bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Growth Between Morone Hybrids (Palmetto and Sunshine) in Earthen Ponds
Authors: McEntire Matthew , Snyder Scott , Freeman Don
Published: October 2015

Palmetto bass are produced by crossing the female striped bass, Morone saxatilis, with the male white bass, Morone chrysops; whereas, the sunshine bass is the reciprocal cross. The hybrid striped bass industry typically rears sunshine bass in earthen ponds, because of the ease of handling, availability, and early maturation of the white bass female broodstock. Growth performance has been assumed similar between the crosses. Under commercial pond conditions, sunshine bass (19.8 ± 0.4 g (mean ± SEM)) and palmetto bass (23.2 ± 0.3 g) were grown to market size (617.0 ± 17.2 g sunshine and 620 ± 3.6 g palmetto) within 15 mo, yielding 4532.6 kg/ha. The net production between the crosses was not significantly different and averaged 4373.4 kg/ha. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of sunshine bass (FCR 1.70) was better (P = 0.0158) than palmetto bass (FCR 1.76). Commercial processing metrics of each cross demonstrated significant differences, with sunshine bass exhibiting lower frame waste (P = 0.0457) than palmetto bass, probably due to fish body shape or conformational differences at this size. Without growth performance differences between the hybrids, there might be an advantage to rearing sunshine bass due to the slightly better FCR and increased skinless boneless fillet yield.
The Efficacy of Inactivated Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida Combined with Levan/Alum as Vaccine against Photobacteriosis in Cobia, Rachycentron canadum
Authors: Guo Jiin‐Ju , Huang Mei‐Ying , Hong Jia‐Wei , Chuang Ya‐Chu , Chou Ruey‐Ling , Lee Yan‐Horn , Chen Tzyy‐Ing
Published: October 2015

Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (Phdp) is a major pathogen of cultured cobia (Rachycentron canadum), a primary target species for offshore cage culture in Taiwan. Serum antibody titers as well as efficiency and duration of protection against Phdp were evaluated following intraperitoneal administration of a candidate vaccine prepared with formalin‐inactivated whole cells in combination with levan/alum adjuvants. The results showed vaccinates delayed the disease onset and had significantly (P < 0.05) less mortality than control nonvaccinates during Days 21–105 postvaccination with highest relative percentage of survival (RPS) and antibody titer up to 81.4% and 1:614, respectively. There was a highly significant positive linear correlation between the RPS and antibody titer (R2 = 0.841). Long‐lasting and significant protection against Phdp can be achieved with inactivated Phdp plus levan/alum, a potential cobia vaccine against photobacteriosis. Levan/alum complex may represent a promising adjuvant formula for the development of a Phdp vaccine.
Collocational Processing in Light of the Phraseological Continuum Model: Does Semantic Transparency Matter?
Authors: Gyllstad Henrik , Wolter Brent
Published: October 2015

The present study investigates whether two types of word combinations (free combinations and collocations) differ in terms of processing by testing Howarth's Continuum Model based on word combination typologies from a phraseological tradition. A visual semantic judgment task was administered to advanced Swedish learners of English (n= 27) and native English‐speaking controls (n= 38). Reaction times and error rates were recorded for free combinations, collocations, and baseline items. There was a processing cost for collocations compared to free combinations, for both groups of participants. This cost likely stems from the semantically semi‐transparent nature of collocations as they are defined in the phraseological tradition. Furthermore, phrasal frequency based on corpus values also predicted reaction times. These results lend initial support to the Continuum Model from a processing perspective and suggest that degree of semantic transparency together with phrasal frequency plays an important role in collocational processing.

Open Practices

This article has been awarded an Open Materials badge. All materials are publicly accessible in the IRIS digital repository athttp://www.iris‐database.org. Learn more about the Open Practices badges from the Center for Open Science:https://osf.io/tvyxz/wiki
Response of colonic motility to dopaminergic stimulation is subverted in rats with nigrostriatal lesion: relevance to gastrointestinal dysfunctions in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Levandis G. , Balestra B. , Siani F. , Rizzo V. , Ghezzi C. , Ambrosi G. , Cerri S. , Bonizzi A. , Vicini R. , Vairetti M. , Ferrigno A. , Pastoris O. , Blandini F.
Published: October 2015

Background

Constipation is extremely common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and has been described in PD animal models. In this study, we investigated whether a PD‐like degeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra can influence peristalsis in colonic segments of rats by impacting on enteric dopaminergic transmission.

Methods

Male, Sprague–Dawley rats received a unilateral injection of neurotoxin 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA), or saline, into the medial‐forebrain‐bundle. Peristaltic activity was recorded in isolated colonic segments, in baseline conditions and following exposure to combinations of D2 receptor (DRD2) agonist sumanirole and antagonist L‐741626. Dopamine levels and DRD2 expression were assessed in the ileum and colon of animals. We also investigated the involvement of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) — a potential relay station between central dopaminergic denervation and gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction — by analyzing cytochrome c oxidase activity and FosB/DeltaFosB expression in DMV neurons.

Key Results

We observed profound alterations in the response of colonic segments of 6‐OHDA lesioned animals to DRD2 stimulation. In fact, the inhibition of colonic peristalsis elicited by sumanirole in control rats was absent in 6‐OHDA‐lesioned animals. These animals also showed reduced DRD2 expression in the colon, along with elevation of dopamine levels. No significant changes were detected within the DMV.

Conclusions & Inferences

Our results demonstrate that selective lesion of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway subverts the physiological response of the colon to dopaminergic stimulation, opening new perspectives in the comprehension and treatment of GI dysfunctions associated with PD.
A longitudinal study of accommodative changes in biometry during incipient presbyopia
Authors: Laughton Deborah S. , Sheppard Amy L. , Davies Leon N.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

To profile accommodative biometric changes longitudinally and to determine the influence of age‐related ocular structural changes on the accommodative response prior to the onset of presbyopia.

Methods

Twenty participants (aged 34–41 years) were reviewed at six‐monthly intervals over two and a half years. At each visit, ocular biometry was measured with the LenStar biometer (www.Haag-Streit.com) in response to 0.00, 3.00 and 4.50 D stimuli. Accommodative responses were measured by the WAM 5500 Auto Ref/Keratometer (www.grandseiko.com).

Results

During accommodation, anterior chamber depth reduced (F = 29, p < 0.001), whereas crystalline lens thickness (F = 39, p < 0.001) and axial length (F = 5.4, p = 0.009) increased. The accommodative response (F = 5.5, p = 0.001) and the change in anterior chamber depth (F = 3.1, p = 0.039), crystalline lens thickness (F = 3.0, p = 0.042) and axial length (F = 2.5, p = 0.038) in response to the 4.50 D accommodative target reduced after 2.5 years. However, the change in anterior chamber depth (F = 2.2, p = 0.097), crystalline lens thickness (F = 1.7, p = 0.18) and axial length (F = 1.0, p = 0.40) per dioptre of accommodation exerted remained invariant after 2.5 years. The increase in disaccommodated crystalline lens thickness with age was not significantly associated with the reduction in accommodative response (R = 0.32, p = 0.17).

Conclusion

Despite significant age‐related structural changes in disaccommodated biometry, the change in biometry per dioptre of accommodation exerted remained invariant with age. The present study supports the Helmholtz theory of accommodation and suggests an increase in lenticular stiffness is primarily responsible for the onset of presbyopia.
Prevalence and causes of reduced visual acuity among children aged three to six years in a metropolis in China
Authors: Pan Chen‐Wei , Chen Xuejuan , Gong Yu , Yu Jiajia , Ding Hui , Bai Jing , Chen Ji , Zhu Hui , Fu Zhujun , Liu Hu
Published: October 2015

Purpose

To determine the prevalence and possible causes for reduced visual acuity (VA) in preschool children in a metropolis in China.

Methods

A school‐based paediatric eye survey including 5862 preschool children aged three to 6 years was conducted from 2011 to 2012 in Yuhuatai District, Nanjing, China, using an age‐stratified random sampling procedure. Clinical examinations including ocular alignment, ocular motility, visual acuity, prism cover test, cycloplegic refraction, stereopsis screening, slit lamp examination and fundus examination were performed by trained study ophthalmologists and optometrists. Reduced VA was defined as presenting VA of worse than 0.30 logMAR (Snellen 6/12 or 20/40), for both better and worse eyes.

Results

5667 (94.8%) children with complete VA data were included in the data analyses. Among them, 208 and 93 had reduced VA in the worse and better eye, respectively. Reduced VA was detected in 3.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2%–4.2%) in the worse eye and 1.6% (95% CI 1.3%–2.0%) in the better eye. No significant age and gender differences in reduced VA were observed (p > 0.05). Refractive errors and amblyopia were the principal causes for reduced VA in the worse eye which accounted for 66.8% and 32.7% of the total cases with reduced VA, respectively. Astigmatism and hyperopia were the major types of refractive errors causing reduced VA.

Conclusions

The burden of reduced VA in preschool children in China was similar to that of Asian children of similar ages in the United States. Uncorrected refractive error and amblyopia were the principal causes for reduced VA among preschoolers (aged three to 6 years) in China.
Delivering oral surgery training in a primary care clinic
Authors: Nair P. , Ross‐Russell M.
Published: October 2015

Aim

To describe the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust Dental Service's experience of the oral surgery training of two general dental practitioners (GDPs).

Materials and methods

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust Dental Service has previously presented the results of a 12‐month clinical attachment to develop the skills of a referring general dental practitioner in oral surgery. We now describe our experience of further oral surgery training of two general dental practitioners who benefitted from a 6‐month programme. This included one half day per week of “hands on” oral surgery experience and the development of a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate competence.

Results

Our results led us to conclude that a 6‐month training programme in a primary care clinic can develop trainees with appropriate skills to safely provide the full range of oral surgical treatment that is appropriate to deliver in a primary care setting.

Conclusion

GDPs can be taken from low confidence and over referral to high confidence, low referral rate and the ability to take a lead in this area of clinical dentistry within their own practices. We would like Health Education England/LETBs to consider training in primary care when planning oral surgical training at all levels.
Failure mode and effective analysis ameliorate awareness of medical errors: a 4‐year prospective observational study in critically ill children
Authors: Daverio Marco , Fino Giuliana , Luca Brugnaro , Zaggia Cristina , Pettenazzo Andrea , Parpaiola Antonella , Lago Paola , Amigoni Angela
Published: October 2015

Background

Errors in are estimated to occur with an incidence of 3.7–16.6% in hospitalized patients. The application of systems for detection of adverse events is becoming a widespread reality in healthcare. Incident reporting (IR) and failure mode and effective analysis (FMEA) are strategies widely used to detect errors, but no studies have combined them in the setting of a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Aim

The aim of our study was to describe the trend of IR in a PICU and evaluate the effect of FMEA application on the number and severity of the errors detected.

Methods

With this prospective observational study, we evaluated the frequency IR documented in standard IR forms completed from January 2009 to December 2012 in the PICU of Woman's and Child's Health Department of Padova. On the basis of their severity, errors were classified as: without outcome (55%), with minor outcome (16%), with moderate outcome (10%), and with major outcome (3%); 16% of reported incidents were ‘near misses’. We compared the data before and after the introduction of FMEA.

Results

Sixty‐nine errors were registered, 59 (86%) concerning drug therapy (83% during prescription). Compared to 2009–2010, in 2011–2012, we noted an increase of reported errors (43 vs 26) with a reduction of their severity (21% vs 8% ‘near misses’ and 65% vs 38% errors with no outcome).

Conclusion

With the introduction of FMEA, we obtained an increased awareness in error reporting. Application of these systems will improve the quality of healthcare services.
Increased p53 protein expression as a potential predictor of early relapse after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with acute myelogenous leukemia
Authors: Mattsson Kristin , Honkaniemi Emma , Barbany Gisela , Gustafsson Britt
Published: October 2015

Dysregulation of genes involved in the cell cycle such as TP53, P21, P16, and PTEN plays a key role in oncogenesis. We have earlier reported increased expression of the TP53 encoded protein p53, in bone marrow samples from pediatric patients with more aggressive, rare chronic myeloid malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate protein expression of p53, p21, p16, and PTEN before and after HSCT in pediatric patients with AML and evaluate whether any potential alterations could predict relapse after HSCT. Paraffin‐embedded bone marrow samples from 34 pediatric patients with AML were collected retrospectively from time of diagnosis as well as pre‐ and post‐HSCT. IHC was performed on tissue microarrays with antibodies against p53, p21, p16, and PTEN. Study material was analyzed by independent t‐tests and nonlinear regression. t‐Tests showed a statistical significant difference in p53 (p = 0.010) with overexpression in the group of patients who relapsed compared to the relapse‐free patients at >3–6 months post‐HSCT. Analysis of p53 protein expression by IHC may be a potential predictor for relapse after HSCT in children with AML.
Urological complications, vesicoureteral reflux, and long‐term graft survival rate after pediatric kidney transplantation
Authors: Torricelli Fabio C. M. , Watanabe Andreia , Piovesan Affonso C. , Antonopoulos Ioannis M. , David‐Neto Elias , Nahas William C.
Published: October 2015

To describe a single‐center experience with kidney transplantation and then study some donor and recipient features that may impact on graft survival and urological complication rates. We reviewed our database searching for pediatric patients who underwent kidney transplantation from August 1985 through November 2012. Preoperative data and postoperative complications were recorded. Graft survival rates were analyzed and compared based on the type of donor, donor's age from deceased donors, and recipients' ESRD cause. Kaplan–Meier curves with log rank and Wilcoxon tests were used to perform the comparisons. There were 305 pediatric kidney transplants. The mean recipient's age was 11.7 yr. The mean follow‐up was 11.0 yr. Arterial and venous thrombosis rates were 1.6% and 2.3%, respectively, while urinary fistula and symptomatic vesicoureteral reflux were diagnosed in 2.9% and 3.6% of cases, respectively. Deceased kidney transplantation had a lower graft survival rate than living kidney transplantation (log rank, p = 0.005). Donor's age (p = 0.420) and ESRD cause (p = 0.679) were not significantly related to graft survival rate. In long‐term follow‐up, type of donor, but not donor's age, impacts on graft survival rate. ESRD cause has no impact on graft survival rate, showing that well‐evaluated recipients may have good outcomes.
Combination treatment with excimer laser and narrowband UVB light in vitiligo patients
Authors: Shin Sungsik , Hann Seung‐Kyung , Oh Sang Ho
Published: October 2015

Background

For the treatment of vitiligo, narrowband UVB (NBUVB) light is considered the most effective for nonsegmental vitiligo, while excimer laser treatment is commonly used for localized vitiligo. However, treatment areas may potentially be missed with excimer laser treatment.

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the effect of combinational treatment with NBUVB light and excimer laser on vitiligo.

Methods

All patients were first treated with NBUVB; excimer laser was then applied in conjunction with NBUVB phototherapy due to a slow response or no further improvement with continuous NBUVB treatment alone. To minimize adverse effects, a fixed dose of NBUVB was administered, and the dose of excimer laser was increased based on patient response.

Results

Among 80 patients, 54 patients showed responses after combination with excimer laser; however, 26 patients (32.5%) showed no remarkable change after combination therapy. Of the 26 patients who showed no further response, 12 patients (46.1%) presented with vitiligo on the acral areas, which are known to the least responsive sites.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that combined treatment of NBUVB and excimer laser in vitiligo may enhance the treatment response without remarkable side effects, therefore might also increase the compliance of the patients to the treatment.
De‐Biasing the Reporting Bias in Social Media Analytics
Authors: Chen Hongyu , Zheng Zhiqiang (Eric) , Ceran Yasin
Published: October 2015

User‐generated contents (UGC) in social media such as online reviews are inherently incomplete since we do not capture the opinions of users who do not write a review. These silent users may be systematically different than those who speak up. Such differences can be driven by users’ differing sentiments toward their shopping experiences as well as their disposition to generate UGC. Overlooking silent users’ opinions can result in a reporting bias. We develop a method to model users’ UGC generating process and then rectify this bias through an inverse probability weighting (IPW) approach. In the context of users’ movie review activities at Blockbuster.com, our results show that the average probability for a customer to post a review is 0.06 when the customer is unsatisfied with a movie, 0.23 when indifferent, and 0.32 when satisfied. The distribution of user's reporting probability with positive experience first‐order stochastically dominates the one with negative experience. Our approach provides a realistic solution for business managers to properly utilize incomplete UGC.
The role of tidal, wave and river currents in the evolution of mixed‐energy deltas: Example from the Lajas Formation (Argentina)
Authors: Rossi Valentina Marzia , Steel Ronald J.
Published: October 2015

Many modern deltas show complex morphologies and architectures related to the interplay of river, wave and tidal currents. However, methods for extracting the signature of the individual processes from the stratigraphic architecture are poorly developed. Through an analysis of facies, palaeocurrents and stratigraphic stacking patterns in the Jurassic Lajas Formation, this paper: (i) separates the signals of wave, tide and river currents; (ii) illustrates the result of strong tidal reworking in the distal reaches of deltaic systems; and (iii) discusses the implications of this reworking for the evolution of mixed‐energy systems and their reservoir heterogeneities. The Lajas Formation, a sand‐rich, shallow‐marine, mixed‐energy deltaic system in the Neuquén Basin of Argentina, previously defined as a tide‐dominated system, presents an exceptional example of process variability at different scales. Tidal signals are predominantly located in the delta front, the subaqueous platform and the distributary channel deposits. Tidal currents vigorously reworked the delta front during transgressions, producing intensely cross‐stratified, sheet‐like, sandstone units. In the subaqueous platform, described for the first time in an ancient outcrop example, the tidal reworking was confined within subtidal channels. The intensive tidal reworking in the distal reaches of the regressive delta front could not have been predicted from knowledge of the coeval proximal reaches of the regressive delta front. The wave signals occur mainly in the shelf or shoreface deposits. The fluvial signals increase in abundance proximally but are always mixed with the other processes. The Lajas system is an unusual clean‐water (i.e. very little mud is present in the system), sand‐rich deltaic system, very different from the majority of mud‐rich, modern tide‐influenced examples. The sand‐rich character is a combination of source proximity, syndepositional tectonic activity and strong tidal‐current reworking, which produced amalgamated sandstone bodies in the delta‐front area, and a final stratigraphic record very different from the simple coarsening‐upward trends of river‐dominated and wave‐dominated delta fronts.
Real men are made, not born! Incidental exposure to energy drinks may promote men's tolerance of physical pain
Authors: Abetkoff Darren , Karlsson Torulf , Chiou Wen‐Bin
Published: October 2015

The energy drink market has grown exponentially since the debut of Red Bull. Advertising of energy drinks tends to reinforce an emphasis on masculine identification. However, no previous study has addressed the symbolic effect of energy drinks on pain tolerance, that is, a particular masculine characteristic. We conducted a priming‐based experiment to show that energy drink primes elevated men's pain tolerance. Induced conformity to masculinity norms mediated the priming effect of energy drinks on pain tolerance. These findings suggest that mere reminders of masculinity‐related products can lead men to behave accordingly in seemingly irrelevant domains (i.e., pain tolerance). Besides distraction and placebo treatment, the connection between a symbolic masculinity prime and greater tolerance of pain may shed lights on an alternative route for pain control.
Unravelling the Politics of Activation Reforms: Exploring the Unusual Israeli Trajectory
Authors: Maron Asa , Helman Sara
Published: October 2015

Contemporary active labour market (ALM) reforms are pivotal in the reorganization of the welfare state as they challenge and threaten some of the fundamental achievements of labour in capitalist societies: social programmes and entitlements that compensate for unemployment, and governance arrangements in which the social partners share authority and responsibility with the state. Consequently, ALM reforms may give raise to social unrest and political struggle that involves the state (the main proponent of ALM reforms), trade unions and political parties. These conflicts are important in the politicization of reforms, i.e. raising public awareness of and engagement with controversies of welfare state change.

In this article, we use a non‐European perspective to ask more generally how distinct historical institutions create separate ‘politicization trajectories’ of ALM reforms, which in turn produce different policy designs and outcomes. Centring on the case of Israel, in which historically ‘abnormal’ class politics fostered indifference to the reform in both trade unions and political parties, we maintain that the preliminary de‐politicization made it possible for bureaucrats to control the reform, leading to an intra‐state conflict between competing agencies over its design and implementation. The usurpation of the reform by the Ministry of Finance made it conspicuously unbalanced, provoking many grievances. Paradoxically, the de‐politicization of the reform advanced its re‐politicization, led by non‐governmental advocacy organizations in civil society. These uncommon political actors in the politics of ALM reforms were able to lead a counter‐coalition, delegitimize the reform, and mobilize politicians to eventually terminate activation
Finding the gap: revealing local disparities in coverage of maternal, newborn and child health services in South Sudan using lot quality assurance sampling
Authors: Valadez Joseph J. , Berendes Sima , Lako Richard , Gould Simon , Vargas William , Milner Susan
Published: October 2015

Objectives

We adapted a rapid monitoring method to South Sudan, a new nation with one of the world's highest maternal and child mortality rates, aiming to assess coverage of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services at the time of independence, and introducing a monitoring and evaluation system (M&E) for equity‐sensitive tracking of progress related to Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 and 5 at national, state and county levels to detect local variability.

Methods

We conducted a national cross‐sectional household survey among women from six client populations in all, but six of South Sudan's 79 counties. We used lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) to measure coverage with diverse MNCH indicators to obtain information for national‐, state‐ and county‐level health system management decision‐making.

Results

National coverage of MNCH services was low for all maternal and neonatal care, child immunisation, and child care indicators. However, results varied across states and counties. Central Equatoria State (CES), where the capital is located, showed the highest coverage for most indicators (e.g. ≥4 antenatal care visits range: 4.5% in Jonglei to 40.1% in CES). Urban counties often outperformed rural ones.

Conclusions

This adaptation of LQAS to South Sudan demonstrates how it can be used in the future as an M&E system to track progress of MDGs at national, state and county levels to detect local disparities. Overall, our data reveal a desperate need for improving MNCH service coverage in all states.
Wake Analysis of a Finite Width Gurney Flap
Authors: Holst D. , Bach A. B. , Nayeri C. N. , Paschereit C. O. , Pechlivanoglou G.
Published: October 2015

The results of stereo particle-image-velocimetry (PIV) measurements are presented in this paper to gain further insight into the wake of a finite width Gurney flap. It is attached to an FX 63-137 airfoil which is known for a very good performance at low Reynolds numbers and is therefore used for small wind turbines and is most appropriate for tests in the low speed wind tunnel presented in this study. The Gurney flaps are a promising concept for load control on wind turbines but can have adverse side effects, e.g., shedding of additional vortices. The investigation focuses on frequencies and velocity distributions in the wake as well as on the structure of the induced tip vortices. Phase-averaged velocity fields are derived of a proper-orthogonal-decomposition (POD) based on the stereo PIV measurements. Additional hot-wire measurements were conducted to analyze the fluctuations downstream of the finite width Gurney flaps. Experiments indicate a general tip vortex structure that is independent from flap length but altered by the periodic shedding downstream of the flap. The influence of Gurney flaps on a small wind turbine is investigated by simulating a small 40 kW turbine in QBlade. They can serve as power control without the need of an active pitch system and the starting performance is additionally improved. The application of Gurney flaps implies tonal frequencies in the wake of the blade. Simulation results are used to estimate the resulting frequencies. However, the solution of Gurney flaps is a good candidate for large-scale wind turbine implementation as well. A FAST simulation of the NREL 5 MW turbine is used to generate realistic time series of the lift. The estimations of control capabilities predict a reduction in the standard deviation of the lift of up to 65%. Therefore, finite width Gurney flaps are promising to extend the lifetime of future wind turbines.
Isothermal Combustor Prediffuser and Fuel Injector Feed Arm Design Optimization Using the prometheus Design System
Authors: Zhang Xu , Toal David J. J. , Keane Andy J. , Witham Frederic , Gregory Jonathan , Ravikanti Murthy , Aurifeille Emmanuel , Stow Simon , Rogers Mark , Zedda Marco
Published: October 2015

The prometheus combustor design system aims to reduce the complexity of evaluating combustor designs by automatically defining preprocessing, simulation, and postprocessing tasks based on the automatic identification of combustor features within the computer-aided design (CAD) environment. This system enables best practice to be codified and topological changes to a combustor's design to be more easily considered within an automated design process. The following paper presents the prometheus combustor design system and its application to the multiobjective isothermal optimization of a combustor prediffuser and the multifidelity isothermal optimization of a fuel injector feed arm in combination with a surrogate modeling strategy accelerated via a high-performance graphical processing unit (GPU).
A Simplified Machine-Tool Power-Consumption Measurement Procedure and Methodology for Estimating Total Energy Consumption
Authors: Lee Jang-Yeob , Shin Yong-Jun , Kim Min-Soo , Kim Eun-Seob , Yoon Hae-Sung , Kim Sung-Yong , Yoon Yeo-Chan , Ahn Sung-Hoon , Min Sangkee
Published: October 2015

Various methods have been developed to describe the energy consumption of machine tools; however, it remains challenging to accommodate the wide variety of machine tools that exist using a single model. In this paper we propose a method to model the energy consumption of machine tools by decoupling the energy of the components of the machine tool from the cutting energy. A procedure is developed to describe the characteristics of the energy consumption of machine tools, which is applied to six different machines. The experimental results show that the cutting energy can be decoupled from the component energy. In this manner, a simplified energy consumption model is developed that can be applied to a wide variety of different machine tools.
Trackhold: A Novel Passive Arm-Support Device
Authors: Lenzo Basilio , Fontana Marco , Marcheschi Simone , Salsedo Fabio , Frisoli Antonio , Bergamasco Massimo
Published: October 2015

This article introduces the design and the experimental validation of the Trackhold, a novel mechanical motion-tracker for upper limb physical rehabilitation. The Trackhold is based on a passively balanced mechanism that can approximately relieve the weight of the patient’s arm regardless of the position. The system features a novel kinematic architecture with large workspace and custom developed joint sensors providing accurate real-time measure of the upper limb posture. The design approach of the device, which went through kinetostatic and dynamic analyses, is presented and details on the employed mechatronic solutions are provided. A prototype of the Trackhold has been fabricated and functionally validated.
Coating Techniques and Release Kinetics of Drug-Eluting Stents
Authors: Livingston Megan , Tan Aaron
Published: October 2015

Implantation of drug-eluting stents (DESs) via percutaneous coronary intervention is the most popular treatment option to restore blood flow to occluded vasculature. The many devices currently used in clinic and under examination in research laboratories are manufactured using a variety of coating techniques to create the incorporated drug release platforms. These coating techniques offer various benefits including ease of use, expense of equipment, and design variability. This review paper discusses recent novel DES designs utilizing individual or a combination of these coating techniques and their resulting drug release profiles.
Ultimate Strength of a Thin Wall Elbow for Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors Under Seismic Loads
Authors: Watakabe Tomoyoshi , Tsukimori Kazuyuki , Kitamura Seiji , Morishita Masaki
Published: October 2015

With a purpose of identifying the failure mode and associating the ultimate strength of piping components against seismic integrity, many kinds of failure tests have been conducted for thick wall piping for light water reactors (LWRs). However, there are little failure test data on thin wall piping for sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs). In this paper, a series of failure tests on thin wall elbows for SFRs is presented. Based on the tests, the failure mode of a thin wall piping component under seismic loads was identified to be fatigue. The safety margin included in the current design methodology was clarified quantitatively.
Measurements of the Stack Metal Temperature During a Natural Gas Blowdown Event Through a Full-Bore Blowdown Valve
Authors: Hartloper C. , Botros K. K. , de Vries J.
Published: October 2015

Experiments were used in conjunction with a compressible flow model to investigate the temperature recovery phenomenon along a blowdown stack during a high-pressure natural gas pipeline blowdown. The test rig involved instrumented 2 in. blowdown stacks mounted on a full-bore valve. Stacks with two wall thicknesses and stagnation pressures of approximately 3000 kPa-a and 5600 kPa-g were tested, giving a total of four test cases. Using the compressible flow model, which was calibrated using static pressure measurements, the stack-gas temperature was calculated to range from −38 °C to −18 °C for the four test cases. The respective stack wall temperatures were measured to range between −13 °C and 0 °C; thus, the temperature recovery ranged between 18 °C and 26 °C. Empirical correlations available in the literature, which were developed for aeronautical applications, were tested against the experimental results. Poor agreement was found between the measured temperature recovery factor and that predicted by five empirical correlations: the coefficient of determination (R2) between the measured and correlation-calculated recovery factor was found to be negative for all five correlations.
High-Temperature Low-Cycle Fatigue Behavior of MarBN at 600 °C
Authors: Barrett Richard A. , O'Hara Eimear M. , O'Donoghue Padraic E. , Leen Sean B.
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the high-temperature low-cycle fatigue (HTLCF) behavior of a precipitate strengthened 9Cr martensitic steel, MarBN, designed to provide enhanced creep strength and precipitate stability at high temperature. The strain-controlled test program addresses the cyclic effects of strain-rate and strain-range at 600 °C, as well as tensile stress-relaxation response. A recently developed unified cyclic viscoplastic material model is implemented to characterize the complex cyclic and relaxation plasticity response, including cyclic softening and kinematic hardening effects. The measured response is compared to that of P91 steel, a current power plant material, and shows enhanced cyclic strength relative to P91.
The Interacting Effect for Collinear Cracks Near Mismatching Bimaterial Interface Under Elastic Creep
Authors: Dai Yanwei , Liu Yinghua , Chen Haofeng , Liu Donghuan
Published: October 2015

In this paper, the modified reference stress method is introduced to estimate the C* integral for collinear creep cracks near the mismatching bimaterial interface (MBI) and the process that leads to these solutions is also presented. The interacting factors for creep cracks near the MBI are defined and the influences of different creep exponents and mismatching factors (MF) on creep interacting effect are studied. Results show that if two inner creep crack tips get closer, the interacting effect of creep cracks near the MBI will become much stronger. Under the same condition, the interacting factors of the creep cracks in materials with higher creep exponent are larger than that of the creep cracks in materials with lower creep exponent. For the same crack location, C* integral decreases with the increase of MF. Two novel dimensionless parameters are proposed to characterize the rationality of combination rules of ASME, API 579, and R6 codes for the interacting effect for creep collinear cracks near the MBI. With the proposed parameter, the nonconservative ranges to use the combination rules of ASME, API 579, and R6 codes are rediscussed and presented.
Quantum-dot light-emitting diodes with a double-layer structured hole injection layer
Authors: Lee Sang Moo , Cho Nam-Kwang , Kang Seong Jun
Published: October 2015

A double-layer structured hole injection layer (HIL) was used to improve the performance of CdSe/ZnS quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). The HIL double layer was composed of perchlorate-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEDOT:PEG) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Perchlorate-doped PEDOT:PEG enabled a uniform coating of PEDOT:PSS on transparent conducting layers of indium-tin-oxide and carbon nanotubes without additional surface treatments. Moreover, perchlorate-doped PEDOT:PEG enhanced the hole injection from the anode into the emitting layer. QLEDs with a double-layer structured HIL on a carbon nanotube conducting layer showed a significant improvement in luminance compared to a device with a normal HIL. These results suggest the usefulness of this method to improve the performance of QLEDs.
Dislocation-accommodated grain boundary sliding as the major deformation mechanism of olivine in the Earth’s upper mantle
Authors: Ohuchi Tomohiro , Kawazoe Takaaki , Higo Yuji , Funakoshi Ken-ichi , Suzuki Akio , Kikegawa Takumi , Irifune Tetsuo
Published: October 2015

Grain size–sensitive creep controls the flow in the middle and deep upper mantle.
Self-propelled particles that transport cargo through flowing blood and halt hemorrhage
Authors: Baylis James R. , Yeon Ju Hun , Thomson Max H. , Kazerooni Amir , Wang Xu , St. John Alex E. , Lim Esther B. , Chien Diana , Lee Anna , Zhang Jesse Q. , Piret James M. , Machan Lindsay S. , Burke Thomas F. , White Nathan J. , Kastrup Christian J.
Published: October 2015

Simple, water-reactive particles can carry enzymes upstream through aqueous solutions and into wounds to halt severe bleeding.
Hazard potential of volcanic flank collapses raised by new megatsunami evidence
Authors: Ramalho Ricardo S. , Winckler Gisela , Madeira José , Helffrich George R. , Hipólito Ana , Quartau Rui , Adena Katherine , Schaefer Joerg M.
Published: October 2015

Giant tsunami triggered by catastrophic flank collapse of Fogo volcano.
Memristive phase switching in two-dimensional 1T-TaS
2
crystals
Authors: Yoshida Masaro , Suzuki Ryuji , Zhang Yijin , Nakano Masaki , Iwasa Yoshihiro
Published: October 2015

Electrical switching to multiple novel metastable states in a correlated two-dimensional crystal.
Wafer-scale growth of large arrays of perovskite microplate crystals for functional electronics and optoelectronics
Authors: Wang Gongming , Li Dehui , Cheng Hung-Chieh , Li Yongjia , Chen Chih-Yen , Yin Anxiang , Zhao Zipeng , Lin Zhaoyang , Wu Hao , He Qiyuan , Ding Mengning , Liu Yuan , Huang Yu , Duan Xiangfeng
Published: October 2015

Scalable growth of regular arrays of perovskite microplates opens a new platform for electronic and optoelectronic device arrays.
Multiplexed Integrating Plasmids for Engineering of the Erythromycin Gene Cluster for Expression in Streptomyces spp. and Combinatorial Biosynthesis
Authors: Fayed Bahgat , Ashford David A. , Hashem Amal M. , Amin Magdy A. , El Gazayerly Omaima N. , Gregory Matthew A. , Smith Margaret C. M.
Published: October 2015

Bacteria in the genus
Streptomyces
and its close relatives are prolific producers of secondary metabolites with antibiotic activity. Genome sequencing of these bacteria has revealed a rich source of potentially new antibiotic pathways, whose products have never been observed. Moreover, these new pathways can provide novel genes that could be used in combinatorial biosynthesis approaches to generate unnatural analogues of existing antibiotics. We explore here the use of multiple orthologous integrating plasmid systems, based on the
int/attP
loci from phages TG1, SV1, and ϕBT1, to express the polyketide synthase (PKS) for erythromycin in a heterologous
Streptomyces
host.
Streptomyces
strains containing the three polyketide synthase genes
eryAI
,
eryAII
, and
eryAIII
expressed from three different integrated plasmids produced the aglycone intermediate, 6-deoxyerythronolide B (6-dEB). A further pair of integrating plasmids, both derived from the ϕC31
int/attP
locus, were constructed carrying a gene cassette for glycosylation of the aglycone intermediates, with or without the tailoring gene,
eryF
, required for the synthesis of erythronolide B (EB). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of the metabolites indicated the production of angolosaminyl-6-dEB and angolosaminyl-EB. The advantages of using multiplexed integrating plasmids for engineering expression and for combinatorial biosynthesis were demonstrated.
Metabolic Response of Clostridium ljungdahlii to Oxygen Exposure
Authors: Whitham Jason M. , Tirado-Acevedo Oscar , Chinn Mari S. , Pawlak Joel J. , Grunden Amy M.
Published: October 2015

Clostridium ljungdahliiis an important synthesis gas-fermenting bacterium used in the biofuels industry, and a preliminary investigation showed that it has some tolerance to oxygen when cultured in rich mixotrophic medium. Batch cultures not only continue to grow and consume H2, CO, and fructose after 8% O2exposure, but fermentation product analysis revealed an increase in ethanol concentration and decreased acetate concentration compared to non-oxygen-exposed cultures. In this study, the mechanisms for higher ethanol production and oxygen/reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification were identified using a combination of fermentation, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) differential expression, and enzyme activity analyses. The results indicate that the higher ethanol and lower acetate concentrations were due to the carboxylic acid reductase activity of a more highly expressed predicted aldehyde oxidoreductase (CLJU_c24130) and thatC. ljungdahlii's primary defense upon oxygen exposure is a predicted rubrerythrin (CLJU_c39340). The metabolic responses of higher ethanol production and oxygen/ROS detoxification were found to be linked by cofactor management and substrate and energy metabolism. This study contributes new insights into the physiology and metabolism ofC. ljungdahliiand provides new genetic targets to generateC. ljungdahliistrains that produce more ethanol and are more tolerant to syngas contaminants.
Protein Engineering of a Nitrilase from Burkholderia cenocepacia J2315 for Efficient and Enantioselective Production of (
R
)-
o
-Chloromandelic Acid
Authors: Wang Hualei , Gao Wenyuan , Sun Huihui , Chen Lifeng , Zhang Lujia , Wang Xuedong , Wei Dongzhi
Published: October 2015

The nitrilase-mediated pathway has significant advantages in the production of optically pure aromatic α-hydroxy carboxylic acids. However, low enantioselectivity and activity are observed on hydrolyzing
o
-chloromandelonitrile to produce optically pure (
R
)-
o
-chloromandelic acid. In the present study, a protein engineering approach was successfully used to enhance the performance of nitrilase obtained from
Burkholderia cenocepacia
strain J2315 (BCJ2315) in hydrolyzing
o
-chloromandelonitrile. Four hot spots (T49, I113, Y199, and T310) responsible for the enantioselectivity and activity of BCJ2315 were identified by random mutagenesis. An effective double mutant (I113M/Y199G [encoding the replacement of I with M at position 113 and Y with G at position 199]), which demonstrated remarkably enhanced enantioselectivity (99.1% enantiomeric excess [
ee
] compared to 89.2%
ee
for the wild type) and relative activity (360% of the wild type), was created by two rounds of site saturation mutagenesis, first at each of the four hot spots and subsequently at position 199 for combination with the selected beneficial mutation I113M. Notably, this mutant also demonstrated dramatically enhanced enantioselectivity and activity toward other mandelonitrile derivatives and, thus, broadened the substrate scope of this nitrilase. Using an ethyl acetate-water (1:9) biphasic system,
o
-chloromandelonitrile (500 mM) was completely hydrolyzed in 3 h by this mutant with a small amount of biocatalyst (10 g/liter wet cells), resulting in a high concentration of (
R
)-
o
-chloromandelic acid with 98.7%
ee
, to our knowledge the highest ever reported. This result highlights a promising method for industrial production of optically pure (
R
)-
o
-chloromandelic acid. Insight into the source of enantioselectivity and activity was gained by homology modeling and molecular docking experiments.
Interactions between Closely Related Bacterial Strains Are Revealed by Deep Transcriptome Sequencing
Authors: González-Torres Pedro , Pryszcz Leszek P. , Santos Fernando , Martínez-García Manuel , Gabaldón Toni , Antón Josefa
Published: October 2015

Comparative genomics, metagenomics, and single-cell technologies have shown that populations of microbial species encompass assemblages of closely related strains. This raises the question of whether individual bacterial lineages respond to the presence of their close relatives by modifying their gene expression or, instead, whether assemblages simply act as the arithmetic addition of their individual components. Here, we took advantage of transcriptome sequencing to address this question. For this, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two closely related strains of the extremely halophilic bacterium
Salinibacter ruber
grown axenically and in coculture. These organisms dominate bacterial assemblages in hypersaline environments worldwide. The strains used here cooccurred in the natural environment and are 100% identical in their 16S rRNA genes, and each strain harbors an accessory genome representing 10% of its complete genome. Overall, transcriptomic patterns from pure cultures were very similar for both strains. Expression was detected along practically the whole genome albeit with some genes at low levels. A subset of genes was very highly expressed in both strains, including genes coding for the light-driven proton pump xanthorhodopsin, genes involved in the stress response, and genes coding for transcriptional regulators. Expression differences between pure cultures affected mainly genes involved in environmental sensing. When the strains were grown in coculture, there was a modest but significant change in their individual transcription patterns compared to those in pure culture. Each strain sensed the presence of the other and responded in a specific manner, which points to fine intraspecific transcriptomic modulation.