bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interlayer Nanoarchitectonics of Two‐Dimensional Transition‐Metal Dichalcogenides Nanosheets for Energy Storage and Conversion Applications
Authors: Xu Jun , Zhang Junjun , Zhang Wenjun , Lee Chun‐Sing
Published: June 2017

Lamellar transition‐metal dichalcogenides (MX2) have promising applications in electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices due to their two‐dimensional structure, ultrathin thickness, large interlayer distance, tunable bandgap, and transformable phase nature. Interlayer engineering of MX2 nanosheets with large specific surface area can modulate their electronic structures and interlayer distance as well as the intercalated foreign species, which is important for optimizing their performance in different devices. In this review, a summary on recent progress of MX2 nanosheets and the significance of their interlayer engineering is presented firstly. Synthesis of interlayer‐expanded MX2 nanosheets with various strategies is then discussed in detail. Emphasis is focused on their applications in rechargeable batteries, pseudocapacitors, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysis and treatments of environmental contaminants, demonstrating the importance of interlayer engineering on controlling performance of MX2. The current challenges of the interlayer‐expanded MX2 and outlooks for further advances are finally discussed.
Long‐term evolution of viruses: A Janus‐faced balance
Authors: Nasir Arshan , Kim Kyung Mo , Caetano‐Anollés Gustavo
Published: June 2017

The popular textbook image of viruses as noxious and selfish genetic parasites greatly underestimates the beneficial contributions of viruses to the biosphere. Given the crucial dependency of viruses to reproduce in an intracellular environment, viruses that engage in excessive killing (lysis) can drive their cellular hosts to extinction and will not survive. The lytic mode of virus propagation must, therefore, be tempered and balanced by non‐lytic modes of virus latency and symbiosis. Here, we review recent bioinformatics and metagenomic studies to argue that viral endogenization and domestication may be more frequent mechanisms of virus persistence than lysis. We use a triangle diagram to explain the three major virus persistence strategies that explain the global scope of virus‐cell interactions including lysis, latency and virus‐cell symbiosis. This paradigm can help identify novel directions in virology research where scientists could artificially gain control over switching lytic and beneficial viral lifestyles. Also see the Video Abstract: https://youtu.be/E1TOU1JDXo4
Engage with student organizations while managing institutional liability, risks
Authors: Porter Michael
Published: June 2017

Recent tragic incidents involving student organizations raise the profile of the potential for institutional liability that can arise from activities involving student organizations.
Take concrete steps to prevent academic integrity violations involving tutors
Authors: O'Brien Timothy
Published: June 2017

When a part‐time tutor of student‐athletes recently posted on social media her offer to sell evidence of academic fraud committed at a particular university, it surely made every higher education administrator cringe.
Was student allowed to present excessive‐force claim to jury?
Authors: Gelpi Aileen
Published: June 2017

As city police officers Thomas DeWitt and Debra Paxton were patrolling the campus of The Ohio State University in 2012, they allegedly saw Joseph Hines drink from a can and place it on the ground. After confirming the can contained an alcoholic beverage, they arrested him for littering.
Selective Photooxidation Reactions using Water‐Soluble Anthraquinone Photocatalysts
Authors: Zhang Wuyuan , Gacs Jenő , Arends Isabel W. C. E. , Hollmann Frank
Published: June 2017

The aerobic organocatalytic oxidation of alcohols was achieved by using water‐soluble sodium anthraquinone sulfonate. Under visible‐light activation, this catalyst mediated the aerobic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. The photo‐oxyfunctionalization of alkanes was also possible under these conditions.
Covariance eigenpairs neighbour distance for fault detection in chemical processes
Authors: Shang Jun , Chen Maoyin , Zhou Donghua
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a new data‐driven fault detection method called covariance eigenpairs neighbour distance (CEND) for monitoring chemical processes. It processes measured data in one‐step sliding windows to estimate covariance, and the eigenpairs of each sample covariance matrix are recursively calculated using rank‐one modification. The eigenvalues and selected elements of eigenvectors are stacked into reference vectors. For each window data containing the latest measurement vector, the neighbour distance of eigenpairs from the reference matrix can be effectively calculated by virtue of k‐d tree. The neighbour distance serves as the detection index, whose control limit can be determined by validation dataset with assigning a significance level. A high neighbour distance exceeding the control limit implies the occurrence of fault. Simulations on the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and the Tennessee Eastman process (TEP) both indicate the superior fault detectability of the proposed method, compared with conventional multivariate statistical process monitoring (MSPM) methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and independent component analysis (ICA).
Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange by Fe2O3−Fe3O4 Nanoparticles and Fe2O3−Fe3O4−Montmorillonite Nanocomposites
Authors: Wang Jiao , Liu Guijian , Liu Yuan , Zhou Chuncai , Wu Yaqin
Published: June 2017

Zero‐valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) are emerging multifunctional agents for contaminant treatment. However, Fe2O3–Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NIO), which are generated when nZVI is oxidized, can also make a meaningful contribution to the photocatalytic degradation of organics. Taking this into account, NIO and a Fe2O3–Fe3O4–montmorillonite nanocomposite (NIO‐M) were prepared, and their morphology and microstructure were investigated via a series of characterization methods. The presence of montmorillonite is critical to decreasing the aggregation and size of the crystals, which helps improve the thermal stability of the crystals. The photocatalysis performance of NIO and NIO‐M for the degradation of methyl orange was evaluated, and the data indicated that NIO‐M exhibited an excellent optical response and photocatalytic activity in the visible region. The degradation rate of methyl orange was 1.47 times faster within 45 min of irradiation compared with NIO. The results indicate that NIO‐M is a promising type of visible‐light‐driven photocatalyst for the degradation of organics in aqueous solutions.
Effect of heavy ions irradiation on the properties of benzil crystals
Authors: Stanculescu Florin , Socol Marcela , Matei Elena , Stanculescu Anca
Published: June 2017

Thick slices mechanically polished cut from a pure benzil ingot grown from melt in a modified Bridgman‐Stockbarger configuration were irradiated with Ni ions having a specific energy of 11.4 MeV/u at different fluences. The effect of radiation on the properties of bulk benzil has been investigated. The chemical structure was not substantially affected as shown by infrared spectrum. The changes induced on the disorder degree have been evaluated from the Urbach law and X Ray Diffraction measurements. The morphology and surface topography have been analyzed emphasising a decrease in the size of granules and an increase in the surface roughness by irradiation. No effect of irradiation on the photoluminescence emission and optical nonlinear properties has been evidenced. These results recommend benzil as candidate for applications in space technology.
Methods for cell volume measurement
Authors: Model Michael A.
Published: June 2017

Volume is an essential characteristic of a cell, and this review describes the main methods of its measurement that have been used in the past several decades. The discussed methods include various implementations of light scattering, estimates based on one or two cell dimensions, surface scanning, fluorescence confocal and transmission slice‐by‐slice imaging, intracellular volume markers, displacement of extracellular solution, quantitative phase imaging, radioactive methods, and some others. Suitability of these methods to some typical samples and applications is discussed. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Drill and blast excavation forecasting using 3D laser scanning
Authors: Amvrazis Seraphim , Voit Klaus , Cordes Tobias , Bergmeister Konrad
Published: June 2017

The application of 3D laser scanning technology in tunnelling has gained increasing significance in recent years. Laser scanning is an innovative holistic approach for data acquisition in tunnelling regarding the geometrical parameters. It is a distance‐based imaging technique for three‐dimensional and high‐resolution illustration (3D point cloud) of the surrounding rock that can be applied at various times to provide a variety of visualization and analysis possibilities. A new approach deals with excavation forecasting by linking the acquisition of the 3D geometry of previously excavated rounds with the geological documentation of the tunnel face. This approach enables the gathering of information about the expected overbreak or underprofile of subsequent excavation in similar rock conditions. Using this information, an optimization of the borehole positions (especially of the peripheral boreholes) can achieve the best possible excavation profile. This approach offers an improvement of excavation performance and saving potential with regard to excavation quantity and shotcrete consumption. The uniform excavation shape and consistent shotcrete thickness improve tunnel stability and finally increases the service life the tunnel structure.
The Mont Cenis Base Tunnel
Authors: Bufalini Maurizio , Dati Gianluca , Rocca Manuela , Scevaroli Riccardo
Published: June 2017

The New Lyon‐Turin Line (NLTL) is an essential component of the ”Mediterranean Corridor“, one of the nine TEN‐T network corridors, the future ”European metropolitan railway“ that will promote the movement of people and goods by rail, an ecological mode of transport. The goal is to reduce road transport, which increases pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The core element of the new line is the 57.5 km Mont Cenis Base Tunnel. The reference geological model is based on the data obtained during the excavation of the inclined access adits at Saint‐Martin‐La‐Porte, La Praz and Modane, including the La Maddalena exploratory tunnel. With the planned investigations completed, all the collected data will allow a technical and economical optimization of the construction phase and operation and maintenance of the line. The impact on water resources is minimized by using a full‐round waterproofing system up to a hydrostatic pressure of 10 bar. The expected residual water flows at the portals will be exploited for both drinking water and heating purposes. With 12 % of the tunnels already excavated, there are currently 800 people working on the NLTL. This unique project, with its extraordinary history and innovative features, has been proposed as the subject of an international case study.
A TBM assembly cavern in the French Alps
Authors: Gamba Francesco , Brino Lorenzo , Triclot Jacques , Hugot Elsa , Barla Giovanni , Martinotti Giorgio
Published: June 2017

This paper deals with the cross‐border section of the Lyon‐Turin Line, i.e. the 57.5 km long Mont Cenis Base Tunnel between Saint Jean de Maurienne in France and the Susa valley in Italy. Works at Saint Martin La Porte started in 2015 including the 9 km TBM excavation along the south tube of the base tunnel between the access adits of Saint Martin La Porte and La Praz. In order to assemble the TBM, a large underground cavern has been excavated at the end of the Saint Martin La Porte access adit. The size of this cavern, with a length of approximately 45 m, a span of 23 m and a height of 22.2 m, and the geological and geomechanical conditions in the Carboniferous Formation at a depth of about 600 m made this work a challenge. The excavation and support methods adopted are described, together with the rock mass conditions and the observed ground behaviour. The monitoring data obtained during excavation are briefly presented, including the works schedule.
Prograde Barrovian metamorphism along Darjeeling–Tista transect, Eastern Himalaya, India: constraints from textural relationship, phase equilibria and geothermobarometry
Authors: Prakash D. , Tewari S. , Singh P. Chandra
Published: June 2017

The Darjeeling–Tista transect, located in Lesser Himalaya, is a part of the North‐Eastern Himalaya. Along the transect, polyphase deformation and prograde Barrovian metamorphism have been delineated. The time relations between the phases of deformations (D1, D2and D3) and metamorphic crystallization reveal a single major prograde metamorphic event that initiated with the D1deformation and finally outlasted it. The earlier phase of this metamorphism is essentially regional syntectonic low grade, which may be designated (M1a). This was followed by regional static metamorphism (M1b) in the post‐tectonic phase between the D1and D2deformations. This M1metamorphism is superposed by later retrogressive metamorphism (M2) during the D2and D3deformations. The different parageneses of pelitic rocks containing chlorite, muscovite, biotite, garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite, K‐feldspar and plagioclase show various textures that resulted from the continuous and discontinuous reactions in the different zones. The metamorphic zones and isograds delineated on the basis of specific metamorphic reactions, namely reaction isograd or isoreaction grad, and by critical mineral assemblages are as follows: (a) chlorite–biotite zone, (b) garnet–chlorite zone, (c) staurolite–biotite–chlorite zone, (d) kyanite–biotite–staurolite zone and (e) sillimanite–biotite–staurolite zone. Chemographic relations and inferred reactions for different zones are portrayed in the AKF and AFM projections. A sequence of metamorphic reactions at different isograds has been deduced through textural relations. The prograde P‐T evolution of the study area has been constrained through the use of internally consistent winTWQ programme and Perple_X software in the MnNCKFMASHTO model system. The study has the potential to instigate future researches focusing on Himalayan metamorphic evolutionary trends using modern approaches. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Critical role of CREBH‐mediated induction of transforming growth factor β2 by hepatitis C virus infection in fibrogenic responses in hepatic stellate cells
Authors: Chida Takeshi , Ito Masahiko , Nakashima Kenji , Kanegae Yumi , Aoshima Takuya , Takabayashi Shuji , Kawata Kazuhito , Nakagawa Yoshimi , Yamamoto Masahiro , Shimano Hitoshi , Matsuura Tomokazu , Kobayashi Yoshimasa , Suda Takafumi , Suzuki Tetsuro
Published: June 2017

Mechanisms of hepatic fibrogenesis induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV), one of the leading causes of liver fibrosis, are not fully understood. We studied transcriptional up‐regulation of transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β), especially TGF‐β2, which is mediated by activation of liver‐enriched transcription factor cAMP‐responsive element‐binding protein, hepatocyte specific (CREBH) triggered by HCV infection and its functional significance for induction of profibrogenic phenotypes by interaction of HCV‐infected cells with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Compared to TGF‐β1, expression of TGF‐β2 mRNA was induced faster and to a higher level upon HCV infection. Serum TGF‐β2 levels in hepatitis C patients were higher compared to those in healthy individuals and were positively correlated with hepatic fibrosis stages F0‐F2. TGF‐β2 promoter activity was decreased and increased, respectively, by silencing and overexpression of CREBH. CREBH recognition sites were identified in the TGF‐β2 promoter. CREBH binding to the promoter and its increase in cells expressing HCV Core‐NS2 were shown by gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation, respectively. The active form of CREBH was detectable in HCV‐infected chimeric mice with human livers and cells expressing HCV proteins. Involvement of CREBH in HCV‐induced fibrogenic response was further demonstrated in the CREBH null‐mutant mouse model. Fibrogenic phenotypes were assessed using co‐cultures of HCV‐infected cells and HSCs. Expressions of fibrogenic factors and TGF‐β1 increasing in the co‐cultures was prevented by TGF‐β2‐ or CREBH silencing. Conclusion: CREBH was identified as a key positive regulator of TGF‐β2 transcription in HCV‐infected cells. TGF‐β2 released from infected cells potentially contributes to cross‐induction of TGF‐β in an autocrine manner through its own signaling pathway, leading to an increase in fibrogenic responses in adjacent HSCs. (Hepatology 2017;66:1430–1443).
Incorporating the joint toxicity of co-applied pesticides into the ecological risk assessment process
Authors: Belden Jason B , Brain Richard A
Published: June 2017

Pesticides are frequently formulated as mixtures of active ingredients. Although traditionally ecological risk assessments (ERAs) have focused on individual active ingredients, there is an ongoing effort in many jurisdictions to more formally include assessment of mixtures. The overall goal of this project was to describe an approach for conducting ERA of jointly applied pesticides. We suggest that standard testing of formulation mixtures is not warranted due to the low probability of synergy occurring at a high-enough magnitude to be measurable above experimental variability. Thus, empirical testing should focus on formulations for which there is a greater likelihood of synergy due to known toxicological interactions of the pesticide class or a priori knowledge of synergy, such as intellectual property claims. Additionally, empirical testing should focus on species that are above levels of concern and limit testing on species for which it is unlikely that synergy would significantly change the outcome of the ERA. If empirical testing is warranted, we suggest that results be compared to the concentration addition model (CA). If the empirical data deviates from the model by a factor of greater than 5, then synergy is considered likely and the ERA is based on the empirical data. Otherwise, the ERA may use CA to calculate risk quotients or be based on the most toxic active ingredient. To evaluate the approach, we reviewed formulation mixtures for which data were available. Only 3 of 24 mixture studies were found to deviate from CA by more than 5. The majority of the studies had a single component that dominated toxicity, suggesting that the ERA for these formulations will not be meaningfully different if based on the most toxic active ingredient. Overall, this approach balances risk assessment conservatism and reduces testing that would likely not result in improvement of the ERA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:79–91. © 2017 SETAC

Key Points

Expanded standard testing of formulation mixtures is not warranted due to the low probability of synergy occurring at a high-enough magnitude to be measurable above experimental variability. Empirical testing should focus on formulations for which there is a greater likelihood of synergy due to known toxicological interactions of the pesticide class or a priori knowledge of synergy, such as from intellectual property claims. If empirical testing is warranted, we suggest that results be compared to the concentration addition model (CA). Only 3 of 24 case studies deviated from the CA model by more than 5×, and the majority had a single component that dominated toxicity, suggesting the ERA for 21 of 24 studies would not greatly change if it is based on the most toxic component.
Effect of Ions on Clogging and Biofilm Formation in Drip Emitters Applying Secondary Sewage Effluent
Authors: Hao Fengzhen , Li Jiusheng , Wang Zhen , Li Yanfeng
Published: June 2017

On‐site drip irrigation experiments that were continued for 54 days with a daily operation of 12 h with sewage effluent and groundwater application were conducted to investigate the effect of two typical ions (Fe2+ and Ca2+) on emitter clogging. At the end of the experiment, several representative emitters were sampled to investigate the clogging mechanism through measuring the dry weight of biofilm substances (DW) and analysing the mineral constituents of clogging solids and the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) of attached biofilm. The plain emitters demonstrated significantly better anti‐clogging performance than the labyrinth emitters. For sewage application, the ions added increased the EPS and DW compared with sewage without ions added. Moreover, clogging in the labyrinth emitters increased with an increasing ion complex and concentration. Different irrigation water qualities produced similar mineral constituents of clogging solids: quartz, Ca + Mg carbonate, silicate, and iron oxide. However, the clogging risk and inducing mechanism varied with the types of ion added. Fe2+ promoted production of microorganisms and precipitation of solid particles, increasing the risk of biochemical clogging, while Ca2+ mainly caused chemical precipitation. A complex of Fe2+ and Ca2+ increased the risk of biochemical clogging under sewage application, while it caused chemical clogging for groundwater application. Therefore, the strategies for protecting emitter clogging should be developed through comprehensively considering water quality and emitter type used. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The evolution of scale economies in US banking
Authors: Wheelock David C. , Wilson Paul W.
Published: June 2017

Continued consolidation of the US banking industry and a general increase in the size of banks have prompted some policymakers to consider policies that discourage banks from getting larger, including explicit caps on bank size. However, limits on the size of banks could entail economic costs if they prevent banks from achieving economies of scale. This paper presents new estimates of returns to scale for US banks based on nonparametric, local‐linear estimation of bank cost, revenue, and profit functions. We report estimates for both 2006 and 2015 to compare returns to scale some 7 years after the financial crisis and 5 years after enactment of the Dodd–Frank Act with returns to scale before the crisis. We find that a high percentage of banks faced increasing returns to scale in cost in both years, including most of the 10 largest bank holding companies. Also, while returns to scale in revenue and profit vary more across banks, we find evidence that the largest four banks operate under increasing returns to scale.
Tendons and Ligaments: Connecting Developmental Biology to Musculoskeletal Disease Pathogenesis
Authors: Asahara Hiroshi , Inui Masafumi , Lotz Martin K
Published: June 2017

Tendons and ligaments provide connections between muscle and bone or bone and bone to enable locomotion. Damage to tendons and ligaments caused by acute or chronic injury or associated with aging and arthritis is a prevalent cause of disability. Improvements in approaches for the treatment of these conditions depend on a better understanding of tendon and ligament development, cell biology, and pathophysiology. This review focuses on recent advances in the discovery of transcription factors that control ligament and tendon cell differentiation, how cell and extracellular matrix homeostasis are altered in disease, and how this new insight can lead to novel therapeutic approaches. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
From intricate to integrated: Biofabrication of articulating joints
Authors: Groen Wilhelmina Margaretha , Diloksumpan Paweena , van Weeren Paul René , Levato Riccardo , Malda Jos
Published: June 2017

Articulating joints owe their function to the specialized architecture and the complex interplay between multiple tissues including cartilage, bone and synovium. Especially the cartilage component has limited self‐healing capacity and damage often leads to the onset of osteoarthritis, eventually resulting in failure of the joint as an organ. Although in its infancy, biofabrication has emerged as a promising technology to reproduce the intricate organization of the joint, thus enabling the introduction of novel surgical treatments, regenerative therapies, and new sets of tools to enhance our understanding of joint physiology and pathology. Herein, we address the current challenges to recapitulate the complexity of articulating joints and how biofabrication could overcome them. The combination of multiple materials, biological cues and cells in a layer‐by‐layer fashion, can assist in reproducing both the zonal organization of cartilage and the gradual transition from resilient cartilage toward the subchondral bone in biofabricated osteochondral grafts. In this way, optimal integration of engineered constructs with the natural surrounding tissues can be obtained. Mechanical characteristics, including the smoothness and low friction that are hallmarks of the articular surface, can be tuned with multi‐head or hybrid printers by controlling the spatial patterning of printed structures. Moreover, biofabrication can use digital medical images as blueprints for printing patient‐specific implants. Finally, the current rapid advances in biofabrication hold significant potential for developing joint‐on‐a‐chip models for personalized medicine and drug testing or even for the creation of implants that may be used to treat larger parts of the articulating joint. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res 35:2089–2097, 2017.
Omega‐3 fatty acids and risk of preeclampsia
Authors: Rani Alka , Chavan‐Gautam Preeti , Joshi Sadhana
Published: June 2017

Omega‐3 fatty acids are crucial for fetal brain and retina development and are transferred to the fetus from the mother. This transfer of omega‐3 fatty acids depends on the development and function of the placenta, which is a connecting organ between the mother and the fetus. However, lower levels of maternal omega‐3 fatty acids can alter early developmental processes of the placenta leading to pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia (PE). Future studies are required to understand the effect of omega‐3 fatty acid supplementation on placental oxidative stress and inflammation in women with PE.
Gas phase basicities of polyfunctional molecules. Part 6: Cyanides and isocyanides
Authors: Bouchoux Guy
Published: June 2017

This paper gathers structural and thermochemical informations related to the gas‐phase basicity of molecules containing cyanides (nitriles) and isocyanides (isonitriles) functional groups. It constitutes the sixth part of a general review devoted to gas‐phase basicities of polyfunctional compounds. A large corpus of cyanides and isocyanides molecules is examined under seven major chapters. In the first one, a rapid overview of the definitions and methods leading to gas‐phase basicity, GB, proton affinity, PA, and protonation entropy, ΔpS°, is given. In the same chapter, several aspects of the gas phase chemistry of protonated cyanides and isocyanides are also presented. Chapters II‐VI detail the protonation energetics of aliphatic, unsaturated, and heteroatom substituted (halogens, O, S, N, P) cyanides. A seventh chapter is devoted to isocyanides. Experimental data available in the literature (120 references) were reevaluated according to the presently adopted basicity scale that is the NIST database anchored to PA(NH3) = 853.6 kJ/mol and GB (NH3) = 819 kJ/mol. In this latter source, however, several erroneous values have been identified which were corrected in the present review. Structural and energetic information given by G4MP2 quantum chemistry computations on ca. 60 typical systems are presented. The present review includes the GB, PA, and ΔpS° values of ca. 110 cyanides and isocyanides, and, for selected examples, is completed by a set of computed heats of formation (ΔfH°) at 0 and 298 K.
Textural analysis of early‐phase spatiotemporal changes in contrast enhancement of breast lesions imaged with an ultrafast DCE‐MRI protocol
Authors: Milenković Jana , Dalmış Mehmet Ufuk , Žgajnar Janez , Platel Bram
Published: June 2017

Purpose

New ultrafast view‐sharing sequences have enabled breast dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) to be performed at high spatial and temporal resolution. The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic potential of textural features that quantify the spatiotemporal changes of the contrast‐agent uptake in computer‐aided diagnosis of malignant and benign breast lesions imaged with high spatial and temporal resolution DCE‐MRI.

Method

The proposed approach is based on the textural analysis quantifying the spatial variation of six dynamic features of the early‐phase contrast‐agent uptake of a lesion's largest cross‐sectional area. The textural analysis is performed by means of the second‐order gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix, gray‐level run‐length matrix and gray‐level difference matrix. This yields 35 textural features to quantify the spatial variation of each of the six dynamic features, providing a feature set of 210 features in total. The proposed feature set is evaluated based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in a cross‐validation scheme for random forests (RF) and two support vector machine classifiers, with linear and radial basis function (RBF) kernel. Evaluation is done on a dataset with 154 breast lesions (83 malignant and 71 benign) and compared to a previous approach based on 3D morphological features and the average and standard deviation of the same dynamic features over the entire lesion volume as well as their average for the smaller region of the strongest uptake rate.

Result

The area under the ROC curve (AUC) obtained by the proposed approach with the RF classifier was 0.8997, which was significantly higher (P = 0.0198) than the performance achieved by the previous approach (AUC = 0.8704) on the same dataset. Similarly, the proposed approach obtained a significantly higher result for both SVM classifiers with RBF (P = 0.0096) and linear kernel (P = 0.0417) obtaining AUC of 0.8876 and 0.8548, respectively, compared to AUC values of previous approach of 0.8562 and 0.8311, respectively.

Conclusion

The proposed approach based on 2D textural features quantifying spatiotemporal changes of the contrast‐agent uptake significantly outperforms the previous approach based on 3D morphology and dynamic analysis in differentiating the malignant and benign breast lesions, showing its potential to aid clinical decision making.
Differences in excitability properties between medial gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, and abductor pollicis brevis motor axons
Authors: Klein Cliff S. , Zhao Chen Ning , Liu Hui , Zhou Ping
Published: June 2017

Introduction: Excitability properties of motor nerves to different muscles are different, but the explanation is uncertain. We characterized motor axon excitability properties to the medial gastrocnemius (MG) in 27 adults, and made comparisons with the peroneal nerve to the tibialis anterior (TA) and median nerve to the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) in 10 subjects. Methods: Recordings of multiple excitability properties were made using threshold tracking, stimulating the nerves at the wrist or knee. Results: Threshold electrotonus and superexcitability differed between nerves (APB>MG>TA axons) that may reflect differences in fast K+ conductance. APB axons had larger S2 accommodation and undershoot than TA and MG axons, indicating greater slow K+ conductance. TA axons demonstrated greater accommodation during hyperpolarizing currents than MG and APB axons, suggestive of greater inwardly rectifying current. Discussion: Inherent differences in several conductances underlie nerve differences in excitability, presumably related to muscle or motoneuron properties. Muscle Nerve 57: E60–E69, 2018
Minimizing the makespan in multiserver network restoration problems
Authors: Averbakh Igor
Published: June 2017

Suppose that a destroyed network needs to be restored by a number of servers (construction crews) that are initially located at some nodes of the network (depots). Each server can restore one unit of length of the network per unit of time. When several servers are simultaneously working at the same point, their restoration speeds combine additively. The servers can travel within the already restored part of the network with infinite speed, which means that travel times are negligible with respect to construction times. It is required to minimize the time when each node becomes connected to at least one of the depots. We show that the problem is strongly NP‐hard on general networks, and present fast polynomial algorithms for trees and cactus networks which are connected networks where each node and each edge belong to at most one cycle. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 70(1), 60–68 2017
Carbon‐hydrogen related defects in SiGe observed after dc H plasma treatment
Authors: Stübner Ronald , Kolkovsky Vladimir , Weber Jörg , Abrosimov Nikolay V.
Published: June 2017

In the present study, the electrical and structural properties of two carbon‐hydrogen related DLTS levels (E42 and E262) that appear after hydrogen plasma treatment are investigated in diluted Si1−xGex alloys. E42 and E262 were previously observed in pure Si after hydrogenation by a dc hydrogen plasma. They were correlated with different charge states of a carbon–hydrogen complex, where H is located on the anti‐bonding position at the carbon atom (CH1AB). By utilizing the Laplace DLTS technique we show that the DLTS peaks E42 and E262 consist of several components in Si1−xGex. These components can be quantitatively explained by the presence of Ge atoms in the first and second nearest‐neighborhood of the CH1AB complex. The observed Laplace DLTS spectra indicate a preference of hydrogen to bond to carbon with a Ge atom in its first nearest‐neighborhood.
High‐Temperature United Constitutive Model of Non‐Oriented Electrical Steel Based on Transformation Kinetics Equation and Dislocation Density Theory
Authors: Liu Chao , He Anrui , Qiang Yi , Guo Defu , Shao Jian
Published: June 2017

The deformation resistance of non‐oriented electrical steel not only depends on the deformation temperature, strain, and strain rate, but also closely relates to the phase transformation. This study aims to incorporate these effects into a united constitutive model and make clear the distinction of micro hardening and softening mechanisms in different phase regions. Firstly, the transformation kinetics equation is established by the thermal dilatometric tests to accurately quantify the transformation process. Then, the high‐temperature deformation constitutive models are developed for each phase region based on the hot compression experiments and the dislocation density theory. The Hardening‐Softening Ratio is also proposed to describe the combined effect of work hardening and dynamic recovery softening. Finally, the model predictions are compared to the measured data and show a good fit. The results show that yield stress has a negative tendency with temperature in the ferrite region and also in the austenite region, and it changes faster in the ferrite region. The material constant is mainly related to the phase structure but almost independent of temperature. The hardening coefficient is determined by both temperature and phase structure, and the softening coefficient mainly depends on the phase structure.
Influence of sage seed gum on some physicochemical and rheological properties of wheat starch
Authors: Yousefi Ali Reza , Zahedi Younes , Razavi Seyed M. A. , Ghasemian Naser
Published: June 2017

The effect of sage seed gum at different concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5% w/w) on swelling power, solubility index, paste clarity, and steady shear flow behavior of wheat starch dispersion (2%, w/w) was evaluated. Sage seed gum addition enhanced the swelling power at all temperatures chosen (50–90°C). It also increased leakage of starch polymers at temperatures <80°C. In contrast, this addition decreased the activation energy needed for swelling (up to 34.17%) and solubilization (up to 30.85%). The paste clarity of wheat starch significantly decreased in the presence of SSG (p < 0.05). The apparent viscosity increased with the increasing SSG concentration and all the samples exhibited shear thinning flow behavior. Among the rheological model used, Sisko's model fitted well to the experimental data (R2 = 0.988–0.999, RMSE = 0.001–0.0018). Accordingly, addition of sage seed gum up to 0.5% resulted in an approximately twofold increase in η∞, 251‐fold in ks, but a 19% decrease in ns values of wheat starch dispersion. The concentration dependence of the apparent viscosity at a shear rate range of 10–100 s−1 was also analyzed using well‐defined models.
Antioxidant activity of inulin derivatives with quaternary ammonium
Authors: Chen Yuan , Zhang Jingjing , Tan Wenqiang , Wang Gang , Dong Fang , Li Qing , Guo Zhanyong
Published: June 2017

Three inulin derivatives with quaternary ammonium, including 2‐(N,N,N‐triethylamine)acetyl inulin chloride (TAIL), 2‐imidazoleacetyl inulin chloride (IAIL), and 2‐(1‐methylimidazole)acetyl inulin chloride (MIAIL) were synthesized via reaction of chloracetyl inulin (CAIL) with tertiary amine. Their antioxidant activity against hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals were evaluated in vitro, respectively. The results showed that IAIL had the best scavenging ability on scavenging hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals, and the scavenging indices were 86.7 and 67.8% at 1.6 mg/mL, respectively. These data indicate that all of the inulin derivatives have better antioxidant activities than inulin, and the quaternary ammonium and imidazole will improve the antioxidant activity of inulin derivatives.
Cover Image, Volume 6, Issue 4
Authors: Malik Karan , Singh Surya , Basu Suddhasatwa , Verma Anil
Published: June 2017

The cover image, by Karan Malik et al., is based on the Advanced Review Electrochemical reduction of CO2 for synthesis of green fuel, DOI: 10.1002/wene.244.

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A Framework for SFC Integrity in NFV Environments
Authors: Bondan Lucas , Wauters Tim , Volckaert Bruno , De Turck Filip , Granville Lisandro Zambenedetti
Published: June 2017

Industry and academia have increased the deployment of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) on their environments, either for reducing expenditures or taking advantage of NFV flexibility for service provisioning. In NFV, Service Function Chainings (SFC) composed of Virtualized Network Functions (VNF) are defined to deliver services to different customers. Despite the advancements in SFC composition for service provisioning, there is still a lack of proposals for ensuring the integrity of NFV service delivery, i.e., detecting anomalies in SFC operation. Such anomalies could indicate a series of different threats, such as DDoS attacks, information leakage, and unauthorized access. In this PhD, we propose a framework composed of an SFC Integrity Module (SIM) for the standard NFV architecture, providing the integration of anomaly detection mechanisms to NFV orchestrators. We present recent results of this PhD regarding the implementation of an entropy-based anomaly detection mechanism using the SIM framework. The results presented in this paper are based on the execution of the proposed mechanism using a realistic SFC data set.
Optimal Service Function Chain Composition in Network Functions Virtualization
Authors: Ocampo Andrés F. , Gil-Herrera Juliver , Isolani Pedro H. , Neves Miguel C. , Botero Juan F. , Latré Steven , Zambenedetti Lisandro , Barcellos Marinho P. , Gaspary Luciano P.
Published: June 2017

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is an emerging initiative where virtualization is used to consolidate Network Functions (NFs) onto high volume servers (HVS), switches, and storage. In addition, NFV provides flexibility as Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) can be moved to different locations in the network. One of the major challenges of NFV is the allocation of demanded network services in the network infrastructures, commonly referred to as the Network Functions Virtualization - Resource Allocation (NFV-RA) problem. NFV-RA is divided into three stages: (i) Service Function Chain (SFC) composition, (ii) SFC embedding and (iii) SFC scheduling. Up to now, existing NFV-RA approaches have mostly tackled the SFC embedding stage taking the SFC composition as an assumption. Few approaches have faced the composition of the SFCs using heuristic approaches that do not guarantee optimal solutions. In this paper, we solve the first stage of the problem by characterizing the service requests in terms of NFs and optimally building the SFC using an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) approach.
The Evaluation of the V2VUNet Concept to Improve Inter-vehicle Communications
Authors: Kristiana Lisa , Schmitt Corinna , Stiller Burkhard
Published: June 2017

Due to the high mobility behavior in inter-vehicle communications (IVC), packet forwarding among vehicles becomes an important issue. For IVC in a traditional packet forwarding setting, it was observed that the ratio between packets received and the packets transmitted is often very low, sometimes less than 50%. This ratio is highly influenced by the environment, especially by road topologies and obstructions (e.g., buildings or overpasses). Further influences encompass the number of driving vehicles on streets offering burdens for the IVC as well as serving as relay candidates. In order to improve IVC this paper introduces a Vehicular-to-Vehicular Urban Network (V2VUNet) to overcome inevitable obstructions and frequent network changes by selecting the best relay candidate. The V2VUNet implemented was evaluated in an IVC with the focus on three-dimensional road topologies including overpasses with a different number of driving lanes. The result shows that the developed V2VUNet provides about 30% better packet transmission performance compared to traditional packet transmission in IVC.
The effects of pesticides on morphology, viability, and germination of Blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) and Tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) pollen grains
Authors: Padilla Flavio , Soria Norman , Oleas Abrahan , Rueda Darwin , Manjunatha Bangeppagari , Kundapur Rajesh R. , Maddela Naga Raju , Rajeswari Bugude
Published: June 2017

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of application of pesticides on morphology, viability, and germination of pollen grains of Blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) and Tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.). The study was performed at Patate, Tungurahua province, Ecuador and was divided into two phases. Phase one dedicated to the study of morphology, viability, and identification of nutrient solution for better germination of pollen grains and phase two for the analysis of the effect of conventional, organic, and biological pesticides on pollen grain germination and pollen tube length. To study pollen morphology, pollens were extracted by hand pressure and was analyzed by optical and electron microscopy. The viable pollen grains were identified by staining with 1% acetocarmine. Even though Tree tomato and Blackberry pollen grains are morphologically similar, their exine shapes differ. We observed four times increase in pollen germination rate when suspended in nutrient solution (Sucrose with Boric acid) than control (water). Pollen grains under nutrient solution were subjected to different groups of pesticides for the period of 2, 4, and 6 h. With respect to pesticide affect, the Blackberry pollen grain germination followed the following order: Lecaniceb > Beauveb > Metazeb => Myceb > Control. However, the effect on Tree tomato pollen grains was as follows: Lecaniceb > Myceb > Cantus > Bacillus thuringiensis > Kripton > Control. As per as pollen grain germination is concerned, we observed that the chemical pesticides are more harmful than other pesticides. So, it is necessary to perform screening test for different pesticides and their effect on pollen grain germination before applying to the fields.
Effect of stick-slip on magneto-rheological elastomer with a magnetic field
Authors: Lian Chenglong , Lee Kwang-hee , An Jun-wook , Lee Chul-hee
Published: June 2017

This study investigated the stick-slip characteristics of a magneto-rheological elastomer (MRE) against an aluminum plate. Herein, the MRE was manufactured, and a stick-slip tester was employed to evaluate the stick-slip performance of the MRE under different velocities and load conditions with and without a magnetic field. The fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the friction force of the stick-slip and the roughness of the aluminum plate surface were calculated to confirm the stick-slip phenomenon. After the tests, the wear surfaces were observed to evaluate the wear properties of the MRE regarding the stick-slip. Results showed that the stick-slip was smaller at lower velocity. At higher velocity, the reduction of the stick-slip under a magnetic field was more clearly observed. Moreover, the wear reduced with reduced stick-slip under a magnetic field.
Familiarity deficits in cognitively normal aging individuals with APOE ε4: A follow‐up investigation of medial temporal lobe structural correlates
Authors: Schoemaker Dorothee , Poirier Judes , Collins D. Louis , Gauthier Serge , Pruessner Jens C.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

The apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) allele is a well‐documented risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Accordingly, aging individuals carrying one or more ε4 alleles are at considerably greater risk of developing AD over time. In an effort to characterize early cognitive manifestations of AD, we previously outlined selective deficits in familiarity‐based recognition in otherwise asymptomatic carriers of the APOE ε4 allele (Schoemaker et al., 2016). In this follow‐up report, we aimed to explore the neural correlates of this selective cognitive impairment.

Methods

For this purpose, within the same population and using high‐resolution structural neuroimaging, we explored relationships between volumes of the hippocampus, entorhinal, and perirhinal cortices and performance in recollection and familiarity.

Results

Overall, our results revealed significant positive relationships between familiarity performance and volumes of the perirhinal and entorhinal cortices in aging individuals with APOE ε4. In APOE ε4 carriers, a positive correlation between recollection performance and hippocampal volume was also found. In contrast, no correlation reached statistical significance in the group of noncarriers.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that familiarity performance might be a useful marker of the integrity of the rhinal cortex, especially in populations at risk of AD.