzymatically activated fluorescent nanoprobes (EANPs) were synthesized as cancer‐specific contrast agents for optical imaging.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

EANPs were prepared by nanoprecipitation of blends of poly(lactic acid)‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid)‐b‐poly(l‐lysine). The lysine moieties were then covalently decorated with the near infrared (NIR) fluorescent molecule AlexaFluor‐750 (AF750). Close proximity of the fluorescent molecules to each other resulted in fluorescence quenching, which was reversed by enzymatically mediated cleavage of poly(l‐lysine) chains. EANPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy. Enzymatic development of fluorescence was studied in vitro by fluorescence spectroscopy. Biocompatibility and contrast potential of EANPs were studied in cancerous and noncancerous cells. The potential of the nanoprobes as contrast agents for NIR fluorescence imaging was studied in tissue phantoms.

Results

Spherical EANPs of ∼100 nm were synthesized via nanoprecipitation of polymer blends. Fluorescence activation of EANPs by treatment with a model protease was demonstrated with up to 15‐fold optical signal enhancement within 120 minutes. Studies with MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cells demonstrated the cytocompatibility of EANPs, as well as enhanced fluorescence associated with enzymatic activation. Imaging studies in tissue phantoms confirmed the ability of a simple imaging system based on a laser source and CCD camera to image dilute suspensions of the nanoprobe at depths of up to 4 mm, as well as up to a 13‐fold signal‐to‐background ratio for enzymatically activated EANPs compared to un‐activated EANPs at the same concentration.

Conclusion

Nanoprecipitation of copolymer blends containing poly(l‐lysine) was utilized as a method for preparation of highly functional nanoprobes with high potential as contrast agents for fluorescence based imaging of cancer. Lasers Surg. Med. 47:579–594, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Uncoupling of dopaminergic and subthalamic stimulation: Life‐threatening DBS withdrawal syndrome
Authors: Reuter Sigrid , Deuschl Günther , Falk Daniela , Mehdorn Maximilian , Witt Karsten
Published: July 2015

Background

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) is an accepted treatment. Infections of the system and other complications occasionally result in hardware removal and subsequent medical treatment alone for months.

Methods

We have analyzed the clinical course of 15 patients requiring removal of at least parts of the DBS system, resulting in a cessation of stimulation.

Results

Most had an uncomplicated return to medical treatment. Three had an unfavorable course during withdrawal, including two deaths. These patients had suffered from PD for more than 18 y and had had DBS for more than 8 y.

Conclusions

We conclude that DBS withdrawal can be life‐threatening, because the whole range of dopaminergic and nondopaminergic medical treatments may be ineffective at this stage. The lack of response to medical treatment might be attributable to advanced disease and long‐term changes of the basal ganglia loop in PD. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society