bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Syntheses of Three Novel Carbonate Halides: Cs3Pb2(CO3)3I, KBa2(CO3)2F, and RbBa2(CO3)2F
Authors: Liu Lili , Yang Yun , Dong Xiaoyu , Zhang Bingbing , Wang Ying , Yang Zhihua , Pan Shilie
Published: January 2016

Three new carbonate halides, Cs3Pb2(CO3)3I, KBa2(CO3)2F and RbBa2(CO3)2F have been synthesized with hydrothermal and solid‐state methods. Cs3Pb2(CO3)3I is the first product in the lead carbonate iodides family; KBa2(CO3)2F and RbBa2(CO3)2F are the first two centrosymmetric compounds found in the alkaline–alkaline earth carbonate fluorides family. Cs3Pb2(CO3)3I crystallizes in a centrosymmetric space group C2/m, and exhibits a two‐ dimensional layered structure which is formed by [Cs4Pb4(CO3)6I2]∞ double‐layers consisting of [Pb2(CO3)3I]∞ single‐layers bridged by the Cs atoms. KBa2(CO3)2F and RbBa2(CO3)2F, which are isostructural, crystallize in a trigonal crystal system with a centric space group of R
featuring a honeycomb‐like framework. First principle calculations indicate that Cs3Pb2(CO3)3I has a moderate birefringence and explain the difference between the band gaps of the title compounds from electron structures. The effects of cations and halogens on the structures and properties of the title compounds are also discussed.
Modeling and Simulation of a Tube Bundle Adsorber for the Capture of CO2 from Flue Gases
Authors: Duarte Gabriel Salazar , Schürer Benedikt , Voss Christian , Bathen Dieter
Published: January 2016

Besides absorption and membrane processes, temperature swing adsorption (TSA) processes allow for the removal of impurities from gas streams and the recovery of the adsorbed component with high purity. However, especially in the case of large quantities of impurities (e.g., CO2 in flue gas) the TSA processes suffer from their high energetic demand. To reduce this energy demand tube bundle adsorbers with indirectly heated and cooled adsorbent bed were developed. The influence of several parameters on the performance of these adsorbers in a capturing process for CO2 from a dry flue gas is investigated. A detailed 2D model is derived and several parameter sweeps are conducted. It is observed that the inner thermal resistance plays a dominant role on the performance of the process.
Removal of Acetamiprid from Wastewater by Fenton and Photo‐Fenton Processes – Optimization by Response Surface Methodology and Kinetics
Authors: Fasnabi Puthenkattil Abdukunji , Madhu Gopal , Soloman Pooppana Antony
Published: January 2016

Advanced oxidation processes are widely used for the removal of organics which are difficult to remove by biological treatment processes. Advanced oxidation processes use the oxidizing power of hydroxyl radicals for the removal of pollutants. In the present study, the ability of Fenton and photo‐Fenton processes in removing acetamiprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, from wastewater has been investigated. The effect of operating parameters such as initial H2O2 and Fe2+ concentrations on the removal of acetamiprid and total organic carbon (TOC) has also been investigated. The processes are optimized using central composite design of the response surface methodology (RSM). A drastic reduction of time and amount of initial H2O2 and Fe2+ needed for the process were observed when UV is used along with Fenton process (photo‐Fenton). A second order model has been suggested by RSM for predicting acetamiprid and TOC removal. The kinetic study shows that the reactions follow pseudo‐first order kinetics. A comparison of the above processes on the basis of the rate constant is also presented.
AL‐DDCNN: a distributed crossing semantic gap learning for person re‐identification
Authors: Cheng Keyang , Zhan Yongzhao , Qi Man
Published: January 2016

By the reason of the variability of light and pedestrians' appearance, it is hard for a camera to obtain a clear human figure. Person re‐identification with different cameras is a difficult visual recognition task. In this paper, a novel approach called attribute learning based on distributed deep convolutional neural network model is proposed to address person re‐identification task. It shows how attributes, namely the mid‐level medium between classes and features, are obtained automatically and how they are employed to re‐identify person with semantics when an author‐topic model is used to mapping category. Besides, considering the ability to operate on raw pixel input without the need to design special features, deep convolutional neural network is employed to generate features without supervision for attributes learning model. To overcome the model's weakness in computing speed, parallelized implementations such as distributed parameter manipulation and attributes learning are employed in attribute learning based on distributed deep convolutional neural network model. Experiments show that the proposed approach achieves state‐of‐the‐art recognition performance in the VIPeR data set and is with a good semantic explanation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamic resource demand prediction and allocation in multi‐tenant service clouds
Authors: Verma Manish , Gangadharan G. R. , Narendra Nanjangud C. , Vadlamani Ravi , Inamdar Vidyadhar , Ramachandran Lakshmi , Calheiros Rodrigo N. , Buyya Rajkumar
Published: January 2016

Cloud computing is emerging as an increasingly popular computing paradigm, allowing dynamic scaling of resources available to users as needed. This requires a highly accurate demand prediction and resource allocation methodology that can provision resources in advance, thereby minimizing the virtual machine downtime required for resource provisioning. In this paper, we present a dynamic resource demand prediction and allocation framework in multi‐tenant service clouds. The novel contribution of our proposed framework is that it classifies the service tenants as per whether their resource requirements would increase or not; based on this classification, our framework prioritizes prediction for those service tenants in which resource demand would increase, thereby minimizing the time needed for prediction. Furthermore, our approach adds the service tenants to matched virtual machines and allocates the virtual machines to physical host machines using a best‐fit heuristic approach. Performance results demonstrate how our best‐fit heuristic approach could efficiently allocate virtual machines to hosts so that the hosts are utilized to their fullest capacity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conjugate gradient neural network‐based online recognition of glass defects
Authors: Jin Yong , Weng Jialiang , Wang Zhaoba
Published: January 2016

Online recognition of glass defects plays an important role in improving the quality of glass products. This paper presents a conjugate gradient neural network‐based method, which combines phase map and the defective image for recognition of glass defects. The boundary coordinates of the connected defect region are calculated and used to extract the defect region in the defective image correspondingly. The piecewise linear gray‐level transformation is designed to reduce the noise and to enhance the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the defective image. The second iteration segmentation based on gray range is applied to calculate the low and high thresholds, and the ternary‐valued defective image is acquired. The seven features calculated by Hu invariant moment and four features extracted from the ternary‐valued defective image are used as inputs of the conjugate gradient neural network to recognize the defect type. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the recognition reaches up to 93%. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Capturing recurring concepts using discrete Fourier transform
Authors: Sakthithasan Sripirakas , Pears Russel
Published: January 2016

In this research, we address the problem of capturing recurring concepts in a data stream environment. Recurrence capture enables the reuse of previously learned classifiers without the need for relearning while providing for better accuracy during the concept recurrence interval. We capture concepts by applying the discrete Fourier transform to decision tree classifiers to obtain highly compressed versions of the trees at concept drift points in the stream and store such trees in a repository for future use. In addition, the impact of drift detector in enabling stable performance is also studied with the two drift detectors: ADWIN and SeqDrift2 in recurring concept capturing context. Our empirical results on real world and synthetic data exhibiting varying degrees of recurrence show that the Fourier compressed trees are more robust to noise and are able to capture recurring concepts with higher precision than a meta‐learning approach that chooses to reuse classifiers in their originally occurring form. A case study on a flight dataset that closely matches the target data stream environment where concepts recur in similar form in a time critical system is also conducted and the benefits of discrete Fourier transform application is evaluated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thickness‐ and Particle‐Size‐Dependent Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on Thin‐Layer Porous Silver Electrodes
Authors: Zhang Lin , Wang Zhiyong , Mehio Nada , Jin Xianbo , Dai Sheng
Published: January 2016

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 can not only convert it back into fuels, but is also an efficient manner to store forms of renewable energy. Catalysis with silver is a possible technology for CO2 reduction. We report that in the case of monolithic porous silver, the film thickness and primary particle size of the silver particles, which can be controlled by electrochemical growth/reduction of AgCl film on silver substrate, have a strong influence on the electrocatalytic activity towards CO2 reduction. A 6 μm thick silver film with particle sizes of 30–50 nm delivers a CO formation current of 10.5 mA cm−2 and a mass activity of 4.38 A gAg−1 at an overpotential of 0.39 V, comparable to levels achieved with state‐of‐the‐art gold catalysts.
Individual variation changes dispersal distance and area requirements of a checkerspot butterfly
Authors: Brown Leone M. , Crone Elizabeth E.
Published: January 2016

Individual variation in movement can have important consequences for spatial population dynamics. For instance, individual variation increases leptokurtosis in dispersal distance, such that more individuals move very short and very long distances relative to a homogeneous population. We quantified individual variation in movement of the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton) to investigate its importance for two conservation‐related metrics: the expected dispersal distance and the critical minimum patch size, or the smallest area within which a population can persist based on loss due to emigration. All movement parameters showed among‐individual variation, with the greatest variation in move lengths and time spent resting. Correlations in among‐individual movement parameters indicated that some butterflies were generally more mobile than others. We incorporated empirically estimated movement and demographic parameters into two individual‐based models (IBMs), one with homogeneity in movement among individuals, and one with heterogeneity in movement. As expected, individual variation in movement increased the leptokurtosis of lifetime movement distance; the maximum difference in distance moved was substantial (~850 m vs. ~5800 m) and is likely of significance for conservation. Individual variation also affected the critical minimum patch size, but the difference (~0.7 ha vs. ~0.5 ha) is unlikely to be ecologically significant. Notably, populations with individual variation had higher growth rates in small patches and lower growth rates in large patches, a logical consequence of increased leptokurtosis. Individual variation in movement is fairly straightforward to quantify using mixed effects models and is important for spatial population dynamics, thus we encourage its inclusion in studies of other systems.
Synthesis of Hexagonal‐Phase Eu3+‐Doped GdF3 Nanocrystals above Room Temperature by Controlling the Viscosity of the Solvents
Authors: Samanta Tuhin , Hazra Chanchal , Praveen Athma E. , Ganguli Sagar , Mahalingam Venkataramanan
Published: January 2016

The formation of orthorhombic‐phase GdF3 nanocrystals (thermodynamically controlled product) requires higher activation energy than that necessary for the formation of hexagonal‐phase GdF3 nanocrystals (kinetically controlled product). As a result, whenever a reaction is carried out at higher temperatures, formation of the orthorhombic‐phase GdF3 is generally preferred. However, the thermodynamic product is always more stable than the kinetic one at lower temperatures. Here, we report a simple microwave‐assisted method to synthesize stable, hexagonal‐phase, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) functionalized Eu3+‐doped GdF3 nanocrystals at higher temperatures (up to 220 °C). This is achieved by tuning the viscosity of the solvents as well as using KF as fluoride source. Both the morphology and the size of the GdF3 nanocrystals can also be varied by tuning the reaction conditions. Functionalization of the nanocrystals with PVP makes them water‐dispersible. The Eu3+‐doped GdF3 nanocrystals show intense red emission and longer luminescence lifetimes. The high luminescence efficiency of the Eu3+‐doped GdF3 nanocrystals together with their high dispersibility in water can make them suitable for use in bioimaging and MRI imaging applications.
An Easy Way to Construct Polyoxovanadate‐Based Organic–Inorganic Hybrids by Stepwise Functionalization
Authors: Xiao Zicheng , Chen Kun , Wu Baolin , Li Wenjing , Wu Pingfan , Wei Yongge
Published: January 2016

Herein we report a step‐by‐step strategy for the organic modification of polyoxovanadates, which is based on a suitable polyoxovanadate platform, and a series of novel functionalized polyoxovanadates can be synthesized conveniently by sequential esterification and amidation reactions.
Hole‐Size Relationships in the Assembly of a Furandicarboxylate‐Based Metallolinker in Praseodymium Coordination Polymers Synthesized under Basic Conditions
Authors: Einkauf Jeffrey D. , Karram Joseph P. , Greig Natalie E. , Chan Benny C. , de Lill Daniel T.
Published: January 2016

Two new coordination polymers have been synthesized with 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid upon base modification. The resulting structures are dependent on the base added. When KOH was used as base, potassium was incorporated into the two‐dimensional coordination polymer, acting as a metallolinker to give [Pr2K2(OH)2(C6H2O5)3(H2O)3]·H2O (1). Synthesis with other alkali hydroxides produced a three‐dimensional metal‐organic framework, [Pr8(OH)6(C6H2O5)9(H2O)15]·3H2O (2), and the alkali metal cations were not incorporated into the structure. Hole‐size effects with bite‐angle analyses indicate that metallolinker formation depends on the cation size. The resulting compounds were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, powder X‐ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis.
Total Synthesis of (±)‐Scopolamine: Challenges of the Tropane Ring
Authors: Nocquet Pierre‐Antoine , Opatz Till
Published: January 2016

Scopolamine was synthesized using 6,7‐dehydrotropine as a key intermediate. Rhodium‐catalyzed [4 + 3] cycloaddition chemistry and a modified Robinson–Schöpf reaction were each independently evaluated for their utility in constructing the tropane core. Both synthetic approaches gave comparable overall yields.
The effects of low‐dose ketamine on the prefrontal cortex and amygdala in treatment‐resistant depression: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Li Cheng‐Ta , Chen Mu‐Hong , Lin Wei‐Chen , Hong Chen‐Jee , Yang Bang‐Hung , Liu Ren‐Shyan , Tu Pei‐Chi , Su Tung‐Ping
Published: January 2016

Background

Low‐dose ketamine has been found to have robust and rapid antidepressant effects. A hypoactive prefrontal cortex (PFC) and a hyperactive amygdala have been suggested to be associated with treatment‐resistant depression (TRD). However, it is unclear whether the rapid antidepressant mechanisms of ketamine on TRD involve changes in glutamatergic neurotransmission in the PFC and the amygdala.

Methods

A group of 48 TRD patients were recruited and equally randomized into three groups (A: 0.5 kg/mg‐ketamine; B: 0.2 kg/mg‐ketamine; and C: normal saline [NS]). Standardized uptake values (SUV) of glucose metabolism measured by 18F‐FDG positron‐emission‐tomography before and immediately after a 40‐min ketamine or NS infusion were used for subsequent region‐of‐interest (ROI) analyses (a priori regions: PFC and amygdala) and whole‐brain voxel‐wise analyses and were correlated with antidepressant responses, as defined by the Hamilton depression rating scale score. The 18F‐FDG signals were used as a proxy measure of glutamate neurotransmission.

Results

The ROI analysis indicated that Group A and Group B, but not Group C, had increases in the SUV of the PFC (group‐by‐time interaction: F = 7.373, P = 0.002), whereas decreases in the SUV of the amygdala were observed in all three groups (main effect of time, P < 0.001). The voxel‐wise analysis further confirmed a significant group effect on the PFC (corrected for family‐wise errors, P < 0.05; post hoc analysis: Group A<Group C, Group B<Group C). The SUV differences in the PFC predicted the antidepressant responses at 40 and 240 min post‐treatment. The PFC changes did not differ between those with and without side effects.

Conclusion

Ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects involved the facilitation of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the PFC. Hum Brain Mapp 37:1080–1090, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diverse impacts of the rs58542926 E167K variant in TM6SF2 on viral and metabolic liver disease phenotypes
Authors: Eslam Mohammed , Mangia Alessandra , Berg Thomas , Chan Henry Lik Yuen , Irving William L. , Dore Gregory J. , Abate Maria Lorena , Bugianesi Elisabetta , Adams Leon A. , Najim Mustafa A.M. , Miele Luca , Weltman Martin , Mollison Lindsay , Cheng Wendy , Riordan Stephen , Fischer Janett , Romero‐Gomez Manuel , Spengler Ulrich , Nattermann Jacob , Rahme Antony , Sheridan David , Booth David R. , McLeod Duncan , Powell Elizabeth , Liddle Christopher , Douglas Mark W. , van der Poorten David , George Jacob ,   International Liver Disease Genetics Consortium
Published: January 2016

A genome‐wide exome association study has identified the transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) rs58542926 variant encoding an E167K substitution as a genetic determinant of hepatic steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The roles of this variant across a spectrum of liver diseases and pathologies and on serum lipids comparing viral hepatitis to NAFLD and viral load in chronic viral hepatitis, as well as its intrahepatic molecular signature, have not been well characterized. We undertook detailed analyses in 3260 subjects with viral and nonviral liver diseases and in healthy controls. Serum inflammatory markers and hepatic expression of TM6SF2 and genes regulating lipid metabolism were assessed in a subset with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The rs58542926 T allele was more prevalent in 502 NAFLD patients than controls (P = 0.02) but not different in cohorts with CHC (n = 2023) and chronic hepatitis B (n = 507). The T allele was associated with alterations in serum lipids and hepatic steatosis in all diseases and with reduced hepatic TM6SF2 and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein expression. Interestingly, the substitution was associated with reduced CHC viral load but increased hepatitis B virus DNA. The rs58542926 T allele had no effect on inflammation, impacted ≥F2 fibrosis in CHC and NAFLD assessed cross‐sectionally (odds ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.04‐1.87, and odds ratio = 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.03‐2.52, respectively; P < 0.03 for both), but had no effect on fibrosis progression in 1174 patients with CHC and a known duration of infection. Conclusion: The TM6SF2 E167K substitution promotes steatosis and lipid abnormalities in part by altering TM6SF2 and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein expression and differentially impacts CHC and chronic hepatitis B viral load, while effects on fibrosis are marginal. (Hepatology 2016;64:34–46)
Covalent immobilization of stem cell inducing/recruiting factor and heparin on cell‐free small‐diameter vascular graft for accelerated in situ tissue regeneration
Authors: Shafiq Muhammad , Jung Youngmee , Kim Soo Hyun
Published: January 2016

The development of cell‐free vascular grafts has tremendous potential for tissue engineering. However, thrombus formation, less‐than‐ideal cell infiltration, and a lack of growth potential limit the application of electrospun scaffolds for in situ tissue‐engineered vasculature. To overcome these challenges, here we present development of an acellular tissue‐engineered vessel based on electrospun poly(L‐lactide‐co‐ɛ‐caprolactone) scaffolds. Heparin was conjugated to suppress thrombogenic responses, and substance P (SP) was immobilized to recruit host cells. SP was released in a sustained manner from scaffolds and recruited human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells. The biocompatibility and biological performance of the grafts were evaluated by in vivo experiments involving subcutaneous scaffold implantation in Sprague‐Dawley rats (n = 12) for up to 4 weeks. Histological analysis revealed a higher extent of accumulative host cell infiltration, neotissue formation, collagen deposition, and elastin deposition in scaffolds containing either SP or heparin/SP than in the control groups. We also observed the presence of a large number of laminin‐positive blood vessels, von Willebrand factor (vWF+) cells, and alpha smooth muscle actin‐positive cells in the explants containing SP and heparin/SP. Additionally, SP and heparin/SP grafts showed the existence of CD90+ and CD105+ MSCs and induced a large number of M2 macrophages to infiltrate the graft wall compared with that observed with the control group. Our cell‐free grafts could enhance vascular regeneration by endogenous cell recruitment and by mediating macrophage polarization into the M2 phenotype, suggesting that these constructs may be a promising cell‐free graft candidate and are worthy of further in vivo evaluation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1352–1371, 2016.
Electroactive polyurethane/siloxane derived from castor oil as a versatile cardiac patch, part II: HL‐1 cytocompatibility and electrical characterizations
Authors: Baheiraei Nafiseh , Gharibi Reza , Yeganeh Hamid , Miragoli Michele , Salvarani Nicolò , Di Pasquale Elisa , Condorelli Gianluigi
Published: January 2016

In first part of this experiment, biocompatibility of the newly developed electroactive polyurethane/siloxane films containing aniline tetramer moieties was demonstrated with proliferation and differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts. Here we further assessed the cytocompatibility of the prepared samples with HL1‐cell line, the electrophysiological properties and the patch clamp recording of the seeded cells over the selected electroactive sample. Presence of electroactive aniline tetramer in the structure of polyurethane/siloxane led to the increased expression of cardiac‐specific genes of HL‐1 cells involved in muscle contraction and electrical coupling. Our results showed that expression of Cx43, TrpT‐2, and SERCA genes was significantly increased in conductive sample compared to tissue culture plate and the corresponding non‐conductive analogous. The prepared materials were not only biocompatible in terms of cellular toxicity, but did not alter the intrinsic electrical characteristics of HL‐1 cells. Embedding the electroactive moiety into the prepared films improved the properties of these polymeric cardiac construct through the enhanced transmission of electrical signals between the cells. Based on morphological observation, calcium imaging and electrophysiological recordings, we demonstrated the potential applicability of these materials for cardiac tissue engineering. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1398–1407, 2016.
Evaluation of osteoinductive and endothelial differentiation potential of Platelet‐Rich Plasma incorporated Gelatin‐Nanohydroxyapatite Fibrous Matrix
Authors: J Anjana , Kuttappan Shruthy , Keyan Kripa S. , Nair Manitha B.
Published: January 2016

In this study, platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) was incorporated into gelatin‐nanohydroxyapatite fibrous scaffold in two forms (PRP gel as coating on the scaffold [PCSC] and PRP powder within the scaffold [PCSL] and investigated for (a) growth factor release; (b) stability of scaffold at different temperature; (c) stability of scaffold before and after ETO sterilization; and (d) osteogenic and endothelial differentiation potential using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). PCSC demonstrated a high and burst growth factor release initially followed by a gradual reduction in its concentration, while PCSL showed a steady state release pattern for 30 days. The stability of growth factors released from PCSL was not altered either through ETO sterilization or through its storage at different temperature. PRP‐loaded scaffolds induced the differentiation of MSCs into osteogenic and endothelial lineage without providing any induction factors in the cell culture medium and the differentiation rate was significantly higher when compared to the scaffolds devoid of PRP. PCSC performed better than PCSL. In general, PRP in combination with composite fibrous scaffold could be a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 771–781, 2016.
Efficient nitrate removal using micro‐electrolysis with zero valent iron/activated carbon nanocomposite
Authors: Liu Guo , Zhou Yaqi , Liu Zhaoyang , Zhang Junjie , Tang Binbin , Yang Shaogui , Sun Cheng
Published: January 2016

BACKGROUND

Increasing nitrate concentration in ground water resources due to increased municipal and industrial contaminations is posing a great threat to human health worldwide. Therefore, an efficient technique to remove nitrate from ground water is in high demand.

RESULT

In this study, nanoscale zero valent iron (NZVI)/activated carbon (AC) nanocomposite material was successfully synthesized to form a highly efficient micro‐galvanic cell to be used in the chemical reduction of nitrate. Analysis of NZVI‐AC composites were conducted by BET, XRD, SEM, TEM and XPS, while utilizing sodium borohydride as a reducing agent in liquid phase reaction for the reduction of ferrous ions. Several factors during the preparation process were investigated for their effect on the performance of the material when used for the reduction of nitrate in aqueous media. Experiment results demonstrated that the material prepared under optimized preparation conditions can remove up to 94.3% of nitrates with composites at 2.1 g L−1. The final degradation products are mainlyN2and.

CONCLUSION

The composites were found to behave more efficiently for nitrate removal when compared withNZVI. In addition, the production of these new composite materials can be economically scaled up as withNZVI, which is necessary for practical environmental remediation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Isolation, identification, and characterization of gut microflora of Perionyx excavatus collected from Midnapore, West Bengal
Authors: Samanta Tanushree Tulsian , Das Ankita
Published: January 2016

Agriculture is an important part of the economy of the undivided Midnapore district. Agricultural land is its asset and most importantly its means of sustenance as well as survival. Earthworms are invertebrates that play a key role in recycling organic matters in soils. Since the intestines of earthworms harbor wide ranges of microorganisms, enzymes, hormones etc., these half digested materials decompose rapidly and are transformed into a stabilized material called vermicompost which is very useful for increasing the soil fertility. One has to look for these characters before recommending any species for vermiculture. In the present study, Perionyx excavatus specimens were collected from the undivided Midnapore district and from the Earthworms gut, bacteria, fungus, actinobacteria, and yeast were isolated and identified using various morphological and biochemical tests. All the bacterial isolates were identified using morphological study, staining techniques, and different biochemical tests such as catalase test, KOH test, H2SO4 test, Starch hydrolysis test, oxidase test, and sucrose hydrolysis test. All the fungal, actinobacteria, and yeast isolates were subjected to staining and morphological characterization (color and texture of fungal colony). Bacterial isolates of genus Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Enterococci, Micrococcus sp., Enterobacter sp., and Citrobacter sp. were identified. Among the fungal isolates Aspergilus sp., and P. boydii were identified. Streptomyces sp., Nocardia sp. among the actinobacteria and Candida sp. among yeast were also found to be present in earthworm gut and these might play an important role along with the earthworm to increase the quality and fertility of soil.
Are Teachers' Implicit Theories of Creativity Related to the Recognition of Their Students' Creativity?
Authors: Gralewski Jacek , Karwowski Maciej
Published: January 2016

We examine the structure of implicit theories of creativity among Polish high schools teachers and the role those theories play for the accuracy of teachers' assessment of their students' creativity. Latent class analysis revealed the existence of four classes of teachers, whose perception of a creative student differed: two of these classes defined a creative student incoherently with the existing theories of creativity, and the other two classes did that in accordance with Kirton's (1976) theory of creativity styles, that is, as adaptors or innovators. Teachers who perceived a creative student as an adaptor tended to more accurately assess the creativity of females, whereas teachers perceiving a creative student as an innovator more accurately assessed the creativity of males. We discuss the theoretical and practical consequences of these findings.
A compact laser platform for nonlinear Raman microspectroscopy: multimodality through broad chirp tunability
Authors: Lanin A. A. , Stepanov E. A. , Tikhonov R. A. , Sidorov‐Biryukov D. A. , Fedotov A. B. , Zheltikov A. M.
Published: January 2016

We demonstrate a compact laser platform that integrates stimulated and coherent Raman microscopy with high‐resolution nonlinear Raman spectroscopy. Ultrashort laser pulses with a carefully managed, broadly tunable chirp are shown to enable a comfortable switching between the high‐contrast microscopy and high‐resolution spectroscopy modalities in both stimulated and coherent versions of nonlinear Raman scattering. Sub‐10‐cm−1 spectral resolution in stimulated Raman spectroscopy is demonstrated through a careful compensation of nonlinear phase distortions of ultrashort laser pulses. This offers a powerful tool for a reliable identification of molecular vibrations with close frequencies, enhancing the chemical selectivity of spectroscopic analysis of complex multicomponent systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sobolev estimates for (pseudo)‐differential operators and applications
Authors: Hounie Jorge , Picon Tiago
Published: January 2016

In this work we show that if is a linear differential operator of order ν with smooth complex coefficients in from a complex vector space E to a complex vector space F, the Sobolev a priori estimate
urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201500017:mana201500017-math-0004holds locally at any point if and only if is elliptic and the constant coefficient homogeneous operator is canceling in the sense of Van Schaftingen for every which means that
urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201500017:mana201500017-math-0009Here is the homogeneous part of order ν of and is the principal symbol of . This result implies and unifies the proofs of several estimates for complexes and pseudo‐complexes of operators of order one or higher proved recently by other methods as well as it extends —in the local setup— the characterization of Van Schaftingen to operators with variable coefficients.
The Distribution of Glass Transition Temperatures in Ultrathin Polymer Films Controlled by Segment Density or Interfacial Interaction
Authors: Nie Yijing , Zhou Zhiping , Hao Tongfan , Ye Xubo , Yang Wenming
Published: January 2016

Nowadays, the microscopic mechanism controlling the distribution of local glass transition temperatures (Tgs) across thin polymer films is still unclear and thus large‐scale applications of polymer films are restricted. Dynamic Monte Carlo simulations are performed to investigate the key factors dominating the distribution of layer Tgs in two kinds of capped ultrathin films with and without attractive polymer–substrate interactions, respectively. For the film without polymer–substrate interaction, the interfacial layer Tg is lower than the middle layer Tg. Additionally, the layer Tgs and the layer segment densities below Tg are linearly correlated, indicating that polymer density determines the distribution of layer Tgs. However, for the films with polymer–substrate interactions, the interfacial layer Tg increases dramatically with the raise of interfacial interactions, while the middle layer Tg decreases slightly. The interfacial layer Tg is proportional to the strength of interfacial interaction, while the middle layer Tg is linearly correlated with the segment density of the middle layer below Tg. Namely, interfacial interaction is the main factor dominating the interfacial layer Tg, while segment density controls the middle layer Tg.

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Antitumor effect of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated with doxorubicin during magnetic nanotherapy of Lewis Lung carcinoma
Authors: Orel V. , Romanov A. , Rykhalskyi O. , Shevchenko A. , Orel I. , Burlaka A. , Lukin S.
Published: January 2016

Superparamagnetic Iron(II,III) oxide Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NP) in magnetic nanocomplex (MNC2) with antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOXO) induced a greater antitumor and antimetastatic effect compared to the magnetic nanocomplex (MNC1) composed of ferromagnetic nanoparticles with DOXO and conventional DOXO during magnetic nanotherapy of animals with Lewis lung carcinoma. The intratumor temperature did not exceed 39 °C. MNC2 had g‐factors of 2.00, 2.30 and 4.00. MNC1 had the g‐factor of 2.50. The MNC2 increased the content of Nitric oxide – Iron(II) sulfide protein N complex and NADH‐ubiquinone in tumor as compared to MNC1 or conventional DOXO. The results have been analyzed in terms of increased level of reactive oxygen species which could induce death of tumor cells.
How Do I Examine for Re‐Emergent Tremor?
Authors: Jankovic Joseph
Published: January 2016

Although rest tremor is the typical form of tremor associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly the tremor‐dominant subtype, parkinsonian patients may also exhibit postural tremor. In many parkinsonian patients, this postural tremor emerges after a latency of a few seconds or even minutes. In our original description, we coined the term “re‐emergent tremor” to differentiate this postural tremor from essential tremor, which occurs without any latency, and to link it to PD rest tremor that is “reset” after some latency when a new holding posture is assumed. The relationship of this re‐emergent tremor to the typical rest tremor is supported by the observation that this tremor shares many characteristics with the typical rest tremor, such as the same, 3 to 5‐Hz frequency, occasional supinating‐pronating component, and relatively good response to dopaminergic therapy. Rarely, postural tremor, occurring after a brief (2–4 seconds) latency can be seen even without observable rest tremor. In most patients with PD, it is the postural (re‐emergent) tremor that is more troublesome for them than the typical rest tremor, because this re‐emergent tremor interferes with their ability to hold objects, such as newspapers, against gravity and results in spilling of liquids. Postural tremor of PD is often misdiagnosed as essential tremor, and this diagnostic challenge can be further confounded when both conditions coexist. When that occurs, the postural tremor is present without latency, although the amplitude may gradually increase as the underlying re‐emergent tremor becomes more evident.
Carrier screening by next‐generation sequencing: health benefits and cost effectiveness
Authors: Azimi Mohammad , Schmaus Kyle , Greger Valerie , Neitzel Dana , Rochelle Robert , Dinh Tuan
Published: January 2016

Background

Compared with conventional genotyping, which typically tests for a limited number of mutations, next‐generation DNA sequencing (NGS) provides increased accuracy for carrier screening. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of carrier screening using NGS versus genotyping for 14 of the recessive disorders for which medical society guidelines recommend screening.

Methods

Data from published literature, population surveys, and expert opinion were used to develop a decision tree model capturing decisions and outcomes related to carrier screening and reproductive health.

Results

Modeling a population of 1,000,000 couples that was representative of the United States population and that contained 83,421 carriers of pathogenic mutations, carrier screening using NGS averted 21 additional affected births as compared with genotyping, and reduced costs by approximately $13 million. As compared with no screening, NGS carrier screening averted 223 additional affected births. The results are sensitive to assumptions regarding mutation detection rates and carrier frequencies in multiethnic populations.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that NGS‐based carrier screening offers the greater benefit in clinical outcomes and lower total healthcare cost as compared with genotyping.
A new approach to the Pontryagin maximum principle for nonlinear fractional optimal control problems
Authors: Ali Hegagi M. , Pereira Fernando Lobo , Gama Sílvio M. A.
Published: January 2016

In this paper, we discuss a new general formulation of fractional optimal control problems whose performance index is in the fractional integral form and the dynamics are given by a set of fractional differential equations in the Caputo sense. The approach we use to prove necessary conditions of optimality in the form of Pontryagin maximum principle for fractional nonlinear optimal control problems is new in this context. Moreover, a new method based on a generalization of the Mittag–Leffler function is used to solving this class of fractional optimal control problems. A simple example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of our main result. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fuzzy transform to approximate solution of two‐point boundary value problems
Authors: Khastan Alireza , Alijani Zahra , Perfilieva Irina
Published: January 2016

We present a numerical method based on the fuzzy transform for solving second‐order differential equations with boundary conditions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the method by some examples. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effects of carbon nanofiber on the mechanical properties of glass/coir fiber reinforced polyester hybrid composites
Authors: Muthu Jacob , Bradley Philip , Jinasena Isuru Ik , Durbach Shane , Moya Arthur , Paskaramoorthy Ratnam
Published: January 2016

Glass and coir fiber hybrid composites were characterized for the addition of 0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt% functionalized fCNFs produced from waste coal fly‐ash and were used also as secondary reinforcements for producing both glass and coir fiber composites. Before choosing the hybrid composites fabrication parameters, an optimum fiber mass fraction of glass and coir fibers were obtained by fabricating and mechanically testing the composites specimens with mass fraction of 24, 32, and 40 wt% for glass and 10, 15, and 20 wt% for coir fibers, respectively. From the test results, the glass fiber composites with 32 wt% and coir fiber composites with 15 wt% were found to be the most suitable mass fraction for fabricating the hybrid composites. Based on the functionalization results, the surface‐treated CNFs for 6 hr in an acid solution were the best secondary reinforcement in fabricating glass and coir fiber hybrid composites. The hybrid composites testing results showed that both glass and coir fiber hybrid composites reinforced with 0.5 wt% functionalized CNFs were better than those of 0.1 and 1 wt% of CNFs. At higher weight fraction of 1 wt% CNFs, agglomerations could not be prevented and this led to poor mechanical properties. It could also be concluded that the functionalization of these CNFs improved their dispersion within the matrix and resulted in better mechanical properties. One of the future recommendations is that the researchers must focus on utilizing the waste products for producing carbon nanoparticles which could further be used for manufacturing hybrid composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:318–328, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Development of a rapid and high‐throughput molecular method for detecting the F200Y mutant genotype in benzimidazole‐resistant isolates of Fusarium asiaticum
Authors: Duan Yabing , Yang Ying , Li Tao , Zhao Donglei , Cao Junhong , Shi Yiyuan , Wang Jianxin , Zhou Mingguo
Published: January 2016

Background

The point mutation at codon 200 (TTC→TAC, F200Y) of the β2‐tubulin gene confers resistance to benzimidazole fungicide in Fusarium asiaticum. These isolates with this mutation have been detected mainly by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fungicides, which is always time consuming, tedious and inefficient.

Results

A visual, rapid and efficient method with high specificity was developed, based on loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Six sets of LAMP primers were designed, and one set was optimised specifically to distinguish the F200Y mutant genotype. With the optimal LAMP primers, concentrations of LAMP components were optimised. The optimal reaction conditions were 57–64 °C for 75 min. The feasibility of the LAMP assay for detection of the F200Y mutant genotype of F. asiaticum was demonstrated by assaying diseased wheat spikelets that were artificially inoculated in the field.

Conclusion

The new LAMP assay had good specificity, sensitivity, stability and repeatability. It will be useful for assessing the risk of F. asiaticum populations with carbendazim resistance developing in the field, and will also provide important reference data for integrated control of Fusarium head blight caused by F. asiaticum. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
III‐nitride microcrystal cavities with quasi whispering gallery modes grown by molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Shubina T. V. , Jmerik V. N. , Davydov V. Yu. , Kazanov D. R. , Smirnov A. N. , Nechaev D. V. , Kuznetsova N. , Pozina G. , Hemmingsson C. , Ivanov S. V.
Published: January 2016

This paper analyzes current trends in fabrication of III‐nitride microresonators exploiting whispering gallery modes. Novel cup‐cavities are proposed and their fabrication from GaN and InN by molecular beam epitaxy on patterned substrates is described. These cup‐cavities can concentrate the mode energy in a subwavelength volume. Their mode energies are stable up to room temperature, being identical in large microcrystals. In these cavities, mode switching can be realized by means of refractive index variation. Cup‐cavity modes, being inferior to plasmonic resonances in the respect of integral emission enhancement, have advantages for spectrally selective amplification of quantum transitions in site‐controlled nano‐emitters.

Imaging (left) and high‐spatial‐resolution photoluminescence spectra (right) of an InN cup‐cavity.
Effect of an ITO current spreading layer on the performance of InGaN MQW solar cells
Authors: Bai J. , Athanasiou M. , Wang T.
Published: January 2016

InGaN‐based solar cells have been investigated through fabrication with and without using an indium‐tin‐oxide (ITO) current spreading layer (CSL). For the devices with a planar top surface, utilization of the ITO CSL leads to enhanced performance under 1 sun air‐mass 1.5 global spectrum illumination. In contrast, when surface‐texturing is applied to significantly improve the light absorption, the efficiency of the device without using the ITO CSL is higher compared to the one with the ITO. Furthermore, measurements on reflectance of the corresponding surfaces and transmission of the ITO CSL are carried out. The influence of the ITO CSL has been discussed in terms of surface reflection, the light loss due to the ITO CSL shading and the power loss associated with the absence of the ITO CSL. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Stabilization of silicon nanoparticles in colloidal solutions
Authors: Herynková Kateřina , Podkorytov Egor , Šlechta Miroslav , Cibulka Ondřej
Published: January 2016

Silicon nanoparticles, apart from their potential use in optoelectronics or photovoltaics, are very promising also for biological applications. Typical requirements for such nanoparticles used in biological research differ from that for optoelectronics ‐ the aim is to prepare aqueous or isotonic (such as phosphate buffered saline ‐ PBS) colloidal solutions of stable, uniform and strongly luminescing nanoparticles, with sizes suitable for the process of cell endocytosis, ideally in the range of tens to hundreds of nanometers. We have prepared colloidal solutions of luminescing porous silicon nanoparticles (size around 100 nm) obtained by electrochemical etching of silicon wafers. Adding hydrogen peroxide to the etching bath results in oxidized nanoparticle surface and hydrophilic behavior. However, the as‐prepared samples agglomerate – the dynamic light scattering revealed the increase of the agglomerates size from 60 nm in fresh samples to 400 nm in one‐month‐old samples. The tendency to agglomerate was confirmed by zeta‐potential measurements. The first attempt to steric stabilization by bovine serum albumin, glycine, glutamic acid and dextran is presented, where the increased stability was observed in the glycine‐ terminated samples. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Assimilation of 3D radar reflectivities with an ensemble Kalman filter on the convective scale
Authors: Bick T. , Simmer C. , Trömel S. , Wapler K. , Hendricks Franssen H.‐J. , Stephan K. , Blahak U. , Schraff C. , Reich H. , Zeng Y. , Potthast R.
Published: January 2016

An ensemble data assimilation system for 3D radar reflectivity data is introduced for the convection‐permitting numerical weather prediction model of the COnsortium for Small‐scale MOdelling (COSMO) based on the Kilometre‐scale ENsemble Data Assimilation system (KENDA), developed by Deutscher Wetterdienst and its partners. KENDA provides a state‐of‐the‐art ensemble data assimilation system on the convective scale for operational data assimilation and forecasting based on the Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF). In this study, the Efficient Modular VOlume RADar Operator is applied for the assimilation of radar reflectivity data to improve short‐term predictions of precipitation. Both deterministic and ensemble forecasts have been carried out. A case‐study shows that the assimilation of 3D radar reflectivity data clearly improves precipitation location in the analysis and significantly improves forecasts for lead times up to 4 h, as quantified by the Brier Score and the Continuous Ranked Probability Score. The influence of different update rates on the noise in terms of surface pressure tendencies and on the forecast quality in general is investigated. The results suggest that, while high update rates produce better analyses, forecasts with lead times of above 1 h benefit from less frequent updates. For a period of seven consecutive days, assimilation of radar reflectivity based on the LETKF is compared to that of DWD's current operational radar assimilation scheme based on latent heat nudging (LHN). It is found that the LETKF competes with LHN, although it is still in an experimental phase.